Another Mighty Fighter Joins the Ranks

A massive wooden ship sailed across the sea, its square bow cutting through the waves like a bulldozer as it pressed through the surging water.

Not far from the ship, another, slightly smaller vessel followed, maintaining a moderate distance.

"The sea... so this is the sea..."

Loki sat at the bow, feeling the sea breeze against his face.

He breathed in the damp air, which, unlike the air in Elbaf, left him feeling refreshed.

Though the ship was no small vessel, with Loki sitting there, it looked more like an unusual wooden raft—or perhaps its original shape had already given it that appearance.

"Harald will go mad if we take Loki away," Rocks said, sitting cross-legged on the deck.

"That king is too busy to look after his own children. Even if Loki disappeared, he might not notice," Kaya said, standing before Rocks.

"Are we kidnapping a child?" Rocks said. "Even if this kid is a lot bigger than the two of us."

"What do you think, Loki?" Kaya asked Loki himself.

"Oh, come on, forget all that! Our goal is the 'world'!" Loki excitedly swung the massive iron club he had brought along.

"The world?" Rocks raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't you say so when you came to Elbaf before? That if you teamed up with my dad, no one could beat you, and you invited him to conquer the world with you? I can do it too!" Loki shouted.

"Hahaha! You can't even compare to one of your father's fingers!" Rocks mocked him without restraint.

"I'll grow up to be stronger than my father!" Loki protested. Then he added, "Rocks, you must be the legendary Nika!"

"What's that supposed to be?" Rocks looked puzzled.

Loki explained, "Nika is the warrior of liberation from the myths, who destroys the world while laughing!"

"Destroying the world doesn't suit me. My goal is to become King of the World, so I wouldn't be something like that. Besides, I admire Davy D. Jones," Rocks said, shaking his head.

"King of the World!" Loki's face was full of longing.

The two ships sailed across the sea, one behind the other.

Kaya and the other two rode on this ship, while the other was naturally the one Rocks had arrived on.

Its bow lagged slightly behind this ship.

"Rocks, why didn't you tell Harald what you saw back then?" Kaya suddenly asked.

"Oh?" Rocks looked at Kaya with interest.

"Sixteen years ago, you broke into the depths of the Holy Land. What did you see there?" Kaya asked.

"You sure know a lot," Rocks said with a smile.

"After the World Government was established hundreds of years ago, it set up the Empty Throne and publicly declared that no one could sit on it, representing equality among the Affiliated Nations."

"To that end, the original twenty kings even planted their weapons beneath the Empty Throne."

"In truth, that was a facade of peace for the World Government, a prop the Celestial Dragons used to whitewash their rule, because someone has been sitting on it all these years."

"Sitting on the Empty Throne means breaking the oath and exposing the World Government's dictatorial nature."

"That person is the one you saw back then."

Kaya spoke slowly and evenly, as calmly as a bystander telling a story.

But if these things ever spread, they would immediately raise a monstrous wave across the seas and shake the authority the World Government had built up over many years of rule.

Loki sat nearby with his back to them, pretending not to care while secretly pricking up his ears to listen.

"Saint Nerona Imu, one of the original twenty kings," Kaya said, revealing the name of the ruler behind the World Government so easily.

After he finished, silence fell for a moment.

Perhaps they were digesting the news, or perhaps it was for some reason that was difficult to put into words.

During that time, only the sound of waves striking the hull could be heard.

After a long while, Rocks finally spoke. "You're trying to tell me that guy is the King of the World? But the former King of the World was actually Davy D. Jones."

"No. I'm just saying that you'll die at this person's hands," Kaya said bluntly.

Rocks burst out laughing. "I'm going to destroy the World Government! No matter who the World Government has, they're all enemies for me to crush underfoot!"

Kaya looked at the wildly arrogant Rocks. This man probably couldn't imagine just how distant the world truly was...

No! Rocks had actually thought of that.

This guy had never planned to face Imu so early. During his debut battle back then, he had, at most, said hello to Imu and then run off as soon as he finished speaking.

It was only later events that forced him to go to God Valley, leading to the destruction of his ambitions.

But one thing was certain: Rocks knew a great deal, enough to count as the ultimate secrets of this world.

"Loki," Kaya suddenly said.

"Huh? Here!" Loki answered instinctively.

"Your strength falls far short. I'm not going to find someone to raise you. The place you're going now is Hachinosu, and it's full of the most vicious pirates," Kaya said, as though making an introduction.

"Linlin should be pretty good at looking after kids, right?" Rocks muttered.

"I'm not scared! Quit trying to frighten me!" Loki shouted back, displeased.

"I can help talented people awaken their power." Kaya stared at Loki for a few seconds and smiled for no apparent reason. "You can become stronger than your father."

"Power? You can give me power?" Loki was half shocked and half delighted. "Like the power you used to create the ship?"

"Yes." Kaya said, "I won't hide it from you. That power is dangerous, so think carefully."

"I want it! I don't care what power it is!" Loki said without hesitation. "This is a world for the strong. The weak deserve to be bullied!"

"You've got that much resolve?" Rocks chuckled and turned to Kaya. "Kaya, just who are you? Can you really share your power?"

Kaya took out a wineglass and gently swirled it. It quickly filled with liquid.

Loki took the glass and looked at the thing, which was barely bigger than his fingernail, and at the scarlet wine inside it, gleaming with an eerie light.

Kaya didn't need to say anything more. Loki already understood and brought the glass to his lips.

Kaya watched Loki drink the wine without the slightest apparent hesitation. He smiled silently, his smile carrying a certain meaning.

After drinking it, Loki scrunched up his face.

"It doesn't taste as good as juice!"

Heh!

The corners of Kaya's lips rose slightly. "Loki, you've boarded my pirate ship. Will you regret this moment someday?"

Loki said nothing, just sitting there motionless.

Rocks frowned and watched him for a while. Could the brat have been poisoned to death? Surely not.

The next second...

Aaaahhh!!

Loki suddenly stood up, red streams of light surging over his body like energy made tangible.

"Haki? No, that's not it!" Rocks looked closely.

"It's Spiritual Power!" Loki raised his hands, and a massive pinkish-purple Reishi Bow appeared in them, its deep color accompanied by an intense presence.

He drew the bow to its fullest. An arrow had already formed on the string, ready to shoot forth the moment he released it.

The Heilig Pfeil flew just above the sea, its fierce gale cleaving the surface as it raced forward, toward the distant end of the ocean.

"So... strong..."

Loki stared at his hands, speechless and stunned by the immediate effect.

At that moment, a blood-washed Schrift was engraved deep within Loki's soul, sleeping quietly. The moment when he would awaken it was not far off.

Loki—the Schrift "M," The Miracle!