#544 - Chapter 544: Elbaf will always remember the favor
Within the Pangea Castle of Mary Geoise, an eerie silence reigned.
Even the sound of the wind seemed to be shut out from this space, with only Imu standing in the unfathomable darkness.
Her gaze fell upon the glass vessel in her hand, the pale golden liquid swirling gently within, as if it possessed a life of its own.
"Finally… this day has arrived."
Imu murmured in a low voice, her tone revealing a chilling satisfaction.
Without any hesitation, she slowly raised the glass vessel to her lips, took a deep breath, and then swallowed the liquid in one gulp.
The golden light streaked down her throat, as if she had swallowed some mystical sun, illuminating the entire room with a soft glow.
The moment the liquid entered her throat, Imu's body stiffened for an instant, and then she began to tremble violently.
An unprecedented power exploded from within her, surging out along her limbs and bones.
A faint golden radiance surfaced on her skin, a radiance that was not dazzling, yet involuntarily inspired a sense of oppression.
Subsequently, her body began to undergo changes—intricate patterns emerged on her fingertips, forehead, and chest, resembling the world's lines of longitude and latitude, or perhaps some ancient script.
"This is… true power…"
Her voice was deep and resonant, as if countless souls were whispering in unison.
In an instant, the entire Pangea Castle trembled.
Her power seemed to have exceeded the world's capacity to bear it, and subtle cracks began to appear in the void.
Several minutes later, the changes gradually subsided.
Imu's body returned to calm, the patterns vanished, and the golden light slowly receded.
Her appearance seemed no different from that of an ordinary person, with black hair cascading down her shoulders and clear, even gentle eyes that inspired relaxation.
But she knew that this was only a facade.
"Now, I am the world."
She said softly, raising one hand and gently clenching her fist.
What followed was a chilling scene—the foundations of the entire Pangea Castle began to crumble, and the clouds above were torn apart by some invisible force, creating a massive vortex in the sky that devoured everything around it.
Imu lowered her eyes, feeling the indescribable surge of power within her.
She felt as if she had incorporated an entire world into her body, every cell clamoring and expanding, eager to vent outwards.
"This world is too small… I need more."
She murmured, the corners of her mouth curving upward slightly, with a touch of manic satisfaction.
......
Far away in Elbaf, Jinan suddenly felt an oppressive aura sweeping in from the direction of Mary Geoise.
His brow furrowed slightly, and the hand gripping his sword tightened involuntarily.
"It seems she has achieved her goal."
Jinan muttered to himself, a hint of coldness and gravity in his eyes.
He could feel that this opponent was far more dangerous than any of the Five Elders.
And in the distance, Whitebeard was still laughing heartily, but his gaze also held a trace of vigilance:
"Gurarararara! Jinan, can you feel it? The real showdown is finally about to begin."
The sky gradually darkened, as if the entire world was holding its breath for the battle to come.
On the battlefield of Elbaf, the air was thick with the stench of blood and scorching heat.
Dust billowed, and the shattered giant trees and churning earth told of the intensity of this cataclysm.
However, amidst this wreckage, two towering figures stood firm, their confrontation revealing a tacit understanding.
The smile on Jinan's face did not diminish, but his eyes were as sharp as knives.
He looked at Whitebeard not far away, a hint of playfulness and sincerity flashing in his eyes:
"Whitebeard, old brother, are you still prepared to continue this big score with us?"
Whitebeard fell silent for a moment upon hearing this.
He slowly looked around, his gaze sweeping over the fallen comrades, and also glancing over the still-fighting crew members.
His eyes held reluctance, but also a hint of tenacity.
He chuckled in a low voice, his voice rolling across the battlefield like thunder:
"Gurarararara! Now that we've started, we'll see it through to the end."
Jinan's smile deepened upon hearing this.
He didn't say much, but slowly raised his hand, reaching out to Whitebeard.
His movements were unhurried, but the gesture of raising his hand was full of power, as if condensing this shattered battlefield in his palm.
Whitebeard looked at the outstretched hand, a flash of complexity in his eyes.
He was silent for a moment, then laughed loudly:
"Gurarararara! Interesting, Jinan, you're a straightforward kid!"
He strode forward, his massive hand unhesitatingly grasping Jinan's hand.
"Then, let's have a pleasant collaboration."
Jinan smiled, his tone filled with firmness and trust.
The grip of the two hands was like thunder colliding, and their auras instantly intertwined and erupted.
The remaining combatants around them even felt an unspeakable sense of oppression, like the prelude to the collapse of the sky and the sinking of the earth.
"These two people…"
A soldier from the New Navy in the distance couldn't help but whisper,
"Shouldn't they have been mortal enemies?"
"The Whitebeard Pirates and the New Navy… how could they walk the same path?"
Another soldier was also filled with disbelief.
However, neither Jinan nor Whitebeard paid attention to those fragmented gazes.
They now had only one goal in their eyes—to completely crush the remnants of the World Government and completely end this battle!
Whitebeard released his hand, swung his massive naginata, and said with high morale:
"Gurarararara! I won't hold back in this battle! Jinan, don't let me look down on you."
A faint smile appeared on Jinan's lips, and he nodded slightly:
"Whitebeard, old brother, don't hold me back."
In the next moment, the two of them leaped up at the same time, like two meteors descending upon the world, heading straight for the enemy formation.
......
The smoke of battle gradually dissipated, and the sky over Elbaf finally returned to clarity.
However, the wounds on the earth were difficult to erase.
Hills were leveled, giant trees became burning ruins, and the air was filled with the smell of sulfur and blood.
Jinan, the New Navy, and the Whitebeard Pirates slowly advanced across the broken land.
Their steps were somewhat heavy, and everyone's face was tired, but their eyes revealed a sense of determination.
"The battle has finally come to an end."
Toki Amatsuki sighed softly, walking beside Jinan.
Her gaze fell on the exhausted warriors, her heart filled with worry, but she had to brace herself with a sense of calm.
Loki walked at the front of the group, and as the king of this land, his figure was still upright.
But his tightly furrowed brow revealed the unwillingness deep in his heart.
Although the giants followed behind him, they clearly showed complex emotions, and occasionally cast resentful glances at Loki.
However, when their gaze turned to Jinan and the New Navy and the Whitebeard Pirates, it instantly became warm and respectful.
Some older giants even knelt on one knee, expressing their gratitude to Jinan and his party in their own way.
"Elbaf will not forget your kindness!"
A giant said in a low voice, his voice rolling across the earth like thunder.
...
