BOOM!
Surging Dark-type energy exploded with a thunderous blast, the violent impact swallowing Loki's body whole. The force was so tremendous that even those outside the shadows could hear it clearly.
"AAAAAH!!!"
Amid the storm of the explosion, Loki let out a miserable scream.
Wave after wave of Dark-type power rode the blast's impact straight into his brain, battering his mind again and again.
Dark-type energy did not strike directly at the soul the way Ghost-type energy did, but when it came to disturbing the mind and assaulting the spirit, its effects were surprisingly powerful.
Under the force of Night Daze, Loki, who took pride in his mental power, soon fell into a dazed state. His thoughts began to blur.
This was the main reason Pokémon power could dominate so tyrannically in the world of pirates!
Compared with the pirate world, which still pursued physical attacks, Pokémon moves not only strengthened the user to a certain degree, but also carried difficult-to-resist additional effects while pursuing overwhelming power.
To those who knew nothing about Pokémon power, this was a true dimensional strike.
Even someone as powerful as Loki could only take a beating before Moria's power.
The only difference between him and everyone else was probably that, as someone with an awakened Mythical Zoan ability, he was a little more resistant to getting beaten up than ordinary people!!!
Taking advantage of Loki's mental daze, Moria slammed both hands onto the ground. In an instant, countless shadows surged forth like chains, swiftly coiling toward Loki.
Because he had just used a stronger move to attack, Moria could not immediately chain into another powerful Pokémon move.
But that did not matter!
Because he still had the native power of the pirate world—the Shadow-Shadow Fruit!!!
In the blink of an eye, Loki's body was once again firmly restrained, just like before.
And while Loki began struggling with great effort, Moria's second attack, Dark Pulse, had already finished condensing. It smashed heavily into Loki's body, once again shaking his mind.
A Pokémon move's attack, combined with a mental assault and the restraint of shadow power…
This battle had completely fallen into Moria's rhythm.
If things continued like this, Moria's victory was already in the bag.
But that was not the result he wanted!
After several consecutive Dark Pulses had battered Loki into serious injury, Moria suddenly stopped his offensive rhythm. He raised a hand and summoned even more shadow chains, binding Loki tightly in place.
"…Hah… hah…"
The shadow domain, which had been chaotic moments ago, abruptly fell silent. Only Loki's faint breathing proved that this battle had not ended outright.
A moment later, under the super recovery ability of his awakened Zoan, Loki's injuries quickly healed, and his consciousness gradually cleared.
However, after the repeated baptism of Dark-type power, Loki's mental state was not particularly good.
What his awakened Zoan restored was only the wounds on his body and his overconsumed stamina. It could not make up for the damage his mind had suffered.
Under the repeated impact of Dark Pulse, Loki had even fallen into the move's additional effect. His entire being entered a flinching state.
Loki feared neither heaven nor earth. He did not fear destroying the world, nor did he fear perishing together with it…
Yet at this moment, for the first time in his life, he experienced what fear was!
As he slowly opened his eyes, the instant he saw Moria, his heart suddenly throbbed with the urge to retreat.
But restrained by the shadow chains, he could only struggle violently, to no effect whatsoever.
"What… what are you going to do!?"
For some reason, Loki's voice actually trembled as he watched Moria approach step by step.
If the giants of Elbaf, who had been tormented by Loki for decades, saw the panic on his face right now, their jaws would surely drop in shock.
Since when had they ever seen such an expression on Loki, this lawless demon king?
"Loki, now do you know what true power is?"
Moria approached Loki, but he did not continue attacking him. Instead, he revealed a meaningful expression and asked him a question.
Though there was not a shred of light within this shadow domain, both Loki and Moria could clearly see the expressions on each other's faces—even the true emotions conveyed through their eyes.
"…Power."
As if he felt his current state was far too disgraceful, Loki let out a long breath, doing his best to dispel the fear in his heart.
But if power from the Pokémon World could truly be driven away that easily, then the Straw Hat Pirates would never have achieved what they had in such a short time.
Even though Loki's willpower was astonishing and his mental power was formidable, after trying to calm himself for a long time, he still did not have the courage to raise his head and look Moria directly in the eyes.
Loki lowered his head, making himself appear only slightly wretched, using that to conceal the fear in his heart.
"What exactly are you trying to say?" he asked in a low voice.
Moria merely smiled faintly.
"I mean exactly what I said!"
"Loki, do you know what true power really is? Or rather, do you know who the truly strong are?"
"Is it… you?"
Loki dared to raise his head, forcing his tone to sound tough as he asked back.
When Moria heard that answer, he instantly let out a sneer.
"Me!?"
"I have to say, I do like that answer. But the truth is, the gap between me and those truly strong people is just like the gap between me and the top of this World Tree!"
"I can't even see the end of it!"
Moria's emotion-filled voice echoed through this dark place.
He was not lying.
On the day the Straw Hat Pirates first fought the Five Elders and the World Government fleet, Moria and Hancock's pirate crews had been not far from that sea area.
Thanks to Thriller Bark's mast, which stretched over a hundred meters high, the Moonlight Pirates became the only spectators to that battle.
And it was precisely that battle that allowed Moria to witness the Straw Hat Pirates' true strength.
From then on, the Straw Hat Pirates' power had progressed at a terrifying speed every single day, as though there were no end to it.
It was only after Moria voluntarily contributed his Thriller Bark and earned Red and the others' true recognition that he learned…
The Straw Hat Pirates' sights had long since stopped being limited to this planet beneath their feet.
The things he had longed for yet could not obtain were nothing more than passing clouds to others.
And the goal he had pursued all this time was, to the Straw Hats and the others, something they could obtain with the wave of a hand!
Recalling what Red had once said to him that day, a strange glimmer flashed through Moria's eyes. Then he repeated those words exactly as they had been spoken to the Loki before him.
"Loki, do you know just how vast our world truly is?"
"..."
Loki, who never read books, remained silent.
He truly did not know the real state of this world.
Elbaf itself was a nation with little contact with the outside world. And because of his status as the cursed prince, in these sixty-odd years, he had never once experienced leaving Elbaf.
The only time he had done so, not long after setting sail, he had been captured by the Red Hair Pirates led by Shanks, brought back to Elbaf, and imprisoned.
Fortunately, Moria had not expected Loki to give him any answer. He immediately continued.
"From ancient times to the present, people have always taken everything they have experienced, seen, and understood as the full picture of this world."
"And precisely because of that, everyone carries within their heart their own understanding of the world."
"I know your goal is to destroy this world. Listen to that. What a great and noble ideal, isn't it?"
"But Loki…"
"You can't even get out of Elbaf. What right do you have to talk about destroying the world?"
"Or is this so-called goal you would spend your entire life trying to achieve nothing more than relying on your inborn talent and strength to bully the weak, bringing disaster and pain to those weaker than yourself…"
"Until you provoke someone truly strong, and your pitiful, short life ends beneath their power?"
"Of course not!!!"
Hearing Moria describe his lifelong wish in such an unbearable way, Loki actually overcame the psychological pressure brought by his flinching state. He raised his head and roared loudly at Moria.
But Moria merely chuckled softly.
"It isn't?"
"But in my eyes, that is exactly what you want to do."
"Destroy the world? You can't even do something as simple as destroying Elbaf, so what right do you have to talk about destroying the world?"
"Your so-called destruction is nothing more than bringing despair to the weak and destroying their so-called reason and society!"
"Admit it! Your dream isn't nearly as great as you think it is!"
"You could even call it unbelievably tiny and laughable."
"Otherwise, you wouldn't have failed to even leave this little Elbaf!"
"You bastard!!! What did you say!?"
Hearing those words, flames of fury abruptly surged in Loki's heart, and his body began to struggle violently.
One shadow chain after another shattered under Loki's monstrous strength, but new shadow chains quickly appeared, filling in the gaps.
Under this shadow domain, even as the legendary creature Fenrir the giant wolf, Loki could not resist the devouring darkness. He possessed brute strength, but nowhere to use it!
Whoosh!!!
Just then, a ruthless glint flashed through Moria's eyes. All the shadow chains abruptly tightened, wrapping Loki's body firmly in place.
"Do you still not understand!?"
Moria's voice suddenly became dignified.
"This world is not nearly as fragile as you imagine! And you yourself are not nearly as powerful as you think!"
"Wake up, Loki! You do indeed possess extraordinary talent—even I cannot help feeling jealous of it!"
"But it is precisely that proud talent that has made you look down on others and blinded your eyes, preventing you from seeing the truth of this world!"
"Destroy the world? Heh! Only someone who does not understand this world well enough would have the courage to say something so ridiculous!"
"Do you know that the region we live in is nothing more than an insignificant corner of this world!?"
"Lift your eyes and look at the stars filling the sky. Every tiny point of light in your eyes might very well be a planet even larger and more prosperous than this so-called world beneath our feet!"
"Not long ago, the Straw Hat Pirates successfully obtained information on forces beyond this planet, and the lords are currently busy making preparations to explore the starry sky!"
"I can see that you are a talent worth shaping. That is why I did not want to end this battle carelessly, and why I am saying these words to you."
"Stop wasting your talent and power! Broaden your horizons. This world is far wider than you imagine!"
"Join us. Perhaps one day in the future, you and I will also have the chance to break free from this patch of heaven and earth, and witness that vast world with our own eyes!"
The fact that the Straw Hat Pirates were about to begin traveling through space was not a secret to the captains of the Grand Fleet.
It was just that some of them, like the Straw Hats, yearned for the mysterious universe, while others felt that having everything they currently possessed and occupying their own territory to act like petty tyrants was already the life they had always dreamed of.
And Moria, who had long since recovered the ambition of his younger days, was naturally one of those who yearned to go into the universe and witness a broader world!
Red had also once told him that if the situation in the universe was stable enough, they might not necessarily be without a chance to enter space in the future and come into contact with true forces from beyond the planet.
It was precisely because Moria yearned so deeply for such a future that when he said these words to Loki, his tone was extremely sincere!
And sincerity was always the ultimate move!
"You… are you saying… the truth!?"
Forced back into his ordinary giant form under the torment of shadow power, Loki raised his head. A strange and complicated light flickered in his vicious eyes.
He was not some idiot who understood nothing. Though Elbaf produced many reckless brutes, it also possessed a cultural heritage unimaginable to the outside world.
As for the matter of worlds existing beyond the starry sky, Loki had heard a little about it when he was young. It was just that at the time, he had always treated it as a wild fantasy.
"Of course!"
Moria's firm answer made the divine light in Loki's eyes shine even brighter.
Clearly, Loki was the one tied up, but at this moment, no longer affected by the flinching state, he could still speak with ferocity.
"If I find out that everything you said was empty talk, I absolutely won't let you off!"
"Hee hee hee hee~"
Moria grinned.
"Say that kind of big talk after you truly possess power that surpasses mine!"
…
…
Elbaf, Underworld.
Looking at the dark region that had not shown any movement for a long time, both the giants of Elbaf and the viewers in front of their screens had their curiosity drawn to the limit. They waited urgently.
Finally, at that moment, the black curtain suddenly began to dissolve from top to bottom like melting chocolate.
Moria and Loki's figures were exposed to the public's sight.
But just as the corners of many mouths began to rise, thinking they would finally be able to witness an exhilarating battle…
Loki, who represented the giants' side, suddenly let out a crazed laugh. Then he raised his hand and said:
"I surrender!!!"
(End of Chapter)