Blackbeard’s third Devil Fruit; Is it the power of petrification or the gift of agility and pain transfer?

SUMMARY

The One Piece community is divided on whether Blackbeard’s next Devil Fruit will be a Zoan, with some believing it doesn’t suit his style or strategic needs.
There is speculation that Blackbeard will target Boa Hancock’s Mero Mero no Mi for its petrification ability, despite an unsuccessful previous attempt.
The theory is that Blackbeard might opt for the Nikyu Nikyu no Mi, which addresses his mobility and pain sensitivity issues, making it a more strategic fit for his needs than a Zoan type.

While half of the One Piece fandom believes Blackbeard’s third Devil Fruit is going to be a Zoan, the other half is not so convinced. Zoans need the skill to utilize, but logic says that they are not the sort of Devil Fruit Teach intended. Luffy is a Zoan user, so Oda would likely not give one to Blackbeard to ensure Luffy has a fair chance at winning.

After killing Thatch and taking the Yami Yami no Mi, Blackbeard left the Whitebeard Pirates and quickly formed his crew. During the Marineford arc, he took another step by stealing Whitebeard’s Gura Gura no Mi, making him the unique holder of two Devil Fruits in One Piece.

Despite the immense power of two Devil Fruits, Blackbeard is aiming for a third.

Is it the Mero Mero No Mi?

Blackbeard using Yami Yami no Mi and Gura Gura no Mi
Boa Hancock, the former Shichibukai and one of the three Gorgon sisters possesses the Mero Mero no Mi Devil Fruit, which she was forced to consume by the Celestial Dragons. They believed she and her sisters would never leave Marijoa and thus were careless about the fruits they were given.

Hancock, however, fully mastered the fruit, turning it into a formidable weapon capable of petrifying people and objects. The manga notes that Blackbeard and his crew once targeted Amazon Lily precisely to seize this fruit. Luckily, Hancock had Rayleigh’s support during this ordeal. While the chance of Blackbeard returning might seem slight, it’s prudent not to dismiss the possibility entirely.

Or Could it Be the Nikyu Nikyu no Mi?

Nikyu Nikyu no Mi
Blackbeard’s Achilles’ heel is his sluggishness, making him fall short when compared to the agility of other top-tier pirates or Yonkos. Even Big Mom, who gains speed by riding Zeus, has a leg up on him. This deficiency clearly sets Teach apart from the swiftest Yonkos, like Kaido and Shanks, who leverage their sheer speed to engage swiftly. Blackbeard’s only fast victory was against Hancock, that too when she was caught off guard.

Blackbeard doesn’t need a Zoan-type fruit; instead, he needs something to boost his speed. The Nikyu Nikyu no Mi would be an ideal choice, offering him the ability to teleport and amplify his existing powers.

Moreover, the Nikyu Nikyu no Mi could address another of Blackbeard’s vulnerabilities: his increased pain sensitivity due to the Yami Yami no Mi. This fruit made him vulnerable to pre-time skip Luffy’s assaults in Impel Down. Although Teach has somewhat adapted to the pain, it still affects him more severely than it would others.