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The Pirate World.
Marine Headquarters.
In the great hall, the Fleet Admiral sat at the head of the table. The three Admirals, the Chief Strategist, and even the legendary Marine Hero were all gathered.
"'A ranking of heroes across all worlds'? What on earth is that supposed to mean?"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku frowned deeply, his expression grim.
"What bugs me the most is the phrase 'all worlds.' Just what does that even mean? I don't get it at all."
Admiral Kizaru pursed his lips, looking as shady as ever.
"I already checked in with the government and Dr. Vegapunk. This isn't his doing. And if it isn't Vegapunk… then who else in this world could possibly have such advanced technology?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru spoke calmly, her voice carrying a quiet weight.
"Ara ara… rather than the mastermind, I'm more interested in these so-called 'heroes' that are about to be ranked."
Admiral Aokiji leaned back lazily, as though he couldn't be bothered.
"Speaking of heroes, there's no doubt Garp-san fits the bill."
All eyes turned to Garp, who was busy stuffing senbei into his mouth. The room collectively nodded in agreement.
"If it's a list of heroes, Garp-san has to be on it. Without him, the God Valley Incident thirty-six years ago would've ended very differently!"
Said Momousagi Gion, the Navy's elegant "untouchable flower."
"Bwahahaha! Count me out. I've got no interest in something like this. And besides—it's not just me. Every Marine who fights with true justice and conviction is a hero in their own right!"
Garp laughed, brushing it off.
Meanwhile, in the Grand Line.
On Spaisland, a famous resort spot, the Straw Hat crew were taking a rare vacation after their harrowing adventure on Thriller Bark.
"Whoa! Luffy, guys, look! Words are appearing in the sky!"
Nami's eyes went wide as she pointed upward.
"'Ranking the hidden heroes of all worlds'? The hell does that mean?"
Zoro tilted his head, completely lost.
"You wouldn't get it with that moss-filled brain of yours," Sanji sneered from the side.
"What was that? Then why don't you explain it, curly-brow?" Zoro snapped back.
As usual, the two of them were seconds away from throwing punches.
"'All worlds,' huh? Could it mean… other universes?" Robin mused, her sharp mind already spinning with possibilities.
"Forget that—this is about heroes! Maybe we'll be on TV!" Usopp stood tall, hands on his hips, stars in his eyes.
"You idiot," Nami smacked him. "We're pirates."
"Yeah," Luffy said seriously. "I'm no hero."
Luffy had never once thought of himself as one.
And it wasn't just the Pirate World.
Across countless realms, the mysterious ranking shook everyone.
The Shinobi World.
"Heroes, huh? I wonder if I'll make the list…" Naruto thought eagerly, still basking in the glory of rescuing Gaara from the Akatsuki. To Gaara and the Sand Village, he was a hero.
"Minato-sensei was definitely Konoha's hero… and Naruto too," Kakashi muttered softly, his gaze lingering on Naruto. His chest ached.
The One-Punch World.
"A hero ranking?! Then without a doubt… Sensei—Saitama-sensei has to be at the top! This time, the whole world will finally see his strength!"
Genos was practically vibrating with excitement, apron on, spatula in hand, his cyborg face lighting up.
"Genos, is dinner ready yet?"
In the living room, a bald man with a doodle-simple face yawned, scratching his butt.
Saitama couldn't care less about the ranking—or whether he'd be on it.
Because to him, being a hero was just… a hobby.
But while he stayed unfazed, the Hero Association was in an uproar.
From S-class elites like Tornado, Silver Fang, and Atomic Samurai, all the way down to C-class nobodies—every hero dreamed of seeing their name on the mysterious list and earning glory.
The Marvel World.
Stark Tower.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming! Let's toast to me—about to appear on the big screen as the greatest hero alive, sweeping countless women off their feet!"
Tony Stark, playboy extraordinaire, raised his glass with a smug grin.
Below the stage, Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Thor, and the rest of the Avengers weren't buying his act.
They weren't here for Tony's ego trip—they'd just finished a brutal fight to reclaim the Mind Stone.
"Cut the jokes, Tony. Our priority is finding the source of that light screen," Steve Rogers said firmly.
"I've already got J.A.R.V.I.S. on the case. No luck yet. Maybe once Ultron's fully operational, we'll get somewhere," Tony shrugged.
"SHIELD's digging too. If there's news, Fury will update us," Maria Hill reported.
Thor scoffed. "You mortals can't solve this. That screen didn't just appear on Earth. It's shown up in Asgard—and throughout all Nine Realms. I'd wager its reach spans the entire universe."
"What?!"
Everyone froze, sucking in sharp breaths.
"Look! The screen—it's showing something!"
Across every world, the shimmering screens flickered—then bled red with static.
[This is an era where demons feast on humans.]
Bloody words scrawled across the sky.
Then the images came—ghastly demons devouring men, women, and children alive.
The gore was so vivid that it was as if the stench of blood spilled right out of the screen.
Billions watching shivered in horror.
The World of Mieruko-chan.
"Ugh…"
Miko Yotsuya bit her lip, straining to keep her face blank.
"Waaah! That scared the crap out of me! Miko, they just threw demons at us with zero warning—I can't watch this anymore!"
Beside her, Hana clung to her arm, her bright orange bob trembling with fear.
"Mhm."
Miko nodded, trying to act calm.
"You're amazing, Miko! You're not scared at all!" Hana said in awe.
Miko stayed silent.
Not scared? Not even close.
She was terrified.
So terrified she could feel the dampness in her underwear.
She'd practically… pissed herself.
And the demons on the screen weren't even the real problem.
The true horror was the one right next to her—
A snarling, grotesque monster circling her like a shark.
And all Miko could do… was keep pretending she couldn't see it.
"..."
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