Chapter 1253: The Era Must Accelerate! (10k) (End)

“What a pity… Didn’t I just mention the Quake-Quake Fruit?”

Sage clenched his fist, giving it just a light sway, like casually knocking on the air and a door.

“Black Cavity.”

Buzz!!!

Vibrations radiated from Sage’s fist, releasing an unending tremor of darkness, as if night had suddenly fallen, enfolding everything around.

Be it Chopper, the lightning, or the musical note arms, all were swallowed by the darkness, forming an expanding black curtain.

Zoro’s eyes widened, unable to hold back any longer, the three blades burst forth through his charge, forming a six-armed figure with a total of nine blades leaving afterimages as they swung. Laughter reverberated along with the strikes, the sound waves sharp as blades, slicing through the air directly into the blackness.

“Nika Nine-Sword Style: Kishin’s Great Frenzy: Asura’s Banquet!”

Slice through!

It must be able to be cut through!

With this strike, surely it can inflict a severe wound upon that guy, by then, Luffy would find dealing with Sage much easier.

This strike, in the Nika form, can shatter reality!

With that form, even breaking a small gap can cause ‘reality’ to spill out.

He, Roronoa Zoro, as a companion of the Pirate King, must possess this capability!

“Remarkable!”

Just as the blade afterimages entered the darkness, a voice of praise resonated from within.

Immediately, he felt his wrist firmly gripped, followed by an extreme vibration and destruction, with a crisp ‘clink,’ the darkness dissipated, and Zoro’s hand vanished, only two blades fell to the ground.

The sword gripped in his mouth was caught by two fingers on its blade.

Sage appeared before him, exclaiming, “The sword of certain death, truly remarkable. It seems you’ve rediscovered your true self? Hmm, now you’re qualified to challenge Lily. But this matter cannot be satisfied, as it contradicts my decision.”

If it weren’t for his overwhelming strength, facing such a group attack followed by this strike, would likely break his form.

This is swordsmanship specifically designed to counter demonization.

But before his ‘Black Cavity’ and physical prowess, it still falls short.

“Nami, Usopp, Chopper…”

Zoro gazed around in a daze, aside from Robin who had fallen unconscious, no one remained after the darkness faded.

“Is this… the cruelty of pirates?” he laughed wryly, at this moment lacking any anger, instead more carefree.

Once you set out to sea, life or death is no longer your own.

“Right, the world doesn’t have the peace and harmony, just like playing pirate games, there will always be casualties.”

Sage nodded, “On my journey, too many subordinates have died.”

The core remains, but the condition for survival is having others to pave the way.

Aside from the strong officers capable of self-preservation, numerous followers willingly charge forward, and in battle, deaths are inevitable.

The Straw Hat Pirates have had too smooth a journey.

So smooth that when they encounter a setback, like facing him, it eventually leads to their downfall.

Of course, if he were as strong as this, capable of consolidating all abilities, a single ‘Black Cavity’ not just vibrating, but overflowing with Haki and mixed with the North Star Divine Fist’s ‘instant death,’ then it naturally wouldn’t matter.

Bloodlines, however strong, cannot surpass someone with hacks.

“What a shame, hmm, after I destroy this place, I’ll leave a small island, called ‘Island of the End of the Times,’ leaving your monument, rest in peace.”

The fingers gripping the blade lifted and then descended, with just a light touch, Haki surged like a serpent over the blade, enveloping Zoro, instantly annihilating him.

“Only you remain.”

At this moment, Luffy’s fist was just rebounded, collecting his stance, even the force keeping him suspended in mid-air vanished, causing him to fall to the ground, staring blankly at the surroundings of Sage.

Companions…

All gone.

“It seems you can’t smile anymore.”

Seeing the Straw Hat devoid of any smile, Sage chuckled, “The power of hope, but if even the demon itself has no hope, what power does it have? Just like dominance can no longer dominate, governance can no longer govern. Although powerful, a demon lacking this part can easily be reverted to its original form.”

“Being a collaborative team has this disadvantage, once someone is missing, it’s easy to dampen morale.”

Sage spread his hands, “Now, do you still have the strength to oppose me?”

Luffy hung his head in silence for a moment, becoming gray and white, but soon, that gray and white reignited.

“Hope isn’t so simple!”

He grinned once more, “I want to host a grand banquet, where everyone can smile and sit together equally! For this dream, I must become the Pirate King!”

Sage smirked with disdain, “Nice idea, but no matter how productive, it can’t be done. Now or in the future, the world needs leaders, a rabble can’t accomplish anything.”

“Everyone has an idea, who would listen to whom? As long as there’s obedience, there’s domination. A strongest sage king is a lot better than a mob quarreling. At least this way, it can prevent some rats in the gutter from seizing power, power inevitably exists, if you don’t take control, someone else will.”

“Better to give it to me than those rats.”

His form gradually ascended, and at this moment, Lily and the others, as if they had made an agreement, had Blueno open a Space Gate, all of them entering.