...
On the light curtain, the grandeur of the concert intertwined with the reactions in God Valley, forming a peculiar scene.
"Super! I never thought so many people would show up today! Is this girl named Uta really that amazing?"
Franky crossed his arms over his chest; his cyborg body stood out a bit awkwardly in the crowd, but as he watched the surging waves of people and heard the deafening cheers, an expression of amazement appeared on his face.
His knowledge of music was limited to "cola rock," but the pure frenzy built from sheer popularity gave him a direct sense of Uta's charisma.
Nami explained to Franky: "This is Uta's first time holding such a large-scale open-air concert in front of her fans!
And it's the final stop of her world tour! Of course her popularity is exploding! I heard tickets on the black market were scalped to insane prices!"
Chopper and Usopp had already transformed into die-hard fans, bouncing excitedly in the crowd, waving glow sticks they had somehow gotten hold of, and shouting along with everyone: "Uta! Uta! Uta!"
Chopper was even tearing up with emotion: "So moving! To actually see Uta's concert with my own eyes!"
Even Brook, who always styled himself as the "Soul King" with extremely high musical taste, rarely showed such a genuinely appreciative expression. His skeletal jaw opened and closed slightly: "Yohohohoho… this singing… so clear, so powerful, full of infectious power—truly extraordinary!
Even these bones of mine, dead once already, can feel my soul swaying along with it!"
Jinbe maintained the characteristic composure of a fish-man. He slightly lowered his head, gazing at the temporary wooden-plank pier beneath his feet, sensing deeper information through subtle changes in water flow and vibrations.
"It's not just the people on the surface,"
he said gravely: "Beneath the sea as well, quite a few mermaids and fish-men have been drawn by the song—they seem to have come here on purpose… This Uta's influence is truly extraordinary."
Sanji had a cigarette dangling from his mouth, his eyes already turned into heart shapes as he zeroed in precisely on the graceful figure on stage amid the crowd, muttering nonstop: "Ah~ Miss Uta~ such a beautiful person, paired with such a heavenly voice~ it's practically a goddess descended to earth~
To protect your smile, I, Sanji, am willing to become your knight… Hey! Moss-head! You're blocking my view of Miss Uta!"
Zoro shoved the overly enthusiastic Sanji away with a look of disgust: "Boring. You're giving me goosebumps, you creep!"
Just as the two were about to launch into their usual bickering—and possibly escalate into physical scuffle as always—
at that very moment, the sky suddenly darkened without warning!
But this was not clouds blocking the sun; it was a softer change, like the shifting of stage curtains.
The concert venue's lighting system seemed precisely adjusted: the spotlights focused even more intensely on Uta at center stage, while the audience area fell into a hazy, expectant dimness.
The chaotic roar of the crowd miraculously quieted in an instant.
Everyone—whether frenzied fans or the curious Straw Hat crew—unconsciously held their breath, their gazes locked on the single focal point.
Then, that haunting, dreamlike singing voice began.
No excessive prelude, no exaggerated opening remarks.
Just a clear, ethereal female voice containing an indescribable power—like a gentle stream, or the first ray of sunlight piercing through mist!
So soft yet unbelievably distinct, it flowed into everyone's ears and straight to their hearts.
"♪~~~"
"The new era is this future"
"If we could change everything in the world,"
"If we could change it,"
"Erase all the troublesome and unpleasant things,"
"Let's metamorphose this world together!"
...
Merely the opening note seemed to possess magic!
The entire concert venue's atmosphere switched instantly from extreme clamor to utter silence and focus!
Then, as the full melody and lyrics unfolded, that silence was rapidly ignited, transforming into even fiercer, more devoted resonance and passion!
Uta's singing seemed to carry the power to penetrate souls, causing listeners to sink into it involuntarily, forgetting their worries, feeling the hope, courage, and warmth conveyed in the song—
and even a faint, almost imperceptible trace of… sadness?
Miraculously, even the singing transmitted through the light curtain subtly affected the viewers in God Valley!
"Ohhh! So beautiful! Really so beautiful!"
"She's so cute and pretty, and her singing is this moving! I think I'm falling in love again!"
"Hey! Bastard! Weren't you just yelling that 'Miss Shakky is the cutest in the world'?! You fickle jerk!"
"Shut up! Music is innocent! Miss Uta is the best!"
In the pirate camp, many who had previously looked ferocious and battle-obsessed now wore near-obsessed smiles, swaying their heads to the rhythm and even starting to "take sides" verbally.
They had completely forgotten their earlier "loyalty" to Shakky.
This alone was enough proof that Uta's singing carried genuine, undeniable infectious power—her popularity had zero exaggeration.
"Hm… not bad. Gotta admit, this little girl sings really well."
Garp sat cross-legged, arms crossed, eyes closed. A rare trace of peace appeared on his rugged face: "It feels… like a cold shower for my restless heart. The whole body feels calm, refreshed, and light."
This was not flattery; the song truly gave Garp a sense of its power to soothe emotions and purify the spirit.
Not just Garp—many Marine soldiers were also affected.
They sat on the ground one after another, closed their eyes, and the tense battle expressions on their faces gradually relaxed, replaced by focused, enjoyable listening to heavenly music.
Tension… confusion about the future, the heaviness of witnessing the light curtain's dark side—all seemed temporarily washed away by this wonderful singing.
"Mam-ma-ma-ma~"
Charlotte Linlin swayed her massive body gently to the music, her face beaming with pure, childlike delight: "As expected of a professional 'diva'! It really is pleasant to hear~!
It feels like the whole world has become better, sweeter!"
She seemed to have completely forgotten her earlier annoyance at being rebuffed by Kaido, fully immersed in the pleasure the music brought.
Even the three little ones were influenced.
Little Shanks wriggled restlessly in Gloriosa's arms, his small hands excitedly waving in the air as if wanting to follow the rhythm.
Little Shamrock lay quietly in Shakky's arms, staring at the light curtain with wide, unblinking eyes.
Little Teach babbled "ah-goo" sounds, seemingly trying to mimic the tune.
However, not everyone was fully immersed in pure appreciation.
"Hey, Rocks…"
Edward Newgate's enormous figure remained upright. He frowned slightly. Though the singing was indeed pleasant, his rich combat experience and sharp perception allowed him to catch something deeper.
"This singing… it's nice, sure, but something feels… off. There's a very faint but real… energy fluctuation mixed in.
This isn't something that can come just from vocal cords or technique."
Whitebeard's gaze was sharp, as if piercing through the light curtain to see the true essence behind the song.
Before the enjoying Rocks could reply, Roger—already on the side—spoke up, a playful yet certain look on his face: "That's right, Newgate's feeling is spot on.
This little girl… has probably eaten a Devil Fruit related to music or sound!
And her development and control of the ability are quite refined—she's perfectly fused the fruit's power into her singing, which is why it has such 'infectious' power!
It can even affect the listeners' emotions and mental states."
Roger's speculation made perfect sense.
Devil Fruits come in all shapes and varieties; abilities tied to music or sound are not strange.
The extraordinary penetration and influence of Uta's singing were very likely boosted by her fruit's power.
This also explained why her concert could draw such massive crowds and even soothe Garp or influence someone as powerful as Big Mom's mood.
On the light curtain, Uta's performance was reaching its peak.
Her figure danced under the spotlights; her singing sometimes soared high and passionate, with war drums thundering to inspire the heart,
sometimes gentle and tender, like a mother's murmur soothing wounds.
The audience below was intoxicated, waving and singing along to the rhythm in a fervent yet harmonious scene.
Yet whether it was the powerhouses in God Valley or Whitebeard and Roger—who had vaguely sensed something unusual in the light curtain—a question rose in their minds: Was this grand concert, which seemed perfect and brought joy and hope to countless people, really as simple on the surface as it appeared?
Besides enhancing infectiousness, did the Devil Fruit ability woven into the singing hide other unknown purposes or risks?
What was the truth behind Uta consuming the "Sleepless Mushroom"?
What exactly was the story between her and Red-Haired Shanks?
The magnificent curtain of the concert had already risen, but the undercurrents hidden beneath the melody seemed to have only just begun to stir!
...