A Fiery Burial #141

As Rob Lucci unleashed the full force of the Rokugan, a powerful shockwave surged through the courtyard, tearing through the air with an invisible ferocity. The sheer intensity of the technique was enough to topple the walls that lined the yard, sending debris flying as the structure collapsed twenty meters behind Cedric.

Silence enveloped the onlookers, their eyes wide with astonishment at the devastating power they had just witnessed. The scene before them was one of destruction and chaos, the aftermath of Rob Lucci's unleashed might. But amid the debris and swirling dust, Cedric stood tall, seemingly unaffected by the destructive wave that had passed through him.

A trickle of blood escaped from the corner of Cedric's mouth, staining his lips as he wiped it away with the back of his hand. His smile remained intact, undeterred by the impact. "That stung," he said, his voice carrying an air of amusement.

Rob Lucci's eyes widened, disbelief and confusion etching across his face. How could Cedric have withstood the full force of the Rokugan, a technique he had developed and mastered? It was inconceivable, defying everything he believed about the limitations of the Rokushiki.

But undeterred by Rob Lucci's astonishment, Cedric tilted his head slightly, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He raised his fist, mirroring Rob Lucci's stance before unleashing the Rokugan. The pirate captain's smile widened, his voice laced with confidence and intrigue. "Let's see... you do it this way, right...?"

Rob Lucci's mind raced. He was between disbelief and a flicker of caution. He refused to believe Cedric could have learned the intricacies of the Rokugan from simply observing it. It defied logic and challenged everything he knew about the technique. Yet, a nagging alarm bell rang in his head, warning him that this was no ordinary opponent.

Rob Lucci's gaze darted between Cedric and the remnants of the demolished wall. The destruction he had caused was undeniable, a testament to the power he held within him. And yet, Cedric stood before him, unyielding and seemingly unfazed.

"What is the meaning of this, pirate...? Are you telling me you learned Rokugan?" Rob Lucci growled. "Even as a filthy pirate, your jokes should have tact, at least..." He added, causing Cedric to chuckle.

"Stand still... you'll see for yourself..." Cedric replied, unbothered to argue with Rob Lucci as he prepared to unleash his newly-acquired technique.

The CP9 agent's instincts screamed at him to dodge and retreat from the imminent danger in Cedric's stance. But a part of him refused to believe that this pirate captain could possess such mastery over the Rokushiki. It was a clash of conflicting emotions, the battle between arrogance and the voice of reason.

In that critical moment, Rob Lucci trusted his instinct. He succumbed to the urgency of the warning bells ringing in his head and chose not to underestimate his opponent again.

However, a sudden sensation of weight overwhelmed him as Rob Lucci attempted to jump back and evade the imminent attack. It was as if an invisible force had rooted him in place, rendering him unable to move. Confusion and panic surged through Rob Lucci's veins as he desperately tried to free himself from the invisible shackles that held him captive.

His eyes trailed downward, and to his shock, he discovered the source of his restraint—a flaming tail wrapped tightly around his torso.

The tail seemed to have a life of its own, its fiery grip constricting Rob Lucci's movements with relentless strength as it radiated heat.

Following the trail of the tail, Rob Lucci's gaze landed upon Cedric, who had already transformed into his hybrid heavenly ape form. The pirate captain's grin widened, revealing sharp teeth glinting in the sunlight. Cedric's eyes gleamed with excitement and satisfaction as he stared at his captured prey.

"I wasn't asking when I said stand still," Cedric taunted, his voice carrying a playful edge. "I took your attack, so it's only fair you take mine."

Rob Lucci's heart raced, his mind flooded with fear and disbelief. How could Cedric have gained such power and control over the Rokushiki? It was beyond anything Rob Lucci could have anticipated, shattering his beliefs and challenging his sense of superiority.

With a sudden motion, Cedric shifted his grip on Rob Lucci, forcibly turning him away from Galley-la's headquarters. The pirate captain's intentions became apparent as he unleashed the Rokugan, the technique he had learned by closely observing Rob Lucci.

An invisible shockwave surged through Rob Lucci's body, coursing through his veins and rattling his very core. A guttural cry escaped his lips as the immense force tore through him, causing blood to erupt from his mouth in a violent, tall spray. His eyes rolled back, momentarily losing consciousness as the shockwave continued onward.

The destructive power of Cedric's Rokugan was unleashed in full force, toppling one of Galley-la Company's massive dry docks a staggering 100 meters away. The structure crumbled, its supports giving way to the immense pressure, sending debris and wreckage crashing to the ground.

The courtyard fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the distant rumble of the collapsing dry dock. All eyes were fixed on the limp Rob Lucci, whose body turned motionless for a moment.

His smile still present, Cedric maintained his grip on Rob Lucci, raising him up as the CP9's agent slowly returned. "It's not half bad for a technique meant to devastate from within..." He stated as he clenched and unclenched his fists.

"But you can increase the power and range by focusing the shockwave into one arm..." Cedric explained, still grinning as he raised one fist toward Lucci, much to the latter's horror. "Just like this...!" Cedric continued as he unleashed another Rokugan that passed through the agent's body.

Though the shockwave did not leave a trail of destruction behind, its power was evidenced by the increasing amount of blood that escaped Lucci's mouth and the bird that promptly fell to the ground, unfortunately, caught in the crossfire.

Again, Cedric waited for Rob Lucci's consciousness to slowly return before speaking. "The fact that you must stand still to perform it also makes it situational and unpractical for a real battle..."

"However... if you can master your muscles and train them to endure the strain from the shockwave and spring force while moving..." Cedric explained as he brought his fist back, and Rob Lucci could only stare into his cold eyes with horror and helplessness.

Grinning as he clenched his fist, Cedric spoke. "Then you've got yourself a great technique that might even harm someone with impenetrable defense..." Without delay, the pirate captain punched Lucci's gut again, unleashing another invisible shockwave.

"And if you've got enough stamina, and your muscles were sturdy enough..." Cedric said, trailing off as he brought back his other fist. "You can use it repeatedly until your opponent's organs are nothing more than mush..."

With that, he punched again and again, each fist that connected with Lucci's gut resounding and echoing all over Galley-la as blood and chucks of flesh flowed out of the agent's mouth, staining the yard's grass and leaving behind a pool of blood and gore at Cedric's feet.

Finally, Cedric's prediction came to pass as Lucci'es organs turned to pase and all his bones transformed to dust, leaving him nothing more than a bag of skin that was bonelessly splattered against the ground in a pool of his own blood and guts as the pirate captain let him go. somber

The atmosphere in the courtyard turned heavy as the gruesome scene unfolded before the horrified eyes of the Galley-la company employees. They stood frozen in shock, unable to comprehend the sheer brutality and merciless power that Cedric had unleashed upon Rob Lucci.

Cedric reverted back to his human form. His once playful smile had faded, replaced by an awkward expression. He scratched his head sheepishly, his gaze briefly meeting the wide-eyed stares of the onlookers.

"Looks like I went a bit overboard... but in my defense, this guy really pissed me off," Cedric admitted, causing more than pair of eyes to twitch at his reasoning.

Realizing the shock and horror etched on the faces of the Galley-la company employees, Cedric understood the need to rectify the situation. Without waiting for anyone to speak, he stepped forward, his hand raised and aimed at Rob Lucci's remains.

"Let me take care of the mess... its the least I can do after giving you such a traumataizing show..." Cedric declared, chuckling. He concentrated his power, summoning a torrent of searing flames from his hand.

The wave of searing flames washed over the remains, consuming them completely. The air was filled with the acrid scent of burnt flesh and the faint crackling sound of the disintegrating remnants.

Turning his back on the fire, Cedric turned to the Khalifa, his bloodstained face and glowing eyes causing her to flinch before she quickly gathered her bearings. "I sent Kieran after Blueno, so he's already dead by now..."

With that, Cedric turned to Kaku, who could only smile bitterly in fear. "Which only leaves this guy...."