The cage containing the little Jap was pushed to the edge of the thick fog. The monsters, who had been pushing the cage, quickly retreated. They feared being too slow and becoming sacrifices to the creatures lurking in the fog. This indicated that the monsters in the thick fog were not only different in strength from the monsters within the city but also in rank—likely much higher.
Ben Zheng suspected these monsters to be part of the Moon God's family, while the monsters in the city were just the lowest-level believers.
Suddenly, a tentacle, as thick as a bucket, emerged from the fog, wrapped around the iron cage, and swiftly dragged it away. The cage was pulled deeper into the fog, and soon, the desperate screams of the little Jap echoed into the night.
The monsters, unmoved, proceeded to push the second iron cage, which contained Joe Root, Hales, and others. This time, Ben Zheng didn't hesitate. He exchanged a glance with Melody Song, and they quickly moved to the front, preparing to take action.
Melody's plan was to save the people first. She believed that there were far too many monsters here, and relying solely on herself and Ben Zheng could be overwhelming. If they rescued the others, they could gain more allies and share the pressure. Though Ben Zheng had demonstrated his strength at the tavern, Melody still didn't think he was stronger than her. Thus, she made a more conservative plan.
Ben Zheng, however, didn't see the need for caution. But he respected Melody's decision and agreed.
"Help! Please, someone save us! I don't want to die here…" Joe Root sobbed, incoherently pleading for help.
"Mom! Mom! I miss you so much..." His cries echoed from the cage.
Surprisingly, Joe Root, the captain of the team, was falling apart. His teammates, though also scared, managed to hold themselves together better than him. The most composed among them was Hales, who had the "Steel Colossus" bloodline. Despite his fear, he stayed calm, clenching his fists, ready to fight.
Hales was ready to face whatever monsters lay ahead, unwilling to wait for death.
Just then, Hales's eyes widened. It wasn't just him—Joe Root also noticed something.
It was Melody Song. She deliberately lifted her head, looking in their direction, revealing her face. The girl did this to give them a signal to cooperate.
To their surprise, Joe Root saw Melody and, like a drowning man clutching at a life-saving straw, screamed for help.
"Melody Song, save me! Please, save me…" His words trailed off as Hales quickly covered his mouth.
Hales didn't look at Melody. Instead, he suddenly began singing loudly, his voice echoing in the fog:
"Don't worry about me… My comrades… It's more dangerous here than you think…"
This song, originally created by a human general on the battlefield, had different lyrics now. Hales had clearly changed the words to convey a message.
Melody Song, being sharp, instantly understood that Hales was trying to warn her. "More dangerous than you think?" she thought, her mind racing.
Ben Zheng, too, understood what Hales was trying to communicate and was both impressed and surprised. Despite the dire situation, Hales still thought of others. For that alone, Ben Zheng decided he would save him tonight.
At this moment, the cage was almost at the edge of the thick fog. Melody Song made her decision. She whispered to Ben Zheng, "The situation seems off. Don't act yet, I'll try first."
Without waiting for a response, Melody Song rushed forward. As she ran toward the cage, a huge fireball appeared in her palm, illuminating everything around her. The Flare-Flare Fruit had granted her the ability to create and control fire. This skill, however, wasn't restricted to fire fists like Ace's—it was far more versatile.
"Aww!!" Several monsters pushing the cage were immediately burned to a crisp, their screams filling the air.
The sudden fire alarmed the surrounding monsters, and a terrifying scream sounded from the group.
"Kill her!!" The voice came from the sheriff, now horribly transformed. His face was twisted with black spider-web-like lines, and his eyes burned with a bloodthirsty fury—completely different from the kind sheriff they had met earlier.
At the sheriff's command, many monsters rushed toward Melody Song.
Ben Zheng also charged, intentionally getting swept into the chaos. He didn't want to reveal his hand just yet but planned to stay close enough to Melody to rescue her if needed.
Surrounded by countless monsters, Melody Song didn't hesitate. With a quick wave of her hand, a fire wall appeared before her, blocking the monsters' charge. The power of the Logia-type Devil Fruit was undeniable. In less than a month, Melody's strength had already surpassed many of her peers.
"Melody Song, save me! Please get me out of here!" Joe Root screamed from the cage.
Hales, his expression grim, urged her, "Melody, get out of here now! If that Earl monster comes, you won't be able to escape!"
The mention of the Earl monster made Melody pause for a moment, but she quickly regained her focus. It wasn't that she had a savior complex; she knew that at this point, leaving would be too late. Saving these people was her best option to share the burden ahead.
"Get out of the way!" she shouted as she approached the lock on the cage.
The monsters had locked the cages to prevent the humans from escaping. But Melody had prepared for this. Flames ignited on her palm, and soon the lock began to melt under the heat.
With a final tug, the lock broke.
It was now after midnight, and the next two chapters would be released together, along with the rules for the additions. Stay tuned!