In a space abandoned by the world, time itself seemed to have halted. Everything was frozen, and from the outside, the area where the plaza stood appeared like a transparent glass sphere. Even sunlight could only reflect, unable to penetrate.
Yet, at the center of this space, a silver-haired youth stood as if unaffected, smiling at the seven-colored, shimmering long blade dancing before him.
"Alright, you've had your fill. Now, digest it slowly!"
Reaching out, he gripped the hilt of Zhan Kong. From its trembling blade, Kong Tai could feel its joy.
With a slight smile, Kong Tai sheathed the sword.
Then, he extended his right hand and snapped his fingers.
*Snap!*
The wind stirred, the air flowed, and light no longer merely reflected. Everything within the plaza’s space returned to normal.
At that moment.
Kratos, who had been standing still, thrown his head back in laughter, drew everyone's attention.
On Kratos's chest, a hole had appeared, a hole that did not bleed at all.
"What is this?"
Fabuti stared at Kong Tai, still suspended in the air, his face filled with confusion.
He did not receive an answer from Kong Tai.
The sound of his voice seemed to shatter the eerie calm of the space. The large hole in Kratos's chest, which had been devoid of any sign of life, was now rapidly stained crimson with blood. The glaring red was like a magnificent, vibrant cherry blossom swaying gracefully.
Just as everyone was bewildered as to when Kratos had been injured, his body, caught by the gentle breeze, drifted down as if weightless. He landed silently, as light as a withered flower petal or a thin sheet of paper. His seemingly massive form kicked up no dust.
However, the scene that followed sent a chill through Fabuti and the other giants, leaving them stunned.
The body of the fallen Kratos, as if unable to bear the force of landing, suddenly shattered. It crumbled apart like a paper figure in a raging inferno, piece by piece, shred by shred, wisp by wisp, scattering in the breeze.
It was as if he had died not recently, but tens of thousands of years ago.
"What is this?"
Even with Fabuti's composure, his heart contracted violently, a sense of dread washing over him.
He had been fine moments ago; why had Kratos suddenly become like this? What had happened in between?
"Did I have amnesia???"
Honestly, Fabuti began to doubt his own existence.
Beside Fabuti, though Guina and Robin were equally astonished, they had already guessed what had transpired upon seeing the gaping hole in Kratos's chest.
Kong Tai had not hidden his fusion with the Time-Time Fruit from anyone on the ship, so their deduction was not surprising.
What surprised them was how powerful Kong Tai had become after fusing with the Time-Time Fruit. Robin was one thing, but Guina was a genuine peak powerhouse of the world.
Even so, she could be instantly frozen.
Furthermore, Guina was not the only one present. There was Fabuti, the white-bearded giant in the distance, and Kratos. To think that Zhan Kong could freeze so many peak powerhouses instantly.
To be honest, the two of them were at a loss for words to describe the strength Kong Tai now possessed with the Time Blade.
Turning around, Kong Tai's cold eyes regained their usual gentleness.
He nodded at Fabuti, then vanished from the air, reappearing instantly beside Guina.
"What's wrong?"
Seeing Guina and Robin staring at him without speaking, Kong Tai touched his face, asking curiously, "Have I gotten even more handsome?"
"Heh heh!!" Robin came back to her senses, covering her mouth with a light laugh. "Captain, for a moment there, I thought you were going to ascend to the heavens!"
"The heavens?"
Kong Tai's expression changed. He waved his hands repeatedly, "Don't curse me! I don't want to go to any heavens."
Saying this, Kong Tai reached out, his large hand resting on top of Guina's head, gently stroking it. "I've said it before, I want to be with someone forever!"
Feeling the familiar gentleness on her head, Guina looked up. Her clenched fist loosened. She took a step forward and buried her head fiercely into Kong Tai's embrace, then hugged him tightly with both arms, as if Kong Tai would truly vanish in the next instant.
Sometimes, the gap between people could be magnified infinitely.
In that moment, Guina felt a brief daze. In that daze, she felt her efforts and her pursuit seemed so insignificant in front of Kong Tai.
That unfamiliar feeling made her feel a panic she had never experienced before.
"It's alright," Kong Tai said, hugging Guina back, patting her on the back with his right hand. "I told you, I'll always be with you. No matter where we go, I'll take you with me. Even if one day we have to leave this world, you will always be by my side."
Beside them.
Robin, arms crossed, watched Kong Tai and Guina with a smile, a hint of unnoticeable envy deep in her eyes.
Of course, there was more of a blessing and joy.
Just then, Canal, who was in the distance, finally snapped back to reality. His expression was complex as he glanced at Kratos, who had completely vanished. He then looked up at the silver-haired youth, who appeared incredibly small in his eyes, his gaze filled with gravity.
He walked forward, and in a few steps, he stood beside Fabuti.
"Fabuti, give me an explanation."
Regardless of anything, Kratos was one of the three awakeners in their clan, and the successor of another royal lineage. His death here, even if he had witnessed it himself, could not guarantee that the royal city would not descend into chaos.
As for the silver-haired youth beside him…
He dared not inquire further, fearing he might provoke the youth's displeasure.
Fabuti tilted his head, looking at the grim-faced Canal, and offered no explanation, saying only one sentence.
"Loki is still alive. Soon, our clan will have another awakened one, a newly matured awakened one."
"Still alive?"
Hearing Fabuti's words, Canal's troubled expression quickly cleared. He turned and stared into the temple, exclaiming loudly.
"Good, good, good!!"
"We'll talk about other things later."
Fabuti glanced at Canal, then waved his hand at the growing number of guards who had gathered outside the plaza, signaling them not to approach.
After doing all this, he finally turned to face Kong Tai and the other two.
For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
Thanks?
He truly felt that way and wanted to express it.
But one of his clan's strongest members had just died. To express his gratitude to Kong Tai, especially in front of so many giants, was something he could not bring himself to do.
After all, he was still the King of the Giants.
Kratos's desire for his position was an internal matter for their clan. And from the beginning, he had no intention of killing Kratos, only of suppressing him alongside Canal.
However, he also could not bring himself to ask Kong Tai and the others to do anything for him. Of course, he knew that even if all the giants present attacked them, they would not be able to overpower them.
Thus, at this moment, an unusual silence fell upon the area outside the temple.