A cook, vice-captain of the Rocks Pirates?

Lockes turned around and shouted to the still-dazed crew, "Rain, get your biggest plate ready. Silver, go pick that fruit, be careful not to break it."

"Yes."

Silver responded, his body swaying, his toes lightly touching the steep rock face a few times, like a nimble ape, and in a few breaths he had climbed up the branches of the ancient tree.

He carefully avoided the constantly dripping, glowing sap that resembled teardrops, and approached the Soul Echo Fruit hanging at the highest point.

Gatz and Dorum, on the left and right, surrounded the CP leader who had been casually tossed to the ground by Rocks.

The man's face was ashen. That brief exchange had not only shattered the King of Sorrow, but also completely destroyed his pride and fighting spirit as an elite agent of the World Government.

He now understood just how monstrous the monster he was facing truly was.

"Captain, what should we do with this guy?"

Gatz, carrying the anchor, asked in a muffled voice.

"Tie him up first, just make sure he doesn't die."

Rocks waved his hand, focusing all his attention on the fruit that was about to be his.

"Don't spoil our meal by serving up something that's not even an appetizer."

Silver's figure moved through the huge canopy and soon arrived at the foot of the fruit.

The closer you get, the more you can feel the strange fluctuations emanating from the fruit, like the breath of a living thing, each pulse drawing in the surrounding light and darkness.

Chapter 17 Listening to the Voice of All Things (Ingredient Limited Edition)

Silver did not touch it directly with his hands, but instead gently flicked it with the scabbard, breaking off the stem connecting the fruit.

The Soul Echo Fruit detached from the branch, but instead of falling, it floated quietly in mid-air, emitting a soft halo.

Silver carefully wrapped it in a clean piece of silk before leaping down and landing steadily in front of Lox.

"captain."

Locke took the fruit wrapped in silk cloth. It felt warm and smooth to the touch, and he could feel its peculiar life force even through the fabric.

He grinned and handed the fruit to Renn.

"Head Chef, it's your turn to perform. How do you bring out the best in this legendary flavor?"

All eyes were on Renn.

Renn took the fruit, his expression more focused than ever before.

He didn't rush to deal with it, but instead closed his eyes.

The Observation Haki spread out, gently touching the unique soul fluctuations of the fruit.

In an instant, countless fragments of broken, sorrowful, and regretful thoughts flooded into Renn's mind.

That was the resentment accumulated on this island over countless years, the source of the King of Sorrow's power, and the nourishment for the growth of this fruit.

"I see."

Raine opened his eyes, a flash of understanding crossing them.

"This fruit cannot be cut with a knife or roasted with fire. It is a pure aggregate of spiritual energy, and any physical treatment will destroy its essence."

"How are we supposed to eat it? Just swallow it whole?"

Gatz craned his neck curiously.

"Do not."

Renn shook his head and looked at Locke.

"I need a catalyst, a will strong enough to neutralize the complex resentment accumulated in the fruit and guide out the purest power of the soul echo."

Upon hearing this, Locke immediately understood what Rein meant, and he burst into laughter.

"Interesting! You mean you want to use my will as a seasoning?"

"That's understandable."

Raine nodded calmly.

"Place your hand on the fruit, infuse it with your will, do not resist the fruit's backlash, let the two wills collide and merge."

This request sounds absurd, even somewhat dangerous.

To clash with a fruit that embodies the resentment of the entire island is a risky endeavor that could easily damage one's spirit.

But who is Rocks? The word "fear" doesn't exist in his dictionary.

"Hahahaha! Good! Let me see if the sorrow of this island is harder, or my fist is harder!"

Without hesitation, Rocks reached out and covered the Soul Echo Fruit with his enormous hand.

He closed his eyes, and an overwhelming, domineering will surged into the fruit like a burst dam!

hum-

The Soul Echo Fruit trembled violently, its light flickering.

A visible black mist emanated from the fruit, accompanied by a mournful wail—the final resistance of the island's accumulated resentment over thousands of years.

However, this sorrowful mist melted and was purified as quickly as ice and snow meeting the blazing sun upon contact with Lox's arrogant will.

In the valley, a fierce wind howled, accompanied by the wailing of ghosts and spirits.

The crew of Locke felt the terrifying mental storm and retreated one after another, but Rein stood still and watched it all quietly.

The whole process lasted about ten minutes.

When the last wisp of black mist was completely crushed and purified by Rocks' will, the Soul Echo Fruit stopped pulsating.

Its surface glow became purer and softer than ever before, like a solidified star.

Lockes released his grip, letting out a long breath. His face showed a hint of fatigue, but his eyes shone with increasing excitement.

"That was exhilarating! It felt like fighting an unseen opponent!"

Raine took the cooked fruit. At this moment, it was no longer a pure energy body, but had condensed into a strange existence that was somewhere between reality and illusion.

He took a small silver spoon from his bag and gently scooped a small piece off the surface of the fruit.

The portion that was scooped off transformed into a ball of pure light, hovering above the spoon.

"Okay."

Ryan handed the first spoonful to Lox.

"Captain, please use it."

Rocks took the spoon and swallowed the ball of light in one gulp.

The ball of light melted instantly in his mouth, without any taste or texture, but in the next second, Lox's pupils suddenly contracted.

He felt as if his soul had been ripped from his body and flown to the heavens.

He heard the sound of the wind, the whispers of the clouds, the roar of the sea, and even the heartbeat of the sea kings in the distance, and the roar of the magma flowing deep in the earth.

The Voice of All Things!

This is an unprecedented, wondrous feeling of omniscience and omnipotence!

"Is this... the sound of the world?"

Lox muttered to himself, his face showing an unprecedented shock and ecstasy.

Rein didn't stop; he scooped a spoonful for Gatz, Silver, and Dorlum in turn.

After swallowing it, Gatz was completely dumbfounded.

He heard the cheers of his own muscle fibers, the low hum of the metal inside the anchor, and he could even sense a wild boar digging for food in the distance, clearly hearing the boar's inner voice: "Hungry...hungry...wanting acorns..."

"My goodness... this thing is amazing!"

Gatz clutched his head, feeling as if his worldview had been completely turned upside down.

Silver's experience was completely different; his world became incredibly clear in an instant.

He no longer merely saw with his eyes and heard with his ears; he could sense the flow of air, understand the trajectory of light, and the spear in his hand seemed to be telling him something. He could even feel the direction the spear tip most longed to pierce.

This is an insight that transcends the five senses and reaches the essence of things.

The shipwright, Dorum, looked completely mesmerized.

He closed his eyes and listened intently.

He heard the ancient tree weeping, telling of its thousand years of loneliness; he heard the rocks beneath his feet groaning, complaining of the erosion of time; he even heard the mournful cries coming from his own wrecked boat.

"Ouch... My spine is about to break... That fat guy stepped on me again..."

"Old buddy, don't be afraid, I'll give you a strong new body soon!"

Dorum, looking towards the empty space, offered words of comfort with a pained expression.

Finally, Ryan scooped a spoonful for himself.

As the ball of light entered his throat, his system interface was instantly flooded with a massive amount of information.

[Ding! The host has consumed the legendary ingredient, Soul Echo Fruit, resulting in a significant increase in mental strength!]

[Ding! Host's Observation Haki has undergone a qualitative change, unlocking a high-level ability—Hear the Voice of All Things (Ingredient Limited Edition)!]

[Listen to the Voice of All Things (Ingredient Limited Edition): The host can clearly hear the inner voice of any ingredient, understanding its best cooking method, most suitable pairings, and hidden potential flavors.]

When Raine opened his eyes, the whole world seemed to have changed in his perception.

He could hear the breath of every plant around him and feel the emotions of every stone.

It's a feeling of being one with the world, which, for a chef, is undoubtedly a divine realm.

Looking at the remaining Soul Echo Fruit in his hand, and then at the crew members who were still adapting to their new abilities, Raine smiled.

The hunt yielded far more rewards than expected.

Chapter 18 Ghost Prototype Ship

The shocking experience brought about by the Soul Echo Fruit lasted for a long time before the members of the Rocks Pirates gradually came back to their senses from that mysterious state.

Everyone felt transformed, and their way of seeing the world had fundamentally changed.

Gatz excitedly waved the anchor, finding that he could easily hear the flow of power within it, each swing more fluid and powerful than ever before.

Silver stood quietly, but his aura became even more restrained and dangerous, like a peerless spear hidden in its sheath, ready to strike a fatal blow at any moment.

Dorum circled the enormous ancient tree, muttering to himself as if conversing with an old friend, his eyes gleaming with the fervent light of a master shipwright discovering a rare piece of timber.

Locus stood with his arms crossed at the edge of the valley, looking down at the island shrouded in mist.

He could hear subtle information carried by the wind, the rhythm of the waves crashing against the rocks, and even vaguely sense several powerful life forms in the distant sea.

This feeling of being in control made his smile even more arrogant.

"A chef who can hear the world, a crew who can communicate with their weapons and comrades..."

Lox muttered to himself, a burning ambition gleaming in his eyes.

"Raine, the surprise you've given me is greater than all the treasures on this sea combined."

His gaze shifted to the CP leader, who was bound hand and foot and thrown into a corner.

The man had regained a sliver of his senses from his initial despair, but all that remained in his eyes was fear.

He witnessed the group of people sharing the legendary fruit, and each of them underwent unbelievable changes. He knew that he had no chance of surviving today.

Lockes walked over slowly, looking down at him as if he were an insect that could be crushed at will.

"You lackeys of the World Government, tell me, where did your intelligence come from? How did you know the Soul-Echo Fruit was here?"

Rocks' voice was calm, but the invisible pressure made the CP leader feel like he couldn't breathe.

The CP leader gritted his teeth, a hint of the stubbornness of a secret agent flashing in his eyes.

"I won't say anything! For justice!"

"justice?"

As if he had heard the funniest joke, Lox crouched down to be at eye level with the CP leader, a mocking smile on his face.