Chapter 109 - CHAPTER 109 - Underground City

Boom! Rosen thrust his sand blade into the chest of the Mist Red Beast. In an instant, countless grains of sand swelled and burst its body apart. Though it was just a mass of mist exploding, that was enough. He grabbed Lisa from beneath the Mist Red Beast, yanking her up and tossing her toward the people behind. His right hand clenched into a fist, coated in Armament Haki, and he struck the mist with full force. Boom! Like the sound of the earth shattering, Rosen's punch blasted into the mist. The force of his blow pierced through its massive form, crushing the zombies behind it into puddles of flesh. Even the stone walls of the passage cracked from the impact. And that was only the shockwave from his punch. A massive hole gaped in the Mist Red Beast's chest. Rosen frowned, then threw another punch, intending to shatter its head. However, it dodged at the last moment, causing his strike to land on its body instead, sending it flying. "Desert Fortress." As the Mist Red Beast was thrown back, Rosen manipulated the sand to seal the passage. Though it was powerful, it didn't seem intelligent. It likely wouldn't continue pursuing them. "What a shame. If that last punch had hit its head, things would have been much easier," Rosen muttered with slight regret. When he turned around, he found everyone staring at him, dumbfounded. That kind of destructive power... from a mere punch? The Mist Red Beast had roamed this area for who knows how long. No one had ever been able to defeat it. Every encounter ended with sacrifices, people staying behind to hold it off. Yet now, someone had gained the upper hand in a direct fight—knocking it away with a single punch, even vaporizing the zombies behind it. Who was this man?! Pitas was especially shaken. He had fought alongside Rosen on Frans Island, but he had never seen him use this technique before. Was he still holding back even then? Terrifying. "Let's go. If that thing recovers, it won't be so easy to deal with," Rosen said coolly. If he really had to fight, he was confident in victory, but it would be a drawn-out battle. Worse, it would likely stir up a massive zombie horde—completely unnecessary trouble. "Let's go," Lisa said, giving Rosen a deep look, her expression complex. She had already prepared herself for death, never expecting someone to save her. Even if it was just a transaction, her resentment toward it had softened. "This isn't the place for a conversation. Follow us," Lisa said to Rosen. They could have broken their deal, but after witnessing his strength, and out of their own pride, such an act was beneath them. Rosen smiled slightly. It seemed his goal was within reach. From the moment he had mentioned "Law" and noticed Lisa and the others react—not with confusion but with recognition—he knew they had some knowledge of his target. "The person you're looking for is now a doctor in our city. He's an outsider, but he only treats people when he feels like it. We aren't particularly close," Lisa said as she led the group through the passage. They turned down dozens of intricate paths, pushing through hidden doors, moving deeper underground. A city? There was a city on this island? Rosen wasn't worried, though. Even if they led him into an ambush, trying to bury him alive, it would be pointless. As a Sand-Sand Fruit user, this terrain worked to his advantage. Natalie curiously observed Rosen. She tucked her dagger back into the sheath at her waist, slung her shield onto her back, and walked backward, facing him without a hint of awkwardness. "Where is he now?" Rosen asked, getting closer to his goal. "He went to the Demon Grounds. There are some rare herbs there. He's been gone for two days... probably dead," Lisa replied. "Where are the Demon Grounds?" "The old Exotic Garden." "I know where that is," Pitas immediately said. "Take me to where he lived first. He might have returned already. If not, we'll plan from there," Rosen decided. If Law had come back, leaving now would mean missing him. It was best to check first. Besides, he was growing more curious about this island. The zombies' mutations intrigued him—perhaps the island's secrets held something valuable. "Captain, should we really take them to our settlement?" a warrior hesitantly asked Lisa. "Relax. If a large group of outsiders tried to enter the underground world, it would be suicide. If it's just a small team, they can't threaten our city," Lisa said after some thought. Staying outside too long risked drawing more creatures to them, just like before. Their underground city was well-hidden, concealed with multiple layers of deception. Most zombies never found their way in—only the occasional lost one stumbled upon it. Even so, their settlement wasn't completely unknown to those who looked hard enough. It was just well-protected against these monsters. "We're almost there," Natalie said softly. Her innocent expression made her seem harmless, but after seeing how ruthlessly she fought, even Pitas didn't dare get too close to her. After all, this girl could easily kill him. The realization stung. "Can you sense nearby creatures in advance?" Rosen asked the young girl. "I can! How'd you know? Do people outside the island know everything?" Natalie's big, sparkling eyes were filled with wonder and longing for the outside world. "Observation Haki... for such a young girl to have it already," Rosen thought, surprised by the confirmation. There was no way she had trained it—this was likely an innate ability. "Lili is really amazing! On this whole island, as long as she doesn't go near the Great Rift, she can go anywhere. She knows all the underground tunnels," Natalie said proudly, smiling. It felt out of place. Lisa and the others rarely showed any emotion besides vigilance, violence, and hatred. Perhaps, no matter the circumstances, children could still find reasons to smile. "What's in the Great Rift?" "Demons. Real demons. The kind with horns. They come out at night, so we never go out after dark. Good thing you didn't go there, or you'd be dead. Even though you're outsiders, you saved Lisa, so I won't trick you into going there to die," Natalie said seriously. Pitas shuddered. "Wait... have you tricked people into going there before?" "I have. Some people tried to capture me, so I led them there. But their scent was awful. Yours is cleaner, so I didn't do it to you." "We're here." Lisa ignored Natalie's blunt words. Since they had agreed to share information, any question Rosen asked would be answered. They pushed open a wall—revealing a vast, open space beyond. A city. A small but heavily armed city lay within the underground cavern. Surrounded by walls and a protective moat, it was more of a fortress than a city. Above them stretched a massive underground chamber, its walls filled with dense openings for light and ventilation. Rosen and the others stood on a man-made platform built into the smooth rock face. From this vantage point, they could see everything below—over a hundred meters down to the city floor. Despite the ventilation shafts and refracted light channels, the underground city remained dim and murky. It was cluttered, grimy, and shadowed in perpetual gloom. "You actually live here?!" Pitas blurted in disbelief. This place... could people really call it home? (End of Chapter) ========================================================= DROP THEM POWER STONES PLEASE SUPPORT ME ON P@TREON IF YOU'D LIKE ACCESS ON ADVANCED CHAPTERS PAT REON . COM / TurdTranslations (Just remove the space).