Tenth one!
His body paused, unable to break free from the stone spike, his body went limp, the scarecrow form dispelled, transforming into a person, kneeling on one knee.
The stone spike that pierced his body remained, gradually staining Hawkins' chest a deeper crimson, his blood soaking into the spike, dripping to the ground.
"Injured, huh."
Granny smiled, "It seems it's not unlimited."
Hawkins looked up, focusing on the person seated on the throne, a sly grin on his lips as he flipped the Tarot Cards in his hand, "Upright 'The Fool', courage and confidence, pursuing dreams and unexpectedly gaining rewards… an unexpected victory!"
Bang!
The ground beneath Granny's feet suddenly burst open, the Rice Straw Sword darting swiftly from the earth, aiming straight for Granny's throat.
The sword that plunged into the ground was never meant to be pulled out; gripping the hilt was only to let the rice straw sword burrow underground, to attack from below.
The Tarot Card of 'The Fool' granted him the greatest surprise element, and at the same time, illuminated a certain truth to him.
Pursuing the most probable 'facts' is what smart people should do, but smart people... aren't necessarily the strongest!
Those who seek the 'OnePiece', including Sage, who wants to establish a foothold in the New World and harbors even greater ambitions... are all fools!
Only such people can trigger miracles!
The rice straw sword attacked with incredible speed, leaving Granny no time to react, its tip already piercing his skin.
Yet at that moment, a layer of gold halted the rice straw sword's advance, suspending the attack.
Layer upon layer of gold swiftly enveloped the straw climbing out of the earth, cloaking it in shining gold.
The golden armrests beneath Granny's hands melted, surging like waves, billowing.
Drip...
A drop of blood fell from his throat, hitting the ground.
"You peasant!"
Granny's eyes were filled with bloodshot veins, his neck pulled away from the petrified golden straw sword as he glared at Hawkins.
"I'll crush you into pieces, forever beneath my feet!"
The stone waves beneath the throne surged forth violently, like a tsunami, crashing forward.
"Tsk..."
Hawkins shook his head, "Failed again, huh, Sage? What you said, I wonder if it's right, but..."
Eschewing the path of highest probability, he instead felt a strange emotion well up inside him.
Chasing the impossible, just like rebelling against destiny itself, is indeed...
"Exhilarating." Hawkins looked at the oncoming stone wave, a smile on his face.
Boom!!
Just as the stone wave was about to engulf him, a massive hole inexplicably burst open on the right side of the hall, and a figure shot quickly across, before Hawkins' eyes blurred and a black-feathered cape with red tips appeared before him, with a swirl of white hair above it.
White hair...
Snap!
The stone spike embedded in his chest suddenly shattered.
Crash!!
Simultaneously, the entire stone wave shattered violently, reducing to tiny pebbles all rushing backward toward Granny's location.
Granny's brow furrowed, his feet stomping as another stone wave surged forth to block the bullet-like pebbles.
Rat-tat-tat!
The pebbles poured into the stone wave, creating ripples, absorbed into the wave, cascading downward, mingling with the ground, revealing the person standing before Hawkins.
"Sage..."
Hawkins paused for a moment, inexplicably relieved, smiling wryly, "I was about to die."
"I can't believe you'd do something so foolish... Oh well, judging by your expression, you seem pretty happy."
Sage glanced back at him, then pointed forward at the person sitting on the golden throne, baring a mouth full of white teeth with a sinister grin, "Get down! That golden throne isn't yours to sit on, it's mine!"