Chapter 528: The Battlefield of the Sun Golden Crow
"Tch! Whatever, you can stay here if you want! It's really dangerous." an elegant and beautiful woman said.
After speaking, she gracefully turned and walked in one direction.
She was Zyla, a member of the Goddess Faction, the final faction of the Tarot Totem, codenamed Queen.
The Goddess Faction, led by the three sisters of Sun, Moon, and Star, revered the goddess who had first bestowed the stand orbs upon them. After joining the Tarot Totem, their devotion deepened. Subsequent female members, including the Queen, the Lover, and the Priestess, joined the faction, totaling six members who worshipped the Goddess of Destiny, controller of the Wheel of Fortune.
Zyla was the only Goddess Faction member remaining in the area. Feeling the dangerous fluctuations around her, the clash between Uchiha Madara and Aizen in the central zone and the battles with the three guardian Mythical beasts on the outskirts, she decided it was too risky to stay. She prepared to join her partner, codenamed Lover.
What had Raph, her partner, said to the Juggernaut that made him so excited?
Zyla wondered, her amorous eyes glancing at a red attic in the distance. From its open-air top, she saw two figures conversing, one was Raph. She had rushed to the Juggernaut earlier, her excitement suggesting she had reunited with a long-lost sibling.
After a moment's thought, Zyla gave up pondering. It didn't matter. Abandoning her like that was too much. She felt lonely. A slight smile curved her lips—she decided Raph would warm her bed to make up for her wounded heart.
Whoosh!
A strong wind blew, rustling her corolla and sending her golden hair fluttering. Amid the violent shockwaves, Zyla swiftly moved toward Raph. An invisible barrier blocked the shockwaves along her path. A keen observer might notice a tranquil garden in the void surrounding her—a move called Wind Guardian, a protective technique with a unique, refreshing aesthetic. It was nearly impenetrable for three-star gem hunters, and Zyla's own attack power made her a formidable three-star hunter in the Hunter Association.
"Little Love, I'm coming!" Zyla called out, her voice trailing off.
Raph could be so oblivious sometimes. Despite her Queen codename, Some Tarot Totem members silently grumbled as they watched her leave, then turned their attention to the three guardian Mythical beasts.
The beasts were momentarily on hold, as the Sun, Moon, and Star sisters had taken action. The Totem members waited for their chance.
Joe Tlin eyed the golden sphere nearby. Once the barrier opened, he could seize it. With his abilities, escaping with it would be effortless. If he claimed it, no one could take it from him. This was the power of time, the power of Father God, he thought, gazing at his palm with fascination.
Unlike other Tarot Totem members who used stand orbs, Joe Tlin's stand wasn't derived from an orb but granted directly by Dio after his selection. This deepened his admiration for Dio, whom he revered as Father God—a title Dio accepted without denial.
"Let's wait here," Joe Tlin said. "I hope those guys don't disappoint me."
His voice was drowned by the wind.
On the battlefield of the three guardian Mythical beasts, four figures attacked the Sun Golden Crow: Kaido of the Beasts, Admiral Akainu, Kizaru (lingering passively), and Katakuri, known as the God of Speed.
Akainu and Kaido fought aggressively, but Akainu refused to cooperate. His attacks targeted not only the Golden Crow but also Kaido and Katakuri, whom he viewed as notorious pirates, indifferent to collateral damage. Katakuri, leveraging his speed, used Kaido's massive body as a shield, deftly avoiding danger. He alternated between staying on the sidelines and using his Mochi Mochi Fruit to harass or obscure the Golden Crow's vision, executing his strategy with precision.
Rumble!
A golden sun, tens of meters tall, surged forward. Facing the Golden Crow's move, Akainu gritted his teeth and unleashed a massive magma fist. The magma glowed with an intense red light, clashing with the golden flames in a strange, explosive sound. Ultimately, the two forces canceled each other out.
Akainu nodded slightly, satisfied. In a prior battle with the Moon Lion Sōgetsu, he had mastered 50% of the Purgatory Cage Hand's power. Though he hadn't defeated the swift Moon Lion, he now faced the so-called strongest Mythical beast and held his own. Without the God Killer Equipment, he admitted, he might have been instantly defeated. Secretly, he felt a twinge of pride.
"Are you celebrating too soon?" a voice in his mind asked. "The Golden Crow isn't serious. It's just playing with you."
The Purgatory Cage Hand, part of the island's ecosystem, seemed to sense Akainu's smugness and doused it with cold reality.
Akainu's eyes widened in shock. He didn't deny it, Purgatory likely knew the Golden Crow better than he did. But the revelation stung. Why was the gap so vast? If a Mythical beast created by a so-called god was this powerful, how strong was its creator?
Unable to fathom it, Akainu buried his thoughts and intensified his attacks, his growing ferocity reflecting his turbulent emotions.
"Oh! Katakuri, I heard about your speed, but seeing how slippery you are now is impressive!" Kaido said, finding a moment to speak amid the chaos. "How about joining me? I guarantee a status no less than what you have with Linlin, and you won't have to follow her orders. Think about it, Katakuri!"
Kaido wasn't angered by Katakuri using him as a shield. On the contrary, Katakuri's speed surprised him. Observing him closely, Kaido felt an odd sense of incongruity.
(End of this chapter)