Marco looked at the remaining hundreds of Giant Race members still standing on the battlefield. Demon horns had grown from their heads, fangs protruded from their mouths, and demonic wings and tails extended from their bodies. It was clear they had been forcibly altered by Imu's power.
"Controlled by an ability, this should count as an injury, right. My Light of Resurrection should be able to restore them," Marco muttered to himself.
He had never properly tested this Awakening technique since obtaining it, and this battlefield seemed like the perfect opportunity.
Marco raised his voice and called out, "Katakuri, restrain all the Giant Race members. I am going to try and restore their consciousness."
Even without Marco's instruction, Katakuri was already preparing to act. Still, hearing Marco confirm it, he immediately expanded his ability.
"Mochi Mochi no Mi, Awakening."
The ground beneath the Giants turned into mochi, binding more than a dozen of the corrupted Giants and limiting their movement. This made it easier for the allied forces to avoid unnecessary casualties.
Once the Giants were restrained, Marco soared into the air above them. Every Giant below him stood over sixty meters tall due to Imu's transformation, their bodies twisted into ancient giant forms.
A blue flame ignited in Marco's palm. It compressed rapidly into a glowing sphere, radiating a brilliant golden light like a miniature sun.
Then Marco released it.
Rays of golden light descended upon the restrained Giants.
The effect was immediate.
The corrupted Giants began to tremble violently as black aura was forced out of their bodies. Painful roars echoed across the battlefield as the demonic influence was burned away.
Gradually, their massive sixty meter bodies began to shrink, returning to their natural proportions.
Their feral eyes slowly cleared.
Confusion replaced rage.
"Where… am I? What happened to us?" one of them muttered.
Katakuri observed silently before speaking in slight disbelief, "They actually recovered."
By now, Marco's abilities had already shocked them multiple times, so even something like this was becoming strangely acceptable.
The restored Giants looked around in confusion before noticing the ongoing battle between their corrupted kin and the Emperors Alliance.
Their expressions changed instantly.
"That power… we were being controlled!" one of them shouted in anger.
Marco exhaled lightly, a faint smile forming.
"Looks like the Light of Resurrection also counters Imu's control ability."
It had been a test. But it had worked.
In the distance, Sengoku, whose lower body was frozen by Kuzan's ice, stared in disbelief.
"So he can really change the world…"
He had allowed himself to be frozen voluntarily. At this point, he no longer wished to serve the World Government, nor align himself fully with pirates. He simply waited for the outcome.
Kaido glanced at Marco with amusement.
"Worororo, Marco, what kind of technique is that now?"
Marco answered directly, "Light of Resurrection. It can heal injuries rapidly, and if a person hasn't been dead for more than twelve hours, it can bring them back."
Silence fell for a moment.
Then voices erupted across the battlefield.
"Resurrection?"
"You mean bringing the dead back to life?"
"Is something like that even possible?"
Marco nodded calmly.
"Yes. But the body must still be mostly intact. If it is destroyed, or if more than twelve hours have passed, it cannot be done."
Dragon narrowed his eyes slightly, clearly shaken.
If true, this ability was beyond anything known in the world. Even with limitations, it defied the natural order itself.
Marco turned toward the battlefield again and raised his voice.
"Finish off the corrupted Giants first. I will handle the purification."
"Understood."
The battle resumed in full force.
Once the corrupted Giants were subdued, Katakuri restrained them again while Marco repeated the process, bathing them in golden light and stripping away Imu's influence.
One by one, the Giants were restored.
Once freed, they immediately turned and began assisting the Emperors Alliance, helping subdue the remaining corrupted forces. Within a short time, nearly all Giant Race members had been rescued from their altered states.
The Giants who had been saved bowed deeply toward Marco.
"Thank you, Lord Marco."
Elder Jarl stepped forward as their representative.
"To think the World Government would turn us into war puppets under that woman Imu… it is a disgrace to Elbaph. Without you, we would have remained slaves forever."
Marco simply replied, "No need for that."
But Jarl's expression hardened with determination.
"Allow us to join your side. The World Government has crossed a line that cannot be forgiven. The Giants of Elbaph will answer this humiliation with war."
Marco nodded once in acceptance.
Given their strength, the Giants were an invaluable force. Even a single Giant warrior could overwhelm hundreds of ordinary soldiers.
At that moment, another group of Giants stepped forward urgently.
"Lord Marco, please… can you save Captain Dorry and Captain Brogy?"
They immediately knelt.
"We know we are asking too much after everything you have already done, but please… save them."
Marco looked at them carefully.
"Are they from the Giant Warrior Pirates?"
"Yes," they answered.
Without hesitation, Marco nodded.
"Bring their bodies."
The Giants quickly moved.
They carefully carried over the fallen bodies of the Giants who had died recently in battle.
Marco exhaled once, then activated his ability again.
The Light of Resurrection expanded across the battlefield once more.
Golden light enveloped the fallen Giants.
However, this time the strain was heavier. The number of corpses was significantly higher.
Even so, one by one, the Giants began to breathe again.
Life returned.
Eyes opened.
The battlefield fell into stunned silence.
Elder Jarl's voice trembled slightly.
"A miracle…"
The revived Giants slowly sat up, confused but alive.
The entire Giant Race looked toward Marco with renewed reverence.
Then, in a solemn oath, they declared their allegiance in the name of Elbaph's Sun God.
From this moment onward, the Giants of Elbaph would serve Marco and his descendants.
Marco accepted their pledge without hesitation.
With the Giant Race now secured, attention shifted toward the remaining forces.
The Marines and Holy Land guards still numbered in the hundreds of thousands.
===
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