One Piece: Surrounded at Marineford? Just kidding!

Chapter 565: Taking the Blame!

Loki became more and more excited as he spoke!

He slowly raised his head.

He stared intently at Halding in the distance, his eyes filled with sorrow and mockery.

"Do you think that was an easy decision?"

Loki spoke, his voice laced with sarcasm.

Haildin could only stand there dumbfounded.

He couldn't say anything at that moment!

"The old man said to me with a smile."

Loki, only you can kill me!

He begged me to kill him.

Do you know how much pain I was in at that time?

Loki's jaw clenched so tightly it trembled, and his facial muscles twitched wildly.

"He couldn't suppress that evil force."

"If he doesn't die, Elbaf will be wiped out by him."

Loki slammed forward, and the chains snapped instantly.

wow-

A loud bang erupted, sending sparks flying everywhere.

"What else can I do?!"

Loki roared at Halding and the others.

"That's my father! That's the King of Elbaf!"

"I watched him turn into a monster, I watched him suffer a life worse than death!"

"To preserve his reputation, for the sake of all of Elbaf—"

"I had no choice but to kill my own father!"

His chest heaved violently.

The events that occurred in the palace decades ago flooded Loki's mind once again!

That was the last thing he wanted to remember.

He killed his own father with his own hands.

Loki let out a chilling laugh that echoed throughout the Underworld and reverberated through the narrow passage.

"That guy, Aruru, witnessed the whole thing."

Loki recounted the horrific events of that night, word by word.

The hall was littered with severed limbs; hundreds of guards lay dead. Harald was decapitated, and he stood amidst the mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood, still clutching the dripping hammer tightly in his hand.

"Tell me, how are we going to explain this to the people of Elbaf?"

Loki's eyes were like knives, piercing and menacing.

"Tell them the king has gone mad?"

"Tell them that Harald is being controlled?"

"Tell them that the king himself slaughtered his people?"

Loki slowly shook his head, and the last glimmer of light in his eyes dimmed.

"No."

"Father is the faith of Elbaf, the god in the hearts of the soldiers."

He enunciated each word heavily, his voice revealing a deathly weariness.

"The image of a father must not be tarnished."

"If it collapses, the country is finished."

"Glory will become a laughing stock."

So, I made my choice.

"I told that old man to shut up."

"I made him pin all the blame on me."

His voice was frighteningly flat.

"Patricide, massacre, betrayal."

"Give me all the dirtiest words."

"As long as we can preserve the old man's reputation and this foolish kingdom."

Loki looked up at the dark rock wall and suddenly burst into laughter.

"I willingly donned the dark chains."

"I willingly allow myself to be nailed to the depths of this underworld."

"I've been here for a full ten years."

"I've endured ten years of scorn and insults, listening to you call me a demon, a madman."

His gaze returned to Halding, now filled with pity.

"I gave up my freedom, I gave up my dignity, and I'm taking this blame."

"Just to preserve the image of my father."

The underworld was deathly silent.

No one spoke.

The entire room fell silent!

No one present knew what to say!

Zoro released his right hand, his thumb flicking lightly, and the blade slid back into its sheath. He stared at Loki, his whole body slowly relaxing.

Sanji took a deep drag on his cigarette. Then he slowly exhaled the thick smoke, stomped the cigarette butt on the ground, crushed it, and slowly lowered his previously tense right leg.

Usopp and Chopper collapsed to the ground, their pupils trembling.

How ruthless must a person be to swallow such grievances?

Haildin was shaking violently.

His thick arms trembled violently, and the blood-stained warhammer slowly lost its support in his hands.

boom!

The warhammer slipped from his hand and crashed to the ground, cracks spreading wildly in all directions.

This loud noise seemed to snap the string that had been taut in Haildin's mind for ten years.

Memories of the past flooded back.

The face of my father before he died.

The brutal deaths of the Imperial Guards.

Aruru's eyes sparkled.

And there was that strict order forbidding anyone from entering the underworld.

And Loki.

That younger brother who clearly possessed absolute power, yet never resisted.

That younger brother who never even flinched when trapped at the roots of the World Tree.

All doubts were completely resolved at this moment.

The truth is slowly being revealed, and the bloody facts are laid bare before us.

Haildin's body suddenly hunched over.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

Hot tears mixed with blood streamed down his face, splashing onto the ground and creating tiny droplets.

wrong.

That's completely wrong.

For decades, he considered Loki his mortal enemy, wishing he could smash his head in with his own hands. But in the end, the one who truly bore all the darkness for him and for Elbaf was none other than Loki.

Haildin finally collapsed.

He suddenly covered his face and burst into tears, which streamed out from between his fingers.

The giant warrior behind him also had tears in his eyes.

They once hated Loki to the core and cursed him countless times. But the truth, like a heavy hammer, shattered everything in their hearts.

The three giants lowered their heads in unison, utterly ashamed.

Clang.

One of the giants released his grip first, and the tattered heavy shield crashed to the ground.

Immediately afterwards, the other two warriors also threw down their weapons. The totem pole and the greatsword hit the ground with a dull thud.

The defensive line has been withdrawn.

Their weapons could no longer be aimed at the royal family who had sacrificed everything.

Haildin did not say another word.

His chest heaved violently as he forcefully suppressed the surging blood in his body. He then lowered his hands, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the bronze gate.

Then, he turned around.

The heavy footsteps slowly began.

He led three soldiers and retreated to either side of the passage. His massive body pressed against the rock wall, completely clearing the central path.

The defense line collapsed.

Devastated by the truth itself.

There were no more obstacles ahead.

Luffy stood still, watching Hajrudin retreat without saying a word or urging him on. He raised his hand and pulled his straw hat down, covering most of his face.

He slowly raised his right hand.

He gripped the black key tightly.

The next second, Luffy strode forward.

He strode closer to Loki.

The sound of footsteps shattered the silence, echoing through the passage.

Every step felt like stepping on everyone's hearts.