Rodney threw off his robe, revealing a massive shuriken. The thick blades swung toward Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine.
"You dare bring me an axe, you worthless wretch?" Mr. 5 sneered. He pinched off a bug, threw it toward the flying shuriken, and…
Boom!
Mr. 5, like a fruit bomb, could turn any part of his body into an explosive. Even a booger he threw could explode. A terrifying ability he used to play with his nasal mucus as a child. Wasn't he afraid of bleeding?
Miss Valentine soared into the air, using her ability to manipulate weights from one kilogram to ten thousand. The explosion that had occurred moments earlier had enabled her to perform this temporary aerial maneuver.
"Miss, I must say you have an excellent sense of fashion with those yellow and white stripes," Rodney remarked, admiring the panoramic view.
"Ah-ah-ah! I'll kill you! Look how you move! Ten-thousand-kilogram abs!" Miss Valentine exclaimed.
Rodney took a quick look and stepped back silently.
Boom!
Miss Valentine, weighing ten thousand kilograms, collapsed to the ground, creating a deep hole. Sand continued to pour into the crater. After climbing out, Miss Valentine expressed her displeasure.
Using her ability, she reduced her weight to a minimum, allowing her to jump and hover in the air for a moment.
"The woman's weight is truly incredible," Rodney remarked quietly.
By this time, Mr. 5 had already lunged at Rodney, throwing punches. Any collision could have resulted in injury, and getting too close could have resulted in an explosion.
Rodney dodged by stepping back and released "Wind Release": Vacuum Sphere.
Invisible air bullets struck Mr. 5, causing an explosion that sent him flying backwards. Amazingly, he remained unharmed. Stunned, he asked:
- How is this possible?
Logically, a vacuum sphere capable of piercing stone should have easily pierced Mr. 5's body.
Mr. 5 brushed the dust off his body and explained:
"I assumed you'd try a sneak attack. The moment you touch me, my body will explode. It doesn't matter where you hit."
"I thought you were an idiot," Rodney replied with a smile.
This explanation made sense. When the Vacuum Sphere first touched Mr. 5's body, the explosion negated its effects, which led to the previous encounter.
"Then... Fire Element: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!" Rodney exclaimed.
Fireballs flew out one after another as Rodney moved rapidly. The fireballs didn't hit Mr. 5 directly, but their purpose was to create a smokescreen, obscuring his vision.
Amidst the smoke and dust, Mr. 5 heard a voice, "Fishman Karate: Hundred Brick Fist!" A powerful punch tore through the smoke, striking Mr. 5 and sending him flying.
This time, there was no explosion upon impact because Mr. 5 didn't have time to react. Such a powerful Devil Fruit ability was wasted.
With a shake of his head, Rodney, using his Sharingan to navigate the smoke and dust, swiftly approached Mr. 5 from behind. With a twist of his body, he launched a Dragon God Whirlwind, sending Mr. 5 flying into the sky.
Leaf Dragon God!
Boom!
Mr. 5's body collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Rodney looked at Miss Valentine and smiled. Her expression of horror at his blood-red pupils left a psychological scar.
Miss Valentine, however, consoled herself with the thought that she was still floating in the air. If the wind blew her away now, she might survive.
But then her ankle caught. Looking down, she saw a steel cable wrapped around her ankle, attached to an unknown weapon, and Rodney holding the other end.
"Get down!" Rodney ordered.
Rodney instantly plucked Miss Valentine from the air.
"Ahhhh!" Miss Valentine screamed, falling to the ground. The man who had easily defeated them now stood before her and said, "I have a question for you, member of Barak Works. Are there any high-ranking agents of that organization at Rain Base?"
Rodney's blood-red pupils, sparkling with indifference, struck fear into Miss Valentine.
Without thinking, she answered:
"Mr. 2, Miss Happy Christmas, Mr. 4—I met them a few days ago. I'm not sure about the others. They must be on a mission."
She begged:
- Oh, please, believe me! I'm telling the truth!
"Okay, I believe you," Rodney smiled.
A pair of blood-red eyes, now spinning, was the last thing Miss Valentine saw. It felt like something had burst from her neck, and her strength was gradually draining away. She felt no pain, only warmth and a strange comfort…
"But I didn't say I wouldn't kill you," Rodney whispered quietly.
He buried Miss Valentine's body in the yellow sand and then turned his attention to Mr. 5. Approaching the seriously injured and unconscious Mr. 5, Rodney took a banana out of his pocket.
When a Devil Fruit user dies, there is a high chance that their ability will seek out a nearby fruit to possess, turning it into a Devil Fruit and granting it its power.
Of course, success isn't guaranteed. Whether Rodney will be able to gain Mr. 5's powers by killing him remains unclear. As with Schrödinger's Cat, the type of Mr. 5's fruit was unknown—it's unclear whether he'll gain Mr. 5's powers or not.
However, falling into the hands of a skilled user like Rodney was undoubtedly better than Mr. 5. For example, if the Bomb Fruit were eaten by Garp, and its power combined with his powerful strikes, the explosive effect would be immeasurable. The ability to transform one's body into a bomb is nothing to scoff at.
Playing with boogers was child's play. If fruit was better suited for close combat, then using it in close combat would be the best option. Why play with nasal mucus?
"Never mind. Let's do this." Rodney plunged his kunai into Mr. 5's body, ending his life. Then he noticed the banana in his hand begin to change. The yellow peel gradually turned red, and intricate spiral patterns appeared on it.
The bomb fruit has appeared!
However, Rodney decided against eating it. Explosive fruits and the like held little appeal for him, as Naruto possessed a Bloodline Limit known as Explosive Ejection.
Not to mention the artist Deidara, who used the "Explosive Explosion" during the World Shinobi War, or the Third Raikage's "Hell Strike" - a technique that transformed a fist into a blade.
Power like this was unparalleled. It coursed through his veins, thrilled his nerves, and promised untold possibilities. Besides, Rodney still had the detonator—a dangerous toy capable of transforming any object into a deadly weapon.
A thought formed in his head, bright and tempting. "The abilities of some office worker would become incredibly useful," he whispered to himself. "Turn anything into a bomb with a single touch..." The idea almost took hold of him, but he resisted the temptation. "Killer Queen: a tertiary bomb (Bites the Dust)..." he whispered with a smirk.
Having finished his fantasy, Rodney buried Mr. 5's body and approached their mode of transportation—a pickup turtle. The creature was enormous, with a shell-covered shell and powerful paws capable of breaking rocks. Rodney watched it for a moment, then used his illusion to control the beast. "Go!" he shouted, jumping onto its back.
The pickup turtle kicked up a cloud of sand and dust and raced across the desert, slightly faster than the sand trap technique. The wind whistled in his ears, sand slapped his face, but all Rodney felt was adrenaline and an uncontrollable thirst for adventure.