coobybook Chapter 241 The End of the War, Prelude
Chapter 241 The End of the War, Prelude
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The wind howled, like the lament of a battlefield.
In this grand war that brought together countless powerful individuals.
Marineford, which had stood at the center of the world for hundreds of years, is now in ruins, with most of the island submerged in the sea.
On the ravaged battlefield, not even a single intact stone slab of the plaza could be found.
In addition to the physical destruction, the very existence called "Navy" also cracked.
……
The crowd began to gather, clearly divided into groups.
Sengoku stood before the crowd with his hands simply bandaged, his eyes filled with exhaustion, and his once jet-black sideburns were now snow-white.
"Allen..."
"You have never told me what your sense of justice is."
"And why...did you choose him?"
……
"justice……"
Allen repeated the two sentences, then slowly shook his head: "It's not something so noble."
"Marshal of the Warring States Period, I did not gather them based on my own ideals."
"As Vice Admiral Tsuru said, a navy not controlled by the World Government is what they expect, and it is what I can give."
……
"Would things be better without a world government?"
Zhan Guo sighed with melancholy: "Call me stubborn or stupid, whatever."
"The restoration of order was accompanied by a war that affected the entire world, a war far more devastating than this one, a massive war that lasted for decades or even centuries."
Even if you succeed...
"Can you guarantee that you can do better than the World Government? Can you consistently keep your followers satisfied?"
……
Why should I make a promise?
"If my actions afterwards displease them, they are free to leave, or even turn against me!"
He opened his arms, palms facing the fierce wind.
"I don't need to care about everyone's feelings."
"I didn't come into this world to fulfill your expectations."
"Because I'm not satisfied with the current situation, I want to change it to my liking."
"The world just needs to make me happy, that's all."
"so……"
Do you understand?
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At this moment, what should I say...?
The Warring States period was filled with melancholy.
……
"Is this your reason...?"
"Not belonging to either side," a voice came from the edge of the battlefield.
He walked slowly, perhaps because he was too tired.
His feet and hands were covered in blood and gore; one can only imagine how he got there.
Lucci slowly straightened up, returning from beast to human form.
"Is that so...? Finally, you don't have to lie anymore. Are you happy... Allen...?"
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"Yes, this feels good, Lucci."
Allen turned to look at him: "This time, I didn't lie to you."
The hand slowly extends.
"I understand your pain, come with me."
……
How can I describe that look in my eyes...?
"Ha...haha...haha..."
Lucci couldn't help but laugh, his intermittent laughter echoing across the desolate battlefield.
I laughed so hard I couldn't stand up straight, and tears streamed down my face.
……
"This is really interesting..."
How many times have you said that? How many more times do you want to say it?
"How could you possibly understand..."
Why...?
"I used to be like that too!!"
"Just focus on the task at hand, that's all you need to do!!"
"Why?!"
"Why can you say such things so calmly and matter-of-factly?!"
"Why do you think you can truly empathize with me?!"
"He's a man, and a beast," Lucci roared.
The roar subsided, a myriad of emotions calmed, and finally coalesced into a single sentence...
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"It's all because of you."
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brush--
The mangled, bloodied hands sprouted sharp claws, their blades gleaming coldly.
Lucci charged toward Allen with utter calm.
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This kind of suffering can only be stopped by death.
Allen's outstretched fingers trembled slightly, and his eyes dimmed.
Is that so...?
If only I could have met you sooner, or even later...
……
No one stopped Lucci's charge; anyone could see his determination to die.
Allen assumed a fighting stance, fully focused, his hands moving rapidly in front of his chest, forming hand seals, his entire body radiating extreme cold.
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click -
The sharp claws stopped less than an inch in front of Allen's eyes.
The ice crystals, like sentient white vines, climbed up my ankles. When the ice line reached my collarbone, the belated, absolute cold finally reached my nerves.
Lucci felt his consciousness freezing, growing slower and slower.
Is this what death is?
It feels...not bad.
The warmth of holding a knife for the first time in childhood, the warmth of blood splattering on my face after the first time I killed an enemy.
Killing intent, hatred...
Everything returned to calm, faded and frozen.
Last minute.
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"I'm sorry, my friend..."
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Upon hearing this, Lucci slowly closed his eyes, transforming into an exquisite ice relief.
"Ice Release: Zero Seal Coffin"
Absolute silence in the blink of an eye between life and death.
As Lucci's body fell, his icy fingertips drew a clear line of blood on Allen's flawless face.
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Bang!
With a single stomp, the ice beneath his feet shattered, and the ice sculpture plunged into the unfathomable sea, quickly carried away by the undercurrents to an unknown destination.
Allen gazed intently at the dark seawater.
You're right, pain is incomparable and cannot be truly felt.
Then... let fate decide.
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That's enough.
Allen looked back at Sengoku, Akainu, Kizaru... and smiled as he saw faces that were either familiar or unfamiliar.
Her smile was like a warm sun, melting away the ice and snow.
"Marshal Sengoku, Mr. Sakazuki, Mr. Borsalino..."
"You are not fools, please uphold your sense of justice."
"It is because of your existence that this world has not completely collapsed."
Even though we are parting ways now, I will cherish the time I spent working with you all, and I also hope...
"Next time we meet, be sure to kill me and save the world!"
Click—
The flaming fan stood in front of him, and cracks spread continuously from the fan surface as the origin, until they divided the view.
Marineford's frozen harbor was split in two.
A massive ice sheet broke away from the seawater and slowly floated up.
Allen looked down for a long time, then turned his back.
……
Zhan Guo looked up, watching that figure disappear into the crowd, watching the floating ice drift away until it vanished, before slowly lowering his head.
Unable to hold on any longer, his tall body collapsed to the ground.
"Tomorrow... no."
"From today onwards, I am no longer a Fleet Admiral."
"I am no longer able to guide you forward."
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"Heh... Have we become the ones who have been abandoned?"
Kizaru crouched down, feeling utterly exhausted. He shook his head with a wry smile, "Truly... life is unpredictable."
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"Stand up."
A deep, hoarse voice rang out.
Blood was dripping from Akainu's forehead, and you could even see the shattered skull.
"Stand up, Borsalino!"
"Treat the wounded, regroup the warships—you have a lot more to do!"
"The battle is far from over..."
"No matter who survives in the end, the remaining people will be needed to create a new world."
"Order is broken... so rebuild it!"
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Aokiji watched as Akainu, unwavering, relayed orders one by one, mobilizing the Navy.
He hates Akainu, ever since the Ohara incident.
Such a ruthless man should not lead the navy; he has always held this belief.
but……
Aokiji had been wondering why Allen hadn't asked for his opinion.
If... if you speak up, and even Lieutenant General He chose you, I might choose you too.
I also fantasize about standing behind you.
Why didn't you ask me even once...?
The answer is already there.
Aokiji gave a self-deprecating laugh.
How can someone who is so lost and confused, who doesn't even know which way to go, expect others to make their choices?
The unfocused pupils gradually narrowed.
I'll try... to firmly believe in you just this once.
Sakazuki!!
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Ninja world.
Long ago, the Sage of Six Paths founded the Ninja Cult and established the order of the world.
After a thousand years of the Warring States period, it has evolved into the era now ruled by five major states.
The one who pacified the chaotic world was none other than Hashirama Senju, the founder of Konohagakure in the Land of Fire and the First Hokage.
Two hundred meters below the Hokage Rock lies a complex underground space.
In the dimly lit laboratory, only the light from the monitors flickered.
A colossal giant, covered in terrifying wounds, lay within the black-patterned array, its body riddled with countless tubes, its eyes tightly shut.
Da...da...da...
From the shadows, an old man with half his face wrapped in bandages, looking incredibly sinister, walked by leaning on a cane.
"How is it?"
When asked, the researcher in a white lab coat immediately replied:
"Lord Danzo, the injuries on this body are horrific!"
"Before this, I never dared to imagine that a living organism could endure such harm and still maintain vital signs!"
"More than 170 fatal wounds, 32 kinds of deadly toxins, 94 penetrating wounds, the most serious being comminuted injuries all over the body, even reaching the cellular level!"
"It took seventeen medical ninjas just to remove the toxins using the Fine-Damage Extraction Technique."
"We tried regeneration techniques, but his cells were no longer usable."
"We used that person's cells... however, it only delayed his death."
"I'm so sorry!!"
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Danzo Shimura stared at the giant for a long while, a fervent glint in his single eye. He tapped his cane lightly: "Do your best to save him. If all else fails, preserve a part of his flesh."
Even when near death, they possess energy reactions comparable to those of tailed beasts. If the control could be cured...
At the very least, it can be used as material for the Impure World Reincarnation, which will definitely be a huge help to me in becoming Hokage!