Splash!
Splash!
Splash!
For a time, the waters surrounding Marineford echoed endlessly with the sound of crashing waves.
Marines were falling from the sky in massive numbers. It was not like rain. It was far more absurd than that. It was a downpour of people.
The sight was staggering, something never seen before, a spectacle that defied all logic.
"This… how is this possible?!"
"Has Ryūjin Uchiha really reached this level?"
"This isn't something a human can do!"
Every Marine caught in that descent was overwhelmed with shock. Their understanding of the world shattered completely.
One motion. One effortless action. One hundred and fifty thousand Marines thrown from Marineford into the sea.
No one would believe it unless they saw it themselves.
Even the strongest among them, figures like Kong and Sengoku, could not escape. Power meant nothing in midair without footing. In that moment, they were no different from ordinary soldiers.
Logia users such as Akainu and Aokiji fared no better. Transforming into elements offered no escape under such overwhelming, wide-scale force that blanketed the entire battlefield.
Only Kizaru managed to flee instantly by turning into light.
Ryūjin Uchiha did not care. He had already taken what he wanted from Kizaru's ability. Whether he escaped or not meant nothing.
Above Marineford, hidden within layers of clouds, Imu stood atop a flying craft, his expression twisted with disbelief.
"This… this is his true power? How is that possible?"
Using Observation Haki, he had witnessed everything clearly.
He already knew Ryūjin Uchiha was powerful after their clash near Fish-Man Island. But this… this went far beyond anything he had imagined.
It exceeded reason itself.
Cold sweat formed on Imu's forehead. A flicker of fear surfaced in his eyes.
Someone like this could not be dealt with through conventional means.
Only Uranus could stand against him.
"This place is not safe."
Without hesitation, Imu swallowed hard and fled, steering his craft through the clouds and disappearing into the distance.
Ryūjin Uchiha remained unaware of Imu's presence. He had not bothered to extend his Observation Haki that far.
His gaze drifted downward toward the struggling mass of Marines in the sea.
With a casual motion, he opened a Yomi Hirasaka and stepped through, vanishing instantly.
The Marines were left behind, scattered across the waters.
Despite the chaos, none of them were in real danger. Ryūjin had controlled the distance carefully. Marineford was close enough for them to swim back.
He was not there to slaughter them.
He came for rewards, not lives.
Besides, wiping out all 150,000 Marines would destabilize the entire world. Pirates would run rampant without restraint.
Ryūjin had no interest in that kind of mess.
"He just… left?"
"He didn't kill anyone?"
The Marines were stunned.
They had expected a brutal battle, one where survival was unlikely. They had been prepared to die.
Instead, they were thrown into the sea and left alive.
It felt unreal.
"Fleet Admiral!"
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
"Admiral Akainu!"
Voices rang out as Marines swam together, helping Devil Fruit users who could not move in the water. Slowly, they made their way back toward Marineford.
Meanwhile, Ryūjin Uchiha reappeared inside the Kamui Dimension.
With a thought, he entered the system space and checked his rewards.
His eyes widened slightly.
The results were excessive.
Over four hundred Devil Fruits.
More than nine hundred portions of Observation Haki.
Over two thousand portions of Armament Haki.
And six portions of Conqueror's Haki.
One hundred and fifty thousand Marines. The harvest spoke for itself.
Most of the Haki was basic, nothing remarkable individually. Fewer than a hundred were truly worth noting.
But the sheer volume made up for it.
Even weak Haki, when stacked in massive quantities, became something formidable.
"System, claim all Haki rewards."
He did not hesitate.
In an instant, his Observation and Armament Haki surged dramatically.
His Observation Haki expanded to an absurd degree. Detecting across vast distances was effortless, even beyond the world itself.
Covering the entire sea was trivial.
His Armament Haki followed closely. Coating his entire body felt natural and easy.
Only his Conqueror's Haki remained relatively underwhelming.
Ryūjin did not care.
It was useless to him anyway.
As for the Devil Fruits, he skimmed through them and felt mild disappointment.
Most were mediocre, offering little synergy with his chakra attributes.
Still, this outcome was expected. Strong individuals were rare. The majority of Marines were average.
He had come for quantity, not quality.
After a brief pause, Ryūjin brought Nami into the Kamui Dimension.
"Ryūjin-san? Why did you bring me here?"
She was startled at first, then quickly composed herself.
"It's something good."
He gave a faint smirk and produced thirty Devil Fruits, placing them in front of her.
These had been carefully selected. The worthless ones had already been discarded.
Among them were three exceptional fruits.
A Paramecia type Repel-Repel Fruit that could reflect damage automatically from any part of the body.
A Mythical Zoan Phoenix Fruit.
And a Logia Cloud-Cloud Fruit.
"All of these are solid. Pick what you want."
Nami's eyes lit up.
"Ryūjin-san… I can choose one?"
"Take your time."
He watched her calmly.
He already knew he would not remain in this world for long.
Crocodile, Nami, and Nico Robin were all tied to him. His presence kept others in check.
Once he left, that protection would disappear.
Nami needed the strength to survive.
Without it, she would be easy prey.
She immediately began examining the fruits, completely absorbed.
Meanwhile, news of Marineford spread across the seas like wildfire.
"Ryūjin wiped out 150,000 Marines with a single motion!"
"That's insane! That's not human!"
"If he wanted to kill them, they'd all be dead!"
"The Marines should be grateful he showed mercy!"
"He's a god!"
Every corner of the world buzzed with discussion.
After this battle, Ryūjin Uchiha was elevated to something beyond human.
A being closest to a god.
"We don't know if gods exist, but if they do, it's him."
The statement spread rapidly, repeated across the seas.
His reputation reached terrifying heights.
At the same time, the Marines' authority collapsed.
The Celestial Dragons' status was shaken.
"They say he's closest to a god? That's us!"
"We are the descendants of the Creator!"
Fury echoed through Mary Geoise and the Sabaody Archipelago.
But anger meant nothing.
The Marines they relied on were powerless against Ryūjin.
When he heard the title, Ryūjin simply smiled faintly.
Closest to a god?
No.
He already stood at that level.
In the world of Shinobi, beings like the Ōtsutsuki were considered gods.
"Ryūjin-san, where are we heading next?"
Nami approached with a map in hand.
"Holy Land Mary Geoise."
He answered without hesitation.
Nami froze.
"…Ryūjin-san, you don't mean…"
She could not finish the sentence.
Attack Mary Geoise?
Her heart pounded. She swallowed hard and said nothing more, quickly moving to inform Crocodile and adjust their course.
That single decision shook the world again.
"Ryūjin is heading for Mary Geoise!"
"He's going to attack the Holy Land!"
Compared to Marineford, this news was even more explosive.
Mary Geoise was untouchable. The center of authority.
And now, Ryūjin was heading straight for it.
Panic spread among the Celestial Dragons.
"Lord Imu, Ryūjin is approaching Mary Geoise. His intentions are unclear, but the possibility of an attack cannot be ignored."
Beneath the Empty Throne, two of the Gorosei knelt, their voices tense.
"I know."
Imu's response was calm.
"What should we do? Should we mobilize the Marines?"
"No. Do nothing."
They hesitated.
"But Lord Imu…"
"I said do nothing. Leave."
His tone allowed no argument.
They withdrew immediately.
Once alone, Imu's gaze hardened.
"Ryūjin… if you dare come, this will be your end."
===
Read chapters ahead on Patreon, with every chapter organized into collections.
Subscribing a membership gives you access to "ALL" fanfictions,
Or you can buy only the collection you want, to gain access to chapters ahead.
P-a-t-r-e-o-n.com/_Zeph.