Consumed by Flames
"Boom!" With a deafening roar, the raging flames, like the gaping maw of a ferocious beast, instantly engulfed Jack the Drought's entire body. Hikaru soared into the sky, and thick smoke billowed, as if to burn the heavens and earth to ashes. However, just when everyone thought Jack the Drought was doomed to perish in the inferno, a miracle occurred!
As the raging flames gradually subsided, Jack the Drought, who should have been burned to ashes, stood unharmed. Wisps of black smoke emanated from his body, making him look like Demon God returned from hell. His face was gloomy, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly. Then, he suddenly spat out a mouthful of saliva to the side.
Immediately afterward, Jack the Drought twisted his neck, producing a chilling "crackling" sound. Then, as if he had lost his mind, he began to laugh maniacally, "Hahaha..." The laughter echoed through the sky, filled with endless madness and violence.
With that burst of maniacal laughter, Jack the Drought's body underwent a sudden and dramatic transformation. In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into a colossal, thick-haired mammoth. This mammoth stood tens of meters tall, towering like a mountain, exuding an unparalleled sense of oppression. Its strong, powerful limbs were like pillars supporting the sky, firmly supporting its massive body; and its long trunk was like a nimble giant python, waving wildly in the air.
The mammoth suddenly swung its trunk, creating Gale sound, and charged straight at Gizzas Jesus Burgess. At the same time, Gizzas Jesus Burgess was equally unyielding, throwing back a loud laugh, "Hahahaha..." Before the laughter subsided, he had already thrown a punch. In an instant, a burst of blazing flame erupted from his fist, forming a surging wave of fire that swept towards Jack's trunk with overwhelming force.
In the contest of strength, Gizzas Jesus Burgess was ultimately slightly outmatched. With a powerful impact, he was thrown back as if struck by a heavy blow, staggering seven or eight steps before barely regaining his footing. This wasn't entirely surprising, given that he had only recently consumed the Devil Fruit. While it had significantly boosted his strength, the increase was currently relatively limited. However, given time, once he successfully developed the Devil Fruit to the next stage, his power would undoubtedly experience a qualitative leap.
Having just engaged in a direct confrontation, Gizzas Jesus Burgess had a clear understanding of his current strength. Therefore, he made an extremely wise decision—to utilize the unique abilities granted by his Devil Fruit in battle! He slightly bent his knees, poised to pounce like a cheetah about to strike. Then, he unleashed a sudden burst of power, his muscles tensing instantly, propelling him skyward like an arrow released from a bow.
As he leaped into the air, Gizzas Jesus Burgess clenched his right fist and slammed it down onto the ground with all his might. In an instant, a dazzling burst of Hikaru exploded from his fist, like a miniature sun suddenly erupting. The raging flames, like a ferocious fire dragon, spread rapidly, forming a massive ring of fire tens of meters in diameter in the blink of an eye. This ring of fire seemed to possess boundless power, sweeping wildly in all directions with an overwhelming force.
Wherever the flames touched, the surrounding air was instantly scorched to an unbearable temperature, even visibly distorted and deformed. Accompanied by bursts of crackling explosions, the entire space seemed to be torn apart by the terrifying heat. The scene before our eyes was like the end of the world, chilling and terrifying!
"Holy crap, is this guy getting too excited?!" Baboon King Burns shouted as he turned and ran away without hesitation. Brook, Perona, Ata, and Yixiao behind him didn't dare to be careless and used all their strength to escape the sea of fire.
After all, such a large-scale fire attack is no joke. Once caught in it, the consequences would be unimaginable. Moreover, such wide-range attack skills often cannot distinguish between friend and foe, and a slight mistake could lead to being burned alive.
Meanwhile, Ulti and Page One, not far away, also realized the seriousness of the situation. They exchanged a glance, seeing deep fear and helplessness in each other's eyes. Clearly, the situation had become extremely unfavorable for them. Even with the combined strength of the two of them, it would be difficult to turn the tide.
However, Ulti and Page One's strength was worlds apart from Moke's group. The two exchanged a knowing glance and instantly made a decision. Taking advantage of the moment when they were dodging the rings of fire, they unleashed all their skills without hesitation and sped away like the wind. They had no interest in playing along with Jack the Drought here; after all, life was the most precious thing.
"Hmm?" Moke, Ulti Fudō Page One. A sly smile appeared on his lips, and then he transformed into a dazzling bolt of lightning, chasing after the two at an astonishing speed. Moke wasn't worried about Jack the Drought at all. Although Gizas Jesus Burgess, who had just swallowed Devil Fruit, might not be able to contend with him for the time being, don't forget that his side was well-equipped. Besides Jesus Burgess, there was Weevil, Baboon King Burns, Brook, Perona, and Ata, among others! Dealing with a mere Jack the Drought was more than enough.
In the blink of an eye, Moke had already caught up with Ulti and Page One like a ghost, suddenly appearing and blocking their path. At this moment, Moke's sharp eyes were fixed on the backpack on Page One's back, because he knew clearly that it contained the coveted Zoan Devil Fruit— the Panther-Panther Fruit. In that instant, a flash of inspiration struck Moke, and he suddenly thought about what kind of effect it would have if he could give this Devil Fruit to Weevil. Even if Weevil didn't deliberately develop the fruit's abilities, the physical enhancement and strength increase he would gain from eating it would surely be enough to make Weevil even stronger.
In this way, Weevil's strength will definitely reach a new level! Page One keenly sensed the gaze that Moke had cast his way, and his heart involuntarily tightened. At the same time, Ulti's expression instantly turned extremely ugly. She couldn't help but mutter to herself, "Just now, we were planning to steal their Devil Fruit. Who would have thought that we would be the ones who got it stolen from us..." As she spoke, Ulti's figure flashed, and she stood in front of Page One without hesitation.
Moke's gaze naturally fell on Ulti. Hey, he had to admit, she was a truly stunning woman! Her slender waist, long, beautiful legs, and impressive bust all exuded captivating charm. Although her face was veiled, her large, watery eyes blinked incessantly, lively and playful. Just from those eyes, one could deduce that this woman's appearance was definitely not bad. Because of this, Moke suddenly became intensely interested in Ulti's true face.
Just as Moke focused his attention on Ulti quickly turned around and anxiously called out to Page One behind her, "Stop dawdling! I'll hold him off, you hurry up and go!" However, Page One resolutely replied, "No! If we're going to leave, we'll leave together!" After all, the two siblings had relied on each other since childhood, weathering storms together, and their bond was incredibly deep. In this life-or-death moment, how could Page One abandon his sister and flee alone?
Upon hearing this, Ulti's beautiful eyes flashed with a resolute light. Her originally lively gaze instantly became extremely sharp, as if two cold beams were shooting straight at the other party. Then, she shouted, "Since that's the case, then let's fight to the death today!" Before her words had even finished, her aura suddenly exploded, and an invisible pressure spread around her.
At the same time, Ulti chanted a spell, her body flashing with light, and in the blink of an eye, she transformed into a stunning Hybrid Form. At this moment, she was tall and mighty, with bulging muscles, exuding a wild and fierce aura.
Without hesitation, Ulti unleashed her ultimate technique— the Ulti Headbutt! She suddenly lowered her head, using it as a weapon, and a thick layer of black Armament Haki wrapped around it, hurtling towards Moke like a black Inazuma.
This attack was incredibly fast and its power was astonishing. Its impact was comparable to the firing of a super-large caliber cannon, surging in with overwhelming force. If hit by this attack, even an ordinary person would have their skull shattered and brains splattered on the spot; the solid floor would be as fragile as paper in front of it, instantly creating a huge hole; and those around who couldn't dodge in time would be blown dozens of meters away by the powerful airflow.
However, at this moment, Ulti, in her Hybrid Form, unleashed Ulti Headbutt several times more powerful than usual! The head, carrying boundless terrifying power, streaked across the sky like Inazuma, hurtling past with overwhelming force. Wherever it passed, even the air seemed unable to bear the weight, being forcibly torn apart, emitting a series of deafening, piercing explosions that sent chills down one's spine.
The breathtaking scene described in the original work is truly unforgettable. After everyone watched helplessly as Ulti unleashed such a powerful and unparalleled attack, Nami and Usopp didn't even have time to react effectively. In the blink of an eye, they were already overwhelmed and helpless, and could only retreat in panic.
However, as the saying goes, "Things have changed." The opponent standing before Ulti now was neither the weak and easily bullied Nami of the past, nor the cowardly Usopp who only knew how to back down and run away from trouble! At this critical moment, Moke remained calm and composed, showing no sign of panic. He swiftly raised his strong and powerful arm, and in the blink of an eye, a thick, ink-black aura, like a menacing dragon, tightly coiled around his arm.
Without hesitation, Moke decisively extended his right hand and, as if taking something out of a bag, grabbed Ulti's head, which was hurtling towards him like a high-speed cannonball, with exceptional precision and effortlessness.
A muffled groan was heard. "Huh?" Ulti's body suddenly froze, and an expression of disbelief appeared on her face. She was horrified to find that her attack, which she was determined to win, had been so easily neutralized by Moke.
At that moment, she felt as if her head was being clamped tightly by a cold, hard, and incredibly strong iron clamp. The force was like Mount Tai crushing an egg, leaving her with no power to resist. No matter how hard she tried, struggling and twisting with all her might, it was like an ant trying to shake a tree; she couldn't even budge it slightly.
Just moments ago, she was full of fierce momentum, her attacks so sharp they were terrifying. But now, those seemingly invincible moves seemed so pale and powerless in front of her opponent, even utterly laughable. It was as if all her efforts and attacks were just child's play, utterly incapable of posing even the slightest threat or harm to Moke.
Witnessing this despairing scene before him, Page One stood dumbfounded, his face turning deathly pale. His heart skipped a beat, and he cried out in alarm, "This is terrible!" Without hesitation, he made a snap decision, muttering incantations. A flash of light enveloped him, and his form abruptly changed. In the blink of an eye, he transformed into a velociraptor, its body as massive as a mountain and its appearance terrifyingly ferocious.
The velociraptor opened its gaping maw and let out a deafening, deep roar that seemed to pierce the heavens and make the entire space tremble. At the same time, its thick, powerful tail, like an incomparably fierce steel whip, lashed out at Moke with thunderous force, whistling through the air. Wherever it passed, the air seemed to be torn apart, creating visible ripples of air. Page One hoped that this strike would successfully rescue Ulti was trapped in a desperate situation, from Moke's iron-like grip.
Facing the menacing and imposing Page One, Moke appeared remarkably calm and composed, handling the situation with ease. A slight upturn of his lips revealed a contemptuous and disdainful smile, as if the seemingly ferocious attack before him was utterly insignificant.
Just then, Moke flicked his wrist slightly, the movement flowing smoothly and naturally, almost too fast for the eyes to follow. The next moment, a shocking scene unfolded: he actually picked up Ulti and, without hesitation, faced the enormous tail that was hurtling towards him like Zhou Yu!
"Bang—" A deafening, thunderous roar suddenly rang out, and the entire space seemed to tremble. Page One's incredibly powerful tail, capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, lashed solidly across Ulti's back with overwhelming force.
Poor Ulti didn't even have time to react before an unbearable pain swept through her body. She let out a heart-wrenching scream that echoed through the sky, chilling all who heard it. Then, like a kite with a broken string, she lost her balance and support, flying straight away into the distance.
Caught completely off guard, Ulti appeared so helpless and vulnerable, like a beautiful but fragile butterfly, struck mercilessly by an unimaginably powerful force. In an instant, a strong, metallic taste surged into her throat, and she felt as if her internal organs were about to shatter. Blood flowed uncontrollably from the corner of her mouth, like a red stream, slowly staining her originally pale skin.
However, despite the severity of her injuries and the pain that nearly made her faint, the resilient Ulti gritted her teeth, straining to keep from uttering a sound of agony. She knew that showing the slightest weakness at this moment would only embolden her enemy. Therefore, even with her body severely wounded, she was determined to use her last ounce of strength to uphold her dignity and pride.
"Ulti..." Page One, witnessing this scene, couldn't help but exclaim in shock. His eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief and rage. He couldn't believe that the despicable Moke would be so shameless as to use Ulti's body as a shield to block his attacks! At this moment, he was caught in a deep dilemma and contradiction. If he didn't continue the attack, Ulti would be trapped in the enemy's hands forever, her life hanging by a thread; but if he attacked forcefully, he worried that Moke would use the same trick again, using Ulti to block his attacks, which would only cause Ulti more serious harm. For a moment, Page One felt helpless, unsure of what to do.
Meanwhile, Moke was standing close by, stared at Ulti with great interest, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. He smacked his lips and said sarcastically, "Heh heh, I've always had a question in my mind: why do you two siblings always cover your faces? Are you so ugly that you're afraid to show yourselves to people?"
As expected, for any woman, being called ugly is undoubtedly a great insult. Ulti, already weak, trembled with rage upon hearing this. She struggled fiercely, trying to break free from Moke's grasp, her eyes wide with fury as she retorted defiantly, "You're the ugly one! You hideous, vicious wretch!"
Seeing Ulti's reaction, Moke wasn't angry at all. Instead, he seemed to have discovered something interesting, and a playful smile appeared on his face. He chuckled and said, "Oh? Is that so? Since you're so confident, then let me take a good look and see just how beautiful you really are..." As he spoke, he reached out and tried to lift the veil off Ulti's face.
As he spoke, his other hand slowly reached towards Ulti's mask. Ulti was instantly terrified; her eyes widened in horror as she watched the hand approach her mask, her body involuntarily shrinking back. Page One nearby, was even more anxious, shouting, "No! Please don't!" However, their cries did not stop him.
"Hmm?" Seeing Ulti and Page One's intense reactions, the man was quite surprised. He thought to himself: It's just a mask, what's the harm in taking it off? Is there some unspeakable secret hidden under this mask? Or is Ulti really so ugly that she doesn't even dare to take off the mask? Thinking of this, his curiosity grew stronger, and he quickened his pace.
Just as Moke's fingers were about to touch Ulti's mask, something unexpected happened. Ulti suddenly seemed to lose all her strength, her whole body collapsing limply to the ground. Immediately afterward, large tears welled up in her eyes and slid down her cheeks. In an instant, she cried her heart out, a pitiful sight that evoked sympathy from all who saw her.
Moke was stunned. He hadn't expected this at all. He had only intended to remove Ulti's mask, but it had made her cry like this. Filled with confusion and bewilderment, he muttered to himself, "What's going on? It's just a mask, why is it such a fuss? You weren't like this when you were being beaten and captured, but now you're crying like this over a mask. It's truly incomprehensible..."
Page One stood to the side, quickly removing the bulging backpack from his back. He then stared sharply at Moke, his tone serious, and said, "Listen carefully, Moke. If you promise me you'll never remove Ulti's mask, this incredibly precious Devil Fruit will be yours immediately." He then deliberately shook the Devil Fruit in his hand, which emitted a mysterious light, to increase the credibility of his words.
Hearing this, Moke's eyes widened, filled with doubt and confusion. Handing over this Devil Fruit was no small matter! Even if they could escape as fast as birds, if things were exposed, they would struggle to explain themselves to the terrifying Kaido. And why were they so tense over just a mask? Did this mask hide some unknown secret?
However, just as Moke was struggling with his inner turmoil, a strong sense of curiosity surged into his heart like a tidal wave, instantly overwhelming his original rational thinking. After all, the desire to explore the unknown is always irresistible. He thought to himself that if he couldn't see Ulti's true face under the mask today, he would probably toss and turn all night, unable to sleep... Finally, after a fierce internal struggle, Moke gritted his teeth and made a decision—he suddenly reached out and, without hesitation, tore off Ulti's mask.
"Holy... shit..." With just one glance, Moke froze on the spot as if struck by lightning, his mouth agape, wide enough to fit an egg. The scene before him was so astonishing that he was completely speechless, only able to stare blankly at everything in front of him, his mind a complete blank.