Chapter 120: Never Mind Where the Danger Comes From
Shave + Moonwalk + Paw-Paw Fruit, used simultaneously!
Admiral + Four Emperors + Shichibukai + limiter Breakthrough, vast power erupts!
In an instant, Aokiji erupted with terrifying speed!
Even so, he only managed to catch up to the falling island after two massive rings of Energy exploded and covered the sky.
At this moment, it was less than a kilometer from the ground!
The massive island rapidly tore through layers of air at a speed completely disproportionate to its size!
This speed combined with its mass.
Even before Boros's spaceship arrived, City A would be utterly destroyed!
Aokiji, having caught up, stood upside down at the bottom of the island.
Glaciers burst forth, centered around him!
Boundless Haki was attached and extended outwards, increasing the surface area contacting the air!
Transforming into his Azure Dragon Human-Beast form, he summoned thick flame clouds and pressed them against the bottom of the island, lifting it to counteract the immense potential energy of the fall!
A faint light appeared on his hands, which he pressed onto the bottom of the island!
..."Mr. Aokiji is indeed the most reliable hero."
Sitch stood on the Barren Land, looking at the massive pit that had been forcefully dug out, and sighed with emotion.
Besides him, a group of Association staff members were also present.
A subordinate nearby, who was taking photos for documentation, echoed:
"That's right. To avoid affecting the city, he actually forcibly dug out such a large piece of land and moved the battlefield into the sky."
Sitch nodded.
Looking at it this way, his previous instruction for the Association to issue an Earthquake Warning seemed inappropriate... Suddenly, pitch blackness descended!
It was as if time had been instantaneously and without warning accelerated to night!
The warning of death, stemming from primal life instinct, blared frantically!
Sitch stiffly raised his head.
The sky was falling—!!
A massive glacier island, larger than imagination and roughly the size of City A's Core District, blocked out the light!
It also blocked out any possibility of survival!
An Earthquake Warning really was inappropriate... This was definitely a Dragon Level Disaster!!!
Sitch had no way to respond; he could only close his eyes and await death.
The other staff members were filled with despair, and many collapsed onto the ground, their legs weak.
"I just successfully proposed to my girlfriend yesterday!"
"After finishing work today, I was supposed to take time off to go back to my hometown and visit my parents..."
"I clearly promised my daughter that I would spend more time with her later..."
"If we survive, let's go eat hotpot together!"
Sitch was speechless at these subordinates who were desperately setting up Death Flags.
Ah, forget it. They were all going to die anyway.
Sitch was incredibly tense internally, feeling that the passage of time had become exceptionally slow.
He waited in agony with his eyes closed.
The voices of his subordinates vanished, the rumbling overhead disappeared, and everything became quiet.
An inexplicable chill invaded.
Is this what death feels like?
It's surprisingly peaceful, and there's no life flashing before my eyes or anything. Sitch slowly opened his eyes.
Hmm? Sitch looked in surprise at the subordinate slumped on the ground next to him.
Why is he here too?
Oh right, we died together after all.
This must be what the old saying means, having company on the Underworld road.
But what is he looking up at?
Sitch followed his subordinate's gaze.
His pupils instantly dilated!
The massive glacier island was still suspended above, but it had lost its falling speed and was motionless in mid-air.
And at the very bottom of the island.
Thick flame clouds coiled around it in layers.
Aokiji, whose body was surging with Black and Red Lightning, was holding up the ice-covered island bottom with both hands, his broad arms flexing with smooth muscle lines.
His back was ramrod straight, and he stood firm in mid-air, bearing the immense sinking weight.
Although the island blocked the sun, Sitch felt an even more dazzling light radiating from Aokiji's supporting figure.
Someone murmured and tremblingly called out his name.
Someone else vaguely reached out a hand, wanting to touch the figure who brought hope.
Aokiji slightly lowered his head, his reassuringly calm eyes sweeping over the hope on everyone's faces, meeting their gazes.
—Phew, that was close! I almost crushed all of them!
Aokiji let out a long sigh of relief inwardly.
I need to be careful in the future. As my power grows stronger, I must pay attention to control everything I do.
Aokiji self-critiqued and warned himself.
[Ding—The unlock mission to save five hundred lives has been over-fulfilled, Progress Bar unlocked.]
The System notification popped up.
The corner of Aokiji's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
Over-fulfilled... well, that's not wrong, there are so many people in City A.
The System's evaluation standard is full of loopholes. It doesn't care where the danger to life comes from, only whether they were saved.
"Is everyone alright."
Aokiji's voice reached everyone's ears.
Because he felt a little guilty, his tone was unusually gentle.
This, conversely, moved the Association staff members even more, and they quickly shook their heads repeatedly.
"Mr. Aokiji, thank goodness you were here!" Even Sitch, who was usually the most composed, couldn't help but have a tremor in his voice; this was a physical instinct after escaping death.
"But why did the island fall..."
"Ahem! Everyone, please move back. I'm going to set the island down now," Aokiji interrupted.
Sitch immediately stopped thinking and organized the staff members, who were reluctantly gazing at Aokiji's figure, to leave.
Watching the Association personnel get into their vehicles one by one, Aokiji remembered his colleagues who were still in the sky.
Well, no need to worry about them.
Bang had previously performed a parachute-less rapid descent with Aokiji, shattering the plaza, but he himself was fine.
There's no need to mention Saitama and Superalloy Darkshine; could a mere freefall from ten thousand meters injure them?
Moreover, Saitama can now crudely use his Stats to stomp on the air and ascend, and Metal Knight can fly, so landing safely with Puri-Puri Prisoner and Metal Bat definitely won't be a problem.
Aokiji sensed that all the Association vehicles had left the area before slowly setting down the island.
The massive pit originally dug out was now completely insufficient to accommodate the island, which had grown several times in size.
It filled up completely just by sinking in a corner.
Aokiji patted and hammered it, forcibly knocking it back into place just like when he first dug it out.
The Barren Land continued to shake.
Just then, Aokiji's dear colleagues also landed.
Dong—!! Dong—!!
Bang squatted into a Horse Stance, and the ground exploded violently!
Superalloy Darkshine, on the other hand, slammed directly into the ground with wild abandon!
"Aokiji..." Bang's eyes were complicated, and he hesitated before speaking, "After all, This Old Man is getting old. Please do fewer exciting things like this in the future."
Superalloy Darkshine patted the dust off his Muscles and stood up.
He recalled Aokiji's previous words and struck his familiar muscle-flexing pose.
My Muscles believe in me, and I must believe in my Muscles!
Several more figures were descending in mid-air.
Saitama stomped violently on the air and shouted, almost reaching Redlining:
"Hey, robot! Swap people with me! I'll take Steak Head down!"
"Steak Head?!" Metal Bat, who was straddling Metal Knight, hadn't even gotten angry yet.
Puri-Puri Prisoner, whom Saitama was carrying on his back, leaned closer, unwilling to be left out:
"Eh, Saitama-chan, isn't my embrace warm?"
"Stop blowing air into my ear, you bastard!!"
Aokiji mourned silently for Saitama.
It couldn't be helped that Saitama, back when he still had hair, was considered a Handsome Guy with Dead Fish Eyes, to a certain extent.