Chapter 396: Golden Gleam, Executive of the Great Dark Heaven
"Lord Black Emperor."
The transformed ability beasts—Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, Ōtsutsuki Urashiki, Ōtsutsuki Kinshiki, and Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki—knelt respectfully before a mass of black mist seated on the throne.
At the same time, their gazes shifted toward the youth standing beside the Black Emperor's throne. He wore radiant golden armor, arms folded across his chest. With golden hair, crimson eyes, a tall figure, and a face full of impatience, he exuded arrogance.
"This is Golden Gleam, an executive from the Great Dark Heaven," the Black Emperor introduced the youth beside him to his subordinates.
"To think you ended up in a place like this scraping by after being defeated by the Armor Emperor. How disgraceful for a former executive of the Great Dark Heaven."
The leader of the ability beasts, the Black Emperor, was himself once an executive of the Great Dark Heaven.
"How dare you speak that way to Lord Black Emperor!"
Just as Isshiki finished his rebuke, dazzling golden light waves appeared around Golden Gleam, and a spear shot out from the waves, piercing straight into Isshiki's body.
"Who gave you permission to speak to your king without leave, mongrel?" Golden Gleam said coldly, his emotionless eyes fixed on Isshiki.
"Golden Gleam, I doubt you came all this way just to bully my subordinates."
Even though his most capable subordinate had just been gravely wounded, the Black Emperor still treated Golden Gleam with respect.
After all, the Black Emperor's strength hadn't fully recovered from his previous injuries. Moreover, the Great Dark Heaven strictly forbade internal strife between its executives—regardless of fault, those who engaged in infighting would usually be executed together.
"Hmph. The Great Dark Heaven sensed potential allies in this world and sent me to investigate its power. I didn't expect to find a former comrade here. Still, Black Emperor, I'm quite looking forward to the day your declining strength gets you kicked out of the executive ranks."
Although infighting was forbidden, if the Black Emperor were stripped of his title, killing him would no longer be against the rules.
"If this is a task from the Great Dark Heaven, then I'll have my men assist you."
The Black Emperor didn't react at all to Golden Gleam's hostility.
"Your subordinates? I wouldn't take a single one of them."
Golden Gleam glanced at the four standing below with contempt as he spoke, then vanished in a flash of golden light.
Even before the group could fully grasp the extent of Golden Gleam's power, they were already overwhelmed by his arrogance and domineering presence. Truly worthy of the title "executive of the Great Dark Heaven"—he hadn't shown a shred of respect even while standing beside the Black Emperor.
"Lord Black Emperor…"
As Golden Gleam disappeared, the spear embedded in Isshiki's abdomen also dissolved into points of light.
Clutching his wounded stomach, Isshiki looked pitifully up at the Black Emperor.
"Here is some shadow energy for you. Go heal properly."
The Black Emperor granted a cluster of shadow energy to reward Isshiki for speaking up.
"Thank you, Lord Black Emperor," Isshiki responded gratefully and respectfully.
"Lord Black Emperor, since that Golden Gleam will likely draw the attention of the Shinobi World, why don't we take advantage of the distraction to rescue the last sealed Shadow Envoy?"
Ōtsutsuki Urashiki stepped forward and suggested.
"The last Shadow Envoy?"
"That's right. In fact, we have one more comrade in this world—she's sealed on the moon," Urashiki said respectfully.
"In that case, I'll leave this mission to the four of you."
As ability beasts, they could naturally survive in outer space without any protection.
"Hey, mongrels, have you ever heard the name Cell?"
A dazzling golden streetlamp plummeted from the sky and stabbed into the ground. Golden Gleam slowly descended and landed atop it, standing firmly and looking down at the six people below.
"Mongrel?! Who calls people that in the middle of a question?! And don't just go dropping streetlamps from the sky—you'll crush someone! …Wait, it's gold?"
Tentō raised his head angrily. As the son of a feudal lord, no one had ever dared call him a mongrel—Golden Gleam was the first.
"Everyone, be careful."
Shikamaru, personally escorting the box containing the venom, looked up at Golden Gleam and cautioned the others.
"Sarada, stay close to me."
Shuyu whispered to the girl at his side.
"Okay." Sarada nodded lightly.
Among those present, aside from Tentō, the other five wore expressions of extreme caution, as though facing a formidable enemy.
"You mongrels! Who gave you permission to look up at your king?"
Golden waves shimmered around Golden Gleam, and countless ninja tools emerged from the ripples before the group.
"Watch out!" Shikamaru shouted.
In the next instant, a barrage of ninja tools launched from around Golden Gleam atop the streetlamp.
"Flame Dragon Armor!"
"Wind Shadow Armor!"
"Black Rhino Armor!"
"Combine—!"
As the three transformed into Armor Warriors, Shuyu pulled Sarada beside Shikamaru and summoned Susanoo for defense.
"Hmm?" Golden Gleam raised an eyebrow slightly atop the streetlamp. "Armor Warriors? No wonder that Black Emperor guy's been hiding—I thought he'd fallen so low that even the ants here could beat him."
"Your attack's over, right? Then it's our turn now!"
Now clad in Flame Dragon Armor, Tentō pointed at Golden Gleam and declared.
"Click. Mongrel."
Annoyed by Tentō's defiance, golden ripples reappeared around Golden Gleam as treasures from the Gate of Babylon surged forth.
His firepower alone completely overwhelmed the six of them.
"Shuyu, are you okay?" Sarada asked worriedly. Blocking Golden Gleam's endless barrage was draining Shuyu's ocular power rapidly.
"I'm fine."
"This won't work. Who is this guy?" Shikamaru frowned as he looked up at Golden Gleam. "With attacks like this, he should've run out of steam by now…"
Yet in reality, Golden Gleam showed no signs of slowing down.
"Damn it!"
Tentō raised his arms to shield himself. Even with his armor, the impact left him struggling and frustrated.
Despite their special training, they were still powerless to counterattack.
"Meteor Lance!" Kagura twisted the dial on her belt, summoning the Black Rhino Armor's weapon, the Meteor Lance. "Water Burst Blade!"
She swung the Meteor Lance at Golden Gleam, unleashing water-element energy in a counterattack.
"To think a mongrel would dare strike back at your king."