Nuclear Weapons World.
Outside Japan, Shiki's air fleet and auxiliary corps were advancing and occupying territory within various nations at staggering speed.
Yet, despite this, Shiki also realized that it would be difficult to completely conquer this Nuclear Weapons World, and hand it over for World Government officials to assume governance, within this year—or even by the end of January next year.
For unlike the worlds they had faced before, this one possessed a far more complete industrial and command system.
Its people also held more professional knowledge and diverse skills, and its population was immense—over 8 billion!
In short, the troubles of the Nuclear Weapons World outweighed those of the previous worlds combined.
For the World Government, this was the first time they had encountered such a world.
Seeing this, Shiki no longer felt the need to rush.
He already had a plan in mind.
Even if a new "Dimensional Gate" were to open next year, he would not go.
He would personally focus on this Nuclear Weapons World, the Special Zone World, and the Zero Magic World from before.
Three worlds in total.
That would be enough to keep him busy for quite a while—and surely the harvest from them would not be small.
...
Tokyo, within the borders of Japan.
At this moment, Ginza Avenue had already been completely sealed off by the soldiers of the auxiliary corps.
Five auxiliary soldiers stood in a row, each carrying dual fuel tanks on their backs and holding flamethrowers, directing long jets of fire against the ice and earth that sealed the tunnel of the "Gate."
Yet despite such fierce flames burning continuously for nearly thirty minutes, the frost refused to melt quickly.
By eye, it had thinned by less than 2 centimeters.
This caused the shinobi watching from behind to frown deeply.
"Looks like this isn't ordinary ice," Yamanaka Inoichi murmured thoughtfully, stroking his chin.
"Then let's try ninjutsu!"
With that, Uchiha Teru stepped forward, signaling the five auxiliary soldiers to move aside.
As their captain, Yamanaka Inoichi did not stop him.
Nearby, A watched with keen interest, awaiting the result.
Around them stood another twenty or so shinobi, including the squads of Kurama Unkai and Yūhi Shinku.
Very soon, the chūnin called Uchiha Teru had already completed his hand seals.
The blazing inferno surged into the air, condensing at once into a fireball nearly 10 meters in diameter.
That massive ball of fire roared into the tunnel of the "Gate."
[BOOM!!!]
The explosion thundered in their ears.
At the same time, a suffocating heatwave surged back out, mixed with thick clouds of steam.
As the steam gradually dispersed under the stirring of the wind, the sight within the tunnel finally came into view.
The bulging wall of ice and earth had now caved in by roughly 4 meters.
Across its surface trickled streams of molten earth, glowing like magma, and in places faint gleams of metal shone through.
Yet, according to the auxiliary soldiers, the tunnel stretched close to 100 meters in length.
"Step aside. Even though this ice and earth isn't the product of ninjutsu, I want to test whether chakra's elemental affinities have any effect on magic."
At that moment, A walked up beside Uchiha Teru and gave his shoulder a light pat.
Teru voiced no objection, calmly stepping back.
[Step, step, step—]
But just as A raised his hands, ready to form seals—
A heavy cadence of footsteps suddenly echoed from behind the gathered shinobi.
Then a voice rang out, full of authority.
"Perfect timing. I too would like to see whether the power of a Teigu can counter this magic!"
"Hm?"
A, Yamanaka Inoichi, Uchiha Teru, Yūhi Shinku, Kurama Unkai, and the other shinobi turned their heads in astonishment toward the newcomers.
It was four towering, broad-shouldered officers of the Air Force, cloaks of blue justice draped across their shoulders, most clad in suits of varying colors.
Each of the four bore distinct traits; even without introductions, they were instantly memorable.
From the order of their stride—one in front, three behind—it was clear that the tall blond man in front, nearly 1.9 meters in height, clad not in a suit but in jet-black armor with golden tube-like fittings along both arms, was their superior.
A glance at the insignia on his cloak confirmed it.
He was a major general of the Air Force, while the three behind him were colonels.
But even among the colonels, there were peculiar details.
The two on the left and right each bore a pair of white wings folded against their backs.
The one walking between them, however, though plain in appearance, carried an aura sharper and more forceful than either of the others.
"May I ask, you are…?"
Yamanaka Inoichi stepped forward, puzzled, to inquire.
"I am Major General Budo, aide-de-camp to General Golden Lion, born of the Teigu World."
"These men are officers of General Golden Lion's 'White Sea Sky-Cleaver Unit.'"
"We are here under orders to carry out a military mission in the Special Zone World."
Budo spoke gravely, making his purpose clear.
The aide to General Golden Lion!
The moment this identity was revealed—
Everyone present, whether Yamanaka Inoichi, A, and the other shinobi, or the soldiers of the auxiliary corps, had their expressions drastically change.
"It's an honor to meet you, Major General Budo. However, according to the division of responsibilities planned earlier by Headquarters, exploration missions in unconquered worlds should fall under the jurisdiction of Umigakure."
After some thought, Yamanaka Inoichi decided to speak plainly.
Behind him, Kurama Unkai, Yūhi Shinku, Uchiha Teru, and the other shinobi all showed hints of displeasure in their eyes.
They felt that Budo's arrival was nothing less than trying to steal Umigakure's achievements.
The hot-tempered A made no attempt to hide the discontent and anger written across his face.
These shinobi had only recently joined the World Government, and their hunger for merit and recognition was at its peak—so their emotions surged all the more violently.
"You carry out your mission, we'll carry out ours. We can keep out of each other's way—or assist one another if the need arises."
Budo's expression remained calm as he swept his gaze across the shinobi, finally locking eyes with A's fierce glare.
"I truly fail to see what task could possibly require you alone, and not be entrusted to us of Umigakure?"
Yamanaka Inoichi pressed again, confused.
"Military secret. Your understanding is unnecessary. If you have objections, let your Kaikage raise them with General Golden Lion."
Budo's tone hardened at once.
At that moment, as Yamanaka Inoichi pressed him again and again, Budo's golden brows drew down, his eyes flashing with fury as he unleashed a torrent of his own overwhelming presence.
The instant Budo's aura burst forth, every one of them shifted into readiness.
Some drew kunai, others unsheathed their blades.
The atmosphere before the "Ginza Gate" grew unbearably tense, almost suffocating.
The soldiers of the auxiliary corps watching from the sidelines felt their hair stand on end, hearts seized by an uncontrollable dread—even their breathing turned labored.
Fortunately, Budo withdrew his aura once more and spoke in a low, firm voice: "We are all here under orders. Just do your part."
With that, he brushed past Yamanaka Inoichi and strode toward the "Ginza Gate."
"Hmph."
A's cold eyes tracked them as they passed.
Soon Budo stood before the wall of ice and earth, its surface still slick with traces of molten rock.
Without a word, he raised his gauntleted arms high above his head.
[Rumble—]
Before everyone's eyes, golden serpents of lightning began crackling and dancing across Budo's body.
At the same time, the sky suddenly darkened, a deep thunder rolling overhead.
Every head snapped upward.
To their shock, a mass of heavy storm clouds had gathered above, flashing with light, rumbling with thunder.
The next instant, two colossal golden bolts split the stormclouds and came crashing down—
Striking this towering, awe-inspiring man head-on.
In that moment—
Blinding arcs of electricity flared brilliantly across his body.
The cement ground beneath his feet cracked visibly by the inch, collapsing and spreading outward in waves until a circular pit nearly 10 m in diameter had formed.
At the same time—
Budo channeled the lightning cloaking his body through his armor-type Teigu, gathering it all in front of him until it formed a golden sphere nearly 5 m wide, which he then hurled forward.
[BOOM!!!]
The massive lightning ball shot into the tunnel of the "Gate," its blazing brilliance banishing the darkness within an instant.
Thunder like the shattering of the sky itself roared forth.
Nearly thirty seconds passed before the sound gradually faded.
"Come on. Let's go have a look."
Budo motioned to the colonels behind him, then strode into the tunnel. The air inside, thick with steam, had become even hotter, and the stench more suffocating.
"Move!"
A did not hesitate either.
He immediately called Uchiha Teru and the other three team members, hurrying in after them.
Right behind came Kurama Unkai, Yūhi Shinku, Yamanaka Inoichi, and their squads of shinobi.
...
Inside the tunnel of the "Gate of Ginza"—
Budo casually released faint sparks from his body, the arcs of lightning illuminating his path as they pushed back the darkness.
They had walked more than 10 m—and still the path continued ahead.
Soon—
Budo and his three companions came to a halt.
By now, they had walked nearly 40 m deeper.
Before them appeared another stretch of thick frozen earth, exuding faint streams of chill.
Budo raised his eyes to the ceiling above, his brow furrowing.
Here, he felt it would be difficult to summon lightning again.
Now he began to consider whether he should retreat outside, call down lightning once more, and then hurl the gathered sphere back into this place.
The tunnel appeared to run in a straight line, after all.
A few more such strikes should be enough to pierce straight through.
Budo quickly shared this idea with those behind him.
The colonels who followed him, naturally, did not object.
Yamanaka Inoichi, and the other shinobi exchanged glances, then nodded in reluctant agreement.
Even A had nothing to say.
---
I will post some extra Chapters in Patreon, you can check it out. >> patreon.com/TitoVillar
---