Shadows fell from the sky, yet strangely washed over everyone, flowing and shaping on the remaining ground, eventually forming a combined version of the Nicuss Empire.
The seven-headed red dragon roared, and from the earth and sea rose tornadoes that connected heaven and earth.
An aura of depravity permeated, this was the demon king's reign, and also the end of humanity.
"Calamity comes from the sea—
Behold, this is the truth of your prosperity.
Desire is overflowing..."
The dragon's seven heads simultaneously chanted an ancient prophecy, their voices layered, carrying the divine power of a destroyer.
It was like the jurisprudence before judgment, and also an elegy for the end.
"Embrace, dissolve, and fall into my river of love!
Burn, embrace the dissolving Golden Palace!
Shatter... Claudius, the monarch praised by all!"
A black sun rose behind the dragon, and the black mud flowing from it ignited the earth like a tinder.
The once prosperous Golden Palace was also scorched and dilapidated, the dragon's necks intertwined, and its body began to twist, forming a tree-like shape.
Finally, the tree broke open, and a giant with a golden Holy Grail on its head emerged from it.
After dodging the flames, everyone who saw this giant lost their composure, their minds blank.
"Is that... Nero?" Kuzan asked, his throat dry, his voice strained.
"I don't know... It wouldn't be strange for this monster to be anything."
Garp answered him. He had known Nero since she first debuted, but now, even if this monster uttered the name Claudius, he wasn't entirely sure.
The giant wore an revealing gold and red dress, with a pair of fox-like ears on her head, and a pair of moth-like wings on her back that looked fluffy.
She did not step on the ground, but floated lightly in the air, with a huge golden Holy Grail hovering above her head like a crown.
Black snowflakes drifted around her, like the embers of something.
"Finally, it's my turn! The 'City of Sin' that gathers everything, muhahahahaha!"
Nero scanned the dilapidated city and laughed wildly, the scarlet demonic patterns on her face especially enchanting as she caressed her cheek.
Her hands were also very strange; undoubtedly they were the hands of a beast, yet they were like human hands, only covered with a layer of reddish fur and black claws.
She was a beast possessing the principle of depravity. When all human desires converged in one city, she would appear to taste this 'delicacy'.
This was Nero's essence. Her awakening in Mary Geoise was because the Celestial Dragons' city had met this point, but it was still not enough.
When Nero understood everything, she began to prepare for this final act, transforming Nicuss into the wealthiest city.
Gathering evil together—Celestial Dragons, pirates, Marine, the corrupt World Government... a war of succession in which the whole world participated.
When the prosperity of civilization reached its peak, Vegapunk's infinite energy was completed, the ancient weapons awakened, Imu, king of the celestial dragons, decided to destroy everything, and Nika, the savior, awakened... When all conditions gathered, the City of Sin, which gathered all the 'evil' of this world, was completed.
After such a long time preparing this delicacy, it was now time for her to harvest the fruits.
Imu, who had originally intended to cooperate in resistance, quietly retreated to Artoria and Mordred's side, giving the Gorosei a look that clearly meant: you go up and negotiate.
Gorosei: "..."
This familiar style was exactly like their usual conduct.
The five looked at each other, all urging the others to go first with their eyes.
Finally, the familiar Satan Saint was pushed forward to negotiate with Nero.
Satan Saint: "..."
What a sin! All these years I've worked so hard to maintain relationships, sending money and people, serving diligently, all for this moment to go out and take the bullet?
Feeling like a huge sucker, Satan Saint still reluctantly stepped forward, hoping Nero would remember their past relationship.
"Your Majesty Nero Claudius Palace, may I ask..."
Bang—
No one saw what happened, Satan Saint disappeared, and only a puddle of flesh remained where he had stood.
"..."
"..."
The attitude was clear; there was no intention to talk. What did her destruction of you have to do with you?
Imu understood perfectly; she had held the same attitude before, but now she no longer had that mindset.
The world is so beautiful, why be so irritable? Wouldn't it be better for everyone to peacefully drink and eat meat together, achieving the grand reunion-style Happy End that Joy Boy hoped for?
Although not as absolute as Nero, she also possessed her own unique qualities, immortality and eternal life, but she now felt that she might die today.
"Nero, I have no intention of being your enemy. Let me leave this world, and everything will be yours."
Imu adopted a very low posture, but her hands were placed on Artoria and Mordred's heads.
If Nero disagreed, she would kill them both.
Imu thought this should be fine. After all, she and Nero had no real enmity, and her own life should be insignificant in Nero's eyes.
Once Nero let her go, she planned to take one of them hostage as security, which would also prevent Nero from retaliating later.
Having planned everything, Imu looked up somewhat anxiously. She wasn't sure if the current Nero would still care about so-called blood ties: "Your daughters should be more important, right? I also won't hinder what you want to do."
"Daughters? What daughters?" Nero bent her knees, seemingly sitting on an invisible chair, and spoke mockingly.
Imu, however, breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. There was no direct attack; no matter Nero's attitude, she must still retain a trace of family affection.
Nero's appearance and state were too abnormal; if one were to view her with the same perspective as before, it would absolutely not work.
The specific changes could only be slowly probed like this. Fortunately, there was still a turn of events.
"I will release Artoria, and Mordred will also be safely returned after I leave."
Imu was still chattering about her conditions, but suddenly she met Nero's playful gaze.
She turned to look at Mordred and Artoria, only to find that both of them were also covered in a layer of black mud at some unknown point.
Without hesitation, Imu immediately attacked. If something happened to these two, she would definitely be dead.
But after her attack dispersed the black mud, Artoria and Mordred's figures disappeared, as if assimilated by the black mud.
Elsewhere, Robin and Chopper were similarly swallowed by the black mud.
Imu knew that Nero must have used some unknown method to transfer these people away.
But when she turned around again, facing Nero's mocking gaze, her entire body froze...
------------------------
I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/SolyuraMT
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"