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A brief warmth and converging focus…
The warmth brought by the family reunion, along with the positive news Ida brought about the outside world's changing impression of Elbaf, acted like a shot in the arm, giving Harald a momentary respite and new strength from the tragic future revealed by the light curtain.
He tightly embraced his wife and sons who truly existed in his arms, feeling the preciousness of what had been lost and regained. His gaze passed over their heads, looking toward the chaotic and eerie sky of God Valley.
No matter what the light curtain foretold, at least right now, he still had the chance to protect them.
The pirates, seeing the heartwarming reunion of Harald's family, also let out good-natured cheers and whistles.
Harald was not only a friend of their captain Rocks; his immense strength, his courage in sacrificing for the giant race, and the tender side of the iron man shown in the light curtain…
All of it earned genuine respect from them.
However, peace was always fleeting.
Steel Bone Kong pulled Garp, Sengoku, Zephyr, and Tsuru aside, his expression grave as he asked in a low voice: "So you're saying… everything this damn thing broadcasts is real?"
"Is there really no way to make it stop or disappear?"
After speaking, Steel Bone Kong quickly scanned God Valley: the Roger Pirates, the Rocks Pirates, the two legendary captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates, the King of Elbaf, and even the highest authority of the World Government—the Five Elders…
This was practically a terrifying lineup that had gathered more than half of the top combat power and core authority on the seas at present—enough to ignite a world war on an unprecedented scale!
And the source of all this chaos was this eerie light curtain.
Sengoku helplessly shook his head and quickly gave Steel Bone Kong a concise report on the various anomalies since the light curtain appeared, its characteristic of being impossible to destroy by conventional means, and the shocking nature of its content.
When he heard that Garp had actually attacked one of the Five Elders—Saint Saturn—even Steel Bone Kong, with all his composure, couldn't help but feel his scalp tingle and his vision darken.
With a face full of dark lines, he looked at Garp, who was idly picking his nose nearby. Just as he was about to scold this guy who always poked holes in the sky, Tsuru calmly stopped him.
"Mr. Kong, now is not the time to pursue this."
Tsuru's voice was steady and persuasive: "The situation was urgent at the time. As a father, Garp couldn't just stand by and watch his son get killed right in front of him.
The current priority is to figure out the origin, purpose, and assess the impact of this light curtain."
Steel Bone Kong took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
Tsuru was right—there were priorities.
Garp's reckoning could wait until later; right now, this light curtain was the biggest unknown and threat.
Just as Steel Bone Kong tried to sort out his thoughts, the light curtain—which seemed never to tire—lit up again at the most inopportune moment.
The scene was still Elbaf, but the background and the characters' clothing clearly belonged to an earlier era.
Lush ancient forests, rugged and majestic megalithic castles, and the warriors' armor in a more primitive style.
In reality, the moment Harald saw the scene, his massive body trembled slightly. His expression instantly became incredibly complex—filled with reminiscence and a deep trace of "exhaustion."
He recognized it: this was the period of his youth when he was traveling everywhere, trying to find a way out for Elbaf's future.
"I don't want to see this woman!!"
At that moment, a roar filled with bone-deep hatred and fury erupted from Loki's mouth!
Though he had already covered his eyes, he still "stared" fixedly at the figure of a female giant appearing on the light curtain. He suddenly raised the warhammer in his hand, about to smash it toward the light curtain!
His stance looked as if he wanted to tear the person in the image to shreds!
"Loki!!"
A stern shout exploded beside his ear like thunder.
Rocks had somehow flashed to Loki's side at some point, one hand firmly pressing down on the hammer handle about to swing.
Rocks' gaze was sharp as a blade, piercing straight into Loki's raging eyes: "If you still want to board my ship, the first thing you need to do is fix that shitty temper of yours that explodes at the slightest spark!"
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable authority and a strange, elder-like reprimand: "Running away and raging are the most useless things!
"If you don't even have the courage to face your past, and you go crazy at the sight of an illusion, what does that mean? It means you're still an immature brat controlled by your emotions!"
"A true warrior turns his anger into ice instead of letting it burn away his brain! Understand?!"
Perhaps Rocks' words had an effect, or perhaps because Rocks was Loki's idol…
In the end, Loki suppressed his rage, though his entire body still trembled violently, teeth grinding audibly.
But ultimately, he slowly and extremely reluctantly loosened his grip on the hammer handle and heavily planted it on the ground.
He turned his face away, chest heaving dramatically, desperately holding back the hatred and sorrow that nearly burst forth.
Only then did everyone realize that what the light curtain was showing now was precisely Loki's birth mother…
Estrid—the initial encounter and… the events surrounding Loki's birth.
On the light curtain, a beautiful female giant named Estrid, with an aura carrying a hint of dominance and mystery, appeared beside him.
She came from the brewing village and was said to be proficient in some ancient divination and feng shui techniques.
Seeing Harald restless, she took the initiative to offer guidance, directing the surrounding soldiers to move items and adjust layouts according to her instructions, claiming it would bring "good luck" and "convergence of power."
Harald didn't seem particularly fond of such mystical things, but out of politeness, he didn't directly oppose her and simply let her direct.
Estrid even gave Harald a horse said to symbolize "good fortune."
In that era when the seas were perilous and island relations were intricate, Elbaf held a special position in the surrounding waters thanks to its unique navigation techniques.
The young Harald constantly dealt with various forces, trying to find a path forward for Elbaf.
The scene shifted, time passed.
One day, when Harald once again led a team on an "expedition" abroad, inside the royal castle of Elbaf's capital, the painful screams of a woman in labor and the busy sounds of servants echoed.
After a difficult labor, Estrid finally gave birth to a baby boy… Elbaf's true prince, Loki.
This should have been a joyous occasion for the entire nation.
A guard carefully carried the swaddled Loki to the exhausted yet expectant Estrid.
However, when Estrid's gaze fell on the infant's face in the swaddle—especially when it met his newly opened eyes, still crying from discomfort…
"Aaah!!!"
A shrill, distorted scream filled with extreme terror and revulsion burst from Estrid's throat!
She recoiled as if she had seen the most terrifying, most unclean monster in the world. All color drained from her face, replaced by sheer horror and rejection!
The little Loki in the swaddle was a healthy boy. He had inherited his father Harald's ancient giant tribe trait—a small horn outline, originally a symbol of strength.
But what completely broke Estrid was Loki's eyes!
They were not the round eyes of ordinary giant children.
They were… vertical pupils, like those of certain ferocious beasts or cold-blooded reptiles!
In the dim light, those vertical pupils contracted slightly from crying, flickering with an inhuman, inexplicably chilling glow.
"So terrifying… how is this possible… is this my child?!"
Estrid's voice trembled, filled with self-doubt and extreme rejection: "Tell the king… it's stillborn! This must be cursed! It's a monster!!"
She refused to accept this infant with "demon eyes."
In her deeply ingrained beliefs, she was convinced this child was cursed, that he would bring misfortune and tarnish the noble royal bloodline.
Little Loki seemed to sense his mother's rejection and malice. He cried even louder, his tiny chubby hands reaching helplessly into the air, instinctively seeking his mother's warmth and embrace.
But that hand scratched futilely in the air a few times, and in the end, no warm hand grasped it.
Perhaps the greatest misfortune in this world is to be coldly and decisively rejected by the closest person who gave you life, right from the moment of your birth.
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