Chapter 579: They Really Treat Us Like Food!
Seeing the battle unfold before him, Shanks stepped forward.
The Wrath Envoy, second only to the Arrogant Envoy among the Seven Demon Envoys, was no ordinary opponent. His magic power had already reached the level of a Demon King, which meant this would be no easy fight.
"Forest of Pain," William murmured.
Before Shanks could act, William calmly tucked away the white cloth he had used to polish his scepter. As he did, the scepter began to pulse with black energy.
In an instant, massive black tree roots erupted from the ground, twisting and surging like a pack of hungry lions, stabbing toward Shanks with terrifying speed.
Clang!
The air filled with the sound of steel meeting wood. The roots lashed out like fanged beasts, forcing Shanks to raise his saber just in time to block their deadly thrusts.
Whoosh, whoosh!
The wind howled as the roots roared and writhed, pushing Shanks backward. They dragged him deep into the passage, the same direction where Rayleigh and the Arrogant Envoy were already locked in combat.
After being forced back hundreds of meters, Shanks finally managed to slash through several of the thick, serpentine roots.
But the attack didn't stop there.
Crack! Crack!
The roots danced wildly, weaving together in midair until they formed a living cage, sealing Shanks in from every direction, twenty meters high and twenty meters wide.
Behind the writhing roots, a gap opened. William stepped forward, standing atop one of the roots as it lifted him high above the ground. The dim starlight cast his towering shadow across the cave wall.
"Then," he said softly, his voice echoing through the dark, "let us begin... in this wonderful cage."
---
Meanwhile...
After Shanks was dragged away, the Red-Haired Pirates faced off against the remaining five Demon Envoys.
There were seven of them left, not their full crew.
Two of their companions, Yasopp and Monster, were still guarding the ship anchored off Holy Court Island. Yasopp's ability allowed him to reduce his presence, creating a barrier that made the ship almost invisible, but maintaining it required him to stay behind and constantly replenish his magic.
Monster remained as well, caring for their new companion, a phantom beast they'd rescued from Phantom Beast Island. The creature, a pig with a burning back, was affectionately named Oil Back (though its true species was the Explosive Pig). Because of it, Monster, who was usually inseparable from Monster, also stayed aboard the ship.
Even so, seven crew members remained to face five Demon Envoys.
On paper, they should have had the advantage, but no one felt confident.
The Demon Envoys' power was overwhelming.
They were veterans of the Magic Pattern Era, and now, against these monsters, even the seasoned pirates felt like they were being crushed beneath a tidal wave.
---
A tall, silent man among the Envoys finally spoke.
"Benn Beckman, I heard your ability is ice," he said calmly.
"In that case, let me test how far you've developed it."
Beckman frowned as the man turned and walked away.
"Despair..." he muttered under his breath.
After a brief silence, Beckman gave a few hand signals to his comrades, warnings and strategy, and followed his opponent.
He could already feel the crushing weight of the man's magic power.
The Despair Envoy was one of the most dangerous below the Demon King level.
The Magic Pattern Association had placed a 1.86 billion Berry bounty on his head, higher than Beckman's own. But Beckman wasn't intimidated. His magic power was just a step below Shanks's, and the narrow stone corridor gave him a perfect terrain advantage for his ice abilities.
He intended to end the fight quickly, but not necessarily to the death. Beckman believed that even the Demon Envoys had some reason left in them. If the stakes weren't too high, and if the weaker side didn't crumble too soon, this clash might end without total destruction.
He disappeared down the passage after the Despair Envoy.
The others turned their attention back to the remaining enemies.
---
"Who's next?" one of the pirates asked, tightening his grip on his weapon.
"I'm quite reasonable," one of the Demon Envoys, Nipero, replied with a smirk. "As are those two big guys beside me. Hand over everything you've obtained here, and we can sit down for a cup of tea. How's that for a deal?"
Nipero ran his fingers through his gray-brown hair, wearing a casual smile that made his arrogance even more unbearable.
"Does this bastard even hear himself?" Hongo growled, a vein bulging on his forehead.
"Asshole!" Roux snapped, stepping forward before Hongo could reply.
"We went through hell to get that magic plant, and you think you can just talk us into giving it up? Do you think we're vegetables, you can just fry us up whenever you want?!"
Nipero chuckled. "That's too bad. I thought it was a good offer."
He sighed, feigning regret. "Since you've refused, I'll have to show you something... difficult to deal with."
From within his cloak, Nipero drew a small statue etched with black lines. The moment he raised it, the Red-Haired Pirates felt an oppressive aura fill the air.
Even though his offer had been tempting in theory, they knew better than to trust such devils.
As the most infamous illegal guild in the world of magic patterns, the Seven Demon Envoys were terrifying. Two of them, Arrogant and Wrath, each carried bounties exceeding two billion Berries, while the others ranged from 1.5 to 1.9 billion.
The weight of those numbers pressed down like a mountain.
But even so, none of them flinched.
Their captain, Shanks, and their mentor, Rayleigh, were fighting right now. They couldn't afford to show weakness.
"You people really don't know when to quit," Nipero said with a shake of his head.
"Face has no value, you know."
With that, he tossed the statue to the ground.
ROAR!
A deafening roar tore through the cavern. The statue exploded into light, transforming into a giant black-striped lion, its fur rippling with dark energy. Its eyes, glowing like red lanterns, locked onto the pirates with killing intent.
"A monster?!" someone shouted.
(End of this chapter)