Chapter 308: Radiant Epoch's Effect and Phantom
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--- Chapter 305 ---
Huo Yuhao was annoyed. He had learned from the mistakes he critically made at the Draconic Deus when changing the world's history.
Although the effect wasn't that bad, it could lead to disasters.
And Huo Yuhao doesn't want to repeat the same mistake.
Facing the young Zoro, Huo Yuhao could only sigh in his heart.
This guy always appears randomly. His sense of direction is the worst.
Huo Yuhao facepalmed, "Challenge me?"
"Why, though?"Zoro raised his nose and said arrogantly, "I heard from Kuina that you're a skilled swordsman! But I know you're just a fraud. That's why I want to challenge you here and now!"
Kid, you're literally challenging a God.
I don't know if I should praise your ignorance or not.
Huo Yuhao's eyelid twitches, "Listen up, Kid. I don't have time for your little play."
"Now get out of my sight, or you won't see the sun tomorrow."
Even though Huo Yuhao said those words, he didn't mean it.
Yet Zoro being Zoro. He has endless guts in the face of danger.
Zoro tightly gripped his Shinai and pointed it at Huo Yuhao, "Duel with me!"
Stubborn little shit.
Huo Yuhao wanted to leave immediately, but this fellow would probably chase him from now on.
He sighed and grabbed a random tree branch in the bushes, waving it around like a short sword.
Zoro was baffled, "You gotta be kidding me? You wanted to use a tree branch on the duel?"
"Are you looking down on me? I am a man who will become the Strongest Swordsman in the world!"
Huo Yuhao amusingly replied, "If you can't repel an attack from a mere stick. You don't deserve to fight me using a real sword."
"Make your move, Kid."
"Today, I will show you the essence of simplicity."
Zoro groaned in annoyance while making a five-meter distance between Huo Yuhao and himself, preparing his Shinai to strike him heavily.
He coldly laughed in his heart because Huo Yuhao would suffer at his hands.
After all, Zoro knows his own strength.
Zoro stared at Huo Yuhao and shouted, "I'm coming!"
Huo Yuhao interestedly watched Zoro swinging his Shinai, casting a swift shadow over the ground. Zoro thought his performance was perfect, and Huo Yuhao had yet to swing his tree branch.
'This is my win!' That's what Zoro thought at the moment.
Still, Zoro was bound to fail.
Huo Yuhao finally moved, and in Zoro's vision, he moved very slowly.
From Huo Yuhao raising his tree branch to a gentle thrust, everything is very gentle and basic.
Yet Zoro couldn't move his body.
He's swinging his Shinai with all his might, which could break his balance if he stopped midway.
No, Zoro's balance is 'already' broken.
Zoro didn't realize it.
Thud!
Before he knew it, the tree branch was poking his forehead. Although it was just a tree branch, Zoro felt it had unfathomable power.
Huo Yuhao could have added more power to the tree branch, and it would pierce Zoro's forehead.
Cold sweat dripped off Zoro's back.
The sensation of death is not a very pleasing thing to experience.
"Too green." Huo Yuhao commented casually.
"See ya, Kid."
"You're too weak to make me draw my sword."
Yes, that's true.
Huo Yuhao hasn't truly trusted the tree branch. It was Zoro who lunged straight into it because of his reckless attack.
After that, Huo Yuhao vanished from the street and left Zoro alone in that area. Zoro stared at the ordinary tree branch and felt his world about the sword crumble.
"Too strong." Zoro picked the tree branch.
He turned around to see if Huo Yuhao was still there, but the blue-haired young man had long gone, "He's too damn strong..."
That day, Zoro's forehead was red all day.
...
...
Huo Yuhao whistled while flying in the sky. After fetching the girls, he will erase the memory of him from the people in the Shimotsuki Village. He doesn't want to create too many divergences in One Piece's plots.
He kicked the air a few times before arriving at the island surrounded by pink-colored fog. It was weird.
"Where is she?" Huo Yuhao used the Heavenly Dao of Destiny. He spotted a path leading to the island's heart, unknowingly venturing into the lair of a deadly creature.
Clank! Clank!
Huo Yuhao heard the sound of the metallic clash.
He hurried his steps and arrived near a massive mango tree. He frowned and spotted a familiar-looking young lady in a tight battle suit, gracefully dancing with her golden spear.
Roar!
A creature shaped like a silverback ape roared at Huang Qiu'er.
Why a creature and not a beast?
Well, that's because this creature's body consists of unknown material that mimics one's body. From the look of it, the creature's body could contend against Golden Dragon Spear.
Even then, Huo Yuhao discerned that this beast was alive. It has such a vibrant life force and functioning soul.
Huo Yuhao observed Huang Qiu'er and nodded because it didn't look like she was losing this fight.
'What are they fighting for?' Huo Yuhao looked around before stopping at the vines of the massive mango tree. One particular mango stands out of the rest, having weird shapes and swirls. The mango's color is also gold, with a slight red accent.
"Evo."
[On it, Host]
[This is...]
[It's a Blank Concept Fruit]
"Blank Concept Fruit? How is that even possible..." Huo Yuhao was speechless.
According to Huo Yuhao's shallow knowledge, the Blank Concept Fruit was the 'true' condensation of Tiny World's essence. It only appeared when hideous creatures corrupted the Tiny World, eroding the realm's natural order.
Blank Concept Fruits could only grow in the Void Century. Back when the Great Kingdom and Twenty Kingdoms are still fighting against each other under the control of the wardens.
There shouldn't be a single Blank Concept Fruit in the current era.
There are only Devil Fruits.
After all, Devil Fruits appeared in the Tiny World after so many Devil Fruit Users were 'brutally' killed in the Great War. These Devil Fruits absorbed their former eater's essence, becoming a focused Concept Fruit.
"Wait, don't tell me..."
"The fault in space and time."
"It twisted the Tiny World's essence in different timelines, causing these Blank Concept Fruits to grow in those timelines."
"Still, how was this event triggered? Isn't this too random?"
[Your guess is correct, Host]
[But this event was actually triggered by two factors...]
[And you know them]
"What do you mean?" Huo Yuhao frowned slightly. He didn't like how Evo sounded.
[The appearance of Blank Concept Fruit is 'likely' tied to your arrival at the Tiny World]
[Remember, you're a God from a higher-level world compared to the Tiny World]
[Your mere presence as the God of Fortune changed this world...]
[Not to mention, your luck alone is ridiculous. No one shouldn't have that much luck]
[It affected the world around you in an unknown direction]
[Radiant Epoch is not an empty title]
[Fortunately, the changes don't seem bad]
[You might even have a chance to raise your Concepts to the max]
[No, you might even be able to master the Heavenly Dao with enough Blank Concept Fruits]
[They are priceless treasures!]
"Chill, Evo. You sound too excited." Huo Yuhao smiled wryly.
[This is your chance, Host] Evo didn't care.
If Huo Yuhao becomes more powerful, Evo would have a better chance to enter Tier 2 and above in the Omniversal Order. Yes, that's the system's ultimate goal.
Huo Yuhao could only shake his head.
BOOM!
Huang Qiu'er transformed into a humanoid golden dragon girl, charging at the silverback ape with a decisive spear thrust.
BAM!
She successfully broke the silverback ape's defense, killing it.
Huang Qiu'er put on a cold look as she pulled her spear, drawing an arc of blue blood.
Huo Yuhao clapped his hands. "Good job, Qiu'er!"
"Master!" Huang Qiu'er was shocked by Huo Yuhao's appearance.
Her once cold expression instantly transformed into endless joy, making her look like an adorable puppy instead of heaven's proud goddess earlier.
Huang Qiu'er walked to Huo Yuhao and giddily said, "I've been looking for you for a week."
"A week?" Huo Yuhao was surprised. "It seems there is still a gap between our world travels."
"Anyway, are you fighting for that mango?"
Huang Qiu'er gazed at the golden mango and nodded, "Mm."
"I felt something special from the mango and thought of getting it for you..."
Huo Yuhao's eyes widened, "You know, you don't have to."
Huang Qiu'er shook her head, "For me, you're the one who gave me a chance to defy my fate. A little random fruit is nothing to you what you have done for me."
Well, the problem is that the fruit isn't random.
It is a Blank Concept Fruit that could allow Huo Yuhao to grasp the secret into a higher tier.
"Thanks." Huo Yuhao helplessly sighed and patted Huang Qiu'er.
Huang Qiu'er purred in delight, "Kyuu~!"
But their reunion has to be cut short because of heavy steps approaching them.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"They are here!" Huang Qiu'er alertly raised his Golden Dragon Spear.
"They?" Huo Yuhao tilted his head in confusion.
Huang Qiu'er pointed at the silverback ape's corpses and said, "I don't know what they are, but that silverback is part of dangerous creatures."
"In fact, I've been fighting them for a week straight."
"And each time, they are getting stronger and stronger."
"What are they exactly..." Huo Yuhao mumbled.
[I just finished scanning the Silverback Ape's corpse, Host] Evo answered calmly.
[They are "Phantom"]
[Phantom is the dweller of twisted space and time, harnessing the power of broken timelines. You need to kill Phantom Lord to kill them all, as they live and work like hivemind]
"Well... Let's kill the Phantom Lord, then." Huo Yuhao gazed at the mysterious forest with a smirk on his handsome face.