"Shinra Tensei!"
Boom!
In an instant, an irresistible wave of repulsive force erupted outward from Rakuya's body like a raging tide.
The entire palace trembled violently, the ground split apart, walls cracked, and everything around was blasted away as though the very air itself rejected their existence.
The invisible wall of repulsion expanded in an instant, surging out to a hundred meters. In moments, the towering building roared as if alive. Glass windows shattered into dust, ornate decorations and stone walls were ripped apart and hurled away like arrows.
The Four Elders felt the crushing force slam into them. Their pupils shrank, and their bodies were smashed against the walls with bone-jarring impact.
Rumble!
A deafening roar filled the air as the once-majestic palace collapsed into ruin. A towering plume of dust and debris surged skyward.
Outside the palace, thousands of Marines stationed to construct the Celestial Dragons' Holy Land heard the thunderous crash. Every head turned upward.
"What happened!?"
"Mariejois… the government's palace collapsed…"
"Collapsed? Again!? Why did it collapse again!?"
"Damn it! We worked day and night to finish this place, it was almost complete! How could it collapse again!?"
Marines everywhere froze, staring at the scene in disbelief. Shock, rage, and helplessness filled their faces.
They had been dispatched from Marine Headquarters to build the Holy Land, expecting to finish today. But fate had once again shattered their plans.
Plans can't keep up with change.
"In less than a month, the World Government's palace has been destroyed twice!"
"Who knows what's happening… but it must be something huge!"
"Quick! Assemble! Head to the main building and secure the safety of the Five Elders!"
A Marine colonel barked the order without hesitation.
"Yes, sir!"
The Marines dropped their bricks and tools, sprinting back to their quarters.
One minute later, the Marines stationed in the Holy Land were fully armed and ready.
The colonel frowned at the distant palace, unease gnawing at his chest. Looking at the several hundred soldiers lined up before him, he raised his hand and roared, "Full alert! Prepare for combat!"
Clatter!
Weapons were drawn, rifles loaded, and the unit surged toward the seat of the World Government's highest authority, forming a long dragon-like column.
Rustle…
The palace was gone. Reduced to rubble, its golden brilliance had vanished, replaced by smoke, cracked earth, and ruin. What had taken weeks of labor was erased in a single instant beneath Rakuya's Shinra Tensei.
The splendor of authority and majesty lay buried under bricks and dust.
The breeze whispered through shattered leaves, and sunlight streamed down onto the devastation.
Rakuya stepped lightly, his body rising as boulders flew aside under the pull of his repulsion. He leapt onto the peak of the ruins and stood there, surveying the devastation.
The Five Elders were strong, but one Shinra Tensei was not enough to kill them.
Not that he intended to. Killing them was meaningless—they would only revive. Wasting effort was not Rakuya's way.
He clenched his fist, savoring the destructive power he had unleashed. This wasn't some playful burst of force—he had amplified it several times over. Even this palace, symbol of the World Government's power, had crumbled like sand beneath his strike.
As he reveled in his dominance, sounds rang out from the four corners of the ruins.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Stones exploded into the air. Four figures leapt from the wreckage, landing amidst the dust.
Rakuya looked down at them. Their faces were pale, their expressions ragged. Clearly, they had suffered under his Shinra Tensei.
"What a terrifying brat…"
The swordsman Elder's breath was uneven. His blade trembled as he held it before him, eyes locked on Rakuya with wary caution.
"What kind of ability is this?" The tall, sharp-bearded Elder glanced at the collapsed palace behind him, unease flashing in his eyes.
This large-scale annihilation reminded them all too vividly of the day Liuyun had summoned a meteor to crush them.
That fear resurfaced. If not for the Life Fruits they had consumed, they would have long since ceased to exist.
"No comment."
Rakuya's expression darkened, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Hmph. Attack!"
The scarred Elder launched forward like a cannonball. His fist shone with violet energy, a shimmering barrier forming around it, growing denser as he accelerated.
"Brat! Have you ever felt true pressure?" he snarled, eyes flashing with madness.
At the same time, the swordsman Elder unsheathed his gleaming blade. Sword aura howled into existence as his voice rang coldly:
"Three Thousand Six Hundred Death God Tornadoes!"
Blades of light converged into a roaring cyclone, its howling winds shredding the earth.
The tornado ripped a massive gouge into the ground, transforming into a storm of death. Dust and sword aura blended into a towering sandstorm. Trees disintegrated into powder as the storm tore through them, leaving nothing behind.
The battlefield howled with destruction.
Boom!
The scarred Elder's barrier slammed into Rakuya, compressing with crushing force. An instant later, the Death God Tornado devoured him whole, engulfing him in annihilation.
The Four Elders stood grim and unflinching, eyes locked on the maelstrom.
"Is he dead?"
"He can't be."
"If he survived this, he'll still be torn apart. That technique is the ultimate sword art—said to be powerful enough to slay even a Shinigami!"
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