Chapter 297: The King of the World
In a corner of the Mary Geoise battlefield, Ace stood on the upper floor of a ruined estate, watching the giant bird (Marcus Mars) circling the Red Line. "What's that guy looking for?" he wondered.
Beside him, Shiki crossed his arms, a mocking grin on his face. "Jihahaha! Probably looking for those slaves that big-faced drag queen let loose!"
"Oh, is that it?" Ace nodded thoughtfully.
The two of them completely missed the look Ochoku gave them, as if they were prize idiots.
After a long silence, Ochoku sighed. "Sometimes I can't tell if you two are really this stupid, or just acting."
"He's obviously looking for us."
Their stupidity was so perfectly timed, it was hard to tell if it was genuine.
"Huh?" Ace looked bewildered. "For us?"
Ochoku decided to ignore Ace for the time being. He turned to Shiki, who was standing with his arms crossed, looking completely self-assured. "Shiki, how long are we staying here? We've repaid the favor, haven't we?"
Ochoku didn't understand. Their objective was complete. Why was Shiki lingering in this dangerous place, risking discovery and death?
Shiki listened to the violent roars and tremors of the distant battle, a mysterious smile playing on his aged face.
"Don't be hasty, partner. Just wait."
"In a little while, Redfield and Bullet won't be able to hold out any longer. Then, we swoop in, save them, and invite them to our alliance."
They had already refused him back in Impel Down, but Shiki didn't care. He knew men like that would never agree to serve under someone so easily.
That's why he was waiting. He would make his third invitation at the precise moment of their impending death. Under the threat of oblivion, the chance of success was highest. After all, if there's a chance to live, everyone will grasp it.
"You're still after them?" Ochoku sighed.
"What are you talking about?" Shiki laughed again, his expression complex. "Of course! What, should we just give up on our dream of conquering the world? I'm confident I can handle Louis, but can you and this idiot handle his crew? As shameful as it is to admit, as long as the Archangel Pirates exist, no one can truly rule the seas."
Ochoku opened his mouth, but fell silent.
Ace, however, just yawned as if he were sleepy. He had no interest in conquest. He planned to repay Ochoku and Shiki for his training, and then get out of here.
"BOOM!"
A series of earthquake-like rumbles shook the ground. The giant beast-forms of the Five Elders were moving at high speed away from the battlefield, toward the outer edge of the Red Line.
"This is..." Ace's eyes widened. "Those guys... they seem to be abandoning the Level 6 prisoners and heading out!"
Shiki and Ochoku followed his gaze, their brows furrowing. Just as Shiki was about to go check on Redfield and Bullet, a bone-chilling sensation washed over them from a new direction.
"BOOM!!"
In the next instant, a terrifying, overwhelming wave of Conqueror's Haki flooded all of Mary Geoise, spreading out across the Red Line.
Black-red lightning tore through the atmosphere, covering the Holy Land like a net, instantly knocking out ninety-nine percent of the people present.
"What is this Haki?!" Ochoku's eyes widened in disbelief.
Ace was struggling to breathe, veins bulging on his forehead as cold sweat poured down his face.
Shiki spun around, staring at the source of the Haki, his expression deadly serious. He instinctively gripped his swords, Oto and Kogarashi.
"So the World Government was hiding someone this powerful. This is far beyond the Five Elders or that dead Garling. If I'm not wrong... this is the real King of the World."
Black-red lightning rained down, blasting new craters into the ruined Holy Land. Unseen, arcane-looking magic circles appeared in the corners of the battlefield, and the Level 6 prisoners (Sanjuan Wolf, Catarina Devon, etc.) were violently swallowed by them. Only a lucky few, like Blackbeard Teach, Shiliew, and Crocodile, managed to escape.
In the Celestial Dragon residential area, Louis landed on a rooftop, holding a dying Byndi World. He looked at the dark magic circle that had appeared where the man had just been, his eyes glinting.
"Finally... Imu's made a move. I was wondering how long I'd have to wait."
Louis's goal had been to probe Imu's hidden forces, weaken the World Government, and test Imu's personal abilities.
Now, the Holy Land was in ruins, and no other secret forces had appeared. The first objective was complete. All that was left was to eliminate a few key targets and test Imu's power.
And now, Imu himself had entered the field.
Louis poured a stream of life energy into the injured man, restoring him to his peak. Then, he hurled him like a javelin toward the source of the overwhelming Haki.
In the next moment, Louis stepped into the void and vanished.
In the ruins, Crocodile panted, hiding behind a broken wall. He stared at the magic circles, a deep-seated fear in his eyes. He had been a split-second away from being swallowed like the others.
Not far away, Teach and Shiliew eyed each other warily, also staring at the circles.
First, the three monsters (the Elders) who had been toying with them had suddenly left. Then, this unprecedented Haki. And now, the magic circles. The situation was changing too fast.
Before they could process it, the magic circles changed.
Giant, black claws reached out from within. Massive, terrifying figures began to climb out.
Wreathed in black flames and black-red lightning, the monsters lifted their heads, revealing fanged maws... and the familiar faces of their "comrades."
"That's—" Teach's jaw dropped, his eyes wide with terror. "Devon! Wolf! Shot! Pizarro! And the others!"
They had been transformed. Their bodies were now swollen to a giant size, with massive bat-like wings and huge, three-pronged tridents. Their aura was bestial, their eyes glowing with bloodlust.
"Are these... demons?" Shiliew gripped his cursed blade, his face a mask of shock and rage.
The demons' eyes swiveled, locking onto the three survivors. With bloodthirsty grins, they vanished. They reappeared, surrounding the trio, and attacked with their Haki-infused tridents.
Elsewhere, the Red Count was sent flying by an explosion, crashing through dozens of walls before he managed to get to his feet. He spat out a mouthful of blood, using his umbrella as a cane.
He immediately counter-attacked, using his umbrella as a sword to send powerful slashes at the demons swarming him. The slashes tore through the ruins... and through the demons, slicing them to pieces.
"..."
"No good?" Redfield frowned.
The severed parts of the demons were already regenerating. They were immortal.
Redfield, already wounded from his fight with the immortal Nusjuro, turned to flee. He had been imprisoned for too long, and his body was old. He couldn't win this.
Just then, a sonic boom roared behind him.
BOOM!
A massive figure was sent flying backward, crashing into the rubble right next to him.
"It's been a while... since I've felt pain," a voice growled from the dust.
Douglas Bullet stepped out, rolling his shoulders, a bloodthirsty smile on his face. "So, you really are immortal. You must have begged those Celestial Dragons for it, didn't you? What was the price? Protecting them for eternity?"
Opposite him, Commander-in-Chief Kong walked forward, flanked by more demons. Kong's mind flashed back to when he was forced to accept this "gift," becoming a puppet just like the God's Knights.
"Finish them," Kong ordered the demons.
The monsters charged.
Atop Pangea Castle, Imu stood alone, cold crimson eyes surveying the battlefield. Seeing that the remaining "ants" were no match for the new demons, Imu was satisfied.
"A useful army. Mu shall keep them."
This new force, created from powerful pirates, would be invaluable in turning the tide of any war, especially now.
"After this... it will be the Giants' turn."
Imu's gaze fell on Redfield and Bullet. "Capture them. They will be useful."
"As you command, Lord Imu," Kong's voice replied in his mind, his eyes filling with pity for the two legends.
Just then, a figure shot through the air, screaming, aimed directly at Imu's throne.
Imu tilted his head, watching Byndi World approach. A hand was raised. A mystical book appeared, and from it, Imu drew a sharp rapier, wreathed in black-red lightning.
Just as Imu was about to strike the man down, he paused, looking up.
Golden chains of light were descending from the clouds, invisible to all but him. They plunged into Redfield, Bullet, and the other pirates, instantly healing their wounds and restoring their stamina to its absolute peak.
"This is—" Kong's face paled, seeing his opponents suddenly at full strength.
"Archangel... LOUIS!!"
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