Clearly, Kouta's abilities had completely surpassed Im's comprehension.
"Not running anymore?"
At some point, due to the contraction of the surrounding space, Im's figure had appeared before Kouta.
"You were toying with me from the start?"
Im looked up at the youth who seemed within reach yet impossibly far away, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.
With the opponent's strength in this peculiar space, it was impossible not to sense the emotions released with his spiritual power.
"No."
Kouta shook his head, then continued, "I initially just wanted to know some things I was interested in from you. Since you wanted to play, I went along with it, playing along with you. As for letting you out."
At this point, Kouta paused, then he pulled down the gourd from his waist, took a large swig, and continued, "Your initial threat was indeed effective, but after entering the core of the earth, I realized you couldn't possibly do it, you couldn't destroy this world solely with your outward spiritual energy."
"Then why did you still let me out?"
"Naturally, to see the power that differentiates this world!"
As he said this, Kouta's gaze towards Im held a hint of curiosity.
"Ion life, to be honest, no matter how miraculous this universe is, I wouldn't be surprised. But for a life form to evolve to your extent, it's something I truly didn't expect."
"There are many things you don't expect. I am an ion life, or you could say a molecular life."
Im had now regained her composure. She didn't beg for mercy, nor did she attempt to flee again. Instead, she calmly explained to the youth.
"Molecular?"
Kouta stroked his chin, thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "Then are there also atomic, neutron, proton, or electron lives?"
"Yes."
Im nodded, confirming Kouta's conjecture.
"Then how did you evolve to this stage?"
"I don't know the specific reason. Perhaps the essence of our universe is ions!"
Im shook her head, indicating her lack of knowledge.
"But one thing can be confirmed: the essence of life and the universe, apart from the unexplainable power of spirit, is inherently infinitely vast, or infinitely small, isn't it?"
"Infinitely vast, infinitely small?"
Kouta pondered for a moment, then nodded.
He then put away his gourd and looked at Im, who was clad in fiery red like a blooming rose, and said indifferently, "Alright, I know what I wanted to know, and you don't know what you don't know. It's time for you to go on your way."
"Have you thought about how you want to die?"
"I have."
Im looked at the youth and nodded calmly. "I don't want to be sealed again, nor do I want to be thrown into that terrifying dark world by you. Therefore..."
Before she could finish speaking, Im's body began to burn like ignited paper.
The moment she ignited her body, Im had abandoned any hope of survival. Their kind of life was like the sun; by igniting the core within their bodies with their own energy, fusion would occur.
No one could kill them, except themselves.
This was the ultimate destiny for their kind of life.
Without paying Kouta any mind, Im turned around and gazed at the starry sky revealed by the battle overhead, a deep longing in her eyes.
She wanted to go home, she longed for it ceaselessly. But sometimes, people had to pay the price for their choices, and her price was death.
Soon, Im completely turned into light, and then the light abruptly extinguished, disappearing entirely.
"Is she dead?"
Even within his own domain, Kouta remained utterly cautious and asked the void beside him.
"She is dead."
Bigan and Xingkong simultaneously appeared and spoke.
"I say, Kouta, such a weakling, why didn't you just let Xingkong Brother out to swat her away with one palm? You fought for so long."
Bigan, sitting on Kouta's left shoulder, chided him.
"Yo! It's only been a little while, and you're already calling Xingkong 'Brother'?"
Kouta glanced at Bigan sideways, mocking him. "This doesn't sound like you!"
"Hahaha!! I call this being adaptable. In this entire universe, the line of people wanting to be Brother Xingkong's subordinate must be incredibly long. To be able to cut in line like this is simply my honor."
"Heh, you, you."
Kouta shook his head and reached out to stroke Xingkong's dragon head.
Xingkong remained silent and, like a dog, nudged affectionately against Kouta's hand, closing his eyes in comfort.
...
Im was dead.
The World Government's final reliance was gone.
With Im's true body's demise, the Uranus, the Heavenly King that had gone mad and become indiscriminate in Mary Geoise, stopped its actions at that moment. Its entire body collapsed as if its energy had been drained.
And its collapse signified the fall of the World Government, which had weighed down upon this world for eight hundred years.
Seeing the victor emerge in the sky, the waiting Marines finally had their choice. Without hesitation, led by Sengoku and Garp, who was already itching to beat up the Celestial Dragons and looked extremely excited, they swarmed into Mary Geoise and attacked the outnumbered Gorosei.
The arrival of the Marines was the last straw that broke the already disadvantaged Gorosei. With thunderous roars, the outnumbered outnumbered were soon defeated, with the remaining four Gorosei being eliminated one by one.
After killing the Gorosei, the CP organization, and the God's Knights, Ah Hua and his companions stood at the entrance of Mary Geoise. They did not enter with the main force but instead met up with the youth who descended from the sky. Then, aboard the Freedom, they headed in another direction.
"God Valley?"
As they advanced, Sengoku and Garp looked back towards the direction of the Freedom's departure, understanding dawning in their eyes.
Mary Geoise, besides its defensive forces, did not house any Celestial Dragons.
It made sense. Facing the impending great war, how could those foolish Celestial Dragons withstand it? Therefore, the Gorosei must have transferred all the Celestial Dragons away from the start.
However, this was not their concern. As for what Kouta and his group were going to do, they didn't need to think to know.
To be honest, their hearts were somewhat complex. The World Government, such a massive organization, had simply ceased to exist.
And the future fate of the Marines now rested on that silver-haired youth.
There was no fear, but there was a certain apprehension.
...
Two days later, whether they had watched the broadcast or not, every corner of this world knew about the war in Mary Geoise two days prior and the downfall of the World Government.
For this news, some rejoiced, some remained calm, and of course, some couldn't believe it, and some even felt disgust.
However, none of this affected the new era that this world was about to step into, starting from two days ago.
In this era, the first changes to appear were the abolition of slavery and the establishment of Adventurer Guilds.
As for the Marines, they remained as they always were, unchanged.
Just as Sengoku had initially thought, in a world that was entirely water, pirates would never disappear, and neither would the Marines.
The world began to change at an incredibly rapid pace, and the flames of revolution had spread to every corner of the world within these two days.
Kouta paid little attention to all of this. He knew this was merely the beginning of another cycle.
And their journey was about to embark towards another sea.
The Sea of Stars.