As soon as Shiki caught sight of the red cloth, his eyes started turning a fiery scarlet hue!
"Tom, catch!" Al tossed the red cloth casually to Tom, knowing well that Tom was the one in charge of cleaning up.
Al was quite conscious of this fact.
Yet, when Tom laid eyes on the red cloth, he instinctively passed it on to Spike without a second thought.
From Tom's expression, it appeared he was recollecting some unforgettable memories.
The instant the red cloth was placed on Spike's head, Shiki charged towards Spike recklessly!
...
Just as Spike removed the red cloth and was about to speak, Tom seemed to witness something dreadful.
Tom's fighting spirit vanished completely, paying no heed to Spike's words.
Observing Tom's intense reaction, Spike frowned and regarded the red cloth in his hand with suspicion.
"Tsk tsk."
Observing Spike's foolishness, Muscles shook his head and gestured behind him, offering a reminder:
"Check behind you."
Spike blinked, displaying a more perplexed expression, and turned the red cloth over.
"Nothing, absolutely nothing!"
"No, don't give me those strange looks, it's embarrassing!"
With that said, Spike crossed his arms and bashfully waved the red cloth in front of Muscles.
Muscles didn't acknowledge Spike but pivoted, fixing his gaze on Al mid-air, and inquired:
"Captain Al, should I handle this guy?"
Observing Muscles' stern demeanor, Spike treaded cautiously, fearing he might indeed end up balled up!
However, just as Spike prepared to depart,
Two razor-sharp blades, resembling scissors, sliced through Spike's neck!
Just a "click" was heard!
A spherical head abruptly tumbled to the ground!
Yet, Shiki showed no signs of halting his assault!
However, the focus of his attack shifted from Spike to Tom, who was concealed behind the tree.
Tom, suddenly feeling as if the world was tinted red, scratched his head instinctively.
Just as he inadvertently tore off the red cloth!
In his line of sight, two sharp blades materialized before his eyes!
"Ah...!"
Without a second thought, Tom instinctively soared into the sky, simultaneously widening his mouth, extending his tongue, and emitting a tense cry!
Almost simultaneously, as Tom leaped into the air, those two sharp blades ruthlessly pierced where Tom had stood!
Hovering mid-air, Tom grasped the red cloth firmly and draped it over the Shiki's head!
While Tom covered Shiki's head, he retrieved a baseball bat from behind and struck Shiki's head with force!
Sensing Shiki's intense resistance, Tom extracted several sacks from behind once more and placed them over Shiki, one by one.
His movements blurred with speed!
Once he bundled Shiki into a ball, Tom reached for a bucket of paint from behind and drew a circle just below its exact center.
With everything set, Tom launched him into the air without the slightest hesitation!
Having completed his task, Tom clapped his hands, wearing a triumphant smile, earning a nod of approval from Al.
However, in the next instant...
The smile vanished from Tom's face abruptly, replaced by a panicked expression!
He witnessed Shiki, bundled into a ball, hurtling towards Muscles' direction!
"No!!"
After witnessing this spectacle, Tom's face contorted gradually, his expression exaggeratedly distressed.
For some inexplicable reason,
In Al's perception, Tom appeared to move in slow motion. Before he could utter a word, Shiki had slammed Muscles into the ground.
Yet, Tom's actions didn't cease; were it not for Muscles tossing Shiki in a circle, Tom would have continued.
Then, Tom stood, wearing a resentful expression.
It seemed Tom could sustain this stance all day long!
"Gulp~"
Tom swallowed hard, blinked, and extended his hands, shaking them in front of Muscles, revealing a set of pristine teeth. With an awkward smile, he spoke:
"Beautiful weather we're having today, hehehe~"
Before the words could fully register, it seemed like Tom's legs were fitted with engines, ready to bolt with a "whoosh"!
However, just as Tom prepared to dart off, he was yanked back by Muscles suspended in the air!
"Tom, I'm angry right now!"
Muscles placed his hands on his hips, his tone grave.
Tom nodded vigorously, echoing Muscles' sentiment wholeheartedly, noting the anger evident on Muscles' brow!
Yet, Tom couldn't decipher what to make of it, and his quivering legs abruptly halted.
With a solemn expression, Tom nodded once more, then made his way to Spike's side, giving Spike a mischievous kick on the rear.
"Aww"
Pig-killing screams pierced the air, causing Spike to spring up in alarm, only to realize he couldn't see a thing, sending him into sudden panic.
Subconsciously, Spike reached for his head, only to find it missing.
A dotted line marked the outline of a complete head atop Spike's now-empty neck.
Seeing Spike's continued bewilderment,
Without hesitation, Tom retrieved a piece of rice paper from behind and began writing on it.
[Please hit me]
After jotting down the message, Tom affixed it to the back of Spike's head.
Without delay, Tom eagerly handed Spike's head to the doctor.
Spike, akin to twisting a screw, reattached his brain.
"Thank you, Tom."
Spike lightly patted Tom on the shoulder, sporting a grateful smile.
Finally, this Tom guy isn't mischievous anymore; he's actually helpful...
However, before Spike could finish contemplating the comforting thoughts in his heart, a chilling wind swept past him.
Spike huddled up, lamenting about the dreadful weather today, and pulled out a scarf from behind, likely left by a passerby.
Tom's cheeks reddened as he suppressed his laughter, instinctively reminding himself not to laugh this time!
Otherwise, there would be considerable consequences, the most serious contemplation yet!
Just as Spike was about to resume his bragging,
Muscles appeared, perched on Spike's shoulder, lightly rubbing Spike's face.
Spike shook his head vigorously, wearing a puzzled expression, and queried, "Tom, was this your doing?"
To sidestep Spike's inquiry, Tom offered an awkward and impolite smile before turning his head away.
Observing Tom's peculiar reaction,
Spike then retrieved a mirror from behind, seemingly intent on discovering who was playing tricks on him!
Upon catching sight of Muscles, Spike broke into a cold sweat without a moment's hesitation.
Simultaneously, there was a subtle shift in the way he regarded Tom!
Al glanced at Tom, who remained oblivious to their antics, causing the corner of his mouth to twitch involuntarily.
Meanwhile,
Shiki, not far from them, broke free from the sack at that moment, glaring at them with a somber expression.
"Just a moment ago, I..."
"What's wrong? Suddenly feeling dizzy?"
Just as Shiki pondered over what had occurred, a black shadow darted past his vision!
Boom!
A deafening explosion echoed.
In the heart of the island, a mushroom cloud ascended slowly amid the cacophony of blasts.
Beneath the mushroom cloud, a vast crater, resembling the impact of a meteorite, abruptly materialized in Al's line of sight!
"These fellows are truly escalating things!"
Returning to play? With a mushroom cloud like that, can it still be considered play?
Al's brow furrowed slightly as he resolved to reprimand them thoroughly at the earliest opportunity!
Surveying the gaping hole before him, Al's mind brimmed with frustration.
[Received 9999 EP from Shiki]
Sighing as he glanced at the emotion value acquisition page, Al couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.
"Moreover, how could someone as formidable as Shiki end up in this state?"
It seemed like confirmation of Al's speculation.
The next moment,
A swift "whoosh" filled the air!
With a powerful gust of wind propelling skyward, Spike soared into the air, his face concealed.
Following closely, dozens of razor-sharp spikes erupted from the ground, hurtling towards Al with lethal intent!
Al's brow furrowed slightly as he swiftly maneuvered to evade the impending fatal strike!
Before Al could even catch his breath, the surrounding earth began to tremble violently!
"Shiki's strength... Why does it seem to have surged significantly?"
Observing Shiki suspended mid-air, veins bulging on his forehead, Al had a sudden realization.
Even though Shiki strength was hindered by the rudder lodged above his head!
However!
When Shiki descended into a state of fury, his strength would gradually return!
Yet, in this enraged state, while regaining strength, Shiki would also deplete his own life force!
"Hey guys, this is truly a battle for survival!"
"Since that's the case!"
Al's gaze turned icy, donning his mask expressionlessly as he deftly navigated among the jutting thorns!
The enraged Shiki, realizing his attacks had little effect on Al,
Slowly raised his right arm, as he did so...
Those sharp thorns, which had sprouted from the ground, ascended into the air as well!
"Die, you little brat!"
Accompanying Shiki's furious cry, hundreds of razor-sharp thorns hurtled toward Al at incredible speed!
Beneath his mask, Al's pupils contracted, and swiftly retrieving the Western sword from the system space, he imbued it with Armament Haki!
Observing the sky filled with gigantic thorns, Al opted not to continue evading.
Opting to face the thorns head-on, Al, bolstered by the steel armor's protection, wields his Western sword adeptly, darting between the colossal thorns!
With each slash of his sword, a thunderous explosion resounds!
Tom leaned against the tree trunk with one hand, drumstick in the other.
Observing Al's repeated leaps amidst the giant thorns, Tom couldn't help but clap and applaud.
Observing this, Spike skillfully retrieved a microphone and stereo from behind.
Just as Spike began adjusting the microphone,
Muscles approached a towering tree and lightly punched its trunk.
Instantly, a powerful gust swept beneath the tree!
In the next moment, sawdust scattered across the sky carried by the wind!
As the sawdust settled, the tall tree transformed into a stage frame?
Muscles plucked the stage frame as if picking grapes, delicately placing it before Spike.
With the frame in place, only the planks remained.
Upon witnessing this, Tom's eyes sparkled with excitement!
He then dropped the chicken leg from his hand, revealing his robust biceps.
Tom proceeded to punch the tree before him several times, causing the tall tree to splinter like slicing through ham.
As sections flew from the tree trunk, transforming into airborne wooden pieces, the stage took shape.
Once the stage was set, Spike positioned himself at its center, microphone in hand. He cleared his throat twice before speaking:
"Ahem, currently we can witness Captain Al confronting..."
"Tom, what's the guy's name?"
Tom, covering his face, seized the microphone from Spike, eagerly narrating Al's battle with great enthusiasm.
"At present, we can see that after dodging the airborne projectiles, Captain Al charges towards the Shiki's... hair!"
"Wait, hair?"
"Could Captain Al be recalling his tuba?"
"Tom, what on earth are you talking about!"
"The ultimate hairstylist, folks! Haven't you heard of it? Hahaha~"
"Get out! You've been hogging the TV all day, I haven't seen it!"
As Spike cranked up the stereo to its maximum volume, the entire island resonated with the chatter of the two.
Al swung his sword energy to shatter the colossal thorn before him, poised to redirect his focus towards Shiki .
However, the exchange between Tom and Spike rudely interrupted Al's strategy, nearly causing him to be struck by the sharp thorn!
In a crucial moment, the sapphire on Al's belt emitted a light blue laser beam!
As he demolished the giant thorns, the beams shot toward the direction of Shiki !
Shiki's pupils constricted, narrowly evading the lethal strike with a swift roll to the left!
Even Shiki's reaction speed was impressively quick!
Yet, his arm still stung from the encounter, blood trickling down onto the ground.
Only then did Shiki realize that the individual before him had used an armor.
And it wad not inferior to his own haki!
"Damn it, aren't you a swordsman?"
"Have duel of swordsmanship with me!"
"Very well!"
Al hummed lightly, then withdrew the armor from his back.
Observing this, Shiki deduced that without the armor, Al's strength would surely be significantly diminished!
This time, Shiki didn't wait for Al to produce any peculiar props before launching his assault, acting foolishly as before!
Confronting Shiki's attack, Al sneered coldly, a smile playing on his lips.
"You truly underestimate the Big Big Wolf!"
As Al's words echoed,
His eyes tightly shut, and a mechanical device's cold voice resonated from within his body!
"Full mechanization, engaged!"
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