"Connect, Kiritsugu."
The light transformed into a thin thread, connecting to Brook, who was currently at a loss.
Brook felt a grand will descend upon him, vanishing as quickly as it had arrived. His body stiffened, and he suddenly lost all control.
'What's happening?'
'What exactly... is going on!'
Brook was about to cry out in alarm, only to realize he couldn't even speak. The incredibly massive will he had sensed earlier descended into his body once more. The moment it entered, it shoved his consciousness into a corner, suppressing him so firmly that he could neither see nor hear, much less move an position.
Kenma raised his hands, looking at the white bones beneath the formal attire, feeling a sense of novelty.
"So this is what it feels like to have a body of bone."
"Truly fascinating."
After a moment of reflection, Kenma tested his control over Brook's skeletal frame. He slowly drew the sharp blade from the cane, swinging it twice and performing a flourish.
The reason Brook could continue to move in this world as a skeleton years after his death was due to the Devil Fruit he had eaten in his youth: the Revive-Revive Fruit. Through its power, Brook could return from the dead and even frequently communicate with the Underworld, drawing forth the soul-chilling frost of the netherworld into the physical realm.
Kenma's goal was to use this specific trait to trace the connection backward and locate the exact coordinates of the Land of the Dead in this pirate world. This was Kenma's true objective.
There had been countless powerhouses in this world throughout history. No matter how they lived, their ultimate end was death. Whether they died in battle, in a hospital bed, or by disaster, there was no difference; their souls would eventually return to the Land of the Dead.
In that case, rather than spending so much time and effort collecting souls individually to sign contracts, it was better to simply find the Land of the Dead and wait for them there. As long as he occupied the Underworld, he could turn it into a nursery that provided him with a steady stream of talent. It might even be possible to remodel the Land of the Dead into a Soul Society exclusive to him!
He had this idea the last time he was here, but he hadn't been able to find a way to enter successfully. This time, with the help of Brook's Revive-Revive Fruit, he would certainly succeed.
"Drawing the chill of the Underworld..."
Kenma controlled Brook's body, sensing the vague connection in the ethereal void. Suddenly, an icy sensation manifested. A wave of cold emanated from Brook's cane sword. As it hung near the floor, a layer of frost quickly spread across the ground.
Shisui and Yakumi glanced at each other, both noticing the wisps of white vapor escaping their mouths and noses as they breathed.
Kenma's main body suddenly snapped his eyes open, a faint smile appearing on his face.
"Finally... I've found it!"
Relying on the source of this underworld chill, Kenma traced it back and successfully located the specific coordinates of the Land of the Dead. Kenma split his focus, controlling Brook's body to keep the cold air flowing while his main body clenched its fist and swung it violently forward.
Crack!
A crisp sound, like glass shattering, rang out. Spiderweb-like cracks spread through the void where Kenma's fist made contact.
Crack-crack-crack-crack!
The cracks expanded rapidly, soon covering the entire room. When the fractures reached their limit, they could no longer maintain their form and came crashing down. A spatial rift, roughly as tall as the room, appeared before everyone.
Ace stared at the pitch-black spatial crack, his eyes wide with shock. Looking through the rift, he didn't see the three men on the other side of the room, but rather a void as dark as a corridor. As his gaze crossed that deep corridor and ventured further, he saw a desolate world filled with frigid air, looking like a glacier frozen for eternity. Endless cold surged out from the rift.
Whoosh—
Flames erupted from Ace's body, only then neutralizing the oncoming chill.
Looking through the dark spatial rift at that boundless, desolate world, Shisui and Yakumi were struck with intense shock! They looked at each other, seeing the same astonishment reflected in their Sharingan.
'So this was the Lord's true goal for this trip...'
'It's actually the Underworld of this world!'
Their gazes shifted to the tall figure before them, their eyes filled with disbelief. Compared to Yakumi, who had stayed in this pirate world, Shisui served Kenma daily and had a deeper understanding of his capabilities. Precisely because of this, what was happening now felt even more inconceivable!
'The Lord's power... has actually reached such a level!'
If he hadn't seen it incorrectly just now, Kenma's strike that broke through space didn't utilize any Zanpakuto abilities, nor did it use the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. It was a purely physical punch. Just physical strength combined with the density of his Spiritual Pressure—nothing more.
"Unimaginable!"
His Lord's power had already reached a state so powerful it defied imagination. Such strength had already surpassed Shisui's common sense. And clearly, this was not the end of the peak. Shisui could feel that his Master's power was growing every moment, becoming stronger and stronger. He didn't dare predict what level he would reach next. However, one thing was certain: the realm Kenma would ultimately reach would surely be at an exaggerated height beyond his imagination.
Kenma ignored the surprise in Shisui and the others' hearts and stepped forward. After taking one step, Kenma paused and said to Ace on the other side of the rift, "Ace, stay behind and comfort Brook."
Ace nodded blankly. Then, his consciousness snapped back from the sequence of complex emotions.
"Understood, Big Boss."
The moment the spatial rift appeared, Brook had already regained control over his body. But he couldn't even react in time, only staring dumbfoundedly at the massive rift before him. Earlier, his consciousness had been suppressed and his body occupied; he hadn't been able to perceive anything. By the time clarity returned to his eyes, this bizarre phenomenon was what greeted him!
"What is this?"
"What on earth is this!"
From that pitch-black rift, he felt a familiar aura. It was... the aura of the Land of the Dead.
Looking at the frozen world beyond the darkness, Kenma stepped forward without hesitation. The veil of mystery surrounding the Land of the Dead in this pirate world had been pulled back by him. This strange and new virgin land was about to welcome his descent.
Spiritual Pressure gathered beneath his feet, forming a straight path leading deep into the Underworld. Kenma walked upon it and gestured to the two behind him.
"Follow me, Shisui, Yakumi."
"Yes."
The two looked solemn, their crimson Sharingan sharp as they immediately followed.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]