The dense barrage of cannonballs slammed into the black cyclone— only to rebound as if they had struck an impregnable fortress.
One after another, they were deflected and exploded in midair, blooming into brilliant fireworks.
Not a single shell reached the ship.
“What?!” Colonel Sikley’s pupils contracted sharply.
Before he could recover from his shock, something even more unbelievable happened.
Silver shot across the sea like a bolt of silver lightning.
His feet skimmed over the waves kicked up by the cannonballs as though he were running on solid ground, closing in on the Marine warship to port at a speed the naked eye could barely follow.
“Fire!” “Stop him!” The Marines aboard the ship shouted in panic.
Bullets poured toward Silver like a rainstorm.
Not one of them even grazed his clothes.
He moved like a phantom slipping effortlessly through falling raindrops.
In just a few flashes, he landed on the deck.
His spear trembled.
Several dazzling silver arcs blossomed from its tip.
Wherever they passed, Marine rifles and swords flew from their owners’ hands.
The soldiers themselves were sent stumbling by the precise force of his strikes— yet not a single one suffered a fatal injury.
In the blink of an eye, Silver had single-handedly neutralized the entire fighting force aboard the warship.
On the opposite side of the battlefield, Dorum took a far more straightforward approach.
Standing at the rail, he didn’t bother dodging the incoming cannonballs.
He simply swung his enormous axe.
CLANG!
A cannonball hurtling toward the ship was split perfectly in two.
The halves flew harmlessly past either side of the vessel before splashing into the sea.
“Not bad.” “The quality of this iron is better than the nails on my ship.” Like a veteran blacksmith inspecting raw materials, Dorum offered his serious assessment— before casually splitting another cannonball in half.
Colonel Sikley stared blankly at the surreal spectacle unfolding before him.
Cold sweat dripped down his forehead.
Only three crew members…
…had completely dismantled the offensive of an entire Marine fleet.
At last, he realized he hadn’t kicked an brick wall .
He had slammed headfirst into an immovable continent of steel.
Just as he was about to order a retreat— a playful voice suddenly spoke beside his ear.
“Thinking about running now?” “Isn’t that a little late, Colonel?” Sikley spun around in horror.
Rocks was already standing atop the flagship’s bow rail with his arms folded, looking down at him with a devilish grin.
“Y-You…” “When did you get here?!” The Marine colonel staggered backward in shock.
Not one of his elite soldiers had noticed Rocks approaching.
Rocks didn’t answer.
He simply hopped lightly from the railing and landed effortlessly on the flagship’s deck.
Looking around at the Marines frozen with tension, his smile widened.
“Relax.” “I’m only here to borrow something.” “All hands!” “Open fire!” A seasoned veteran through and through, Sikley forced down his fear and roared the order.
At the same time, his body began to change.
Muscles bulged.
Gray, armored hide spread across his skin.
His nose and jaw elongated.
Within seconds, he had transformed into a hulking human-rhinoceros hybrid.
A Rhino-Rhino Fruit Zoan user.
“Rhino Charge!” Dropping onto all fours, Sikley charged like a runaway armored tank.
His momentum was powerful enough to smash through layers of steel plating.
Faced with the deadly assault…
Rocks didn’t even move his feet.
He lazily raised one hand…
…and casually closed his fingers.
Hummm— An invisible, distorted force instantly enveloped Sikley.
His unstoppable charge halted in an instant.
It felt as though he’d slammed into solid concrete.
Every bone in his body cried out in agony.
Yet he couldn’t advance even a single centimeter.
The invisible force pinned him in place, frozen forever in his charging stance.
What…
what kind of power is this?!
Despair filled Sikley’s eyes.
This wasn’t combat.
It was domination.
The overwhelming superiority of an existence operating on an entirely different level.
“Too weak.” Rocks shook his head with obvious disappointment.
With a lazy wave of his hand— Sikley’s massive body was hurled across the deck.
BOOM!
He crashed into the mainmast with tremendous force, reverted to human form, coughed up blood, and immediately lost consciousness.
Silence.
The entire deck fell deathly quiet.
Every Marine stared at the man who had casually defeated their commanding officer as though they were looking upon a monster wearing human skin.
Elsewhere, the battle was already coming to an end.
“Head Chef!” “Jerky!” Gatz roared while sweeping an entire group of Marines overboard with his giant anchor.
Standing at the doorway of the galley aboard their own ship, Ryne calmly tossed over several oil-paper-wrapped bundles that were still warm.
Inside was jerky made from the leftover Rockhorn Tricerasaur meat.
Special restorative herbs had been mixed into it to rapidly replenish stamina.
Gatz caught the package in one bite and swallowed it in just a few mouthfuls.
A warm current immediately spread throughout his body.
Most of the stamina he had spent was restored almost instantly.
“Wahahaha!” “Now that’s what I’m talking about!” “I could take on another hundred!” His booming laughter echoed across the sea.
To the Marines…
It sounded like the laughter of a demon.
Silver and Dorum received the same provisions.
Their battles became even more effortless.
For the Rocks Pirates…
This entire engagement felt less like warfare— and more like an armed picnic.
Rocks walked over to the unconscious Sikley.
He kicked him awake before dropping heavily into the captain’s command chair.
“Hey.” “Wake up.” “The game’s not over yet.” Sikley painfully opened his eyes.
Looking at the man before him— a man who resembled a demon king— only fear remained.
“W-Who…” “…are you?” “Me?” Rocks laughed.
“I’m just a rookie pirate who recently set sail.” Crossing one leg over the other, he called toward his own ship.
“Ryne.” “Got anything to drink?” Moments later, Ryne appeared carrying a small food box.
Stepping lightly across the sea as though walking on level ground, he crossed dozens of meters before arriving aboard the flagship.
He removed a steaming pot of herbal tea and two cups before placing them on the table.
Rocks poured himself a cup.
Then slid another toward Sikley.
“Go ahead.” “My Head Chef made it.” “It calms the mind.” “It’ll also help your injuries.” Sikley stared at the crystal-clear tea, trembling uncontrollably.
“Now then.” Rocks took a sip.
His tone sounded as casual as though he were chatting with an old friend.
“Tell me.” “Why is Marine G-5 deploying a fleet this large?” “Surely you weren’t mobilized just for our little ship.” Sikley’s will had already been completely crushed by Rocks’ inhuman strength.
He understood that resistance or deception was meaningless.
With trembling hands, he lifted the cup and drank it in one gulp.
Warmth spread gently through his body.
To his astonishment, both his pain and his fear eased considerably.
“We…” “We were ordered to clear the sea route…” “…for a Celestial Dragon scheduled to pass through these waters.” His hoarse voice revealed the truth.
“The World Government issued its highest-level orders.” “Everything must be absolutely secure.” “We’re only the advance force.” “Behind us…” “…there’s an even larger fleet commanded by a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral.” A Celestial Dragon.
A Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral.
A cold light flashed briefly through Rocks’ eyes.
Then it was replaced by even greater excitement.
“I see.” “So this is all for some spoiled noble’s pleasure cruise?” He stood, casually patting Sikley on the shoulder hard enough to make the Marine wince.
“Thanks for the information.” “As repayment…” “I’ll spare your lives today.” The Rocks Pirates quickly finished gathering supplies.
Like an army of industrious ants, they stripped all five Marine warships of every edible, drinkable, and useful item.
Soon, the deck of their tiny vessel was piled high with spoils.
When the Rocks Pirates finally set sail again…
The only thing left behind was a Marine fleet that had been looted more thoroughly than Poor men.
Every sailor stood there utterly dejected.
At the stern, Rocks waved casually toward them.
“Go back.” “And tell your Fleet Admiral…” “Or whoever else is important.” “My name is…” “Rocks D.
Xebec.” “This sea…” “…is about to get a new ruler.” His voice wasn’t loud.
Yet every Marine heard every word.
It sounded less like a declaration— and more like an inevitable prophecy.
Using the latest sea chart “borrowed” from Colonel Sikley, the Rocks Pirates avoided the Marines’ main patrol routes and sailed at full speed toward the legendary Island of Whispering Shadows.
The closer they drew…
The stranger the weather became.
One moment the sky was perfectly clear.
The next, dark storm clouds swallowed the heavens.
A thick gray fog rose from the sea without warning.
Visibility dropped to less than ten meters.
The mist carried a bone-chilling cold that seemed to seep directly into one’s soul.
“Damn it!” “The magnetic field here is completely scrambled!” Dorum gripped the helm tightly as the compass needle spun wildly.
Cold sweat covered his forehead.
“The Log Pose isn’t responding at all!” “We’ll lose our course!” “Quiet.” Ryne’s calm voice drifted from the galley.
It carried an inexplicable sense of reassurance.
He stepped onto the deck holding the dragon’s black gastrolith.
The once-unremarkable stone now emitted a faint but steady glow.
Its light pointed unwaveringly in a single direction— like a lighthouse immune to every disturbance.
“Follow it.” Ryne said simply.
With a clear guide to rely upon, Dorum immediately relaxed.
The little ship continued gliding through the dense fog.
The only sound was the gentle rush of water against the hull.
Then…
Faint whispers drifted through the mist.
They sounded like countless people crying…
…murmuring…
…lamenting all at once.
“I’m so hungry…” “Why did you abandon me…?” “You’re a failure.” “You’ll always be a failure…” The voices possessed an eerie power.
They slipped directly into the mind, dragging forth one’s deepest fears and regrets.
“GET OUT!” Gatz suddenly roared.
His eyes turned bloodshot.
Before him, he saw scenes from his childhood— being chased and beaten by the people of his village after stealing food.