The profound experience brought by the Soul-Echo Fruit lasted for a long time before the members of the Rocks Pirates gradually returned from that mystical state. Everyone felt as if they had been reborn, and their way of looking at the world had fundamentally changed.
Gatz excitedly swung his anchor. He found that he could easily hear the trajectory of power flowing within the anchor, making each swing more fluid and powerful than before. Silver stood quietly, but his aura had become more restrained and dangerous, like a peerless spear hidden in its sheath, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment.
Dolum, on the other hand, was circling the giant ancient tree, muttering to himself as if conversing with an old friend, his eyes shining with the fanaticism of a master shipwright who had discovered a priceless piece of timber.
Rocks stood at the edge of the valley with his arms crossed, overlooking the mist-shrouded island. He could hear the subtle information carried on the wind, the rhythm of the waves crashing against the reefs, and could even vaguely sense several powerful life forces in the distant sea. This feeling of being in control of everything made the smile on his face grow even more audacious.
"A chef who can hear the voice of the world, and a crew who can communicate with their own weapons and partners..." Rocks muttered to himself, the flames of ambition burning in his eyes. "Ren, the surprises you've brought me are worth more than all the treasure in the sea combined."
His gaze turned to the trussed-up CP leader thrown in the corner. The man had regained some of his senses from his initial despair, but his eyes were now filled with nothing but terror. He had witnessed these people devour the legendary fruit and undergo unbelievable transformations. He knew there was no chance of survival for him today.
Rocks slowly walked over and looked down at him as if at an insect that could be crushed at will. "You World Government lapdog, tell me, where did you get your information? Why did you know the Soul-Echo Fruit was here?" Rocks's voice was calm, but the invisible pressure made it hard for the CP leader to breathe.
The CP leader clenched his jaw, a flicker of an agent's stubbornness in his eyes. "I won't say anything! For justice!"
"Justice?" Rocks looked as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world. He crouched down to meet the CP leader's gaze, a mocking smile on his face. "Don't talk to me about that ridiculous word. Your so-called justice is nothing but the leash the Celestial Dragons use to keep you dogs." He extended a finger and lightly tapped the CP leader's forehead. "Let me guess," Rocks's voice was like a demon's whisper.
"The Soul-Echo Fruit allows one to listen to all things. For those trash who have lived too long and find the world utterly boring, an ability like this would be the best toy."
"Did some fat-bellied Celestial Dragon hear about this legend and send you lapdogs to find it for him?"
The CP leader's pupils shrank violently. This subtle change did not escape Rocks's eyes.
"Looks like I guessed right," Rocks retracted his finger and stood up, his smile turning icy. "Which family was it? One of the Five Elders under Imu-sama? Or some maggot in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise?"
The CP leader kept his mouth shut, but his mental defenses had been completely shattered by Rocks's all-seeing gaze. The man before him possessed not only monstrous power but also a devilish intellect.
Just then, the silent Ren walked over. He glanced at the CP leader and then said to Rocks, "Captain, his heart rate is accelerating, and his blood flow is changing. His emotional fluctuations were greatest when you mentioned 'Celestial Dragon' and 'toy'. Your guess is correct."
Ren's perception was no longer limited to just hearing; he could judge the truth of someone's emotions by listening to their body.
"Wahahaha! Did you hear that? Even my Head Chef says you've been exposed," Rocks roared with laughter. "Alright, I'm not interested in your secrets anymore. Too boring." He turned to leave, seeming to have lost all patience with the captive.
"Wait!" the CP leader suddenly shouted. He knew this was his last chance. "I'll talk! I'll talk! I can tell you everything I know! I just beg you for a quick death!"
In the face of absolute power and the despair of being completely seen through, so-called loyalty and integrity were worthless.
However, Rocks didn't even bother to turn his head. "Too late. I'm not interested anymore."
Just then, something unexpected happened. Silver's sharp gaze shot toward the seashore, his voice calm but urgent. "A ship is approaching. Fast. It's not a standard Marine vessel. It has the CP insignia on its hull."
"Oh?" Rocks raised an eyebrow. "Reinforcements? Perfect. Saves us the trouble of swimming back." Their small, battered ship was already on its last legs after the previous storms and battles. Dolum had already declared that it wouldn't make it to the next island.
The group quickly rushed to the shore. A sleek, futuristic-looking speedboat, entirely black, was cutting through the waves toward them. The ship was smaller than a Marine warship but several times faster. Instead of a ram, its bow had a strange device that glowed with an ethereal light.
"It's the CP0's Phantom prototype ship!" the CP leader, held by Gatz, exclaimed in shock. "It's equipped with the latest Seastone interference cannons and tracking systems! You can't escape!"
"Escape?" Rocks smiled. "Why would we escape?"
The Phantom ship had clearly spotted them. The cannon on its bow began to charge, gathering streams of eerie blue light.
"It's a Seastone beam! It can instantly neutralize a Devil Fruit user's powers!" the CP leader shouted in despair.
"Gatz, shut him up. He's too loud," Rocks said impatiently.
Gatz grinned, tore a piece of the CP leader's sleeve, and stuffed it into his mouth.
"Alright, boys," Rocks cracked his knuckles, a hunter's excited smile on his face as he looked at the new toy. "Don't sink it. Dolum needs a new home. Make it quick. It's almost lunchtime."
"SIR!"
Before his voice had even faded, the Seastone beam from the Phantom ship shot out, aimed straight at the most conspicuous target, Rocks. However, the beam seemed to fly into an invisible swamp about ten meters from Rocks. Its speed slowed dramatically, the light twisted and dispersed, and it ultimately vanished into thin air.
The CP agents on the Phantom ship were all stunned. Before they could react, a silver flash shot out from the shore. Silver's feet touched the surface of the sea as if it were solid ground. The Soul-Echo Fruit had given him a new understanding of the voices of the wind and water. He could easily borrow their power, making him several times faster than before. He left afterimages on the sea surface; bullets couldn't even track his movements. In an instant, Silver had boarded the Phantom ship's deck.
-------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get access to early chapters by joining my Patreon!
Find me at My : pat*eon*com/RuneA
I, Herta's Fiancé, the Universe's Number One Male Fist (114 Chapter (Simulpub-Full) )
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Succubus in Sixth Street (320 Chapter)
Reborn in Type-Moon, My Sister is Aoko Aozaki (250 Chapter)
MyGO!! A Story Voiced by Me (120 Chapter)
BLEACH: Blade of Purification (130 Chapter)
Konoha: Starting the Game as Yoriichi (320 Chapter)
My Real Job is Spying on Konoha, but I'm Also its Hokage (130 Chapter)
The Pinnacle of the Navy! Starting from Being Captured by Garp (150 Chapter)
Watching Yu-Gi-Oh! short videos is making the veteran players lose...(75 Chapter)
Uma Musume : The Trainer Who Just Wants to Live (196 Chapter)
Zenless Zone Zero The Random Kamen Rider (160 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: It All Began With Me Being Stepped On by Arlecchino (110 Chapter)
Naruto: I Can Synthesize Summoning Beasts (80 Chapter)
Demon Slayer: The Great Swordsman's System, Disciple of Yoriichi (120 Chapter)
My Wife is a General, but I'm an Emanator of Abundance! (130 Chapter)
Type-Moon: My Nine-Fold Path (130 Chapter)
Uma Musume: They're Peeking at My Diary, and All of Tracen is Panickin (87 Chapter)
The Wild History of Type-Moon world (60 Chapter)
Reborn in Conan, But I Refuse to Be the Bad Guy (70 Chapter)
Ruan Mei is begging me to go back? But there's no going back anymore (130 Chapter)
Just a Slacker at Tracen Academy (130 Chapter)
Survival in Blue Archive (60 Chapter)
Kimetsu no Yaiba: Doma Wasn't Hated Today, Either (90 Chapter)
The Vibe of This Chat Group is a Little Off (90 Chapter)
Heartbreak Simulator: I Broke Them and Made Them Cry (70 Chapter)
The Talentless Trainer Doesn't Want to Restart (70 Chapter)
A Journey Starting as a Quincy (70 Chapter)
Uma Musume: The Master of Romance Obstruction (70 Chapter)
Uma Musume: You Can't Be a Hero Without a Little Chemical Enhancement (30 Chapter)
Honkai Impact 3rd Your Boyfriend is Really Amazing (30 Chapter)
Warhammer 40K: My Fiancée, Fulgrim (90 Chapter)
Classroom of the Elite: Trying to Capture Me! (90 Chapter)
Genshin Impact My Named Senji Muramas (90 Chapter)
A Chef, the Vice-Captain of the Rocks Pirates? (60 Chapter)
If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it.