The CP agents' Six Powers were exquisite, and they worked in perfect coordination. But after being enhanced by the "Boon of the Feast," Rocks's crew were on a different level.
Gatz's giant anchor swung in wide, powerful arcs, each blow carrying the force to shatter mountains. He forced two agents who specialized in Shave and Moonwalk to dodge desperately, unable to get close. Silver's spear was like a phantom, appearing at unbelievable angles when least expected, forcing another agent onto the defensive.
Although Dolum wasn't fast, his body seemed to be covered in an invisible layer of armor. The agents' Finger Pistols and Tempest Kicks only produced dull thuds when they hit him, causing no effective damage. He swung his giant axe with steady, powerful blows, forcing his opponent to retreat again and again.
The battle was completely one-sided.
Rocks paid no more attention to the predictable fight. He grabbed the immobilized CP leader like a chicken and strode toward the center of the island, with Ren following silently behind him.
They passed through an archway made of giant skeletons and arrived in a huge, circular valley. In the center of the valley grew an impossibly large ancient tree. Its bark was like dried tear tracks, and its massive canopy blotted out the sky. Countless glowing, tear-drop-shaped beads of sap slowly dripped from its branches and leaves.
Hanging from the highest branch of the ancient tree was a single fruit. It was crystalline and radiated a soft, soul-like glow. It pulsed with a regular rhythm, like a living heart. This was undoubtedly the legendary Soul-Echo Fruit.
But between them and the ancient tree stood a colossal figure. It was a giant, tens of meters tall, formed from the island's black rock and condensed resentment. It had no facial features, and a black fog of sorrow continuously seeped from the cracks in its body. Just by standing there silently, it exuded a tangible, overwhelming sorrow that could crush one's spirit, blanketing the entire valley.
This was the King of Laments, the mere mention of which struck fear into the hearts of the Elbaf giants.
"Finally found it," Rocks said, casually tossing the CP leader aside. His eyes burned as he stared at the giant rock golem. "A big guy made of stone? Perfect. Saves me the trouble of finding a target."
Just as Rocks was about to make his move, the King of Laments moved. It made no sound, simply raising its massive stone arm and pointing at Rocks. An invisible shockwave of pure sorrow and despair swept toward them like a tsunami.
Behind Rocks, Ren frowned. The intensity of this mental attack was far greater than the fog.
However, Rocks didn't dodge. He took a step forward, and an even more domineering and arrogant will erupted from him, soaring into the sky!
BOOM!
The two invisible wills collided violently in mid-air, creating a sound so powerful it was almost tangible. The very air in the valley distorted. The King of Laments's movement faltered, as if it hadn't expected this tiny human to be able to withstand its mental assault head-on.
"Is that all you've got?" Rocks grinned, showing his white teeth. "Then it's my turn!"
He was about to charge forward, but another figure was faster. It was the CP leader he had thrown aside. The agent had somehow broken free and was now sprinting at top speed, bypassing Rocks and the King of Laments, heading straight for the Soul-Echo Fruit on the ancient tree!
"That thing belongs to the World Government!" the CP leader roared, his eyes filled with a crazed obsession.
The King of Laments seemed to be enraged. It let out a silent roar, and the entire valley trembled. It abandoned Rocks and instead threw a punch at the thief who dared to touch the sacred object.
"I told you not to interfere with my hunt," a cold voice sounded.
Rocks's figure appeared behind the CP leader as if by teleportation, one hand casually gripping the back of his neck. At the same time, he raised his other hand and met the King of Laments's mountain-sized fist with a punch of his own.
The two fists, one large and one small, completely disproportionate in size, collided in mid-air.
Time seemed to stand still for a moment.
The next second, a deafening boom erupted.
CRACK—
A dense web of cracks spread from the King of Laments's fist, quickly covering its entire arm and even half of its body!
Rocks stood his ground, unmoved. The King of Laments's massive rock body, however, shattered and crumbled from that single punch!
Outside the valley, Gatz, Silver, and Dolum, having just finished their opponents, arrived just in time to witness this breathtaking scene. They surrounded the ashen-faced CP leader, cutting off all his escape routes.
Rocks shook his fist as if he had just swatted a fly. In the valley, the shattered rocks were still tumbling down, the dust not yet settled. The members of the Rocks Pirates, including the newly arrived Gatz, Silver, and Dolum, were still reeling from the shock of their captain shattering the King of Laments with a single punch.
Rocks, however, acted as if nothing had happened. He dusted off his hands and stared intently at the sky-blotting ancient tree. His eyes were like those of a gourmand who had just discovered a peerless delicacy, filled with naked possessiveness.
"Alright, don't just stand there gawking," Rocks called out to his stunned crew. "Ren, get your biggest plate ready. Silver, go pick that fruit. Be careful not to damage it."
"Yes, sir," Silver responded. With a flick of his body, he tapped his toes on the steep cliff face a few times, moving like a nimble ape. In just a few breaths, he had climbed onto a branch of the ancient tree. He carefully avoided the glowing, tear-like sap that dripped continuously as he approached the Soul-Echo Fruit hanging at the very top.
Gatz and Dolum flanked the captured CP leader, whom Rocks had casually thrown to the ground. The agent's face was ashen. The clash just now had not only shattered the King of Laments, but also completely shattered his pride and will to fight as an elite agent of the World Government. He now understood what kind of monster he was facing.
"Captain, what do we do with this guy?" Gatz asked in his booming voice, shouldering his anchor.
"Tie him up for now. Just make sure he doesn't die," Rocks waved his hand dismissively, his full attention on the fruit that was about to be his. "He's not even an appetizer. Don't let him ruin our mood for the meal."
Silver moved through the massive canopy and soon arrived beneath the fruit. Up close, he could feel the strange vibrations it emitted, like the breathing of a living creature, each pulse pulling at the light and shadows around it.
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