Starting as a pirate, he rose to become the strongest Shinigami in Soul Society.

Chapter 307 My punch is meant to shatter this world!

Even though he was a naval admiral under the World Government and had visited Mary Geoise several times, Bane had never set foot in this Void Palace or seen the legendary throne.

Upon entering the hall, Bane naturally and unceremoniously began to look around.

The main hall was very spacious, enough to accommodate thousands of people for an audience.

The roof beams are so high that even giants entering would probably not feel any sense of oppression.

The main hall was sparsely furnished, with windows on both sides, but these were blocked by heavy curtains, preventing any light from entering.

A bright red carpet was laid out from the entrance, stretching all the way to the end of the hall, where the Void Throne was located.

At this moment, Bane stood on the red carpet, with twenty lamps set up on both sides along the carpet, seemingly symbolizing twenty kings. He ascended the three-tiered staircase, with the Void Throne at the very top.

Around the throne, various weapons that looked quite luxurious were stuck in the ground.

Legend has it that these were the weapons of the twenty kings who founded the World Government more than eight hundred years ago, each possessing a quality no less than that of the most supreme lords.

Of course, hundreds of years have passed, and although they are still well-maintained and shiny, they have lost the sharpness and murderous aura that once surrounded them. Bane's assessment was that they were just ordinary.

Even in the dim light, Bane's eyesight was sharp enough to make out the shape of the throne.

The throne was empty, made entirely of gold and red silk. The armrests on both sides were carved into golden lions guarding the throne, giving it an imposing appearance. On the back of the chair was a very prominent symbol of the world's ruling government, "Cross of the Four Seas," which looked very formal and made one think that the chair must not be very comfortable.

Just as Bane stood inside the hall, looking around at the situation,

A figure slowly emerged from the shadows on the left side of the level where the throne was located.

Because the hall was too dark, and the guy seemed to be deliberately concealing his appearance, Bane couldn't make out what the figure looked like.

The two did not exchange any words. Bane silently watched the figure walk to the throne and then slowly sit down on it.

It was only then that Bane could clearly see what the figure looked like.

He was a very handsome young man with long, dark golden hair. He wore a towering crown, and his hair fell over his shoulders. His eyebrows were sharply defined, and he certainly had the heroic air of a king. His pupils were as sharp as a hawk's, but even so, one could see a strong sense of decay in his eyes, as if he had experienced many vicissitudes and walked out of the past.

Even without any actual contact, from this distance, Bane could already feel the indescribable, surging life force within him. Even just sitting there, the elements in the surrounding air were constantly merging into him, as if he were the center of a vortex.

It was this incredibly powerful life force that confirmed Bane's suspicion that the other party was indeed Im.

To be honest, this was somewhat unexpected. He had even imagined that, given Im's fear of death and the restraint the Dark-Dark Fruit exerted on him, he might abandon everything he had, flee Mary Geoise, and disappear forever.

Until he, Bane, grows old and frail and dies of natural causes, it is not impossible for him to make a comeback.

I never expected him to appear so openly and sit so naturally on that throne.

While Bane was sizing up Im, Im was also observing Bane.

He had certainly studied a lot of information about Bane, and even though he had never actually met him, he was very familiar with Bane. Even so, he still felt a little emotional, thinking that Bane was too young.

"Being young is really a good thing," Im murmured to himself.

Judging from his appearance, he was undoubtedly male, but his voice was somewhat androgynous, full of magnetism, and one could vaguely sense a sense of authority.

"I think so too," Bane said with a grin.

"Now that you have seen the king, why do you not bow?" Im asked softly.

"What kind of king are you?" Bane asked, a murderous glint gradually creeping into his eyes.

"King of this place, King of the world," Im replied calmly, as if he felt no pressure from Bane at all.

"Hahahaha," Bane laughed loudly upon hearing this, saying, "As a king, you naturally deserve the reverence of all people. I wonder how many of your subjects know you, the so-called King of the World, and sing your praises?"

Bane's words seemed to hit Im right where it hurt, silencing him.

"My name is Narona Im, and all people in the world know my illustrious name," Im said in a deep voice after a moment.

"That was the glory of twenty kings," Bane said with a slight sigh. "It happened eight hundred years ago. I don't know the reasons behind it, nor do I have any interest in them. But as the saying goes, the victor is king, the loser is villain. There is no greater truth on this high seas than this. The twenty kings won, so they are the victors, they are the righteous ones. That is the outcome, and therefore they deserve to be celebrated with glory."

Bane has always respected the twenty kings. Regardless of what they did more than eight hundred years ago or what their motives were, there is only one thing that cannot be denied: they won!

Such a victory, which has a global impact and influences the course and situation of the entire ocean for hundreds of years to come, deserves respect!

As winners, they should naturally enjoy the glory that belongs to them.

After a slight pause, Bane looked at the weapons stuck in the ground before Im and said, "Whether out of hypocrisy or genuine sincerity, these twenty blades, right before this throne, were forged by twenty kings who created this throne symbolizing equality and the absence of dictatorship. Whatever their reasons, and whether I agree or not, it is undeniable that it was sublime. It is precisely because of this sublimity that their glory endures and is sung by the world. And now, you, sitting on that throne, have lost the dignity and magnanimity of a former king. In that case, how dare you call yourself the king of the world?"

"As you said, the greatest truth in this world is that the victor is king and the loser is villain. Now I am alive, I am sitting here, while they are all dead. Isn't this a victory? Or do you also set limits on the means to achieve victory? I have achieved this final victory, so I should naturally enjoy the glory of being the king of the world, shouldn't I?" Im's expression remained unchanged, and his tone was still calm as he asked softly.

"The glory of a king is never to be enjoyed alone." Bane's expression turned serious. "Precisely because it is glory, it must be spread among all people, and one must therefore bear the reverence of all people. To be revered, one must first respect. To be respected, one needs sufficient capacity and ability. You, clearly, have not spread your glory in this world. You are merely a weakling who hides beneath the splendor of Mary Geoise, proclaims yourself king, and uses this to usurp the throne, basking in your own smugness."

"So, you also want to become king?" Im didn't argue with Bane, but asked this question instead.

"The throne is right before me, how could I not want to sit on it?" Bane said, a smirk playing on his lips. "Although, that throne looks quite uncomfortable."

But it is precisely because the throne is not comfortable that it serves as a reminder to the person sitting on it not to become complacent and indulge in a comfortable environment.

Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!

"You say I hide beneath Mary Geoise, afraid to appear openly before the world, but I believe that as a king, I am born noble, and those who are not qualified are certainly not worthy of knowing of my existence." Im then continued, "You are qualified, and that is why I am waiting for you here, Bane."

"Now that you mention it, I understand why you didn't leave," Bane said with a look of sudden realization in his eyes.

"Hmph," Im snorted softly, seemingly the first time he had shown any emotion. Then, he said, "Now that you have the qualifications, you are no longer the same as the masses. You have broken free from the ranks of mortals and ants and arrived before this throne. In return, I will give you sufficient respect."

At this point, Im's tone turned serious as he said, "As a king, you can do whatever you want, but there is one thing you cannot shirk: defending your throne. If you cannot even do that, then you are truly unworthy of being a king!"

The moment the words fell, Im's kingly aura soared into the sky, as if the entire Void Throne was trembling for him, and the twenty kingly blades in front of him also let out a mournful cry.

Sensing this imposing aura, Bane's face gradually broke into a smile as he said, "It is only at this moment, with these words, that I have been able to glimpse the grandeur of the twenty kings eight hundred years ago."

Only at this moment did Bane truly feel the aura of a king from Im!

Im casually drew a long sword from the blades before the throne, still sitting upright on the throne, looking down at Bane.

Then, he pointed the blade in his hand at Bane below the steps and said softly, "My name is Narona Im, the king of this place, the king of the world. I, standing on this throne, bestow upon you the qualification and honor to challenge the king, Bane."

Seeing Im's regal bearing, Bane smiled and chose to respect his kingly demeanor.

Bane raised one hand and touched his shoulder, nodding slightly like an elegant nobleman, and said, "I am deeply grateful. To show my sincerity, I will take your life, the life of a king of the old era."

The moment he finished speaking, Bane's humility vanished, replaced by a surge of overwhelming domineering aura that extinguished all twenty lamps in the void hall.

In the next instant, a cold light flashed in the dark hall; it was Im who had made his move.

"This blade is named 'The World'!" Im's voice arrived, accompanied by a cold glint.

The Heart-Slaying Sword at Bane's waist also emitted an excited hiss. Immediately afterwards, the Heart-Slaying Sword was drawn, and its equally sharp cold light illuminated the dim hall.

In a daze, Bane seemed to see countless changes and the flowing river of time from Im's slash, encompassing everything, which is the 'world'!

The cold light of Xin Du was clearly no match for this 'world'; it vanished in an instant and disappeared into the darkness.

Immediately, an iron fist struck the 'world'.

"This punch of mine is meant to shatter this world!!!"

(End of this chapter)