Chapter 110: The Giant vs. The Great Serpent [First Update]

When longing becomes a habit, one often finds oneself lost in thought.

The massive serpentine body of the Lord of the Sky completely sealed off the high altitude. To return to Angel Island from the altar, one had to break through its colossal frame.

Perched upon the back of the steed Pierre, the former God, Gan Fall, gazed with a solemn expression at the terrifying monster before him. The intangible pressure exerted by the Lord of the Sky seemed to thicken the very air. Gan Fall had attempted to break through the blockade many times, only to be forced back each time by a gaping, blood-stained maw.

Though massive in size, the creature possessed incredible speed. Combined with the lashing of its giant tail, the land below was being ravaged mercilessly.

"This beast is truly formidable... even a God is powerless against it."

Bitterness welled up in Conis’s eyes. Under the current circumstances, even if the God had saved her, it seemed only to be a stay of execution.

The Lord of the Sky opened its jaws to snap at Pierre, while its tail whipped around in an instant, blotting out the sky and sealing off every possible avenue of escape.

"Oh no..."

Caught off guard by the sudden assault, Pierre had no time to dodge. It seemed certain they would be swallowed whole.

Just then, a brilliant flash of lightning-imbued sword energy tore through the air, slashing fiercely toward the head of the Lord of the Sky. Sensing danger, the creature twisted its body to evade, but the blade still grazed its triangular head, severing one of its whiskers.

Seizing this gap, Pierre flapped his wings and broke through. A figure was seen sprinting through the air, leaping rapidly toward the altar.

"That is... Mr. Shu Mingyuan!"

A glimmer of joy sparked in Conis’s eyes. Though she did not understand why he had suddenly appeared in this place, it was clear he had come to rescue her. In this moment of life and death, having first the God and then him, Conis suddenly felt that her life wasn’t so bad after all.

"Young man, are you that person from the Blue Sea?" Gan Fall asked, staring intently at Shu Mingyuan. That heaven-shaking sword strike had sent a shiver down his spine; if this man were an ally of Enel, the situation would be dire indeed.

Seeing Shu Mingyuan nod, Gan Fall breathed a sigh of relief.

The young man turned his gaze to Conis and said apologetically, "I am truly sorry. I never intended for you to be harmed because of me."

The girl shook her head silently. She bore no grudge against Shu Mingyuan; on the contrary, his arrival brought her great comfort.

Shu Mingyuan looked at Gan Fall. He was well aware of this kind-hearted old man, though he hadn't expected to meet him under such circumstances.

"You should leave quickly. I will deal with this creature. Upper Yard is about to descend into chaos; Enel is brewing a massive conspiracy. His goal is to destroy the Sky Island!"

Gan Fall’s face turned pale. "Destroy the Sky Island? You must be joking. Young man, you can eat whatever you like, but you cannot speak such nonsense!"

Shu Mingyuan shrugged indifferently. "Believe it or not, but there is no doubt he has the power to do it—to sink the Sky Island!"

"Sink the Sky Island!"

At these words, both their hearts pounded. The Sky Island sat ten thousand meters above the ground; the consequences of it falling were unimaginable.

Shu Mingyuan turned to face the giant serpent, casually unleashing a streak of sword energy to draw its attention. Gan Fall’s expression remained uncertain, but seeing Shu Mingyuan already engaged in battle with the Lord of the Sky, he gritted his teeth and carried Conis toward Angel Island.

"In that case, I will leave it to you, young friend. The safety of the Sky Island rests on your shoulders. I shall return to Angel Island first."

Shu Mingyuan’s mouth twitched. This old man was slippery; when had he ever agreed to save the Sky Island from its plight?

Regardless, it was better that the others were gone, as he could now fight without restraint. Standing on the ground, Shu Mingyuan stood with his hands behind his back, eyeing the giant python coldly. This beast, which had lived for four hundred years, was fierce, but it was nowhere near enough to intimidate him.

"Hey, beast, come on!"

His hair whipped about as his Chidori blade emitted a dazzling electric glow. With horizontal and vertical slashes, countless sharp sword beams formed a dense web of steel, darting toward the Lord of the Sky.

The giant python roared. Even its hardened scales could not withstand Shu Mingyuan’s strikes, and the sword beams left shocking wounds across its body. Yet, compared to its massive, terrifying frame, these injuries were trivial, serving only to incite its pain. This was the nature of a giant beast; its sheer size granted it advantages in strength and defense that no other creature could match.

The Lord of the Sky opened its mouth and spewed a torrent of venom, turning the forest into a scene of highly corrosive acid rain. The lush greenery dissolved in an instant, and even the earth itself was melted away by several layers.

Shu Mingyuan shifted three hundred meters in an instant, looking at the devastated forest with a strange expression.

That was a close call. If even a drop had touched him, would any part of his body remain intact?

"You beast, do you think you can do as you please just because of your size? You aren't the only one who can grow larger."

Shu Mingyuan chuckled. He sheathed his sword, and chakra surged through every fiber of his body. Following a specific sequence, he suddenly formed hand seals.

"Super Expansion Jutsu: Body!"

In an instant, he grew to a height of a hundred meters. While still small compared to the thousands of meters of the serpent’s length, it was more than enough in terms of surface area! At the very least, in a direct confrontation, he was not at a disadvantage.

"Heh, want to try again?"

His laughter was deafening. He strode forward, clenched his fist, and smashed it hard into the head of the Lord of the Sky!

The battle between the two giants was heaven-shaking, destroying vast swathes of the forest and exposing the fertile soil beneath. Shu Mingyuan slammed a fist into the serpent’s lower jaw, shattering one of its fangs. However, the serpent’s massive tail materialized from nowhere and struck him with tremendous force.

He was sent flying, his expanded body crashing into the earth and obliterating countless trees. The ground trembled as if an earthquake had struck.

"Heh, again!"

Shu Mingyuan climbed to his feet. The giant tail whipped around again, but this time he opened his arms, coating his body in Armament Haki to withstand the blow head-on. His body shuddered, and a trickle of blood leaked from his mouth, but he did not fall.

He let out a fierce roar toward the sky, the muscles in his arms bulging like thick, gnarled tree roots. Grabbing hold of the serpent's tail, he channeled all his strength into a single explosive burst.

"Get up!"

He heaved the serpentine body, twisting his waist with all his might. The Lord of the Sky let out a shrill roar as its massive frame was lifted, inch by inch, off the ground.

Shu Mingyuan increased his rotation speed before slamming his arms downward. Amidst a cloud of dust and debris, the Lord of the Sky collided violently with the earth.