As Uta continued singing, the demonic sheet music in Luffy's hand began to stir, struggling to escape and reach Uta. Luffy tightened his grip, glancing down at the scroll.
"Does this thing have a will of its own? Maybe I should just tear it up," he muttered.
With those words, the Demon King's Melody stilled, as if understanding his threat.
Luffy returned to his seat, eyeing the aged, yellowed parchment.
"This is... the sealed Demon King's Melody?" King Gordon, recognizing it immediately, paled as he looked at the forbidden score—a relic of destruction from ancient times. Once, it had annihilated Elegia. His hand instinctively reached to take the music from Luffy. "This... should be sealed away. How did it escape…?"
The king broke into a cold sweat, haunted by the memories of dark events chronicled in ancient texts. As Elegia's ruler, he was well aware of the power this ancient weapon held—strong enough to catch the attention of the entire world.
The Demon King's Melody had been secured in the Sealed Grounds, guarded by fearsome stone sentries, an ancient defense system. No one was supposed to reach it, much less take it.
But Luffy casually moved the scroll out of the king's reach, his expression calm. "If it's that dangerous, I'll keep it safe for you."
He smiled, fixing his gaze on Gordon. "Weapons of mass destruction aren't meant for just anyone."
"Luffy!" Gordon's voice tightened with alarm. "That's a terrifying power. It must be returned to the Sealed Grounds, or the consequences could be unimaginable! Even the World Government fears it!"
"If it's so dangerous, why didn't you just burn it?" Luffy replied bluntly, tugging a small piece from the parchment to demonstrate. The paper was fragile, destructible.
As he tore a small section, the scroll lay inert, unmoved by even Uta's voice.
Embarrassed, Gordon lowered his head. "I just... couldn't bring myself to destroy something so extraordinary. I hoped that one day, a musician of unparalleled talent could wield it. After all, power itself is neutral…"
Indeed, Gordon had considered destroying the scroll, but as a musician, he couldn't bring himself to do it. This was the only one of its kind—a glimpse into the ancient world and the secrets of musicians long lost.
But now, he felt a twinge of relief. The melody had clearly been trying to entice Uta to unleash its power. Had it succeeded, Elegia would have been doomed.
The might of an ancient demon king was beyond comprehension.
"So, since you clearly can't guard it, I'll take it," Luffy said with finality. "I'll hand it over to my grandfather for safekeeping."
Handing a weapon like this to a pirate would only spell disaster, Gordon thought. He had no idea who Luffy's grandfather was but assumed he must be one of the pirates on Shanks' ship. His worry only deepened.
With a strained smile, Gordon tried to reason with him. "Now, be sensible. Give me the sheet music. This is not something a child should handle."
Can these guys not understand words? Luffy wondered, irritation prickling at him. He balled up the sheet music and stuffed it into his pocket, the air around his fists rippling with heat.
Training in martial arts required a bit of ferocity. True masters weren't kindly sages—they were forged through combat and the thrill of blood. The ancient masters were not virtuous by choice but because over time, their arts became obsolete. Forced politeness was a thing of the past, and Luffy couldn't care less about a hypocritical moral code.
As he sat, he let Uta's melody wash over him, soothing his frustrations. Music, he thought, was indeed a wonderful thing.
Gordon, unaware of Luffy's simmering irritation, persisted in trying to retrieve the score. Uta's music gradually mellowed Luffy's temper, her powers far exceeding his in sheer influence. This was the strength of the Song-Song Fruit.
With his mind clearer, Luffy found himself contemplating more calmly. There were many things that could be handled without violence, he mused, and he gave Gordon a cheerful smile.
"My grandfather is Garp," he said simply. "I think he can keep it safe, so there's no need to worry. You'd be better off dismissing a few disrespectful nobles. It's ridiculous that they talk so much before their king even speaks. They're just wasting resources."
A small flame flickered on Luffy's fingertip.
"They're probably lucky I'm leaving soon and in a good mood…"
"G-Garp... Vice Admiral Garp? You're his grandson?"
Gordon stammered in disbelief. In all the seas, there was only one Garp—the Navy's hero, Vice Admiral Garp. The revelation sent waves of confusion through him. Why was Garp's grandson mixed up with pirates?
Questions and doubts churned within Gordon's mind, and he wondered if he should even know this secret. Maybe he'd stumbled onto something he shouldn't have.
Luffy's restless irritation had already become apparent to him. The king suddenly realized he was toeing a very dangerous line. The small flame on the boy's fingertip reflected an inner impatience, and one angry slip could result in a serious incident.
Luffy's fists could easily pierce a thick tree trunk, and he had a gun and a knife as well. This boy was a monster.
The truth about Luffy dawned on him—he wasn't a child but a growing beast. His cheerful demeanor masked something far darker. It would take only one wrong move to see his true nature unleashed.
"Keep all of this to yourself," Luffy said, his smile as bright as ever. "Don't stir up unnecessary trouble, King Gordon. Whether it's about Garp or the melody, if any of it gets out, it'll just be… annoying. Wouldn't you agree it's better to live a relaxed, peaceful life and enjoy this beautiful world?"
The flame on his fingertip flickered out, replaced by his usual carefree grin.
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