A sedan chair carried by numerous small, pure white animals was brought before Sakura.
Lying on it was a large, pure white cat, covered in wounds and bandages.
"We castaways all depend on his ability to get by, so please let him be." The white cat said, holding a pipe in its mouth. It appeared old, hunched, and emaciated, as if a strong wind could blow it over.
Yet, through her Observation Haki perception, Sakura could see... the willpower radiating incessantly from the large cat before her… a will that remained firm and powerful even after being tempered by time.
What was more important, however, was its gaze.
The moment their eyes met, Sakura sensed it… that contempt for rules, that unrestrained, uninhibited, and wildly flamboyant feeling.
There's no doubt about it… it's a colleague!
"Your reputation precedes you, Witch Haruno Sakura-sama," The white cat smoothed its fur, "As for myself, I won't bother with lengthy introductions. As you can see, I'm merely an unknown weakling."
"Such blazing willpower can hardly be called 'unknown'. How should I address you?"
Sakura sat cross-legged, holding the rabbit in her arms to prevent it from escaping.
"Call me White Cat. Names and such... were lost the moment we took on this form."
"Became like this? What exactly happened on this island?"
Sakura was now filled with questions.
There were too many things to ask about… this colorless island, the Revolutionary Army's members who came with her, and the target of this rescue operation-
"It's a very long story, but time is almost up. If you survive, we can continue our conversation later!"
The group of small animals seemed to sense danger. They stiffened, lifted the sedan chair carrying the white cat, and swiftly ran off, disappearing from sight.
"Huh? Wait-"
Just as Sakura tried to stop them, she suddenly felt the thing in her arms go empty.
Looking down, she saw a large hole had appeared in her abdomen, and the rabbit in the suit was already crawling inside.
After glancing back at Sakura, it scurried into the darkness.
The hole in her stomach rapidly shrank, made a pop sound, and then vanished without a trace.
"They're so fast! What's going on with the residents here?!"
After speaking a few words with the white cat, not only were Sakura's questions unanswered, but she felt things had become even more complicated.
Just then, the previously pure white world began to dim.
A starry night sky was revealed. Soaring figures descended from amidst the spreading dark clouds.
These figures, pure white and starkly out of place in the jet-black world, had wings of light on their backs and faces more exquisite than any artwork, just like the angels from myths and legends.
The swords, great axes, and spears they held were raised high the moment they spotted Sakura.
Immediately after, it was as if the world lent them its blackness, dyeing their weapons.
"Armament Haki???"
There was no time to ponder why inanimate objects could use Haki. The armed angels dove down from high altitude in neat formations.
Sakura shattered the ground underfoot, propelling herself backward.
The spot where she had been standing was now impaled by thrown weapons. The ground was carved with deep pits, some of which produced impacts and explosions akin to cannon fire.
"Bastards!"
Sakura twisted her body mid-air and landed on a giant floating chess piece.
Chakra extended from her feet, though she slipped a few times on the smooth surface before finally steadying herself.
The pure white angels closed in. They made a grasping motion, and all their weapons flew back into their hands.
"You things, that's enough already!"
Thunder roared, and a shockwave expanded.
Willpower gathered in her right hand, a black hue spreading across her skin.
Water Attribute Chakra converged in the center of her palm, finally launching forth along with Sakura's punch.
[Fish-Man Karate: Ocean Drum!]
Haki trembled, and an impact like a storm instantly spread, transforming into a great tide that engulfed the sky, overturning countless angels charging forward.
After being struck head-on by Sakura's Armament Haki-clad hand, the angels began to move sluggishly, like rusted machines.
Finally, caught in the residual shockwave, they crashed to the ground one after another, shattering into broken sculptures.
"So it really is the power of a ability user, affected after coming into contact with Haki?"
Sakura jumped down from the chess piece, landing on the road.
After examining the remnants left by the angels, she found that all that remained was white clay.
"Transmitting Haki remotely... So these things really are creations of a ability?"
Crushing the clay in her hand, Sakura raised her head and looked straight ahead.
"Yes indeed~ Do you like my toys?"
Unexpectedly, a second voice rang out in this silent place.
"When?!"
Her observation Haki hadn't given any warning. Sakura tried to turn around but felt her body stiffen.
Behind her, a soft sensation pressed against her back. Slender fingers traced the contour of the girl's cheek, then pinched her chin, turning her head.
Giant wings shed pure white feathers. A tall, blue-haired female angel appeared in Sakura's line of sight. Her eyes curved, and a supremely enchanting smile graced her face.
"Well, hello there, new little toy~"
"You..."
Sakura trembled all over but inexplicably couldn't make any move.
The will on her body burned, gathering into Armament Haki to resist the other's ability.
However, the blue-haired angel moved extremely fast. In an instant, her palm pierced through Sakura's body.
A coldness originating from her soul seemed to freeze Sakura. This was the first time she had felt cold since eating the Odo Odo no Mi.
"Haki is against the rules, you know~ Little toy. It's rare to find such a cute human-shaped toy here. You have to let me have my fun first!"
The woman's eyes were dazed. Keeping the hand that pierced Sakura motionless, her other hand slipped under the girl's clothes, roughly stroking her abdomen.
The blackness in the surrounding space slowly receded. Long-absent light spilled down from the sky, illuminating Sakura's face.
After getting a clear look at Sakura's face, the blue-haired woman's pupils trembled slightly.
"Ara ara, this face... Upon closer inspection, aren't you the one the Five Elders personally ordered to be captured alive?"
The woman was like a big cat that had caught its prey. With the curiosity of playing with something under its paw, she slowly brought her golden eyes closer to Sakura.
"Hey now, can you tell me why the Five Elders would concern themselves with a commoner like you?"
"You... damn... bastard!!!"
It was as if a black hole had appeared in Sakura's consciousness, igniting all pain, sorrow, hatred, and rage...
Then, amidst the storm and shockwave, a high-pitched roar suddenly erupted. The Conqueror's Haki swept through with dark lightning, shaking everything in the mortal world.
Sky, earth, all things, the world… all fell into silence.
"This is... Conqueror's Haki?! Ugh ah!"
The blue-haired woman, stunned by the intense will, had her long hair flung upward. The entire impact sent her crashing into a distant chess piece.
"Iron Fresh!"
Sakura rolled up her sleeves. Two Storm Swords simultaneously appeared in her hands, and Armament Haki surged violently.
Just as she was about to treat that woman to a taste of her [Spear], the back of her clothes was tugged again.
With her Observation Haki extended, she sensed the presence of the white rabbit.
At this time, it showed a humanized expression of anxiety on its face, shaking its head frantically at Sakura.
"Rabbit, this is the second time today you've interrupted my fight. If you don't give me a good reason, I'll beat you up along with her later!"
The rabbit, lifted by its collar by Sakura, used its arms to shield its face, then kicked off the ground with its hind legs.
A pit large enough to hold both of them opened beneath Sakura's feet, a powerful suction force emanating from within.
In the moment of Sakura's stunned confusion, she was sucked into the pit. An angry roar echoed incessantly:
"Damn it, you wretched rabbit-!"