C16: Years of Time Skip |Part 11|

i dunno why, but i feel like this particular chapter had me feeling like its bad xd

###

• (Ringo of Wano Country) {Year: 18.2} •

A huge pitch black thundercloud appeared above Ringo of Wano Country. It implemented fear to anyone looking at it! However, those with strong will would dare to take it on, defying the Heavens. A gold thunder started to manifest, looking closely, one could see golden runes on them.

It seemed to be centered on a young handsome man in Ringo, putting a huge pressure upon him. However, the handsome man took it on as if it were nothing, as if angered, the heavenly tribulation increased the pressure into a massive one!

Unfortunately, it was for naught as the man still stood, smiling roguishly towards it. How could he not smile? The massive pressure were helping him refine his body, taking advantage of the heavenly tribulation!

*RUMBLE*

*CRACKLE*

*Ding*

[WARNING!!! - The Heaven's Law has spotted your Sword Intent's attempt of ascending to next realm! It couldn't have that happening as it would be immensely powerful, so it decided to put a stop to it by sending a powerful heavenly tribulation. Your system, me, is not capable of assisting you of overcoming the heavenly tribulation. Please be careful!]

*CRACKLE*

"I see!" The young handsome man finally understood why the Sword Aura appeared back then. It had been his Sword Intent's way of warning and preparation for him of the next realm of Sword Will! "Haha! If the Sword Aura hadn't appeared, I would've suffered harshly from this tribulation! With my Sword Intent as it is, I could easily take advantage of it!"

*RUMBLE*

"Luckily I decided to move to Ringo just in case anything happened when the duration ended!" If there were anyone else in Ringo, they would've been squashed as if they were mere flies. Ryu was glad he told his system to move the citizens away from Ringo. "Alright, now let's use the heavenly tribulation to refine my body even more!"

*CRACKLE*

[...] The system just couldn't believe he was casually waving it off as if it was nothing. Ryu didn't know that the heavenly tribulation could destroy those of Mid-Gods! Then, the system realized that the heavenly tribulation should've appeared 2.5 years ago, but his Sword Intent had delayed it!

*RUMBLE*

Ryu's Sword Intent was of a rare type, it had its own will from the beginning, growing together with Ryu from the beginning. Counting from the Sword Intent's birth, it was at least 12 years old.

*CRACKLE*

The Sword Intent had successfully delayed the heavenly tribulation by changing its power into a new type of power, which created the Sword Aura. Ryu's Sword Intent had created a new type of power by itself without any help. Due to it being a new type, Ryu had to practice from the start all over again. The Heaven's Law had thought the Sword Intent suddenly became weak and uncontrollable that it would destroy itself, so the Heaven's Law ignored it.

*SHIII*

A gold thunderbolt came striking down towards where Ryu was at! As soon the thunder neared him, suddenly!

*CHHHH*

The Sword Aura appeared by itself, taking a huge portion of the thunderbolt, as if it knew that Ryu's body wouldn't be able to take a Mid-God Destroying thunderbolt. The system had to applaud its host for having such a smart and thoughtful Sword Intent. Finally, Ryu took on the weakened thunderbolt with only his body.

*BOOM*

*PUU*

Ryu was shocked as he became bloodied, splurting out blood! He didn't expect the gold thunderbolt to be so strong that his body very nearly went dust. He fell down on his knees, as he looked at his body. He looked so burnt, his skin seemed to be melting off, revealing his insides. It was agonizingly painful, he noted as he gritted his teeth. He had to stay conscious otherwise he'll die refining his body!

*CRACKLE*

A second gold thunderbolt started to manifest. It looked even stronger than before, Ryu was now panicking. But then...

*CHHH*

*SWISH* *SWISH* *SWISH*

Hundreds of swords started to manifest by itself, encircling Ryu as if protectively. Ryu started to understand that his Sword Intent had intended to deal with the rest. He started to grit even harsher, not wanting to be outdone by his Sword Intent! He then screamed for the world to hear as he stood back up.

"HEAVENS! I, RYU, WON'T FALL DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT!"

As if hearing his declaration, the heavenly tribulation shockingly changed to blood red! The gold thunder changed to pitch black, glowing red, as if it was sent from the devil himself.

*RUMBLE~*

Tens, hundreds of pitch black thunders started to appear in the blood red cloud. If other gods were taking that, they would've paled instantly and wet themselves. Never had they ever saw such fearful tribulation in their life! Ryu, though, only just stood still and looked upwards as if waiting for all of them to come down. His Sword Intent seemed to be waiting along him too, creating more swords to take on the heavenly tribulation.

*RUMBLE*

At last!

*BOOOOOOM~!*

A deafening sound came as the whole hundreds of pitch black thunderbolts came striking down on Ryu at the same time! Ryu looked up screaming angrily as it neared him, he suddenly widened his eyes larger, unleashing a huge power! The swords started to swiftly move together above Ryu, layer by layer.

*CLANG~*

White came next.

...

After that fearful day...

A kneeling bloodied man kept scrunching his face. He had expected his original to come and start the next step of plan. But he hadn't come for awhile, a week in fact. 'Did something happen?'

'He definitely didn't die, otherwise I would've wither away.' He thought. Starting to get worried, he visibly showed it on his face.

"Oh? You look worried," a huge man said as he walked in. He was Kaido of the Beast. Ichigo immediately went back to stoic. He stopped being tranquil after such powerful clash, it even affected him. "Hehe, I heard that you had crazily laughed shouting it's started. But what exactly happened?"

Kaido once again tried getting information out of him. He was scared of such amazing power he felt from Ringo. Kaido had went to Ringo when it was over, but all he could see was molten lava there. Ringo had became reformed, no longer cold anymore. But he felt like there was a very strong predator was asleep in there, he immediately left then.

Seeing Ichigo still not talking, he sighed. "Well, I can tell you that a strong predator is asleep in Ringo now. Like it suddenly appeared there when the blood red cloud dispersed."

Ichigo's eyes started to brighten, as he thought. 'So he was asleep! He must've overdone it. But, predator? What is he, a beast now?'

"Anyways, I'm going to spread word you're being executed in the next month." Kaido informed his prisoner. "Do you still refuse to join me? We could take over the world!"

Finally talking, Ichigo spat at him. "You won't get me to change my mind. Just execute me, kill me off. The barrier still won't disappear!"

"Haha!" Ichigo started to laugh, thinking that Ryu will awaken and come on the day he was to be executed. "I will disappear soon, anyways."

"Hmm?" Kaido was confused at that, what does he mean he'll disappear anyways? But seeing Ichigo not talking anymore, he decided to leave it be and commanded the people to spread word about the execution.

...

Later that same month, somewhere in Ringo...

A shell-cased of swords started to crumple away into dusts, as if they were real swords not of will. Inside was a naked young handsome man. He looked even more handsomer than before somehow. Opening his eyes, he started to look around as he stood up and stretched, not caring he was naked for the world to see.

'System, how long have I been unconscious? Oh and give me clothes.' Ryu asked its system.

[You have been unconscious for 21 days. Your clone, Ichigo, is near the Kibi's border. It seems he is to be executed in front of the residents living behind the borders in Kibi, in the next month.]

The people who wanted to save Ichigo but couldn't had built a town behind the border barrier that was blocking them.

"Ah, so they finally decided to do the execution. That took awhile." Ryu said as he wore the clothes his system gave. "Well, it's time to move onto the next step."

*Woosh...*

Taking a step, he disappeared into the air.

• (Near Kibi's borders in Flower Capital of Wano) {Year: 18.3} •

Ichigo kneeled in front of the residents from the other side of the border barrier. He could see them as they can see him. Ichigo had his hair messed, dried bloods with torture marks were all over his body, and he only wore a pant, revealing everything upper other than his lower. Ichigo closed his eyes, as to continue their assumptions of being blind. Golden chains were connected in him too. Kaido had intended to remove them but they for some reason couldn't, it was stuck inside his body.

The residents on the other side were angered at such sight. They wanted to save him, but could they even fight such powerful organizations? Rin in particular cried heavily when she saw Ichigo. She called for his name, only for Ichigo to render motionless. Righteous samurais had started to attack the very border barrier that were 'protecting' them, wanting to do nothing but wage war with the enemy and save Ichigo.

...

Above the execution place...

A handsome man stood in the air. Ryu became shocked as he looked at his clone, he looked so... pitiful. Ryu started to get somber, he had told the clone to play his part... Ryu never expected for him to actually be so weakened that the body would get cut easily. "I have to do it today."

...

Ichigo 'looked' up and saw Ryu, though no one else could. Ichigo then smiled. The others saw his smile as if he was glad to die. Orochi the Shogun started to talk.

"The Lone Blind Swordsman, Ichigo, will be executed here and today. However, there is something you all should know... Ichigo is not who he says he is!"

The audience of other side got confused at that.

"Ichigo, no, Ryu. He is the Solitary Pirate, Ryu! He is an outsider, not of Wano Country!" Orochi announced, expecting a outrage of a outsider. He didn't get anything but hateful glares toward himself, so he could only ignore it sweating and continue. "The outsider had decided to take over the Wano Country for his terrority! Such action was befitting an pir-"

*CHHH*

-

A sudden barrier of swords appeared around the Beasts Pirates, including Kaido of the Beasts who had been there in respect of Ichigo. He was shocked as he got encircled with his crew. Then a icy voice that seemed to literally talk swords came inside the barrier, not a single sound coming out of it.

"Kaido, stay inside or die." It said.

Kaido was angered that someone dared to say that to him, so he tried to break the barrier. "Bastard, you dare to talk like that to me?!"

*BAM*

*Swiiish*

*Plop*

Kaido looked at his left hand that was on the floor. His hand had been easily cut off! The people around him especially the three Disasters, King, Queen, and Jack were shocked at that. They refrained from touching the swords, not wanting to suffer it.

Kaido tried regenerating his hand, but something was stopping it, like when a regenerated cell appeared, it would disappear after. His left arm was doomed to be without a hand, unless he cut his arm entirely and regenerate it. He refused to do that now, it would take a lot of energy to do so.

-

Outside of the sword barrier, Ryu appeared before Ichigo. Ichigo 'looked' at him, smiling. Ryu start to talk. "I'm sorry."

"No, I'm feeling alright. Actually, I never felt anything at all. I had already cut off my nerve system." Ichigo replied to his original. "Besides, I'm you. You'll experience what I have. So, I should be the one apologizing."

Orochi could only stand frozen, he felt his danger sense screaming at him not to move or he'll die. The residents on other side stood shocked, they thought Ichigo would finally be rescued, but the person looked the same as Ichigo without any blemish!

Ichigo then opened his eyes, showing bright green eyes like his original. The Lone Blind Swordsman wasn't blind at all, the residents saw. Ichigo began to shine brightly. "Finally... Wano Country will now have a different and better future."

He then disappeared along with the gold chains into Ryu's body, merging them. The residents were shocked and agape at that sight. Were they split into two? Who were the real Ichigo? They got confused now.

"Yes..." Ryu agreed slowly, as he finished merging. He started to experience everything the clone had experienced. He trembled slightly. His Conqueror's Haki started to leak out a bit, but it was enough for the people closest around him to faint. Most of them were the samurais that worked for Orochi. Surprisingly, Orochi stayed conscicous, staring at Ryu fearfully. Ryu turned into his cold demeanor.

It was so unlike before, he looked like he could freeze you with a glance. "I see... so you all tortured me..."

"N-n-no! It was the Beasts Pirates that tortured you!" Orochi stuttered out quickly out of fear.

"I know." Ryu replied as he aimed towards the Shogun. "I was still going to kill you, the current Shogun."

"No!" Orochi quickly transformed into an eight-headed serpent. Only one head had his eyes and crown, while the others have more generic looks by comparison. In this form, he had the ability to attack in multiple directions with his strong jaws. Unfortunately, it was still useless before the true monster in front of him. Making a horizontal line with his index finger, Ryu cut all of his heads off.

*Swiish*

*Thud*

"Weak." He said. Next, he turned to look at the sword barrier with Beasts Pirates inside. Releasing a bit of pressure so that they wouldn't move much, he dispersed the sword barrier. "Decide, Onigashima or leave Wano Country alive."

The Yonko, Kaido, glared hatefully at the Solitary Pirate, Ryu. He was not about to leave without a fight! Transforming into a huge eastern dragon, the dark clouds started to appear above where they were. Luckily, the barrier were protecting the citizens on the other side, so they watched the battle.

"Solitary Pirate, Ryu! I, the Strongest Creature of the World, won't go down so easily!" Kaido shouted as he started to inhale afterward. He then exhaled a heat breath towards Ryu.

*ROAR*

Putting his hand, front to the heat breath, Ryu muttered. "Annoying."

The heat breath disappeared after he muttered. Kaido went agape, along with the other people. Ryu just decided to move the Beasts Pirates with Kaido to Onigashima for the real Shogun to deal with if they still stayed there. Ryu would protect the Wano Country with the barrier, till then he'll wait for the real Shogun.

"I'll just move you all to Onigashima." He coldly informed the Beasts Pirates. Kaido looked like he was about to go against that, but he disappeared along with his crew. The citizens' jaws went wider, after all they just watched them disappear.

Ryu turned to look at them. The citizens felt like glacier came, as he still wore cold demeanor. He looked around, and saw Rin there. He smiled slightly at her, causing her to blush a bit, but she smiled back too, glad he was safe.

Ryu then decided to announce in a voice where the whole Wano Country would hear. "I, Ryu, now declare the Wano Country to be under my protection! I also will take over as the Shogun, however, it won't be official! I will be only simply be holding it for a certain person I'm waiting for!"

All of people in Wano Country heard that, they had mixed feelings about that declaration. They all were happy that Orochi were overthrown, but they were worried about Ryu, what if he would be a brutal tyrant and what about that 'real Shogun'?

...

"Damn! Damn it!" Kaido shouted as he destroyed and killed around him on Onigashima. He now couldn't get into Wano Country, that wasn't Onigashima. "...I swear I won't forget this, Solitary Pirate!"

...

*Ding*

[Conquered the Flower Capital. Discovered rare items, stored them into the storage. Defense now merged together, however the border defenses will still stand. Congratulations, Ryu, you have partially conquered Wano Country, with the exception of Onigashima.]

[Received a message from God of Systems!]

[Open?]