Loki sprang up from the snow with a sit-up, but there was not the slightest anger in those cloth-covered eyes. Instead, they burned even hotter than before.
"As expected of the man I admire," Loki said, his voice filled with sincere praise. "You're incredibly strong!"
Then he hoisted his kanabo and charged at Rocks again.
The result was that he was sent flying again.
But he did not give up. Almost the moment he landed, he crawled out of the snow pit and ran toward Rocks again, only to be blown away again.
Then he got up again. And charged again.
This time, however, Rocks did not attack. His brow twitched, and his voice was thick with undisguised impatience. "Damn brat, are you annoying on purpose? If you have nothing to do, go play in the mud or something. I don't have time to entertain you right now!"
Loki was not discouraged in the slightest. He said unhurriedly, "Rocks, take me in. You won't regret it. I will help you become king of the world."
Rocks froze for a second, then threw his head back and laughed. "Wahahahaha! You? What kind of nonsense are you bragging about?"
"I'm not bragging!" Loki raised his voice. "I will keep getting stronger. Strong enough to overturn any battlefield."
Walking behind them, Ron looked at Loki's back as he carried that kanabo, and several images suddenly surfaced in his mind - the outline of a middle-aged Kaido.
Without realizing it, his gaze drifted to Kaido, who was walking beside him.
He looked like a normal person now, so what exactly made him turn into that giant later?
Not just Kaido. Linlin and Whitebeard too... Was it because of Devil Fruits?
Mm. Ron felt that was very possible.
"What?" Kaido noticed Ron had been staring at him for a while and turned his head suspiciously, his eyes carrying a trace of wariness.
"You're too handsome," Ron said with a smile. Then he calmly withdrew his gaze and looked forward again.
Kaido was stunned for a moment before answering with a serious face, "Uh, you can say I'm handsome. But Ron, don't fall for me."
Ron's steps paused. He turned his head again and looked at Kaido.
No, bro. Is that really something a human being can say?
"What now?" Kaido asked again when he noticed Ron looking at him.
"Stay away from me." Ron moved half a step aside in disgust. "You damn pervert."
As they spoke, two giants suddenly appeared not far ahead.
They were massive, like two moving mountains, standing in the middle of the road with their eyes fixed on Rocks's group.
When Rocks approached, one of the giants spoke. "Rocks, we meet again."
Rocks raised his head and looked at them with a hint of surprise. Then he burst into cheerful laughter. "Wahahahaha! What's this? Did you come to welcome me?"
"That's right." The giant slowly nodded. "By King Harald's order, I will lead you to the Sun World."
"Wahahahaha! Looks like Harald really put his heart into this!" Rocks turned back and shouted to everyone behind him, "Everyone, pick up the pace!"
Loki stood where he was and shouted unwillingly at Rocks's back, "Rocks! I'll wait here for you to come back!"
Rocks did not turn around. He pretended not to hear and quickly followed the giant leading the way.
The other giant stayed behind.
Just as Ron was about to pass him, the giant suddenly stretched out one enormous hand, blocking Ron's path like a wall.
Ron paused. He slowly raised his head, his gaze traveling up that thick arm until it landed on the giant face above. Calmly, he asked, "Bro, what's the problem?"
Kaido, who had been blocked as well, exploded on the spot. He raised his head and cursed at the giant, "What are you doing, you big idiot?!"
The giant ignored Kaido. He simply stretched out his other hand, picked Kaido up like a chick, and gently placed him behind Rocks's group.
Kaido: "????"
Hearing the movement, Rocks and the others stopped and turned around.
"Hey, you." Rocks's gaze landed on the giant, his voice carrying a trace of displeasure. "You stopped the wrong person. He's mine too."
"I know that, Rocks." The blocking giant slowly straightened his body. Then he carefully dug a bounty poster out from beneath one fingernail and said in a deeper voice, "His name is Ron. People call him the Cold-Blooded Butcher. Someone this evil absolutely cannot be allowed to enter the Sun World."
Standing below, Ron suddenly laughed for no reason.
When people were left speechless enough, they really would laugh.
This was absurd to the point of absurdity knocking on absurdity's door. Absurd all the way home.
This bastard could sit at the same table as Roger.
"You bastard!" Kaido jumped out in indignation and pointed at the giant. "Double standards?!"
"You seem to have misunderstood something," Silver Axe said, rarely speaking up for Ron. "We're pirates, not saints."
"Giants of Elbaf are famous for savagery and violence," Whitebeard added slowly, his voice not loud. "Do you really have the right to judge others?"
"What are you doing?" Rocks's voice sank as well. "Ron is one of my capable partners. Let him pass first. If there is a problem afterward, I'll talk to Harald personally."
"Sorry, Rocks," the giant said without moving aside, his tone stubborn and nonnegotiable. "For Elbaf's sake, I cannot do that."
"Bastard," Kaido cursed. "Who are you looking down on? You think we're easy to bully? Who are you making trouble for?!"
"Why waste words on him?"
As Ron's light voice fell, he had already leaped into the air. Golden chakra instantly covered his entire body, and Nine-Tails Mode bloomed with dazzling light amid the snowstorm.
In midair, a huge golden chakra arm stretched out in an instant, carrying a roaring gale as it slammed down on the giant's head.
Dong!
A dull, heavy sound exploded across the snowy ground.
The giant's body swayed violently. Blood gushed from his nose and mouth, and his eyes instantly lost focus. Then, like a felled tree, he crashed heavily to the ground.
Snow burst in every direction, and even the ground trembled.
"Hahaha! Nicely done, Ron!" Silver Axe's voice sounded from the side.
Kaido looked at Silver Axe in surprise. No, what the hell? Wasn't that supposed to be his line?
Also, why was this bastard suddenly standing on Ron's side?!
The giant leading the way frowned and turned to Rocks, his voice carrying suppressed anger. "Rocks, are you not going to control him? King Harald trusted you enough to invite you here, yet you allow your subordinate to do something like this?!"
Rocks stood where he was, meeting the giant's gaze. Then he suddenly burst into even louder laughter.
"Wahahahaha! As everyone knows, my partner is called the Cold-Blooded Butcher. So... forget randomly hitting people. Even randomly slaughtering people would be normal."