Chapter 190: Sync Rate 100%! Fusing with the Flesh and Darkness
Boom!
Crimson Conqueror's Haki suddenly erupted. Centered on Kaito Shirogane, it swept through the entire Spectral Realm like a hurricane.
Whether it was the Spectral Demons or the humans infected with the Blood Cross, all were hit by the intense shockwave. The weak ones collapsed instantly.
In the sky, Enel was pierced by the intense aura. Even though he had felt it once before, this power, which shook his very spirit, still made him shudder.
His white hat was blown off, revealing his short, curly yellow hair. His long earlobes swayed in the terrifying shockwave.
Enel's right hand finally fell. The terrifying Raigo was completely unleashed.
Everything in sight was completely submerged in lightning. The high temperatures and electrolysis from the strike filled the air with a charred, acrid smell. On the ground, not a single living breath remained. Whether it was Spectral Demons or the citizens of the Kingdom of God who had lost their "divine grace," all lay on the ground, blackened and smoking.
Enel looked down, his eyelids low, at the black, thousand-meter arm in the island's center, and at the giant figure swaying painfully on top of it. He watched indifferently from the sky. He maintained a distance of several thousand meters, an absolutely safe distance he had tested. Moreover, he could hear the "demon's" heart (Mantra). Even now, it was still complaining and hating.
No, not just that. This demon was a mass of contradictions. Sometimes it would let out pitiful moans, seeming to pray for others' survival even as it was trapped in hell.
"Demon, it's time to return to your cage. You must stay there until the promised day arrives." Enel casually struck a thunder drum behind him, and another thunder dragon descended.
Roland's constantly shifting body was terrified of lightning. After being struck, his previously solid form began to go limp, as if his true, slime-like biological nature was emerging.
He let out a pained roar. "No! The promised day is already here!"
"Guts... has appeared..."
Before Enel could speak, from among the giant faces on the ground, a giant bird suddenly burst through a bloody face and shot into the sky.
Enel's pupils shrank. He hadn't heard any "heart-voice."
Clackle!
Enel activated his Logia form.
Bang!
A violent collision knocked Enel straight out of his elemental form. He looked at the black color on the giant bird's talons and the flaming red feathers on its back. He finally realized this monster bird was the Warlord. Not only had Doflamingo turned into a monster, but he had retained his Armament Haki.
At the same time, dark figures began to rise from the ground. The tumors (from the corruption) had apparently given them extra defense and recovery, allowing them to survive the Raigo.
Among all of them, the human beneath the giant hand was the exception. Black lightning constantly radiated from his body, dispersing even Enel's Raigo.
The so-called Law of Causality is, simply, cause and effect.
All things have a cause and an effect. For a certain reason, through various developments, a certain result is achieved. This is a natural law.
But in the myriad worlds, there are always special existences who, having surpassed technique, physique, energy, elements, and authority, touch upon that more profound realm.
They control causality, reverse cause and effect, and hold fate in their hands.
These beings first determine a result. Then, no matter what you choose, you will inevitably be led to that result. This progression of fate, which is beyond a living being's control, is the [Law of Causality].
Of course, the [God Hand] from Berserk are not strong enough to truly control causality. They can only see many possibilities and thus see through causality.
Therefore, the [God Hand] drift through various situations, choosing the causal links they desire and waiting for them to fall into place. The [God Hand] are servants of the [God of the Abyss], the master of the Spectral Realm, and followers of that true God (or Demon) who truly grasps causality.
Kaito Shirogane was now certain: this was the path that the [God Hand: Roland] had chosen.
Whether it was Kaito finding that "treasure," or the Reincarnator Silverlight using an item to lure the seal-keeper Enel away, or some other unknown Reincarnator or native character accidentally breaking the seal...
All of these were "causes," just one of many possibilities. But the "effect" they all led to was the same: the seal would be broken, and this "Special Reincarnator" Roland would reappear.
Kaito knew from Roland's earlier mumblings that the arm and the greatsword from the treasure were related to him. Naturally, when faced with the indiscriminate mutation, he would choose to use those items.
The only thing Kaito wasn't sure of was what "effect" (result) Roland had foreseen.
The God Hand can't control causality, they only see it. Therefore, as long as Kaito can identify the true decision point, he can sever the God Hand's causal link and end the fate of [God Hand: Roland].
Kaito felt [The King's Left Arm], now attached to his stump, was like molten lava. The flesh of his arm burrowed into it, and once connected, a scalding power spread from it.
A flood of wills instantly drowned Kaito. He felt lost in that psychic tide. A powerful will was in agony, in hatred, in regret, and in remorse.
All kinds of intense emotions echoed within Kaito's body. Kaito's body began to wither as the arm absorbed his cellular activity and life force. Kaito had to immediately tear open a [Medical Ninjutsu Scroll] he hadn't used and stick it to his abdomen. He also swallowed a [Katori Pill] he had redeemed from the Shrine. His golden Hamon (Ripple) began to circulate at full power.
His vitality and ki were forced to circulate by his wildly beating heart. But every time the blood flowed into the left arm, it was like a stone tossed into the sea, instantly absorbed. As Kaito's vitality drained, the circulation of his Hamon finally broke. The balance he was barely maintaining collapsed. Kaito's body began to decay rapidly.
[You are being absorbed by the Biological Prosthetic: The King's Left Arm.]
[Vitality has been drastically reduced.]
[Cellular activity has been drastically reduced.]
[All stats are decreasing.]
[Attention, EX051, your vital signs are fading rapidly...]
A flood of notifications appeared. Kaito gripped the stump of his left arm. The withered arm had begun to fuse with it, and the dry [King's Left Arm] was starting to show a fleshy, pink color.
This is bad. If this continues, this thing will suck me dry.
Although Kaito's "Perfectly Purified" body had intermediate-level immortality, he could only regenerate from a drop of blood or a remaining piece of tissue. It couldn't compare to true immortality, and was even inferior to Buu from Dragon Ball, who could survive as long as a single cell remained. In the end, Kaito's immortality was based on his perfected human bloodline; it was all tied to his flesh and bone.
His current state was likely because this unidentified prosthetic had equipment requirements far exceeding his stats. By forcing a powerful being's component onto his body, he was suffering a severe backlash and erosion.
But Kaito didn't think he'd made a mistake. He saw from the corner of his eye that the dying Moon Fiend was being covered in tumors. Blueno, who had been sent flying, was clutching his throat as his body began to swell.
This was an intense corruption sweeping the entire island, maybe the whole sea. No one, Reincarnator or native, could escape.
That greatsword had to be Guts' weapon, and this arm was most likely tied to Guts, Roland, or the so-called "King."
Kaito's body was withered. Black lightning continued to radiate from him, blasting everything, but his body was failing.
Facing the extinction of his life's fire, Kaito's eyes still burned with a mad flame.
"I am not wrong. And I will not die."
Kaito's right hand suddenly dropped, and the [Ominous Greatsword] appeared. It, too, began to drain his Haki. A transparent figure (Coby) cried out in pain. Coby's meager Armament Haki couldn't support this massive black blade.
Kaito looked at the thousand-meter-high arm in front of him. He forced his right arm up, lifting the massive black blade. The next moment, he twisted and swung.
Splurch!
The greatsword sank into the giant arm. Dark blood sprayed.
Where the blood touched his body, tumors began to grow again. If you looked closely, each tumor had a tiny human face, twisted in madness or cruelty.
"Guts... you really did appear..."
The massive voice returned. The panel for Roland's "gaze" appeared again, but Kaito ignored the check. He continued to hack at the giant arm, letting his own mutation deepen.
A second head began to grow from Kaito's neck, but before it could fully develop, it was consumed by the intense life-draining pull from his left arm. The tumors shrank.
Not enough... still not enough... Haha...
Kaito laughed madly. He was certain he was right. Even if the price of being wrong was death, even if he miscalculated and lost himself, he wouldn't hesitate. He swung the [Dragonslayer] like a woodsman's axe, hacking a hole in the giant arm big enough to hold him.
Then, he lay down inside it, letting the flesh completely envelop him.
[Karma Sequence Sync Rate Update. Sin of Pride Sync Rate has reached 100%.]
[Karma Sequence Sync Rate Update. Sin of Greed Sync Rate has reached 100%.]
Above, Roland, who was being blasted back into a liquid state by the relentless lightning, ignored Enel's attacks. He bent down, staring at the base of the giant arm. On his blurry face, joy and pain appeared at the same time. His eyes showed both triumph and guilt.
"Guts... Finally... you will become one with me..."
(End of Chapter)