Chapter 376: This Is the Power of God
High above the planet, in the cold, silent expanse of dark space, two figures, King and Sukuna, transformed into streaks of light, one black, one white. They darted and clashed recklessly in the icy void.
Their speed was staggering. As their fists collided once more, a cataclysmic explosion erupted at the point of impact.
Boom!
A blinding surge of power burst forth, scattering countless rays of light like a newborn star blazing in the heavens. The shockwave swept outward in an instant, obliterating everything in its path.
Even a nearby meteorite in space shattered under the force, its fragments drawn by an irresistible gravitational pull.
Whoosh!
The debris hurtled toward a dark, 100-meter-wide void, a black hole that had formed at the site of their clash, and vanished into its depths.
King and Sukuna leapt apart, retreating to another patch of empty space.
Where they had just fought, a new 100-meter void appeared, joining dozens of similar dark hollows dotting the area around them.
Whooosh!
The eerie voids emitted strange, haunting sounds as they greedily devoured everything nearby, light, matter, even the fabric of space itself. If this battle weren't unfolding far above the planet, the consequences would have been catastrophic.
Crack! Crack!
A sound like shattering glass echoed through the void.
Under King's solemn gaze and Sukuna's wild, unrestrained grin, the dozens of scattered voids suddenly erupted.
The small, star-like black holes, previously spread across the cosmic canvas, fused together in an instant. A massive, kilometer-wide black hole-like entity formed, its terrifying gravitational pull surging exponentially.
The planet beneath King and Sukuna trembled. Even the distant moon quaked, creaking as if groaning in this darkened universe.
---
Red Line, Holy Land Marijoa.
A deep, heart-wrenching rumble halted the battles between humans and demons below. Everyone froze, staring skyward in stunned silence.
In the heavens, dazzling black spots gleamed, surrounded by radiant light, like suns, but with ominous dark cores at their centers. The stark contrast between the deep black and the fiery glow was mesmerizing yet terrifying.
As the people gaped, an unprecedented disaster unfolded.
The planet's atmosphere churned violently. Seas, mountain peaks, forests, and plains seemed to liquefy, drawn upward like rivers defying gravity. They surged toward the sky in spiraling torrents, resembling dragons drinking from the heavens.
Thousands of meters, then tens of kilometers, the streams of matter raced toward their final destination: the colossal, black-hole-like void in the sky.
This towering, gluttonous darkness swallowed everything with insatiable hunger. It was an apocalyptic calamity unlike any the world had seen.
Gulp!
In the Holy Land, people stared at the massive tornadoes piercing the sky, their ends vanishing into the infinite distance. Were they even tornadoes? Perhaps they were storms of cosmic scale.
Not one, but three such monstrosities loomed.
"What is that?!" someone stammered, shielding their face from the manic winds, eyes wide with terror. "Is this the end of the world?!"
The tornadoes weren't as close as they seemed, their sheer size created an optical illusion. But they were still too near for comfort. Worse, they moved erratically, drifting slowly across the landscape. If they didn't stop, who knew what would happen?
In the Holy Land, whether ordinary guards, Marines, or fearsome warriors, everyone wore expressions of despair. The towering tornadoes filled their vision.
If those sky-piercing tornadoes reached Marijoa, the entire Holy Land might be torn apart and flung into the heavens. And the people within? They'd have no chance of survival.
Even now, chaotic winds whipped around them, shifting unpredictably, tugging at their bodies. This was no time for fighting. Those without exceptional strength needed to find shelter fast, or they'd be swept away.
"Unimaginable power… Is this the power of a god? This is the power of a god!"
Atop the ruins of Pangea Castle in the Holy Land, among the kings sheltered within Apostle Gekiryū's wind barrier, Nefertari Cobra, the king of Alabasta, murmured in awe as he gazed at the super-tornadoes piercing the sky.
To Cobra, this power was beyond comprehension.
Even the World Government, the most powerful ruling body in existence, would likely kneel before such might.
Those two beings, King and Sukuna, could no longer be called human. The title of "god" was fitting. The so-called Celestial Dragons, once deemed the pinnacle of nobility, paled in comparison.
It's time for change…
Cobra's thoughts drifted to a secret letter he'd received earlier. He made a clear decision in his mind and his eyes were filled with determination.
But no matter what path he chose, he first had to survive this disaster, this war. If just one of those tornadoes swept over, he'd be joining the previous kings in the afterlife.
---
Second half of the Grand Line, New World, 10,000 Meters above from the sea.
Not far from the Red Line, floating islands known as Sky Islands drifted in the sky, the territory of the Shiki the Golden Lion.
As the ruler of this territory, Shiki the Golden Lion, typically brimming with majesty, now stood with his eyes bulging in shock. The cigar in his mouth fell, swept away by the fierce winds as his jaw dropped.
His blond hair, flowing like a lion's mane, mirrored the turmoil in his heart.
Only one thought consumed him: Those two are indescribable monsters!
The massive storm before him, so close it felt tangible, made him feel utterly insignificant.
Just moments ago, if Orochimaru hadn't intervened, his island would have been torn from the sky and hurled into the heavens.
He couldn't even imagine the chaos that would have ensued.
But one thing was certain: if he were caught in that tornado, it would be the end. As a Devil Fruit user, the seawater dominating the storm was a death sentence, a one-way ticket to drowning.
Even for non-Devil Fruit users, the cutting force within those colossal tornadoes was an unknown terror. And that ominous light in the sky, with its black core, what was it?
"Hehehe, Shiki-san, what a pity!"
Orochimaru's voice cut through the wind, laced with a deep chuckle. "That was a golden opportunity. If we could've ridden that tornado, we might've witnessed their clash up close."
Shiki the Golden Lion blinked, startled by Orochimaru's words. He's got a point…
But then he shook his head. If he'd tried, Orochimaru would likely be admiring his corpse by now.
Ignoring the jest, Shiki the Golden Lion stared at the unending natural disaster and its scale defying comprehension. A spark of ambition flickered in his mind.
'What immense power! Such strength! If only I could wield it…'
(End of this Chapter)