Chapter 181: Countdown Begins—The Monster Descends into Reality!
Boom.
The Soul Reaper's scythe swept horizontally, black and red violent energy rippling outward like waves.
The entire Island of Death looked as if it were about to be plowed under. The ripples extended all the way to the island's edge, stirring up sea waves hundreds of meters high like a towering wall.
At this moment,
the island remained shrouded in the rampaging energy unleashed by the scythe.
Black-red mist—blood mixed with Yin energy—turned the island into a land of the underworld.
"It hurts! My whole body's in pain!"
Ordinary pirates and Marines couldn't even put up a fight under the Soul Reaper's indiscriminate slaughter—they were instantly forced into revival mode.
But once the white light of resurrection faded,
agony returned to their bodies, their skin rotting and darkening like it was being corroded.
Death.
Players with low levels and no defensive skills saw their HP drop visibly, dying again and again in an endless loop.
"This is the Yin Cao Underworld's unique ability. It transforms the Island of Death into a netherworld where all living things are burned alive."
Fang Yi's voice echoed from the top of the black tower—inside the Game Room.
Watching the pirate players still busy slaughtering one another,
he calmly delivered a line that sent the entire ocean into a chilling silence.
"The Trial Tower will remain for thirty days. When that time is up… the Hall of Souls will descend into reality."
Silence. Dead silence.
Suddenly, it was as if the entire sea had lost its voice. Not even the journalists struggling to keep broadcasting nor the countless viewers behind the Den Den Mushi made a sound.
Though the Game Merchant's voice was calm, like he was narrating some trivial matter,
his words triggered a tidal wave across the seas.
The Trial Tower would disappear. The Soul Reaper would enter reality.
"You're joking, right? That terrifying monster will show up in the real world?"
All the kingdoms in the East Blue erupted in panic.
If the Game Merchant was telling the truth, then they—who were closest—would be the first to be torn apart by the Soul Reaper.
Especially since—
they had all just witnessed firsthand that even while bound by chains, the monster had destroyed the entire island with a single blow.
One blow to destroy an island. One blow to destroy a country.
All of East Blue plunged into chaos and fear. Screams and frantic running broke out across towns and cities.
"What do we do?!"
"Players inside the tower can revive—real life doesn't work like that! If the Soul Reaper lands in our country, we won't even have a chance to run!"
"My uncle's a Marine major! I'm taking his warship and getting out of the East Blue—don't try to stop me!"
"Your uncle? The one who got thrown into the sea after Mihawk stole the ship?"
"..."
Panic spread like a tidal wave.
The pirate world was unique: the Four Seas and the Grand Line weren't easily traversable—separated by the Calm Belt and Reverse Mountain. Ordinary people couldn't flee even if they wanted to.
They were like bugs trapped in a sealed jar,
just waiting for the monster to arrive.
"Don't panic! The World Government will definitely protect us. We pay the Celestial Dragons tribute every year—they won't abandon us!"
"There are monsters in the Trial Tower too! Infamous pirates, the Seven Warlords, even Marine heroes—they'll kill the boss! Don't worry!"
These voices mostly came from the other three seas and the Grand Line.
They had the tone of detached spectators.
"So cool!"
"Take me to the East Blue! I want to buy the Soul Reaper and make it my slave!"
In Mariejois, inside Rosward's luxurious estate,
Saint Charlos, wearing his glass dome helmet and sniffling, was watching the broadcast with glee.
When he heard the Soul Reaper would descend into reality, he felt no fear. No empathy. Only pure excitement.
"I can't escort you without Lord Rosward's orders,"
his bodyguard bowed respectfully.
Charlos kicked the guard furiously. "Useless trash! Then kill him for me!"
"But Lord Rosward is your… your father, sir…"
The guard's voice trembled.
"Get me my golden Den Den Mushi! I'm calling Sengoku—I'm going to the East Blue!"
—
"Are we really letting the Soul Reaper descend into reality?"
Ah Fu asked, nervous.
If the Soul Reaper entered the pirate world without the Reincarnation system's restrictions, it might escape back to the Yin Cao Underworld—making it dozens of times harder to hunt.
"Like the old saying goes—use the environment to your advantage."
"The pirate world has enormous resources. Unlike the shinobi world, there's no looming danger. Without pressure, they won't unite to hunt the boss. They'll just keep scheming against each other. So—let's give them a little pressure."
Once the Soul Reaper threatened the real world, who would panic first?
The World Government, which controlled most of the pirate world's resources.
The Five Elders,
and the one still hidden in the shadows—Saint Imu.
—
Marineford, Navy Headquarters.
"The World Government has rejected the order to revoke the Seven Warlords' status."
Sengoku had just hung up the Den Den Mushi, his face like thunder.
All the Logia Admirals had been dispatched to the East Blue. Rear Admiral candidates and Vice Admirals were mobilized to surround rebellious Warlord territories. The remaining Vice Admirals in the room were all tied to the World Government.
"The Government's reasoning is simple," said one Vice Admiral, a known Government loyalist. "If that monster really does descend and destroy islands, we can't waste resources attacking the Warlords—we have to kill it inside the Tower."
Sengoku's voice turned cold. "And how does that conflict with stripping the Warlords of their titles?"
Doflamingo and Mihawk had already turned on the Navy, attacking warships in broad daylight. Title or not, they wouldn't stop hunting the boss.
Marine HQ's resources were stretched thin.
Even if they pulled back the forces meant to attack Dressrosa, they still lacked the power to take the island or gear up quickly enough.
It wouldn't help them kill the boss.
But—
Mihawk and Doflamingo had publicly attacked the Navy and stolen warships.
If Marine HQ let that slide, their authority would be trampled.
Was the World Government using pirates to undermine the Navy's prestige—
at such a critical moment?
Sengoku clenched his fists.
He wasn't some brainless brute. The World Government wasn't even pretending anymore—they were clearly dragging the Navy down on purpose.
"Bastille."
"Allocate fifty billion Berries of military funds to both Garp and Smoker."
Sengoku's voice was icy.
"I object!"
One Vice Admiral slammed the table. "A hundred billion in funding covers the entire East Blue's yearly budget. You're giving it all to a Game Merchant we barely understand?!"
Vice Admiral Strawberry stood as well, narrowing his eyes. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, this order is too rash. We can't support it."
"You?"
The World Government?
Sengoku didn't rise. He stayed seated,
raising his head to look at the half of the Vice Admirals who'd stood up in defiance.
Golden light burst around him.
Gone was the calm Sengoku. In his place stood a golden, statue-like Buddha—his Justiceman cloak glowing like the sun.
Suppressing his rage, he said coldly:
"Do you even remember who the Fleet Admiral is?"
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