Chapter 14: Apex Predator
Moonlight streamed through the nighttime jungle, shattering the peaceful atmosphere.
"A snake? This massive?"
Rhodes paused, his eyes flashing with an indescribable fierce intensity.
A colossal serpent was weaving its way through the nearby forest. Rocks and trees crumbled as it passed, carving a destructive path through the jungle.
The creature's body stretched nearly a hundred feet in length, thick as a barrel. Dark green scales the size of dinner plates covered its hide. Its triangular head bore a pair of golden, vertical pupils that radiated pure menace.
No wonder the other beasts in the forest were fleeing so desperately—this apex predator was on the hunt.
Given the sheer size of this enormous snake, any wild boar or ape caught in its coils would be instantly crushed to paste.
"Why are you here?"
Nia, sprinting toward them, spotted Rhodes by the campfire, and her expression shifted.
Without hesitation, she planted her foot, twisted her body, and attempted to flee in another direction.
Though she was irritated with Rhodes, she wasn't about to lead such a ferocious beast straight to him.
But after running more than thirty feet, she was startled. The terrifying sound of rushing wind from behind her had vanished.
"Oh no!"
She skidded to a halt, spun around, and her face went pale.
The giant snake had abandoned its pursuit of her and was now charging toward Rhodes.
"Damn it!" she cursed. "Still grilling out here this late at night? What do you think this is, a summer barbecue?"
It was obviously the aroma from Rhodes' cooking that had attracted the serpent.
Cursing under her breath, Nia turned back, took a running leap, and launched herself into the air. With a sharp crack, her iron staff struck the Black Python King.
BANG!
The snake's age was unknown, but its hide and scales were incredibly tough.
Still, Nia was worthy of being the strongest among the trainees.
Her powerful blow shattered several scales, leaving the skin beneath red and swollen.
But that was all.
The strike failed to seriously wound the giant snake—it only enraged it further. A low hiss echoed through the air.
The massive tail swept across with such force that the wind pressure alone could demolish buildings and crack the earth. A creature this colossal possessed raw power that humans could barely match, and Nia was completely outclassed at that moment.
"Soru!"
Whoosh!
In an instant, Nia vanished, leaving only shattered earth behind.
The giant snake's tail crashed down.
BOOM!
Like a meteorite impact, the ground exploded with thunderous force!
The entire forest floor trembled, and an invisible shockwave rippled outward, hurling rocks and debris in all directions.
The earth cracked, creating a fissure stretching fifteen to twenty feet.
"Phew, that was close," Nia gasped, wiping sweat from her brow.
That was terrifying.
What rotten luck.
She'd been resting when the tree she was sheltering under suddenly snapped, revealing the giant snake. In her annoyance, she'd struck it with her staff and been chased here.
Fortunately, she was incredibly fast and agile, having mastered the explosive movement technique from Rokushiki. She'd barely escaped this apex predator's clutches, though not without serious danger.
This was why the fish-man Hack and the others hadn't come to assist—Koala was already strategizing how to deal with the giant snake after the mission concluded.
Snakes are cold-blooded creatures that lurk underground with minimal heat signatures, able to remain dormant between hunts for extended periods. This had allowed them to evade the Revolutionary Army's detection until this mission—fortunately without any casualties so far.
Seeing the giant snake's attention drawn away, Nia breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to continue her evasive maneuvers, she suddenly noticed from the corner of her eye a sword-wielding figure approaching the giant snake.
"Rhodes?!"
"Is this guy trying to drive me insane?"
Nia couldn't help but get furious. I busted my ass trying to draw its attention away from you, and you still want to charge in and throw your life away?
Before, she'd just thought this guy was ignorant and fearless, but now she truly believed he was a complete idiot.
The giant snake's earth-shattering attack was still fresh in her mind. Even she could only dodge its strikes and didn't dare face it head-on. This fool didn't have the slightest bit of self-awareness and was rushing forward without understanding his own limitations. Did he think he could cut down any enemy just because he'd become a swordsman at such a young age?
He was too arrogant.
Nia couldn't help but feel disappointed. "Natural talent is one thing, but I'm afraid someone with this kind of personality will never truly grow."
Meanwhile, in the monitoring room...
"Rhodes?"
Watching the scene through surveillance equipment, fish-man Hack frowned. "Reckless."
A single individual challenging such a formidable beast—unless someone possesses overwhelming strength, it's nearly impossible to inflict fatal damage.
Just like Nia—she can battle the giant snake, but with its incredible vitality, even if she exhausted herself, she still wouldn't be able to kill it.
Koala, however, smiled.
"That's what defines a swordsman."
In this world of pirates, every swordsman possesses incredible pride and confidence. They have absolute faith in their path and their ability to cut through any obstacle.
This unwavering resolve is the essence of swordsmanship—especially for a young blade like Rhodes!
Back at the battlefield...
Rhodes approached, gazing up at the nearly hundred-foot serpent. Even with only half its body raised, it towered several stories high. A human standing before it looked like an ant.
Normally, any ordinary person facing such a behemoth would feel nothing but overwhelming dread.
But Rhodes' expression was somewhat peculiar. He looked the snake up and down like a chef examining premium ingredients at the market, deciding where to make the first cut and how to prepare it.
This world really is something else.
He remembered that the longest python from his previous world was barely over thirty feet long, and this monster was nearly three times that size!
It looked incredibly delicious—ahem—incredibly terrifying.
"What a shame you had to encounter me," Rhodes shook his head with a soft sigh.
Crackling!
Electric arcs erupted, thunder rumbled.
The air filled with a sharp, tingling sensation.
Rhodes was instantly engulfed in lightning, transforming into a brilliant blue silhouette that illuminated the dark forest like a beacon.
"What the hell?! Lightning powers?!"
Nia, who had been about to attack with her staff raised, saw this scene and her jaw dropped in shock.
Is he... is he actually a Devil Fruit user?!
Suddenly, Rhodes kicked off from the ground with explosive force. An invisible blast of air scattered debris everywhere. The earth trembled violently, leaving a spider web of cracks beneath his feet. Simultaneously, his body shot toward the sky with lightning-like speed.
At the moment of takeoff, the lightning power coursing through Rhodes surged into his sword blade, transforming it into a massive fifteen-foot-long thunder blade that crackled with divine energy.
The next instant, he was hovering above the giant snake, gripping this colossal lightning sword with both hands.
"This is..."
Nia, watching from below, was completely stunned.
In her eyes, the handsome young swordsman floated suspended above the giant snake, wielding a divine blade forged from pure lightning—like a god of thunder about to deliver heaven's judgment upon the earth.
He's not just talented... he's a monster!
(End of Chapter)
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