Chapter 643: Lilith Steps Out of the Projection!
Not long after, the scouts returned.
"Nothing unusual."
Machi reported calmly.
"There were altar like structures in all four directions of the island, but they've all been destroyed."
"We also checked the center."
"Other than a huge crater packed with countless skeletons, there wasn't any other useful information."
Ryuunosuke exhaled.
"Then my guess was right. The layout here has already been wrecked by the First Generation."
"We'll wait for Shirahoshi to come back up, then we prepare to leave."
"It's probably impossible to hunt down any more God Death Guards."
His tone carried a rare hint of helplessness.
They had hoped to use those purple crystals to push Gaino toward forming a new Heart of Eternity.
Now that path was basically cut off.
Even though the Eternal Hearts inside Gaino had clearly benefited from the crystals, it still was not enough to create a brand new Eternal Heart on its own.
"Weng…"
A heavy ripple rolled down from the sky, like the air itself had been struck.
Everyone's attention snapped upward.
"What is that?"
Warriors in silver white armor floated in midair.
Space itself trembled around them, waves of distortion spreading outward.
And their numbers kept increasing, as if they were being poured into the sky one after another.
Then a familiar voice rang out.
"Captain Ryuunosuke?"
"I never expected we'd meet here!"
Ryuunosuke's eyes narrowed.
"Lilith?"
The figure was unmistakable.
But this Lilith was not the same one they had met before.
The aura she gave off was solid, heavy, real.
Not that hazy, unreal feeling a projection carried.
In other words, this Lilith was not a projection anymore.
Lilith stared down at him, expressionless as ever.
"It seems my earlier effort wasn't wasted, if you still remember me."
"But I'm not here to fight."
"If it weren't for your magnanimity, Captain Ryuunosuke, I would never have had the chance to break free from the main body's control."
"So how about it?"
"Do you want to cooperate…"
Boom!
Before she could finish, a violent burst of power detonated in the air.
Dust and shockwaves rolled across the beach.
When it cleared, the strike had been stopped by a barrier around Lilith, the shield rippling but unbroken.
A cold voice followed.
"You think you can replace the original just because you have a clone?"
"And you even activated the Celestial Armor."
"It seems you're not planning to return to Lilith's body at all."
Space warped again.
From one of those distortions, Adam stepped out.
And his aura was different this time.
Ryuunosuke's thoughts sharpened instantly.
So the pattern was clear.
Everyone who showed up now was a real physical entity, not a flickering projection.
Back then, Adam and Lilith had been terrifying, but their presence felt unstable, like something forced into the world.
This time, it was the opposite.
Solid.
Complete.
"Adam?"
Lilith's face remained blank, but there was something almost eager in her eyes.
"You're here to stop me?"
She was not the original Lilith.
And the Adam who appeared now, even if his aura was solid, was still only a clone.
But even so, Lilith showed no fear at all.
If anything, her battle intent was impossible to hide.
"Lilith, come back with me."
Adam's voice was firm.
"Relying on the power you have right now, it's simply impossible…"
"Do you still remember the will of God?"
Lilith cut him off immediately.
Her eyes turned sharper.
"A trash clone…"
"The will left by God states that wherever Lilith encounters Adam, Adam must be killed."
"Well then."
"Since you're here…"
"Let's begin."
With those words, the humanoid figures behind her in white armor all turned at once, their attention locking onto Adam.
"Tch…"
Adam's expression darkened.
"Stubborn."
"An unstable factor like you deserves to be erased."
A long spear appeared in his hand.
The Spear of Longinus.
For a moment, Ryuunosuke just stared.
He had assumed they came because they found him and his crew.
But now it looked different.
They were here for each other.
"Captain, should we move?"
Ban grinned, spinning his three section staff with excitement.
He had not gotten enough fighting yet.
A fresh, high level battle falling from the sky like this was basically an invitation.
"No, thanks."
Ryuunosuke waved him off.
"What are you doing?"
"Their target isn't us, so we'll watch."
"And while we're at it, we eat."
He lifted his hand.
Food appeared instantly, piled in ridiculous variety.
The fighting was over, Shirahoshi was still underwater, and there was nothing else to do.
If the world insisted on handing them a spectacle, they might as well enjoy it.
"Meat!"
Luffy's eyes lit up like fireworks.
"Big brother, I want this, and this, and this too!"
He was never picky, and most of what Ryuunosuke produced was meat.
It was practically custom made for him.
Ryuunosuke glanced at Zoro.
The swordsman still looked weighed down, his mood sinking like iron.
Without a word, Ryuunosuke tossed him a bottle of wine.
"Thank you, Brother Ryuunosuke."
Zoro hesitated, then started to say something.
Ryuunosuke cut him off.
"You already took it back. What belongs to you."
"Watch a fight that's beyond your level."
"Feel the gap."
"Maybe it'll stop you from chewing on the same thoughts until they rot."
"Another level of combat…"
Zoro took a long drink, then sat down and stared toward the clash in the sky.
Around them, the Dragon Hunter Pirates looked like they were relaxing, eating and drinking, even cracking snacks.
But none of them dropped their guard.
Their eyes kept tracking Lilith and Adam.
Because in a battle like this, it would take only a moment for either side to turn and strike at the spectators.
Even if that did not happen, nobody wanted to miss a fight like this.
And Ryuunosuke, like he was hosting a festival, even produced melon seeds and peanuts.
"Brother Ryuunosuke."
Akame lifted her gaze to the sky and spoke quietly.
"She came because of you."
"Are we really not going to interfere?"
Lilith had already made her stance clear when she appeared.
And the moment Adam arrived, she attacked without hesitation.
Their exchange made it obvious.
This Lilith was the same Lilith projection that vanished at Marine Headquarters.
Vegapunk's technology really was insane.
He had actually turned a projection into something real.
Of course, none of them had truly interacted with this new Lilith yet.
They had no idea what kind of change this would bring.
But Adam showing up to test the waters first…
That part, at least, was convenient.
[TL: My new fanfic is out now—One Piece: Pokémon Master of the Seas! Check it out!]
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