A terrifying force spread over the entire battlefield. It was a kind of natural energy completely different from normal nature energy, covering everything.
The sages on the warship all showed looks of fear. The other soldiers on board hadn't reacted yet, but the crushing gravity had already enveloped all the ships.
"!?"
"They're here!!"
The seawater suddenly sank, and the whole surface began to cave in. The sages on the ships released all of their Senjutsu chakra at once, thick streams of chakra shooting into the sky.
From above, with the impact of the chakra, seven figures dropped down from the clouds.
Sensing the surge of natural energy from below, Nagato's eyes sharpened instantly. An unseen force, guided by his gaze, locked onto one warship.
"Bansho Ten'in!"
In that moment, the gravity below vanished completely, replaced by a massive pull that yanked the entire ship up from the sea.
Waves crashed and churned as seawater rushed back.
Okita, the old sage, looked at the descending Nagato—his bright red hair like fresh blood, like flames.
A sharp, cutting gaze, eyes the same as the Sage of Six Paths. Unlike Shanks's untouchable pride, Nagato carried raw, crushing pressure.
His Senjutsu chakra was nothing like that of an ordinary sage. His eyes were unlike those of the Uzumaki clan. And there was also… this binding force, as if fated.
"We sages—!!"
"Born above the mortal world… you think I'd be afraid?"
On the rising warship, light flashed in Okita's eyes. His robes billowed, a certain divine presence flowed from him, and his eyes turned into white mist.
"Sage?"
Nagato scoffed.
"Boom!!"
The ship's cannons fired at Nagato. Midair, he spun to avoid the shell, placing his left hand on it.
"Shinra Tensei!"
A huge repelling force burst out, knocking the shell high into the sky. Ripples spread out, and Nagato's figure ripped through the air, thin streams of white vapor rising around him.
"If you're sages above mankind, then stay put. This world doesn't need you!!"
Nagato roared, years of gloom bursting out all at once.
The peace Yahiko once spoke of, the sacrifices everyone made, the beautiful world they once imagined… there should have been no sages in it at all.
"World nobles high above, sages born proud—your so-called status and pride are nothing but a cover for your own evil!!"
Nagato lashed out with a whip kick at the ship. His legs were covered with scars from old burns.
All the pain he had suffered was because of this world, a world under the control of sages.
Now that the truth was in front of him, it was as if every scar of his life was laid bare for all to see.
Almost his whole life had been spent under the rule of sages. Everything he had gone through was because of them.
To change the world wasn't about making it suffer—it was about shattering the sages' arrogance, breaking apart their lofty, untouchable kingdom on earth.
For that, even if he had to become an Asura, so be it. If that was the price, Nagato was willing to pay.
"Boom!!"
The devastating force behind his kick slammed down. Twisted Senjutsu chakra exploded from his body. This time, Nagato held nothing back.
The bulging muscles burst with power, mixed with the surge of natural energy. Nagato's will grew sharper and stronger alongside it.
Bang!!
With that strike, the whole warship sank downward, splitting in half from the middle. Countless Marines fell from the ship into the sea.
Smoke and dust filled the deck, and when the haze cleared, blood was scattered across the ground.
"Cough… cough…!!"
"Hide it? We sages have no need to hide anything."
At Nagato's feet, the aged Okita bent his body, arms crossed, blocking the blow.
If he hadn't stopped it, Nagato's terrifying strike would have shattered the entire warship.
"Evil? Sages are not the same as commoners. Just because we look alike, does that make us the same? Ridiculous."
Okita spoke with disdain, showing the pride of a sage.
In fact, to the sages, this was normal.
Sages and commoners both human? Impossible.
Even in Shanks' time, society still divided people into classes.
And in this era, it was no different.
Sages, human? How could that be?
Born with bodies and strength far above everyone else, lifespans much longer than normal, and recognized by the world as its nobility—
How could they ever be compared to commoners? Sages were born noble.
Okita's body swelled, his withered frame expanding.
Pfft!!
Blood sprayed from his mouth, and blood also streamed from his nose.
White energy coiled tightly around Nagato's legs. Madness flashed in Okita's eyes as he pulled Nagato down with both hands.
"And you… a member of the Uzumaki clan, also a world noble, even the reincarnation of Ashura, son of the Sage of Six Paths…"
"Are you worthy?"
Bang!!
Nagato's body slammed heavily onto the deck. Okita rushed at him, gathering power in his right hand. A ringing sound echoed from behind him as white sage chakra was squeezed out from his body.
With a single, simple punch, the force tore through the deck, pierced the ship, and sent a white beam of light into the air. The entire vessel shattered.
Nagato didn't dodge.
He caught Okita's punch with one hand, stopping it dead.
His long red hair floated in the wind, his eyes unwavering and full of killing intent. With his other hand, he pointed at Okita.
"Shinra Tensei. Shigan!"
Bang!!
A flash of light tore through the sky, and blood rained down from above. The old sage Okita stared at his chest in shock.
He'd been pierced through…
A huge hole gaped in his chest, and a force was eating away at his body. His life began to fade. The once colorful world turned completely colorless in that moment.
Only the red remained—the red hair, and the eyes beneath it, still fixed on him with deadly intent.
Okita's body fell helplessly toward the sea below. That once powerful, wild body now seemed as small and fragile as an ant.
"Talent, hard work…"
"How laughable…"
"More than three hundred years of effort, studying and researching all kinds of secret arts, pushing every usable technique to its limit… and this is all it amounts to? How ridiculous.
Is it really impossible to block it?"
"Some people are born noble.
Nagato… as a member of the Uzumaki clan, with someone like Shanks in your world, as the son of the Sage of Six Paths, what right do you have to say such things?"
Okita felt no regret over his death, only deep sorrow.
He had poured all his effort into researching secret arts, mastering Sage Techniques, and chasing the highest form of ascension.
But in the end, he was nothing more than a failure.
Heh… what is there to regret?
"With our pride, why would we ever borrow another's hand? The reason is simple… we're not strong enough. Because our talent is lacking. Because people like us are just ordinary.
If we don't use common people, if we don't sacrifice them… how could we possibly grow stronger?"
Okita's heart was filled only with sadness. Who could understand his sorrow?
The result of giving everything he had was only this — who could possibly understand?
"Shinra Tensei!"
A massive force descended from the sky. The shattered warships were sent crashing downward like cannonballs.
The sound of air tearing apart came from above. Seeing the broken fragments of Sage Chakra scatter in the sky, the Marines and sages gathered on the sea tensed up.
"Get out of the way!!"
At this moment, almost everyone made the same choice — against such an enemy, they absolutely couldn't afford to be trapped, especially not on a ship.
Those with abilities jumped onto lifeboats, quickly fleeing the battlefield.
As for the regular Marines, most had only been enlisted for a short time. Though they had seen their share of battles in the East Blue, they had never faced something this terrifying.
"Run!!"
"Damn it, what kind of monster is that…?"
"It's a monster from the Uzumaki clan."
"Leave the battlefield now…"
Shouts came from all directions. There was no time to stand frozen.
In a war like this, no one held back.
One careless moment could mean death.
The moment they became Marines, their lives changed — just like those who became pirates.
War shows mercy to no one.
Beneath the falling wreckage of the warships, Nagato's Six Paths puppets sped toward the battlefield below.
By now, Okita had completely lost consciousness. But… his body was still moving. The empty chest cavity had already stopped bleeding.
His body had been completely drained, but Okita… was still unwilling to accept it!
Who was truly born noble? Who was the one that looked down on everyone else?
So-called kindness—does it really count as kindness?
Then what about those sages… who sacrificed themselves to break a thousand-year shackle? Those ordinary ones.
Weren't they also sacrifices?
"Sometimes a necessary sacrifice is the price to pay. You and I are the same, Okita, don't you agree?"
"What about Fukuda Kiyomu? Could he surpass the Rikudou Sennin? No."
"If nothing unexpected happens, even if we die, we'll never glimpse the Rikudou Sennin's power. But now… this new era has given me hope."
"I… am willing to open a path for everyone.
Whether it's the Rikudou Sennin, Ashura… or Indra, this shackle will be broken by me for all of you."
The image of Master Genichi appeared. The plan for the Earthly Sage Kingdom—it was sacrifice, but also… the struggle of those ordinary ones.
"From here on, everyone, stay close to me and don't get lost!"
Master Genichi walked ahead of everyone, broke the shackle, and caught a glimpse of the truth of the world.
And now… the Earthly Sage Kingdom had appeared. He had already seen the future.
Is death really that scary?
No, it isn't. Even though his body was cold, even though his power had faded, Okita still opened his eyes.
White senjutsu chakra gathered again under the strength of his will.
Okita slowly spoke, and the power within him rose once more.
"Boom!!"
A white giant blocked Nagato's attack, and Nagato felt a force push back his "Shinra Tensei."
"From here on, everyone, stay close to me…"
An old, sorrowful voice rang through the sky, carried by the waves, striking deep into the hearts of the marines and the sages.
"Don't get lost!"
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