Chapter 160: Divine Departure vs. The Hollow!
Accompanying a low, vibrating sound that seemed to contain the fury of the heavens, Shanks's body sank slightly. His grip on the long handle of his supreme grade sword, Gryphon, tightened until the leather creaked.
Immediately after, a seemingly ordinary slash was swung out!
"Divine Departure!"
It looked simple, devoid of flashy movements, yet the result was apocalyptic. A massive, red-and-black "shockwave," carrying astonishing destructive power, erupted from the blade of Gryphon.
This was not merely a sword technique. It was an absolute "slash" composed of pure will and advanced Conqueror's Haki (Haoshoku Haki). It was the physical manifestation of a King's decree: Begone.
Everything blocking its path seemed to be momentarily stripped away from existence.
The hundreds of intricate Ice Cavalry soldiers that Esdeath had conjured to block the front, along with the thick, permafrost ice field beneath their feet, neither shattered nor exploded in the traditional sense. There were no flying shards, no crumbling debris.
Instead, the moment they made contact with that red-and-black "fissure," they were simply erased.
They were "vaporized" by the overwhelming density of the shockwave, turning instantly from solid ice into invisible steam. A hundred-meter-wide "Vacuum Zone" was forcefully carved into the ice field, a scar of nothingness amidst the white world.
And this Divine Slash, which erased all things, after clearing away every obstacle in a fraction of a heartbeat, did not lose even a sliver of its momentum. It pointed directly at its final target—Esdeath!
Facing this astonishingly powerful killing blow, a technique that had once floored a supernova in a single hit, there was not the slightest fear on Esdeath's face.
Quite the opposite!
Her pale cheeks flushed with a sickly, euphoric crimson, and her ice-blue eyes sparkled with unprecedented excitement and fanaticism. Her pupils dilated, shaking not with terror, but with the adrenaline of finding a challenge that could actually kill her.
Her entire body trembled slightly due to this extreme pleasure.
"Haha... Hahahaha!"
Her laughter rang out, manic and sharp, cutting through the roaring wind.
"Yes! Just like this! Only this level of power is worthy of being my enemy! Only you can satisfy my urge to trample!"
Amidst the maniacal laughter, she did not dodge. She didn't even attempt to evade the lock of Shanks' Haki. Instead, she spread her arms wide, like a martyr welcoming a god, embracing the destructive fissure rushing toward her.
"Come on! Let me see whether your attack is stronger, or my 'Ice' is harder!"
"Ice Make: Millennial Shield!"
The entire world of ice and snow roared deafeningly under her command! The moisture in the air, the ice beneath her feet, and the frozen sea itself responded to the call of the Demon God's Extract.
Endless cold air converged frantically in front of her, compressing density upon density.
Krak! Krak!
In the blink of an eye, layer upon layer of incredibly thick Ice Walls formed in front of her. These were not ordinary ice; they were diamond-hard glaciers, reinforced with her magical energy, capable of withstanding heavy artillery bombardment without a scratch.
But against an Emperor...
"Kaa... Ka-cha... Hong long...!"
Esdeath's proud Ice Wall defense, in front of that red-and-black "shockwave," was as fragile as festive colored paper facing a flamethrower.
The first Ice Wall cracked inch by inch due to the terrifying will it contained even before physical contact. Then, it was silently annihilated by the Torrent of Haki.
The second wall shattered.
The third wall evaporated.
Those ten layers of Extreme Frigid Ice, which Esdeath had constructed with absolute confidence, facing the pure "shockwave slash" of Divine Departure, couldn't even slightly impede its advance!
The Divine Slash was unstoppable!
For the first time since her summoning, Esdeath's fanatic and excited expression froze.
The pleasure in her pupils was replaced by fleeting astonishment. Her eyes widened as she realized the miscalculation.
Too fast! Too strong!
This wasn't just physical force; it was a spiritual dominance she couldn't freeze.
She frantically squeezed out every ounce of Magic Power in her body, attempting to condense a final layer of defense directly on her skin.
However, "Divine Avoidance" had already crossed the distance of the shattered Ice Walls at an extreme speed.
BOOM!
The attack slammed solidly into her body!
A massive noise erupted, drowning out the sounds of the chaotic battlefield.
Red-and-black Haki lightning completely engulfed her petite figure. In that instant, it was as if even light and sound were stripped away from the area, leaving only the oppressive weight of Shanks' ambition.
Subsequently, a visible shockwave violently spread out in a ring. Esdeath's figure was sent flying like a kite with a broken string.
She was violently blasted away, her boots dragging uselessly against the air as she was hurled backward. She plowed a deep, rugged ravine hundreds of meters long across the ice field, her body smashing through ridges and drifts.
Finally, she crashed into a massive iceberg in the distance with a deafening thud, stirring up a cloud of ice fragments and snow that obscured her from view.
A momentary silence fell over the battlefield...
Aboard the Pola (The Vermillion Wing).
Nami and Carrot, who were watching the battle from the safety of the deck, nervously covered their mouths. Their eyes were wide with horror, nearly crying out in surprise.
"Was that... the full-power blow of a Yonko?"
Nami muttered to herself, her voice trembling. Her hands gripped the railing so hard her knuckles turned white. She had seen power before, but this... this was a natural disaster compressed into a sword swing.
"Captain!" Carrot looked anxiously at Suzaku, her ears flattened against her head in distress. "Is Esdeath-san... going to be okay? That looked... really bad!"
Suzaku's expression, which had been relaxed and carefree throughout the earlier skirmishes, now held a hint of genuine seriousness.
He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his black coat fluttering in the shockwave's residual wind. His eyes were slightly narrowed, analyzing the energy traces left in the air.
"So this is 'Divine Departure'..." Suzaku murmured, his tone filled with professional appreciation rather than fear. "Highly condensing one's will and Conqueror's Haki, wrapping it around the blade, and transforming it into a pure concept of destruction. It's the ultimate application of Conqueror's Haki Infusion!"
Through his own Observation Haki, which was attuned to the life forces of his summoned subordinates, he had already sensed the truth. Although Esdeath's life aura was fluctuating wildly and she had taken significant damage, the flame of her life was far from extinguished. In fact, it was burning brighter with rage.
Only then did he relax, a playful, confident smile returning to the corner of his mouth.
"Don't worry, Nami, Carrot. She's not that fragile. As a General of the Empire, her durability is monstrous."
"But..."
Suzaku's gaze suddenly turned cold, shifting from the cloud of snow back to the red-haired figure on the ice.
"My companion is not someone just anyone can injure without consequences. Even if he is an Emperor of the Sea."
He tapped his finger against the railing.
"Since he struck first with such a heavy hand, wouldn't it be rude if we didn't return the 'favor'?"
Without turning his head, he spoke lightly to the empty air beside him.
"Ulquiorra."
"Yes, Lord Suzaku." A flat, emotionless voice responded from the shadows.
"Go show him a thing or two. Let the Red Hair know that we are not lacking in monsters."
Behind him, the figure that had stood like a statue, utterly lacking presence until called upon, slowly opened his eyes. They were deep green, hollow, and possessed a heart-stopping emptiness that made Nami shiver involuntarily.
Ulquiorra Cifer did not reply with a boast or a shout. He merely nodded slightly, his hands resting in the pockets of his white hakama.
Then, his figure flickered.
Zomm.
It wasn't movement; it was a glitch in reality. He vanished from the spot, as if he had never been there, leaving only a faint residue of melancholy spiritual pressure.
...
On the ice field.
Having successfully landed a clean hit with his strongest technique, Shanks felt no joy. There was no triumph in his eyes, only urgent calculation.
He didn't even have time to confirm whether Esdeath was alive or dead. His Observation Haki told him she was down, but his priority lay elsewhere.
Beckman.
He had to rescue Benn Beckman, who had been blasted into the sea by that armored woman, Albedo. If Beckman fell into the freezing water while injured...
Shanks immediately pivoted, ready to dash toward the chasm.
However, the moment his foot shifted to push off the ice...
An icy, deathly silent aura, vastly different from Esdeath's freezing cold, appeared before him without warning. It felt like standing at the edge of an Endless Abyss—a void where hope and light went to die.
Shivers.
Shanks's pupils shrank suddenly. His instincts screamed at him.
He instinctively held Gryphon horizontally across his chest in a guard stance!
"Clang...!"
An extremely crisp clash echoed across the desolate ice field!
Sparks flew, illuminating the pale face of the attacker.
A strangely shaped Pale Green Blade—resembling a katana but radiating an alien energy—was locked tightly against the famous supreme grade sword "Gryphon."
The person who drew the blade was a pale-faced, black-haired youth. He wore white clothes, had strange tear tracks running down his cheeks, and a hollow expression that seemed to look right through Shanks.
He was like a soulless puppet, devoid of anger or killing intent. But the hand gripping the blade was as steady as an immovable mountain, forcefully halting the Yonko's charge in its tracks!
"What pure strength..." Shanks gritted his teeth, feeling the weight behind the skinny youth's sword. "Did reinforcements arrive so quickly?"
Shanks's heart sank little by little. He realized that this young man had not used Haki, yet his physical strength and strange green energy were contending with him evenly.
Just then, a cold and angry voice sounded behind him.
"GET LOST!"
The voice was raspy, filled with blood and fury.
"He is... MY PREY!"
Shanks glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw a sight that made his blood run cold.
Esdeath had stood up again sometime earlier.
She emerged from the crater of the iceberg. Her pristine white uniform was torn, revealing bruised skin. Blood trickled down her forehead and stained the corner of her mouth.
But on her exquisite face, there was no longer any hint of a playful smile. It was replaced by the ferocity and concentrated killing intent of a beast whose Reverse Scale—her absolute pride—had been touched!
Being injured by that attack was a minor issue; pain was just a stimulant to her. But being blown away? Being made to look weak in front of Suzaku? That was unforgivable! Losing face was the major issue!
"I will freeze you for eternity!"
The cold air gathered again in her hand, swirling violently. A crystal-clear Ice Lance, denser and sharper than before, instantly formed.
Whoosh!
She stabbed toward Shanks's back without warning!
Shanks exerted explosive force with his feet, pushing Ulquiorra back slightly while retreating quickly to the side, narrowly avoiding the spear that pierced the air where his kidney had been.
When Esdeath missed the attack, she didn't stop. She charged again like a madwoman, her eyes locked on Shanks, while roaring at the interfering Espada.
"Get away, Ulquiorra! I don't need help!"
She swung an ice sword, forcing Shanks to parry.
"I was just careless a moment ago! I won't lose again! He is mine!"
Hearing this, Ulquiorra's deep green eyes glanced at her. There was no emotional fluctuation, no annoyance at being yelled at. He simply processed the command.
"Understood," Ulquiorra stated flatly.
He nodded, silently sheathing his sword with a smooth click.
"Then I will eliminate the other threats."
He retreated without further words. With a flash of Sonído, he vanished from the duel, rushing toward the Red Hair Pirates Officers who were locked in chaotic battle with Rem, Ram, and Akame!
"Don't you dare!"
Shanks's expression changed drastically. He realized instantly what was happening. If a monster of this caliber joined the fight against his already struggling executives...
"Stop!"
Just as he was about to step forward to stop Ulquiorra, a wall of ice spikes erupted from the ground, blocking his path.
He was tightly entangled by Esdeath once more.
"Your opponent is ME!" Esdeath's eyes were bloodshot, her face twisted in a beautiful, terrifying rage. "Look at me, Red Hair! That was just a warm-up. Now, let me show you This King's true strength!"
"Get out of my way! I don't have time to play with you!" Shanks roared, his usual composure completely cracking. He was desperate.
Because his transcendent Observation Haki—the power to see into the future—had captured a horrifying image.
He saw not only the newly arrived reinforcement, the black-haired youth (Ulquiorra) with the strange abyss aura approaching his crew...
But he also saw the woman named Albedo.
Albedo, the dark knight who had severely injured Beckman with one blow earlier, had finished checking her armor. After briefly glancing at the situation with Shanks, she scoffed and also began walking unhurriedly toward his crewmates!
Shanks felt a cold sweat drench his back.
One Esdeath was already so tricky—a monster who could tank a Divine Departure and get back up.
Add to that the Valkyrie (Albedo) who could defeat Beckman in a clash of strength.
And now this newly arrived man (Ulquiorra), whose aura was like an Endless Abyss.
It's over!
These two words surfaced in Shanks's heart for the first time in decades.
The number of High-End Combatants on the enemy side was completely overwhelming!
If this continues, everyone else besides me will probably be slaughtered...
No!
The fury and anxiety in Shanks's eyes interwoven, transforming into a terrifying resolve.
I must... immediately... break through here!
He gripped Gryphon with both hands, his Haki flaring up like a raging inferno, preparing to fight to the death to save his family.
[Akarin Note:
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