#553 - Chapter 553 Will Still Win
The sky over Elbaf hung low, the heavy dark clouds seeming to foreshadow an approaching storm.
Jin-an stood atop a cliff, overlooking the allied forces gathered below.
Behind him, Whitebeard, Loki, Toki, and the blond man, among other core members, stood silently, their expressions solemn yet with a hint of burning fighting spirit.
"Both sides have revealed their trump cards," Jin-an said, squinting and coldly watching the distance. "This time, there is no turning back."
Whitebeard grinned, his massive battle axe gleaming with a cold light.
"Gurararara! This is the kind of decisive battle that's exciting! But speaking of which, Jin-an, kid, what tricks do you think they still have up their sleeves?"
"Any tricks will be laid bare on this battlefield," Jin-an's voice was low, his eyes sharp as knives. "The question is whether our allies are strong enough to hold out until the very end."
Toki walked to his side and handed him an intelligence briefing, her tone worried:
"Our reconnaissance units report that the World Government has deployed several never-before-seen floating warships, as well as their redeployed Seraphim units..."
She paused, looked up at Jin-an, "They have concentrated all the forces they can mobilize on this decisive battle."
Loki snorted, his gaze cast into the distance:
"I'm just afraid our lines here won't hold. Those World Government lackeys are always looking for loopholes to exploit."
Jin-an didn't respond, his gaze sweeping across the Elbaf battlefield. Warriors of various races were busily loading weapons and calibrating warships, the air thick with a suppressed, deadly atmosphere.
However, he knew that beneath this noisy and tense surface, there were more unsettling factors lurking.
"Someone is waiting for us to fail," Jin-an said slowly, his voice cold and certain.
Loki frowned, "You mean...?"
Jin-an nodded, a cold glint flashing in his eyes:
"The underworld, and even some forces that outwardly support us, have already begun trading in secret. The longer the war drags on, the more these people will benefit."
......
Meanwhile, in an underground fortress hidden from the light of day, Blackbeard sat on a massive throne, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest.
His laughter was low and eerie, echoing in the empty hall.
"Hee hee hee, when they're both battered and exhausted, that's when it's our turn to take the stage."
A crew member handed him a map, marked with the sea area between Mariejois and Elbaf.
He pointed to a hidden location and said, "Boss, this is the area where they're likely to have their decisive battle."
Blackbeard grinned, a fanatical light flashing in his eyes:
"Excellent! Let them fight as fiercely as they can. We'll just wait to reap the rewards of victory.
Hee hee hee hee..."
He turned to his massive army, his voice low and full of ambition:
"This time, even the World Government won't be able to stop me from using darkness to devour the entire world!"
......
Jin-an turned to look at everyone, his eyes burning with fighting spirit:
"This decisive battle is destined to be extraordinary. The enemy is in the open, but countless blades are buried in the dark. But we cannot lose."
Whitebeard waved his axe, laughing to the sky:
"Gurararara! Since it's extraordinary, then let's make it a legend! This battle, I, this old man, am going all out!"
Toki looked at Jin-an, her eyes full of worry, but she still nodded firmly:
"We have made all the preparations. All that's left is to go all out."
The sound of war drums came from the allied army in the distance. The giants began to mobilize their forces, and the eagle banners in the sky fluttered in the wind.
Everyone on this land knew that this war would determine the future of the entire world.
Jin-an scanned each of his companions, and finally said slowly:
"This is not only our war, but also the war of this era.
Let those guys in the dark see clearly—we will not retreat, nor will we fail."
The wind whipped up his cloak. He turned and strode towards the battlefield, Whitebeard and the others following closely behind.
A light rain began to fall in the distant sky, as if softly mourning the coming catastrophe.
Darkness was brewing, and light was burning.
Only the battlefield could provide the answer as to who the dawn of victory truly belonged to.
......
The sky over Elbaf cleared up after a long time.
The warm sun shone on this ancient and vast land, dispelling the haze and cold of the past few days.
Jin-an leaned against a towering giant tree, his gaze sweeping over the distant village. Everything before him formed a stark contrast to the recent war—giant children in the village were running and laughing, and the warriors had laid down their weapons and were repairing their homes.
Jin-an closed his eyes slightly, letting the sunlight shine on his face, a faint smile appearing on the corner of his mouth.
He hadn't felt such peace in a long time.
Toki gently walked to his side, holding two steaming mugs of giant fruit wine in her hands.
She smiled and handed him one of the mugs: "It's rare to see you so relaxed."
Jin-an took the wine cup and looked up at her, his tone gentle:
"Every time I relax, I wonder how long these days can last?"
Toki sat down next to him, gazing at the children chasing in the distance, her voice a little lower:
"But at least we are still striving for it. It is precisely because we understand the preciousness of these days that we can't stop, right?"
Jin-an didn't answer, just took a sip of the fruit wine, the sweet wine with the aroma of fruit slowly sliding into his mouth.
This moment of peace made him feel that he had finally regained some humanity, instead of being the leader in the vortex of war.
Whitebeard's laughter came from a distance:
"Gurararara! Jin-an, kid, you're really good at being lazy, hiding here and drinking!"
Jin-an looked up and saw Whitebeard walking over with a large wooden barrel, carrying a few giant sea fish that had just been caught in his hand.
He threw it away casually, and the sea fish fell heavily on the ground, raising a cloud of dust.
"Come on! Since we have this free time, let's have a decent meal together!" Whitebeard waved his hand heroically to greet the others.
Loki walked over from the other side, arms folded, and sneered: "Old man, is the fish you caught enough for us to eat? Giants are all big eaters."
Whitebeard glared at him without showing any weakness:
"Gurararara! Are you afraid that these little fish and shrimps won't be enough to feed you?"
The giant warriors nearby heard the movement and put down their work and walked over. For a while, temporary barbecue racks were set up on the open space of Elbaf.
A strong smell of smoke filled the air, and laughter echoed in the forest, even covering up the shadow of the war.
Toki and the women in the village prepared the ingredients together. She skillfully cut the giant's unique fruits, and in her ears were the soft jokes of the other women:
"This little girl is virtuous. It seems that you and that general have an unusual relationship."
Toki's cheeks were slightly red, but she didn't say anything.
She turned to look at Jin-an not far away, and saw him helping the giant warriors build a barbecue grill together.
There was a rare relaxed smile on his face, and there was less killing and more warmth in those cold eyes.
"Yes..." Toki murmured in a low voice, "He should belong to this kind of life."
The blond man sat on a large rock, hugging his knees with both hands, quietly watching all this.
He held a small metal ornament in his hand, as if he was reminiscing about something.
He whispered to himself: "Joy Boy, maybe the world you talked about is like this..."
He looked up at the distant sky, a deep longing in his eyes.
Whitebeard walked over with a large glass of fruit wine, grinning:
"Young man, don't be so depressed, come and have a drink!"
The man was stunned for a moment, then smiled and took the wine glass: "It seems you are quite enthusiastic."
"Gurararara! Fighting is for a better life, not for making yourself miserable all day long!" Whitebeard patted him on the shoulder heroically, but there was a hint of deep meaning in his eyes, "Remember, every day you live is worth celebrating."
Night fell, and the bonfire was burning in the open space, enveloping everyone's figures in golden light.
Jin-an leaned against the campfire, listening to Loki and Whitebeard arguing, and the children's laughter still echoed in his ears.
But his gaze gradually turned to the darkness in the distance.
This moment of peace was like a dream. He cherished it very much, and he also knew very well that it could be broken at any time.
The shadow of war had never really left, and he still had the fate of the entire world to bear on his shoulders.
He slowly clenched his fist and murmured, "This time, we will still win."
