Chapter 177: 177: The Fairy Butterfly
Aether didn't have time to check the system information for the moment. Even he was stunned as he looked at his retracted fist. Although that single strike had nearly exhausted all the Haki in his body, its destructive power was enough to leave even him unsettled.
He had originally thought Houttuynia was a useless ability, but when combined with Advanced Conqueror's Haki Infusion, it became something truly terrifying. This level of force was likely comparable to some of the world's greatest weapons.
In the distance, the tsunami he had created was still spreading across the sea. To ordinary people, waves hundreds of meters high were nothing short of a catastrophic disaster. Fortunately, there were no inhabited islands within a thousand nautical miles. Otherwise, the massive loss of life would have haunted him forever.
At first glance, it might seem similar to the destruction Whitebeard could unleash, but the difference between the two was immense. Whitebeard used the Tremor-Tremor Fruit to manipulate vibrations through the air and the earth itself, relying on precise control and leverage. Aether, on the other hand, had achieved this through pure brute force, directly damaging the earth's crust.
Aether couldn't even be bothered to check the collapsed bridge deck for survivors. Under the power of the Giant's Advanced Conqueror's Haki, there was no possibility that any of them remained alive. The system notifications soon confirmed it.
[The fate of SS-rank character Markas Luke has been significantly altered. Reward: 50,000 Destiny Points.]
[The fates of S-rank characters have been significantly altered. Reward: 5,000 x 3 Destiny Points.]
Since their fates had been drastically altered, they were almost certainly dead.
Rather than dwelling on them, Aether reflected on his own actions. He had become intoxicated by that overwhelming power and unleashed a full-force attack without considering the consequences. Thankfully, the nearby crust was stable. Had he struck near a fault line or unstable terrain, the resulting disaster could have been apocalyptic.
Aether muttered to himself, his voice rumbling like distant thunder.
"In the future, I shouldn't use the Giant's Advanced Conqueror's Haki unless absolutely necessary. The environmental damage is far too severe."
Many people were still staring up at the giant figure. Were those words directed at them?
Aether's concern was justified. Although this Advanced Conqueror's Haki strike was still inferior to Vegapunk's creation, the Mother Flame, it was already powerful enough to make even him wary. If he ever used such power recklessly, he feared he might one day drag the entire world into ruin.
Just like the horrifying Mother Flame of the future.
When the World Government first used the Mother Flame to erase the Lulusia Kingdom, no one could have imagined it was a weapon capable of destroying the world itself.
The Mother Flame didn't merely annihilate a kingdom of hundreds of thousands along with its island. It also burned a massive hole deep into the strata beneath the sea, a terrifying abyss that even the surrounding ocean waters could not fill.
It was those bottomless chasms that caused the sea level of the world to rise, submerging countless low-lying islands and triggering devastating tsunamis across the globe.
Having read the original story, Aether still couldn't fully understand how things had reached that point. However, one thing was certain: he absolutely could not allow the World Government to obtain the Mother Flame.
For now, Aether pushed those thoughts aside. It wasn't yet time to make any decisions.
Under everyone's gaze, his enormous body rapidly shrank back to normal size. The moment Aether stepped onto the bridge deck again, a powerful sense of weakness flooded through him, causing his footing to falter briefly.
He had never felt this drained before, which made him somewhat uneasy. Still, after thinking about it, the reason was obvious. Although using Houttuynia hadn't completely depleted his stamina, he still retained roughly one-third of it.
His Haki, however, aside from Observation Haki, had been completely exhausted.
Even Gol D. Roger had likely never experienced a situation where his Haki ran dry before his stamina. Though Roger had suffered total stamina exhaustion before, this situation was entirely different.
Just as Aether steadied himself slightly, a pair of arms gently supported him from behind. He could immediately feel two soft, elastic mounds pressing lightly against his waist.
Turning his head, he saw Robin supporting him.
The scholar, having finally recovered from her shock, looked at him with clear eyes and spoke softly.
"You've worked hard, Aether. If you're really too tired, you can lean on me and rest for a while."
"..."
Aether looked at Robin's gentle expression. She clearly wasn't joking.
His gaze unconsciously drifted toward the snow-white curves visible beneath her V-neck outfit. His instincts immediately took over, and he closed his eyes, shamelessly burying his face against her chest.
"So soft, so bouncy, so fragrant... this really feels like home."
Since she had invited him, Aether naturally didn't hold back.
Although a faint blush appeared on Robin's face from the intimate contact, she didn't push him away. After all, Aether was the hero who had liberated the Kingdom on the Bridge.
Thinking back carefully, Robin realized that Aether had intentionally directed most of the punch's power into the seabed. Otherwise, the rest of the bridge would never have survived intact after such a devastating attack.
Seeing his weakened condition now, she guessed that controlling such overwhelming power had likely caused the massive drain on his body. Since she was the one who had asked for his help, she couldn't simply leave him alone.
While his exhausted body and mind were being soothed by the comforting "facial wash," Aether silently checked the system notifications. In such a short amount of time, he had already accumulated 190,000 Destiny Points.
After pondering briefly, Aether decided not to continue saving for a Gold draw. Instead, he planned to start with several Purple draws first.
Soon, a purple orb of light appeared before him.
[Fairy Butterfly Immortal Flask (Special Edition)]
[Origin: An immortal artifact created by the Fairy Butterfly for the unrequited love she could never obtain. The immortal flask automatically produces a full bottle of immortal brew every day. Such wine belongs only in the heavens, yet mortals may still taste it.]
[Effects: Extends lifespan and strengthens the body. A lifespan of a thousand years is no longer impossible. One cup of immortal brew increases lifespan by one month, while one full bottle increases lifespan by three years.]
Worth it. Absolutely worth it.
Ninety years of lifespan every month was an unbelievable reward. An immortal artifact capable of endlessly replenishing itself was arguably one of the strongest items obtainable from a Purple draw.
Aether would never need to worry about life-extending treasures again.
Meanwhile, on an island ten kilometers away from the bridge, the battle between two top-tier powerhouses had already come to a halt after the terrifying tsunami swallowed the island beneath the sea.
The giant figure that had appeared and disappeared so quickly left Kizaru staring in disbelief.
"Is that Roger? Since when did he possess such terrifying power?"
"..."
Monkey D. Dragon, leader of the Revolutionary Army, was equally shaken. Deep down, he couldn't help wondering whether even he could survive that punch if he had been the target.
Even from such a distance, they had witnessed that god-like strike capable of shaking the world itself.
This level of power surpassed even the so-called "God" Devil Fruits.
The two powerhouses, both normally confident in their strength, couldn't help feeling somewhat disheartened. Compared to that overwhelming might, the power they took pride in suddenly seemed insignificant.
Dragon looked toward Kizaru and spoke in a deep voice.
"Kizaru, do you still intend to fight? The people you came for are probably already dead."
"I'm done here. There's no way I'd confront a monster that terrifying right now. I'd better return and inform Sakazuki. She'll definitely have a massive headache after this."
Without waiting for a response, Kizaru transformed into a streak of golden light and vanished.
Dragon remained where he was, staring toward the Kingdom on the Bridge with a complicated expression.
He didn't know whether someone like Aether, who possessed such overwhelming power, would become a friend or an enemy in the future.
If Aether ever sought to become the ruler of the world, what place would remain for the Revolutionary Army?
The battle at the Kingdom on the Bridge had already been recorded through the Den Den Mushi Aether had prepared beforehand.
As someone determined to become a successful influencer, he naturally wouldn't let such an opportunity go to waste.
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