Ningguang did not come to the world of pirates to play. She came to demonstrate the absolute authority of the Liyue Qixing.
Standing on the balcony of the floating Jade Chamber, she looked down at the chaotic battle on Onigashima and spoke, her voice amplified by the palace's arrays to reach Nami and the others.
"Everyone, transfer to my vessel immediately. I am going to erase this island from existence."
The internal combat on Onigashima was too restrictive. If the island fell toward the Flower Capital, the mission would fail. Ningguang's solution was simple: remove the island as a factor entirely.
Nami's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "Wait, she's going to what?! Robin! Sanji! Everyone, run! The island is about to be vaporized!"
The warning spread like wildfire. Usopp didn't even ask questions; he grabbed Chopper and sprinted for the edge. Sanji, mid-clash with a high-ranking officer, didn't hesitate to break off the fight. Even the rival pirate crews, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, began a frantic exodus.
[Multiverse Mission Chat Group]
Hu Tao: "Aya! Liyue's number one rich woman is at it again! Do you know how much it costs to fire a Guizhong Ballista once? At least 100,000 Mora in refined ores! That's what I call a luxury strike!"
Ayaka: "Hehe, money is no object to her. Besides, fighting inside Kaido's fortress was dangerous. One stray hit could have sent Diluc falling into the sea. This is the correct tactical choice."
Yae Miko: "Fighting on someone else's turf is for amateurs. Ningguang is resetting the board. Plus, I suspect she's clearing out the CP0 rats hiding in the castle walls."
[The Erasure]
As the last of the allied pirates leaped toward the Jade Chamber or the safety of the surrounding cliffs, Ningguang formed a hand seal. The Guizhong Ballista mounted on the central plaza began to glow with a blinding, divine gold light.
Trafalgar Law used "Room" to teleport the remaining stragglers, including a battered Kid.
"What is that device?" Kid growled, his Observation Haki screaming at him to stay away. "The air... it feels like it's being crushed."
"Fire," Ningguang commanded coldly.
BOOM!
Three concentrated beams of pure Geo energy converged into a single pillar of light. The projectile didn't just hit Onigashima; it pierced through it. The island that had housed the Beast Pirates for twenty years was turned into a blooming sun of golden energy.
The shockwave swept across the wasteland. Admirals Fujitora and Ryokugyu were forced to retreat at high speeds, while the weaker Beast Pirates and hidden CP0 agents were vaporized instantly.
Kaido, in the sky, roared in fury as he watched his pride and joy turn into drifting dust. "YOU DESPICABLE WOMAN!"
He unleashed a Boro Breath directly at the Jade Chamber—a torrent of flame capable of melting mountains. But as the fire reached the floating palace, a complex geometric pattern of runes manifested in the air.
The Starshatter Array held. The heat didn't even singe the curtains of the palace.
[The Final Duel: Wind vs. Gravity]
On the ground, miles away from the explosion, Kazuha and Fujitora stood in a crater of their own making. Both were covered in dust and small wounds.
"Your strength is undeniable," Fujitora panted, leaning on his blade. "But even a floating palace cannot save you from the weight of the world."
"The wind has no weight, Master Issho," Kazuha replied. He closed his eyes, drawing his Zanpakuto to his chest. He didn't just call upon the elements; he called upon his soul.
"Bankai: Whisper of the Wind Spirits."
The atmosphere changed. The wind stopped being a tool and became an extension of Kazuha's biology. He vanished—not through speed, but by becoming the very air Fujitora breathed.
Fujitora unleashed his ultimate move: "Gravity Blade: Raging Tiger!"
A horizontal wave of crushing gravity tore the landscape apart, moving at twenty times the speed of his previous strikes. It was the peak of his swordsmanship.
Kazuha opened his eyes. "The wind is free. It hides a thousand killing intents within a gentle breeze."
Kazuha spun his blade, creating a localized tornado that didn't resist the gravity but diverted it, spinning the Admiral's own power back at him. The resulting Autumn Storm swallowed Fujitora, lifting the blind Admiral into the stratosphere and tossing him miles away into the distant ocean.
Kazuha sheathed his blade, his breath steady. "A man of honor... it would be a shame to kill you. Let the wind carry you to safety."
With Onigashima gone and the Marines scattered, only a vengeful Dragon remained in the sky. The final phase of the mission had begun.
100+ chapters are available now and daily updates! @patreon.com/Zefyrus