The enormous wooden vessel sailed across the sea, its broad, squared bow splitting through the waves like a bulldozer as it pushed through the surging water.
Another, smaller ship followed not far behind, maintaining a steady distance.
“The sea…
So this is the sea…”
Loki sat at the bow and let the ocean wind blow across his face.
He inhaled the damp, salty air deeply.
It felt completely different from Elbaph—fresh and exhilarating.
The ship itself was enormous, but with Loki sitting on it, the vessel somehow looked more like a peculiar oversized raft.
Then again, its crude original design had always given off that impression.
“Harald is going to lose his mind when he realizes we took Loki,” Rocks said, sitting cross-legged on the wooden deck.
“That king is so busy he barely has time to manage his own child.
Loki could disappear and he might not notice for a while.” Hua Ye stood in front of him.
“Are we kidnapping a child?” Rocks asked.
“Even if the child is several times bigger than both of us.”
“What do you think, Loki?” Hua Ye asked the supposed victim.
“Who cares about stuff like that?” Loki waved the enormous iron club he’d brought from Elbaph.
“Our goal is the world!”
“The world?” Rocks raised an eyebrow.
“Didn’t you say it yourself when you came to Elbaph before?
If you and my father joined forces, nobody could stop you, and you wanted him to help you take the world!
I can do it too!” Loki shouted.
“Hahaha!
You’re not even as strong as one of your father’s fingers!” Rocks mocked without mercy.
“I’ll grow stronger than my father!” Loki protested, then suddenly added, “Rocks, you must be the legendary Nika!”
“The hell is that?” Rocks looked genuinely confused.
Loki eagerly explained,
“Nika is the Warrior of Liberation from legend!
He laughs while destroying the world!”
“Destroying the world doesn’t fit someone whose goal is to become King of the World.” Rocks shook his head.
“I’m no Nika.
Besides, the man I admire is Davy D.
Jones.”
“King of the World…”
Loki’s face filled with admiration.
The two ships continued across the sea, one leading and the other following.
Hua Ye, Rocks, and Loki occupied the enormous wooden vessel, while the smaller ship behind them was naturally the Rocks’ Fury that Rocks had sailed to Elbaph.
Its bow lagged slightly behind.
“Rocks,” Hua Ye said suddenly, “why didn’t you tell Harald what you saw back then?”
“Oh?”
Rocks looked at him with interest.
“Sixteen years ago, you broke into the depths of the Holy Land.
What did you see there?” Hua Ye asked.
“You really do know a lot.”
Rocks smiled.
Hua Ye continued in an unhurried voice.
“When the World Government was founded centuries ago, it created the Empty Throne and publicly declared that nobody could sit upon it.
It was supposed to represent equality among the member nations.”
“To symbolize that oath, the original Twenty Kings placed their weapons around the throne.”
“In reality, it was nothing more than a facade of peace—a prop used by the Celestial Dragons to make their rule appear legitimate.”
“Because throughout all these years…
someone has always been sitting on that throne.”
Hua Ye’s tone remained calm, like an uninvolved observer narrating an old story.
Yet if this information spread across the world, it would create waves large enough to swallow nations and shake the authority the World Government had spent centuries building.
Loki sat nearby with his back turned toward them.
He pretended not to care.
His ears, however, had very obviously perked up to listen.
“St.
Nerona Imu,” Hua Ye said.
“One of the First Twenty.”
With incredible casualness, he exposed the identity of the secret ruler standing behind the World Government.
Silence followed.
Perhaps Rocks needed time to digest what Hua Ye had said.
Or perhaps the silence came from something more difficult to explain.
For a long while, only the sound of waves striking the wooden hull could be heard.
Eventually, Rocks spoke.
“You’re trying to tell me that bastard is the real King of the World?
The real King of the World in the past was Davy D.
Jones.”
“No.”
Hua Ye’s response was blunt.
“I’m telling you that you’re going to die at Imu’s hands.”
Rocks burst into laughter.
“I’m going to destroy the World Government!
Whatever monsters are hiding inside it are just enemies I’ll crush under my feet!”
Hua Ye looked at the madness and confidence filling Rocks’ face.
This man probably had no idea how far away his dream truly was…
No.
Actually, Rocks did know.
He had never intended to confront Imu so early.
During that first attack on the Holy Land, he’d basically done little more than introduce himself to Imu before immediately running away.
It was later events that forced Rocks to go to God Valley, destroying the ambition he’d been building toward.
One thing was certain, though.
Rocks knew a great deal.
Enough to touch on some of the world’s deepest secrets.
“Loki,” Hua Ye suddenly called.
“Huh?
Present!”
Loki answered instinctively.
“You’re far too weak right now.
I’m not finding someone to babysit you.” Hua Ye spoke as though making a simple introduction.
“We’re returning to Hachinosu, an island filled with vicious pirates.”
“Linlin’s probably pretty good at looking after kids,” Rocks muttered.
“I’m not scared!
Stop trying to frighten me!” Loki immediately shouted back.
“I can help talented people awaken new power.”
Hua Ye stared at Loki for several seconds before smiling mysteriously.
“You can become stronger than your father.”
“Power?
You can give me power?” Loki sounded both shocked and thrilled.
“The same power you used to create this ship?”
“Yes.”
Hua Ye’s expression became serious.
“I won’t hide the truth from you.
That power is dangerous.
Think carefully.”
“I want it!
I don’t care what kind of power it is!” Loki answered without a moment of hesitation.
“This is a world for the strong!
The weak are meant to be bullied!”
“That’s quite the resolve.” Rocks laughed and turned toward Hua Ye.
“Hua Ye, what exactly are you?
Can you really share your power with other people?”
Hua Ye produced a cup and gently swirled it.
Liquid soon appeared within.
Loki accepted the cup and stared at the tiny object—it was barely larger than one of his fingernails.
Inside was crimson wine that shimmered with an eerie light.
Hua Ye didn’t need to explain.
Loki already understood what he was supposed to do.
He brought the cup to his mouth.
Hua Ye watched Loki swallow the blood wine without the slightest hesitation and smiled wordlessly, a deeper meaning hidden behind the expression.
After drinking, Loki scrunched up his face.
“Juice tastes better!”
Hua Ye’s lips curved upward.
“Loki, you’ve boarded my pirate ship now.
One day in the future…
will you regret this moment?”
Loki didn’t answer.
He remained seated and completely still.
Rocks frowned as he watched him.
Had the kid been poisoned to death?
No way, right?
Then—
“AAAAAAARGH!!”
Loki abruptly shot to his feet.
Red light surged around his enormous body like tangible energy.
“Haki?
No!”
Rocks narrowed his eyes and examined him carefully.
“It’s spiritual power!”
Loki raised both hands.
An enormous pinkish-purple Reishi bow formed in his grasp, its color deep and heavy with an intimidating presence.
He pulled the string all the way back.
A massive arrow had already condensed against it.
All Loki needed to do was release his hand.
The Heilig Pfeil shot out over the sea.
Its violent wind pressure split the ocean surface apart as it raced farther and farther toward the distant horizon.
“So…
strong…”
Loki stared at his own hands, momentarily speechless from the immediate and overwhelming increase in power.
At that very moment, a blood-red Schrift engraved itself deep within his soul.
It remained asleep for now.
But the instant of its awakening was already drawing near.
Loki—Schrift “M,” The Miracle!