Chapter 361 - 200

Chapter 200 RED (7): The Song Demon King's Scale, The Melody of Redemption!"What... did you say?!"Gordon's voice suddenly rose, his hoarse tone trembling with disbelief.He had already made everything perfectly clear... that was no ordinary pirate, no ferocious beast, not even any known powerful existence on this great sea!That was Totem Gika, the Song Demon Kingawakened from an ancient forbidden musical score!It was a conceptual entity capable of deconstructing reality and denying order with nothing but a melody!The flames of Elegia from eleven years ago still burned in his eyes, the figures of the Red Hair Pirates as clear as yesterday.Shanks' sword could cleave through raging storms and waves, but it could not sever the intangible musical scale;The combat power of the Red Hair Pirates could intimidate the four seas, but it could not block the erosion at the level of rules.What a desperate gap that was? It was an insurmountable chasm between mortals and gods!And the boy wearing the straw hat before him, even if he was already a renowned Four Emperors, in Gordon's view, could ultimately not escape the category of "mortal."Gordon's lips quivered, wanting to say something, but he was choked by the lump in his throat, leaving only rapid and heavy breathing.On the other side, Rayleigh's face was gradually shrouded in a shadow of deep thought, his knuckles unconsciously tapping lightly on the rough wooden table.The indescribable anxiety in his heart was spreading as his thoughts deepened; after all, that had once been an existence that left the entire Red Hair Pirates helpless.Even though the Red Hair Pirates of that time had not yet reached their current peak posture of reigning over the New World, the twenty-nine-year-old Shanks already possessed undeniable "Elite Admiral-level" strength gathered on his sword's edge, even faintly touching that boundary belonging to an emperor of the sea.An opponent that even he could not resolve with sword and Haki had perhaps already transcended the realm of pure force."It is not a question of strength..." Rayleighmuttered to himself, his gaze sharpening like tempered steel, "That 'Song Demon King'... is likely an existence that requires a specific 'key' or the fulfillment of certain 'conditions' to reach its true form.""Just like certain ancient curses, or sealed legendary objects, brute force would actually be counterproductive."He picked up his wine glass, the amber liquid swirling slightly, as if reflecting some invisible web of rules.Worthy of being the first mate who had sailed to the end of the world with Roger, with just a few words and a profound understanding of his old friend's strength, he could peel back the fog and reach the core essence of the rules of the problem, just as one would decipher a poneglyph.And the truth he touched upon was spot on—the Song Demon King, Totem Gika, was indeed a pure "mechanic monster" that transcended the level of power."Hey, I say... there's no harm in trying, right?" Law carried his cursed sword on his shoulder, his gaze turning to Gordon.There was no expression on his usually indifferent face, but his tone carried an indisputable sharpness."Your country, your people, along with the entire island... were already buried in the past eleven years ago."He paused slightly, each word like a blade lightly tapping against the silent air. "At this point, you shouldn't have anything left to fear.""Of course... my life or death is long since irrelevant." Gordon's Adam's apple bobbed, his voice dry, "But you are different, you still have a future—""—Do you think that we don't measure up to the Red Hair Pirates of eleven years ago?" Sanji struck a match and lowered his head to light his cigarette.The flame danced in his deep blue eyes, immediately shrouded by the slowly exhaled blue-gray smoke. He put away his usual nonchalance, his expression unusually serious."Don't think that just because our Captain is always laughing and joking, you can treat him like an idiot."He took half a step forward, the cigarette flickering between his fingers. "Everything he does might look 'impossible' in the eyes of others. But precisely because of that—"Sanji raised his eyes, his gaze like tempered steel, "Don't use your yardstick, soaked in despair, to measure our Captain, and certainly don't use it to define us, the Straw Hat."Smoke rings slowly dissipated in the air, but his words were clearer than a blade: "Just because the Red Hair Pirates couldn't do it doesn't mean we can't."In daily life, they might laugh at Luffy for being an idiot or a troublemaker, and they could tease or even bicker with each other... but that was only limited to the "inside."If an outsider dared to look down on or question their Captain, that was touching the most unshakable bottom line on the entire ship.Gordon was stunned. Sanji's words, along with Law's indifferent yet resolute posture, were like a beam of light piercing through the thick fog.In a trance, he seemed to see the scene from eleven years ago... that group of high-spirited pirates had also once stood without hesitation in front of their young Captain, building a high wall of trust with their actions and words.Only back then, they were mostly about protection and endurance; while these people before him had eyes burning with an almost arrogant initiative to push forward."...Is that so." Gordon muttered. Something that had been frozen in his chest for a long time seemed to crack open a small fissure.He took a deep breath, as if inhaling eleven years' worth of silence and weight, and then exhaled it heavily."I understand... I will tell you everything, all the legends and clues about the 'Song Demon King'." He bent down and bowed deeply to the group in front of him.Just as Law said... he had nothing left to lose. Even his life was already a superfluous gift.If this faint glimmer of hope could truly bring about a miracle, if this group could truly sever the wailing that had entangled this island for ten years... then his life, even if it burned out at this moment, would have no regrets.Therefore, even if there was only a sliver of a chance, he had to seize it."Hehehe... leave it to us!" Luffy's voice was as bright as always.He lowered his head to look at Uta sleeping peacefully in his arms, his rubber arm gently cradling her. Then he looked up, grinning with a smile devoid of any gloom.That smile, however, contained something harder than any vow. He had already decided! Just like he decided to become the Pirate King! Just like he decided to protect all his companions!This time, he would use his own way to end the eleven-year-long weeping of this sea area.The sky gradually brightened, Uta slowly opened those eyes that were like amethysts, and Elegiaalso welcomed her own... truth."Luffy, what are you saying?" Uta's heart suddenly froze. "It was Shanks and the others who betrayed Elegia, I saw it with my own eyes—""What you saw was a lie." Luffy interrupted her, his voice calm yet ironclad, "The Demon King appeared through your song and devoured the entire country. When the Red Hair Pirates arrived, it was too late to save anyone, except for you."Every word was like a cold blade, precisely dissecting the world she had carefully constructed for eleven years. Uta's eyes widened, her lips trembling, but she couldn't make a sound.She shook her head, shaking it desperately, but a corner deep in her heart that she had forcibly suppressed began to collapse.Those blurry fragments of memory, the pain in Shanks' eyes when he picked her up, the silent profiles of the crew members, the complex look in Gordon's eyes when he looked at her at the end..."Why..." She finally squeezed out a sound, as hoarse as an old violin, "Why lie to me for so long...""Because you were too young back then." Luffylooked directly into her eyes, "And, Shanks is that kind of person. He will carry the heaviest burdens on his own shoulders, even if he is misunderstood by the whole world."Tears finally broke the dam, not a flood of anger or sadness, but a flood of complete collapse and self-loathing. She curled up, her nails digging deep into her arms."I am a monster... my very existence is a calamity...""Hey." Luffy's voice sounded, very close. Utalooked up, and through her blurry teary eyes, she saw that he had already firmly embraced her delicate body without her noticing."Are you done crying yet?" This overly blunt questioning made Uta pause."I'm asking you," Luffy leaned forward, "If Shankswere here right now, what do you think he would say?"Uta opened her mouth, and the smile of that red-haired man appeared in her mind. Not the "hypocritical" smile in her memory, but the real one, on the deck of the Red Force, when he ruffled her hair and said, "Uta, that was a great song.""He would say..." Her voice was so small it was almost inaudible, "'It's not your fault'.""But he would also say," Luffy continued, "'If you really want to atone, stand up and face that real bastard.'"He stood up abruptly, his straw hat firmly back on his head, casting a firm shadow in the morning light. "The Song Demon King hasn't been defeated yet, Uta. It's still there, and it might hurt even more people."Luffy reached out, not to pull her up, but pointing into the depths of the ruins, "Those people who disappeared because of your song, has their vengeance been avenged?"This sentence was like lightning splitting through Uta's chaotic thoughts. "I..." She looked at her own hands, trembling, "My singing voice is its medium, how could I possibly...""Then fight in a different way." Luffy said matter-of-factly, "There are 5 of us here, and everyone has a different fighting style.""You won't be the first person who needs someone else's help to win." He grinned, and that smile suddenly became incredibly dazzling:"And besides, Uta, music isn't just the Demon King's weapon, right?" "On the Red Force, your songs made everyone happy and dance." "In my memories, your songs are the best thing in the world!"Uta was stunned. That distant afternoon, the image of young Luffy clapping his hands, his eyes sparkling as he said, "Uta, sing another one!" suddenly appeared clearly."Music isn't wrong; what's wrong is the bastard who uses it." Luffy squatted down to look her in the eye, "So, do you want to come with us and beat that bastard up?""In your way, in our way, in the Straw Hat way?" His eyes were like the deepest ocean, holding unreserved trust.Uta's breathing gradually steadied, her tears had long since stopped flowing, leaving only the undried tear tracks at the corners of her eyes.She looked at Luffy, looking at this younger brother who once needed her protection, who had now grown into a Captain capable of supporting others and leading others.His gaze was firm and warm, making her feel an unprecedented strength.Uta nodded heavily, her voice although still a bit hoarse, was full of determination.A breeze blew her red and white hair, the strands flying wantonly in the morning light, her stunning delicate body looming in the sunlight, like a phoenix reborn from the flames.She slowly stood up, and in her amethyst-like eyes, there was no longer despair and confusion, only a firm radiance remained.She knew that a new battle was about to begin, and this time, she was no longer alone.