Pangu City – Beneath the Empty Throne
"Is this what you call a report?"
Kneeling on the cold floor beneath the Empty Throne, the Five Elders trembled uncontrollably.
Im's voice echoed through the grand palace, sending chills down their spines.
"I'm sorry, Lord Im!"
"It was our impatience!"
"Please, grant us another chance!"
"We will extinguish this flame!"
"Please, rest assured, my lord!"
"Rest assured?"
"Hmph!"
With a cold snort, Im released a wave of terrifying pressure. The Five Elders were struck hard, blood spurting from their mouths as they collapsed.
"You have disappointed me again and again, yet you dare ask me to trust you?"
"There will be no more chances!"
"No! Please, grant us one more opportunity!"
Panic filled the Five Elders' eyes as they desperately pleaded for mercy.
"We swear to eliminate Lucifer and bring back his head!"
"We will not fail again!"
"Lord Im, we beg for your mercy! We are still of use!"
The atmosphere inside the Void Palace was suffocating, filled with an overwhelming killing intent. The temperature had dropped drastically, and a thin layer of frost had formed over the walls and marble tiles.
Under Im's oppressive aura, the Five Elders struggled to breathe.
Boom!
Another devastating impact struck them, sending their bodies flying like ragdolls. They crashed to the floor, coughing up blood.
The Five Elders lay sprawled in a pool of their own blood, their bodies twisted, their injuries severe.
"Get out of my sight. I will spare your lives today," Im declared coldly.
"If not for your remaining usefulness, you would have died here and now."
"Deliver my order—awaken the Eight Kings of Project 407."
"And summon the God's Guard immediately."
"Yes, Lord Im!"
The Five Elders struggled to their feet, bowing in submission before limping out of the palace, supporting one another.
At that moment, their hatred and thirst for Lucifer's death reached an unbearable peak.
If not for Lucifer, they wouldn't be in this miserable state.
Not only had they lost Im's trust, but they now faced the looming shadow of death.
Even if they managed to eliminate Lucifer, they knew their positions were no longer secure.
Once the crisis was over, Im would strip them of power and replace them with others.
Although they were still Celestial Dragons, their status would inevitably plummet.
And to them—who had lived their entire lives above all others—losing power was worse than death.
"Lucifer, just you wait."
"When the Eight Kings awaken, your judgment day will arrive!"
"Under the command of the God's Guard and the Eight Kings, you have no chance of survival!"
They shuddered at the sheer power of the Eight Kings, the divine strength of the God's Guard, and, most of all, the supreme might of Im.
In their minds, they could already picture Lucifer's imminent destruction.
Somewhere in the Darkness – Morgans' Hideout
Still being hunted by Lucifer, Morgans had not given up his dedication to his work.
The moment he received the news, he spread it across the world.
"The Great Battle of the Century! The Nether Pirates Have Achieved Absolute Victory!"
"The Legendary Whitebeard Has Fallen—A Legend Ends!"
"Emperor Red-Haired Shanks Killed in Battle—The Red Hair Pirates Collapse!"
"The Marine Grand Fleet Annihilated—Fleet Admiral Sengoku Falls!"
"Marine Headquarters Crumbles—Justice is in Ruins!"
"Evil Now Rules the World—Where Does Justice Go From Here?"
"A Demon Like No Other—Lucifer Stands at the Pinnacle of Power!"
"The Whitebeard and Red Hair Pirates Are Destroyed—The Nether Pirates Now Rule the New World!"
"Lucifer, King of the World—A God Beyond Even Rocks D. Xebec!"
"The Nether Pirates vs. the World Government—The Final Battle Approaches!"
"The End of the Old Era—The Dawn of a New Age!"
"800 Years of Stability About to Collapse—Lucifer, the Natural Enemy of the Gods!"
With Morgans' influence, news of the decisive battle spread across the world like wildfire.
When people saw the headlines, they were thrown into chaos.
Countless islands fell into panic, as if the world itself was on the verge of destruction.
Even nations at war halted their battles, withdrawing their armies to fortify their own territories.
The balance of the world had been completely shattered.
Sabaody Archipelago – Shakky's Rip-off Bar
Inside the dimly lit bar, Silvers Rayleigh sat at the counter, silently staring at the newspaper in his hands.
The condensation on his untouched glass of liquor showed that he had been lost in thought for a long time.
"Well? Amazing, isn't it?"
Shakky took the glass from Rayleigh's hand and asked softly.
"Yeah... It's unbelievable."
"It feels like a dream—like an illusion!"
Rayleigh sighed deeply.
His eyes glistened, and before he could stop them, tears slipped down his cheeks, dripping onto the wooden counter.
"I never thought Whitebeard would fall like this."
"And Shanks... he's gone too."
"Sometimes, living a long life isn't a blessing."
Rayleigh had fought alongside Whitebeard in his youth. Their bond was forged in battle, and now, seeing his old rival perish left a deep ache in his heart.
And then there was Red-Haired Shanks—his own disciple. The boy who had inherited Roger's will.
Whenever Rayleigh looked at Shanks, he saw the spirit of the Roger Pirates living on.
Now, that light had been extinguished.
Rayleigh clenched his fists, his sorrow sinking deep into his bones.
But now, Shanks was dead too.
He died right in front of his old friend.
The white-haired man sending off the black-haired man—the feeling made Rayleigh's heart ache, as if he were suffocating.
"Who would have thought that the little guy from back then would reach such heights today? It's simply a miracle!"
Shakky still remembered the first time she met Lucifer.
At that time, he was still a bit inexperienced, but the Haki within him was already beginning to emerge.
Not long after, Lucifer burst into the New World and soon became one of the Four Emperors.
And now? He had destroyed the Four Emperors of the old era and become the sole ruler of the New World.
Not only had the Four Emperors fallen, but even Marine Headquarters had been completely overrun and swallowed by the sea.
What Lucifer had achieved today surpassed all expectations.
Even the legendary Pirate King, Roger, and the infamous Rocks D. Xebec were no match for comparison!
"The future of this world has become completely unpredictable."
Rayleigh put down the newspaper and sighed.
"What does the future of the world have to do with you?"
Shakky smiled and said, "Don't forget, you're just a retired old man now."
"As long as you've got those old bones of yours, don't bother worrying about these things. Just stay on the island and enjoy your retirement."
"Yeah, you're right."
Rayleigh smiled wryly.
He had no intention of avenging Shanks.
As a pirate, he had been prepared to die in battle from the day he first set sail.
Shanks was no different—he had his own journey, his own adventures.
Dying at Lucifer's hands only meant that he had been outmatched. It wasn't Rayleigh's place to seek revenge.
"As an old man, I should do what old men do."
"Hahahaha!"
Rayleigh laughed heartily. He picked up his glass and was about to take a sip when he suddenly stopped.
From the corner of his eye, he glanced toward the bar's entrance, a hint of helplessness flashing across his face.
"It seems that retiring peacefully won't be so easy after all."
Just as he finished speaking, the door was pushed open.
The Red Earl, Patrick Redfield, stepped inside.
"Long time no see, Lee."
Redfield looked at Rayleigh and greeted him calmly.
Rayleigh raised his glass in acknowledgment. "Yeah, it's been a long time. More than 30 years, probably."
"Have a seat. Drinks are on me today."
Rayleigh slid a nearby chair toward him and poured a glass of rum, setting it on the table.
The Red Earl took his seat, picked up the glass, and downed it in one gulp.
"Tell me, why did you come looking for an old retired man like me?"
Rayleigh gazed at him with sharp eyes.
"You're not here just to catch up, are you?"
"Of course not."
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