The banquet hall shimmered with opulence.
A vast, resplendent space, its grand chandeliers cast a dazzling glow over the luxurious dƩcor. Ornate carvings adorned the walls, and every gilded embellishment spoke of wealth and power. The air was thick with prestige.
But at this moment, something unprecedented was unfolding, something that sent a chill through the heart of the banquet's host.
The moment the head of the Dodge family decisively agreed to align with Bardi, the ...
Three, two, oneā¦ beep!
The referee's whistle pierced the air.
Instantly, every Napoli player surged forward, pressing into Manchester United's half like a blue tidal wave.
From the sidelines, Gao Shen watched the movement unfold, and for some reason, a lively Spanish melody from a barbecue restaurant in Madrid popped into his head.
It was almost as if his players were moving in perfect rhythm, each press, each sprint falling into place like notes in a song.
"What am I like in the story?"
Fujiwara quickly regained her composure after realizing she hadn't successfully paired any couples. Now, she was far more interested in finding out what kind of person she was in the story.
"Want to tell me more?"
"Yeah!"
Fujiwara's curiosity was piqued.
"You're a pretty special character in the story."
"I remember you actually became quite famous outside the story, especially because of the Chika Dance."
"???"
February 14thāValentine's Day. A day filled with excitement, confessions, and the scent of chocolate lingering in the air. For many, it was an opportunity to express their feelings, a symbolic beginning of spring.
But for Ren, it was just another ordinary day.
His thick-framed glasses concealed much of his face, and even though his hair was neatly trimmed, he remained unnoticed. Not that he mindedāRen never wanted to be in the spotlight.
Understanding one's self was c...
Aegor and Lord Buckwell reached an understanding and set aside the discussion of Jarman's potential release from the Night's Watch. Before long, they arrived at the section of the camp occupied by the forces of Staghorn Castle, where dozens of tents bearing the sigil of House Buckwell, two stag antlers on a field of blue and white stood in neat rows.
The old earl assigned Aegor and his attendant a tent adjacent to his own, a generous arrangement given the circumstances. In times of war...
"What the hell are you doing, Darnic?!"
Time rewinds to just before Gilgamesh unleashed Enuma Elish, when the Heroic Spirits were fleeing the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
While everyone's attention was fixed on the unfolding catastrophe, Darnic made his move.
In the midst of the chaos, he snatched up the unconscious Chihiro and vanished into the shadows.
Sisigou immediately raised his shotgun, but he hesitated afraid that a reckless shot might hit Chihiro instead.
Valentine's Day is an important occasion for both boys and girls.
Of course, at its core, it's a commercial holiday, a way for businesses to sell chocolates and sweets. But if it was just about selling candy, not many people would buy it. The best way to market it was to tie chocolate to relationships, making it a day for people to express their feelings through gifts.
That morning, as Ren stepped out of his apartment, he immediately ran into his next-door neighbor, Yoko Okino.<...
"I don't look fat?"
Kogoro gave his daughter a strange look. "You're just growing up. How could that be considered fat?"
From his perspective, Ran wasn't fat at all. Her body had simply matured earlier than most girls her age, similar to what happened with her mother.
"I remember Eri was the same way," he recalled. "Her second growth spurt happened when she was in her third year of high school. It drove all the guys around her crazy with envy."
Thinking back, Kogor...
"Ah, I knew Dad would end up like this."
After a few days, Ran returned to Mouri Detective Agency, only to be greeted by a sight that went completely beyond her expectations. The entire place was a disaster.
Cigarette butts, empty beer bottles, and various pieces of trash cluttered the desk. It didn't look like a detective's office at all, more like a bachelor's den gone wrong.
"Ran? Why are you back?" Kogoro asked, looking slightly embarrassed.
"What do you think,...
Girls tend to pay a lot of attention to managing their body shape and weight.
However, in Ren's opinion, Ran's situation wasn't really a problem.
Even though her weight had increased due to higher muscle density, her body had only filled out slightly from its original state.
She simply looked softerāmore mature.
To Ren, this wasn't a bad thing.
In fact, he actually preferred a more fleshy figure on a woman.
So in his eyes, Ran wasn't fat at all.
...
"Eh?"
Everyone's eyes turned to Ran.
Sonoko stared at her for a moment before suddenly lunging from behind.
"Ah!"
The sudden attack startled Ran, making her instinctively step back.
"Sonoko!!"
She glared at her best friend, who was now staring at her hands in shock.
"Soā¦ so bigā¦"
Sonoko's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Ran, you've grown again?!"
Ran's face turned scarlet.
She had just realized the changes in her bod...
"If it's about studying, I'm fairly confident."
Kaguya rarely spoke about her abilities with such certainty.
She wasn't the type to boast, but when it came to academics, she knew her strengths.
"If I ever need help, I'll trouble you, Shinomiya-san."
"Well, you're always welcome to."
Ren sighed internally.
He hadn't been great at studying before, and he certainly wasn't now.
No matter how much time passed, academics just weren't his thing.
Yoko Okino had barely slept all night.
Her mind kept replaying what had happened.
She never imagined that a man she had only dated for a single month in high school, someone she hadn't seen for over seven years would suddenly try to strangle her to death.
When she finished giving her statement at the Metropolitan Police Department, she also learned why they had broken up all those years ago.
Back in high school, she had been scouted by an entertainment agency, whic...
Looking through the gray fog, Ren saw a muscular, overweight man pinning a woman with long brown hair to the ground.
The man's hands were wrapped tightly around the woman's neck, his expression twisted with anger, like he had a deep grudge against her.
Ren frowned.
"Tsk, what a pain."
Sheesh. He always said he wouldn't meddle in other people's affairs, yet here he was, already stepping out of his room.
The man was choking her in the hallway.
How impat...
After seeing off all the guests, Ren finally had some free time.
Taking advantage of the moment, he sat down and began writing in his diary.
[Today was the gathering of diary holders.]
[It was a process of going from strangers to acquaintances.]
[Oh, right. There was actually something important I forgot to mention today.]
[It's about the abilities gained by Shinomiya and Sanzenin.]
[Both the Devil Fruit and the Vision come with side effects.]
...
"Hmmā¦"
Fujiwara furrowed her brows, lost in thought.
Something about this still didn't sit right with her.
"Kaguya, I feel like there's another reason you transferred schools."
"You say it was to avoid the President because he was a hassleā¦"
"And I get that."
"But that other reason you mentionedā¦ Hmm~ I don't quite understand it."
"Still, I feel like whatever you're hiding is connected to that reason I don't understand."
Kaguya fel...
"Kaguya chan! Kaguya chan!"
Before Kaguya could react, she found herself being hugged and squeezed.
The sensation was incredibly uncomfortable, mainly because the chest pressing against her was surprisingly firm.
At first, it seemed like an overly affectionate display between friends.
But to Kaguya, it felt more like mockery.
To make matters worse, the owner of this chest seemed to beā¦ crying.
Kaguya, already suffering from a headache, felt it worse...
The first gathering had ended smoothly.
A lot had been discussed and clarified, making it a crucial meeting for the future.
As they rode home in the car, Hayasaka turned to glance at Kaguya sitting beside her.
---
"Miss Kaguya, what do you think?"
"About what?"
"The whole 'intertwining of fate' thing."
Kaguya shook her head, unconcerned.
"The diary is a thread, not a chain."
"And Amamiya's actions show he has no interest in fo...
There is a fundamental difference between maintaining a state of war and actively starting a war.
Maintaining a war-like relationship means occasional border skirmishes, where injuries are common, but deaths remain rare under normal circumstances.
However.
Declaring an all-out war?
That would result in massive casualties.
So, when news broke that Tsunade had ordered Konoha's military into combat readiness, the village's high-ranking officials, clan leaders, ...
Why had Orochimaru taken pity on her?
Was this some kind of joke?
After all, just earlier, he had mercilessly beaten her down using Limbo: Border Jail.
Then, after ripping the Tailed Beast from her, he had shown zero hesitation not the actions of someone inclined to show mercy.
And yet, despite all that, he was now saving her?
For Yugito, a nineteen-year-old Jinchūriki who had always struggled to form meaningful friendships, Orochimaru's mocking tone caught...
"A little roughā¦ and a lot more time wasted than I'd like."
Ethan stowed away his weapons, the battle cross returned to his storage space, while the staff clicked back into its designated slot on his belt.
Now, it was time to rely on something else.
The bracers on both wrists activated, exerting their true power. In this underwater battlefield, control over the water element was the most suitable magic, and right now, it was Ethan's greatest advantage.
The purifi...
"A verbal apology is of no use to me."
Bardi remained indifferent, his tall frame clad in a pristine white suit that accentuated his clean and refined appearance. Though his demeanor was composed, there was an undeniable strength in his broad shoulders and firm stance. His gaze, though calm, carried an unseen weight, an invisible pressure that radiated power.
He did not need to stare to command attention. But once he did, it was like facing an immovable mountain.
His expr...
"Over a hundred thousand wildlings beyond the Wall are desperate to cross before winter sets in. The Night's Watch is too weak to stop them. Change is inevitable, and change often means destruction."
Aegor carefully avoided mentioning the White Walkers. Without solid proof, bringing up such things would only undermine his credibility.
"But the reason I was able to organize all of this," he continued, "aside from the support of Lord Tyrion Lannister, is that I didn't offend anyon...
"Watch out!!!"
Just as Gilgamesh let his guard down, Artoria suddenly moved, appearing behind him in a flash.
In that same instant, Goetia materialized and drove a powerful punch toward Gilgamesh's back.
ButāAvalon activated.
The attack was completely nullified.
"Impossible?!"
Gilgamesh's eyes widened.
Goetia had taken a full-powered Enuma Elish and emerged completely unscathed.
"You thought a single shot of Ea could kill me? How naive...
"She's... flying? She's actually flying!!"
Kirishima and the others watched with their mouths hanging open as Kyoka soared straight into the sky.
"Kaminari! Why has Kyoka never flown before?" Kirishima turned to Kaminari in shock.
They had seen Kyoka wearing the "Batgirl" battle suit in previous training sessions, but not once had she taken to the air.
"Because she never needed to. The battle suit isn't a toy, and Kyoka isn't the type to show off," Kaminari said wi...
At this moment, the perspective shifts to the big screen displaying the forest area. Since nothing is happening yet, the students are chatting amongst themselves.
"Speaking of which, this test should really show off everything Kyoka's battle suit can do!" Tetsutetsu, dressed in his usual white suit and justice-themed cape, looked at Kaminari with a grin.
"Yeah, compared to th...
In the Sabaody Archipelago, inside Shakky's Rip-off Bar, Silvers Rayleigh was sprawled lazily on a sofa, looking every bit like a retired old pirate. He held a half-empty jug of liquor in one hand and a newspaper in the other.
"Oh? Now this is interesting," Rayleigh mused, his eyes scanning the headlines. "Seven Warlords of the Sea, Gecko Moria has been stripped of his title and is now a former Warlord?"
Behind the bar, Shakky was polishing a glass. She chuckled softly and remar...
In the first half of the Grand Line, there exists a treacherous sea region known as the Florian's Triangle. Shrouded in dense mist all year round, this place is perpetually cast in shadow, with the sun never breaking through its eerie fog.
Throughout maritime history, fog has always been a harbinger of danger. After all, one can never know what lurks within its depths, mystery often breeds peril.
The Grand Line is home to many strange fogs, each with its own legend. There's the ...
"So, you're telling me there's someone out there who looks exactly like me?" Tashigi asked in surprise.
At this moment, Zoro, Tashigi, Nami, the shopkeeper, Johnny, and a few others were all gathered together.
The earlier misunderstanding had been cleared up, Tashigi had never heard of anyone named Kuina. Meanwhile, Zoro had acquired the Sandai Kitetsu through a test of fate, proving his courage in a gamble against its so-called curse. His fearless display won the admiration of ...
In the East Blue, at Loguetown, Roronoa Zoro had already become a seasoned bounty hunter. He had left Shimotsuki Village some time ago, venturing out on his own.
Of course, he was still as hopelessly lost as ever. It seemed that no matter where he went, no one could give him proper directions.
Not that it bothered him too much. As long as he didn't starve to death, he was fine. With his swordsmanship, which was more than enough to dominate the small-time fighters of the East Blu...