Chapter 357 - 196

Chapter 196 RED (3): Loneliness and Reunion at the End of the Melody!As the lingering notes of the final melody slowly faded into the air, the Crystal Resonance Tower above the Kingdom of Music, Elegia, gradually dimmed.Before the live broadcast camera, Uta's figure swayed slightly.Her slender fingers pressed gently against the ornate microphone stand in the center of the stage, supporting her somewhat unsteady body.Thirty minutes of non-stop singing had pushed her to her limit.Even though she was the ability user with the highest compatibility with the Uta Uta no Mi in centuries, that ancient demonic power still left a profound burden on her body.Her cheeks had faded from their performance-time flush, presenting a nearly transparent pallor.Fine beads of sweat seeped from her temples, shimmering under the spotlights as they slid down her delicate jawline.Those eyes, which had been as brilliant as stars while singing, now appeared somewhat unfocused, her long eyelashes drooping, unable to hide the deep exhaustion beneath.Her breathing rhythm was slightly faster than usual, her chest rising and falling gently with every inhalation, as if she had just finished an invisible marathon.Meanwhile, the tens of thousands of viewers immersed in the "Uta World" were gradually waking up.That feeling was like being suddenly dragged back from a warm dream into cold reality.First, a moment of daze, then consciousness returned like a tide.The illusion constructed by Uta's singing was too beautiful:There, there were no burdens of life, no exploitation by nobles, no oppression by pirates, only pure music and colorful emotional resonance.But now, the weight of the real world pressed back onto their shoulders."Is it… over already?"After a brief silence, a commotion mixed with sighs and whispers arose in the crowd:"How did these thirty minutes pass so quickly? It felt like only five minutes had passed…""Uta, please sing one more song! Even just a short segment would be fine!""Sigh, back to facing reality again!!""Can't we stay in Uta's singing forever…"Loss and longing spread through the crowd, but strangely, there were no real complaints.These fans, who called themselves "Uta's loyal believers," despite only being able to enjoy this short half-hour during the live broadcast, tacitly understood their idol's hidden hardships."Uta's performances are always so short; there must be a reason for it.""She always looks so exhausted; she needs to rest well after it ends."In the center of the stage, Uta tried hard to straighten her back.She raised her slightly trembling hand, tucked a strand of hair dampened by sweat behind her ear, and then took a deep breath, as if to gather the remaining strength in her entire body."Everyone…" Her voice was a few degrees lower than when she sang, carrying a trace of imperceptible hoarseness, yet still warm,"Today's musical journey ends here."She took a step forward, leaving the support of the microphone stand, and bowed respectfully at a ninety-degree angle.Her red and white long hair poured down like a waterfall, and this posture was held for a full three seconds.It was not the stylized gratitude of an idol, but a kind of almost devout gratitude and apology."Thank you for being willing to enter my world."When she straightened up, a complex light flashed in her eyes—gratitude, exhaustion, and a touch of indescribable loneliness,Before the words faded, the screen began to dim.The live broadcast signal was being cut off.Then, the screen went completely black, with only the words "Performance ended, thank you for watching" floating in the darkness for a moment before disappearing completely.—————————Gordon took two steps forward, his wrinkled hand subconsciously raised, then stopped in mid-air.His gaze followed that gradually receding figure… She was not walking fast, even swaying a little, every step seeming to exhaust her last ounce of strength."Uta, go get some rest." His voice was deeper than usual, every word soaked with the worry accumulated over ten years, "Your health is what matters.""Okay."Uta's response was as light as a sigh; she didn't look back, just waved her hand behind her.She walked through the corridor paved with deep red carpet; at the end of the corridor was her room… Behind that wooden door carved with musical note patterns was the place where she had lived for ten years.Gordon stood in place, listening to her footsteps gradually fade away, eventually replaced by the sound of a slight door lock closing.That sound seemed exceptionally clear and exceptionally lonely in the empty theater.He walked slowly to the window; outside the window, the sunset on Elegia was still beautiful.'Shanks…'Gordon's fingers rubbed unconsciously over an old scratch on the window frame.That was left by Uta when she was eight years old; she had stood on tiptoes waiting here for a whole day, until sunset, but couldn't wait for that familiar pirate ship to appear.'Leaving an eight-year-old girl to keep an old, lonely man like me company, really…'He closed his eyes, and the night from ten years ago emerged in his mind.The Red Hair Pirates' ship gradually disappeared on the horizon, little Uta stood on the pier, first in a daze, then in heart-wrenching crying.She tried to rush toward the sea but was held tightly by him.That day, her tears soaked the front of his shirt, and also soaked the memories of countless nights thereafter.'Too cruel!!'Gordon's hand trembled slightly.For these ten years, he had been a bystander, a protector, and in some sense, an accomplice.He witnessed Uta's changes:From the silent girl who initially sat on the pier all day, hugging her knees and looking at the sea;To the fragile child who woke up from nightmares at night, crying out "Why doesn't Daddy want me?";And then to the gradual silence after waiting day after day, year after year.Until that rainy day a few months ago.Uta ran back from outside, soaked all over, but was tightly shielding something in her arms.When she carefully opened her palms to reveal a trembling den den mushi, Gordon saw a long-lost light in her eyes for the first time."Grandpa Gordon, look! It has musical patterns!"From that day on, everything changed.Uta began to sing. Not on stage, but in her room, facing that den den mushi.At first, it was humming, later, it was complete melodies.She began to compose, write lyrics, and fill notebooks with dense musical notes.Her eyes became bright again, but deep within that light, there was always a longing that Gordon understood but dared not point out—If her singing could spread across the world, would that person hear it?"I know that overusing her ability will hurt her…"Gordon murmured to the outside of the window, as if explaining to the distant Shanks, or as if making excuses for his own indulgence.But when Uta ran to him with a newly written score, asking with bright eyes, "Grandpa Gordon, is this melody good?",When she practiced a high note repeatedly for the live broadcast until her throat was hoarse but refused to give up,When she looked at fan comments and showed a genuinely happy smile—How could he say words to stop her?"I even…"Gordon shook his head with a bitter smile, his graying hair looking even older in the Moonlight,"I even helped her tune the sound, contacted the live broadcast signal for her, and built the stage!"He became a conspirator in her dream.A slight cough came vaguely from deep in the theater… it was the direction of Uta's room.Gordon's heart tightened, and he subconsciously took a step toward that direction, then stopped.At this moment, what she needed was not a caring gaze, but rest without disturbance.Just like many nights in these ten years, all he could do was guard from afar, prepare hot milk and medicine, and appear silently when she needed it.In this magnificent music theater, an old man sighed silently by the window, and a young girl fell into an exhausted sleep in her room.And what connected them was ten years of time, unspoken guilt, inseparable family affection, and that which both saved her and might be consuming her—Her singing.Gordon gently touched the old pocket watch hanging on his chest, inside the case was a faded group photo:Young Uta smiling like a flower, the Red Hair man beside her laughing heartily, and he, standing on the other side, his hair not yet fully white at that time."At least…" he whispered to himself, "At least the singing made her smile."Even if the price of that smile was known only to the two of them....Gordon's sigh was still hanging in the evening breeze, but his line of sight was suddenly pierced by an unnatural sharp light.At first, he thought it was a joke played by the sunset on the waves.After all, the sea area around Elegia often refracted dreamlike halos due to special crystal mineral veins.But the next second, that "light" tore open the sea level.That was not light.That was a violent, burning, deep blue trajectory that cut across the sky and sea.It tore through the tranquility of twilight, roughly splitting the purple-gold evening clouds in two.Wherever it passed, the sea surface instantly vaporized at a terrifying speed and heat, raising a milky white steam curtain tens of meters high."That is…?!"Gordon's breathing stopped.His wrinkled hand grabbed the windowsill, his knuckles turning white from excessive force.Ten years, a full ten years, Elegia had lain quietly in a corner of the Grand Line like a musical score forgotten by the world.No visitors, no messengers, no uninvited guests.But at this moment, that thunderous figure was approaching at a speed that transcended common sense.Countless thoughts flashed through Gordon's mind:Marine? No, there was no silhouette of a warship.Pirates? What kind of pirate ship could have this kind of speed?World Government secret agents? Or…His gaze subconsciously turned toward the direction of Uta's room.The girl had just finished a performance that exhausted her heart and soul, and was now fast asleep, completely unaware of the impending change.That blue shadow was closer.The speed was so fast that it dragged a long afterimage on his retina, like a blue comet falling toward the island.The peace built by ten years of loneliness was roughly shattered at this moment."Uta…"He whispered this name, his voice mixed with deep protective desire and some kind of ominous premonition.Who is the comer?Why did they come?The answer was piercing through the twilight of Elegia with the momentum of thunder.