"Whoosh!"
A deep, thunderous breathing sound came from right behind Chaporos. Even in his dazed state, he could smell a foul, nauseating stench drifting over him.
"What the hell is that?" Chaporos spun around.
The moment he saw what was behind him, his entire body shuddered.
A hideous, scar-covered beast face was practically pressed against his own, startling him half to death.
"ROAR!"
The beast seemed just as startled by Chaporos's sudden movement. It threw its head back and let out a furious roar.
A violent gust of wind slammed into Chaporos, carrying the creature's rancid breath with it. He instinctively held his breath.
"Will someone tell me what the hell this thing is?!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. The creature was so close he couldn't even make out its full body.
"Run!" the others yelled from a distance.
"ROAR!"
At the same time, the giant beast roared and swung a massive fist straight down at him.
Chaporos was too close to see the creature's full body, but Rojen and the others had a clear view.
It was an enormous ape, standing nearly three zhang tall. Its appearance was savage and ferocious, with limbs as thick as stone pillars and muscles bulging with impossible power. Now it raised one massive arm and brought its fist crashing down toward Chaporos, drawing startled cries from Lordling and Robin.
"Whoosh!"
The force of the wind hit Chaporos head-on as the giant fist descended. His pupils shrank as he felt the crushing pressure bearing down from above.
"You've got to be kidding me!" he shouted, instinctively throwing himself into a sideways roll five meters to the left.
"BOOM!"
Dust exploded into the air, revealing a deep crater smashed into the ground right where he had been standing.
Only then did Chaporos get a proper look at the creature, and his entire body trembled.
"How the hell is it this strong?"
He had seen plenty of giant beasts in the New World, but he had rarely encountered one like this. Its limbs looked like iron pillars, and its muscles were so absurdly developed it was ridiculous.
Before Chaporos could recover from his shock, the giant ape roared and swung another devastating punch.
Still holding the Poneglyph, Chaporos didn't have time to think. He tossed the stone aside and ran for his life.
He was plenty strong himself, but after being caught completely off guard, he couldn't even muster his strength.
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"
A rapid series of impacts rang out.
Chaporos turned into a streak of smoke as he sprinted wildly, darting left and right to evade the giant ape's relentless attacks.
After more than ten seconds, Chaporos finally managed to put some distance between himself and the ape. He leaped onto a chunk of broken stone and turned around.
"Big guy, you really pissed me off!"
Being chased around like a stray dog by some monster had finally set him off.
He kicked off the stone and launched himself straight into the air.
He soared dozens of meters upward, the giant ape's eyes tracking him all the way.
"ROAR!"
The ape threw its head back and roared. Squatting down, the muscles in its right arm suddenly swelled even further.
Compared to this creature's build, even a professional bodybuilder would die of shame.
"Goddess, Kiss of the Jade Foot!"
High in the air, Chaporos raised his right leg and brought it crashing down toward the giant ape's head, shouting his attack. A faint layer of black covered his foot.
Watchful from below, Rojen couldn't help but laugh helplessly. "This kid really gives all his techniques ridiculous names."
The others, who had been worried about Chaporos, relaxed slightly.
Ten meters above the ground, man and beast collided at tremendous speed.
"BOOM!"
The impact sent both of them flying in opposite directions.
Chaporos's kick struck the giant ape squarely on the nose, blood spurting from its nostrils as it was knocked backward.
At the same time, however, the giant ape's fist slammed right into Chaporos's cheek.
The impact was brutal.
Everyone could clearly see Chaporos's face distort beneath the ape's hammer-like fist, his eyes immediately going blank.
"BOOM!"
Man and beast flew dozens of meters in opposite directions, crashing through piles of stone and kicking up massive clouds of dust.
"Is that kid okay?!" Trens's expression changed, and he hurried toward Chaporos.
The others followed close behind.
No one knew where this giant ape had come from, but its strength and speed were enough to demand caution.
Trens reached Chaporos first. The sight of blood pouring from his nose and his unfocused, blank eyes made Trens grimace, Chaporos was completely knocked out.
Nalene quickly crouched beside him and examined his condition.
"He suffered a severe concussion and passed out, but it's nothing serious. This kid can take a beating."
Her words finally let everyone breathe a sigh of relief.
"What the hell is that thing? How can it be so strong?" Daz Bonez frowned.
Chaporos might not specialize in direct combat, but he was by no means weak. Yet he'd been knocked out after a single exchange. It was unbelievable.
"BOOM!"
While everyone was checking on Chaporos, rocks exploded into the air in the distance.
The towering figure rose to its feet once more.
"ROAR!"
Blood was streaming from the giant ape's nose, too, but it repeatedly slammed its fists against its chest, producing deep, drum-like booms that resonated in their chests.
But what shocked them even more was what came out of the creature's mouth next.
"Strong! Strong! Strong!"
The Nether Soul Pirates stared in utter disbelief.
How could a wild beast speak human language?
Rojen narrowed his eyes. His divine sense spread outward, activating the ability he had recently comprehended.
Three seconds later, a flicker of surprise crossed his face.
At that moment, Daz Bonez flicked both arms outward, transforming them into blades as he stepped forward to face the ape.
"I'll be your opponent, gorilla!" Daz Bonez said coldly.
"ROAR!"
The giant ape let out a furious roar. There seemed to be a hint of disdain in its eyes, yet its movements were lightning fast.
With a single step, it closed the distance and suddenly loomed directly above Daz Bonez.
"SWISH!"
Its enormous fist tore through the air, crashing down.
Daz Bonez's eyes widened. The ape's speed far exceeded his expectations, forcing him to hastily cross his bladed arms to block.
"CLANG!"
"CRACK!"
The collision of flesh and steel sent sparks flying. At the same time, the crushing force surging through Daz Bonez's arms made his face turn pale.
"ROAR!"
The giant ape clearly understood how to overwhelm an opponent with brute force. Roaring loudly, it raised its right fist high and slammed it down again.
"BOOM!"
The impact was even more devastating this time.
Daz Bonez spat out a mouthful of blood, his waist buckling under the crushing pressure. His body trembled violently until he could no longer maintain his steel blade arms, which forced them back into normal flesh.
"ROAR!"
The giant ape snorted arrogantly and kicked him.
Daz Bonez shot backward like a cannonball, carving a trench through the dirt before tumbling to a stop near Rojen and the crew.
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Once again, the giant ape proudly beat its chest. Its eyes swept provocatively across Rojen and the rest of the crew.
The sheer contempt in that gaze made Rojen and his crew's expressions turn cold.
(End Of This Chapter)
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