The first day was a pure contest of physical skill and Haki. They fought from dawn to dusk, and then from night to the next dawn. The entire sea region became their battlefield. The fish in the sea had long been killed by the shockwaves, and even the Sea Kings stayed far away from this death zone.
The crew of the Rocks Pirates went from initial shock to numbness, and finally, to deep reverence. They watched from a distance, not daring to get any closer, for fear of being torn to shreds by the terrifying aftershocks of the battle. Only Ren calmly observed from the kitchen window. His Observation Haki was fully active, but he wasn't focused on the outcome of the battle. He was monitoring their energy consumption, muscle fatigue, and the rhythm of their breathing.
"High-intensity energy output, severe loss of body fluids and salt, muscle fibers constantly tearing and rebuilding..." Ren was already designing a menu in his mind to replenish their energy to the maximum extent once the battle was over.
The battle entered its second day. Pure hand-to-hand combat could no longer decide a victor, so both men simultaneously began to use their Devil Fruit abilities.
"Gurararara!" Newgate threw a punch, and the air in front of his fist shattered like glass. CRACK! It was the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. An invisible shockwave crossed space and directly affected the area where Rocks was. The space beneath Rocks's feet began to distort violently, as if it could collapse at any moment.
Faced with this terrifying power that could shatter islands, Rocks just snorted. He opened his palm and made a grasping motion in the air. "Dark Domain." A black sphere, as if it could swallow all light, quickly formed in front of him, completely enveloping him. The moment Newgate's shockwave came into contact with the dark domain, it was like a clay ox entering the sea—silently swallowed and neutralized without causing a single ripple.
Rocks's ability was a more domineering and unreasonable power related to gravity and space. He could create a domain of absolute nothingness, annihilating all attacks.
Vibration and annihilation, two opposing top-tier powers, began to stage the most magnificent duel in this sea region. When Newgate shattered space with a punch, Rocks would swallow it with darkness. When Rocks threw a high-density gravity sphere, Newgate would detonate it mid-air with a stronger shockwave.
The sea was turned upside down by them. At times, a hundred-meter-high tsunami would rise; at other times, a bottomless vortex would appear. Gatz was so stunned he was speechless. He muttered, "Are... are they even human?"
Dolum was clutching a mast, on the verge of tears. "My ship... my ship... by the time they're done, I'll be lucky if there are a few planks left..."
Silver's gaze was more focused than ever before. He tried to capture every flaw and every essence of their fighting. For him, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for observation.
The battle continued into the third day. The clash of Devil Fruits and Haki had also reached a stalemate. Both Rocks and Newgate were injured, their breathing heavy, but the fighting spirit in their eyes had not diminished in the slightest; it burned even brighter. They were like two tireless prehistoric beasts, fighting on pure instinct. Their minds were highly focused, transcending physical fatigue and entering a mystical state.
Finally, on the evening of the third day, as the setting sun dyed the sea a golden red, both men launched their final charge simultaneously. Rocks's fist was wreathed in black tendrils of gravity and streaks of Conqueror's Haki lightning. Newgate's fist was covered in a pure white halo of vibration and equally ferocious Haki. The two fists, both capable of destroying everything, once again, and for the last time, slammed into each other.
BOOM!
This explosion was several times more terrifying than the one three days ago. A pillar of light that pierced the heavens shot up, tearing a huge hole in the clouds.
When the light dissipated, Rocks and Newgate were both frozen in their punching postures. The next second, they both coughed up a mouthful of blood, and then, as if completely drained of strength, they both fell backward, lying on the sea surface, gasping for breath.
Silence. A deathly silence.
A long time later...
"Gurararara..."
"Wahahahaha!"
Two weak but hearty and heroic laughs sounded simultaneously on the sea. They looked at each other, seeing in the other's eyes the exhilaration of a good fight and the highest recognition of each other's strength.
The three-day, three-night deathmatch had finally ended in a draw.
The battle was over, but its aftershocks still lingered on the sea. The Rocks Pirates' ship was now a wreck. One mast was broken, the sails were torn to shreds, and the deck was covered in cracks. Dolum was hugging a broken piece of the keel, crying like a 300-pound child. "My ship! The keel I polished with my own hands! It's broken! It actually broke!"
Gatz, on the other hand, was flushed with excitement. He looked at the two god-like figures on the distant sea and felt his blood boil. "So... so strong! I've never been impressed by anyone in my life, but today, my eyes have been opened!"
Silver was leaning against the remaining half of a mast, his eyes closed, as if savoring the earth-shattering battle. His aura had become even more condensed and dangerous.
Rocks and Newgate supported each other, staggering back to the ship. They were both injured and their stamina was at its limit, but their spirits were exceptionally high.
"You're pretty good, you bastard," Rocks said, slumping onto the deck and punching Newgate in the chest.
"You too," Newgate grinned, showing his white teeth. "It's been a long time since I've had such a good fight." The two looked at each other and smiled, a sense of mutual respect between heroes.
Just then, an indescribable, warm, and mellow aroma, as if it had a life of its own, silently drifted over and entered everyone's nostrils. The scent was different from any dish Ren had made before. It wasn't overpowering or strong, but like a gentle hand, it soothed their tense nerves from the fierce battle and calmed their racing hearts.
Everyone's gaze instinctively turned to the small kitchen. Ren walked out slowly, carrying a huge wooden tray. His face was as expressionless as ever, but his eyes were unusually focused, as if he were carrying not food, but some sacred offering.
"First, rehydrate and replenish your energy," Ren said, placing the tray on a relatively intact table in the middle of the deck. On the tray were two huge bowls made from the skulls of Sea Kings. The bowls were filled with a milky-white, steaming hot, rich soup. The soup was as thick as jade, with a few emerald-green, unknown herb leaves floating on top, and a few bright red goji berries for garnish. It was a beautiful sight.
"Sea King Marrow Recovery Soup," Ren introduced succinctly. This was the result of simmering the most essential part of the Sea King's spine, which he had hunted earlier, with more than a dozen precious nourishing herbs from the Island of Splendor over a low fire for three whole days.
Rocks and Newgate were starving. Smelling this soul-awakening aroma, they couldn't hold back. They each picked up a bowl and, ignoring the heat, began to drink it down in large gulps. The moment the soup entered their mouths, both of their eyes widened.
-------
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