The easiest way to light a fire under Sesshomaru was to use Inuyasha as the flint. To the Great Youkai of the West, his half-demon brother was a "low-blood" stain on their clan's legacy. If that same brother surpassed him, the pride of the Dog Prince wouldn't just be bruised—it would be incinerated.
As Su Han watched Baiwen scurry off to deliver the unsealed Tessaiga to Kujou Sara, he made his way to the Jade Chamber's conference room. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation. The tea was served, and the timer on the Multiverse Mission screen was ticking down.
[Multiverse Mission Chat Group]
Ganyu: "Twenty-eight missions... time is flying by. It feels like only yesterday we were just starting out."
Hu Tao: "Hehe, if I'm not picked today, my check-in points will finally push me to Level 3! I can't wait to see what treasure I get."
Beidou: "Four-star mission? I've got one word: Charge!!! My Haki and array training are itching for a real test."
Xiangling: "Lately, the four-star missions haven't been easy at all. I wonder where we're going next?"
Su Han: "The refresh is here. Everyone, focus."
[Ding! Mission Refresh: Wano Country (One Piece World).]
[Task]: Defeat the Governor-General of the Beast Pirates, "Hundred-Beast Kaido," and dismantle his crew.
[Difficulty]: 4-Star Hard (5-Person Team).
[Constraints]: Yamato, Luffy, and Otama MUST survive. The Flower Capital must not sustain more than 30% damage.
[Note]: BIG MOM's defeat has sent ripples through the world. There is a 50% chance the Marines will intervene.
[The Strategy Session]
Beidou: "Wano? Get the banquet ready, boys! We've been to this world enough times to know the layout."
Ayaka: "Don't underestimate it. Wano isn't Tottland. It doesn't have endless food resources, but it's a fortress of weapons and master smiths."
Yae Miko: "Speaking of smiths, they have some of the best in the world there. Right, Su Han?"
Su Han: "Correct. But Kaido is physically tougher than Big Mom, and his crew is built for pure endurance. The key is the Flower Capital. You cannot fight there. You must draw them to Onigashima or the wasteland."
Shenhe: "I have the data on the Three Lead Performers. King the Wildfire is a Lunarian; his weakness is his flame mechanics. Queen and Jack are..."
As the group analyzed the stats, the roster began to take shape. Hu Tao opted out, citing that her soul-form was too vulnerable to Kaido's advanced Observation Haki. Kazuha and Diluc stepped up immediately, both seeking a breakthrough in their combat prowess.
Then, a surprise voice joined the fray.
Ningguang: "I'll take the third slot. It's about time I participated in a mission. I can't let the group hit thirty missions while I sit on the sidelines."
The group went silent. No one had ever seen Ningguang fight a serious battle.
Keqing: "Are you sure, Ningguang? Kaido is a monster. Don't push yourself just for the sake of a record."
Su Han: "I trust her. Ningguang doesn't make bets she hasn't already won."
Xiangling took the fourth spot, her Flame-Flame Fruit powers being a natural counter to the cold steel of Wano, and Keqing rounded out the team as the high-speed finisher.
[The Deployment]
The final team: Kazuha, Diluc, Ningguang, Keqing, and Xiangling.
Twenty minutes after Su Han submitted the names, the portal opened. Back in the Jade Chamber, those watching the livestream suddenly stood up, their eyes nearly popping out of their heads.
"What... what is that?!" Hu Tao yelled.
On the screen, Xiangling had arrived in Wano, but she wasn't alone. Guoba was waddling beside her. Because the system recognized Guoba as her "familiar" and a part of her soul-link, he was brought along for free. The Stove God, a literal former Archon, was now a "pet" in a 4-star mission.
But that wasn't the biggest "cheat."
Hovering high above the Wano coastline was a massive, shadow-casting structure. It was the Old Jade Chamber.
Ningguang hadn't just brought herself; she had brought her entire mobile fortress. After Su Han had given her the upgraded Jade Chamber MK II, she had spent months gutting the original, removing the luxuries and replacing them with alchemical cannons, high-density energy shields, and a literal army of Millelith elite guards.
"Why walk when you can bring your home?" Ningguang sat on her floating throne within the command deck, a fan held gracefully in front of her face. "This is how the Tianquan fights. Elegantly, and with overwhelming logistics."
The "cheating" duo had arrived. Wano would never be the same.
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