Immortal

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Buzz—!!

A terrifying wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from Kitaro's body.

Crack! Crack!

Black lightning crackled all around him, its energy lashing out. The overwhelming Haki surged over Muzan Kibutsuji's body, causing it to disintegrate into ash, just like how demons perish when struck down.

Before long, Muzan was completely obliterated, his existence erased from the world.

Outside, Kitaro opened his eyes, feeling a boundless vitality coursing through his body.

Whoosh—!!

Kitaro appeared in the sky island, flying at breakneck speed straight upward.

Soon, Kitaro ascended to an altitude of 100,000 meters, nearly breaching Earth's atmosphere. It was a place inhospitable to humans, yet he remained unaffected.

"This feeling..."

It was as if he could fight for ten days and nights without the slightest trace of fatigue.

He even felt that, no matter how badly his body was torn apart, he could regenerate instantly.

Such abilities, in the context of Eastern cultivation, would be traits only a Martial Saint could possess.

Beyond endurance and regeneration, Kitaro's strength, speed, reflexes, and perception—all his basic attributes—had undergone tremendous enhancement.

"This is amazing!"

Feeling the dramatic changes in his body, Kitaro's lips curled into a smile.

The smile grew wider and wider until he finally couldn't hold it back anymore.

"HAHAHAHA!!"

The sheer joy of eliminating the threat of Muzan and gaining such immense power made Kitaro ecstatic.

Dismissing the Light-Weight Rock Technique, Kitaro spread his arms wide and let himself free-fall.

Under the force of gravity, he plummeted like a meteor toward the Earth.

The friction with the air generated intense heat, engulfing his body in flames.

BOOM—!!

Kitaro crashed into the ocean, creating a massive shockwave that sent towering waves surging outward.

Moments later—

Splash—!!

A figure burst out from the water. Kitaro's clothes had completely burned away during the descent, leaving him unbound.

Without the constraint of clothing, he felt an unparalleled sense of freedom.

It wasn't the thrill of increased power but a profound emotional resonance—a sensation of breaking free from the shackles of mortality.

Humans are destined to face life and death.

Life may be unfair, but death treats everyone equally.

For the lucky, a life of seventy or eighty years flashes by in a blink. At most, one might experience seven or eight decades before reaching the end. For the unlucky, life might be snuffed out at birth.

Disease, disaster, accidents, war…

Countless threats constantly lurk to claim a person's life.

Mortals instinctively fear death.

Even Muzan Kibutsuji, the progenitor of demons who had lived for over a thousand years, was obsessed with living even longer.

Kitaro was no exception. Eternal youth, immortality, indestructibility—these were pursuits shared by countless individuals.

Now, he had achieved it. The shackles of mortality no longer bound him. No virus or illness could harm him.

He could soar through the skies, burrow into the earth, and swim freely in the oceans.

In the context of a cultivation novel, he would undoubtedly be considered an immortal.

With such a monumental gain, how could he not feel joyous and exhilarated?

Whoosh!

Kitaro vanished, reappearing moments later in the Empress's private chamber.

At that moment, the Empress. Hancock lay sleepless in her bed, longing for Kitaro's presence. She realized she couldn't imagine being apart from him anymore.

She wanted to go find him but refrained because he had said he was dealing with something important and shouldn't be disturbed.

She wondered when he would return.

Whoosh!

Kitaro suddenly appeared, startling her. Before she could react, she found herself on the bed beneath him.

Soon, the room was filled with sounds that made one's face flush and heart race. The sounds continued for a long time before finally subsiding.

Though the Empress didn't know what had happened, she could sense that her man was exceptionally happy tonight—happier than she had ever seen him before.

Although she didn't know the reason, seeing her man so joyful filled her heart with happiness too.

---

The next morning, sunlight filtered into the Empress's bedroom. Kitaro woke up feeling more energized than ever. The battle in his spiritual realm had drained him, but a single night of rest was enough to restore him completely.

"Lady Hancock! Lord Kitaro! A stranger has infiltrated the island! The guardian warriors have captured him and placed him in custody!"

Hearing Kitaro stirring, Gloriosa entered to report.

Kitaro and the Empress living in Kuja City had become a common sight. The islanders had already come to regard them as equals in status.

"Hmm..."

Hancock murmured softly, still recovering from the previous night's "conquest."

"I understand. Hancock is a bit tired right now, so don't disturb her. I'll handle it," Kitaro replied with a smile.

"Yes, my lord!"

Gloriosa admired Kitaro deeply. As expected of Lord Kitaro, even a woman as mighty as the Empress couldn't keep up with him. Truly a man among men.

After dressing, Kitaro followed Gloriosa to the prison.

There, he was greeted by a familiar face—the protagonist of One Piece, Monkey D. Luffy.

Seeing him, Kitaro suddenly remembered: had the story already reached the point where Luffy arrived on Amazon Lily?

In the original anime, Luffy had landed here, stumbled upon the bathing Empress, and eventually won her heart.

But now, things were different. The Empress was already his woman, his lover.

"It's you!"

Luffy was equally shocked to see Kitaro. Wasn't he supposed to still be on Sabaody Archipelago? How had he arrived here so quickly?

"Lord Kitaro, do you know him?" Gloriosa asked.

"Yes, I do. Release him," Kitaro replied with a nod.

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