135 A Shift in State of Mind, Growing Even More Cruel

At this moment, a horrific, blood-soaked scene deeply enveloped Xuanye's mind.

A crimson sky, a scarlet earth, a world turned to blood; the ground was littered with countless corpses, drenched in gore. It was a vision of hell that shattered Xuanye’s composure, for in his arms, his beloved lay lifeless.

In the physical world, blood trickled from the corner of Xuanye’s mouth. His expression was twisted, and two trails of tears had already carved paths down his tightly closed eyelids.

"Xiaoxi, Maggie, Tashigi, Master's wife, Xiaoxing, Master..."

In Xuanye’s world, amidst the carnage of severed limbs and pooling blood, everyone he cherished had perished, leaving him utterly alone.

His spirit collapsed, wailing in endless grief. In that blood-red world, Xuanye wept in solitude; the vision was so vivid, so visceral, that it felt as if he had lived through it—a reality he could not accept.

"No... don't..." In the physical world, amidst the chaotic terrain and scattered rubble, Xuanye stood, his body erupting in golden-red flames. Within moments, the ground within a hundred-meter radius melted into liquid.

A nightmare—an endless nightmare—made his existence in that dream worse than death.

"No..."

"BOOM!" With a roar, the ground exploded, sending flames geysering into the air. His eyes snapped open, blazing with a blood-red hue.

His entire body trembled with raw, primal fear. Xuanye slumped weakly onto the ground, unable to reconcile the horrors of his dream, his heart turned to ash.

"A dream... just a dream..." He collapsed, staring at his own hands with terror etched across his face. He never wanted to experience that again.

"You must all die. You all have to die." Cold tears tracked down his face as he stood up. His already icy gaze grew even more frigid, his heart stripping away the last vestiges of emotion.

Even if there was only a one-in-ten-thousand chance, Xuanye would never allow that dream to come to pass. Even if it were merely a possibility, he would erase it.

The nightmare had left him terrified, fearful, and feeling powerless.

"In this life, I will never let you leave me again. Never. Anyone who dares to hurt you will be annihilated, wiped from existence."

His voice was bone-chilling, his face a mask of savage intensity. Xuanye clenched his fists and looked up at the horizon.

It took ten minutes of deep, ragged breathing before the terror subsided, though the lingering shock remained in his eyes. He relaxed his body and projected his Observation Haki, his expression darkening instantly.

Without a doubt, Weevil and his mother had escaped. He had been careless; he never expected that old hag to be a Devil Fruit user, let alone one with such a bizarre ability.

Judging from the experience, Xuanye was certain her fruit was related to the mind. Otherwise, it would not have been able to plunge him into the deepest, most inescapable nightmare of his psyche.

As expected, this world was not simple. Beyond the constraints between Devil Fruits, the sheer variety of strange and unpredictable abilities made them impossible to guard against.

Reflecting on his failure, Xuanye was filled with intense frustration. His own arrogance had allowed the enemy to slip away; he had to change this mindset.

Exhaling heavily, he steadied his mind. Just then, his Haki picked up a weak, dying presence nearby.

He vanished, reappearing amidst a pile of rubble to find a blood-soaked figure squinting up at him with terror.

"You... what do you want..." Foxy gasped, his body devoid of strength.

He had witnessed the battle between this man and that monster earlier. He was strong—terrifyingly strong. If he hadn't been lucky enough to be blown away by the shockwaves, he would have been sacrificed in the crossfire long ago.

Moreover, the person before him was no pushover. He was fierce enough to force that monster into a desperate retreat. And most importantly, this guy was a Marine. Even a fool like Foxy knew that Marines were the natural enemies of pirates, and he, unfortunately, was a pirate.

He felt like crying but had no tears left. If he could move, he would have run long ago. If he wasn't treated soon, he would be reporting to hell.

"What a waste. Such a powerful Devil Fruit, and it's in the hands of a fool like you." Xuanye felt a pang of regret. If he could trade for it, he would have taken that fruit for himself.

Foxy blinked, then slumped, looking disgruntled and defiant.

"Forget it. You're useless. Perhaps if you die, I'll have a chance to obtain this fruit later."

Flames flickered as a blade of fire manifested in Xuanye’s hand. He clearly intended to finish Foxy off.

Foxy’s eyes widened in panic. "Wait... wait..." He stammered, trembling. "Boss, don't kill me! I'm willing to be your subordinate!"

He had no other choice; who would choose death if they could live?

"I have no interest in such trashy subordinates." Xuanye sneered. He had a vague impression of Foxy from his past life, but it wasn't about the man—only the fruit.

If this power were in the hands of someone like Rayleigh or Garp, it would be a nightmare for every enemy. Sadly, in this world, many heaven-defying abilities were wasted on the wrong people.

"Boss, I just got this fruit! Give me time, and I can grow stronger, I promise!" Foxy pleaded, desperate to survive the terror of his impending death.

Looking at the pathetic, worm-like Foxy, Xuanye felt no pity. Yet, driven by an inexplicable impulse, he extinguished the flames.

Perhaps keeping this guy alive would be useful one day. Why not give him a chance?

Xuanye glanced at him coldly, his body once again engulfed in flames. He held his right hand vertical and covered it with his left, weaving his fingers. In an instant, a stunning golden divine bird appeared in his palm.

He crouched and pressed it against Foxy’s chest. Foxy shrieked, his limp body convulsing as his skin turned bright red and billowed with white steam.

Ignoring Foxy's screams, Xuanye pulled out a Den Den Mushi to contact Lucci.

"Moshi moshi..."

"What is it?" Lucci’s voice was grim; he was the one who had given Xuanye this contact number.

"Resume the search for Weevil and report to me at any time. Also, come to Long Ring Long Land and pick someone up. Train him to death for me."

"You want me to train your subordinate?" Lucci arched a brow.

"Do you have a problem with that? Within a short time, I need to see him master at least one of the Six Powers and both forms of Haki. I don't need dead weight." Xuanye’s voice was cold and ruthless, ignoring Foxy’s devastated expression.

"What if he dies?" Lucci sighed, accepting the order.

"Then let him die." Xuanye hung up and looked down at Foxy. "Struggle to survive. If you don't make it to rescue, then it's your own bad luck. Weakness is a sin—if you manage to live, you’d better reflect on that."

"Remember, you are a subordinate of Tianniao Xuanye Tang. I have no use for waste. If you cannot satisfy me, don't occupy that Devil Fruit. You’d be better off dead."

With one final, icy look, Xuanye didn't wait for a response. He transformed into a streak of fire and soared into the sky, intending to try his luck in hunting down Weevil.