Harald was initially worried that Loki would be unstable and continue to take people out.
But he found that Loki was more patient than he imagined, living contentedly in the Underworld.
Time passed day by day.
During these few months, they began to frequently encounter rare natural disasters.
The Treasure Tree Adam frequently caught fire.
But after completely entering summer, storms and cold waves attacked Elbaf instead. Not only did the Sun Realm turn into a world of ice and snow, but even the sea surrounding Elbaf was completely frozen.
The abnormal climate left Harald in a terrible fix.
Sun Realm, Orst Castle.
"Report!!!"
A guard rushed in out of breath.
"Speak, what is it now?" Harald rubbed his swollen brow and spoke helplessly.
"Phew~ Your Majesty Harald, another lake has frozen. Now, let alone irrigating farmland, there isn't even enough for drinking." The messenger licked his dry lips, hesitant to speak.
"Speak, what else?" Harald suddenly felt a headache.
The guard stammered: "Prince Loki's biological mother said that all this was brought about by Prince Loki's birth. She also said that because Your Majesty Harald didn't execute Prince Loki, Elbaf will eventually be swallowed by disaster."
"Ignorant!!!" Harald stood up abruptly, furious, a murderous intent flashing in his eyes.
He should have executed that woman back then.
Step...
At this moment, Ida walked in and gave the messenger a look.
The messenger left hurriedly.
"Ida, it can't go on like this. The weather hasn't improved. If this continues, the people of Elbaf will face starvation this year."
Harald no longer hid his anxiety in front of his lover. He stepped forward quickly, held Ida's hand, and said: "I want to go out to sea and ask those friends for help."
"The nearby sea is frozen; how can you go out?"
Harald: "I can smash those blocks of ice, or even carry the ship across this frozen sea. I can do it."
"I never doubted your strength, Harald, but what about the fortress in people's hearts? Can you pierce through it?"
"How will I know if I don't try, Ida? I have to try. Just like you and everyone in the Bonto Kingdom, there will always be someone who remembers the friendship we once had."
Ida was persuaded: "Then go try."
The two embraced emotionally.
At this moment, there was a knock on the closed door.
"Enter!" Harald returned to seriousness.
It was still the messenger just now. He stepped aside, revealing Streusen behind him: "Your Majesty, he was sent by Prince Loki, saying he can solve the problem of food shortage."
"Your Majesty Harald, Queen Ida." Streusen bowed elegantly.
"Oh my, what are you saying? I'm not the Queen, ohohoho~" Ida denied it verbally, but she was already beaming with joy.
Streusen had no intention of changing his words: "Queen Ida, you are the mother recognized by Prince Loki, so naturally you are."
"It's you!"
Harald couldn't help but relax his brows, showing excitement.
Not only because of Streusen's attitude, but also because he remembered Streusen's ability.
With the opponent's ability, anything can be turned into food.
It can indeed solve Elbaf's famine.
How could he have forgotten this person?
Wait, could it be that Loki foresaw today's situation back then, so he took him as a subordinate?
Thinking of this, Harald couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "Loki truly possesses a heart of gold!"
Compared to Loki, Estrid's half-baked prophecy is truly untrustworthy.
"It is me, Your Majesty Harald. Can I start working?" Streusen took the initiative to speak.
"No rush, wait a bit longer." Since the problem could be solved, Harald wasn't panicked anymore.
Ida looked at her lover in confusion.
"I want to see the results of my decades of hard work, and to what extent everyone can endure." And, to separate those who still advocate violence. Harald didn't say the second half of the sentence.
Soon, as the wind and snow grew stronger, supplies in the Sun Realm went from tight to insufficient, and even fell into the abyss of scarcity.
At first, soft and sweet white bread could still be seen barely, only the portions became thinner day by day;
A few days later, it was replaced by black bread mixed with coarse sawdust and gravel, hurting the gums when bitten, and making the throat dry as if rubbed by sandpaper when swallowed.
In the end, even this hard-to-swallow black bread was completely cut off. Only empty sacks remained in the corners of the warehouse, making whimpering sounds when the wind blew, as if mourning for this desperate situation.
Hunger, like a maggot attached to the bone, quietly spread across every inch of Elbaf's land, drilling into the marrow of every giant.
The Hunting Village, which mainly relied on hunting and had little storage, was the first to become restless.
"Damn it, can't even find beasts anymore. I've been gnawing on tree bark for three days."
"..."
"Should we go out to sea to plunder? Robbing humans is very simple." Someone lowered their voice in the darkness, with a hint of probing in their tone.
"This is something Your Majesty Harald has already forbidden." Another person retorted, but their voice lacked confidence; hunger made their rebuttal seem pale and weak.
"Isn't this Elbaf's past history?"
"When food wasn't enough before, didn't our ancestors survive by plundering at sea?"
"Of course not!" Someone retorted sharply, "We Elbaf have always been proud warriors, relying on upright combat to gain glory, not despicable plundering!"
"Pride? Then fill your stomach with that pride!!"
Night.
Warriors, panicked by hunger and seeing stars, quietly picked up the weapons hanging on the wall—battle axes, long knives, maces.
They gathered tacitly at the village entrance.
"Everyone is clear about the target, right?"
"The villages on the island."
"The battle must be quick. Once it gets big, flee separately; absolutely cannot implicate others."
"..."
No one responded, only heavy breathing mixed with the rumbling of stomachs was exceptionally clear in the darkness.
Stober said no more, turned around and walked out of the village, preparing to lead everyone towards the nearby villages.
But after just a few steps, he bumped into something hard with a bang, groaning in pain and taking two steps back.
"Damn it, where did this tree come from?"
Stober covered his aching forehead and cursed in a low voice. Just as he was about to look up clearly, he heard a voice as cold as ice, like the wind and snow drifting in the sky at this moment, instantly chilling his whole body.
"I thought you would at least dare to challenge me and then go to the outside world. I didn't expect the first thing you thought of was to plunder your compatriots. Truly despicable to the extreme!"
Stober was scared out of his wits. He looked up abruptly and, by the faint starlight, saw that familiar tall figure.
Harald was standing not far in front of him, his figure still as straight as a pine, but there was no expression on his face. Those deep eyes were full of indifference and disappointment.
"Harald!!!"
Stober was first terrified, then blinded by despair and anger.
Things having come to this, there was no turning back.
He swung the battle axe in his hand fiercely and roared at Harald: "Attack!"
Clang!
The crisp sound of metal clashing exploded in the silent night.
The battle axe slashed fiercely on Harald's thick leg, but caused no damage; instead, it was bounced back by the shock.
Stober's web between thumb and forefinger went numb instantly, and the battle axe almost flew out of his hand.
Harald was expressionless. He slowly raised the greatsword in its sheath, swept his arm horizontally, and the greatsword swept across the field with a whistling wind.
Pfft pfft pfft~
The hunters of the Hunting Village had no time to react before being hit by the scabbard. As if struck by lightning, they spat blood and fell to the ground, falling into a baby-like sleep.
The next day, Harald summoned the people.
The wind and snow stopped completely. The long-lost sunlight pierced through the clouds and sprinkled on the land of Elbaf, but it couldn't dispel the chill in people's hearts.
"Everyone."
Harald's gaze swept over the crowd below the stage, staring at pairs of eyes filled with weakness, fatigue, and hunger, and said in a deep voice:
"For months this year, Elbaf has suffered from natural disasters, and grain production has been greatly reduced. These should be days when people join hands to overcome difficulties together. I never expected that someone would want to plunder their compatriots. In the name of the King of Elbaf, I exile these people to the Underworld to be dealt with by Loki."
The bruised and swollen warriors of the Hunting Village were already full of anger. Hearing this, they immediately cursed one after another.
"False King! What right do you have to punish us?"
"Everything was caused by you and that cursed prince. If not for you, how could we be so hungry! And you still have the face to judge us?"
"You don't let us rob, but you should bring us food! You can't even fill our stomachs; what kind of King are you!!!"
"Talking about trade, but actually finding nothing back. Useless fellow."
"...."
Curses and accusations rose and fell. The people below the stage also began to whisper, their eyes full of unease and doubt.
"Silence." Harald's loud voice suppressed all the noise: "I don't have the ability to solve the natural disasters Elbaf suffered. It is my fault, absolutely not Loki's responsibility."
Saying this, Harald turned slightly sideways and bowed deeply to all the people in apology.
The moment that upright figure bent down, the noise below the stage disappeared completely. Everyone was stunned, their eyes full of surprise.
Straightening up, Harald continued: "I summoned everyone today precisely to solve all this! Because Loki sent us someone who can solve the famine."
Harald stepped aside, revealing Streusen's short figure.
"Human?"
"What can such a small human do?"
"Is he some kind of king? Can he bring us food?"
"Didn't see a single ship at the port; where would there be food? Is His Majesty deceiving us?"
"...."
The giant people didn't gain confidence.
Facing these doubts, Streusen didn't panic at all. He puffed out his chest and introduced himself confidently: "I am not a king, just the Chief Chef of the Underworld Palace personally appointed by Prince Loki!"
"What's the use of a palace chef?"
"Can he conjure food?"
"Does Prince Loki think our homes still have food like his palace?"
"..."
Doubts became increasingly fierce. Hunger made the giant people lose patience. They didn't want to listen to a human chef talk nonsense; they just wanted to know where there was something to eat.
Streusen didn't explain anymore. Instead, he walked directly to a tree and began to use his ability. The pine and cypress covered with ice and snow turned into meat soup falling into the pre-arranged large pot, and the tree trunk turned into meat steak.
A strong, fresh aroma spread instantly, drilling into every giant's nose.
It was an alluring scent they hadn't smelled for a long time. It instantly stimulated their long-numb taste buds, making their stomachs involuntarily let out even fiercer growls.
"Am I dreaming?" Someone rubbed their eyes subconsciously, unable to believe the scene they saw.
"Is this real or fake? Ice and snow turned into meat soup, and tree trunks turned into meat steaks?"
"Can things conjured by an ability really be eaten? Will they be poisonous?"
Doubts still existed, but more people were already hooked by the enticing aroma and couldn't move their feet.
A few giants who couldn't stand the hunger anymore carefully stepped forward, dipped a finger into the meat soup in the pot, and put it in their mouths.
"Mmm~"
The warm meat soup slid down their throats, carrying a rich, fresh aroma, instantly dispelling the dryness of their throats and the cramps in their stomachs.
That long-lost feeling of fullness spread little by little in their abdominal cavities, making them unable to help but let out satisfied hums.
With the first person's attempt, others couldn't hold back anymore. They rushed forward one after another, gulping down meat soup and gnawing on meat steaks.
Their originally shriveled stomachs were filled little by little, the haggardness and fatigue on their faces gradually dissipated, and their fingers became warm and powerful again.
What cursed prince.
Clearly a savior bringing them hope and delicious food.
Seeing this, Harald announced directly: "I have decided to designate the Underworld as Loki's fiefdom. From now on, Loki and I are both Kings of Elbaf."
"Oh oh oh!!!"
"King of Elbaf!!!"
"Your Majesty Loki!!"
"..."
None of the people objected, cheering in response.
"????"
When the news reached Loki's ears, his head was instantly full of question marks.
Harald, what the hell do you want to do? Completely split Elbaf?
Afterward.
Loki went directly to find him.
"Long time no see, Loki. You've grown up, and grown so fast." Harald looked at the current Loki, somewhat dazed.
Haven't seen him for a few months, and Loki no longer has the appearance of an infant.
The double horns on his forehead stood like double knives, flashing with heart-palpitating cold light; one look and you knew they were sharp weapons.
His height was already over six meters, and his arms exposed outside the battle armor were covered with explosive muscles, giving a sense of matchless power.
"Don't talk about this and that; talk business." Loki looked straight at Harald.
"Testing my changes to Elbaf over the years."
"I can see that." Loki rolled his eyes. If not for Streusen covering his bottom, Harald would be a tyrant at best.
"I'm talking about the title of King of Elbaf."
Name and utensil cannot be lent to others.
Could it be that Harald wants to quit and run away?
He was still thinking of keeping this old fogey as a fighter for himself.
Can't let the World Government deceive him away.
Harald stated his plan: "If one day in the future it is really necessary, you can kill me and inherit Elbaf directly."
"You haven't been scared by the prophecy, have you? It's not that exaggerated. Just don't listen to the World Government's忽悠 (huyou - bamboozling/coaxing) to join the Holy Knights, and don't get close when fighting Im." Loki couldn't help but want to laugh.
The abilities in Im's magic book can definitely be called perverted, but they are definitely not invincible; otherwise, Garp would have been converted long ago.
First of all, the contract to control others must reach the level of a Deep Sea Contract.
The Devil Contract must use tentacles to penetrate another person's body as a medium, endowing [Evil Power] to convert them at the cost of lifespan.
"What is Im? The master of the Holy Knights? The true power of the World Government?" Harald instantly grasped the core of the problem.
"Something like that; I'm not sure either." Loki shrugged. If Oda didn't draw it, he would be lucky to know anything.
"Then you just follow your path; I have mine." Harald didn't pursue the question: "As for the prophecy, since you and that woman saw the same thing, although it may not necessarily come, it's better to be prepared."
"In that case, I'll take it."
Isn't it just the Elbaf weightlifting champion?
In the future, his shoulders will have to bear thousands of islands in the sea; might as well carry this to adapt first.
"I believe in you." Harald looked at Loki firmly.
"What are you saying." Loki was stunned and waved goodbye.
After Elbaf returned to stability, Harald set sail again and embarked on his own path.
A month later.
Bondi Kingdom in the New World.
Harald held the contract in his hand and returned to his vessel somewhat blankly.
It was completely different from the situation he expected where the whole world was his enemy and opposed him everywhere.
Although the royal family carried fear, they dared not refuse his communication.
In the end, the royal family here showed an attitude of fear and trepidation towards him instead.
"Could it be that Loki leading Raideen and the others to attack the Marine base was actually good for diplomacy?"
Harald couldn't figure it out.
Time flies; more than ten years passed in a flash.
Sea Circle Calendar 1493.
Sun Realm.
Orst Castle.
Rumble!!
Thunder descended from the sky, enveloping a spire at the back of Orst Castle, turning it into a prison of thunder.
The people of West Village were already used to it.
"Started again."
"Hey, Road, reserve member of the fire brigade, are you ready?"
Young little Road tossed his hair: "Don't try to fool me. When Prince Loki acts, he will let Lord Apollo handle the fire fighting; he doesn't need us at all."
"Oh my, you've actually become smarter."
While they were chatting here, thunder was still roaring above Orst Castle.
Amidst the thunder.
Thunder was swallowed by Odin like flowing water.
Even Odin's usually indifferent face couldn't help but show some comfort.
Loki held the heavy hammer named [Iron Thunder] and persuaded patiently: "Although I can't eat that fruit for the time being, it doesn't affect my use of you. Look, I can also use thunder, and you can also summon thunder. And you are so heavy; now only I in the entire Elbaf can lift you. We are the most compatible pair."
Iron Thunder's handle bent, the hammer head moving away from Loki, extremely resistant, and constantly inducing thunder to express dissatisfaction.
"Phew~" Loki took a deep breath.
He never expected that after forcibly holding down Iron Thunder with strength, what greeted him was actually Iron Thunder's resistance.
Does not eating that fruit mean not being allowed to use it?
This doesn't make sense; otherwise, how did Loki in the original timeline eat that fruit?
"Iron Thunder, you have exhausted my patience. Today, I want you to feel my displeasure with your heart and experience my dissatisfaction."
Unable to figure it out, Loki pressed Iron Thunder to the ground to suppress it. His thick and powerful right hand pulled back high, his slender fingers closing one by one, the back of his hand lingering with a layer of purple Armament Haki.
The density of the Haki even clearly reflected the surroundings.
Iron Thunder also resisted, twisting the hammer body and smashing towards Loki's iron fist.
Clang~ The sound of metal intertwining was loud.
Loki's web between thumb and forefinger cracked, and familiar pain transmitted to his nerves.
Iron Thunder's material was the hardest thing he had encountered so far.
"I don't believe I can't beat you into submission today."
Loki ruthlessly cut off his pain nerves directly and punched repeatedly.
Boom boom boom boom!!
Fist and hammer collided frantically, the violent power making the entire tower shake back and forth.
"The feeling is coming."
Loki attacked continuously, having completely entered a combat state.
The moment he grasped that trace of trembling in his Conqueror's Haki, Loki immediately burned soul power and injected it into his brain and kidneys, ordering.
"Serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine, adrenaline, secrete all of them in excess for me!!!"
"Brain overclocked."
"Kidneys are about to explode!!"
Buzz!
Loki's eyes bulged.
Extreme levels of dopamine caused Loki's brain activity to surge, skyrocket, and explode!
Adrenaline increased the brain's overall alertness, helping to filter key information and filter out irrelevant interference, keeping the body and mind in an efficient "standby" state.
Acetylcholine improved the brain's precision in information transmission and attention.
And serotonin kept Loki's tense spirit from indulging in illusory pleasure, clearly controlling that trace of fetal movement of Conqueror's Haki.
"Conqueror's Haki, spin for me!!"
Loki's spirit shook. His spirit condensed to the limit caused Conqueror's Haki to gather on his fist peak, turning into dangerous black-red lightning.
"Hahahaha~ Iron Thunder, eat my strike!!!"
The Conqueror's Haki-infused heavy punch landed fiercely on Iron Thunder.
Clang!
The dull metallic echo lasted for a long time.
Iron Thunder's hammer head visibly swelled with bumps.
It turned into a squirrel with a big hammer on its head and teary eyes.
"A weapon that ate a Mythical Zoan fruit? Not a weapon with spirituality." Loki suddenly realized.
No wonder Iron Thunder was also tied with chains later; it turned out to be an ability user.
He thought it was like a ship that developed a Klabautermann.
Iron Thunder, inherited in Elbaf for too long, had developed a Hammer Spirit.
"Squeak! Squeak squeak squeak~"
The squirrel, with tears in its eyes, accused Loki of a few words, then turned into Iron Thunder and remained motionless.
"So breaking the defense counts as recognition." Loki understood.
No wonder it didn't let him use it before; turns out it wasn't beaten into submission.
Loki picked up Iron Thunder, waved it smoothly, felt the whistling wind, and smiled with satisfaction.
This weapon is powerful enough!
"Don't worry, I'll find a way to eat that fruit." Loki walked out of the crumbling tower, holding the hammer in one hand and the treasure chest containing the unknown fruit in the other.
A fruit ability named after a god.
Must have a taste no matter what.
Meanwhile, off the coast of Elbaf.
A simple large ship made of rafts approached slowly.
Buzz!!
The calm sea suddenly surged with huge waves. A wave tens of meters high rose from the calm sea surface, and a human face emerged: "State your name! Only then can you pass."
"Logia user?" The broad and fat John scratched his head.
"Should be a creation of an ability user." Miss Buckingham.
"Idiot, seawater is the nemesis of our ability users; how could there be a Seawater Fruit user?" At the same time, Shiki tapped his cigar and cursed mercilessly.
"Shiki, you **" John retorted sarcastically.
Newgate and Wang Zhi watched coldly from the side, ready to watch a good show.
"Enough, be quiet!" Rocks shouted, his Haki erupting, suppressing the two who wanted to fight.
Then he looked at Kraken and smiled: "I am Rocks, looking for your King!"
He came here this time to discuss cooperation with Harald.
Naturally, he had to be polite.
"Rocks? Master already knows you are coming. Distinguished guests, please follow me!"
Kraken immediately changed his attitude, bent down to lift Rocks and the others' ship, and sped towards Elbaf.
"Harald knows I'm coming?" Rocks raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised and also somewhat pleasantly surprised.
Harald seems interested in cooperation?
Kraken moved very fast. In just a few minutes, Rocks and the others were already approaching the edge of the Underworld.
Then, Kraken entrusted Rocks' vessel to the Homies at the harbor.
Without leaving the ground the entire time, the group was passed deeper into the Underworld by Homies one by one.
"Really interesting."
"I didn't expect Elbaf to be a living island."
"..."
Rocks' eyes flickered uncertainly, remembering a wanted poster he had seen fourteen years ago.
It wasn't Harald who foresaw his arrival.
But his son—DOOM?
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