69novels Chapter 108 The Cadres' Push! The Reason for Not Taking Action!
Chapter 108 The Cadres' Push! The Reason for Not Taking Action!
Chapter 108 The Cadres' Push! The Reason for Not Taking Action!
Night fell.
Dozens of bonfires rose on the beach, their orange flames dancing in the darkness and casting the busy figures onto the sand. Temporary tents lined the coastline, and wisps of smoke rose from several places, mingling with the aroma of roasting meat, drifting in the damp sea breeze.
Norton stood on a rock at the edge of the camp, his back to the firelight, looking at the dense forest in the distance that was being swallowed by darkness.
"roar--"
Another roar came from the depths of the island, deeper and heavier than any heard during the day.
The voice carried an indescribable sense of oppression, as if declaring that the true master of the island had not yet appeared.
Steelhand walked up from behind and stood beside him. She was carrying a flask, took a swig, and then handed it to Norton.
"Aren't you going to rest?"
Norton took the flask and took a swig. The strong liquor burned his throat.
"Thinking about something."
"What are you thinking about?"
Norton was silent for a few seconds before speaking.
"What did you think of those monsters today?"
Steel Hand raised an eyebrow.
Are you asking about ability, or something else?
"Ask them all."
Steel Hand thought for a moment, then took the flask back and took another sip.
"Those things, in the first half of the Grand Line, could easily wipe out a small to medium-sized pirate crew. But in the New World—they're nothing special."
She paused.
"The problem is numbers. Who knows how many are hiding on this kind of island? The ones that came today are just the outer guard dogs at best. The further in you go, the stronger the monsters will become."
Norton nodded.
"So I'm thinking about what to do tomorrow."
"Aren't you going to make a move?" Steel Hand asked directly.
Norton glanced at her.
How do you know I won't make a move?
"Nonsense." Steelhand scoffed. "If you wanted to make a move, you would have done so this afternoon when those things climbed up. What are you waiting for?"
Norton did not answer immediately. He looked at the dark forest in the distance, listening to the roars coming one after another, and remained silent for a long time.
"Steelhand, what do you think these guys are after by following me?"
Steel Hand paused for a moment.
"What's the point? To get rich, to survive, to live a life of luxury by following you."
"How long will they stay with me?"
Steel Hand remained silent for an even longer time this time.
"—That's an interesting question."
"I can protect them in the first half of the Grand Line. If they encounter any monsters, I can just punch them and nothing will happen," Norton said calmly. "But the New World is different. I can't intervene every time. I need them to be able to fight on their own."
Steel Hand looked at him with a complicated expression.
"So you're planning to send them to their deaths?"
"It's not about going to your death," Norton shook his head. "It's about gaining experience."
He turned around and looked at the figures around the campfire in the camp. Some were bandaging their wounds, some were talking in hushed tones, and some were lost in thought.
"Over a hundred people died today. Steelhand, do you know what that means?"
"What?"
"It means they are not strong enough."
Norton's voice was cold.
"Those monsters aren't strong, really not strong. The officers can handle them easily, but ordinary pirates can't. When they encounter those things, all they do is run, scream, and wait to die."
He paused.
Why? Because you've never struggled on the edge of life and death.
Steel Hand fell silent.
"You've taught them about domineering presence," Norton continued, "but how many of them actually learned it? Why?"
"Because without the great terror of life and death, that thing won't wake up."
He turned back and looked at the dark, dense forest.
"This island is perfect as a training ground for them."
Steelhand looked at him, then suddenly laughed and shoved the flask into Norton's hand.
"Okay. You've thought it through quite well. I'll watch tomorrow and see how many you can manage."
Norton took the flask, tilted his head back, and downed the last sip.
"Just wait and see."
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the beach began to bustle with activity.
Norton stood on the huge pile of rocks, his gaze sweeping over the assembled troops before him.
All six captains—Zoro, Moria, Erwin, Sanosuke, Gin, and Mr. 1—are present.
Behind each person stood thirty combatants, all elites selected from various squads.
"Listen up, everyone."
Norton's voice wasn't loud, but everyone could hear him clearly.
"Today's mission is to go further in. Go as far as you can. Kill any monsters you encounter along the way that you can, and write down the ones you can't kill. Before nightfall, I need to find out what's hidden on this island."
He paused.
"Remember one thing—come back alive. That's more important than anything else."
No one spoke, but the way everyone gripped their weapons showed that they understood.
"Set off."
Six teams, like six sharp arrows, pierced into the dense forest shrouded in mist.
The forest was deeper than I had imagined.
The trunks of those giant trees were so thick that it would take more than a dozen people to encircle them, and their canopies blocked out the sky, making it almost impossible to see the sun.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, turning into thin beams of light that swayed gently in the damp air.
Zoro walked at the front, three swords hanging at his waist, his pace neither hurried nor slow.
Behind him, thirty combatants followed closely, their eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.
"Captain, we've been walking for almost an hour," someone whispered. "How come we haven't encountered anything?"
Zoro did not answer. He simply continued walking forward, his gaze fixed on the increasingly dark depths of the dense forest.
Suddenly, he stopped.
Thirty meters ahead, a monster was lying there.
It was a size larger than the long-legged female monster we encountered yesterday. Its body was covered with a dark brown hard shell, and its six long legs were bent like scythes. Its terrifying head had no eyes, only a huge mouth that took up two-thirds of its entire head, with three rows of inward-curving fangs densely packed inside.
Spore Mantis Giant.
It was currently lying on a huge corpse, tearing at something. The corpse had been gnawed beyond recognition, and could only be vaguely discerned as the remains of some kind of large creature.
The cracking sound of bones breaking echoed repeatedly, particularly jarring in the silent, dense forest.
Zoro raised his hand, signaling the group to stop.
"Surround them," Zoro said in a low voice. "Don't make a sound."
The thirty people quietly dispersed, forming a fan shape as they approached the monster.
Fifty meters.
Forty meters.
Suddenly, at a distance of thirty meters, the giant spore-bearing mantis raised its head!
Its head turned, as if sniffing something. Its huge mouth, full of fangs, opened slightly, and a tongue several meters long emerged, swaying in the air, its tip barbed.
Zoro's eyes sharpened.
"We've been spotted! Charge!!"
Before he finished speaking, he had already disappeared from the spot!
Three-Sword Style: Demon Slash!
The blade slashed into the monster's side! The hard shell shattered, and green fluid gushed out!
The Spore Mantis Giant let out a mournful screech, its massive body swung violently, and a scythe-like forelimb swept across!
Zoro dodged with a somersault, and as he landed, he slammed his right foot into the ground, launching himself forward again!
Wado Ichimonji slashed at the left forelimb, Sandai Kitetsu slashed at the right forelimb, and Yubashiri slashed at the head!
The flashing blades were like a waterfall!
However, this time, the blade pierced the hard shell to a depth less than half that of yesterday.
Zoro's pupils contracted slightly.
"This thing—is harder than yesterday's!"
The Spore Mantis monstrous shrieked in pain, letting out an even more ferocious roar. It opened its mouth, and its barbed tongue shot out, aiming straight for Sauron's face!
Zoro turned to the side, his tongue brushing against Zoro's cheek, leaving a trail of blood!
At the same time, the thirty combatants around them rushed up!
"kill-!!"
Swords, muskets, and axes rained down on the monster.
Green fluid splattered everywhere, and the monster let out one painful roar after another, its six long legs flailing wildly, each swing sending someone flying!
"Avoid its forelimbs! Attack its flanks!" Zoro roared.
He lunged forward again, slashing three knives into the monster's side abdomen where a wound had already been cut open!
This time, the blade pierced even deeper!
Green fluid gushed out like a fountain! The spore mantis monster let out an extremely shrill screech, and its massive body crashed to the ground!
boom! !
The ground trembled, and smoke and dust filled the air.
Zoro stood beside the monster's corpse, panting heavily.
He looked down at his chest—there was a deep, bone-revealing scratch, left from when the tongue had grazed him.
"Captain!" Several combatants surrounded him. "You're injured!"
"Just a superficial wound." Zoro waved his hand, his gaze falling on the monster's corpse.
His brow furrowed.
Yesterday, when he killed that long-legged monster, one slash was enough for him.
Today, I was stabbed three times and also injured.
This island is indeed getting stronger.
Northern route.
The terrain here is more complex than on the eastern front.
The dense forest gradually thinned out, replaced by patches of marshland, with thick layers of green duckweed floating on the murky water.
El walked at the front of the group, taking each step very carefully.
He was bigger than everyone else, and if he got stuck, it would be a huge problem to pull him out.
"Captain, should we take a detour?" someone suggested.
El shook his head.
"Taking a detour is a waste of time. Follow me closely and walk where I've walked before."
The group began to carefully traverse the swamp.
Halfway there, ripples suddenly appeared on the water ahead.
El stopped and looked at the increasingly violent ripples.
"Step back."
The moment the two words were uttered, the water surface exploded with a deafening roar!
A gigantic monster burst forth from the swamp!
It was even bigger than the lone reef bull demon from yesterday, its entire body covered in slippery black skin, and its eight tentacles were waving wildly in the air, each one as thick as a water bucket!
Swamp Giant Squid!
Its head wasn't the round head of a typical octopus, but rather sharp like a squid's, concealing a massive mouth filled with sharp teeth. That mouth was spinning at high speed, like a giant meat grinder!
"spread!!"
El roared, and his body instantly swelled up!
His fur sprouted, his bones cracked, and his muscles bulged. In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into a giant four meters tall!
One of the giant squid's tentacles swept across!
El raised his hand and grabbed the tentacle! The suckers on the tentacle clung tightly to his palm, and the immense force dragged him deeper into the swamp!
"roar--!!"
El roared and slammed his other hand down on the tentacles!
boom!
The whiskers broke off, and black fluid gushed out!
But the giant squid didn't stop. Seven more tentacles attacked simultaneously, like seven wildly dancing pythons!
El was entangled in his left leg by a tentacle and flung into the air!
"team leader!!"
One of the combatants tried to rush forward, but was swept away by another tentacle and crashed into the swamp, where he was instantly swallowed by the murky water!
"Don't come any closer!!" El's roar came from mid-air.
He twisted his body forcefully in mid-air, grabbed the tentacle that was wrapped around his left leg with his bear paw, and pulled hard!
puff!
The whiskers were completely torn off! El fell from mid-air and crashed onto the muddy ground at the edge of the swamp, splashing up a cloud of mud.
He rolled over and got up, panting heavily. His thick fur had been torn in several places, and blood was dripping down his skin.
The giant squid continued crawling forward, its remaining seven tentacles flailing wildly as it lunged at the combatants on the shore!
"Run!!"
Some people turned and ran, but those who were slow were caught by the tentacles and dragged into the spinning giant mouth!
Click, click, click—
The sound of bones shattering came from that mouth, and blood dripped from the corner of the mouth, staining the entire swamp red.
Al's eyes reddened.
"brute--!!"
He roared and charged forward again!
Northeast Line.
Sanosuke spread his black wings and glided among the treetops, looking down at everything below.
In the dense forest, thirty combatants were advancing cautiously, following the marks left by Sanosuke, avoiding areas where monsters were obviously lurking, and choosing safe routes as much as possible.
But this safety lasted for less than half an hour.
"What is that?!"
The combatant at the front suddenly stopped.
Dozens of strange creatures were perched on the tree trunk ahead.
They are not large, with the largest being only half a meter long. Their bodies are covered with a dark red hard shell, and their six legs are tightly gripped to the bark.
The most bizarre thing is their heads—they have no eyes, only a round, sucker-like mouthpart that is opening and closing.
"What is this thing?!"
One of the combatants leaned closer to get a better look.
The next second, those dozens of creatures moved at the same time!
They leaped from the tree trunks and pounced on the crowd like raindrops!
"ah!!"
A scream rang out instantly!
A combatant was tackled to the ground by three creatures whose sucker-like mouthparts clung tightly to his skin, sucking so hard that his body shriveled up at a visible speed!
"Fire! Use fire!"
Someone lit torches and waved them at the creatures. Several creatures that were scorched by the flames let out sharp screechs, fell off the people, and rolled on the ground.
But there are too many.
More and more creatures emerged from the surrounding tree trunks, branches, and soil, densely packed, numbering in the thousands!
Sanosuke swooped down from the treetop!
With a flap of its wings, countless black feathers shot out like a torrential rain!
Puff puff puff puff—
Dozens of creatures were pinned to the ground, green bodily fluids splattering everywhere!
As Sanosuke landed, his ninja sword was drawn! With a flash of light, more than a dozen creatures were cut in two!
But the faster he moved, the more creatures surged in.
"Retreat!" Sanosuke shouted sharply, "Retreat to open ground!"
The fighters retreated while waving torches, pursued relentlessly by the creatures whose corpses littered the ground, though the living continued to surge forward.
One of the combatants was a little too slow and was instantly swallowed up by the black wave. His screams lasted only a few seconds before disappearing completely.
Sanosuke gritted his teeth.
"Damn it!"
Moria's advance was the most successful.
He sat on the corpse of a monster he had killed, letting the combatants carry him forward.
Whenever a monster appeared, his shadow would pounce on it and instantly shred it into a withered husk.
"Hehehehe!!"
He laughed more and more heartily, but this happiness did not last long.
A deep roar suddenly came from ahead. The sound was unlike any other sound they had heard before; it was deeper, heavier, and carried an indescribable sense of oppression.
Moria's smile faded slightly.
"stop."
The soldiers carrying him stopped in their tracks.
Moria rose from the corpse and looked at the increasingly dark forest ahead.
There, a huge creature was moving slowly.
It was larger than any monster that had appeared before, at least thirty meters tall, covered in thick, bluish-gray skin, with a row of triangular bone plates standing upright on its back.
Skeleton crawler.
Moreover, it was an adult, enormous skeletal reptile.
It is moving this way.
"—This thing is a bit troublesome." Moria's expression changed.
He raised his hand, and shadows surged from beneath his feet, transforming into a gigantic black monster.
"go."
The dark shadow roared and pounced on the skeletal crawler!
The two colossal beasts collided in the dense forest, causing the ground to tremble and giant trees to fall!
But only ten seconds later, the dark figure was torn to shreds.
The skeletal crawler raised its head, opened its enormous, blood-red maw, and let out a deafening roar!
"roar--!!"
Moria stood there, his smile completely gone.
.
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