Chapter 458: Black Turns to Domination

But it was also at this moment that the world before Doflamingo's eyes became clearer than ever before.

His perspective was elevated to an unprecedented height, allowing him to easily perceive everything crushed within the torrent of history he knew.

From the establishment of the World Government eight hundred years ago, and that national treasure within Mary Geoise that only an immortal could drive, to the great battle at God Valley over thirty years ago, and the Great Pirate Era unleashed by Roger...

Everything flashed before his eyes, finally settling on the youth standing calmly at the edge of the giant pit in the distance, looking at him!

Gah—!

Doflamingo coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood, his ferocious laughter interrupted, yet the light in his eyes became incredibly bright:

"Although it was only for an instant, that white-haired form was undoubtedly one of the Five Elders, no, it was the existence feared by that monster sitting upon the Empty Throne!"

"The Sun God who pursued freedom eight hundred years ago!"

"Nika!"

"The end of the World Government is approaching; the future of this sea is destined to collapse!"

"Everything will be turned upside down!"

"Truly, I look forward to that day..."

At a certain moment.

Doflamingo's throat seemed to be forcibly pinched by someone, his voice suddenly falling silent.

This was solely because everything before his eyes had been replaced by another figure!

Brilliant, towering, majestic, domineering...

Sacred and inviolable!

That was the Mad King standing at the peak of Britannias, ruling over the entire New World!

"Knight..."

"Gao Wen?!"

"Knight Gao Wen!"

"That's right!"

"This era still has that monster standing above all else!"

"How could such a monster exist?!"

Doflamingo had only met Gao Wen twice, yet even during their first meeting when that man's wings were not yet fully grown, he could only flee in a sorry state.

Indeed, if not for the convenience brought by the String-String Fruit, he would have lost his life back then.

By the time they met for the second time, the two parties were no longer on the same level.

At that time, Gao Wen was already able to suppress Whitebeard, who once bore the title of the World's Strongest and whom even Kaido dared not easily confront, in a manner akin to torment.

As for the third time he learned news about Gao Wen, it had come from within the World Government itself: the news that the man had withstood the bombardment of an Ancient Weapon and survived.

No matter how strong a person is, there is ultimately a limit.

Even Whitebeard, Logic, and Rocks, those powerhouses who once roamed the seas, ultimately remained within the category of humans.

Gao Wen, who withstood an Ancient Weapon, had already transcended this realm!

"A god?!"

The smile on Doflamingo's face grew even wider, carrying an indescribable mockery, as his gaze fell once again upon Straw Hat.

His breath gradually weakened.

Yet his expression became increasingly ferocious:

"Straw Hat Boy, no, Sun God Nika, perhaps you do not yet know?!"

"Within at most two years, the Red Line at the highest point of the world will be swallowed by the sea; by that time, even a monster like you will have no outcome other than perishing in the great ocean."

"And your only chance of survival lies in the hands of the World Government."

"Now is the time for you to make your choice."

Doflamingo's eyes carried undisguised sarcasm:

"Will you respond to the World Government's call, go to Britannias, and subjugate that Mad King who stands at the world's summit and is nearly invincible, or will you continue your journey destined for a dead end?!"

"Truly, I look forward to seeing whether the freest ability user will willingly allow the Celestial Dragons to place a collar around his neck, or embrace a freedom filled with despair and be swallowed by the seawater along with the earth!"

"Heh..."

"Fufufufufufufu!"

Doflamingo's laughter grew louder and higher, yet at a certain moment, it came to a complete stop.

He was dead.

Just like the commoners he killed when he returned to Dressrosa back then.

Kid, who rushed over upon seeing this scene, had no mind to pay attention to Doflamingo; instead, he looked at Straw Hat with a Solemn expression:

"Luffy."

"If what that guy said is true, then things are troublesome!"

This was a crisis of life and death.

If everything sinks into the sea, then obtaining the One Piece would be meaningless.

It would be merely a final consolation before death!

Kid turned to look at Straw Hat, and seeing the latter remain silent, he turned and ordered his crew to search everywhere for relevant information.

Very quickly.

Killer delivered a newspaper into Kid's hands.

"The world will sink within two years..."

"The World Government holds one hundred Arks of Salvation, sufficient to support one hundred thousand people sailing to land on the moon and rebuild their homes..."

"The World Government has issued a conscription order to powers across the entire world to exterminate Britannias..."

……

Message after message, a chaotic jumble.

The more Kid read, the uglier his expression became; he couldn't help turning to look at Straw Hat, opening his mouth to persuade him, yet the words of counsel refused to come out.

During this period of sailing, he had long since figured out Straw Hat's nature.

It was impossible for him, at such a time, to obey the Celestial Dragons whom he hated most.

Moreover, Britannias had that monster's presence!

Everything Britannias had seen back then appeared before Kid's eyes once again; recalling the crimson giant dragon spreading its wings atop the Great Earth Red Lotus, he felt even his soul trembling!

That was absolutely a height no human could ever reach!

That man was invincible; even if his opponent were the entire ocean, it could not harm him in the slightest.

This was the consensus in the hearts of all who had witnessed that scene, and Kid felt it even more strongly.

Furthermore, whether it was Straw Hat or Kid, being able to regain their freedom and reject that man's recruitment naturally came at a price.

Do not violate the righteousness in one's heart, do not become an enemy of Britannias!

This was the promise he had made back then, but what he now faced was a crisis between life and death...

Kid wavered slightly and couldn't help but ask:

"Luffy..."

Straw Hat grinned broadly:

"There will always be a way to solve the problem of the land sinking, but before that, before finding the One Piece, I don't want to be a deserter."

Having said that.

The expression on Straw Hat's face vanished; he reached out to press down the straw hat atop his head, his tone low and Solemn:

"Kid!"

"A person who cannot even keep a promise can absolutely never become the Pirate King!"

Kid was stunned; that slight wavering in his heart vanished in an instant, and the corner of his mouth curled into a ferocious grin:

"Making an enemy of the World?! Truly arrogant, but, I like it!"

"Yes, Captain!"

"Ahahahahahahaha—!"

……

Back on Amazon Lily, Hancock sat upon the Wang Zuo.

Granny Nyo stood to one side, vehemently outlining the stakes, urging her with all her might that, as the ruler of a nation, she ought to abandon personal grudges at such a time and seize the last chance for survival amidst the apocalypse!

"Leaning Toward the World Government is the only chance for the Kuja to continue!"

"Enough!"

Hancock shouted in anger, her tightly clenched teeth tearing her lips until bright red blood seeped out.

No one knew better than she what this meant.