The Power of Immortality

In Elbaf, villagers discuss the giants. A man with a hook hand says, "I ALWAYS THOUGHT THEY LOOKED SCARY, BUT NOW I WOULDN'T MIND MEETIN' ONE." A woman replies, "THEY'RE SO RELIABLE!" Another panel shows a city with narration: "15 YEARS AGO (THAT SAME YEAR), ALL OVER THE WORLD..." and "HARALD'S EFFORTS ARE PAYING OFF, BUT..." A merchant shouts, "IT'S A RARE AND TRICKY ITEM TO IMPORT!! I'LL TAKE IT ALREADY!!" while holding ELBAF CEDAR. A pirate-like man declares, "THIS HERE IS A TOP QUALITY ELBAF CEDAR!!" A woman exclaims, "I BET IT IS!!" A large man yells, "ELBAF SEAFOOD IS SUPER POPULAR NOW, Y'KNOW!! CAN'T YOU GET US STOCKED UP AGAINI" In a close-up, a mustached giant in armor proclaims, "SO OUR PEOPLE CAN FREELY VISIT ALL OF OUR ALLIES!! I THINK WE SHOULD BUILD SIGHTSEEING SHIPS... WHEN WE FINALLY BECOME A MEMBER NATION...!!" A sign reads ELBAF. NEW WORLD. Background figures cheer with "HARAALD!!" and "HARALD!!"

The mustached giant continues, "THIS IS THANKS TO A CULTURE OF MUTUAL RESPECT!! BUT THERE ARE MANY NATIONS OUT THERE WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF RACES COEXISTING!! WE'RE ACTUALLY A RARE MINORITY... FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE OUTSIDE WORLD!!" He raises his fist as the crowd cheers "わああああ" and "あああああ!!" A small character says, "THAT SOUNDS GREAT!!" with a heart. A sign reads WALRUS SCHOOL. A reptilian giant named Ida says, "I'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN, IDA." A horned figure replies, "OUR FUTURE HAS NEVER BEEN BRIGHTER!! WE'RE ONE STEP AWAY...!!" Another adds, "YEAH, LET'S DITCH THIS WARRIOR CRAP..." Children play near the school as one remarks, "BETTER SHARP KIDS THAN SHARP BLADES, HUHI DERESHI SHI!!" A large figure states, "THIS IS ALL THANKS TO YOU, SAUL..." while a child kicks a ball and waves.

A large mustached man in scaled armor sits outdoors and declares, "I DON'T BELIEVE THAT MILITARY POWER IS WHAT MAKES A COUNTRY STRONG ANYMORE..." Nearby, a bearded man with a topknot replies, "...BUT AIN'T YA AFRAID YOU'VE LOST SOMETHIN' HERE, HARALDI" In close-up, Harald continues with a serious expression, "...THE GREATEST BLESSING OF MY LIFE. MEETING HER WAS... IT'S 'CAUSE OF IDA... SHE TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING." A gravestone marked "IDA" stands among flowers and trees. Inside a wooden house, Harald kneels before a small curly-haired child on a bed and says, "BUT, YOU'VE CHANGED EVERYTHING." The child responds, "ELBAF REALLY HAS CHANGED A LOT! WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE, THERE WAS TONS OF INTERNAL CONFLICT, IT WAS SCARY..." Outside, Harald waves and calls, "HEY, HARALD."

Harald shouts passionately, "ALL OF THOSE BAD PRACTICES FROM THE WARRIOR ERA WILL BE THROWN AWAY!! THE OLD CUSTOMS, OUR BACKWARDS TRADITIONS..." Ida smiles and replies, "NOW CHILDREN CAN LAUGH AND STUDY INSTEAD. IT'S LIKE A TOTALLY DIFFERENT COUNTRY!!" Inside the house, Harald kneels dramatically and yells, "I CAN'T ACCEPT IT!!" while Ida counters, "DON'T YOU GET IT, IDA!I IT'S THAT VERY CULTURE THAT'S KEPT US FROM MARRYING!! YOU SHOULD CHERISH YOUR CULTURE... IT'S REALLY COOL... OH... BUT I KINDA LIKE THE WHOLE WARRIOR'S PRIDE PART." Harald laughs, "HE HE HE." In a close-up, Harald grins and says, "HE'LL ALWAYS BE HAJRUDIN'S KID BROTHER, WON'T HEI IN MY HEART, I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF HIM LIKE THAT. HAHAHA!" Ida blushes and exclaims, "WHAT ABOUT LOKII YOU'RE SOOO CUTE!! KOFFE, KOFFE, THAT REALLY IS THE SWEETEST THING!!...YOU ALWAYS DID SAY YOU WANTED TO MAKE ME YOUR LEGAL WIFE."

Ida holds Harald's hand and reassures him, "YOU'RE EVERYBODY'S KING HARALD!! BUT DON'T WORRY, IT'S OKAY. FEELINGS LIKE THAT... KEEP MY HEART FULL... IT'S WHAT'S BEEN KEEPING ME GOING ALL THIS TIME." Harald stands excitedly and declares, "...JUST LIKE THE OLD DAYS. SOON WE'LL BE CONNECTED WITH THE WHOLE WORLD!! OUR WORLD WILL BE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF TIMES BIGGER!! THEN WE CAN GO TRAVELING TOGETHER!! THAT'S RIGHT, IDA!! IT WON'T BE LONG... AND YOU'RE ALMOST THERE, RIGHTI" A small inset shows a young Loki crying. Harald cries out, "ME TOO!!" Ida smiles warmly and answers, "THAT SOUNDS AMAZING. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!!"

Harald weeps heavily with tears and snot flying as he covers his face, surrounded by concerned giants and debris in a ruined wooden interior. Multiple giants react with shock in the background. In a narrow corridor, Harald continues crying while a horned figure and others watch from doorways. A close-up shows Harald's tear-streaked face as he sobs. The scene shifts to a devastated room where a large figure lies injured on rubble amid scattered objects and broken furniture, with bubbles and dust filling the air.

High above Mary Geoise, a grand castle looms under cloudy skies. Voices discuss a missing figure: "HAD HE COMPLETED HIS LAST MISSION... INDEED... HE WOULD HAVE BEEN FORMALLY KNIGHTED." "SHANKS IS MISSINGI!" A framed caption reads "14 YEARS AGO - THE HOLY LAND OF MARY GEOISE." In a vast hall, a fierce white-haired man with a mustache grips another figure, declaring "DOING THAT WILL SECURE ELBAF'S MEMBERSHIP STATUS!!" The other responds, "I'LL NATURALLY ACCEPT THE HONOR OF BEING ONE OF GOD'S KNIGHTS!!" A regal armored man seated on a throne asks, "WHAT WILL YOU DOI AS YOU WERE OUR NEXT CHOICE, THAT OPPORTUNITY NOW FALLS TO YOU..." The mustached man, now shown in profile, mutters "...WELL, TO BE HONEST..." while a group of robed figures stands in the hall. A tall figure in boots steps forward as voices say, "YOU'LL BE REMEMBERED AS A KING WHO BROUGHT GREAT CHANGE TO ELBAF." "IT'S BEEN A LONG PROCESS...!!" "CONGRATULATIONS THEN. THE GREAT ONE HAS AGREED TO TRUST IN YOU." Heavy footsteps echo: "ズンッ..."

The mustached man continues, "A YOUNGER, MORE VIRTUOUS RULER THAN I SHOULD TAKE OVER. I PLAN TO RELINQUISH THE THRONE." A silhouetted swordsman strides across the hall, stating "WHEN ELBAF FINALLY JOINS THE WORLD GOVERNMENT..." Below, the armored man stands with sword drawn as debris flies. A voice declares, "...FOR MU TO DECIDE. THAT IS A MATTER..." A massive shadowy figure with a sword looms over a throne. In darkness, multiple eyes open as a voice intones, "MU HAS BEEN WATCHING THEE, HARALD." The mustached man, revealed as King Harald, stares in shock, sweat flying, and shouts, "COME. WHY... WHY IS THERE SOMEONE ON THE EMPTY THRONEI!" while sound effects rumble "ゴゴゴゴ..."

King Harald screams "UWAAHH!!!" as dark energy erupts around him in the hall before Mary Geoise. Symbols resembling the Blackbeard Pirates' Jolly Roger appear amid the chaos. He clutches his chest, eyes wide, exclaiming "THIS POWER...!!" "IT'S SURGING WITHIN ME!! IT'S CHILLING!!" while gasping "HUFF." The power manifests as swirling black smoke and force, knocking back onlookers. Background figures watch in alarm as the surge intensifies with motion lines and impact effects.

Observers react to the transformation: "HE HAS BEEN FORGED INTO A MIGHTY WEAPON." "HE IS NOW BEYOND ANY WILD MONSTER..." "IT STILL SENDS SHIVERS DOWN THE SPINE..." "...THIS IS THE POWER OF 'IMMORTALITY.'" Harald, now monstrous and empowered, floats above a vast city square filled with crowds. A voice commands, "CARVE AN ABYSS PENTAGRAM IN ELBAF. THAT WILL MARK THE BOND BETWEEN US!!" Harald replies in awe, "IMMORTAL...I! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT..." The speaker continues, "CONSIDER THYSELF... AN IMMORTAL KNIGHT SWORN TO MU." In a grand ceremony, Harald raises his arms as the crowd cheers "HUZZAH!!!!" Banners wave while voices proclaim, "ELBAF WILL BE RECOGNIZED AS A MEMBER NATION OF THE WORLD GOVERNMENT....AS SOON AS THIS LAST MISSION IS COMPLETED!!" "KING HARALD!!" "THANK YOU!!!" "THY DEAREST WISH SHALL FINALLY BE GRANTED..."

Inside the grand hall of Quest Castle, a lone figure sits upon the throne as shocked voices echo: "GREAT IMU...I" "COULD YOU REPEAT THAT..." A sign reads "QUEST CASTLE." The scarred king of Elbaf leans forward intensely, declaring "...AND FORM A GRAND ARMY OF WARRIORS!!" and "MOBILIZE THE ENTIRE NATION..." In the ruined courtyard below, the king kneels with arms raised, pleading "OF COURSE... IF ANYONE STILL WISHES TO FIGHT, I'LL GLADLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO ENLIST IN THE MARINES, BUT...!!" "EVERYTHING I'VE DONE WAS TO FREE ELBAF FROM VIOLENCE!!" "WAIT, NO!! HOLD ON!" Nearby eyes watch as narration continues: "THE GIANT WARRIOR FLEET WILL STAND ALONGSIDE THE MARINES......AND SERVE THE WORLD AS..." A voice wonders, "WHO IS THE KING TALKING TO IN THEREI"

The confrontation intensifies as a massive armored warrior looms over the king, shouting "EVEN AT THE COST OF BECOMING A SLAVE!!!!" and "THOU VOWED TO ATONE FOR ELBAF'S HISTORY...!!" The king growls back "THOU CANNOT DISOBEY ME, IMU!!" The warrior retorts "THE BURDEN OF SUCH HISTORY IS TOO GREAT FOR THEE TO BEAR ALONE!! I MEANT TO CARRY THAT BURDEN ALONE!! NOW HOLD THY TONGUE..." A smaller warrior warns "THIS ISN'T GOOD... I'M LOSING CONTROL, ELBAF... THEY NEVER MEANT FOR IT TO BECOME PART OF THE FOLD!! CURSE THAT IMU!!" The king is forced down, hearing "THOU WILL CARRY OUT IMU'S ORDERS... REGARDLESS OF THINE OWN WILL!!...BUT IT COMES AT THE COST OF TOTAL OBEDIENCE!! THOSE WHO ENTER INTO A DEEP SEA COVENANT MAY GAIN IMMORTALITY AND POWER..." The king gasps "WHA-"

An enormous explosion rocks Quest Castle as debris flies and the structure cracks. The king yells "GUARDS!!!" while narration reveals "...TO ENSLAVE THE WARRIORS OF ELBAF!! THE PLAN WAS ALWAYS..." Inside, the king commands "HURRY!! SUMMON ELDER JARUL AND MY SONS!!" and "CHAIN ME TO THIS PILLAR!!" Guards react with "HUHI!" "WHAT IS IT, YOUR MAJESTYI!" "IS SOMEONE-I" The king continues desperately: "NONE OF THAT MATTERS NOW!! RELEASE HIM!!" "I CAN'T RESIST FOR LONG...!!" A guard reports "BUT, SIRE, I BELIEVE HAJRUDIN IS STILL OUT AT SEA..." Another asks "WHAT EXACTLY IS THIS CONCERNING, YOUR MAJESTY!!" Silhouetted warriors discuss "AND LOKI... LORD LOKI, THAT IS, IS STILL IMPRISONED AFTER WHAT HAPPENED...!!"

A massive warrior with a horned helmet sits up after impact, SFX "ガチン!!" and "ヒュオオオ..." A voice commands "HEAD TO QUEST CASTLE AT ONCE! THE KING REQUIRES YOUR PRESENCE!!" "YOU'RE FREE TO GO, LOKI!!" Signs mark "JAIL, REALM OF THE DEAD" and "JARUL'S HOUSE." The scene shifts to an elderly giant with a long beard who asks "WHAT'S GOING ONI!" "SOMETHING URGENTI!" as narration states "AND SO... WE RETURN TO WHERE THIS TALE BEGAN..." A framed portrait appears with the caption "HISTORY CONVERGES!! WHEN ELBAF'S MOST BELOVED KING, HARALD THE BENEVOLENT, LOST HIS LIFE... THE DAY OF THE CASTLE MASSACRE..." Final text reads "ONE PIECE" "...CH.1168 /END" "BREAK NEXT WEEK."

No description for this page.