Reiju gave a slight nod, then turned and walked toward her snail ship.
Her steps remained graceful and composed, each one carrying an innate nobility, her skirt swaying gently in the wind.
But before boarding, Reiju looked back meaningfully and said, "We'll remain in international waters a hundred miles away. If you change your mind, feel free to contact us anytime. We of Germa 66 have always been sincere and hope you won't miss this rare opportunity."
With that, she boarded the snail ship, and the fleet slowly set sail, heading into the distance.
Bullet snorted coldly, his gaze fixed on the Germa 66 fleet as it retreated until it was a hundred miles out to sea.
His expression grew somber, like the depths of a dark night, unfathomable to others.
These tech fanatics had their eyes on the Enchantment Technique—the very foundation of the Eternal Divine Kingdom, a secret and pride they'd guarded all along.
If Ron were to find out about this, given his fiery temper, he'd likely drive these Germa people away without mercy.
"Notify all patrol teams," Bullet ordered the guards who'd rushed over, his voice low and authoritative.
"Strengthen maritime vigilance, especially regarding Germa 66's movements. If they want a fight, inform me immediately."
"Yes!"
"..."
Far out at sea, the Germa 66 fleet had come to a halt, dozens of snail ships forming a massive "66" emblem that glittered under the sunlight.
They lay anchored there quietly, choosing to wait, ready to strike again when the time was right.
Bullet turned and slowly made his way back into the city, silently calculating: First, Big Mom's people departed in haste, and now Germa 66 is watching...
In Ron's absence, it seemed all factions were growing restless.
The situation was like calm waters concealing turbulent undercurrents, poised to erupt into a storm at any moment.
He clenched his fists, his eyes brimming with excited fighting spirit.
"It seems there's going to be another big battle. I want to see just how big a splash these guys can make."
...
On the battlefield of Onigashima,
The scene now resembled a desolate wasteland. Smoke hung like a thick, gray-black curtain, shrouding every inch of space.
The pungent smell of sulfur and the metallic scent of blood intertwined, nauseating to the senses.
Rubble and debris piled up like mountains underfoot, the thick stench of blood clinging to the air like a viscous substance, lingering.
"Hahahahaha!"
Who's-Who stood tall and straight, each step he took leaving clear imprints on the scarred land.
His crimson pupils burned like two blazing flames, sharp and icy, locked firmly on the figure staggering to stand before him—Jack the Drought.
Jack's condition was horrifying.
His sternum was deeply sunken, as if struck by an invisible giant fist.
His right arm was twisted at an unnatural, grotesque angle.
Half of his face had been pulverized by Jozu's powerful Diamond punch, leaving flesh torn and mangled, blood mixed with dirt congealed into gruesome scabs.
Yet despite such grievous injuries, the mammoth abilityer seemed driven by an unyielding stubbornness, pushing him to muster his last ounce of strength and struggle back to his feet.
"Such tenacious vitality."
A cold smirk curled Who's-Who's lips as he slowly flexed his wrists, the cracking of his knuckles emitting a series of crisp, chilling sounds—a prelude to the impending hunt.
"Jack, your life is mine!"
Who's-Who's voice echoed through the dead silence of the ruins like a death sentence from the depths of hell, each syllable carrying an unshakable finality.
"Since we're submitting a pledge of allegiance, we must go all the way!"
Before his words faded, Who's-Who's figure transformed into a dazzling golden flash, moving at such extreme speed that it scraped a trail of blazing sparks through the air.
Jack's muddied pupils contracted.
His beast-like instincts, overriding the excruciating pain wracking his body, made him roll backward.
"Whoosh!"
A scorching laser beam whistled past his scalp, the air around it heating and distorting before burning a searing, blackened hole into the solid rock wall behind him, sending fragments tumbling down with wisps of smoke.
"Trying to run?"
Who's-Who appeared before Jack like a phantom in an instant, his tail swaying dangerously back and forth like a poised serpent.
Gritting through soul-rending agony, Jack's mammoth tusks jutted sharply from his mouth as he charged forward with desperate resolve, aiming to strike Who's-Who with a final, all-out assault!
"Laser: Lightspeed Finger Gun!"
Who's-Who coldly shouted, his fingertips blazing with golden light.
A brilliant golden beam, sharp as an arrow piercing through darkness, shot forth and pierced through Jack's left wrist.
The mammoth tusks, mere inches from Who's-Who's throat, froze as if suspended in time, unable to advance any further.
"Urgh!" Jack let out a painful roar from his throat, his massive body collapsing as if all support had been stripped away, crashing to the ground and stirring up a cloud of dust.
Struggling to prop himself up with his remaining right hand, his eyes still burned with unyielding fury as he glared fixedly at Who's-Who, gritting his teeth and spitting out.
"Who's-Who... you... traitor..."
Who's-Who looked down upon his former comrade from a commanding height, his eyes devoid of any trace of pity, filled only with coldness and resolve:
"Traitor? Hah!"
He sneered coldly, golden claw blades slowly glowing with a chilling light in his palms.
The sharp killing intent felt almost tangible, freezing the air like ice.
Then,
"Swish! Swish! Swish!"
Three laser beams shot out in succession, disabling Jack's right wrist and both knees.
Blood gushed forth like a fountain, pooling into a dark red puddle on the ground, staining the surrounding earth.
Jack could no longer hold himself up, collapsing like a crumbling mountain, crashing to the ground and raising a cloud of dust, becoming yet another tragic sacrifice upon the altar of this brutal war.
"You bastard!"
The voice roared as if from the depths of hell, carrying boundless fury and resentment.
In the distance, King, who'd been in a deep coma, slowly regained consciousness at some point.
His body trembled slightly, every movement seeming to drain all his strength.
His once majestic face was now contorted with rage, his eyes blazing with a furious fire, as if intent on incinerating everything before him.
"Damn it!"