Chapter 305: The Demon King of Songs, Tot Musica
Calling it a state visit wasn't a massive stretch. Nanamo coming here did involve some official Ryugu Kingdom business. One of those matters was arranging for the Merfolk Choir of the Ryugu Kingdom to eventually tour Elegia.
As the legendary Island of Music, anyone across the globe who harbored a love for music knew its name. Just as Ohara held absolute, untouchable prestige in the realm of archaeology, Elegia possessed the exact same supreme status in the music world.
However, Nanamo's personal agenda far outweighed her official duties—such as scouting locations for her own future solo concerts.
The entire nation of Elegia could essentially be viewed as a colossal, sprawling stage boasting near-perfect acoustic architecture. It was said that the most legendary musicians in history had all performed here.
The only reason she bothered making up a diplomatic excuse in front of Shanks was purely because he had previously requested an autographed record for Uta. Nanamo had naturally categorized him as part of her "fanbase," and she had to maintain a proper idol image in front of the fans.
"However... where is your left arm?" Nanamo asked, her gaze dropping to his empty sleeve. "Ever since you passed through Fish-Man Island last time, you've been operating in Paradise. Is there actually someone out here capable of taking your arm? Did you have the terrible luck of running into that old man Garp?"
Among pirates, Red Hair was a unique anomaly. Even without entering the New World, the apex powerhouses there had heard his name and acknowledged his terrifying strength.
Nanamo had read the intelligence reports on Shanks. Logically, no one in the East Blue possessed the power to defeat him—except for Garp, who frequently returned there for vacations. Golden Lion Shiki could also pose a lethal threat if his strength hadn't deteriorated, but Nanamo knew absolutely nothing about Shiki's current status. Ever since escaping Impel Down, Shiki had become an even bigger shut-in than Moria, completely ignoring the outside world.
"Oh, this?" Shanks smiled softly, looking at his missing arm without a trace of regret; he even seemed somewhat relieved. "This was my own choice. I've bet it... on the New Era."
"Do you pirates just absolutely love making dramatic bets?" Nanamo sighed.
She frequently hung around the Sabaody Archipelago. The rookies arriving there hadn't yet experienced the brutal, apocalyptic beatdowns of the New World. Having successfully navigated the first half of the Grand Line, their morale was at its absolute peak. They were constantly shouting grand slogans, making dramatic oaths, and betting their lives on the future.
"That doesn't matter. My intuition tells me... this is one bet I am absolutely going to win," Shanks chuckled. "More importantly, since we ran into each other here, do you want to meet my daughter? She's a massive fan of yours and absolutely loves your records."
"Hmm?"
"I'll cover all your expenses while you're in Elegia."
"Deal. Let's go see how this daughter of yours is doing," Nanamo agreed instantly.
She was fundamentally here to have fun anyway. If someone was volunteering to act as her mobile wallet, she certainly wasn't going to refuse. She'd just consider it an exclusive, VIP fan meet-and-greet.
Uta was currently auditing a music class in Elegia. When Nanamo and Shanks arrived, they happened to catch Uta singing an impromptu acapella.
The casual, relaxed atmosphere instantly vanished as Nanamo's eyes lit up with genuine professional interest.
"Your daughter's talent... is genuinely incredible."
"Right? We all think so too," Shanks grinned proudly. "She is the absolute treasure of the Red Force. Who knows, maybe one day she'll step onto a world-class stage too."
"If you're interested, it could happen within the next couple of years. Debuting as a child idol is a highly lucrative route," Nanamo suggested, her business instincts flaring. "Since you're her father, want to sign a talent agency contract?"
Nanamo's intuition screamed that if she successfully promoted Uta, the profits would be astronomical. In the realm of music, Nanamo was a consummate professional. Uta's singing voice possessed a terrifying, inherent quality that forcefully resonated with people's souls. This was pure, heaven-defying talent, not something that could be achieved through mere vocal training.
"If she's personally interested, I'd consider it. But I have absolutely no desire to dictate my kid's life," Shanks replied.
He didn't immediately introduce Uta to Nanamo. He was worried that if Uta suddenly met her idol, she would blindly agree to the contract in a moment of starstruck excitement without thinking it through. He planned to discuss it with her calmly later.
However, Nanamo wasn't the only one who had noticed Uta. King Gordon of Elegia had also been profoundly captivated by her overwhelming talent.
Although Gordon's appearance was... somewhat terrifying—boasting a massive, towering frame, a stump-like neck, and an elongated skull that made him look like he belonged in Moria's zombie army—he was fundamentally a kind-hearted man. Besides being the King, he was also the nation's most brilliant pianist.
"This child's voice is an absolute treasure bestowed upon the world by the heavens themselves," Gordon pleaded with Shanks. "Please, let her stay here! We can provide her with the most comprehensive, world-class musical education to fully unlock her miraculous potential!"
In Gordon's eyes, there was absolutely no place in the world more perfectly suited for Uta than Elegia; it was as if this entire kingdom had been built explicitly for her.
Shanks didn't give a direct answer, once again choosing to leave the ultimate decision entirely in Uta's hands.
Shanks genuinely hadn't expected Uta's talent to be so world-shattering that, within a single day, two completely different global musical authorities would aggressively recruit her. One was a pure, dedicated kingdom of music, and the other, while commercially driven, equally recognized her unparalleled genius.
While Shanks was explaining the day's events to Uta, Nanamo sought out Gordon to handle her official Ryugu Kingdom business.
"The Merfolk Opera Troupe? Elegia would be absolutely honored to host them!" Gordon beamed. "However, I have one question, Princess Nanamo. Will Madam Napoli be accompanying them?"
"Barring any unforeseen circumstances, she should be traveling with them. Have you two met before?"
"No, we haven't. But I have always profoundly admired Madam Napoli's soprano. It is undeniably the most uniquely breathtaking high note I have ever heard."
While Nanamo and Gordon were having a delightful conversation, the situation with Shanks was vastly different.
Whether it was an invitation from Elegia, debuting as a child idol, or performing alongside her hero, Uta's focus was entirely fixed on one single, crucial detail.
"What about you, Shanks? Are you going to stay here with me?"
"Well... we have to continue our voyage."
"Then I absolutely refuse! I'm staying with you guys! I'm a proud member of the Red Hair Pirates!" Uta declared stubbornly.
Becoming a legendary diva was Uta's absolute dream, but she vehemently refused to be separated from Shanks. The Red Hair Pirates were her family, and she had no intention of abandoning them for fame.
Gordon respectfully accepted Uta's decision. However, since the crew was staying in Elegia for a few days, many locals had already become completely mesmerized by her singing. At their passionate request, Uta agreed to hold a grand farewell concert before her departure.
Nanamo didn't mind this at all. A child star debut was great, but lending her a stage when she grew older was perfectly fine too. Building a positive relationship now couldn't hurt.
A few days later, on the evening of the farewell concert, Uta poured her heart out. From traditional local folk songs to new, original pieces she had composed herself, she sang practically her entire repertoire.
Singing loudly for hours was incredibly physically exhausting. When Uta finally retreated backstage to rest, she noticed something highly unusual.
Several sheets of music had mysteriously appeared on a nearby stool.
The parchment was heavily yellowed and curled at the edges. The ink possessed a bizarre, sickly hue, and the very arrangement of the musical notes seemed to emanate a sinister, maddening whisper.
The ancient, decaying sheet music didn't trigger any immediate alarm bells in Uta's mind. Operating purely on instinct, she began to softly hum the melody.
But the very microsecond the first note left her lips, her consciousness violently blurred.
The notes seemed to take on a life of their own, forcefully singing themselves through her voice. Guided by a terrifying, specific rhythm, they violently tore open a forbidden door that should have remained eternally sealed.
"Hermes! Get everyone out of here! Evacuate every single living person you can see to a safe location, NOW!" Nanamo roared.
"Understood, Princess Nanamo! But please, you must immediately evacuate this highly dangerous zone as well!"
Hermes's body violently expanded, transforming into a massive, sprawling carpet of clouds. It swept through the area, forcefully scooping up the panicked locals in its flight path before rocketing toward the distant mountains. In just a few rapid trips, he had already evacuated a massive crowd.
"Out of all the nations we've visited so far, an apocalyptic disaster like this has never happened! I absolutely refuse to see an absurd headline in tomorrow's paper claiming the Princess of the Ryugu Kingdom annihilated a country! Just focus on rescuing the civilians! I'll handle the rest!"
Nanamo understood the devastating power of rumors perfectly. She knew exactly how terrifyingly skilled the global press was at fabricating sensationalist lies. Once a malicious rumor spread, debunking it was an agonizingly exhausting process.
As she spoke, Nanamo violently threw a punch upward, completely shattering the collapsing ceiling of the concert hall.
"Now, can someone please explain to me what the hell this thing is?! And why the hell was an apocalyptic monster hiding inside that little girl's body?!"
The word "monster" wasn't merely describing its terrifying raw power; it was a literal, completely unidentified biological horror. Hovering high in the sky was a colossal, vaguely humanoid entity. It wore a massive top hat, and beneath the brim, instead of human facial features, it bore a terrifying, blank mask. Its torso appeared to be clad in a twisted, grotesque tailcoat, while its arms were elongated, grotesque piano keyboards that were currently wildly thrashing about, violently annihilating the kingdom below.
Gordon slumped in the rubble, his pristine tuxedo covered in dust and ash. He stared up at the sky, his eyes entirely bloodshot.
"That is... Tot Musica... The Demon King of Songs," Gordon rasped. "Its origin is incredibly complex..."
"Keep it short!" Nanamo snapped.
"It was sealed within that ancient sheet music! That cursed score was supposed to be buried deep within our most heavily guarded, subterranean forbidden sanctuary! I have absolutely no idea how it ended up in Uta's hands! And because she is the user of the Sing-Sing Fruit, her voice served as the ultimate catalyst to forcefully summon it into reality!
"This monstrosity simultaneously exists in two separate dimensions: the physical world we are standing in, and Uta's parallel 'Song World.' The only way to inflict actual damage on it is to launch a perfectly synchronized attack in both dimensions simultaneously..."
Gordon didn't know who had originally sealed it centuries ago or why it had been kept in Elegia. But the horrific legends detailing how to combat the Demon King of Songs had been passed down through the royal lineage. Perhaps the ancient sealers feared a day like this would come.
"Skip the ancient lore! We don't have time for a history lesson!" Nanamo yelled over the explosions. "How do we enter that mental dimension?!"
BANG! BANG!
Nearby, Benn Beckman raised his flintlock pistol and rapidly fired several Haki-infused rounds at the hovering Demon King. Even if the bullets couldn't inflict fatal damage, the sheer kinetic force successfully staggered the monstrosity, temporarily slowing its destructive rampage.
"Theoretically... only the user of the Sing-Sing Fruit can bring people inside..." Gordon groaned.
When the user of the Sing-Sing Fruit activated their ability, their singing voice acted as a profound hypnotic catalyst, forcefully drawing the listener's consciousness into the fruit's mental dimension—the Song World.
However, the current, comatose Uta was clearly incapable of doing that. High above, the Demon King of Songs continued to violently vent its centuries of sealed fury. The piano keys forming its massive arms seemed to be struck by an invisible force, violently blasting out shockwaves of materialized, highly destructive sound in massive, expanding rings.
Wherever the sonic booms hit, the glass in the surrounding buildings instantly pulverized into fine powder, and the overwhelming shockwaves continuously leveled the city's architecture.
"Are you bastards just going to stand there and watch the great Lord Hermes do all the heavy lifting?!" Hermes roared as he zipped past. "If you can stall that monstrosity, then stall it! If you can't, then get over here and help me evacuate these civilians!"
Hermes's massive cloud form flashed by, currently resembling a massive, fluffy white minivan. You could never guess just how many people could be violently stuffed into the back of a minivan, and Hermes himself had lost count of how many civilians he had forcefully scooped up.
But in Hermes's eyes, the Red Hair Pirates were the absolute, undeniable culprits behind this apocalyptic disaster. Seeing them standing around looking so "relaxed" naturally infuriated him.
"Shanks..." Beckman muttered.
"The cloud is right!" Shanks barked. "Yasopp! Lucky Roux! Take the others and assist with the civilian evacuation immediately! The rest of us will hold the line here!"
Because Nanamo had ordered Hermes to handle the rescue operations while she personally engaged the unknown biological horror, the tactical pressure on the Red Hair Pirates was significantly reduced.
As he spoke, Shanks raised his right arm. The gleaming, razor-sharp edge of his supreme grade sword, Gryphon, reflected the cold moonlight.
With the most simplistic, unadorned horizontal slash, a terrifying, hyper-compressed blade of Haki instantly crossed a hundred meters, flawlessly striking the Demon King's left shoulder.
CLANG!
A deafening screech of colliding steel echoed through the clouds. The Demon King of Songs was violently staggered, its head tilting to the side. Immediately noticing Shanks below, it focused all its apocalyptic fury on him, violently swinging its colossal, piano-key arm downward to crush him.
Shanks didn't dodge. With a swift twist of his wrist, Gryphon swung upward at an incredibly vicious, precise angle.
The catastrophic kinetic impact violently pushed Shanks backward. He skidded across the ground for an unknown distance, his heavy boots violently carving two deep, massive trenches into the packed earth—but he had forcefully, flawlessly parried the apocalyptic strike head-on.
"We have three options," Beckman stated coldly, spitting out his cigarette stub and rapidly reloading his rifle. He shot a grim look at the others. "First: we execute a perfectly synchronized attack across both dimensions. But we have absolutely no way to enter the mental world. Second: we violently wake Uta up and force her to banish the monster herself. But she is currently locked in a deep coma. Third... we hold the line and stall until the monster completely exhausts her physical stamina."
"No. Actually, we can attempt the first option. Though I cannot guarantee a one-hundred-percent success rate."
Just as Beckman and the others were preparing for a grueling, suicidal war of attrition, a tall man draped entirely in a black suit stepped out of the shadows beside Nanamo.
"What are you doing here?" Nanamo asked.
"The refugees trapped in the absolute epicenter of the disaster zone have largely been evacuated. I realized my abilities might be far more tactically viable on the frontline," Alber replied smoothly, looking up at the monstrosity. "The Sing-Sing Fruit forcefully drags people into that alternate dimension through their sleep. My Devil Fruit grants me the absolute authority to open gateways into the Dream World. If those two dimensions are conceptually linked, I can forcefully tear open a gateway into that mental space."
Briefly assessing the apocalyptic Demon King hovering above, Alber succinctly explained his tactical countermeasure, flawlessly transforming a theoretically impossible strategy into a highly actionable reality.
For this specific voyage, Alber was the only other individual aside from Hermes accompanying Nanamo. He had been actively assisting Hermes with the massive evacuation efforts. The very moment he had secured the civilians, he immediately rushed to the frontline.
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