Chapter 334: 334. Beat Up the Witch's Little Brother! (Please Subscribe!)
Eustass glanced at Harley Quinn, real leather.
He hadn't left yet when he saw two aerial accidents.
A helicopter swooped in, and under Amanda's command, an armed helicopter launched an attack on the Joker's aircraft.
The front of the Joker's plane was hit, igniting a raging fire.
The Joker shoved Harley Quinn off the helicopter, sending her crashing onto the roof of a building.
Amid Harley Quinn's scream, the Joker's helicopter slammed into a skyscraper.
Then the controller of the Suicide Squad, Amanda, flew in a helicopter, dropped the Suicide Squad on the spot, and escaped herself.
Amanda really is a bit arrogant and foolish.
Before leaving, she bragged by lowering the helicopter's altitude and firing tracer rounds like fireworks.
After the bragging celebration, she kept the helicopter flying dangerously low, as if to tell the whole city that only she can leave.
In the next instant,
A tentacle shot forward, piercing the helicopter's propeller, sparks flying.
The helicopter shuddered in the air, then was dragged by the tentacle, plummeting toward the ground.
On the ground, countless black monsters coated in oil swarmed toward Amanda's helicopter.
Gunfire rang out, and soon the Witch‑made minions tore open the helicopter's hull, a scream echoing.
Breaking the night's silence.
Eustass stared at the distance with a complex expression.
Is she a Masira?
So brain‑dead?
Knowing the city was under attack and aware of the Witch and her brother's abilities.
Yet she still let the helicopter fire tracer rounds in the night sky.
She not only fired tracers, she arrogantly flew low.
If she doesn't die, who will?
Someone with that level of IQ can even become the controller of the Suicide Squad.
Eustass almost thought this was an uprising of apes.
Eustass glanced at the distant lightning that shot up and sped past.
He flew straight to his destination.
Eustass stood on a ruined rooftop, looking down.
A Witch wearing a green headpiece and a simple green outfit stood there.
She ordered the monsters to bring human captives forward one by one.
Then she pecked at them.
In the next instant,
The human was instantly transformed into a monster wrapped in black oil‑like substance.
"..."
Eustass watched the birth process of these little monsters.
If memory serves, before arriving he had read information on the Suicide Squad members.
The human body possessed by the Witch belonged to a Dr. Moore.
Dr. Moore was originally discovered by Amanda's people, who found her possessed by the Witch.
Amanda chose two methods to control the Witch.
First, a threat to her life.
Amanda had someone find the Witch's heart in the ruins and used it as leverage.
Second, emotional manipulation.
Amanda deliberately issued a hostage‑rescue mission to Rick Flag.
After the rescue mission, Rick Flag and Dr. Moore fell in love.
Thus... Rick Flag suffered a bit of tragedy.
The Witch was extremely diligent.
She never slacked in any monster‑making process.
She crafted each little monster with utmost seriousness.
Every time she made a monster,
Rick Flag felt a little more miserable.
After the Witch finished creating the soldiers, she looked up at the rooftop.
"Since you're here, why not come out and meet me?"
The Witch shouted.
In the hallway,
Suicide Squad members who had sneaked in were terrified and hid.
"Humans, cooperate with me, and let's divide this Worldtogether, how about it?"
The Witch looked up, staring at the rooftop.
Her brother had observed outside and noticed the person wearing nano armor.
The Witch and her brother had been betrayed by humans.
When they learned humans worshiped machines more,
they wanted to use machines to destroy humanity.
So they thought of recruiting a few lackeys… ahem, allies.
Eustass stood on the rooftop, looking down at the Witch.
He came to kill her and claim a reward… Did the Witchget something wrong?
"I can give you what you want."
The Witch said, still on the platform, her body radiating energy to forge her weapon.
Eustass leapt down from the rooftop.
With a booming sound, he landed on the ground.
nano armor shattered the ground.
"Cool!"
Behind him,
The sneaking Harley Quinn shouted loudly.
Deadshot quickly pulled the clumsy Harley Quinn back and signaled silence.
Eustass gave a speechless glance to the rear.
The name Suicide Squad wasn't a misnomer.
Suicidal acts are a form of suicide, after all.
A comedic squad isn't bad either.
"Human, tell me, what's your choice?"
The Witch spoke, glancing secretly at the corner beside her.
Her brother was hiding there.
If negotiations fail, she'll have her brother ambush the opponent immediately.
She thinks a single human is no match for her powerful brother's surprise attack.
Subduing the opponent would be a breeze!
"I'm here to kill you, Witch, you've got something wrong."
Eustass said, then threw a punch to the side.
At that moment, the Witch's brother rushed out, a tentacle sprouting from his arm, striking at Eustass.
Eustass wrapped Armament Haki around his hand and smashed the tentacle with a punch.
The creature was bulky, covered in orange panels, its armor made of iron strips, flamboyantly designed.
Nano material surged from Eustass's hand, forming a sharp blade.
The Witch's brother's arm produced another tentacle, attacking him.
A flash of cold light flashed and vanished.
Eustass grasped the long sword and slashed.
The tentacle on the brother's arm snapped instantly.
Eustass stepped forward, cutting off the brother's arm with a single slash.
The Witch's brother sneered at Eustass.
A mass of orange substance surged, re‑forming on the brother's hand into a hand.
Eustass kicked, the brother's smile froze, and his whole body was thrust outward.
"Boom boom boom—!"
The Witch's brother smashed through several walls and burst out of the train station.
Eustass turned his head toward the Witch.
The Witch danced, releasing energy to build her weapon, then looked at Eustass and the gaping holes, dumbfounded.
Her brother turned out to be so fragile?
In the next instant,
The Witch's brother's sturdy body ripped through the wall and ran back.
Eustass raised his palm to one side, the nano long sword vanished, material returning to the armor, then his palm gathered energy.
The nano armor fired a blast.
Simultaneously, Eustass released Armament Haki, forming an Impact wave.
A palm cannon alone couldn't kill the opponent in one shot.
But Armament Haki could.
Eustass seemed to use technology, but everyone actually saw him wield Haki.
"Boom!"
In an instant,
The Witch's brother's body was blasted away, killed by the outward‑released Armament Haki Impact wave.
Chapter 335 – Kill the Witch! Big G's World! (Subscribe!)
"Brother, NO!"
The Witch screamed in agony, fell to her knees, and stopped swaying.
Ever since Eustass laid eyes on her,
he couldn't fathom her problem—constructing energy weapons was one thing, but she kept swaying while she worked.
Was she a Victoria's Secret Supermodel in her past life?
"You're finished!"
the Witch hissed.
"My Black Magic will let me rule the World and wipe out humanity!"
With that, she turned and cranked up the energy output.
When Amanda's chopper crashed earlier, her brother had found the Witch's heart inside it.
So when her brother—who shared her life-force—died, she survived.
The Witch thickened the lightning in an instant, and under her Black Magic her energy weapon took shape.
The next moment—
Outside Midway City,
a certain factory.
A titanic bolt crashed down; thunder boomed as the blast swept the plant, explosions blooming until it became a sea of fire.
Gotham City.
A WayneTech facility.
Lightning struck in a single sweep from one end of the factory to the other.
Explosions chained; in seconds the whole complex was ablaze.
Bolts kept falling worldwide, all guided by the Witch to pummel target after target—
a veritable DC-version of Apocalypse tech… Midway City,
train station.
Eustass stared at the Witch, whose style had flipped.
She glared back, itching to avenge her brother.
In a blink her look changed: her elegant green dress vanished, replaced by feral rags while black vapor oozed from her body.
Next instant—
she dissolved into black mist and vanished.
Black fog flooded the station, plunging everything into darkness.
The mist flashed and the Witch reappeared beside Eustass, dagger stabbing.
Blindside strikes through the fog.
Eustass smiled.
Forget his Observation Haki—
his nano armor's sensors had already locked on. Hadn't she watched humanity through Dr. Moore's eyes? How dare she… Next second.
Eustass smashed a fist into the Witch's forehead.
She staggered back and crashed to the ground.
As he stepped in, Rick Flag burst out and shielded her.
If the Witch died, so did his girlfriend.
"Wait—please wait! I think my girl can still be saved—"
Before he finished, the Witch scooped up a dagger and drove it into him.
"…"
Eustass watched Flag, speechless—tragic, truly tragic.
The Suicide Squad erupted in fury.
After everything they'd been through, they'd bonded.
Deadshot raised his gun and fired.
Captain Boomerang hurled a razor-boomerang.
Next instant—
the Witch's body turned to black mist and disappeared.
The squad spun in circles, weapons ready, scanning the dark.
Black fog flashed again; the Witch popped up behind Eustass, dagger arcing for his spine.
Eustass spun, nano-material surging into a blade of his own.
One slash shattered her dagger; the next thrust punched straight through her heart.
The Witch stared, horrified and disbelieving.
How could a mere human locate her so fast?
The black fog evaporated.
The Witch was dead.
With her demise, the sky-borne weapon fueled by her Black Magic collapsed; tons of metal rained down, and the lightning assaulting cities everywhere flickered out.
…Dr. Moore regained control of her body and crawled toward the fallen Rick Flag.
Next moment—
the station floor burst open.
Killer Croc emerged just in time to see Dr. Moore stabbed and crawling, while a nano-armored figure gripped a bloodied dagger.
With a roar Croc charged.
Eustass flicked his wrist; the dagger wrapped in Armament Haki drilled straight through the monster's chest.
Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, Chato Santana—all froze, dumbstruck.
Meeting Eustass's gaze,
they hastily tossed their weapons and raised their hands.
Two words: total compliance.
Eustass spared them a glance, then rocketed skyward,
smashed through the roof and vanished.
Not long after,
when the squad thought they were finally free,
they found dozens of Unmanned Combat Armor units surrounding the exit.
Just a bunch of crooks on a make-believe redemption tour—
Eustass certainly didn't see them as heroes… [host has defeated the Witch!]
[Reward: Demon Slayer World charge +1! Godzilla World charge +2!]
[host has defeated the Witch's brother!]
[Reward: Godzilla World charge +2!]
[host has defeated Killer Croc!]
[Reward: Godzilla World charge +1!]
[Demon Slayer World charge: 29/30!]
[Godzilla World charge: 5/30!]
Flying in his nano armor, Eustass grinned—one point left for Demon Slayer; sweet.
Yet a brand-new Godzilla World had popped up—pleasant surprise.
Honestly, he thought the Demon Slayer charges were a bit too generous;
Godzilla charges felt more valuable.
Of course, the count probably didn't reflect difficulty—
rather the distance between Worlds?
Very likely.
In his armor he soared out of Midway City.
Just imagining meeting Big G, duking it out with the titans—
the coolest of them all, the Handsome Kong, plus a whole monster-verse of sleeping beasts, King Ghidorah, the fire demon Rodan… the thought of clashing with those colossi thrilled him.
A Live-Action Monster Hunter!
Time flew; in the blink of an eye a year passed.
December 2017.
Christmas.
Eustass sat bored on his doorstep.
It was December already—why hadn't Steppenwolfshown up?
Another year slipped by.
2018.
Still no sign of the wolf he longed for… then it hit him.
He'd been too outrageous;
even if he pretended tech had won the fights, to Steppenwolf that was still raw power.
So… two months later,
Eustass held his own funeral.
From the shadows,
he watched the proceedings. "Steppenwolf, come on out~"
Chapter 336 – Fishing for Steppenwolf! (Please Subscribe!)
Los Angeles.
Queen Hippolyta and General Antiope were utterly stunned when they heard of Eustass's "death."
The two hurried to the human World and attended the funeral.
"Diana, what on Earth is going on?"
Queen Hippolyta asked, bewildered.
For some reason, she sensed something off in her daughter's expression.
She didn't look heart-broken… Hippolyta was puzzled; had their relationship soured over the years?
"Mother, you and General Antiope, please come with me."
Diana led Hippolyta and Antiope to a car parked by the roadside.
Hippolyta glanced at a girl nearby.
"This is your child, isn't she?"
the queen asked.
Diana nodded.
"She's beautiful."
Hippolyta praised. "She looks just like you when you were little."
The group got into the car.
Diana shut the door and pressed a button.
The vehicle sealed out all external sound.
"Now speak—what exactly is happening?"
Hippolyta pressed.
"Mother, I advise evacuating the Amazons from Themyscira."
Diana began.
There were things she couldn't reveal—like Eustass and Superman faking their deaths to lure the snake (Steppenwolf) into the open.
As long as Eustass lived, Steppenwolf dared not set foot on Earth.
But one day, Eustass would leave.
"Why evacuate? I refuse!"
Hippolyta cut the air with her hand, rejecting the idea outright.
"Diana, say no more on this."
"We Amazons have a greater duty; we cannot abandon Themyscira."
Antiope stated.
"Mother…"
Diana looked urgently at Hippolyta.
"Enough. The subject is closed."
Hippolyta glared at her daughter.
"Antiope, we leave tonight."
the queen declared.
"Mother!"
Diana caught her arm.
"At least stay a few days and spend time with your granddaughter."
Diana pleaded softly.
Hippolyta hesitated, then gave a slight nod.
Diana exhaled in relief.
She knew Eustass was fishing—for a formidable foe.
He had told her the enemy reached Earth through an artifact guarded by humans, Amazons, and Atlanteans.
When that happened, the Amazons would face a fierce assault.
So Diana wanted to save them.
Sadly, her mother was too stubborn.
Still, every life counted; Diana hoped her stalling would keep Hippolyta and Antiope on the mainland.
Evening.
After dinner.
Diana resumed pleading with her mother to evacuate the Amazons from Themyscira.
Yet fearing to jeopardize Eustass's plan, she withheld the truth.
"Diana, I say this once more: we will NEVER leave Themyscira. Amazons would rather die in battle than abandon our home!"
"Even if it means death? Can your will speak for everyone? Do they all truly wish to perish with you?"
In the living room.
Diana and her mother, Queen Hippolyta, argued.
Seeing persuasion was futile, Diana sighed in sorrow and walked away.
She left the house.
Diana returned to her own bedroom.
She pressed the wall.
A panel slid open, revealing a hidden elevator.
She stepped inside; the doors closed.
The lift descended to an underground chamber.
Eustass sat waiting.
"What's wrong?"
he asked, studying her face.
"I failed to convince her."
Diana said helplessly.
"How did you put it?"
He drew her into his arms, curious.
"I…"
Diana recounted her entire attempt to sway her mother.
"Why not just tell her the truth?"
Eustass suggested.
Diana stared at him, surprised.
"What? Is there a problem?"
he asked, puzzled.
"Won't that wreck the plan?"
Diana wondered.
"Hardly. Invent a reason—say there's unrest on the island, that some Amazons have rebelled."
Eustass grinned at her.
Diana pondered, then nodded.
A short while later.
Diana returned to the living room, apologized to her mother, then escorted Hippolyta and General Antiopeinto her bedroom.
She opened the hidden door and entered the elevator.
Hippolyta and Antiope exchanged puzzled looks.
What mysterious thing was she about to show them?
So secretive~
The queen and the general followed her inside.
Diana pressed the button; the lift descended and the panel sealed shut.
When they reached the subterranean chamber and Dianapresented Eustass,
Hippolyta and Antiope were dumbstruck.
Their son-in-law wasn't dead?
"W-what is going on here?"
Hippolyta demanded.
"Mother, please sit. I'll explain everything, and I need you to take it seriously."
"Because what I'm about to tell you concerns the very survival of the Amazons."
Diana began.
"Huh?"
Hippolyta eyed her daughter, then nodded, choosing trust.
Next.
Eustass informed Hippolyta of Steppenwolf's impending invasion.
The stunned queen became even more bewildered.
Bewilderment atop bewilderment.
An invasion?
Hippolyta fell silent, skeptical at first.
Classic disbelief.
Yet after careful thought, she found it plausible.
With Earth's mightiest—Superman and Eustass—reportedly dead,
Steppenwolf would surely covet the planet.
An invasion was entirely possible.
"Hurry, come to Themyscira with me. We'll wait in ambush!"
Hippolyta believed she understood Eustass's intent.
Eustass shook his head.
Her idea was sound, but what if Steppenwolf had just teleported to Earth via the box guarded on Themyscira,
only to spot Eustass and flee in terror, forever disbelieving the rumor of Eustass's death and hiding like a turtle?
To deal with Steppenwolf, they must strike when he felt most triumphant and arrogant.
Chapter 337 – Steppenwolf Invades Earth! (Subscribe, please!)
Eustass voiced his concerns to Queen Hippolyta.
His Mother-in-law nodded, deeply agreeing.
But she was reluctant to evacuate the Amazons from the island.
After all, doing so would break their tradition of guarding the Mother Box.
Besides, she sensed a flaw in the plan.
If every Amazon left Themyscira, would Steppenwolfgrow suspicious?
To that,
Eustass had already worked out a countermeasure.
Several days later,
a transport ship from Mora Industries and an American penitentiary arrived at Themyscira.
Using the coordinates, they found the island.
Then they ferried the Amazons away.
Next, dozens of death-row convicts who had signed agreements donned Amazon armor and staged a performance on the island.
Their motive was simple.
Mora Group would pay a hefty compensation to their families.
At the same time, their children and relatives would receive top-tier education, medical care, and job opportunities.
Those willing to sacrifice themselves for their kin stepped forward and signed the contract.
Those who refused were not forced.
That was why the actors cooperated so well now.
Among them were plenty of hardened criminals.
So when they met Steppenwolf, their combat strength fell short, but their will to fight was undiminished.
To Steppenwolf, slaying Amazons or ordinary humans was as easy as crushing chicks—
little difference.
Under the sea,
Atlantis.
A female warrior drifted in the water, staring at the Mother Box guarded in the grand hall, her expression grave.
The Box kept emitting sounds—someone on the other side was tampering with it.
Superman was dead, and those fishermen claimed the human titan who defeated General Zod and Doomsdayhad recently passed away as well.
Was a great enemy about to strike?
Themyscira.
Female convicts wearing Amazon armor kept playing their roles.
They dared not slip up.
Their mission decided whether their children and families would have a bright future.
Faces tense, they stared at a box resting on a stone slab; it had been incessantly humming.
They raised spears and swords, all eyes fixed on the center.
Suddenly the Mother Box quaked.
The Box, dormant for millennia, flung off layers of dust.
Every woman regarded the Box with deadly seriousness.
Shields were lifted one after another.
On the steps, several held bows at the ready.
Had they wielded guns, they would have riddled the Box with bullets.
Unfortunately, the Amazons they impersonated used no firearms, so no modern weapons were allowed.
The Box kept rattling. A woman gripped a longsword and edged closer; though scared, she wanted to touch it and find out what was happening.
Before coming, the agreement had already informed them: the mission was certain death.
Thus the convicts felt little fear.
Fear was pointless—Crack!
The Mother Box split open.
White light spilled out.
The woman stumbled back in fright.
The Box's hum grew frantic.
In the next instant,
the sound ceased.
Everyone exhaled in relief.
But moments after they relaxed and prepared to retreat, the Box shrieked again—faster than before.
A heavy stone of dread lodged in their hearts.
A white cylindrical portal burst forth, its shock-wave hurling them aside.
The tunnel shot skyward; storm-clouds gathered, lightning crackling.
As the counterfeit Amazons rose and reclaimed their weapons,
legions of winged monsters shrieked, circling the portal in flight.
Boom!
A mighty figure leapt from the portal,
cracking the ground on landing.
Clad in golden armor and hefting a great axe, Steppenwolf appeared.
Two immense golden horns jutted from his helmet,
and countless spikes adorned his armor.
Surveying the scene, Steppenwolf declared coldly,
"Guardians have failed a hundred thousand worlds; they never succeed. I bring the sublime Darkness to enlighten you!"
"I shall bask in your terror."
The foremost fake Amazon, a convict, raised her sword and led the charge with a roar.
They would die anyway—better to perish in battle,
and secure a better future for their offspring through the contract.
In an instant they rushed forward with cold steel.
The monsters swooped to meet them.
Humans were helpless against these creatures.
Soon the defenders were routed.
Several convicts exchanged glances,
then darted forward.
They reasoned that since the monsters came from that strange box, it must be vital.
Even in death they would seize it,
hoping it might earn greater rewards for their children outside.
They charged in—
only to be cleaved apart by casual swings of Steppenwolf's axe.
"Hmph, the Amazons grow ever weaker," he sneered.
He dominated both Amazons and humans effortlessly,
assuming the warriors had grown rusty after ages of peace—
never suspecting they were impostors.
With a cold laugh he seized the Mother Box, summoned another portal, and departed with his monsters... Pripyat.
Chernobyl.
Dark clouds blanketed the sky; the World turned gray.
At the nuclear plant,
a portal flashed open.
Steppenwolf stood and glanced upward.
Monsters filled the air and clung to walls and ground.
"Poison in the air—perfect."
He rumbled, studying the distant structure.
Carrying the Mother Box, he entered the building.
Steppenwolf fused the Box into a wall,
its energy reshaping the structure.
He seized a monster and flung it aside:
"Go! Track the scent of the wooden box. Find the other two Mother Boxes. Once all three unite, this World will join the rest!"
"He will be pleased!"
Head lowered, Steppenwolf hissed, "He shall see my worth again!"
Days later,
Pripyat,
Chernobyl.
Steppenwolf returned with two more Mother Boxes and produced the third.
The three Boxes hovered in the air.
Triumph surged within him.
"Unite!"
Chapter 338 – Steppenwolf, the Cannon-Fodder Crusher! (Subscribe, please!)
Above Chernobyl.
A colossal crimson cocoon appeared, forming a dark-red barrier that shrouded a vast area.
A craft shot in at high speed.
Batman parked it to one side and glanced into the distance.
The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg stepped off the craft and stared ahead.
Batman returned to the cockpit, ready to force his way through.
The craft climbed swiftly; Batman pressed a button and launched missiles at the red wall.
The twin projectiles streaked in and slammed into the barrier.
The wall blew apart—then resealed the very next instant.
The next instant.
Batman rammed the craft straight through.
Aquaman, Flash, and Cyborg stood on the ground, gazing up in awe as Batgirl barged in.
The next instant.
The dark-red barrier began to crumble.
But at the same time.
A smoking craft glided out and crashed into a distant building with a thunderous boom.
Aquaman, Flash, and Cyborg exchanged glances.
Flash would check on Batgirl and help if needed.
Aquaman and Cyborg would tackle the Parademons and break in.
Not long after.
Inside the building.
Steppenwolf watched the three Mother Boxes fuse, then heard a noise behind him.
He turned—Aquaman and Cyborg stood there.
"In such a broken state, I'd have ended my own life long ago rather than suffer like this."
Steppenwolf pretended to commiserate with Cyborgwhile goading him to end himself.
"Hah—keep dreaming."
Cyborg snapped, fury in his voice.
"Less talk—let's take him down!"
Aquaman charged, Trident in hand.
Cyborg followed, racing to attack.
The next instant.
Both were flung aside.
Elsewhere.
High in the sky.
A Stealth Jet streaked toward Pripyat.
Eustass sat aboard, holding Diana's little hand.
Beside them, Clark watched the PDA in silent resignation.
Clark had a girlfriend, but Lois lacked super-powers and couldn't come along.
Yet the moment they set off, he'd been force-fed dog-food.
"Sir, ten minutes to Pripyat."
"Prepare for combat!"
The wisdom system informed Eustass.
"Got it."
Eustass nodded; he, Diana, and Superman were ready to bail out at any moment.
Meanwhile.
Pripyat.
Inside the nuclear plant.
Aquaman barely held off Steppenwolf; high above, Batman could only watch, powerless.
Nearby, Cyborg plunged his hands into the fused Mother Boxes, trying to pry them apart.
The next instant.
Steppenwolf booted Aquaman aside, rushed up, and punched Cyborg in the head.
Cyborg endured the blow, continuing to separate the Boxes.
He dared not make the slightest error.
Steppenwolf kicked him repeatedly.
Cyborg didn't budge, still working to split the Mother Boxes.
"Get lost!"
Steppenwolf roared and stamped down hard.
Cyborg finally collapsed, sent flying.
Steppenwolf exhaled in relief at the re-merging Boxes.
He would use them to open a Portal.
Then bring Darkseid to Earth, place the planet under their rule, and turn every human into a Parademon loyal only to Darkseid.
Above.
Batman, grappling gun in hand, dropped fast and kicked Steppenwolf.
Steppenwolf caught his foot.
"Let go!"
Batgirl yelled, voice fierce.
Steppenwolf grunted and flung her away.
Boom!
Batgirl crashed into the distance.
"We're finished!"
In the distance.
Aquaman and Cyborg spoke in unison.
Far away.
On the Chernobyl perimeter.
A blue flash circled the zone at lightning speed; The Flashran, feeding energy to Cyborg while shouting, "Hurry—split them! I can't keep this up long!"
Aquaman and Cyborg locked eyes.
They sprinted at Steppenwolf together.
Aquaman slammed his Trident into the ground, sending a surge of energy racing toward the foe.
Cyborg rocketed toward the Boxes, mechanical arms unfolding to blast Steppenwolf with lasers.
The next instant.
Steppenwolf, knocked away, rushed back.
He whirled his axe, knocking the Trident aside.
Then kicked Aquaman flying.
Seeing Cyborg try again to split the Boxes, Steppenwolf's fury flared.
He charged and swung his axe at Cyborg.
The next instant.
A black-cloaked, red-caped figure dropped from the sky.
The axe struck him with a metallic clang.
Orange lightning crackled along the weapon.
Superman, now on the scene, simply shook his head.
"Not even worth mentioning."
In the sky.
Two figures plummeted.
Boom—!
Boom—!
Eustass and Diana landed one after another.
The ground cratered beneath them.
The Earth cracked, stones flew, dust billowed.
Steppenwolf staggered back, waving at the dust to see who had arrived.
The smoke slowly cleared.
Aquaman, struggling to his feet, stared in shock.
Batgirl, slumped against the wall, sighed—her guess had been right.
Cyborg, back to the others and facing the Mother Boxes, breathed easy.
This round was in the bag!
Superman plus the Eustass couple—
They no longer had anything to fear.
Steppenwolf had zero chance of turning the tables.
"Die!"
Steppenwolf, startled by Eustass and Superman, attacked anyway.
For Darkseid he would sacrifice himself—even in death.
He gripped his axe and brought it down on Eustass.
Orange lightning danced along the weapon.
Smack!
Eustass caught the axe one-handed, eyes full of contempt.
Steppenwolf yanked—
It didn't budge.
He strained with all four limbs—still nothing.
Steppenwolf stared, stunned.
Rumors said this human's tech was formidable—no one had mentioned his body was this strong.
He'd underestimated him. "How weak."
Eustass remarked—and kicked Steppenwolf flying through the building.
Steppenwolf vanished into the distance.
Chapter 339: Killing Steppenwolf—The Mother BoxExplodes! (Subscribe!)
White Thread appeared in Eustass's hand, twining and weaving into a tiny dagger.
"Sorry, but this is already the smallest blade I, a Gull, can barely bring myself to use on a weakling like you."
Eustass raised the White Thread Dagger, sighing with the bored look of a master craving a real fight.
In the distance—
Steppenwolf, who had just scrambled to his feet: "%#%@!"
There's a limit to looking down on people!
This terrifyingly strong human was driving him insane!
"Aaaargh!"
Steppenwolf roared and charged, swinging his Battle-Axe in a fierce downward cleave.
The axe howled through the air.
Eustass lifted the White Thread Dagger and gently parried the blow.
"So weak…"
Eustass sneered.
Steppenwolf was livid!
"Aaaargh!"
He raised the axe again and hacked at Eustass.
Eustass flicked his wrist, catching the heavy strike with the tiny dagger.
"Really, too weak—skip lunch or something?"
Eustass mocked coldly.
"Die!"
Steppenwolf drove a knee toward Eustass's gut.
Eustass lifted his own leg.
And stomped on Steppenwolf's incoming shin.
Crack!
Aaaagh!
Bone snapped.
Steppenwolf screamed in agony.
With a casual wave of the dagger, Eustass sent a small slash flying, smashing Steppenwolf far, far away.
Every obstacle along the path was obliterated.
Steppenwolf tumbled across the ground. Glancing at the broken axe in front of him, he stared skyward in despair.
He lay there, hopeless, watching the heavens.
Hearing footsteps, he snatched up the short-handled axe and staggered upright.
"Huff… huff…"
Gasping, Steppenwolf glared at Eustass, murder in his eyes.
"Die!"
He sprinted in, swinging the half-shattered axe at Eustass.
Eustass raised the White Thread Dagger.
Clang-clang-clang…
Blow after blow rained down, sparks flying, yet he couldn't break Eustass's guard.
He couldn't even nick the tiny dagger.
"You really are too weak."
Eustass said disdainfully; in the next instant countless White Threads wrapped in Armament Haki burst from the dagger.
The threads drilled into the axe and shredded it to scrap.
Steppenwolf watched in horror.
In a blur—
Eustass slammed a foot into Steppenwolf's abdomen.
Steppenwolf shot backward like a cannonball.
Eustass used Soru, vanishing in a blink.
While Steppenwolf was still flying, Eustass reappeared beside him and kicked him sideways.
Steppenwolf howled and careened off again.
Eustass Soru-stepped once more, disappearing.
He zipped to the airborne Steppenwolf, clenched a fist, and punched him from below.
Steppenwolf screamed, rocketing skyward.
Eustass fused Soru and Moonwalk into Razor.
He sliced through the air in a sharp arc, appearing instantly above Steppenwolf.
Eustass's descending heel—
Boom!
Steppenwolf crashed like a shell, the ground erupting in dust and a spider-web crater.
Steppenwolf crawled from the pit, looked up and roared.
As Eustass landed, Steppenwolf lunged, claws slashing.
With Top-tier Observation Haki, Eustass foresaw the future—
he sidestepped in a flash.
Steppenwolf spun, stunned—
only to meet a fist the size of a sandbag.
Smack!
Eustass smashed Steppenwolf's face so hard it looked caved in.
With a muffled grunt Steppenwolf flew away.
"Aaaargh!"
"Just die!"
Steppenwolf sprinted at Eustass, scooped up the broken axe, and hurled it at Cyborg, who was keeping the Mother Boxes apart.
Eustass glanced at the Mother Box.
His Top-tier Observation Haki foresaw Supermanstopping the throw.
He shook his head at Superman and Diana, who had leapt from the plane with him.
Rather than shut the Portal to Apokolips, Eustass wanted it open a little longer—
Darkseid was extra bounty, after all. Once he'd thought rewards were too plentiful; now, after seeing the monsters between Worlds, they felt scarce. Supermanand Diana were puzzled but trusted his strength.
In the next instant—
the spinning axe slammed into Cyborg, flinging him aside.
The Mother Boxes snapped together again.
In the distance—
Eustass condensed a White Thread Greatsword and ran Steppenwolf through.
He tossed the body to the ground.
Gasping, Steppenwolf stared in pain at the reunited Mother Box and the Portal to Apokolips now open.
The Portal activated.
Beyond it—
a towering figure stood with his back to the throng.
Two lieutenants flanked him.
Countless Parademons filled the hall.
Golden light poured in as the colossal figure slowly turned.
Eyes glowing, Darkseid regarded the gathering.
He strode forward.
Suddenly—
a Severed Head shot through the air.
Darkseid raised a hand and caught his uncle Steppenwolf's skull.
Crunch!
Fury twisted Darkseid's face; he crushed the head and hurled it aside.
Across the Portal, on Earth—
Eustass still held the throwing pose, beckoning Darkseidwith a finger.
Pure cheek.
An instant later—
the Mother Box's energy neared detonation. EustassSoru-blinked beside it.
He punted the Box clean through the Portal toward Apokolips.
Darkseid: "!!!"
The Mother Box sailed through the Portal.
Eustass raced after it, White Thread Greatsword whirling in a frenzy of slashes.
Massive waves of blade energy followed the Box into the Portal.
One strike blasted Darkseid off his feet.
The next shredded hordes of Parademons on the spot.
The Mother Box landed in Darkseid's hall on Apokolips.
Energy erupted—white light flared, too blinding to see.
Boom—!
The Mother Box exploded.
Chapter 340 – Darkseid's Home Explodes! Is AtlantisDeclaring War on Humanity? (Subscribe Please!)
A colossal white light detonated on Apokolips, instantly swallowing a city.
The white light kept spreading.
The ground cracked and disintegrated; every scrap of matter was obliterated.
Darkseid and the others vanished without a trace.
The catastrophe continued to expand.
One city, two cities, three cities… half the Planet, then the entire Planet—gone!
The Mother Box was destroyed, and so was its creator… [host defeated Steppenwolf!]
[Reward: Demon Slayer World charge +1! Godzilla World charge +6!]
[host defeated Darkseid!]
[Reward: Godzilla World charge +8! Skill: Hear All Things!]
[host annihilated Apokolips!]
[Reward: Godzilla World charge +5!]
[Demon Slayer World charge: 30/30!]
[Godzilla World charge: 24/30!]
Eustass's face lit with pleasant surprise.
The Demon Slayer World Portal was unlocked.
The Godzilla World Portal was almost there.
On top of that, he'd been handed a rather nice ability.
Hear All Things!
The same power Luffy and Roger possessed.
The power to hear the voices of all creation.
"Hi, I'm The Flash…"
A figure in red spandex blinked into sight and hastily shook Eustass's hand.
The Flash had thought he'd have to break the speed of light to save everyone.
Who could've guessed Eustass would slug Darkseidflying and punt the runaway Mother Box through the Portal back to Apokolips?
That twist had never crossed his mind.
"Hello."
Eustass greeted him with a smile. "You're seriously fast."
The Flash gave a shy grin.
He was being praised—
by the monster who'd crushed Steppenwolf and thrashed Darkseid.
Kinda embarrassing… "Alright, problem solved—everyone head home."
With that, Eustass walked over to Diana, slipped an arm around her slender waist.
He launched skyward with Moonwalk.
The Stealth Jet's hatch opened high above.
Eustass dropped inside with Diana.
The hatch sealed shut.
The Stealth Jet shot into the clouds and vanished.
"See you around, guys."
Superman cast a puzzled glance at the radically changed Batman in the distance.
In the next instant he soared away and disappeared.
Aquaman and Cyborg exchanged blank looks.
Big shots really are different.
The moment they show up, enemies who'd seemed invincible get steamrolled.
Wait… Aquaman, Cyborg, and The Flash jerked their heads up in horror.
Weren't both Eustass and Superman supposed to be dead?
One had died of old age, the other in battle.
Cyborg blurted, "Aren't they dead?"
The Flash looked lost. "Right—Eustass died of old age, Superman fell in combat, killed by Batgirl… cough, I mean Batman."
Aquaman looked at them and shook his head.
"You actually believe that?"
They stared at him.
"Did Batgirl do anything useful just now?"
The two went silent—she really hadn't.
In a brawl like this, Batgirl's combat strength simply couldn't tip the scales.
"So you honestly think Batgirl could kill Superman?"
"Besides, Eustass looks plenty young. I don't know how he manages it, but maybe—just maybe—the man's still in his prime."
When Aquaman finished, the group fell quiet.
Still young… enviable!
So jealous it stung!
According to Bruce Wayne's investigation, Eustass had already shown up in Europe last century… over a hundred years old yet still "young"—they wanted that too!
(Actually several centuries.)
Several months later.
Los Angeles.
The seaside.
Nighttime.
Towering waves rose from the ocean, sweeping up warships and thundering toward the shore.
A small car cruised along the coastal road.
The driver hummed a tune and glanced at the beautiful seaside… "Huh!?"
Terror flooded the driver's face.
A monstrous wave!?
So much for beautiful!
The next instant—
The tsunami crashed ashore with a roar.
The car was flung away; the deluge tore through everything in its path.
The seaside city was swallowed; streets vanished beneath the seawater.
The following day.
Mola Manor.
Early morning.
Gado Mola drove home, fuming and muttering curses.
Reason: while she'd been out in the city the night before,
she'd been caught by the giant wave.
Luckily she was strong and came out unscathed.
With Haki, injuries were unlikely anyway.
At breakfast, Eustass and Diana stared at their daughter in surprise.
"Why do you smell like seafood?"
Eustass asked, puzzled.
"I got hit by seawater. Dad, didn't you hear about it?"
Gado said helplessly.
Eustass gave a small smile and shook his head.
After hearing her out, he nodded slowly.
This wasn't simple.
Waves don't normally drag warships with them, and the damage was major—half the city had been swamped.
"Look into it."
At his words, the wisdom system pulled up last night's global-satellite footage of the waters near Los Angeles.
The findings surprised Eustass.
It had been the Atlanteans.
Unacceptable!
Was Atlantis declaring war on humanity?
"Sir, Atlantis openly triggered a tsunami to strike a human coastal city. Shall I target Atlantis with the Plutonsystem?"
the wisdom system asked.
"No need."
Eustass waved a hand.
It was just a provocation.
No need for genocide.
Then kill their king~
Free rewards—why refuse?
"From now on, monitor Atlantis. Track every move they make!"
Eustass commanded.
"Understood, sir!"
the wisdom system replied… Out in the ocean.
A gigantic under-sea warship cruised forward.
Countless vessels and Atlanteans mounted on colossal fish followed, all heading for the Saltwater Kingdom.
King Orm stood on the deck, gazing proudly at the beautiful sea.
To human eyes the depths were pitch black,
but to Atlantean sight
the ocean was a riot of color, breathtakingly lovely.
King Orm—half-brother to Arthur Curry through their mother—ruled Atlantis.
He hired humans to stage a submarine attack on Atlantis.
This would let him unite the old kingdoms that had split from ancient Atlantis and launch a war against humanity.
To ensure nothing hindered his plan,
Orm ordered his brother Arthur captured.
He then sought an opportunity to execute him in single combat.
But his fiancée Mera betrayed him.
Mera fled with Arthur.
When Orm learned the pair were still alive,
he contacted the same pirate—David Kane.
Chapter 341 – Ocean Overlord? Kicked Aside in One Strike! (Subscribe, Please!)
King Orm hired David Kane (Black Manta) to help him kill his betrothed, Mera, who had betrayed him.
As well as his elder brother, Arthur (Aquaman).
And now—
he commands the power of the Kingdom of Xebel.
And the power of the Kingdom of the Fishermen.
They are heading for the Saltwater Kingdom to subdue its king and further strengthen their forces, all to prepare for wiping out the surface humans.
Atlanteans originated from land.
Long, long ago—
Atlantis's technology advanced too quickly, causing the kingdom to fracture and sink into the sea.
Thus—
the former Kingdom of Atlantis split into seven kingdoms.
The current Kingdom of Atlantis ruled by King Orm.
The Kingdom of Xebel, ruled by Mera's father.
The Kingdom of the Fishermen, whose king was slain and whose princess was sidelined by King Orm.
The Trench Kingdom, regressed into monstrous creatures.
An unknown kingdom whose seas vanished and became desert due to tectonic shifts.
And their current target—the Saltwater Kingdom.
Plus a vanished legendary nation.
These are the Seven Kingdoms of Atlantis.
King Nereus stood behind King Orm, watching him with worry.
He felt certain Orm's ambitions could never succeed.
Surface humanity's tech was indeed inferior to theirs.
But among humans, the Mora Group's technology was anything but weak.
Mora Group had already deployed numerous Pluto Moon Bases and pluto spaceships beyond Earth.
He strongly suspected that the moment they attacked the land—
the other side would use the Pluto System to teach them a lesson and send them straight to Pluton… far away.
Saltwater Kingdom.
Countless giant crabs, lobsters, and regressed Brine folk brandished weapons, glaring furiously at the Atlanteans.
They would never accept Atlantean rule.
Therefore, negotiations were pointless.
The Brine King, clad in crab armor, raised his massive trident and roared:
"Let the Atlantean codfish all go to hell!"
With that roar, the Brine King leveled his trident and charged forward.
"We will never surrender to Atlantis!"
"Charge!"
"Ahhh!"
The army bellowed as warriors followed their king, surging ahead.
Monstrous crabs scuttled, limbs churning, toward the Atlantean host.
Beneath the Saltwater Kingdom the seabed cracked, glowing magma seething in the fissures.
Opposing them stood the combined forces of Atlantis, the Fishermen, and Xebel—like fire against water.
The two armies clashed, stark as ice and flame.
The Brine King rushed forward, only for Orm's trident to shear off one of his arms.
"Surrender or die?"
Orm demanded coldly.
"Take my army if you like, you sniveling coward!"
"But never dream I'll ally with you!"
the Brine King sneered.
"Then die!"
Orm's face was icy arrogance as he raised his trident; the prongs spun through the water, poised to strike the Brine King.
In the next instant—
a thunderous boom.
The ground exploded.
It sent Orm flying.
He slammed into a submersible warship, crumpling its prow.
The seabed kept erupting, magma bursting forth.
A lava-laced tentacle shot out.
An instant later—
a colossal lobster claw broke through, flipping warriors from both sides.
Magma rained from the huge claw.
The monster battered the seabed, rising from the depths; lava sprayed, shockwaves hurling countless soldiers aside.
Terrified screams echoed everywhere.
A titanic, crayfish-like beast—clawed and tentacled—emerged, towering over all.
Even the Saltwater Kingdom's giant crabs looked tiny beside it.
"Roar—!"
The gargantuan lobster monster bellowed, deafening.
(Atlanteans and sea creatures can speak underwater.)
"Damn, what is that thing!"
Orm's face was horror-struck.
Aquaman Arthur stood atop the monster's head, brandishing a golden trident, roaring at the armies.
"Attack!"
Orm shouted.
Countless submarines and sea-craft surged forward, firing barrages of light at the titan.
The blasts struck but had no effect.
The monster swept its giant claw, smashing swaths of vessels.
Arthur gazed in fury at his brother who sought to conquer the seas and wipe out humanity.
Meanwhile—
high above—
a nano armor streaked through the sky.
Eustass, clad in nano armor, flew all the way here.
Locating the Saltwater Kingdom via the wisdom system, he dove straight into the sea.
The nano armor's thrusters flared to full power,
racing toward the battlefield between Brine and Atlantis… "Roar—!"
On the seabed,
the titan beneath Aquaman Arthur bellowed.
In the distance, the combined legions of Atlantis, Fishermen, and Xebel surged to encircle the beast.
Orm glared in rage at his brother,
this sibling who sided with humans.
He loathed such creatures.
To him, humanity deserved extinction!
This World should be ruled by Atlantis under his command!
Vast underwater armies clashed as the titan fought back.
"Brother, abandon your mad plan!"
Arthur gripped the golden trident and sped toward his brother Orm.
"Give up? Never, you traitor!"
Orm snarled. "Only we are the noblest race alive!"
"You can't do this, brother. Stop—humans aren't so easily beaten, and they're not all as bad as you think!"
Arthur pleaded again.
"Haha, humans are nothing!"
Orm lunged, thrusting his trident at Arthur.
In his view,
their ancestors had been technologically supreme eons ago.
Now they could even convert water itself into power, loading weapons with water-energy.
A mere Mora Group—how could it surpass Atlantis's millennia-old tech?
Orm was dead-set on annihilating humanity.
The next instant—
a figure shot down from above.
Eustass arrived on scene and kicked a soldier flying.
Glancing at the familiar Arthur, he asked:
"Where's that Orm king who wants to wipe out humanity?"
Eustass demanded.
Aquaman Arthur stared, then looked at his brother—now lying ears-ringing from the kick—far away.
Chapter 342 – Demon Slayer World (Subscribe, please!)
Eustass followed Arthur's gaze toward the distance.
The guy he'd casually kicked flying.
King Orm slammed into an underwater warship.
The trident he'd held in front of him was snapped clean.
Even with the trident blocking, King Orm couldn't withstand Eustass's kick.
Several ribs shattered.
Blood spurted from his mouth.
King Orm stared in terror at the human in nano armorwho was surviving underwater thanks to it.
Impossible!?
A human who needs nano armor to breathe beneath the sea.
Yet once down here, he still possesses such terrifying strength?
"So you're King Orm, ruler of Atlantis, the one who wants to wipe out humanity?"
Eustass spoke; the armor transmitted his voice through the water.
"So what if I am, cursed human? Since you've come to our territory, don't even think of leaving alive!"
"Hahaha!"
King Orm laughed loudly.
Arthur: "..."
Who gave him that confidence?
Steppenwolf?
"All forces, surround that human!"
King Orm roared.
Countless Atlantean soldiers surged toward Eustass.
"Hmph!"
Eustass snorted; Conqueror's Haki exploded outward, pressing down on the Atlantean army.
The fearsome Haki spread like a shockwave in every direction.
As its range kept expanding—
soldiers and sea creatures caught by the Haki fainted one after another.
With the continuous release, ever more creatures and warriors collapsed.
Even the sailors inside the submersible warships blacked out.
Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands… more and more fell unconscious.
Aquaman Arthur was dumbstruck.
He knew Eustass was strong, but not that the man had such a ridiculous ability.
The soldiers of the Saltwater Kingdom present were equally stunned.
How did this human do it?
Once Eustass's Conqueror's Haki blanketed the entire field—
and under his precise control—
several hundred thousand sea creatures and Atlantean soldiers all lost consciousness.
The whole scene was shaken!
Terrifying beyond words!
Eustass glanced at King Orm in the distance.
The king still wanted to say something.
Countless White Threads gathered in Eustass's hand, twisting into a long White Thread spear.
He coated it with Armament Haki.
Then he flung it violently.
The White Thread spear shot out, instantly piercing King Orm's body.
Eustass swept his gaze across the onlookers:
"From now on, anyone who even thinks of destroying humanity—this is the price."
With that, clad in nano armor, he shot toward the surface.
Everyone present was left staring in a daze.
He's… that strong!?
Destroy humanity?
They only hoped Eustass wouldn't decide to wipe them out first.
[host has defeated King Orm of Atlantis!]
[Reward: +1 Godzilla World Energy Point!]
[Godzilla World Energy Points: 25/30!]
Eustass left the waters, burst out of the sea, and soared into the sky.
He listened to the system notifications in his ear.
He hesitated: should he head straight to the Demon Slayer World now?
There were still a few DC story arcs that could earn him rewards…
Wearing nano armor, Eustass flew through the air.
After a moment's thought, he chose the Demon Slayer World first.
Once a World was cleared, he could always return later anyway.
He'd clear Demon Slayer first; coming back would be easy.
In his nano armor he flew straight home.
Over the next few months,
Eustass spent time with his wife Diana and their daughter Gado.
He was about to leave for a while; of course he had to accompany them more.
What frustrated Diana, though,
was that their daughter Gado was already quite grown up yet still single.
Eustass, however, didn't care.
If their daughter couldn't find a boyfriend, so be it.
He couldn't be bothered to push her.
Several months later—
[About to enter the Demon Slayer World. host will sleep for a while. Confirm?]
The system's voice sounded.
'Can I skip the sleep?'
[Sure!]
Eustass looked down.
Hmm?
Where's the out-of-nowhere Portal?
In the next instant—
a Portal suddenly swept in from the side.
It swallowed Eustass in one go.
"..."
…[Leaving DC World!]
[Gained DC World's Blessing: DC Camouflage!]
A white light wrapped around Eustass as he departed the DC World.
The next moment,
a black shroud appeared outside the white light, blocking all radiance and rendering Eustass and the system "invisible" within the abyss-like void.
At the same time,
the Marvel Multiverse and the Pirate World were likewise draped in black veils, vanishing into the abyss.
However… Eustass lay inside the white light.
He saw only layers of white and black outside; the outside World was completely hidden.
He couldn't see a thing!
Might as well have let him sleep!
Still, this DC trip hadn't been wasted.
The black shroud saved a lot of trouble.
Lying in the white light, Eustass poked at it.
It didn't budge.
He clenched a fist and hammered—still no ripple at all.
"Hah—"
Yawning in boredom, Eustass rolled over and slept.
In this boundless abyss—vaster than the Universe itself—
the white light carried the sleeping Eustass toward a tiny glowing sphere deeper down.
The sphere looked far smaller and dimmer than the DC, Marvel, or Pirate Worlds.
Upon it, a gigantic red-eyed monster crouched, constantly devouring humanity's negative emotions.
As the system guided Eustass into that sphere—
a black shroud suddenly appeared and flung the monster away.
It tumbled through the abyss, looking around in bewilderment.
Where had that World gone?
The creature was left scratching its head… Demon Slayer World.
Japan.
At the foot of a certain mountain.
Saburo stood in his doorway, frowning at the darkening sky.
"Tanjiro still isn't back? Guess I'll have to invite him to stay over later."
Saburo muttered.
Just then—
up in the sky—
a tall figure plummeted, cutting through the last golden rays of sunset, and crashed into the snow at the foot of the mountain.
Saburo stared, stunned.
W-was that a man or a demon?
Falling from the heavens!?
Yet the stranger had been touched by sunlight on the way down.
So it definitely wasn't a demon.
After a brief hesitation Saburo hurried over.
Chapter 343 – You Really Went Up to the Sky! (Subscribe!)
Saburo ran over and shook the man lying on the ground—his height was downright exaggerated for them.
He couldn't wake him.
"Hey, hey, wake up! It's getting dark; you can't stay outside."
Saburo shouted urgently.
It was like failing to trigger the keyword—without it, Luffysimply wouldn't wake.
Luffy's keyword: meat.
Sanji's keyword: beautiful women.
Zoro's keyword: booze.
Eustass's keywords: booze and beautiful women.
A tough combo to trigger.
So he slept like a log.
Eustass wasn't worried about anyone attacking him, though.
Breaking through his panel's defense was hard enough.
Besides, the nano core on him would automatically expand material and form nano armor for defense the moment danger appeared.
"It's getting dark; demons will come out at night—can't leave him outside alone."
Thinking this, Saburo hurried to help Eustass up.
He couldn't budge him—Eustass was tall and packed with muscle; the pint-sized Saburo stood no chance.
After catching his breath, Saburo grabbed both of Eustass's arms and dragged him toward the house.
He hauled him all the way to the doorstep.
Eustass was still snoring away.
"Is this guy some monster from the sky? He's huge!"
Saburo grumbled.
Once inside, he laid Eustass on a tiny futon and tucked him in.
Not long after,
dusk fell.
Saburo glanced back at the sleeping giant, then out the window.
"Why isn't Tanjiro back yet? I hope nothing bad happens."
He muttered a prayer for the boy.
A cold wind brushed past the window,
whirling light snow.
Crunching footsteps echoed along the dark forest path.
Tanjiro, basket on his back, walked home happily.
"It's gotten so late—but at least I sold every last charcoal."
He looked at the pitch-black sky, relieved.
Night, black as ink; wind, sharp as blades.
"Tanjiro!"
Just then,
Saburo called.
Tanjiro clutched his basket straps and turned, puzzled.
Saburo leaned from the window, worry written on his face. "Don't go back up the mountain—it's too dangerous. Stay here."
"My nose is sharp; I'll be fine."
Tanjiro smiled at Grandpa Saburo in the distance.
"Spend the night at my place—come here."
Saburo's tone brooked no argument, his gaze stern.
"Hurry inside!"
"But—"
"No buts, come here!"
Fear flashed in Saburo's eyes. "Demons will appear!"
Moments later,
Tanjiro was inside Saburo's house.
Saburo shut the window and barred the door.
"Wait a bit—I'll fix us dinner."
With that he headed to the kitchen.
Tanjiro didn't understand the flurry of locks and latches,
but politely thanked him anyway.
"Um, Grandpa Saburo, who's that?"
He pointed at the towering man sprawled on the futon, half a leg sticking out, snoring loudly.
Though the face fit their world, the build certainly didn't—way too tall!
"Found him outside; looked dangerous, so I brought him in,"
Saburo answered while cooking.
"I see."
Tanjiro nodded,
then pulled the blanket over those sprawling legs.
"Should we wake him?"
he asked.
"I tried and failed. Give it a shot if you like; otherwise let him sleep,"
Saburo said, embarrassed.
Tanjiro shook Eustass—no response.
"Dinner's ready,"
he tried.
"Got sake?"
Saburo added.
Still nothing.
The two lapsed into silence,
stumped.
Before long,
they ate supper,
glancing now and then at the immovable sleeper.
Both were at a loss.
"Grandpa Saburo, what are these demons you mentioned?"
Tanjiro asked.
"Since long ago, man-eating demons appear after sunset."
"So we never wander outside at night."
"Eat, sleep, and head home at dawn."
With that Saburo laid Tanjiro's bedding beside the towering guest.
Soon,
Tanjiro slipped under the quilt and glanced at the giant beside him.
So tall.
"Demons… won't come inside, right?"
he asked.
"No,"
Saburo answered, back turned, puffing his pipe. "They will."
"Then everyone gets killed."
Tanjiro murmured, worried.
"That's why the Demon Slayer Corps fights them—has for ages."
Clack, clack.
He tapped the pipe, stood, and said, "I'm putting out the light—rest now."
In the next instant,
the room went dark.
Tanjiro shut his eyes at once.
The next morning,
at first light,
Eustass yawned, kipped up, and stood.
Saburo, re-entering, froze in shock.
"Slept like a log. Where am I, old man?"
Eustass asked.
Gurgle…
His belly protested.
"I'll fix breakfast."
Saburo said, heading over, glancing through the window at Tanjiro trudging uphill with his basket.
Eustass sat watching the short, dark-red-haired boy pass by.
Looks kinda weird.
A scar on the left forehead, and those heirloom Nichirin Earrings—
reminds me of Tanjiro… Wait, that is Tanjiro!
He snapped his gaze to the old man,
realization dawning.
"Thanks for the meal!"
With that he vaulted out the window and, in a flash, used Moonwalk—shooting skyward.
Saburo stared, stunned. He—he really flew into the sky?
Could he actually be from the heavens?
So polite… He gazed at the snowy vortex left on the ground.
"Grandpa Saburo, what's wrong?"
Tanjiro asked at the old man's gasp.
"Oh, nothing…"
Saburo replied.
Up in the sky,
bang, bang, bang!
Eustass kicked the air with Moonwalk, racing toward the mountain.
At the same time he released Observation Haki, sensing the mountain's aura.
Clearly, Tanjiro's home had already been attacked.
And with the sky brightening,
the demon had fled.
Chapter 344: Tomioka Giyu – So Strong! (Please Subscribe!)
Eustass stepped through the air with Moonwalk and hovered above Tanjiro's house, gazing down at the tragedy below.
Not long after.
Tanjiro sprinted all the way home.
He stood in the doorway, fell to his knees before Nezuko, his face full of panic.
On the way back he had already smelled blood.
Even then, a bad premonition had crept into his heart.
Heartbroken, Tanjiro stared into the little house with its door flung wide—inside lay his family.
Every one of them had been slaughtered.
"What happened!?"
Tanjiro cried inwardly.
His family members lay on the ground, blood pooling everywhere.
The sliding doors had been smashed apart.
"Mom, Hanako, Takeo, Shigeru, Nezuko, Rokuta!"
Tanjiro gazed at them, his face contorted with pain.
In the next instant he spun around and looked up—there was a scent in the air.
His pupils shook as he saw Eustass suspended in the sky—the huge man who had rested yesterday at GrandpaSaburo's house.
Tanjiro immediately dropped his hostility toward the stranger.
The reason was simple.
The killer's scent on his family did not match this man's.
Tanjiro hurried to check for any signs of life.
Only Nezuko still clung to a faint breath.
He hoisted his blood-foreheaded sister onto his back and glanced up at Eustass.
Eustass looked down at Tanjiro, his gaze lingering on the scar on the boy's forehead.
He recalled a certain rule of the Demon Slayer World.
The Demon Slayer Mark.
To awaken the Mark, one's body temperature must hit thirty-nine degrees and the heart rate exceed two hundred, placing an enormous burden on the body.
According to Kokushibo, anyone who awakens the Mark will not live past twenty-five.
The children of the Demon Slayer Corps truly trade their lives to slay demons.
It is a World steeped in sorrow.
On the snow-covered mountain.
Tanjiro, carrying Nezuko on his back, ran non-stop through the snow, flakes swirling as he wove between the trees.
At this moment he still had no idea what change had come over his sister.
He believed that if he could only find a Doctor, she could be saved.
The mysterious attacker who had raided his home.
The mysterious big man who had lain at GrandpaSaburo's house all night and now hovered in the air.
All of it shattered the common sense and worldview he had once held.
Pain mingled with confusion, battering his mind without end.
The frigid air he breathed stabbed his lungs until he could barely draw breath.
Amid heavy footfalls, two long trails of footprints stretched down the snowy slope toward the foot of the mountain.
Clenching his teeth, head lowered, Tanjiro kept going, each ragged breath a defiant promise.
He searched frantically for reasons not to give up, telling himself he had to save his sister.
Too many of his loved ones had already left him.
He would not let Nezuko leave as well!
Eustass stood on the peak, watching Tanjiro's weary yet stubborn descent, and began his own heavy tread down the slope.
The people of the Demon Slayer World are bound by physical limits.
Breathing Techniques, in Eustass's eyes, are merely a means to boost the Demon Slayers' combat power.
But their bodies' ceilings are far too low.
Thus their constitutions can never fully draw out the true might of a Breathing Technique.
Perhaps that is why awakening the Mark burns through their life force, condemning any Demon Slayer who bears it to die before twenty-five.
Eustass watched in silence as Tanjiro stubbornly pressed on.
Until the newly turned demon Nezuko, swaying unconsciously, lost her footing and tumbled down the slope.
"Nezuko!"
Tanjiro crashed into the snow; the moment he realized he was unhurt, his first thought was for his sister.
Not for any hidden injury of his own.
"Nezuko, daijoubu ka! You don't have to walk—I'll carry you all the way to town."
Calling out, he ran toward her, worried by the blood-spattered girl standing with lowered head.
In the next instant.
Her smooth forehead lifted, and Nezuko's expression changed completely.
Pale skin, veins bulging, blood trickled down her once-clean brow.
Her brows arched, eyes wide, pink vertical pupils glared at Tanjiro as she bared two sharp fangs.
"Ah!"
Nezuko lunged at him without a word, snapping her jaws.
Tanjiro leapt back, and her bite met only air.
He raised his hatchet, blade pointing toward the snow, unable to strike at her.
She pounced again, sinking her teeth into the hatchet's handle.
Pink claws digging into his shoulders, she slammed her brother onto the ground.
By now a sliver of consciousness had returned to her.
Gazing at Tanjiro, she fought the hunger urging her to devour him.
It was agony.
"It must hurt so much… I'm so sorry I couldn't save everyone."
Tears streamed down Tanjiro's cheeks as he looked at his sister, his heart breaking.
Nezuko's own heart was tearing; the newborn demon's craving for flesh raged stronger than any ordinary hunger.
She suffered, resisting the urge while staring at her brother in pain.
Becoming a demon had granted her monstrous strength and an adult's stature, overwhelming Tanjiro.
"Nezuko, ganbatte! Hold on for me—don't give in!"
"You mustn't become a demon—pull yourself together!"
He shouted, holding her back, trying to wake the sister he knew.
In the next instant.
Tears fell, splashing onto Tanjiro's face.
He froze.
Nezuko's brows trembled, her eyes brimming with tears as she gazed at her brother in anguish.
On the snowfield.
Rapid footsteps approached.
A figure dashed forward, nichirin blade in hand, face stern and deadly.
In the next instant.
The newcomer skidded to a halt, body taut, sword raised, eyes fixed ahead in grim alertness.
A two-meter-tall figure had appeared beside the human boy and the demon girl—too fast.
Far too fast to be human!
The black-haired youth Tomioka Giyu, expressionless, wore a haori patterned differently on each side. In his hands gleamed a sea-blue nichirin blade; its guard was black and red, its surface engraved with "Destroy Demons."
Tomioka stared at the broad back turned toward him.
This man was powerful—
Too powerful to be human.
Eustass sensed Tomioka Giyu's presence.
He paid no heed to the outwardly cold yet warm-hearted brat.
Standing in the snow, Eustass tapped Nezuko's forehead.
Conqueror's Haki burst out, and in an instant Nezukocollapsed unconscious.
Her limp body slumped into Tanjiro's arms.
Then Eustass turned his gaze to Tanjiro.