socalfunplaces Page 82
Page 82
"Observation Haki? Predictive ability!"
Sabo's comments came one after another, and Barton's face went from flushed red to ashen, until it almost bled. Humiliation and rage overwhelmed him; he roared, no longer holding back, his domineering aura surging wildly as he unleashed his ultimate move—
[A giant axe splits the mountain!]
With arms like axes, he chopped down in a cross shape!
"That's more like it." A glint flashed in Sabo's eyes, and he stopped dodging. The steel pipe in his hand was instantly covered with a solid and deep black and red domineering aura. Without dodging or avoiding, he met the crisscrossing "giant axe" with a simple upward slash!
The sharp sound of metal clashing rang out!
The shockwave spread out from the two of them, making it impossible for the surrounding pirates to open their eyes.
Patton's unstoppable arms were firmly held in place by a seemingly slender steel pipe. The black and red domineering aura clashed violently with Patton's rough black domineering aura, producing a sizzling sound.
"Break!" Sabo shouted softly, his wrist twitching slightly.
"Crack!" A slight cracking sound rang out, and the Armament Haki on Barton's arms shattered inch by inch like glass. He himself was hit hard, and his huge body flew backward, crashing heavily onto the ship's side. His eyes rolled back, and he passed out.
Deathly silence.
Everyone was stunned by this seemingly effortless blow. They had anticipated that Patton might lose, but they never expected such a complete and humiliating defeat.
Chapter 95 The Climate of the New World
Sabo swung the steel pipe, seemingly still wanting more. He looked up, his gaze sweeping over the faces around him, each one filled with shock and fear, and the smug smile on his lips widened once more.
“One isn’t enough…” he sighed, his tone filled with genuine regret. “Who else? Don’t hold back, come at me all at once! Let me stretch my muscles!”
These words were like lighting a powder keg!
That's outrageous! It's like they're rubbing the faces of the entire crew of the "Mad Shark" against the deck!
"Damn it! Let's fight him!"
"Let's all go! Let's teach this arrogant brat a lesson!"
"Avenge Patton!"
The remaining crew, except for the captain and a few seasoned veterans, were almost all enraged and charged at Sabo with howling bellows. Swords were drawn, guns were loaded, and all sorts of attacks surged toward Sabo from all directions.
"That's more like it!" Sabo was not surprised but delighted, his eyes burning with fierce fighting spirit.
He moved like a tiger among sheep, his figure darting through the crowd. The steel pipe seemed to come alive in his hands, sometimes thrusting like a spear, accurately deflecting the opponent's weapon; sometimes sweeping like an iron whip, sending several people flying at once; and sometimes transforming into a shield, blocking fatal attacks.
"Bang! Crack! Thud!"
The sounds of striking, groans, and weapons falling were incessant.
Sabo unleashed the skills he had honed over the past year on the Grand Line and his newly acquired understanding of Haki in this chaotic battle. His Observation Haki spread out, making everyone's movements appear half a beat slower in his eyes; his Armament Haki was incredibly solid, often breaking through the opponent's defenses with a single, gentle strike.
He didn't use excessive force, but each attack hit the most painful and numb spot, ensuring that the victim would lose their fighting ability in a short time.
Kuina looked at Sabo strolling leisurely through the crowd and nodded slightly: "This guy's Haki is growing very fast."
Robin chuckled and said, "Sabo has almost never lost a fight, except for you."
A few minutes later, the only pirates still standing on the deck were the dumbfounded captain and a few crew members who hadn't made a move. Around Sabo, a haphazard mass of pirates lay sprawled out, groans echoing throughout the deck.
Sabo stood in the middle of the "corpse-strewn" deck, let out a long sigh, his face flushed with the relief of exercise, and clapped his hands: "Done! Now it's peaceful and comfortable!"
He glanced at the captain, whose expression was complicated, and grinned, "Captain, I'm sorry, I went a little too far. But don't worry, they've only suffered minor injuries and will be fine after a few days of rest. I also took the opportunity to test your crew's combat capabilities... hmm... there's still a lot of room for improvement!"
The captain's lips twitched. He looked at his subordinates groaning on the ground, then at the composed Sabo, as well as Kuina and Robin who hadn't moved an inch from their seats, and Liu Jiu who was still dozing off. The last trace of resentment in his heart vanished.
He shook his head with a wry smile: "...Thank you for the 'guidance'."
He finally understood that these four people were absolutely not someone their "Mad Shark" could afford to offend. Now he only hoped to reach the next island as soon as possible and respectfully send these four "deadly stars" off the ship.
After this battle, no one on the "Mad Shark" dared to show any disrespect to Liu Jiu and his three companions. Even the crew members would instinctively shrink back and show awe when they saw Sabo.
Sabo quickly became acquainted with the ship's cook and began instructing him on how to roast the sea king's meat until it was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
However, the oceans of the New World are cruel.
A few days later, one morning, the sky was still a breathtakingly blue, and the pointer steadily pointed to the next island.
The sea breeze was gentle, like a lover's caress. Some of the young crew members even relaxed by leaning against the ship's side, fishing.
"The weather in this new world isn't as terrible as the legends say," a sailor who had recently joined the crew muttered to himself.
The old sailor glanced at him, his eyes filled with the solemnity of someone who had weathered many storms: "Kid, don't raise your flag. Here, the sea changes its mind faster than turning the pages of a book."
As if to confirm the old sailor's words, just half an hour later, the sky darkened without warning.
It wasn't the gradual change of dark clouds gathering, but rather like someone suddenly drawing a curtain over the sky, instantly plunging the surroundings into a depressing darkness.
"Look over there!" the sailor on the lookout tower cried out in alarm.
In the distance, the sea level is no longer horizontal.
A colossal wall of water, stretching from the sky to the sea, was advancing toward the "Mad Shark" at an alarming speed! Within the wall of water, distorted vortices and leaping lightning could be vaguely seen.
"It's...it's a tsunami! A giant tsunami!"
The captain's voice trembled as he gripped the helm tightly, yelling hoarsely, "Everyone! High alert! Secure yourselves! Hard to starboard! Quick! Avoid head-on collisions!"
Chaos erupted on the deck instantly. The previous leisurely atmosphere vanished, replaced by the most primal fear of facing a natural disaster.
The crew ran frantically, pulling on the cables and securing the cargo; everyone was pale-faced.
Sabo, Kuina, and Robin also rushed out of the cabin, and their expressions turned solemn when they saw the devastating scene.
“This scale…” Guina gripped the Purple Cloud tightly, but faced with such power of heaven and earth, her personal strength seemed so insignificant.
Robin quickly said, "According to records, tsunamis in the New World are often accompanied by strong magnetic field interference and strange ocean currents. Simply changing direction may not be enough!"
Sure enough, despite the captain's desperate attempts to turn the rudder, the wall of water seemed to have a life of its own, and its immense suction began to pull on the hull. The ship groaned under the strain and tilted toward the wall of water.
"No! The rudder is not effective enough! We're being sucked in!" the helmsman shouted in terror.
The ship was about to be swept into the devastating whirlpool!
“Sabo!” Guina shouted.
Without a word, Sabo instantly understood her meaning. His eyes sharpened, and his domineering aura erupted, black and red energy swirling around him. He forcefully slammed the steel pipe into the deck to secure himself, then aimed his palms at the sea behind the ship.
"Dragon's Breath!"
Although it wasn't flames, a highly compressed shockwave erupted violently from his palm, slamming hard into the sea!
"boom--!!"
A huge crater was blasted open in the sea, and the powerful reaction force, combined with the rudder effect, pushed the tilted bow back a little!
"It works!" Hope ignited in the captain's eyes. "Quick! Keep going! Use all available power! Sails! Oars!"
Inspired by Sabo's near-miraculous strike, the crew's will to survive overcame all fear. They rowed frantically, adjusting the sails, trying to seize this fleeting chance for life.
However, the threat of a tsunami is far more than just a wall of water.
"Lightning! Watch out for lightning!" someone screamed.
Within the wall of water, countless thick purple lightning bolts shot out like giant pythons, striking down towards the "Mad Shark"!
"Robin!" Kuina shouted, and at the same time, she drew her sword, Purple Cloud, its blade flashing like lightning, precisely slashing at a bolt of lightning that was striking the mainmast! The sword energy collided with the lightning, producing a piercing explosion!
"A Riot of Colors, a Giant Tree, a Barrier!"
Robin crossed his arms in front of his chest, and countless enormous arms instantly sprouted from both sides of the ship, layer upon layer, forming two temporary wooden barriers that blocked most of the scattered electric snakes. The arms were charred and shattered by the lightning strikes, but new arms kept growing to fill the gaps.
"Hold on! We're about to break through!" the captain roared, the rudder rattling in his hands.
Everyone gave it their all.
At that moment, all resentment and fear were left behind. They had only one common goal—to survive!
In this chaos, despair, and struggle, there was only one exception.
He appeared beside the helm at some point, still with that calm and composed demeanor. The gale couldn't ruffle his clothes, the downpour couldn't wet his shoes, and even the violent rocking of the ship seemed unable to affect his balance.
He was like the only still presence in the eye of the storm.
He looked at the captain's hands, veins bulging from the effort, at Sabo and the other two fighting with all their might, and at the crew's desperate shouts. His eyes were deep, as if he were observing or recalling something.
He didn't take action.
It neither helped steer nor assisted in defense. It simply stood there quietly, like a detached bystander.
Finally, just before everyone was exhausted and the ship was about to fall apart, the "Mad Shark" narrowly made its way out of the water, skimming the edge of the wall of water!
It was as if we had crossed an invisible boundary, with a destructive roar behind us and... a heavy snowfall in front of us?
Chapter 96 Choosing the Most Dangerous Island
The sky remained overcast, but the raging thunder and giant waves had vanished, replaced by the quiet, falling of palm-sized snowflakes. The temperature plummeted, and the crew, who had just been soaked in sweat and rain, instantly shivered with cold.
"Is it... over?" A crew member slumped on the deck, looking at the heavy snow, and murmured.
"It's safe for now." The captain released the helm, his hands trembling from exhaustion. He looked around; the deck was a mess, littered with scorch marks and splinters of wood. The crew members were scattered about, but... they were still alive.
His gaze swept over the panting Sabo, the sweat-drenched Kuina, and the somewhat pale Robin, finally settling on Liu Jiu, who was unharmed and breathing steadily.
The captain's eyes were filled with an extremely complex mix of emotions. There was relief at surviving the ordeal, gratitude for Sabo and the other two's help, but more than anything, there was an inexplicable awe and a hint of unspeakable fear towards Liu Jiu.
What role did this man play in that natural disaster? Why didn't he intervene? Was it because he couldn't, or... because he disdained to?
Sabo, leaning on the steel pipe and panting heavily, walked up to Liu Jiu and grinned, "Uncle, you're too calm! You almost died just now!"
Liu Jiu glanced at him and said calmly, "You handled it very well. This is the New World, ten times more dangerous than the first half of the Grand Line."
It took another whole day for the pirate ship to finally sail out of that strange, icy sea.
When the warm sunlight shone on the deck again, everyone felt as if they had been transported to another world.
"The sun is finally out! I feel like all the bad luck on me has dried up and is blowing away in the wind!"
The crew silently repaired the damage to the hull, replaced the charred sails, and cleaned up the ice shards and debris on the deck.
After that battle against the natural disaster, their attitude towards Sabo and his companions underwent a fundamental change. Fear still remained, but it was mixed with more gratitude and recognition.
Occasionally, a young crew member would muster up the courage to ask Sabo for tips on using Haki, and Sabo would be happy to offer some guidance.
A few days later, the pointer finally stopped swinging and pointed firmly in a clear direction.