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The water surrounding Fish-Man Island, normally a tranquil sapphire blue, suddenly churned with violent turbulence. Massive, black-hulled ships—each twice the size of a standard Marine battleship—descended through the bubbles of the Red Line's underwater elevator. These were not the vessels of the Marines; they bore the emblem of the World Government, but with a blood-red sword crossing the scales of justice.
On the lead ship, standing at the prow, was a man draped in a white cloak that billowed despite being ten thousand meters under the sea. He wore a silver mask and carried a rapier with a hilt shaped like a blooming lily. This was St. Garling Figarland's subordinate, a high-ranking member of the God's Knights, known only as Sir Valerius.
"To think we have to soil our boots in this damp, fishy hole," Valerius sneered, his voice amplified by a Dial. "By order of the Five Elders, this island is now under 'Eternal Sanction.' Any soul that breathes under the flag of the Holy Spirit Empire is to be erased from the history books."
Beside him, a group of elite agents—shadowy figures with specialized Haki-infused weaponry—prepared their diving suits and specialized "Sea-Pressure Cannons."
"Target the Ryugu Palace," Valerius commanded. "If the 'Soul King' wants to play god, let's see if he can survive a baptism of fire in the deep."
Gyoncorde Plaza – Fish-Man Island
The citizens of Fish-Man Island scrambled in panic as the heavy spiritual pressure of the newcomers began to clash with the protective barrier of the island. However, the chaos was abruptly silenced by a rhythmic clack... clack... clack...
Byakuya Kuchiki walked into the center of the plaza, his white haori fluttering. Behind him, dozens of Soul Reapers from the 6th Division moved with synchronized precision, setting up a perimeter.
"So noisy," Byakuya remarked, his voice cold and aristocratic. "To disturb the peace of the Soul King's domain is a crime punishable by death. 6th Division, prepare the 'Binding Kido' net. We shall not allow the debris of these invaders to foul the streets."
"Yes, Captain!" the Soul Reapers shouted in unison.
"Bakudō #61. Rikujōkōrō (Six Rods of Prison Light)!"
Dozens of Soul Reapers chanted simultaneously. Beams of yellow light erupted from their fingertips, shooting upward through the bubble coating of the island. They didn't target the ships; they targeted the water itself, creating a stabilized spiritual zone that prevented the "Sea-Pressure Cannons" from firing effectively.
"How insolent," Valerius hissed from the lead ship. He leaped from the deck, his rapier drawn. With a single thrust, he sent a concentrated blast of Rankyaku mixed with Supreme-grade Haki downward. "Divine Piercer!"
The air screamed as the attack tore through the water and the bubble shield. But before it could hit the plaza, a wall of pink light rose to meet it.
"Scatter, Senbonzakura."
Byakuya didn't even look up. He simply held his zanpakutō vertically. The blade dissolved into thousands of tiny, razor-sharp cherry blossom petals. They swirled in a beautiful, deadly cyclone, shredding the "Divine Piercer" attack into nothingness.
Valerius landed on the plaza floor, his boots clicking on the stone. He looked at the pink petals and then at Byakuya. "A Devil Fruit user? No... I feel no seawater weakness from you. What are you?"
"I am the law," Byakuya replied. "And you are a trespasser."
The Outer Reefs – The Warzone
While Byakuya handled the "civilized" side of the defense, the outer reefs were experiencing something far more visceral.
Kenpachi Zaraki had not used a ship. He had simply jumped.
As he fell through the water, his sheer spiritual pressure created a pocket of air around him. He crashed into the side of the second God's Knight vessel like a cannonball. The hull, reinforced with Seastone, crumpled like paper under his feet.
"HAHAHAHA! COME ON! IS THAT ALL?" Kenpachi roared, swinging his jagged blade.
A group of elite World Government assassins rushed him, their blades coated in Ryuo (Advanced Armament Haki). "Die, monster!"
Kenpachi didn't dodge. He let the blades strike his skin. The Haki-infused steel broke against his chest, unable to even draw blood.
"My turn," Kenpachi grinned.
He swung his sword in a horizontal arc. He didn't use a technique. He didn't use Haki. He used raw, unadulterated strength. The pressure wave from the swing was so powerful it physically parted the ocean water for a hundred meters. The black ship was sliced clean in half.
Men, wood, and steel were pulverized.
"Boring! Too weak!" Kenpachi complained, his eyepatch rattling. He looked toward the next ship. "You! The one with the big shield! Try to stop me!"
The God's Knight on that ship, a giant man known as Iron-Wall Borg, raised a shield made of the same alloy as the Gates of Justice. "I am an immovable object! Your crude blade cannot—"
CRACK!
Kenpachi's blade met the shield. For a second, there was a stalemate. Then, Kenpachi's spiritual pressure flared—a golden, skull-shaped aura manifesting behind him.
"Immovable? Then I'll just have to swing harder!"
With a burst of Reiatsu, Kenpachi shattered the shield and the man behind it. The explosion of energy was so great that it caused a minor tremor felt throughout the entire island.
The Palace Balcony
Auguro watched the destruction with a calm expression. Beside him, Izuru Kira stood with his head bowed.
"Kira," Auguro said.
"Yes, My Lord?"
"Byakuya is containing the leader. Kenpachi is playing with the fleet. But there are rats trying to sneak through the side vents of the island. They are targeting the civilians to create a distraction."
Kira's eyes darkened. He unsheathed Wabisuke. "The weight of their sins shall be their downfall. I will handle it."
Kira vanished.
Auguro turned his attention back to the System. He could see the Achievement Points ticking upward with every God's Knight that Kenpachi slaughtered.
+500... +1,200... +5,000...
The "God's Knights" were worth significantly more than average Marines. This was an unexpected harvest.
"System," Auguro thought. "Show me the progress of the 'Soul King's Throne' integration."
"Integration: 42%. As the Host's influence spreads and more Captain-level entities are summoned, the Seireitei will begin to manifest its true form in the physical world. Currently, the Host can utilize 'The Almighty' (Fragmented) for 3 seconds once every 24 hours."
Auguro's heart skipped a beat. The Almighty. The ability to see and alter the future. Even a fragmented version for three seconds was a literal "God Mode" in the world of One Piece.
"Three seconds is more than enough to kill an Admiral," Auguro whispered.
Suddenly, a cold chill ran down his spine. He looked toward the Red Line. Far above, at the peak of the world, he felt a gaze. It wasn't the Five Elders. It was something older, something more stagnant.
Imu.
The "King of the World" was finally looking down from the Empty Throne.
Auguro smiled, his eyes flashing with a predatory light. "Are you watching, Imu? This world doesn't belong to the 'Gods' of the past anymore. It belongs to the Reaper."
The Plaza – The Climax of the First Wave
Valerius was breathing hard. He had used every high-level Rokushiki technique in his arsenal. He had coated his rapier in the strongest Haki he possessed. Yet, he couldn't even touch the man in the white haori.
Byakuya stood perfectly still, his hands hidden in his sleeves. The cherry blossoms circled him like a loyal guard.
"Is this the extent of the 'God's Knights'?" Byakuya asked, his voice dripping with disappointment. "You speak of divinity, yet your soul is heavy with the stench of mortality and greed."
"Silence! I am a descendant of the creators of this world!" Valerius screamed, lunging forward in a desperate Soru burst. "Heavenly Strike: Judgment!"
Byakuya sighed. He raised his hand, pointing a single finger at the charging knight.
"Hado #33. Sōren Sōatsui (Twin Lotus Blue Fire, Crash Down)."
A dual burst of blue spiritual flames erupted from Byakuya's hand. It didn't just burn; it erased the Haki on Valerius's blade and engulfed the man entirely. The explosion sent a pillar of blue fire into the dark ocean sky.
When the smoke cleared, Valerius was on his knees, his silver mask shattered, revealing a face twisted in terror.
"Kill me then," Valerius gasped. "But know this... Mary Geoise will not let this stand. The 'Mother Flame'... it will cleanse this island just like Lulucia!"
Byakuya looked up at the water dome. "The Mother Flame? A pathetic toy compared to the sun that my Lord commands."
He turned away. "Kira, finish it."
From the shadows, Izuru Kira appeared behind Valerius. He struck the knight's shoulder four times with the hook of Wabisuke.
"What... what did you do?" Valerius tried to stand, but he collapsed instantly. His body felt like it weighed tons.
"Wabisuke doubles the weight of anything it hits," Kira said softly, his voice full of pity. "One hit, you weigh twice as much. Two hits, four times. Four hits... you now weigh sixteen times your original body weight. Your own bones are crushing your internal organs."
"Please..." Valerius choked out.
"Don't raise your head," Kira said, looking down at him. "A warrior should always die with his head lowered in penance. Raise your head, and the sky will seem even further away."
With a swift motion, Kira ended the knight's life.
"Ding! High-level target eliminated! Achievement Points +50,000!"
Auguro, watching from the palace, felt the feedback. His Reiatsu expanded, pushing back the very ocean currents.
"The first wave is over," Auguro said to Nami and Robin, who had joined him on the balcony. "But the World Government has a habit of doubling down on their failures. Nami, prepare the island's defenses. Robin, start the propaganda broadcast. I want the world to see the 'God's Knights' falling."
He looked at the horizon. "It's time to show the world that the Holy Spirit Empire doesn't just protect... it conquers."