"All of you, come and attack me!"
Urouge pointed to several monks and said that they all knew Urouge's ability to absorb attacks and convert them into his own attack power, which was also a way to strengthen himself.
His previous physical strength had no effect on Vic, so now he had to rely on his Devil Fruit ability and external forces to achieve his goal, as the temple was a sacred place.
Several monks solemnly stepped out of the crowd and launched a fierce attack on the tall Urouge. Whether there was some personal grudge involved or not, they were beating him to death!
The residents of Birka were completely bewildered. What was going on? Just a moment ago they were beating others, and now they were being beaten? Was this big guy a little bit crazy?
Vic let Urouge and the others do as they pleased; he already knew that Urouge was now a Devil Fruit user, so it wasn't surprising that he had this ability.
He wasn't afraid of Urouge's transformation. His abilities weren't yet capable of a qualitative change; even after a decade or so, he'd only be able to become a Sweet Commander, far from being able to harm him. It was better to make Urouge despair, so he wouldn't lose his mind later.
Several monks punched and kicked Urouge for half an hour before collapsing to their knees, panting heavily. Urouge's body seemed to inflate, growing larger and larger until it was nearly ten meters tall before stopping.
This scene stunned the onlookers. Could being beaten really have such an effect? They felt even more awe for the temple. They believed that Urouge's ability was bestowed by the temple, a psychological effect resulting from the temple's mystery over the years.
Urouge turned to look at Vic's expression and was somewhat disappointed to see that there was no change. He had thought that Vic would also be surprised, which would have given him some confidence, but Vic's nonchalant attitude made him feel very frustrated.
He knew that the current attack might not be strong enough, but this was only the second strike. He didn't want to kill Vic outright. There was no need to go to extremes until the very last moment. Maybe Vic would be forced to move after this attack? He wanted to try it out first.
" Karma "
Urouge, holding the massive iron bar in both hands, began to spin around his feet, increasing his speed until the iron bar gradually disappeared at high speed.
A violent gust of wind swept across the area, making it difficult for the residents to even open their eyes. Their bodies slid backward uncontrollably, showing that Urouge was serious this time. His massive figure resembled that of a giant, and with a single step forward, Vic was now within Urouge's attack range.
Vic still used Armament Haki Hardening the instant the iron bar touched his cheek. Although Urouge's strength was several times greater, it still couldn't budge Vic in the slightest.
The spinning body stumbled and fell to the ground in an instant, then returned to its original size. This was due to the powerful inertia caused by the sudden stop during high-speed rotation.
In other words, Vic, the one who was beaten, was unharmed, while Urouge, the one who did the beating, fell flat on his face.
The onlookers were truly unsettled this time. Was this even human? Urouge's attack was powerful enough to pierce through the land in the center of Birka, yet it was utterly ineffective against this outsider's shamelessness. Vic's thick and unyielding skin left them only in awe.
"Who exactly are you? When did Sky Island produce a powerhouse like you? Birka has only made contact with Angel Island recently; did you come from Angel Island? What is your purpose?"
Urouge guessed the general idea. This sudden change had taken away his smile, showing that Urouge's spiritual cultivation was still incomplete at this time, perhaps because he had not experienced any major upheavals.
"What I told you before was my true purpose. Otherwise, I would have already gone on a killing spree. Why would I be here gambling with you? Would I have nothing better to do?"
Vic raised his hand to wipe his left cheek, which had been hit twice, as if he was in real pain. However, his handsome face, which was neither red nor swollen, showed no signs of injury.
Urouge didn't look at Vic's feet again this time. He knew the moment he fell that it was him who had moved, and his opponent was as solid as a mountain.
"All of you, attack me together! Hold nothing back! It concerns the faith of the temple!"
Urouge stood up and shouted loudly. This time he was going all out. Success or failure depended on this. It all depended on whether Vic could take it. If he could, he would accept it.
However, he would only allow Vic to go in for a tour; if Vic tried to take anything, that was absolutely forbidden, and he would definitely fight back.
So the residents of Birka witnessed another good show, a sight they hadn't seen in years: the authoritative temple monks were brawling together without any regard for their image, which became the talk of the town in Birka.
Those present were all eyewitnesses, and they would be very proud to tell their relatives and friends about it later. This was a major event in Birka, and not many people were fortunate enough to be there today. Unlike Enel, the temple did not have absolute control over the entire island, and the people here were still quite free.
This time, Urouge was beaten even worse. Before, it was just a few monks beating him, but now everyone was attacking him together. It was their last chance, so they fought even harder.
Urouge's body had also grown even larger. If he was a small giant before, he was now the size of a true Giant Race, and the giant pencil in his hand really did look like a pencil.
This time, Urouge was beaten for even longer than before. These monks wouldn't stop until they were exhausted to the point of fainting, as if Urouge had done something to their family and wife and they had to beat him to death to vent their hatred!
After all the monks had collapsed from exhaustion, Urouge arrived before Vic with immense pressure; this was the strongest Urouge could currently muster.
As Urouge approached, the residents of Birka who were watching couldn't help but take several steps back, and their gazes toward Urouge became even more awe-inspiring. In their eyes, this was a miracle!
"This is my strongest moment yet. If I still can't defeat you now, then I will personally lead you into the temple!"
Urouge raised the slightly deformed iron rod and said in a deep voice, "In fact, I have already given up all hope. This is just a last-ditch effort. Vic's performance is too terrifying. I can't see the end of his strength at all. Any attack is as silent as a mud ox sinking into the sea. Urouge is almost in despair."
"I've been waiting forever! Your Devil Fruit ability is pretty strange. Does it mean the harder you get beaten up, the stronger you become?"
"Wouldn't that mean you become stronger when faced with a stronger opponent? You shouldn't have made that bet with me; you should have just come up and suppressed me directly!"
Vic wanted to learn about Urouge's Devil Fruit ability. In the original work, his ability was quite mysterious and not explained in detail, and he also had a record of defeating Sweet Commander.