Just as Judge's spear was about to reach Ritter, a streak of golden lightning flashed before his eyes. Enel appeared in front of Ritter in an instant, catching the spearhead with one hand. Electricity surged violently across its surface, but he remained perfectly unharmed.
"Old man, your electricity is not even enough to tickle me." Enel tilted his head and flashed a mocking grin. "Your son is useless, and you are no different."
Judge's pupils shrank. Before he could even react, Enel's other hand pressed against his chest.
"Divine Punishment: Thunder Judgment."
A booming crack split the air as a massive pillar of lightning several meters wide crashed down from the heavens. Judge was blasted straight into the sea, sending towering waves roaring across the surface.
The seawater boiled. Sparks scattered wildly. Judge's combat suit smoked under the overwhelming voltage, and his body convulsed uncontrollably. Although he barely managed to float back up, the result was obvious: the suit was poorly designed. If a single strike made it smoke like that, it was practically defective.
"Father!" Reiju struggled desperately, but Moria's shadows held her tightly in place.
"Fos fos fos fos... Not so fast, little girl." Moria's dry laughter echoed as his shadows slammed Reiju onto the deck and pinned a foot on her back. "Your Germa technology may look impressive, but before true power, it is nothing but a child's toy."
On the other side of the battlefield, Niji dragged himself back onto a snail warship, soaked and disheveled. He glared at Enel with burning rage.
"Do not underestimate Germa's strength!"
He triggered the combat suit's maximum speed. His body blurred into a streak of blue light as he charged forward, electricity surging around his fist for a high-speed surprise attack.
Enel did not even bother to look at him. He lazily held up a single finger.
"Electric."
"Fracture."
Niji's punch stopped one inch from Enel's nose. His entire body froze. Enel's lightning had completely paralyzed him.
"No matter how fast you think you are, you will never surpass the perception of a god." Enel sneered and drove his fist into Niji's abdomen. "Release: Thunderstorm."
A wet, painful grunt burst out of Niji's throat as he flew backward like a severed kite. He crashed into the deck of the warship and sank halfway into it, leaving a smoking pit behind.
And just like that, the small fry were swept aside.
Now it was time for the gates of hell to open. In fact, there was even a senior predecessor in this department: Orochi, currently still napping comfortably underground. Unfortunately, Judge's dramatic flair was not quite at Orochi's level. When it came to pure theatrical chaos, there was also Caesar, the master of threefold disasters. Compared to him, Orochi was practically out of the competition.
"Fos fos fos fos... This old man still has some presence." Moria laughed as his shadow surged like a tide, transforming into several massive serpents that wrapped tightly around Judge.
Judge snorted coldly and swung his spear. A blast of lightning shredded the shadow serpents instantly. But before he could counterattack, Enel appeared behind him like a phantom. The golden tip of his staff hovered lightly against the back of Judge's neck.
"Mortal, you are far too slow."
"What?!" Judge's eyes widened. His combat suit roared as it overloaded itself, and he lunged forward with a violent thrust. But Enel had already shifted into pure lightning. The spear passed harmlessly through empty air.
"Lightning Flash: Holy Judgment."
A thunderous crack split the sky as another column of lightning struck Judge directly. Sparks exploded violently along his armor. He hit the deck so hard that the entire warship lurched.
"Father!" Reiju struggled to rise, but the shadows pressed down mercilessly. Niji tried to climb out of the pit, only for Moria to casually step on his head again.
Judge staggered to his feet. His combat suit was nearly destroyed. The power core flickered erratically. He gritted his teeth and looked up, only to see Ritter still lounging casually on the Bloodmist Throne, chin propped on his hand, watching the battle with mild amusement.
"Damn it..." Judge snarled. With trembling fingers, he slammed a button embedded in his wrist. "All soldiers, obey my command. Eliminate the enemy!"
At once, every snail warship turned its cannons toward the Blumarine Jackson. Energy gathered at their muzzles, glowing dangerously bright.
"Oh? A hidden card?" Ritter raised an eyebrow, though his voice remained lazy. "Enel, Moria, do not let them disturb my sunbathing."
"Understood, Captain." Enel grinned sharply and raised both hands. "Ten Thousand Volts: Divine Retribution."
Thunder roared.
Storm clouds spiraled rapidly into existence. Thousands of lightning bolts rained down like a torrential downpour. One after another, Germa's warships exploded in blinding eruptions, flames shooting skyward.
At the same time, Moria spread his arms wide.
"Shadow Boxing: Cage of the Damned!"
Shadows erupted from the sea and formed a colossal cage, sealing Judge and the Vinsmoke siblings inside. Judge slashed furiously at the barrier, but nothing he did caused so much as a ripple.
Meanwhile, clone soldiers surged forward in endless waves, carrying out Judge's order with precision and absolute obedience. They rushed Enel and Moria from every direction.
Ritter: I must say, an entire army rushing at me is a rather spectacular sight.
"This is getting tedious," Moria muttered with a grin. With a flick of his wrists, his shadows sharpened into countless black blades that sliced through dozens of clone soldiers at once.
Enel floated lazily in the air, tapping his fingers. Each tap released a pinpoint bolt of lightning that pierced a soldier's chest with perfect accuracy.
"Ten," Enel murmured.
Judge stood within the shadow cage, unable to move. Despite his injuries, his arrogance remained untouched.
"Do you see, Ritter? This is Germa's army. Endless. Fearless. Absolutely loyal. No matter how strong you are, you will eventually be drowned. Do you really think a handful of fighters can resist an entire nation?!"
On the throne, Ritter leaned back, resting his chin on one hand, smiling lightly.
"Go on."
This was exactly what he wanted. Perfect. He was very satisfied with his own craft.
For a long time, Ritter had hesitated about how to deal with Judge. The man did not look like a good person, yet Big Mom's side had painted him in a favorable light, which had confused Ritter for a while.
Then inspiration struck him. Judge was like Murong Fu, a man willing to sacrifice anything and anyone for national revival. Someone who would burn the world just to rebuild his homeland.
And suddenly, Ritter understood exactly what to do.
Destroy him. Break his hope. Drive him into madness. Push him into the darkness. And then, when he was on his knees, offer him just a little hope again.
To create a hero, you give him a tragic past and then a sliver of light.
To create a villain, you crush every last hope he has.
What Ritter wanted was simple.
He wanted to take Judge's hope in his own hands, shatter it completely, then give him a faint glimmer of hope again.
A very cruel kindness. And a very gentle cruelty.