...…
On the light screen, Elbaf Castle after the dust had settled was filled with the smell of smoke and blood, also permeated with silent grief.
Loki carefully removed his own cloak, his movements so gentle, unlike his usual self.
He unfolded the wide cloak, just like unfolding a silent flag, slowly covering it over Harald's corpse.
At this time, Harald's body, under the iron thunder and Loki's monstrous strength, no longer had a complete upper body…
This small gesture was the last thing Loki could do for his father, preserving the final dignity and honor of a king and a father.
Not far away, Shanks lowered his head, his right hand gripping tightly the "Shallow Sea Contract" mark on his arm, his five fingers exerting force until his knuckles turned white, as if wanting to dig out that piece of skin together with that shameful symbol!
His body trembled slightly due to extreme anger and disgust.
Never at any moment had he so hated the so-called "Figarland" blood flowing in his body!
If Saint Garling's kind of arrogance that regarded all living beings as ants and took pleasure in trampling on others' dignity was the "nobility" that this bloodline prided itself on,
then for Shanks, this bloodline was original sin, a brand of shame!
Saint Garling's hypocritical words, carrying a tone of heartache, once again drilled into his mind like a venomous snake:
"If you want anything, just bring it up. Up until now, you've really endured a terrible life! My poor child, forget the life you lived in the lower realm!"
"Those people below… aren't even considered people at all!"
"Those people below… not people?"
Shanks roared in his heart, his nails almost embedding into his flesh.
Everything he witnessed in the Holy Land, the buying and selling of slaves like livestock, the atrocities of Celestial Dragons arbitrarily shooting for fun, the numb and fearful eyes of the lower-level servants and guards…
Which one wasn't from the hands of these "noble bloodlines"?
He had countless times wanted to rush up and stop it, wanted to save those desperate eyes, but for the sake of hiding, for probing deeper secrets, he could only force himself to put on a cold mask…
Pressing anger and sympathy tightly to the bottom of his heart.
That period of time was, for him, a spiritual torture more painful than any adventure experienced in the lower realm.
At this time, a warm and powerful large hand pressed on his trembling shoulder, and immediately after, he was embraced into a solid and broad hug.
It was Gaban…
Gaban didn't speak, only tightly hugging Shanks with his sturdy arms, like a silent yet reliable wall.
The sunglasses blocked his gaze, but the slightly exerted arm curve and the temperature transmitted from his chest clearly expressed everything—
heartache and heartache…
Just like what he said, for all the people of the Roger Pirates, Shanks and Buggy were children who grew up right under their eyelids, their "sons".
Seeing his "son" enduring such immense inner torment and the pain of identity tearing, Gaban's heart also felt unbearably squeezed.
"...Don't go resenting your own origins, Shanks."
After a long while, Gaban's low voice sounded, carrying a kind of calm and wisdom after experiencing the vicissitudes of life: "Bloodline cannot be chosen, but the path can."
"Perhaps… this origin that causes you pain, at some moment in the future, is precisely the most critical ring in the mission you must bear."
This was not empty comfort, but based on a deep understanding of Shanks' character and potential.
Such pure sense of justice, such strong empathy, forming a huge contrast with the "Celestial Dragon" identity he bore!
Perhaps Shanks really contained some kind of possibility of breaking the deadlock.
However, the always calm and restrained Shanks, after hearing Gaban's words, the emotional dam that had been suppressed for a long time finally completely collapsed.
Tears surged out without any warning, rolling hotly across his young yet already etched with wind and frost face, the scar on his left eye scratched by Teach especially obvious…
He suddenly grabbed Gaban's collar, his voice choked and fragmented: "Why… why does a person like Harald… have to die?!
Mr. Gaban! He was so kind… so sincerely wanted to do good for his people… what wrong did he commit?!
If… if back then I could have discovered the Holy Land's conspiracy a little faster, if I could have been a bit stronger to stop him from signing that contract… then he… he wouldn't have to…!!"
Shanks couldn't say any more, burying his face in Gaban's shoulder, his shoulders shaking violently.
These tears were shed not only for Harald, but also for all the innocent people who suffered hardships in the Holy Land…
For the cold mask he was forced to wear himself, for the cruel fate this twisted world imposed on the kind-hearted.
Gaban didn't speak, only hugged Shanks even tighter, letting him vent.
Some pains can only be digested by time, while some responsibilities are destined to be shouldered by the young people themselves.
On the other side, Loki sat quietly beside the "father" covered by the cloak, head lowered, as if talking to himself, or as if complaining to the sleeping father:
"Dad… you just loved this country too much… loved it to the point where you could even discard your own life, loved it to the point where you couldn't even see the trap…"
"In the end it turned out like this… really… you this king…"
Loki's voice was very light, without crying tone, yet it appeared even more sorrowful and powerless than any wailing.
This complaint was another expression of deep affection for his father, and also a powerless accusation against the injustice toward Elbaf.
The desolate scene gradually faded away, and the scene suddenly switched to the deepest part of Mary Geoise in the Holy Land, between that empty and dark Void Throne.
Imu, seated upright on the throne, that figure shrouded in starlight and shadows, at this moment actually leaned forward slightly, as if… panting?
Although the specific expression couldn't be seen clearly, a wave of "fluctuation" clearly different from the usual absolute calm emanated from him.
The Five Elders standing in attendance below had expressions more solemn than at any time before, even carrying a hint of imperceptible tension.
They could clearly feel that the existence on the throne had appeared with rare disorder in its aura.
Although extremely slight, for them this was already a heaven-shaking earth-shattering signal!
Obviously, as the source that bestowed upon Harald the "power of immortality" and the contract, when Harald this "God's Knight" was completely terminated…
The "connection" between Imu and him was forcibly severed, suffering a certain degree of "backlash"!
This news, through the light screen's display, exploded in God Valley like startling thunder!
After a brief confusion, it was the pirates' volcanic eruption-like wild joy and excitement!
"So that's how it is!!!"
Roger was the first to react, he fiercely thrust "Ace" into the ground, hands akimbo, looking up to the sky and bursting out with a hearty and unrestrained laugh, his eyes flashing with unprecedented sharp light.
"Killing you these God's Knights, that pitch-black guy hiding behind the throne will also have bad luck following! Hahahaha! This is really too… awesome!!!"
Roger's undisguised ecstasy made all the pirates boil over!
The previous dread toward that mysterious unknown power behind the World Government was greatly weakened at this moment!
It turned out that existence which seemed high and untouchable, manipulating everything, was not invulnerable!
It had weaknesses, could be "hurt", even if only indirectly!
Rocks also crossed his arms, the corner of his mouth hooking a cold and dangerous arc, his gaze like a fierce beast locking onto prey, slowly sweeping over Saint Garling and the God's Knights members behind him.
If the future him knew this "logic", then when Saint Garling was pursuing before, he should have tried giving him a fatal blow, to see if he could pull the vine to get the melon, and give that mastermind behind the scenes a ruthless hit too!
The fear in the pirates' eyes was also replaced by fighting will.
Those God's Knights, those enemies were no longer untouchable "gods", but "prey" that could be defeated, and even whose death could bring chain reactions!
This transformation of concept was subversive to the improvement of morale.
The atmosphere on the scene was instantly ignited!
Countless gazes full of aggression and eagerness to try focused on Saint Garling and the God's Knights like searchlights.
In those gazes, it was no longer pure hostility or anger, but a naked excitement and assessment of treating the other as "huntable targets".
Saint Garling and the knights behind him, their faces instantly became incomparably ugly, as black as the bottom of a pot.
They felt the shift in meaning within those gazes, from "strong enemies that need to be vigilant against" to "valuable prey that might bring additional battle achievements"!
This, for the God's Knights who had always been high above, regarding all living beings as straw dogs, was simply a great humiliation!
When had they ever been scrutinized with this kind of gaze? It had always been them who decided others' life, death, and value!
Anger, and a trace of unease after having their weakness exposed, intertwined in their hearts.
Saint Garling gripped the sword hilt tightly, his eyes sinisterly sweeping over Roger and Rocks, but discovered that his proud "divine majesty"
at this moment, in front of this group of pirate overlords who had learned of the "hunting value", seemed to no longer possess absolute deterrent power.
The light screen picture turned back to Elbaf.
It seemed because of the influence of the backlash, Imu did not immediately dispatch new forces to Elbaf for follow-up handling or revenge, which allowed the Elbaf that had just experienced the tragedy to obtain a sliver of breathing room.
And Loki, ultimately did not comply with father Harald's dying wish of "making the truth public to all".
He silently summoned the surviving guards in the castle who were willing to follow him and part of the warriors who knew the inside information.
"Truth?"
Facing Aruru and all the people in front of him, Loki's voice was hoarse yet firm, he glanced at the direction covered by the cloak: "You actually want me to tell all the people of Elbaf that their beloved king was deceived and controlled by the World Government, and then killed by his own son?"
"If I really told it, besides bringing more chaos, suspicion, and disappointment toward the royal family, what use would there be?"
After Loki finished speaking, he raised his head, although wrapped in bandages, anyone could feel his incomparably angry mood.
"Wrong? Dad has already redeemed it with his life, the rest… is hatred, is debt!"
He turned around shouldering the iron thunder, looking toward the endless sea.
"From today onward, I bear the sin of king-slaying and father-slaying, no longer the prince of Elbaf, and I also can't sit on this throne peacefully and steadily…"
His voice spread throughout the silent ruins, he hoped Aruru would help him conceal this matter.
"I want to go out to sea! Use this life of mine, use this hammer, to find all the bastards who participated in this conspiracy… demand repayment!"
"For father, for the dead clansmen!"
Loki in the end did not choose to publicize the truth to trigger internal strife, but chose to take voluntary followers alone, shouldering all the sins and hatred…
All the people of Elbaf could directly point their spearheads at him as the chief culprit.
And Loki prepared to bear the eternal night and advance, this was a more resolute, and also more lonely path of revenge.
The surviving warriors were silent, then one after another walked behind Loki.
In their eyes, the same flames of revenge and recognition for the new leader burned.
Just when the people of God Valley thought the light screen was about to completely quiet down, and the tense atmosphere was about to ignite the final great battle…
A mutation occurred again!
The huge light screen above God Valley did not disappear, instead the light halo at its edge began to shake violently and spread, as if the signal was unstable!
Immediately following, under everyone's shocked gazes, the picture of the light screen rippled like water waves and switched rapidly!
No longer God Valley, nor Elbaf or the Holy Land.
In the picture, one could vaguely see four different sea areas and island backgrounds with vastly different styles, representing the East, West, South, and North Four Seas!
Obviously, just now, the light screen phenomenon had actually synchronously appeared above more countries in the Four Seas that originally didn't have it!
And at this moment in the picture, two figures as enormous as mountains, emitting a terrifying oppressive feeling, slowly emerged!
"Linlin… guess what this kid said in front of me he wanted to become…"
"This kid is very arrogant, he also said it in front of me!"
The two monsters conversed there, and immediately the picture displayed their true appearances!
One with a pair of horns growing on head, naked upper body, tall and mighty, with a huge wolf-tooth club hanging on back, it was precisely "Hundred Beasts" Kaido!
The other with body plump as a mountain, smeared with thick gaudy lipstick, wearing a captain's hat on head, face carrying a sweet yet chilling smile, it was precisely "BIG MOM" Charlotte Linlin!
Two future "Yonko", actually appeared in the light screen at the same time!
What was even more startling was that they seemed to be conversing, and the place where their gazes reached was an incomparably tiny figure at their feet.
That figure had its back facing the picture, not clearly visible, but that familiar straw hat outline…
All the people inside and outside the light screen, their breathing all stopped for a moment!
Could it be… ?!
The picture reached here, like electricity exhausted, suddenly flickered a few times, then abruptly went black, completely losing all images and sounds.
Only leaving God Valley's death-like silence, and countless pairs of eyes widened to the extreme, filled with endless shock and speculation!
After Kaido and Linlin in God Valley, they appeared simultaneously again?
Who were they talking to? That straw hat figure… could it be?!
"Straw Hat Boy · Monkey D. Luffy!"
...…