Father and daughter confront each other
Uta's singing was like an invisible spider web, spreading from the center of the stage and enveloping the entire venue in layers.
The pupils of tens of thousands of spectators gradually dilated, their smiles stiffened, and their movements resembled those of puppets controlled by strings.
Their shouts lost their emotional fluctuations, replaced by a uniform low chant, like the chanting of a cult ritual.
On the high platform, Luffy scratched his head, his face scrunched up. "Eh?! They... they look like zombies!!"
Nami, Law, Baby-5, Usopp, Sanji also sensed something was wrong. Only a few of them were still able to remain sober amidst the singing.
The six people quickly gathered together.
Luo gently snapped his fingers together, and the halo around ROOM flickered. He calmly analyzed, "This is probably the power of Devil Fruit..."
Nami frowned, her eyes resolute. "Whatever her purpose, we must stop her!"
"Learn!!"
Six people attacked simultaneously, their figures darting through the flames and crowds, heading straight for the stage!
In the center of the stage, Uta's lips curled into a slight smile.
She lightly raised the microphone, her smile gentle yet chilling, "To be able to resist my singing... truly an elite of the navy."
Her tone shifted abruptly, becoming sharp. "Unfortunately—can you even lay a hand on ordinary people?!"
--boom!!
The sound waves surged like a tidal wave, and with a flick of her finger, tens of thousands of spectators and nearby naval soldiers suddenly rioted!
Their eyes were vacant, yet their movements were frantic. They surged forward like a tidal wave, layer upon layer, protecting Uta in the center.
The six people froze, their expressions changing.
"Oh no!" Nami gritted her teeth and whispered.
"They're using ordinary people as a shield?!"
Sanji spun around and leaped into the air, unleashing a powerful whirlwind kick that accurately sent several people flying without killing them.
Baby-5's arms suddenly transformed into thick steel nets, which opened with a "whoosh" to block the onrushing soldiers. "Luo!! Hurry!!"
"ROOM-- Anesthetic Shockwave!"
With a flick of the tip of Luo's blade, blue spatial ripples spread out, and the puppets in the front row instantly lost consciousness, collapsing in droves like wheat being harvested.
The situation eased slightly, and Law coldly ordered, "Sanji, Baby-5, Nami, work with me to control the manipulated people!"
Usopp provides remote support— Luffy, let's go straight for the target!
"Learn!!"
Usopp suddenly raised his spear, his eyes sharp, and aimed at the songstress in the center of the stage.
"Ultimate Kill - Sleep Star!!"
"Call out--!"
The specially made hypnotic needle shot out, heading straight for Uta's forehead!
--"Bang!!"
The bullet was stopped mid-air by a figure.
A soldier with vacant eyes lunged forward without hesitation, using his body to shield the bullet with his chest!
He fell expressionlessly, while the surrounding audience and soldiers continued to shout in unison, their voices rising like a tide, eerie and chilling.
Usopp froze, his throat tightened, and he couldn't help but growl, "Damn it--!"
"Uta!!"
Luffy, covered in scales, Sky Splitter with his half- Dragonization claws, a thunderous roar shaking the stage as he rushes towards the songstress in the center.
"Stop singing!!"
In the center of the stage, Uta suddenly spread her wings, red and white, like a fallen angel looking down upon all living beings.
She raised the microphone high, and the sound waves surged like a tangible force, Shockwave that swept across the land!
"Don't even think about it!! The New Era... is unstoppable!!"
The deafening roar shook the entire stadium, the light pillars swayed, and thousands of spectators chanted in unison, their eerie rhythm resembling the prayers of an ancient ritual!
Luffy roared as he forcefully broke through the waves, his scales and claws flashing with lightning, and he was about to reach the stage—
"Clang--!"
A red figure suddenly rushed out from backstage!
Griffon drew a cold arc in the air, blocking the Dragon Claw's claw!
Sparks flew, and the collision of sound waves and air currents created a monstrous wave, causing the stage panel to shatter with a deafening roar!
"Varied...?!"
Luffy's pupils shrank, his face filled with disbelief.
"Red-Hair?!"
Shanks, sword in one hand, Red-Hair flying wildly in the wind, gaze cold and sharp as a blade. "Don't even think about hurting her."
Uta's singing abruptly stopped, her purple eyes trembled, and as she stared at the familiar back blocking her way, her voice trembled:
"Shanks... you..."
Shanks sheathed his sword, turned around, his gaze gentle yet filled with pain, his voice hoarse. "Uta... stop."
"Stop?"
Uta dug her fingertips into her palm, drawing crimson blood down her skin, and the microphone Quake-Split in her hand, producing a piercing static.
She suddenly laughed, but the laugh was twisted and grotesque, "The day you abandoned me in Elegia... why didn't you say 'stop'?!"
"Why are you suddenly popping up here pretending to be a benevolent father?!"
Shanks felt a sharp pain in his chest. He took a step forward, his voice hoarse, "Uta! I kept you with Gordon... to protect you!!"
"Protect?!!"
Uta's maniacal laughter suddenly burst forth, tears and rage mingling in his purple eyes.
Suddenly, wings unfurled behind her, and a purple-black sound wave swept across the entire area, like the whisper of a demon.
"You throw me away like trash... Is this your way of protecting me?!"
"Look at Shanks--!"
"I am stronger than anyone else!! I can make the whole world slumber in eternal beauty!!"
Her voice suddenly lowered, like a nightmare whispering in your ear, with an eerie gentleness:
"I want to create a utopia without Pirates and without war..."
Even you... can find happiness in your dreams--
Uta tilted her head slightly, but her smile was chilling.
"Father."
Shanks stared at Uta in the center of the stage, his pupils shrinking sharply.
That once innocent, smiling face is now completely distorted by obsession and fanaticism.
"Uta!!"
He felt a sharp pain in his chest, and a huge, shadowy demonic figure suddenly appeared in his mind, as if silently mocking his belated arrival and incompetence.
"No!!" Shanks roared, his figure blurring as he charged toward the stage.
However--
"Boom--!"
Accompanied by Uta's heart-wrenching aria, terrifying sound waves exploded outwards!
The power of the Sing-Sing Fruit was fully unleashed, transforming into an invisible storm that swept across the entire area!
In an instant, tens of thousands of spectators, thousands of Navy Elite, and even Nami, Luffy, Sanji, Law... all had their pupils widen in shock!
--Then their bodies suddenly stiffened, and like puppets with broken strings, they all fell to the ground!
The hustle and bustle of the entire Concert vanished into deathly silence at that moment.
The world seemed to have frozen in time.
In the spiritual realm, brilliant golden light illuminates heaven and earth.
Uta stood tall, her golden spear and shield gleaming, her jetpack ablaze with flames, transforming her into Battlefield Valkyrie, overlooking all living beings.
Welcome to Uta's world--
Her voice echoed like Goddess's, yet it carried an irresistible majesty.
In reality, the entire venue resembled a puppet theater.
The fallen crowd lay silently, only Uta's song still echoing in the empty air.
Suddenly--
"Tap--tap--"
Footsteps sounded.
No, to be precise, there was no real "sound".
The figure was clearly tall and imposing, wearing Rear Admiral's cloak and radiating a faint aura, yet he walked on the gravel and wooden planks without making a sound.
It was as if even the air itself was deliberately holding its breath.
Rosinante had a cigarette dangling from his lips, a hint of expected helplessness in his eyes.
"Oh dear... no wonder Mr. Roy specifically asked me to make this trip."
He lazily scratched the back of his neck, a roguish smile playing on his lips, "I was wondering what it was all about—turns out it's this much trouble."
His gaze casually swept across the entire room, finally landing on Luo and Baby-5, who had been nestled together before losing consciousness.
Rosinante's eyes Flash, and he immediately grinned mischievously.
He bent down and, in a cheeky manner, forcefully intertwined their hands, even adjusting them into a "tightly clasped" position.
"Young people should be more frank, right?"
He exhaled a smoke ring, a hint of ease and cunning flashing in his eyes.