Chapter 534: The Aragami on the Moon
As Enel's latest attack faded, a roar answered him from the void.
That sound was definitely not human.
"Did you run into trouble?"
Ryuunosuke's expression hardened. "Where are you right now? Do you need backup?"
Enel had already said he was on his way back. That alone was enough to prove he had likely secured the Eternal Heart of Blue.
And now that Ryuunosuke understood that the Infinity Hearts were born from the battle between Adam and Lilith, he knew they were not simple treasures.
Their clash had given birth to these Eternal Hearts. The energy inside them was a beacon, drawing in powerful beings from every corner of existence.
Be it humans or monsters.
"I was ambushed by an Aragami," Enel replied. "I can make it back in a day at most. Do not worry. Beasts like these cannot keep up with my speed."
His laughter crackled through the Den Den Mushi.
"When I return, I will bring a pile of training material for everyone."
"Thunder Dragon Thousand Flashes."
Thunder boomed again as he unleashed another blast.
Listening to Enel, Ryuunosuke's worry only deepened.
Enel insisted he was fine, but there was a strain in his voice that did not match the words.
"Captain, we have connected to the sub ship feed," Gaino reported. "Do you want to see the situation on his side?"
"Put it up."
Ryuunosuke glanced at Gaino and spoke without hesitation.
Gaino fingers flicked across the floating keyboard of the ship's control screen. A massive projection unfolded before Ryuunosuke, showing the view captured by the reconnaissance craft.
In the image, Enel stood at the bow, lightning dancing around him as he bombarded a horde of monsters the system had labeled as Aragami.
The moment Ryuunosuke saw them, he froze.
"Vajra," he muttered. The name slipped out on instinct.
The so called Aragami were monsters he recognized from an anime in his previous life, beings known as Aragami.
And the one battering Enel head on was an especially famous species among them.
Vajra.
"Sizzle."
As if in answer to his thoughts, a colossal figure charged forward, wreathed in countless spheres of lightning.
This was the special subspecies of Vajra known as the Dyaus Pita.
Enel's attacks washed over its body without leaving a single scorch mark. Instead, they were drawn into the orbs that orbited the creature, feeding it.
Once the Dyaus Pita had absorbed enough charge, the storm broke.
Countless lightning spheres exploded outward.
As the wielder of the Rumble Rumble Fruit, Enel could block such lightning without much effort.
But the Dyaus Pita was not limited to elemental attacks. Its physical strikes were just as terrifying, its massive limbs capable of smashing fortresses like sandcastles.
What truly made Ryuunosuke's eyes narrow, however, was the sky behind it.
The darkness there was full of shapes.
Behind the Dyaus Pita floated an entire swarm of Aragami, writhing like a tide of beasts in space.
Had Enel's attempt to retrieve the Eternal Heart of Blue enraged the Aragami?
Or was the moon itself their nest?
And what was really happening on the so called Infinite Continent?
"Enel, fall back toward the ship at once," Ryuunosuke ordered. "Gaino, bring every auxiliary weapon system online and start feeding power into the recall protocol. Get Enel back to us as fast as possible."
"Captain?"
Enel sounded genuinely surprised. "You can see what is happening on my side?"
His distraction lasted only a moment before the Dyaus Pita's tail whipped across his chest and sent him spinning away. Even so, the injury barely counted as a scratch for him.
"I can see everything," Ryuunosuke said. "Your job right now is to keep them busy. If we move at full speed, Gaino has already calculated the time. We can reach the best interception point in half a day."
He paused.
"We will prepare a killing field for you."
With that, Ryuunosuke vanished from Laugh Tale and returned to the Ark of Eternity.
"Captain."
As soon as he appeared, the entire crew gathered in front of him.
"Everyone, prepare for combat," Ryuunosuke said, his eyes sweeping over them. "Our opponents this time are real monsters. When they arrive, do not hold back. Just kill them."
A faint, eager smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Understood, Captain."
Their collective answer shook the deck. Fighting spirit surged into the sky like a pillar.
"Gaino, take full control of the ship," Ryuunosuke continued. "Head for the position that gives us the best angle of support. The rest of you, ready yourselves. The moment you see an enemy, attack. Do not wait for orders."
"Got it."
As he finished speaking, the image hanging in the air shifted again, showing Enel's battlefield from a different angle.
"So that is where I was," Ryuunosuke muttered. "No wonder he attracted that many monsters."
On the screen, the Aragami roiled like a living storm.
"These things look tough," one of the crew whistled. "Perfect. I was just thinking my hands were getting itchy."
"Good timing. The energy I absorbed earlier has not completely settled," another said, stretching. "I will use them to help me digest."
The Dragon Hunter Pirates were only slightly surprised by the sight of the Aragami. One by one, their eyes lit up with anticipation.
The battle with Lilith's projection and Athostan had been intense but short. Only a few of them had truly gone all out.
The tide of Aragami chasing Enel was more than enough to make up for that.
"Captain, did you forget something?" Najenda walked over with her arms crossed. "Meliodas is still fighting Brook. And it has been strangely quiet on Keshia's side too."
Ryuunosuke glanced in the direction of the ongoing battles.
On one side, Meliodas and Brook were still clashing. On the other, Keshia's battlefield had fallen into an ominous silence.
"Leave that to Meliodas," he decided. "Diane, King, you two go reinforce him."
As for why he did not send Ban, Gowther, Escanor, or Merlin, the reason was simple.
The guardian squads still had grudges to settle between them. Three people would be more than enough as support. Sending all seven would be overkill in every sense.
Besides, Ban, Gowther, and Merlin had trouble restraining themselves during a fight. If they went, Ryuunosuke might return to find Brook and Keshia turned into dissected samples on Merlin's table.
There were still questions he wanted to ask those two.
So for now, the other four would stay put.
While Geno steered the Ark along the straightest route toward Enel's current position, the situation in this stretch of sea took on a strange shape.
The Whitebeard Pirates had not chosen to leave. They remained nearby, silently guarding the area while Ace continued to absorb the power of his new flames.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea, meanwhile, were left unsure of how to move.
They still did not know exactly when the previous battle had ended and what this new crisis meant for them.
…
"Diane, I will protect you during the fight," King said, guiding her toward Meliodas's location.
Even though Diane's size made her look intimidating, King's power made it easy for him to guard her.
Right now, excitement and nerves tangled in his chest. Being sent out together with Diane on Ryuunosuke's orders felt like a blessing.
His feelings for her were not something that had formed overnight.
"I know," Diane replied softly. "King, you…"
"Commander!"
Her words cut off when she caught sight of Meliodas in the distance, still fighting with his usual grin.
Her eyes instantly lit up.
"Hey, Diane," Meliodas called, glancing back mid swing. "You came."
"So cute," Diane whispered, completely entranced.
King stared at her, suddenly hollow inside.
For a moment, he actually wondered if Ryuunosuke had sent him along just so he could help Diane kill Meliodas herself.
Of course, no matter how jealous he felt, he would never do that.
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