"Young man! This is the most sacred place in Birka; worship is not permitted here. Please go back!"
Urouge said with a smile, though beads of sweat were visible on his forehead. He had already noticed Vic, whose demeanor was quite different from that of the Skypieans.
With three swords at his waist, bright eyes, and a steady gait, Urouge exudes a formidable aura that ordinary people cannot perceive. However, Urouge is no ordinary person; he is a Devil Fruit User whose abilities grant him Higuma. This is also the reason for Urouge's high status in the temple.
"Worship? Visiting is more like it! Who is worthy of my worship? Do you think you can stop me?"
Vic unleashed even more power, forcing Urouge to take two steps back, his face filled with disbelief.
Vic is a person who doesn't respect gods or Buddhas. No one is worthy of his worship, not even Imu. This is a quality that is ingrained in his bones!
Urouge's actions made Vic increasingly convinced that the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was located in the temple. He said it was protecting the legacy of Sky Island, but shouldn't a legacy be known to more people so it won't be lost?
However, the behavior of the monks at this temple was too unusual, giving Vic the impression that they were guarding Poneglyph, making it unsuitable for many people to know about.
However, the connection between the Sky Island and the sea below is too weak, so there's no need to be so cautious. That can only be something like power, which is singular and highly dependent on the owner's temperament, so caution is the only option.
If it fell into the hands of someone with evil intentions, it would be a disaster. Just as Vic guessed, Enel Awakening Observation Haki for some reason, also known as Mantra on Sky Island. He then used Observation Haki to sneak into the temple, obtained the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, and ultimately destroyed Birka.
"We can't stop you! It's our incompetence as monks. We will do everything in our power to stop you, but we still hope we don't come to this!"
Urouge's smile had vanished, replaced by a grave expression. Vic's oppressive aura was too strong. If he were to actually make a move, he didn't believe the monks in the temple could withstand him. There would inevitably be heavy casualties, simply because their faith would not be trampled upon, and the temple would not be offended!
"I just want to go in and take a look. You don't need to get so worked up. I don't want to fight you. I'll give you three moves. If you can make me move even one step within three moves, I'll turn around and leave without bothering you again."
But if I don't move, you must let me in to take a look. Of course, you can continue to obstruct me, but then I will not stop!
Vic really didn't want to force his way in, but a bet was a different story, and he was more accepting of it. He hadn't expected the Rumble-Rumble Fruit to appear in this special place in Birka; things just didn't go according to plan.
"This... I can't make that decision myself. I need to go back and discuss it with them!"
Urouge, upon hearing Vic's words, knew that this man had made up his mind to go in and take a look; if he wouldn't take the bait, he'd resort to force.
He preferred Vic's wager. If he couldn't defeat Vic in three moves, then there was no need to say anything more; even if everyone attacked together, the result would be the same. However, he still wanted to discuss it with the monks to prevent them from recklessly risking their lives.
Vic didn't answer, but simply nodded and sat cross-legged on the spot. Urouge turned and walked towards the largest building in the center of the temple. Instinctively, he believed that Vic was a man of his word and wouldn't enter the temple while he was away.
Not long after, Urouge arrived at Vic's place, carrying a huge black pencil and leading a group of angry monks.
Those people knew about Vic's arrogance, but they had also heard from Urouge that Vic was very powerful, so they were told not to provoke Vic with their words, or they might lose the bet.
So now they can only dare to be angry but dare not speak out. If looks could kill, even Vic's Haki couldn't stop those eyes that wanted to tear him apart.
"Enough talk, let's get started!"
Vic stood up and walked in front of Urouge. Although there was a big difference in height between the two, no one dared to underestimate Vic. His imposing aura was undisguised. Vic 'Vic figure seemed even taller, as if a huge, invisible figure was enveloping him.
"Everyone, move aside a bit, be careful not to get hurt by the aftershocks!"
Urouge made the monks step aside, giving the two of them room to fight. The lively scene also attracted many residents of Birka. This place was right at the border between the Island Cloud and the land where the temple was located. Residents could come and go freely, as long as they did not enter the temple area. With so many monks gathered here, there was bound to be a good show to watch.
Urouge took the large black pencil off his back, held it with both hands, and spun it several times before smashing it down on Vic's head.
This was his pure physical strength, without the aid of Devil Fruit abilities, which could be considered a test.
The ordinary residents of Birka were puzzled when they arrived and saw the temple monks about to brutally beat a handsome man. What terrible crime had he committed that warranted such a punishment? Was it to make an example of him? Was it just for show?
The monks stared intently at Urouge, completely ignoring the strange looks from the residents. Their only concern was whether the man could withstand Urouge's powerful blow; that was the most important thing, and it was closely related to their faith.
Armament Haki Hardening
Vic opened his mouth and spoke softly. Just as the iron bar struck his cheek, Vic's entire head turned black for a moment, but he immediately recovered. This was a perfect combination of Observation Haki and Armament Haki, and no one could see this instantaneous change.
"Bang"
Urouge felt as if his iron rod had smashed into an iron mountain; his hand was so hard it almost cracked, and the iron pencil had a dent that matched Vic's cheek, demonstrating just how strong Urouge was.
Urouge stared blankly at Vic's calm expression, somewhat bewildered. There wasn't even a red mark where Vic had been hit, let alone a shattered skull.
For a split second, the residents of Birka were so frightened that they closed their eyes. They knew that the iron bar in Urouge's hand was solid and weighed over ten tons!
Let alone hitting a human, even an ancient dinosaur would be smashed to pieces; they were terrified that Vic's blood and flesh would splatter on them.
Aside from a loud bang, there was silence. When they mustered their courage and opened their eyes, they found that nothing had happened, except for the monks' dumbfounded expressions. The residents were all wondering what had caused the loud bang.
Ignoring his trembling hands, Urouge rolled his eyes downwards, his gaze gradually moving to Vic's feet, wanting to see if there were any traces of movement there.
But the result disappointed him; there was nothing there, and Vic's posture remained unchanged, which intensified Urouge's shock.
He knew perfectly well how strong he was, yet he hadn't even left a red mark on the other person's face. This mysterious young man was terrifying; what kind of human body did that have? He would believe it if you told him it was made of iron.
The Skypieans had no idea what Armament Haki was. He didn't know that Vic already valued him highly, after all, he was a future Supernovas. In fact, Tekkai would have been enough to defend against this attack, but Vic chose Armament Haki.
"Again!"
Vic broke the silence with a soft voice, shattering the still image of the scene.