Scholar of Strawhat Pirates

Douglas was also able to acquire some Seastone from the palace when he decided to raid the castle treasury as revenge for Dr. Hiriluk. But when they arrived, what he found were mostly piles of Wapol Metal—the special material produced by Wapol's Devil Fruit ability.

When Douglas touched it, he immediately sensed its potential: even when used as an alloy mixed with regular steel, the resulting material would surpass any standard alloy in quality.

He examined everything carefully and accidentally touched a strange metal block that made him feel slightly weak. When he pulled his hand away, his strength returned. Testing it again confirmed his suspicion—it was Seastone. Douglas then shaped some Wapol Metal into gloves and realized he could still use his Devil Fruit powers while wearing them.

Next, he touched the Seastone directly and, surprisingly, found he could manipulate its shape using his powers. So Douglas forged a new alloy by combining Seastone and Wapol Metal, carefully ensuring he only touched the Wapol Metal portion during the process. Once complete, he immediately left the treasury, taking every last piece of Seastone and Wapol Metal with him.

With his precise time calculations, Douglas knew the Blackbeard Pirates' arrival was drawing near. He spent the remaining days preparing: crafting more of his signature poison grenades—this time, enhanced with Seastone extract. If a Devil Fruit user inhaled it, the Seastone particles would enter their bloodstream and suppress their powers.

He also engineered his signature weapon: a detachable third arm capable of firing lasers. His upgraded mask became a helmet with a built-in interface that tracked eye movement and pinpointed targets automatically, equipped with filtration systems to protect him from his own toxins. In addition, he crafted a high-tech staff that could both release and absorb powerful electrical currents, capable of discharging over a billion volts ten times before needing a recharge. The staff could also transform into a massive scythe with a blade sharp enough to cut through nearly anything.

To some, his preparations might have seemed excessive, but Douglas had no intention of letting Blackbeard cause chaos. Every weapon he made was constructed from the Seastone-Wapol Metal alloy, giving him unmatched durability and a strategic edge against Logia users, especially since he still hadn't awakened Armament Haki.

One day, while going through his daily routine, Douglas sensed five hostile presences with his Observation Haki. They had just landed on the shores of Drum Kingdom and immediately began wreaking havoc in the village. Douglas instantly knew who they were—this was the moment he had over-prepared for. Silently hiding his presence, armed with every piece of gear he'd built, he made his way toward the commotion… with a smile slowly spreading across his face.

------------------

Meanwhile, the Blackbeard Pirates were tearing through the village without a care in the world. They were still in Paradise, the first half of the Grand Line—nothing here posed a threat to them. No strong fighter would bother defending a remote island like Drum Kingdom, even if it was under the World Government. The World Nobles had no interest in such a place. That's why they were so confident.

Wapol and his guards, upon learning of the pirate attack, immediately evacuated. As always, the king was the first to flee, knowing full well that pirates often target royalty for treasure. Accompanied by his elite Isshi-20, Wapol abandoned Drum Kingdom, choosing self-preservation over duty. His cowardice disgusted his royal guards. Refusing to leave the people, they decided to stay behind and defend the civilians.

After Wapol fled, Douglas reached the source of the attack and spotted four of the main Blackbeard Pirates—but not Teach himself. That alone told him how arrogant they were—Blackbeard hadn't even bothered hiding his presence, assuming no one could threaten them. Douglas, seeing this opportunity, didn't hesitate.

He lobbed more than ten grenades at them. The explosion was immediate and violent—not just a blast, but a fog of poisonous gas laced with Seastone fragments. Before the smoke cleared, Douglas followed up with another ten grenades. This time, no explosion—just a far deadlier cloud of toxins and a double dose of Seastone dust.

Using his Observation Haki, Douglas gauged their auras. When he sensed they had weakened, he unleashed his full arsenal—over twenty more grenades in rapid succession. Each Blackbeard Pirate was hit with the equivalent of forty grenades—more lethal than Magellan's infamous venom.

The result was swift and brutal. The pirates began gasping for breath. Teach tried activating his Devil Fruit powers, but nothing happened. His abilities were gone, nullified from the inside out. He looked around—his crew was in shambles. Doc Q and Stronger were already dead. Laffitte's once-arrogant grin was replaced with a tortured grimace. Burgess and Van Augur were suffocating, unable to draw a breath. And Teach… wore a face Douglas would never forget: sheer despair.

Douglas stepped forward slowly, surveying the battlefield. Doc Q and Stronger—lifeless. With caution, he touched the ground and summoned spikes of Wapol-Seastone alloy, piercing the remaining bodies to finish the job. They couldn't defend themselves, too weak to resist. One by one, they fell—until only Teach remained.

Teach's breathing was shallow, nearly undetectable, but Douglas could still sense a flicker of life. Without hesitation, he touched Blackbeard's body… and then his own—merging them.

He wanted the Dark-Dark Fruit for himself.

Leaving only Blackbeard's head intact, still twisted in despair, Douglas claimed the power for himself.

After the battle, Douglas began disassembling the corpses—Doc Q, Stronger, Laffitte, Burgess, Van Augur. The Blackbeard Pirates, who were fated to ignite a new era, were snuffed out before they could ever make their mark.

Immediately, Douglas felt a change. He now had three hearts. A voice whispered in his mind—another power awakened. When he activated it, a cloud of dark smoke coiled around his body.

He had inherited the Yami-Yami no Mi, becoming the first person in history to wield two Devil Fruits.

"Zehahahaha, I wonder what kind of changes this will make in the world, huh? My laugh changed," Douglas said to himself as he noticed the difference in his voice. Douglas then began testing his newly acquired abilities, eager to understand and master them.