The giant warship's anchor chains crashed into the bay with a clang, splashing up waves higher than the mast of an ordinary pirate ship.
When the dark hull finally stopped near the golden beach, even the coral beneath the sea trembled.
This was no shabby vessel from the East Blue. Just the half-man-tall iron-spined figurehead at the bow exuded a savage aura unique to New World pirates.
The hatch on deck burst open, and a shadow leapt down the gangplank. The instant his boots hit the sand, two shallow craters formed beneath him, dust trickling down his trousers.
It was "Iron Spine" Garon
Bounty: 450 million Berries.
A true great pirate.
He was even more imposing than the rumors said, shoulders so broad they blotted out the men behind him. His body was wrapped in dark gray heavy armor, and most striking of all was his right arm, encased from shoulder to wrist in steel plating half a foot thick.
"So is this the damn island?"
Garon's voice was like iron grinding on stone, rough and hoarse. His gaze swept across the beach and finally fixed on the direction of the steaming hot-spring valley. "Where's the treasure and the strengthening spring?"
The pirates behind him started to jump down as well, but the moment their feet touched the sand, they yawned and grew sluggish, their eyes losing focus. Renzo's domain was still active, and it affected ordinary pirates far more quickly.
Two of them even slumped against the railings and fell asleep, their swords clattering to the ground, too lazy to pick them back up.
"Boss, this place… it's cursed or somethin'…"
One pirate who barely managed to stay upright rubbed his eyes, voice drifting. "The ship slowed down like a snail the moment we got close, and the guys-"
"Useless!"
Garon turned and kicked the man, his armored boot slamming him flat into the sand.
"You can't even handle a bit of weird pressure, and you think you're fit for the New World?"
He himself wasn't much affected; the Heavy Armor Fruit not only strengthened his defense, it let him use sheer force to resist the "lazy gravity" that Renzo's domain emitted.
When the warship's speed had dropped earlier, Garon had literally stood at the stern and punched the sea, using the recoil to push the ship forward through the domain's edge.
He ignored his limp crew and trudged toward the hot-spring valley.
Each step of his steel boots left deep imprints in the sand. Coconut trees brushed by his elbows snapped cleanly in half, their leaves scattering across the ground.
Sanji had just finished reassembling his cooking setup when he saw the iron giant charging toward him. His expression darkened immediately.
Right beside his stove grew a patch of hot-spring moss, soft, freshly scraped yesterday from the downstream rocks. He'd planned to use it today to make "Moss Cream Rolls" for Renzo's afternoon tea.
"Hey! Watch where you're stepping!"
Sanji stepped forward, blocking the moss with his kitchen knife raised.
"That's my ingredient. You want to keep your teeth, walk around it!"
Garon didn't even glance at him. "Out of my way."
And then his armored boot came down.
The gray plates crushed the lush green moss with a sharp crunch, grinding it into a sticky pulp against the sand, completely ruined.
"You bastard!"
Sanji's temper exploded. For him, wasting ingredients was worse than being punched.
He leapt, right leg wreathed in pale blue flame, the opening move of Diable Jambe. One kick like this could smash through the wooden hull of a pirate ship.
Bang!
His size-42 shoe struck the armored plating, ringing with a deafening metallic clang.
Pain shot up Sanji's leg; it felt like he'd kicked red-hot iron. The impact rebounded completely, hurling him backward into the rocks beside the hot spring. He grimaced in pain.
"That all you got? And you dare mouth off to me?"
Garon snorted, not even sparing him a look, and continued toward the hot spring.
He'd already heard aboard the ship: "the strengthening spring" was said to be at the island's center. Whoever soaked in it could enhance their Devil Fruit powers.
If he could harden his entire body, not just his limbs, even a Marine Vice Admiral wouldn't scare him.
But the noise he made had finally woken someone.
Inside the hot spring, Renzo had been half-asleep, water lapping at his collarbone, a half-eaten strawberry mochi still in his hand.
Sanji's shouting, the clash of metal, and Garon's thunderous footsteps all slammed into his ears like pebbles tossed at glass, shattering the precious drowsiness he'd been enjoying.
He slowly opened his eyes, gaze falling on Garon, brow furrowing.
Not only was this guy loud, but he'd also destroyed Sanji's ingredients. If Sanji got in a bad mood, dessert would be delayed. For Renzo, that was worse than someone breaking his lounge chair.
"So... noisy."
Renzo's lazy tone carried clearly to Garon's ears. He rose halfway from the pool, water streaming down his collarbone and dripping onto the rocks.
He didn't move to fight, only stared at the armored intruder like one would at an annoying boulder.
Garon finally looked at him directly.
The young man before him wore wrinkled casual clothes, messy hair, still sitting in the water; he looked nothing like the "guardian of the treasure" rumored to rule the island. More like a sleepy vagrant.
"You're the one who owns this place?"
Garon grinned, revealing yellowed teeth. "Hand over the treasure and the spring, and I'll let you live."
Renzo didn't answer. He just murmured toward him:
"Your armor's too stiff. Heavier."
That was the [Sloth's Decree], activated voluntarily; he didn't feel like arguing; he just wanted the guy to lie down so he could get back to his nap.
The next moment, Garon felt his armor grew weary.
His once-fluid movements turned sluggish; even lifting an arm took effort. His steel boots seemed glued to the sand. Every motion pulled against an unseen gravity.
He grunted, one knee slamming into the ground, gouging out a deep pit.
"W-what the hell?"
He stared, wide-eyed.
His heavy armor's weight was supposed to be under his control; how could it suddenly become this heavy?
"Boss! Are you alright?"
The remaining pirates tried to run over, but after a few steps, they collapsed as the domain took hold, too drained to even lift their hands.
Sanji, rubbing his sore leg, watched in amazement. It was the first time he'd seen someone resist Renzo's ability and only end up on one knee. Ordinary pirates would already be flat on the ground.
Potts clenched the hemp rope in his hands nervously, hiding behind Renzo. "Commodore, he's still moving!"
Renzo made a soft sound of acknowledgment, surprised as well.
'This guy's willpower really was something. Even the [Sloth's Decree] hadn't pinned him completely.'
Garon gritted his teeth, veins bulging, coating his armor in Armament Haki to fight back against the unseen weight pressing down.
He could feel it; the pressure kept increasing. If he kept pushing, he might really be crushed flat.
But he refused to yield.
He hadn't clawed his way up from the New World's bloodbaths to be beaten by some lazy nobody from East Blue.
"You damn sloth… You think you can stop me?"
Garon glared fiercely, his voice like a beast's roar.
"If you've got guts, fight me head-on! Using freak tricks like this, what kind of power is that?"
Summoning all his strength, he swung his hardened right arm, not at Renzo, but at the lounge chair beside him.
It was Renzo's favorite wicker recliner, lined with Sanji's sun-softened linen cushions; even Potts never dared touch it.
"Watch out!" Potts shouted, about to dash forward, but Renzo stopped him.
Renzo's brows tightened as he watched the incoming steel fist.
Not only was this guy noisy, but he was about to wreck his lounge chair. That chair was the most comfortable sleeping spot on the island; finding another like it would be a real pain.
He finally stood up from the hot spring, robe draped loosely over his shoulder. His tone lost its laziness, replaced by real irritation.
"Looks like unless I make you rest, you won't settle down."
Garon's punch neared the chair, but half a meter away, its momentum vanished.
It was like punching through syrup. The steel's gleam dulled, its movement sluggish, stuck in invisible resistance.
Renzo had focused the Domain of Absolute Sloth around the chair, amplifying its gravity to protect that one spot.
"What… what the hell kind of power is this?"
Garon's expression finally changed. His fist felt bound by countless invisible threads. Every inch forward demanded crushing effort.
Renzo didn't answer. He just raised a hand and said calmly:
"Don't move."
Instantly, the armor's weight doubled again. Garon groaned, the other knee hitting the ground. His torso bowed under the pressure until his forehead nearly touched the sand.
His right arm hung frozen in midair, just a few centimeters from the chair, unable to move at all.
"You…" he tried to speak, but exhaustion choked his words.
Renzo ignored him, turned to inspect the chair, and, seeing it unharmed, sat back down.
He picked up his half-eaten strawberry mochi, took a bite, and let the sweetness ease his annoyance.
"Potts," Renzo mumbled, mouth full, "use some seastone. Tie him up. He's noisy."
Potts nodded quickly and ran off to fetch it from the ship.
Sanji walked over, rubbing his leg, glancing at the immobilized Garon, then at Renzo. "Your ability's the laziest I've ever seen."
Renzo gave him a sidelong look. "What'd you expect? Fighting's too much trouble."
Garon trembled with rage on the ground, unable to move.
For the first time, his armor felt like a burden instead of protection; this cursed power even made his Devil Fruit too lazy to work properly.
Still, he wasn't giving up. If he could just endure until the force faded, he'd strike back.
He closed his eyes, gathering what strength he had left.
But Renzo, as if reading his mind, took another bite of mochi and said lazily, "Don't even think about struggling. If you try, I'll make your armor too lazy to harden. Then Sanji's kitchen knife should slice your arm just fine."
Garon froze.
That… was the one thing he couldn't afford. If his armor lost its hardening, his defense would collapse completely.
Just how many tricks did this lazy bastard have?
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu