Marvel With Zanpakutou

Chapter 811: The Cage

The sky was clear as a mirror, and the dust of thousands of miles was swept away.

The forceful winds blew away the vast sea of clouds, leaving only the broken and vast sky, filling everyone with unease and dread.

The enormous hand that had blotted out the sky disappeared instantly as if everything they had just witnessed was nothing more than a fleeting illusion. However, the cracks scattered across the void silently reminded them that what had just happened was all too real.

The Black Order had vanished, but Star-Lord and the others didn’t believe there was any chance they had survived.

No matter how cunning and treacherous Ebony Maw was, leaving a thousand different escape routes, being gripped by that massive hand would have left him as nothing more than dust. Even if he could shrink to the size of a bacterium or a tardigrade, now not even a speck would remain.

In terms of physics, they had likely been reduced to atoms.

In simpler terms, they had been eradicated.

"I seem to have gotten a little rusty."

Ōetsu Nimaiya frowned, seemingly dissatisfied with his performance. "I haven’t exercised for a while. Looks like I’ll need to get back into shape when I return."

His "Sky-Covering Palm" would have left even Aizen impressed.

Even if the same technique is used, different people yield different results. If Aizen’s Sky-Covering Palm was like a loud slap against a fly, then Nimaiya’s was like the Buddha pinning down the Monkey King—a massive difference in power.

This move was enough to place Nimaiya above 99% of all Shinigami.

"So this is... the Zero Division?"

Unohana Retsu gazed deeply at Ōetsu Nimaiya as if she were engraving the sight of him into her memory. Her expression was thoughtful as she asked herself, "If I had power like his, would I be able to share some of your burden?"

She recalled the words that had been spoken atop the tower by Lorde.

"Unless you can reach the level of Aizen or the Monk, you’re not even qualified to help him."

That man was always frowning, his eyes burdened with a weight that couldn’t be lifted. It seemed as though those thin shoulders bore a responsibility beyond their comprehension. The brief words he shared revealed deep exhaustion and the unwavering resolve to continue on.

She didn’t know why he fought or what troubled him so.

But she knew one thing clearly: someone had to save him.

It was like when she had been lost in her solitude, consumed by a passion for battle, drowning in blood and slaughter. She had believed that her salvation lay in dying in battle, passing on her name and swordsmanship to the next.

But one day, she had been saved.

After her path of carnage was shattered, she picked up the sword of salvation. The fiery gaze of the man who saved her was like the dawn breaking through the darkness, and his warmth melted the icy shell that had surrounded her heart, filling the void left by endless combat.

"Now... it’s my turn to save you."

Unohana Retsu lowered her head slightly, her black hair falling over her face, hiding the warmth and determination in her eyes.

Her words were spoken quietly, meant for no one to hear.

It was her resolution, a vow made to herself and him alone.

"Little Retsu, step back a bit," Ōetsu Nimaiya’s voice pulled Unohana from her thoughts.

Without a word, she used a flash step to move farther away, her gaze unintentionally drifting toward the tower where Lorde had been. But the man sitting there was gone, and she didn’t know where he had gone.

Star-Lord and his companions scrambled after her in a panic, following her lead.

They didn’t know what would happen next, but their instincts told them to stick close to the woman who had saved them multiple times. The logic was simple—she wouldn’t harm them, and following her was the safest bet.

After some hesitation, Star-Lord contacted Yondu, advising him not to leave the planet but to keep his distance from the terrifying man.

Once most people had retreated, Ōetsu Nimaiya raised his hand and, with a simple gesture, grabbed the Power Stone that had fallen after Ronan’s death. A more terrifying force burst from his body, creating visible ripples in the air.

"Hiss... What a dangerous power!"

Ōetsu Nimaiya gripped the Power Stone, using almost all his spiritual pressure to suppress it. His blood boiled, and his spiritual power surged, causing him to release a weary sigh. "As the Spirit King commanded, using two Stones at once... Looks like I’ll have to pay a heavy price this time."

As he spoke, Ōetsu Nimaiya pulled out another stone.

It was a stone that emitted a brilliant blue light, surrounded by waves of spatial energy as powerful as the purple Power Stone.

"The Space Stone!!!"

They had seen all the Infinity Stones in a video shown by the Collector.

So Star-Lord and the others immediately recognized the gem in Nimaiya’s hand. It was the Space Stone, one of the six Infinity Stones.

"Space and Power... What is he planning to do?"

Gamora’s heart raced with a sudden sense of dread. Her pupils constricted as an uncontrollable fear rose within her, causing her body to tremble.

Two Infinity Stones in one place—how could anyone not be terrified?

These were the purest embodiments of cosmic rules, formed after the Big Bang. Just one was enough to alter reality and decide the fate of billions. Destroying a planet with one Stone was as easy as snapping a finger.

Now, two Stones—one controlling space, the other power—were in the hands of one man.

What was he planning to do with them?

No one knew, and no one dared to guess.

But soon, they would find out.

The most essential condition for fully unleashing the power of an Infinity Stone was possession of the Power Stone.

Ōetsu Nimaiya held both Stones in his hands, enduring the immense force surging through him. Deep cracks tore his body apart, and blood spurted out like a broken vase. It was a sight that left everyone in shock and fear.

Biz... Biz...

The power of the two Stones was pushed to its limit!

The blue and purple lights intertwined, shining brighter than a star.

Shockwave after shockwave exploded out, sending waves of air and dust billowing in all directions. It looked like a massive tidal wave crashing outward with unstoppable force from a distance.

Boom!

A giant blue beam shot into the sky, piercing through the clouds and straight into space.

The blue light only lasted a moment before it fragmented into countless beams of light, spreading across the sky like threads. These threads are interwoven, forming an intricate and complex pattern.

"This is... a barrier!"

At last, Unohana understood.

Ōetsu Nimaiya had come to lay down a powerful barrier that would imprison the entire planet, preventing any life from entering or leaving. The strength of the barrier was unlike anything she had ever seen.

"Little Retsu, the rest is up to you."

With those final words, Ōetsu Nimaiya’s body exploded his blood and remained scattered in all directions.

The immense power of two Infinity Stones had been too much, even for the leader of the Zero Division. Fortunately, with the Zero Squad’s Shrine, he could be revived by calling his name.

As long as the Spirit King lived, the Zero Division would remain immortal.

However, dying once would severely weaken him, and it would take him a long time to recover his strength. That was the heavy price he had mentioned earlier.

"Who... is he trying to imprison?"

A thought surfaced in Unohana’s mind, leaving her puzzled.

To use two Infinity Stones to create a barrier and to sacrifice Ōetsu Nimaiya—just who was the Spirit King trying to trap?