Deep within the ocean, thousands of Sea Kings continued their frenzied assault on the Great Mangrove.
The survivors on the battlefield felt a collective surge of relief as they watched the gargantuan beasts ignore them, focusing instead on the trunk of the Demon Mother Tree. Hope, long dormant, began to flicker back to life in their eyes. Though they didn't understand why these titans of the deep were aiding them, the assistance was undeniable.
If the Sea Kings could tear the Mother Tree apart at its root, perhaps those under its dark thrall would finally regain their senses.
However, those who knew the secret of Shirahoshi's identity—men like Roger and Shanks—watched the scene with grim solemnity.
The Mermaid Princess, Shirahoshi, was drenched in cold sweat. Her face was deathly pale, her body trembling as if she might collapse at any moment. Yet, she remained upright through sheer force of will.
President Lin has been a great benefactor to Fish-Man Island, she told herself, teeth clenched in determination. I finally have a chance to help him. I can do this!
Heeding the command of her "Queen Mother," who told her that severing these vines was the key to victory, Shirahoshi summoned even more Sea Kings to join the fray.
Suddenly, the chilling laughter of Imu rang across the battlefield, sending a shiver through the crowd.
"I will tell you the truth," Imu sneered. "You are correct that the only things capable of harming my true form were the Ancient Weapons—relics forged by the collective wisdom of the world's greatest minds specifically to destroy me. Eight hundred years ago, I was nearly undone by them."
The hearts of the listeners leapt. Could the Ancient Weapons truly eradicate the Demon Mother Tree?
But Imu's voice turned mocking. "However... that was only possible if all three were used in unison! Only then could they inflict real damage upon me."
Controlled by the Demon Mother Tree, Imu's laughter grew manic. "Pluton was destroyed by my hand not long ago. Uranus is firmly within my grasp. Do you truly think Poseidon alone is enough to stop me?"
As the words fell, a sickly green radiance erupted from beneath the waves. The severed vines didn't just grow back; they mutated. Golden veins pulsed across their surface as they surged through the water like sentient serpents.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions thundered from the depths. The vines struck with the force of falling stars, lances of wood piercing straight through the massive hides of the Sea Kings. One by one, the mountainous creatures were blown apart from the inside out.
In an instant, the ocean surface was stained a gruesome, frothing crimson. The vines continued their relentless harvest, whipping through the water and reaping the lives of the Sea Kings with terrifying efficiency.
The onlookers watched in paralyzed horror, their bodies shaking uncontrollably.
It was a massacre. The Sea Kings—beings they considered the pinnacle of natural power—were being slaughtered like livestock.
Princess Shirahoshi let out a heartbroken wail. She could feel the agony of the creatures she had summoned. Desperate and sobbing, she sent out a frantic psychic command for them to flee, to save themselves.
While some managed to dive into the dark abyss, the majority were caught. The vines, radiating a sharp, murderous aura, turned the surrounding waters into a literal sea of blood.
As the slaughter finally slowed, silence fell over the battlefield—a silence born of pure, unadulterated despair.
The hope that had bloomed just moments ago was crushed beneath the weight of the carnage.
"Those vines... they're monsters. How could they kill so many Sea Kings so easily?"
"What do we do? How can we possibly fight a thing like that and live?"
Panic rippled through the ranks. Faces were etched with terror; the sheer scale of the Mother Tree's power had shattered their spirits. If thousands of Sea Kings were nothing more than fodder, what hope did mere humans have?
Imu scanned the crowd, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. The psychological devastation was complete.
Turning his gaze toward Lin Xuan, Imu sneered, "The outcome of this battle was written before it even began."
But the smirk faltered.
To Imu's confusion, Lin Xuan remained standing with a slight, thoughtful frown. There was no panic, no trembling, and certainly no despair. He looked merely inconvenienced.
"Are you not afraid?" Imu demanded, his voice dropping into a low, menacing growl.
Lin Xuan finally looked up, a calm smile touching his lips. "Why should I be? I have already prepared a countermeasure."
Boom!
Imu's aura flared violently, his expression shifting between rage and suspicion. "Pluton is gone! Uranus is mine! With only Poseidon left, what 'countermeasure' could possibly grant you a chance at victory?"
"Hahaha!" Lin Xuan's laughter rang out, bold and unrestrained. "Since when has Lin Xuan ever needed to rely on 'external' weapons to crush his enemies?"
He took a single step forward, his eyes locking onto Imu with a terrifying intensity.
"A mere weed like this Mother Tree?" Lin Xuan said softly, yet his voice carried to every corner of the battlefield. "I shall simply sever it with my own strength!"
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T/N:
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