"Virus weapons... just that."
Sakura's wooden arm held a prisoner. The fungal patches transmitted from the point of contact to her hand.
But once Wood Release Chakra surged, the bizarre corrosive power was plundered along with the energy and life force within the virus.
Not only that, behind her amidst the sea of flowers, all the infected prisoners lay haphazardly. Pure white rose petals drifted down, gradually burying their bodies.
"Kuina, burn them."
Sakura took out a Den Den Mushi, ordering Kuina piloting the Leviathan in the sky.
Immediately, the fire strafing pattern began to converge on this area. Striking beams of dazzling metallic light collided, their internal incendiaries leaking, turning the entire area into a sea of fire.
"Tch, she dealt with it that easily."
Sommers inside the research facility watched the screen unhappily. "There's no defensive force left on the island either. Should we send CP agents?"
"Forget it. The previous CP0 Director and two promising candidates to succeed him were both killed by her."
Killingham reached into Caesar's dream and pulled out an afternoon tea set. "Better let me open the Nightmare Cave. Use the MMA to wear her down."
"But you've been in contact with her before. Continuing to expose your ability is risky, right?"
Sommers took the teacup, raising his eyes to stare at Killingham.
The Kirin in front of him, wearing a head covering, lazily spread his hands, a helpless expression on his face.
"No choice. Who told us we have to work for the boss~"
As the two conversed, on the distant land.
Several black caverns rapidly sprouted and expanded. With the opening of gaps in dreams, things feared by the people on the island began to coalesce into form.
From within the turbulent shadows, the products of dreams and fear descended. A great serpent wreathed in purgatory flames roared viciously, a massive skeleton warrior hefted a spear, a grinning demon gripped a trident, ghosts, ghouls, monstrous birds, evil dragons, ex-wives, stepmothers...
Killingham coldly stared at the screen, quietly waiting, waiting for Sakura to tear through the encirclement step by step and enter the forest's depths.
Without needing his command, the army composed entirely of Monsters of the Mind and Abyss (MMA) took the initiative. From within the burning inferno, they launched their assault on Sakura from an elevated position.
"This is... that bastard Killingham's ability?!"
Sakura pulled a Flying Thunder God kunai from her pocket and threw it into the distance.
The sound of space tearing whistled lightly. Several giant monsters bit empty air, colliding and tumbling into a heap.
Standing on a tall tree, leaning against a branch, Sakura pulled out a mini Den Den Mushi and spoke into the receiver, "Kuma, you can send them over now."
The command traveled through the Den Den Mushi's psychic waves to a huge warship thousands of nautical miles away.
The tall man holding a book adjusted his glasses and spoke gently, "Are you all prepared?"
Before him, giants strapped on round shields, gripped their weapons, the fighting spirit on their faces already answering his question.
Thump~
Crisp clapping sounds rang out one after another. Air membranes shaped like paws enveloped the giant mercenaries, sending them flying toward the island. They whistled down from the sky, crashing to the ground and kicking up thick clouds of dust.
"Forward, men!"
One of the mercenary leaders, Oimo, raised a giant spiked club toward the monsters ahead, roaring loudly.
After Dorry and Broggy made their comeback, he and Kashii had freed themselves from the World Government's deception. They left Enies Lobby before its destruction, gathering a group of giants to become sea mercenaries.
A week ago, the two received contact from the long-absent leaders of the Giant Warrior Pirates, asking them to support Sakura, who had once helped them. Oimo and Kashii didn't hesitate to answer the two leaders' request.
Thus came the present scene: giants stomping the earth, roaring, launching attacks against the nightmare monsters.
"Sun Shield!" x2
Oimo and Kashii simultaneously raised their round shields, instantly crossing dozens of meters to smash the monstrous bird and giant serpent to pieces.
The other giants, led by the two leaders, also lifted their massive weapons, bringing them down upon the monsters around them.
Decades of honed experience dealing with giant creatures, perfection of skills forged through countless battles… these allowed the Giant Mercenary Corps to cut a swath through the forest of monsters like a hot knife through butter.
In the blink of an eye, the once-overwhelming MMA rapidly turned into piles of mush at a visible rate. The amount of shredded flesh and bones was so great that even the burning fires and pouring rain couldn't conceal it.
"Well then, hurry and seize this island now, Sakura-sama!"
Kashii slashed through a giant flying dragon's neck, using his body weight to smash a giant ghoul into the muck. His free arm continuously threw punches like a pile driver on a construction site, pounding down in succession.
Sakura nodded to them, offering a reminder, "Right. Be careful, these monsters won't die until the ability user is defeated!"
"Got it!"
The giants laughed heartily, waving at her before turning back to the battle.
Instructing Kuina in the sky to provide artillery support for the giants, Sakura charged ahead into the massive structure before her.
After Killingham released the MMA, the powerful aura in Research Facility R3 had no longer hidden itself, as if issuing a challenge to the warriors invading this island.
Entering Area R1, Sakura heightened her alertness.
Immediately, she saw in the cold wind that arose from nowhere, those black nightmare particles manifesting from the void, swirling and gathering out of thin air. Then, a bizarre figure materialized from mid-air, malicious beast-like eyes slowly opening.
"So it is you!"
Sakura's expression grew increasingly grim.
The moment the other party released the nightmare monsters, she already had the answer.
After all, they weren't facing each other for the first time… both had some understanding of the other's abilities.
Not to mention, when God's Knights' members acted, they were always filled with that disgusting aura.
She could tell if it was their handiwork just by the smell!
"We meet again, or perhaps for the first time, Haruno Sakura!"
Killingham, human from the waist up, horse from the waist down, held a trident, blocking Sakura's path.
"So, you're the first to deal with, then!"
Sakura swung her Kumotsuna, the spewed clouds rapidly solidifying into a giant sword crackling with lightning. Armament Haki wrapped the blade as she abruptly flashed before him.
Lightning Blade, slash!
Caught off guard, Killingham's body was severed at the waist, blood spraying. His beast-form body was shattered by the lightning infused with Haki.
"Such a violent woman. Can't understand why the boss would need your type..."
The lazy Killingham muttered while crawling toward his severed half. "Hey, you few, stop watching and come help. I can't beat her alone!"
"Another immortal body!" Sakura clicked her tongue.
Having fought members of God's Knights three times, Sakura noted that their personal Haki levels weren't strong. But their Awakened, sublimated abilities, combined with these indestructible bodies and the coordinated abilities among their team members, gave them the qualifications to look down upon the vast majority of the world's powerful beings.
"Look who's here?" Sommers dragging a thorned spiked club walked out from the darkness. "Our newly appointed Warlord is looking rather disheveled. Want to fall into my embrace? I can give you a loving kiss~"
Thud!
Sommers was kicked from behind, face slamming into the ground. A foot as large as a giant's stomped down, crushing him into the metal floor. "Does that mouth of yours have any function other than spewing meaningless waste?"
The giant cloaked figure stood on tiptoe, grinding down as if crushing a bug.
Then, she removed her hood, revealing a face identical to Sakura's. Snow-white hair cascaded down. Her eyes were cold and solemn, seemingly lacking the liveliness of an ordinary person's. "We meet for the first time, my... mother."
The girl's voice wasn't loud, but it exploded in Sakura's ears like thunder, making her display a rare moment of loss of composure.
"No-!"