Chapter 1619 The Source of Fear

The name Fiddlesticks, along with the scarecrow that replaced Hawkins and exuded ancient fear, finally made the customers in the shop realize something in a daze.

It was no stranger...

It is the source of power for the Straw Fruit within Hawkins' body; it is the true demon!

The shop owner's voice broke the suffocating silence, his tone unusually calm, "You really haven't changed at all."

"Is it because the host you chose is about to die that you couldn't wait to show yourself?"

As if the shopkeeper had spoken some of his thoughts, or perhaps stimulated by the shopkeeper's fearless attitude, Federico grew stronger by feeding on fear.

The invisible force field around it began to materialize, and black and red mist spread from its dilapidated straw body, quickly shaping in the air into crows with glowing red eyes.

These crows were not physical entities, but rather embodiments of pure fear energy. They circled around Fiddlesticks, their mournful cries pushing the terrifying atmosphere in the shop to its peak.

With a flick of its straw arm, Federico conjured a scythe shrouded in ominous black energy, and out of thin air appeared in its hand.

Without a word or warning, the scythe transformed into an incredibly fast black blur, slashing fiercely down at the shopkeeper who was right in front of him.

The hearts of all the onlookers leaped into their throats in that instant. They couldn't understand the relationship between the shop owner and this demon, but the absolute malice contained in this strike was crystal clear!

The black sickle struck the shopkeeper's bare neck with a resounding thud.

The shop owner remained standing there, motionless, without even raising an eyebrow.

The scythe that seemed capable of severing fate did not cause him any harm; the moment the blade touched his skin, the scythe itself let out a mournful cry of unbearable strain.

The sickle shattered and exploded, transforming back into countless shrill black crows, like scattered smoke, futilely swirling around the shopkeeper's body, yet unable to touch him in the slightest.

The shopkeeper even slowly raised his right hand, and a jet-black raven powered by Fiddlesticks seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, obediently landing in his palm, its ferocity subdued as it stood quietly.

“Fiddlesticks, don’t be so rude in my world. I just like doing business.”

The moment the words left his mouth, the shopkeeper closed the palm of his right hand that was holding the crow.

The ferocious crow in his palm vanished instantly, turning into a wisp of insignificant black smoke, without even uttering a mournful cry.

At the same time, the black crows surrounding Federico seemed to be simultaneously gripped by the same invisible hand, and burst apart without warning, as if erased from a canvas by an eraser, leaving no trace.

Fiddlesticks' tall straw body shuddered violently, and the terrifying force field surrounding it receded rapidly like a tide.

The straw-made body was even slightly dim and shriveled, and the red light in its eye sockets flickered, revealing a power that was being forcibly suppressed.

The suffocating, terrifying pressure inside the shop also decreased significantly.

Finally, that strange, echoing, and inhumanly trembling voice rang out again, "Give the things to Hawkins, and I'll grant you one request!"

Upon hearing the Demon of Fear's assurance, the shopkeeper's usually calm face broke into a rare, radiant smile.

That smile was completely different from his previous calm demeanor, as if a collector had finally obtained a long-cherished treasure, or a chess player had seen the move he had been waiting for.

"Deal made," the shop owner uttered crisply.

After the deal was finalized, Federico didn't linger any longer, as if staying even a moment longer would be torture.

On that terrifying scarecrow's shell, the remaining power of fear began to rapidly wither, and the broken straw head twisted and deformed, re-outlining Hawkins' human facial features.

Within just two or three seconds, the terrifying ancient fear incarnate, Fiddlesticks, vanished.

Only Hawkins himself remained, his eyes still glazed over, a look of bewilderment on his face.

He seemed to have just woken up from the deepest, most intense nightmare, completely unaware of what had just happened, only vaguely remembering the boundless darkness and the feeling of falling.

"This thing is yours now. As for how to use it, there's a card inside that will give you a full explanation."

Hawkins subconsciously looked down at the tarot cards that seemed to contain the secrets of fate.

However, the instinct of greed overcame the doubts.

He reached out his slightly trembling hand and tightly gripped the old leather box along with the tarot cards inside.

Hawkins clutched the card box tightly, as if grasping at a lifeline, and quickly retreated from the counter to the edge of the pirate camp, leaning against the cold wall as if only then could he gain a sense of security.

He quickly noticed that the way his companions around him, Kid, Luffy, Capone Bege, and even the CP9 members opposite him were looking at him had all changed.

That look in his eyes was like looking at a ghost.

Kidd, helmet in hand, scrutinized the first mate with sharp eyes, as if reassessing Hawkins' true nature.

Luffy also abandoned his usual carefree attitude, his brows furrowed slightly, and his body maintained an almost imperceptible defensive posture.

The fear in those eyes cannot be faked.

Hawkins held the cold tarot card box, feeling the invisible yet heavy barrier around him. The faint sense of security that had arisen in his heart because of obtaining the treasure vanished instantly.

He gained the key to glimpse fate, but also seemed to have lost something of being human, becoming an anomaly in the eyes of others, connected to something indescribable.

"Why are you all looking at me? What just happened? I have no memory of it."

Looking at Hawkins' innocent expression, everyone guessed that he wasn't faking it; he probably really didn't remember that the demon had possessed his body and that the demon corresponding to the Straw Fruit had appeared in the shop.

As Hawkins' captain, Kidd recounted the entire incident that had just occurred in the store, highlighting the terrifying nature of Fiddlesticks.

That kind of power that generates fear from the depths of one's heart is absolutely beyond human control. Hawkins' development of the Straw Fruit within his body is probably less than one percent complete.

After hearing this, Hawkins gripped the tarot cards tightly in his hand. He had obtained these cards with great difficulty, and of course he did not believe that the devil would help him for no reason.

Fate's gifts always come with a price tag, and Federico will surely ask for something in return, but Hawkins doesn't know the price yet.

"Next," the shop owner's calm voice rang out again.