As eyes appeared,
more details materialized from the void like an unfolding scroll.
First a nose, then another eye, followed by a maw filled with gleaming teeth, and a gaping mouth.
It was identical to the countless dead bats on the ground,
only this one was immeasurably larger.
A fierce wind arose.
The bat flapped its blood-red wings, its pupils replacing the moon. It stared at Kong Tai, now completely engulfed in crimson energy. The corners of its grotesque mouth curled upwards, a triumphant smile spreading across its ugly face.
Perched on its shoulder sat a small, stout man.
He gazed at Kong Tai and chuckled, "Silver-Haired Kong Tai, the world's fifth-ranked bounty with a 2.5 billion bounty."
"Ah ha ha ha ha!!"
"So what? You were still captured by us."
He said this with immense pride.
They were the world-renowned bounty hunters, the Moore brothers.
The elder brother, Moore Gorde, the bat monstrosity, had consumed a Devil Fruit, the Mythical Zoan, Disaster God form.
This blood-red barrier that enveloped the island was one of his abilities. This power amplified the primal emotions of animals, turning them into madness, which was why the creatures Kong Tai had encountered showed no fear of his Conqueror's Haki.
As for why he took the form of a bat, that was a question for the true Disaster God.
And why couldn't Kong Tai sense this creature?
Firstly, Kong Tai wasn't using his spiritual power.
The creature's second ability was invisibility, not mere transparency, but true invisibility.
His body, his aura, even his soul—all external manifestations were rendered unseen.
Without an aura, without a soul fluctuation, and with Kong Tai not using his spiritual power, it would have been a miracle to detect him.
So what was it that blocked Kong Tai's slash?
That would be the other one of them.
The younger brother, Moore Steel-Bottle, was an ผม's-type user who could absorb any tangible attack, transferring it to another dimension. He was effectively immune to physical assaults.
However, he had a weakness: he could only absorb frontal damage.
But with his elder brother by his side, their combined efforts made it virtually impossible for anyone in this world to escape their grasp.
Yet, this individual was not Kong Tai.
"Are you done laughing?"
*Bang!*
The space around Kong Tai's body expanded, instantly tearing through the crimson energy that encased him.
This crimson energy, if caught off guard, could indeed control many people. But they had run into him.
"Ugh..."
His laughter abruptly ceased.
The Moore brothers' pupils contracted as they stared at Kong Tai, who remained unharmed, hovering in mid-air.
Their surprise attack had failed to capture this man. They knew a direct confrontation would be even more futile. Thus, the moment Kong Tai emerged from the crimson energy,
Elder Brother Moore Gorde flapped his wings and instantly turned, fleeing into the distance.
Moore Steel-Bottle, on Moore Gorde's back, faced Kong Tai, raising his hands in front of him.
This was the prerequisite for activating his ability.
Kong Tai's eyes flickered with curiosity as he regarded these two figures, who had not appeared in the original story.
He had initially expected the one who blocked his slash to be a formidable individual.
But the moment these two revealed themselves, he knew he had misjudged.
No wonder he hadn't sensed any danger.
It turned out these two had only managed to get close to him through their peculiar Devil Fruit abilities!
"Interesting."
Whether it was the ability to block his slash, the one that rendered him undetectable above him, the blood-red spatial barrier that covered the entire island, or the crimson energy that had ensnared him, all were fascinating and potent abilities.
If these two had developed their Devil Fruit powers further and possessed stronger bodies, they would have been formidable individuals in the New World.
However, since they had foolishly come before him to ambush him, their journey and lives could only end here.
*Thump!*
Kong Tai took a step forward, his foot landing on the void, creating ripples. His body then vanished from his original position, reappearing directly in front of the giant bat.
Upon seeing Kong Tai, the bat's blood-red eyes unleashed two beams of crimson energy that shot towards him.
Kong Tai's eyes glowed red. He subtly shifted his body, and the crimson energy beams, like lasers, narrowly missed him and struck the sea below.
They pierced the ocean's surface without a sound and vanished into the depths.
Looking down at the sea, where the crimson energy beams had created wounds that refused to heal, Kong Tai's eyes widened in awe.
"Another fruit with formidable powers in every aspect!"
"Hmm..."
"The only downside is its sheer ugliness."
He looked up, a cold sneer on his lips and killing intent in his eyes, as he watched the bat turning to flee in another direction.
*Zing!*
Zankong was drawn.
The frigid glint of the blade in the dark night, under the moonlight, resembled a silver river, swiftly slashing towards the bat.
*Puff!*
Still no sound. Moore Steel-Bottle was seen holding his hands up, blocking the slash.
The attack collided with the void in front of Moore Steel-Bottle's hands, creating ripples that absorbed the slash.
"Absorbing attacks?"
Kong Tai looked at Moore Steel-Bottle, a flicker of memory in his eyes.
He recalled a few months ago, on Ore Island, a CP0 agent with a Reflection-Reflection Fruit, rumored to reflect all damage.
However, that man was likely nothing but a pile of dry bones by now.
"Can you really absorb any attack?"
*Crack!*
Lightning, a purple-red lightning, spread outwards from Kong Tai, darkening the entire sky.
Haki, a dark purple hue intermittently laced with purple-red arcs of electricity, quickly wreathed the blade of Zankong from Kong Tai's arm.
Then, Kong Tai raised his sword and swung it towards the two Moore brothers.
"See if you can block this one."
*Crack!*
As if shattering reality itself, the dark purple slash, crackling with electricity, tore through space and instantly appeared before Moore Steel-Bottle's rippling defenses.
*Bang!*
This time, a sound was heard, but it was stifled by the silver-haired man, scantily clad in a patterned pair of shorts and flip-flops, standing above the bat.
Then, the slash continued its advance amidst Moore Steel-Bottle's terror.
The ripples that had blocked countless attacks before him seemed to reach their limit. Under the purple-black onslaught, they emitted cracking sounds, like shattering glass.
Then, with a snap.
The ripples completely shattered.
Of course, the hearts and souls of the Moore brothers shattered along with them.
The dark purple slash, having cleaved through the supposedly all-absorbent ripples, continued forward without hesitation, easily slicing through Moore Steel-Bottle's body and that of his elder brother, Moore Gorde, beneath him.
Simultaneously, their bodies froze in mid-air.
In reality, from Kong Tai's appearance to their demise, only a few seconds had passed.
Yet, these few seconds represented an insurmountable chasm between life and death for the Moore brothers.
*Clang!*
The sword was sheathed.
Kong Tai looked at the two brothers, now reduced to dust and scattering in the wind within his spatial domain, his gaze calm.
Ultimately, this world still revolved around strength.
Without sufficient strength, one would become like the countless souls beneath his blade, leaving behind no name.
He turned, gazing towards the gradually quieting forest in the distance, and took a step. His figure vanished under the moonlight.