Throne Of Supreme

Chapter 289: Conquering Esdeath and Unboxing Again

_____

While Aoki was deep in thought, Alice stood up, her expression filled with guilt.

"Aoki, I'm sorry," she began. "Three Burning Heaven Suits were completely destroyed, and two were stolen."

Including hers and Robin's, there had originally been only eighteen suits. Losing five, nearly a third, was a significant blow.

Aoki waved off her concerns. "Don't worry about it. It's already impressive that there's been so little loss over four years."

The Burning Heaven Suits were meant for combat, not preservation. Wear and tear were inevitable.

"But…" Alice's face still reflected her regret.

Aoki interrupted her with a gesture, waving his hand. Suddenly, a large number of spheres appeared, floating in midair.

"Are these… all Burning Heaven Suits?" Alice's eyes widened in disbelief.

Even Hancock looked visibly surprised, though Robin remained composed, having anticipated something like this.

"There are 126 sets here," Aoki explained. "Distribute them to the right people."

"126 sets?" Alice's head spun at the thought.

Equipping 126 members with the Burning Heaven Suits?

Adding the 11 remaining original suits, plus hers and Robin's, made for a total of 139 suits. The sheer scale of this force was staggering.

This wasn't just an upgrade—it was a leap into a new era.

Aoki shifted his focus. "How is Etania?"

Alice replied instinctively, "After a few years of recovery, the situation has improved significantly. However, since the conflict with the BIGMOM Pirates began, we haven't returned. The base has been abandoned."

"No problem," Aoki said, shaking his head.

The primary function of the base had been to train people, specifically users of the Burning Heaven Suits. Judging by the nearly two hundred people now on the island, the base had already served its purpose. Alice and her team had done well over the years.

Of course, the majority of these two hundred people were ordinary, with average strength.

But with the Burning Heaven Suits, that didn't matter.

Aoki asked, "Could our actions bring trouble to Etania?"

Alice answered firmly, "Absolutely not! The Burning Heaven Pirates and Etania have never been publicly connected, and we've been meticulous about maintaining secrecy."

"Good," Aoki said, nodding.

He then turned to Esdeath, Akame, and Kurome.

"You've already met, but let me formally introduce you to each other. From now on, Kurome, Akame, and Esdeath are members of the Burning Heaven Pirates."

The two groups exchanged curious glances.

Robin, meanwhile, was lost in thought.

With over a hundred additional Burning Heaven Suits, their mid-level strength would increase dramatically. Aoki's return, coupled with the addition of three high-level forces, resolved their previous lack of top-tier strength.

The Burning Heaven Pirates were poised to rise to the top, rivaling even the three great Pirate Emperors.

Hancock, on the other hand, studied the newcomers closely.

She had heard of their feats from Alice and Robin and knew they were formidable.

Yet her eyes lingered on the blue-haired woman. For reasons she couldn't fully explain, she found herself particularly focused on her.

Breaking the silence, Robin spoke again.

"Aoki, the BIGMOM Pirates could attack at any time, and Big Mom herself may lead the charge. What should we do?"

Aoki tapped his fingers on the table. "We'll wait for them to come to us."

"Wait for them to come?"

Hancock, Robin, and Alice were all visibly shocked.

To put it bluntly, this was a declaration of war against the BIGMOM Pirates.

Aoki met their stunned gazes evenly. "You've been bullied for long enough. It's time to teach them a lesson."

Robin hesitated, then asked cautiously, "Wouldn't it be better to wait until the Burning Heaven Suits are fully distributed before we act?"

Aoki shook his head. "No need."

As the saying goes, revenge doesn't wait overnight.

The power they had already accumulated was more than sufficient; there was no need to hesitate or hold back.

Robin, seeing his resolve, said no more.

While the others were busy preparing for war, Aoki and Esdeath made their way to a structure crafted entirely of ice crystals. The interior was frigid, the temperature near freezing.

However, for the two of them, such cold had no effect.

Deeper inside the building, rows of ice sculptures came into view, each preserving a person within its frozen grasp.

Esdeath gestured toward them. "As you requested, these people are still alive."

Aoki scanned the sculptures, recognizing several familiar faces among them.

Without a word, he raised his palm and clenched it gently.

Sharp icicles emerged and pierced through the frozen figures. One by one, they lost their lives in eerie silence.

Simultaneously, notifications flashed in Aoki's mind.

[Killed a human: Gained 13 experience points and a one-star Revenge Chest.]

…

[Killed a human: Gained 360 experience points and a two-star Revenge Chest.]

[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]

…

[Killed a human: Gained 18 experience points and a one-star Revenge Chest.]

Aoki didn't bother checking the notifications for now. Instead, he turned toward Esdeath.

"Aren't you curious?" he asked.

Esdeath's expression remained calm. "It's just murder. There's nothing to be curious about. Let's move on—I still need to finish learning Haki."

Aoki couldn't help but smile as he looked at her. "Are you that eager for me to lick your boots?"

Esdeath froze momentarily, surprised by his words.

"You didn't lose your memory at all, did you?" Aoki asked evenly.

Esdeath's demeanor shifted subtly. Where she had been cold and detached moments before, there was now a spark of warmth and confidence, an unmistakable humanity.

"How did you know?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

Aoki smirked. "If I wanted, I could read your thoughts at any time."

Esdeath tilted her head slightly. "Is that so?"

"But I've never done it," Aoki continued. "First, I prefer to judge people by their actions rather than their thoughts. Second, it's a matter of respect."

He paused. "The reason I know you didn't lose your memory is simple—your acting is terrible."

"Really?" A delighted smile spread across Esdeath's face. "So, what are you going to do about it? I can feel that my very cells fear you. You must have some way to control us further, right?"

Aoki met her gaze. "It's not about what I'm going to do. It's about what you're planning."

Esdeath smiled wider. "Haven't I already given you my answer?"

Without warning, she knelt on one knee, looking up at him with a mischievous smile. "Master, Esdeath is at your disposal."

Aoki exhaled deeply.

Any man seeing this scene would undoubtedly feel a surge of accomplishment and conquest—even knowing she didn't truly mean it.

Esdeath stood up, her grin widening. "Beyond my world and this one, there are other worlds, aren't there?"

"Yes," Aoki replied. "Many more than you could imagine."

Esdeath's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Hehehe, how fascinating. To think the world is this vast!"

Aoki raised an eyebrow. "You're acting a little unhinged."

Esdeath turned to him, her expression playful. "And someone who insists on personally killing his enemies has no right to call others unhinged, wouldn't you agree?"

Aoki was left speechless.

He couldn't argue with that.

Esdeath's playful demeanor shifted slightly as she stared at him. Her voice dropped, calm but firm. "But if the day ever comes when I defeat you…"

She smirked. "I'll make sure you lick my boots."

Aoki was surprised and asked, "Isn't it just licking shoes?"

"This is a unique treatment, just for you." Esdeath flashed a confident smile and turned away, leaving him with the sight of her alluring back.

"I have no interest in this kind of preferential treatment," Aoki muttered to himself as he walked outside.

…

After the two left, the ice crystal building collapsed, the ground shifted, and all the bodies were buried beneath the rubble.

Time passed, and as night fell, the BIGMOM Pirates still hadn't shown up.

Aoki sat alone on a rooftop, reviewing his spoils from the day.

For "Infinite Dragon Beasts," he had earned a total of 4,850 experience points, along with one four-star treasure chest, three three-star treasure chests, four two-star treasure chests, and several one-star treasure chests.

As for "Nature Spirit," it gained 2,500 experience points.

Both "Infinite Dragon Beast" and "Nature Spirit" leveled up, reaching level 32. However, "Nature Spirit" was just a few dozen experience points away from leveling up again.

Aoki first allocated his free attribute points before turning his attention to the treasure chests. He decided to start with the one-star chests.

He was fortunate this time, managing to obtain a total of 15 special foods and four slightly intriguing gadgets.

Next, he moved on to the two-star treasure chests.

After opening them, he had four new items in his possession: 10 million berries in cash, a ruby called the Heart of Eternity, a green bead, and a bottle of elixir.

The cash didn't need much explanation. The ruby, however, was quite stunning. It was large, heart-shaped, and exquisitely beautiful, but upon inspection, Aoki found it to be an ordinary gem with no special attributes, though it was likely worth a significant amount.

The green bead turned out to be a healing orb that accelerated wound recovery. Aoki tested it out and found it useful, but it didn't have much impact on him personally.

The elixir was the most exciting discovery. It was another batch of Rejuvenating Pills—ten of them. Aoki had obtained these before but had given away six pills, leaving only four. Now, with ten more, his stockpile was replenished, making him feel unexpectedly wealthy.

"Now for the three-star treasure chests," Aoki murmured, his expression turning serious.

Three-star chests were rare, and he had only opened a few so far. Each one held the potential for something truly special.

[Opened a Revenge Chest (three stars): Acquired Intelligent Robot (home version).]

[Opened a Revenge Chest (three stars): Acquired Heritage Crystal (three stars).]

[Opened a Revenge Chest (three stars): Acquired Universal Capsules.]

One by one, the three-star chests were opened.

"An intelligent robot?" Aoki thought aloud as a plump, white, humanoid figure appeared before him.

It was Baymax, the home version. A multipurpose robot, it came equipped with various skills such as cleaning, cooking, and gardening—essentially a perfect nanny.

After inspecting it, Aoki realized that while Baymax was highly intelligent, it was still just a machine. It had no self-awareness, soul, or spirit.

"It's just what my alternate space needs—a butler," Aoki said with satisfaction, sending Baymax into the alternate dimension.

Next, he turned his attention to the second reward: the three-star Heritage crystal.

Initially, Aoki had high hopes for some unique or special Heritage. However, upon inspection, he found it was a blank Heritage crystal. These crystals were similar to skill books but functioned slightly differently.

The Heritage crystal could be used multiple times, but there was a catch—it didn't guarantee the ability to learn the skill engraved on it.

The blank Heritage crystal required one to manually engrave skills into it. Since its quality was only three stars, the maximum ability that could be engraved was limited to four stars.

"This thing feels pretty good," Aoki mused, turning the crystal over in his hand. He pondered for a moment, an idea forming in his mind. However, he decided against using it for the time being.

He carefully placed the Heritage crystal into the alternate space and turned his attention to the final reward.

"Universal Capsule? Could it be that Universal Capsule?" Aoki wondered aloud.

A small, palm-sized box materialized in his hand. He opened it to reveal five finger-sized capsules lying neatly inside.

"It really is a Universal Capsule," he confirmed.

With curiosity piqued, Aoki entered his alternate space. Inside, darkness stretched endlessly, save for the soft glow emanating from the mother tree's Sun Fruits. These fruits provided light for 12 hours a day, mimicking the cycle of night and day in the alternate space.

It was nighttime now, but that didn't affect Aoki.

He took out Capsule No. 1, gently pressed its button, and tossed it into the air.

Bang!

A puff of white smoke erupted, and the capsule transformed into a luxurious villa.

"Capsule No. 1 is a house?" Aoki muttered, stepping inside.

He was astonished to find it fully equipped with modern amenities, including computers, game consoles, refrigerators, air conditioning, and more. It even featured an advanced security system.

Impressed, he turned to the remaining capsules.

Capsule No. 2 transformed into a sleek maglev sports car. Capsule No. 3 became a small, nimble aircraft. Capsule No. 4 unveiled a fully functional submarine.

Capsule No. 5 was the most formidable. It transformed into a simple yet powerful mech with long legs and a cockpit. Armed with large-caliber machine guns and powerful artillery, it functioned like a tank but was far more agile, easier to operate, and capable of engaging in close combat.

In summary, the five Universal Capsules were a remarkable haul, more than worthy of a three-star treasure chest. While they didn't directly boost combat power, they significantly enhanced utility and versatility.

Satisfied, Aoki turned his gaze to the last treasure chest—a four-star Revenge Chest. A thoughtful expression crossed his face.

"This must be from Smoothie, right?" he speculated.

Given Smoothie's strength, which likely reached three stars, coupled with her unique abilities, it made sense that her chest would qualify as a four-star reward.

"This is only the second four-star treasure chest I've opened," Aoki remarked with anticipation. "I wonder what kind of treasures it holds."

[Opened Revenge Chest (four stars): Acquired a Senzu Bean.]

"A Senzu Bean?" Aoki blinked as an ordinary-looking green bean appeared in his hand.

Upon inspection, his suspicions were confirmed. This was the Senzu Bean he was familiar with—capable of healing all injuries and restoring physical strength completely.

The best part? It had no restrictions. Even a Super Saiyan could benefit from it, making it a near-rule-breaking item.

"What a treasure!" Aoki exclaimed, his face lighting up with joy. He carefully stowed the Senzu Bean, ensuring it was easily accessible for emergencies.

A single Senzu Bean was akin to having an extra life. With this addition, Aoki's ability to survive and recover had been significantly strengthened.