One Piece: Creating Avatars Start With Ryomen Sukuna

Chapter 358: King's Endless Power

Half a month later.

The Holy Land, Marijoa.

Kings from allied nations around the world gathered in this sacred and dazzling place.

Wide, bright streets, meticulously planned layouts, a solemn atmosphere, and grand, majestic architecture.

Gardens, green trees, flowers, and sculptures offered a feast for the eyes.

Agents and guards, omnipresent in the Holy Land, could be seen everywhere.

The kings are walking the streets, along with their entourages, observing their surroundings cautiously.

The security here was noticeably stricter than the last time they had come for a Reverie.

But recalling the recent chaos, slaves freed from the Holy Land, Celestial Dragons getting kidnapped, leading to a war that humiliated both the Celestial Dragons and the World Government, some kings found it understandable.

For now, they just needed to wait for the reverie to start and wrap it up quickly.

Though the Holy Land seemed glamorous, many kings didn't want to linger. This was, after all, the stronghold of the Celestial Dragons.

Encountering them was inevitable here.

And they all knew full well what most Celestial Dragons were like. Crossing one by mistake could spell big trouble.

Led by their guards and attendants, many kings arrived at the rooms prepared for them in the Holy Land.

Over the next few days, more kings from allied nations would trickle in, and the Reverie would officially begin after a few days of waiting.

Once the kings settled in, they realized something.

During their stay in the Holy Land, communication between kings was forbidden.

This rule left them incredulous.

In the past, before the conference began, kings were allowed to mingle.

After all, discussing global safety and order required some mutual understanding beforehand.

Without any context, it'd be easy to misspeak once the conference started.

Saying the wrong thing in front of the leaders of every participating nation could have serious repercussions.

Thus, the World Government's new restriction left many kings dissatisfied, while others exchanged knowing glances.

The World Government soon provided an explanation.

Due to unusual activity in Big Mom's territory, a ship from her pirate crew was reportedly on its way here, they suspected spies had infiltrated. For safety, it was best if the kings didn't gather together.

With this public justification, the kings had no choice but to swallow their discontent.

This was, after all, the World Government's headquarters. Though the allied nations were part of it, the World Government wasn't beholden to them.

There was a clear distinction.

The World Government could easily manipulate individual nations, or even several, without much effort.

In such a situation, unless it was a major issue, they'd just have to grin and bear it.

Time passed slowly.

While preparations continued in Marijoa for the World Government's affairs…

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In a certain sea region, undercurrents were stirring.

Splash!

The sea's surface rippled as a massive shadow broke through, stirring waves that eventually subsided.

The sea appeared calm again, shimmering under the light, as if nothing had happened.

But if someone dove beneath the surface, they would witness a terrifying sight.

Gigantic figures, beyond imagination, darted through the currents, making the underwater flows even more turbulent.

Wherever they passed, fish scattered in panic.

These were enormous Sea Kings. The smallest were hundreds of meters long, while the largest stretched thousands of meters.

Hundreds of them moved forward in a grand, awe-inspiring procession.

A gathering of this many Sea Kings could destroy islands or nations with ease.

Leading them were a few peculiar Sea Kings, their bodies covered in black patterns.

Though only a few hundred meters long, they stood out from the rest and took the lead.

They were heading toward a specific location: a hollow beneath the Red Line, passing through Fishman Island.

------

Elsewhere.

In another sea region.

A vast, white mist eerily blanketed the ocean, spanning over a thousand meters.

What made it strange was that it seemed to drift with the wind, moving toward a specific point as if it had legs.

From a distance, the mist's shape even vaguely resembled a ship.

Within the thick, low-visibility fog, numerous eerie lifeforms lurked.

These were the demons of Fear Island, split into two groups.

One group consisted of humanoid black mist-like figures, numbering nearly ten thousand.

The other, far smaller with only a few hundred, varied in shape and were at least mid-tier demons.

They rode a massive vessel they called the Mist Ship, heading toward their destination: the Holy Land of Marijoa on the Red Line.

"Jie jie jie, is the war about to start? I can't wait…"

One demon at the forefront, clad in steel armor with a helmet that left only a cross-shaped slit, let out a sinister laugh.

-------

In yet another region of the New World.

A pirate ship bearing the flag of the Big Mom Pirates sailed across the vast sea.

On the surface, this pirate crew was headed towards Fishman Island to collect pastries.

However, within one of the ship's rooms, a massive figure loomed silently in the shadows.

--------

New World, Wano Country, Onigashima.

Kaido picked up a pitch-black letter once again, his mouth splitting into a wide grin as he burst into booming laughter.

The thunderous sound reverberated through the island's structures, shaking loose dust that fell in response.

After tucking the letter away, he downed a massive bowl of sake in one gulp, then transformed into a colossal dragon, roaring as he soared into the sky and flew off into the distance.

The pirates of Onigashima were unfazed by this.

After all, Lord Kaido always came and went as he pleased, his presence anywhere was perfectly normal. No one could predict his movements.

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Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

In the Marine's cafeteria.

King sat with a bowl of rice, eating slowly.

Beside him Is a large turtle with emerald-green pupils. It is none other than Little Wu.

It was eagerly digging into a huge platter of fish and meat set before it, stretching its head forward to savor each bite.

King, eating leisurely nearby, occasionally stared blankly at Little Wu.

Within King's body, a terrifying power was rooted in the void where his heart lay, the power of the King Engine.

After the Death Island War, his King Engine had advanced yet again, reaching SS-rank not long after.

At this level, the King Engine revealed its true terror.

An endless stream of energy surged into his body from the void, eliminating his need to store energy through food.

In just one day, his energy reserves would fully recharge.

And that wasn't the most frightening part. When King activated the King Engine, as long as he avoided using moves like the Ultimate Hellfire Burst Wave Motion Cannon, which unleashed too much power in a single burst, his fully charged energy could sustain him in combat for an entire day.

But there was a glitch: during battle, as long as the King Engine didn't overexert itself, it would continue to generate energy.

A day of fighting might deplete his stored power, yet that same day would replenish it entirely.

In other words, as long as he didn't overdo it, his power was akin to a perpetual motion machine.

Thus, with this level of ability, King's greatest weakness, eating too much, had been resolved.

Now he could savor his meals slowly instead of wolfing them down, and he no longer needed to eat excessively. A normal person's portion was enough to satisfy his taste buds and habits.

This development had initially alarmed the Marine's higher-ups, who feared something was wrong with King.

It wasn't until King assured them he was fine, and his complexion remained healthy over time, that they calmed down.

The incident caused a minor stir, which King's adjutant, Ethan, spun into a new rumor: "Lord King's power is now infinite, he no longer needs to eat and only does so for pleasure."

Ethan had stumbled into the truth by accident, though he genuinely believed it himself, like a die-hard superfan.

"That Reverie seems to be starting soon. Will those people manage smoothly?"

King mused absently, patting Little Wu's drooping head.

About a month ago, King had received a letter from Issho.

The letter mentioned an empty treasury, the immense pressure of the Heavenly Gold, and other issues King didn't fully grasp. But one line caught his eye: the people were going hungry.

King understood hunger intimately. After using the King Engine, he'd felt ravenous enough to devour his own fingers.

He could empathize with starvation.

If everyone couldn't eat their fill, it would be miserable, right?

That's what King thought.

So when Issho asked for his support, he agreed.

No extra effort required, just his consent.

That was Issho's pitch to King.

It was also why Issho had managed to meet him successfully.

Kong, however, didn't want King to confront the World Government directly.

Setting aside their deep resources, if King resorted to force, the internal repercussions would be massive, especially with the Demon God threat looming externally. It'd be unwise.

Kong hoped to leave room for negotiation, not plunge into an all-or-nothing clash.

"Slow down, Little Wu."

Little Wu, munching away, rolled its eyes at King's words. Didn't he know how fast he used to eat?

Then it sped up defiantly, prompting King to shake his head.

What do you do with a disobedient pet? Stew it and serve it up.

For some reason, that line popped into his head. The boss had said it jokingly once, claiming he would eat three bowls through tears.

King's eyes flickered. Little Wu suddenly shivered, instinctively slowing its eating pace.

No way! Little Wu and I have a bond, how could I think that?

Seeing it slow down, King's mind went blank as he zoned out again.

So boring! I really should've asked the boss for a gaming console.

( End of this Chapter )