"Shihahaha!"
"All those damn gods—get the hell out here!"
Soaring into the sky and facing north, Shiki roared furiously at the heavens.
His thick golden hair billowed in the wind, and combined with the azure coat of justice draped across his shoulders, he looked imposing and majestic.
Yet no reply came.
This made Shiki curl his lip in annoyance and curse: "What's the matter, didn't they hear me? Or are they just too scared to show their faces?"
"Well then, if they won't come out, we'll storm their doors ourselves."
Edward Newgate didn't seem to care much.
He was busy recalling the maps he had studied earlier, confirming the direction he needed to take.
That's right—they had already divided up their opponents in advance, so there would be no need to fight over them later.
Before long, Edward Newgate had fixed his bearings.
Without bothering to inform the others, he hefted his Murakumogiri and charged off with thunderous strides.
Indeed, according to intelligence, the mightiest god—Emroy—had been assigned to none other than Whitebeard himself.
With Shiki having no interest in competing, the process of division went smoothly without conflict.
"In that case, we should set out as well. We'll leave this place in your hands!"
Shiki lowered his gaze toward Kuzan, who stood before the Gate with both hands stuffed into his trouser pockets, looking nothing like someone about to face battle.
"Arara, leave it to me," Kuzan said with a smile.
"Mm."
Shiki nodded, then flew eastward.
For the temple of the "God of Sun and Light" was located on an island at the far eastern edge of the continent.
He had already set his sights on Flare!
"Don't go dying in this world now."
Kaido grinned at Bullet at his side, sounding almost concerned for him.
But Bullet had no interest in the sentiment. With a cold voice he replied, "If you think the 'God of Flame and Forge' looks too strong for you, I can swap."
"Worororo~~"
"Good joke! Looks like Garp's punch knocked some humor into you!"
Kaido burst into wild laughter, and in the very instant Bullet's face darkened, he leapt into the sky.
Transforming swiftly, Kaido became an azure dragon covered in blue scales and sped southward.
"Let's set out too!"
Seeing that Kaido, Bullet, and the others had already departed, Uchiha Madara turned his head and reminded Hashirama.
Then his eyes shifted into the Rinnegan, and with a surge of repulsive force, he lifted Hashirama into the air.
Kuzan stood calmly before the "Gate of Ginza," watching the two figures disappear into the distance.
Then he turned back for a glance at the "Gate of Ginza" behind him.
Headquarters had assured them they need not worry about the Gate being closed.
On this point, aside from Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama—
Shiki, Newgate, Kaido, Bullet, and Kuzan himself were all certain it was Imu who had given such a guarantee.
"Admiral Aokiji, may we depart?"
At that moment, Old A approached, followed by Yamanaka Inoichi, Uchiha Tekka, and several other captains.
Although he technically did not need Kuzan's permission, Kuzan's Admiral rank carried weight.
And now that Umigakure was under military authority, Old A had still come to greet him, as a sign of respect.
"Oh, oh. Please take care along the way. And remember—don't slaughter excessively in Rondel. The Kaikage should have reminded you of this already."
Kuzan had also heard stories of Little A's past and worried that Old A might lose control once things escalated.
"This old man understands. I'm only going after that Cato!"
Expressionless, Old A gave a firm nod.
He then turned at once, leading nearly a thousand late-arriving shinobi.
With the thunder of countless shattering sounds, their bodies blurred into dense afterimages as they sped at high velocity toward the northern magic city of Rondel!
Finally, from the camp surged forth a supporting corps five thousand strong.
This was the 1st Brigade of the 1st Division, 2nd Army Group, under the command of Colonel Eisenhower.
Tanks, armored vehicles, self-propelled artillery, armed helicopters—all were present, along with strange entities and creatures drawn from other worlds.
The brigade stretched in a massive column spanning more than 10 kilometers, advancing in full force toward the imperial capital.
And this was only the first wave of the support corps.
The gods were left to the Generals, the magicians to the shinobi, and the empire to them!
The World Government had launched its all-out offensive against the world of Falmart!
...
Harnessing the power of the Float-Float Fruit along with the explosive thrust of "Moonwalk," Shiki's speed reached supersonic levels, a deafening chain of sonic booms erupting behind him.
His lion-like eyes, heavy with dominance, remained fixed on the horizon ahead.
As he sped onward, time seemed to fall away behind him.
The sky shifted rapidly—first dim, then pitch dark.
At last, a full moon rose and scattered its silver light, draping the world in a soft glow.
[HUMMMMM——]
Suddenly a blazing light poured down from above.
The Golden Lion's gaze turned razor-sharp, his eyes narrowing coldly as he slowly raised his head toward the all-too-familiar figure emerging from the clouds overhead.
Resplendent golden armor and helmet, a radiant spear of the sun.
A breathtakingly beautiful face, cold eyes that looked down upon all things, and flowing golden hair cascading to her waist.
It was none other than the "Goddess of Sun and Light"—Flare!
"Mortal, it seems you've been searching for me. If so, you may kneel and worship now."
Flare's lofty gaze bore down on Shiki with contempt.
At her words, Shiki was silent for a moment—then suddenly threw his head back in wild laughter.
"Shihahaha!"
"Shihahaha!"
He laughed until tears welled up at the corners of his eyes, utterly unable to suppress his mirth.
Though he hadn't spoken a word, the mocking scorn in his laughter made Flare's face grow uglier by the second.
Her rage mounted, for his laughter carried nothing but insult toward her.
"Enough! Stop laughing, damn you, mortal!"
Flare snapped, unable to endure it further, her Spear of the Sun leveling straight at Shiki.
"Shihahaha~ I just couldn't hold it in, almost laughed myself unconscious!"
Shiki wiped away his tears and ascended higher until he floated level with Flare.
"Never thought you'd come right to me—saves me plenty of trouble!"
"But tell me, why doesn't your so-called 'godly' aura feel as strong as I imagined?"
"Did you know, I've never been more confident than I am now~~"
As he spoke, a hideous cold smile twisted across his face, cruelty gleaming in his eyes.
Flare's presence truly was on par with a General's.
But if she was alone—then Shiki had absolutely nothing to fear.
In an instant—
The twin blades sprang from their sheaths at his waist, floating before him as his hands closed firmly on their hilts.
"I wonder if cutting down a 'god' feels any different from cutting down a man. Either way, I'm going to find out."
The words had barely left his mouth when the corners of his laughing eyes flared with killing intent.
He vanished in a blur of blue-golden light, slashing straight for Flare.
[BOOM!!!]
The afterimage he left behind dissolved into the wind, and the void resounded with a thunderous detonation that shook the heavens.
"Nothing but a mortal without the faintest trace of divinity!"
"Today, I will destroy you!"
Flare's expression hardened, her face twisting with fury as she thrust her spear forward without hesitation.
In an instant, she transformed into a blinding, searing beam of golden light and charged head-on at Shiki.
[CLANG!!!!!!!]
The Sun Spear, burning with golden flames, clashed in midair against Shiki's twin black blades, their edges wreathed in crimson lightning.
In that moment—
The air around their collision boiled like scalding water, ripples compressing visibly to the naked eye.
Then, with a deafening roar, the compressed waves exploded outward like a tsunami, tearing apart every cloud within sight.
[RUMBLE, RUMBLE, RUMBLE…]
When the shockwave struck the ocean below, towering waves and waterspouts surged skyward.
Within a thousand kilometers, every living creature gazed toward the battlefield in terror.
Birds, beasts, and even the strangest of monsters bolted in madness, fleeing farther away.
For they all felt it—that unimaginable storm of power sweeping toward them.
At the same time—
The entire sky above the "Azure Sea" was consumed by blazing gold and fire.
Shiki and Flare fought in a frenzy, strike meeting strike, their movements as quick as lightning, as violent as thunder.
Wherever their figures darted, sonic booms echoed and seas of flame roared.
Forests in the distant mountains disintegrated into dust.
Each collision unleashed shockwaves that split seas, shattered mountains, and painted the world in a vision of apocalypse.
"Shihahaha!"
"Come on! More! Show me—just how great is your god?!"
Shiki's unrestrained laughter pierced through the thunder of destruction, echoing across the battlefield.
"You dare mock me, mortal?! Then die!"
Flare's shriek rang out, her wrath pushing the battle to even greater extremes.
The sunlight overhead began to burn hotter and hotter, blazing like a furnace.
Below, the surging waves of the Azure Sea billowed into clouds of rolling steam.
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