Chapter 517: Phoenix Snake Marco
Whoosh!
"Crane Claw!"
Marco swiftly closed the distance, his claws slashing directly at the Gold and Silver Monkey King's smirking face.
Rumble!
The claw-shaped shockwave tore through the forest, leaving a gaping claw-shaped crater in its wake.
"Too slow!" the Monkey King taunted, "Take this!"
"Super Invincible Light-Shooting, Lonely Flying Kick!"
Dodging Marco's attack with ease, the Gold and Silver Monkey King refracted back and forth in midair several times before launching a counterattack, chanting the absurdly long name of its move like a mantra.
Boom!
The flying kick struck Marco squarely in the stomach.
"Ugh!" Marco gasped, his mouth opening wide as he retched.
"Here you go!" the Monkey King shouted, seizing the moment to shove an object into Marco's open mouth.
It followed with a powerful uppercut—a move it dramatically called "Rūshan Shenronbā"—sending Marco soaring into the air. (Mount Lu Sacred Dragon Jab)
The impact forced Marco to swallow the unknown object.
"Marco!" Vista called out, finally catching up. Seeing Marco tumbling through the air, he rushed forward and caught him.
Boom!
"Marco, are you okay?" Vista asked, his voice filled with concern.
Marco, cradled in Vista's arms, looked guilty. "Vista, Pops's fruit was eaten… by Marine Admiral Kizaru."
"It's alright," Vista reassured him. "Pops said your safety is what matters most. Let's head back, Marco."
"Pops…" Marco murmured, his heart heavy. He had been so eager this time, despite his usually steady nature, because the Phoenix Fruit's allure was overwhelming.
Its potential to reach the level of a Superior Mythical King, akin to a world-disaster apostle, was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
He wasn't sure if such a chance would come again.
Standing up from Vista's arms, Marco's wings transformed back into human hands. His gaze fixed on the Gold and Silver Monkey King, who stood nearby, grinning as if enjoying a show.
"You damn monkey! What did you make me swallow?!" Marco demanded.
"Hahaha! Nothing much, just something I thought would be fun." the Monkey King replied, stepping rhythmically and swinging its arms to an imaginary beat.
"I'm curious to see what happens when a snake and a bird combine! What do you think?"
Marco immediately focused, calming himself to sense any changes in his body. Soon, a surge of information exploded in his mind. A black snake head suddenly emerged from his right hand.
"What's happening?!" Vista exclaimed, shocked as Marco's hand transformed into a large black snake.
"Hahaha! That's the Black Snake's Mythical Beast Fruit, which I swiped from that old turtle just now," the Monkey King said gleefully. "Isn't the combination of a snake and a bird fascinating? Come on, transform into a big bird, and let the bird's head turn into a snake's head! That'd be hilarious! From now on, you'll be called Phoenix Snake. Sounds fun, right?"
The Monkey King's excited chatter sent Kaki Tamago into a rage.
"You bastard! How can you waste something like that?!" Tamago shouted, emerging from the thick smoke of Borsalino's earlier attack. His feathers were singed, and he looked disheveled.
Fortunately, his high fire resistance had spared him serious injury, but his mood was a mix of sorrow and fury. He had sacrificed so much, yet gained nothing.
"Who told you to team up with that dead turkey?" the Monkey King shot back. "I hate that guy. I have been asking for a piece of immortal flame, but he's so stingy!"
Tamago, still fuming, mocked the Monkey King's excuse. "Oh, you're one to talk about generosity! That turtle asked you for the Nimbus Jade, and you didn't give it up either!"
"Hahaha! Those are my eyes! How could I just hand them over?" the Monkey King retorted. "But aren't you the one who's always sneaking into my territory to steal the Nimbus Jade? And you use your Yamata Church status to bully me, leaving me with nothing!"
"You don't need them!" Tamago snapped. "What, planning to swap out your eyes?"
"What are you even trying to say?" the Monkey King asked.
"I'm saying that fruit should've been mine!" Tamago roared.
"Haha, where's your shame?" the Monkey King laughed.
As the monkey and the chicken bickered loudly, everyone around them was left speechless.
"No more nonsense, Kizaru!" Fūki Aigolu interjected, resting his Scythe on his shoulder with an angry glare. "I know you were assigned a Contract Stone. Hand it over!"
"Haha, nope! I gave that away as a gift," Monkey King replied, now in his human form. "But I've got this—want it?"
He held up a crystal-like object, and Tamago's eyes widened.
It was a Sky-Bound Crystal! The sight brought back memories.
Unlike others, Tamago wasn't opposed to becoming a Jinchūriki for a Mythical beast. He knew that with a Sky-Bound Crystal, a Jinchūriki could adjust the seal's strength.
At its highest level, the sealed beast would remain dormant, acting merely as a power source, posing no threat to the host.
"Hahaha! That's a scary look!" the Gold and Silver Monkey King said, laughing at Tamago's intense gaze.
"Thinking of sealing me? That's short-sighted. You'd be better off sealing a Mythical beast that complements your weaknesses and boosts your attributes."
Whoosh!
A white afterimage flashed, and Tamago instinctively caught the Sky-Bound Crystal tossed to him. Holding the empty crystal, he felt dazed. Had the monkey really just given it to him so easily?
"Hahaha! I'm out of treasures now. If you want to keep playing hide-and-seek, come find me!" the Monkey King said with a grin, ignoring everyone's reactions and transforming into golden light to streak across the sky.
"That guy…" Aigolu muttered, his expression solemn. "What's it planning?"
The sudden appearance of the Sky-Bound Crystal and the Monkey King's casual act of giving it to Tamago raised suspicions.
Was it trying to trick Chicken Phoenix?
Perhaps it held a grudge because Chicken Phoenix had once refused to share its immortal flame. The Monkey King was, after all, the most mischievous and vindictive creature on Mythical Beast Island.
Aigolu silently concluded that the Gold and Silver Monkey King was setting a trap for Chicken Phoenix. Its earlier advice to Tamago about choosing a complementary Mythical beast only reinforced his suspicion.
"Marco, let's go," Vista said. "You may not have gotten the Phoenix's Mythical Beast Fruit, but you've got the Black Snake's. It's still a Mythical Beast Fruit, so it can't be weak. That's a great outcome! Pops will be happy for you."
With the Gold and Silver Monkey King gone, Vista saw no reason to linger. Marco had at least acquired the Black Snake's Mythical Beast Fruit.
While its power was uncertain, as a Mythical Beast Fruit, it was bound to be formidable—better than returning empty-handed.
"Alright, let's head back," Marco agreed. "I'll help Pops secure an even stronger power."
(End of this chapter)