MTLNOVEL Chapter 182: 182: The Forest of Dominance.
The power of Six Paths Madara had been revived within Zenkichi, and now Zenkichi wielded nearly 90% of Uchiha Madara's original abilities.
"Wood Release: Advent of a World of Trees!"
Forming hand seals swiftly, Zenkichi released a torrent of dense chakra, and from it, immense Wood Release energy erupted.
A colossal forest emerged from nothingness, stretching across the sky and blotting out the sun as it surged toward the distant battlefield.
"A forest?"
"Unbelievable... Zenkichi has more abilities beyond the Gura Gura no Mi and the Pika Pika no Mi?"
Kizaru raised an eyebrow, surprised. His body shimmered into golden light particles as he shot skyward.
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
A storm of golden energy bullets fired from Kizaru's hands, tearing through the incoming wooden tendrils.
Though the golden projectiles shattered many of the thick vines, the forest was too vast. No matter how fiercely Kizaru attacked, it wasn't enough to stop the relentless surge.
Much like Senju Hashirama's True Several Thousand Hands, the strength of each limb wasn't necessarily overwhelming—but their sheer number gave them overwhelming power.
Even Susanoo would eventually succumb under such relentless attacks, as hundreds of wooden fists pounded it until it broke apart.
"Laser Light!"
Kizaru extended his finger, and with a flick, a golden beam sliced through a massive tree like a blade through paper.
But the trees weren't done.
From the severed trunks, fresh vines sprouted and wrapped around each other mid-air, healing themselves and continuing their charge.
"Wood, huh? Let's see how well it burns."
Akainu glared at the writhing mass of vines. His arms bubbled and morphed into searing red magma.
"Meteor Volcano!"
Lava blasted from his arms like meteor fire, hammering the wooden sea.
The impact ignited large portions of the forest, but even then, the vines refused to die. Their vitality was overwhelming.
Even as they burned, the wood remained under Zenkichi's control. Instead of being destroyed, the vines seemed to absorb the magma, becoming even more ferocious and blazing with demonic fire.
"Ice Age!"
Aokiji raised his hands, releasing a chilling wave of energy that blanketed the area in frost.
A sea of ice surged across the battlefield, freezing both the magma and vines.
Yet the freeze lasted mere seconds—shattered instantly by the relentless strength of the Wood Release.
"Tch... what a hassle," Sengoku muttered with visible frustration as he watched the endless vines swarm across Marineford. He had no answer for this level of power.
Indeed, Zenkichi had inherited Madara's Wood Release, but he had far surpassed Madara's strength. His version of the Advent of a World of Trees was even more terrifying than either Madara's or Hashirama's.
The monstrous forest had already swallowed Marineford whole.
This kind of overwhelming area-of-effect assault wasn't something martial artists or even most Devil Fruit users could achieve. Only select Logia types or certain Paramecia wielders possessed the raw destructive potential to compete.
"The rest of this battle has nothing to do with you," a cold voice echoed in Sengoku's ears.
A clone of Zenkichi appeared behind him and struck him down swiftly with a precise chop to the neck.
The vast forest loomed overhead, blotting out the sun and drowning the navy in darkness.
Even the few who withstood the onslaught of the World of Trees now stood subdued under the control of Zenkichi's clones, showing no resistance.
"Five Elders... will you move yourselves, or should I do it for you?"
Zenkichi calmly approached the highest platform where the Five Elders stood, smiling faintly.
"Zenkichi, don't get cocky," the Elder with the goatee snapped, his voice sharp. "We have Im-sama. You won't defeat her."
"Im?" Zenkichi sneered. "You think that name scares me? Pathetic."
"If you're so confident in Im's strength... I'll let you watch how easily she falls."
As the words left his lips, Zenkichi created five clones and launched them toward the Five Elders.
"Clones again? Just how many Devil Fruit abilities do you have?"
"But using only clones against us?" the blond Elder scoffed, lifting a massive axe. "You underestimate us."
"We are the Five Elders—the supreme authority of the World Government!"
"If we weren't strong, how could we rule the entire world?"
With a snarl, the blond Elder lunged, axe raised.
But Zenkichi's clone stood calm. A faint white aura coated his fist—a clear display of Advanced Armament Haki.
He struck with brutal force.
The air itself shattered.
The axe stopped mid-swing, trembling violently as the shockwave twisted it out of shape. A second later, it exploded into fragments, and the blond Elder was hurled backward by the blast.
"Strong? Perhaps. But you're still far beneath me."
"Even one clone is enough to crush you."
The Five Elders were swiftly overwhelmed by the clones. Only the elder wielding the original Shodai Kitetsu impressed Zenkichi somewhat—but the rest? Barely stronger than a Vice Admiral.
And on the Grand Line, fighters at that level were far from rare.
Nearly every top commander of a Yonko crew could fight on that level—or higher.
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The Original Author made Imu a woman.
I'm gonna respect that and not change it.