章 247: Chapter 247
A cold wind swept over the ruins, the sky—no longer under the influence of the Song-Song Fruit—returned to its oppressive gray hue.
Uta, who had learned the entire truth, sat dazed on the shore, her vacant eyes fixed on the endless sea.
No matter how hard she tried, she could no longer see Shanks' gentle smile across the ocean.
Sadness, guilt, anxiety, pain, despair—all surged in her heart, but she still couldn't cry, not even a single tear.
Even though she had always presented herself as a cunning and mature adult in front of little Luffy, in the end, she was just a nine-year-old girl yearning for all the beautiful things in the world.
Just the burden of the sin of destroying a nation was enough to make her crumble.
Especially since the disaster was triggered by the music she so dearly loved!
"Are you really going to just leave her like this, nya?"
From a distant corner, Meowth watched Uta's lonely figure with a worried expression.
Having heard the truth from Zyhark, even he couldn't help but lament the cruel twists of fate.
"A child must experience heart-wrenching pain to truly grow, especially in this cruel, twisted pirate world."
Aqua, uncharacteristically serious, looked at Uta with a calm and indifferent gaze, showing no sympathy.
As a goddess who sent the dead to different worlds, she had seen many human tragedies.
Compared to them, Uta's situation wasn't all that special.
These human principles were things Aqua understood very well.
As for why she often seemed unintelligent, it was simply because she was too lazy to think.
"From her singing just now, I could feel intense passion and confidence; her strength makes even me admire her."
Escanor sat casually on a large boulder, resting his hand on his knee as he glanced at Uta.
On the level of being a "monster," he could empathize with Uta's experiences.
"It seems she has made up her mind."
Zyhark carefully put Kanna, who had been nestling in his arms, back on the ground.
Maybe it was just his imagination, but lately, this young dragon seemed to be getting increasingly clingy.
Though his Observation Haki couldn't hear thoughts directly like Enel's, basic emotional perception was still within his capability.
Just now, Uta's gloomy and oppressive emotions had suddenly subsided significantly.
As expected, right after he spoke, Uta, who had been sitting on a rock by the shore, supporting her knees, paused briefly before using all her strength to stand up.
When she turned back, the once despondent look on her face had gained a hint of determination.
"Zyhark, take me to sea."
Uta said as she approached him.
"That's not the attitude to have when asking someone for a favor."
Zyhark smiled, not immediately agreeing to her request.
"I'll do anything, whether it's mopping the deck, scrubbing toilets, singing, washing clothes, or even undergarments."
"As long as you agree, I'll do anything!"
Having made up her mind, Uta no longer acted the way she did before. She bowed deeply to Zyhark, "Please, take me to sea!"
Besides wanting desperately to see Shanks, she lacked the courage to face the fallen Music Kingdom that she had destroyed herself, or Gordon, the former king who had never smiled since.
"Even if I take you to Shanks, then what? What do you plan to do?" Zyhark asked.
"I..."
Uta was momentarily at a loss for words.
Even if she met Shanks, what could she say?
Would she shout and blame him for abandoning her heartlessly as she had imagined countless times before, or would she cry and plead to be taken back to the pirate crew?
As a "sinner," she had no right...
As the atmosphere became awkward, Aqua's eyes twinkled, and she suddenly spoke up, "Ah, what's the big deal, Zyhark?"
"If she wants to come along, let her. Besides, I, the great goddess, don't want to wash... cough, cough... Anyway, Shanks is in the New World now, and at the speed of the Endless Dream, it's just a day or two away~"
Zyhark: "..."
He had thought that this idiot had finally wised up, but it turns out she was just after free labor!
As expected, this foolish goddess could never stay serious for more than three seconds.
"Aqua, you seem to really miss the time when Gin was around?"
"Mm-hmm, of course! That guy was so obedient."
Thinking of Gin, who diligently handled all the chores on the ship, Aqua blurted out without hesitation.
That short time was the most comfortable period of her life!
"Oh, no, I mean, we're just passing by! Besides, we're quite familiar with Shanks, aren't we?"
"Huh? Why are you all looking at me like that? Do I, the great goddess, look like someone who would exploit child labor?"
"Impossible! Ahaha, absolutely impossible!"
Aqua laughed as she scratched her not-so-smart head.
"Aqua, are you really a goddess, nya?" Meowth questioned, glaring.
"Hahaha, in a way, it's also a kind of limitless arrogance." Escanor laughed heartily.
"Hey, hey, Little K, who is this 'Gin' that Zyhark mentioned?" Kanna blinked her purple dragon eyes, poking at King's pant leg.
Recalling the promise that Gin had made to reunite with them in the New World, King cautiously said, "He's a pirate, not too bad."
"He's kind of like our companion, I guess…"
"Like Little Skull, then?"
"Pretty much."
"Ooh!"
Seeing these odd characters chatting casually, Uta, who was anxiously awaiting the "final judgment," felt somewhat bewildered.
"Well, since the idiot goddess says so, then you can come along."
Zyhark saw the longing hidden in the depths of her eyes.
Before Uta could express her gratitude, he added, "But before that, we need to deal with the hidden threat."
"The one lurking in the score—the culprit who destroyed the entire Music Kingdom!"
The so-called ancient demon king, who had destroyed an entire island despite the Red-Haired Pirates' intervention, could not be allowed to remain as a ticking time bomb on their ship.
—Though Zyhark wasn't sure whether the monster could appear elsewhere once it left the sealed cave!
Hearing this insane idea, Gordon, who had been in a daze the entire time, finally snapped out of it.
"What did you say? You're going to release that monster? Please, do not have such reckless thoughts!"
"That's a demon king with the power to destroy the world!!"
At that moment, he remembered once again the fear he had experienced when the ancient demon king took control a year ago.
"Sorry, but the power to destroy the world is something we possess as well." Zyhark smiled.
Gordon's terrified face instantly froze.
The bright and gentle smile, with a hint of inexplicable cunning, made him finally realize the true identity of the young man before him.
The Shichibukai who captured the legendary pirate, Golden Lion Shiki—Zyhark, the notorious "Evil Thunder"!
In his defense, he hadn't been keeping up with the sea's developments since the Music Kingdom became a ruin.
The only reason he remembered Zyhark was that he had occasionally seen his name in the newspaper.
"It seems there's no need for further proof."
Zyhark glanced at their surroundings, "Since it's already in ruins, I doubt anyone would mind it collapsing again, right?"
"No, it's impossible. Even for you, it's impossible to eliminate that evil completely..."
Once calm, Gordon's face became extremely solemn, and he sighed, "That's a monster that will resurrect, no matter how many times it's killed!"
If it were that simple to deal with, the Red-Haired Pirates would've taken care of it a year ago.
"Don't worry, even if it's hard for you to understand, we've got someone on our side who's... specialized in this kind of thing."
Ignoring Gordon's warnings, Zyhark confidently walked up to Uta.
Lightning crackled from his raised fingertips, and an ancient parchment with peculiar notes engraved on it appeared in his palm out of thin air.
Given the level of development of his Rumble-Rumble Fruit abilities, retrieving objects from a distance wasn't a difficult feat.
"Here's the deal. As one of the conditions for joining our crew, Uta, release all your thoughts and sing the score on this parchment with all your power."
Little Uta lifted her head and looked at the parchment emanating evil energy, with fear and guilt flashing in her eyes.
A year ago, it was because she had unlocked the key on that parchment that she had released the demon king and destroyed the kingdom she loved.
She also caused Shanks and the others to be branded as brutal criminals and heavily bountied...
"Don't worry, it's just a demon king, after all."
Zyhark placed a comforting hand on Uta's shoulder.
Uta stared blankly at his inexplicably charming profile, hesitating for a few seconds before ultimately choosing to trust him.
"Fine! Whatever terrible thing happens, I'm not responsible!"
Taking the ancient parchment, she took a deep breath and began singing its contents loudly.
With the activation of the Song-Song Fruit, the surroundings changed drastically once again.
Under the dark and oppressive sky, thick black mist gushed out from a distant cave.
Pitch-black musical notes filled the entire sky, and from within the dense mist, two enormous arms formed from piano keys suddenly extended out. The moment they touched the ground, a small-scale earthquake shook the entire island.
Following that, black wings, a grotesque face, and sharp fangs emerged one after another.
The colossal body, comparable to a mountain, blotted out the sky and exuded an aura of pure evil.
Even if one looked up, it was difficult to take in the entirety of its enormous form.
This... was the ancient demon king!
"ROAR!!!"
The demon king, who had tasted the air of the outside world again, was ecstatic. Its grotesque head turned slightly, and its gaze fell upon Uta, who was trembling in fear.
Though she couldn't see its eyes, the way its long arms swayed made its intentions abundantly clear.
It was grateful to Uta.
At the same time, it pitied the pitifully small humans, who would become its first prey upon awakening!
"It's over, we're all finished."
The hellish scene had reappeared, and Gordon collapsed to the ground, his eyes clouded with despair.
By contrast, the people from the sea restaurant seemed rather excited.
"Oh, does it pity me? What foolish arrogance."
Escanor's muscles bulged, and an aura of blazing heat burst from him.
"Its ugliness has exceeded my expectations, nya!"
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
Just as Escanor, holding his golden battle axe, was preparing to give this arrogant monster a taste of his non-existent mercy, brilliant rainbow lights illuminated the sky.
Aqua's goddess bloodline had been successfully activated, and she, with the burning God's Fist, charged at the demon king recklessly.
From Zyhark and the others' perspective, they could see the foolish goddess running while letting out a deranged and strange laugh.
"Wahahaha! Amazing, amazing! To think I'd find such an ultra-rare species in this world."
"Hey, hey, do you want to dance too, Mr. Dirty Demon King?"
"No? Then get back to hell and repent for your sins with my God's Fist!"
Aqua was ecstatic, and she rushed in.
The ancient demon king noticed the foolish human, and it laughed mockingly.
Just this tiny flame that could be snuffed out with a breath, and she thought she could send it back to hell? Was something wrong with her brain? Hahaha!
Come on, yes, attack my body without holding back~
It didn't dodge, even spread its bizarre arms wide, wanting to see the human's face twisted in horror and despair when her attack was futile.
With that expectation, the God's Fist, which held the power of millions of followers, lightly touched its toe.
And then, the sky cleared.
The surroundings returned to normal.
The thick black mist, dark notes, ancient demon king, and evil aura all disappeared completely!
It was as if nothing had happened, or perhaps everything had happened.
Gordon, who had been writing his last will with a quill pen: No, someone, please tell me what happened in that second when I looked down?
Not just him, even those familiar with Aqua's antics, like Meowth and the others, were all dumbfounded.
"Strange, Aqua didn't go flying this time?"
"Wait, am I mistaken? Was God's Fist always this powerful?"
"Hahaha, as expected of Aqua, who always manages to shock people no matter what she does!"
"Little Aqua, Maji Yabakune~"
But none were as deeply affected as Uta, who had summoned the ancient demon king.
Sitting on the ground in shock, she was sure that the monster just now was not some illusion, nor was it weak.
If it had wanted to, it could've easily destroyed all of Elegia.
Not even a speck of dust would have remained!
And yet, such a terrifying demon king had been taken down in one punch by this so-called "goddess"...?
In one punch...
She really was a deity!
Aqua's mischievous back suddenly became grand and tall in Uta's eyes, comparable to Shanks.
Zyhark, watching the stunned group, and Aqua proudly twirling in place, smiled without a word.
No matter how stupid or unreliable she was, she was still a genuine goddess.
The cleansing power of the God's Fist—do you think she was kidding?
This round, all that could be said was that, ancient demon king, you truly didn't die in vain!
(End of Chapter)
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