Chapter 155: Now I am Become Death, The Destroyer of Worlds
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The Citadel's main council chamber buzzed with tension. Rows of advisors, generals, and high-ranking Citadel officials argued furiously about the threat Raiden posed. Their words echoed off the polished metal walls, a cacophony of strategies, doubts, and warnings.
"His forces are laughably small against ours!" one general sneered, his metallic fingers tapping against the table in irritation. "What can he hope to accomplish? This is mere arrogance."
A second voice chimed in, sharper and filled with doubt. "Perhaps he seeks negotiations? We should at least hear him out—no one would come alone unless they wanted to talk."
A third voice snapped in quickly, its tone harsh. "Did you see Tamaran? The destruction of our reinforcements? That was not the work of someone who comes to negotiate. He thinks he has the strength to face us head-on."
The voices grew louder, each one offering opinions or objections, but the argument came to an abrupt halt as the Citadelian Progenitor raised a single hand. The room fell silent as all eyes turned to the figure at the head of the table. Clad in a powerful, robotic frame, the Progenitor's original body had long since passed, and what stood before them was a vessel of steel and wires that housed the Citadel's founder and mind. His eyes, cold and calculating, surveyed the room, ensuring their attention.
"The man has shown his intent, his willingness to destroy," the progenitor said, his voice deep, layered, and mechanized. "He may be driven by ambition, or perhaps by vengeance. It is of no consequence." He scanned his officers, silencing any lingering arrogance. "Every ship, every soldier, every resource is to be mobilized. Prepare for all-out war. Underestimate Raiden Kagawa, and you sign your death warrant."
The chamber was still, officers exchanging uncertain glances. Some showed defiance, others dread. But all understood the progenitor's command.
"He comes to us, knowing he's outnumbered," the progenitor continued. "A true fool... or a force we've yet to comprehend. We shall test his mettle and make him realize the power of the Citadel. Make no mistake, he intends to leave his mark on us. And he will fail."
The gathered leaders exchanged nervous glances, understanding the gravity of their orders. It was rare for the Progenitor himself to declare such a high-stakes confrontation, but the implication was clear: Raiden was a threat like no other.
....
Across the Vega System, Citadel fleets and outposts received their orders, breaking off engagements, abandoning conquests, and surging toward the Citadel's mother planet. The darkened expanse of space around the Citadel grew dense with the arrival of ship after ship, countless war vessels aligning in formation, a massive sea of iron and laser bristling with destructive might. All ships moved in unison, a terrifying display of precision and power designed to overwhelm any adversary.
As the two massive fleets faced off, the Citadel's armada stretched out like a wall of steel, imposing and vast, dwarfing the Earth fleet by overwhelming numbers. To any observer, the outcome seemed inevitable—how could Gaia's forces hope to challenge such a force?
But as the Gaia Mothership's doors opened and one man flew out alone, a realization crept through the ranks of the Citadel's armada. It wasn't their fleet that the enemy feared.
The Progenitor, watching from his flagship, squinted, recognizing Raiden's lone approach. With a slight motion, he commanded his armada to stand down, allowing Raiden a chance to close the distance. Meeting him halfway, the Progenitor stepped forward, a hint of amusement in his mechanical gaze as he spoke.
"I see that you are no fool, King Raiden Kagawa of Gaia. A negotiation is a wise decision," he said, his voice reverberating with synthetic depth.
Raiden's eyes narrowed, his head tilting with subtle confusion. "A negotiation?" he repeated, skepticism lacing his tone.
The Progenitor, with an air of self-assurance, continued, "Yes. Our Empire does not care much for Tamaran, and will permit its liberation—naturally, with certain concessions. I will allow Tamaran to fall under Gaia's control if you agree to hand over 70% of the planet's resources to us."
Raiden's lips curled into a quiet chuckle. "What makes you think I seek to negotiate with monsters like you? What prevents me from ending your life here and now?"
For the first time, a thin, cold smile appeared on the Progenitor's face. "Kill me here, and I merely move to another body," he sneered, pointing to his mechanical form. "I have transcended death itself."
Raiden's smirk only deepened as he met the Progenitor's gaze. "Oh, I know. I'm well aware that your true essence is housed deep within the core of your planet. That's what I meant by ending you, permanently."
The Progenitor's bravado faltered, his gaze turning cautious. "You… you speak of my core," he said, his tone momentarily uncertain. "My core is connected to the entirety of my planet. Even if you found a way, you'd have to destroy… the whole…" His voice trailed off as realization dawned, his mechanical eyes widening with shock.
"Do you intend to deploy weapons of mass destruction?" he demanded, trying to mask the fear creeping into his tone. "If so, you are a greater fool than I thought! My planet is well-defended against such measures! And your precious ship"—he gestured toward Gaia's mothership—"dare not make a move. My fleet will rain destruction upon it like nothing you've seen. I will cripple your forces and leave you powerless!"
Raiden laughed aloud, the sound carrying through the comms and seeming to echo across the void. "The Mother Ship?" he asked, his voice ringing with mockery. "That ship is nothing more than a vessel carrying Gaia's war drones. It's no threat to your world." Raiden's eyes began to glow, a fierce golden light radiating from them. "What you should fear, Little Mongrel, is me."
The Progenitor's smirk dropped as he processed Raiden's words, a sharp pang of dread settling in his core. "You… you're here alone?"
Raiden's smile grew cold and dangerous as he nodded. "You thought this was a battle between fleets, a war of ships and numbers? a Simple Space war?"
Raiden's eyes flared, golden energy crackling with unrestrained power as he leaned closer, the fury of an entire world focused within his gaze. "No. I am here to end the entire Citadel on my own. I am the threat. I am the destroyer. You have one thing to fear, Progenitor, and it isn't Gaia or the Mothership. It's me. And I am here to end your entire planet, alone."
The Progenitor's eyes widened, an almost human shock flickering across his face as he realized that Raiden himself was the weapon—a force of nature far more dangerous than any fleet. The reality hit him with a sharp, unrelenting finality. Panic replaced the Progenitor's calculating confidence, As he stumbled back, frantically waving to his fleet. "All forces, eliminate Raiden Kagawa!" he roared. "Shoot with everything you have! Do not let him survive!"
In an instant, the armada shifted, hundreds of ships adjusting their aim, all targeting the lone figure in the void.
As Raiden's form shifted, his body began to radiate with an intense golden aura, transforming into a god-like figure. His armor shimmered like molten gold, engraved with intricate patterns of celestial symbols and cosmic light. A multi-layered cloak billowed around him, merging with the endless expanse of space, while his eyes glowed with a transcendent intensity that spoke of both judgment and destruction. His silhouette grew majestic, his very presence exuding divinity as if he were an avatar sent to wield justice upon the cosmos. A golden halo formed behind him, symbolizing both his resolve and the boundless power he was about to unleash.
Then, a voice echoed in his mind, resonant and calm, yet brimming with immeasurable power:
'Servant, Berserker... Arjuna.' The words rang with an ancient authority. 'My existence is to destroy evil. And all evils shall be judged…'
The voice paused, contemplative. 'A Master who summons my power must either be the most foolish of men… or the wisest. Which one are you?'
Raiden only smiled, his expression determined. "I'll let you decide after you see it for yourself."
With those words, Raiden's form continued to expand, the golden light intensifying as he grew in size, dwarfing even the Citadel fleet. Within moments, his body spanned the void, towering over the Citadel's home planet itself. Their weapons fired relentlessly, a barrage from thousands of ships that should have obliterated any ordinary enemy. But Raiden's new form absorbed it all, unphased and unscathed, as his colossal figure loomed above them like a celestial deity poised for judgment.
The time had come. Raiden's voice rang through space as he began a sacred chant:
"Saṃsāra of Genesis and Terminus. Destruction and creation are two sides of the same coin. All creation shall undergo vicissitude, and death shall turn back to life. Yet evil is unnecessary in this world of people!"
Then, he spoke the name of the divine weapon that would carry out the sentence:
"Mahāpralaya!"
In a burst of godly light, a massive sword manifested before Raiden—a blade so colossal it dwarfed even his towering form, glowing with raw, chaotic energy. It was a weapon of absolute destruction, a Noble Phantasm beyond any classification, an Anti-World Noble Phantasm that could rewrite the cosmos itself. On Earth, such power would be curbed by the forces of nature, The Counter-Force... but here, in the depths of space, Raiden was free to wield its might without restriction.
With a simple, graceful motion, Raiden lowered the divine blade. The sword descended with a soundless fury, cleaving through the Citadel's planet with overwhelming force. The strike unleashed an explosion of blinding, searing light that enveloped the entire fleet. The sheer energy rippled through space, a wave of destruction so vast that the planet itself was split in half, obliterated beyond recognition. The Progenitor and his entire armada were consumed in the brilliant, endless light of judgment.
The Progenitor's final thoughts drifted into oblivion, laced with a profound terror. "A god has descended upon me… He has judged my actions… I have truly sinned."
And yet, as the energy ebbed, something miraculous occurred. The planet, now reduced to cosmic dust, began to reassemble, light coalescing around it as Mahāpralaya's power shifted. The Citadel's world was restored—not as it had been before Raiden's strike, but as it was in ancient times, untouched and pristine, a primordial sphere reborn from the ashes of judgment.
The voice of Arjuna's spirit spoke once more, calm yet resolute. 'I see… Perhaps you are not the wisest of men, but the fool here is certainly not you. I understand, Master. Summon me again whenever you so desire.'
With that, Raiden felt the golden aura dim as Arjuna's essence receded, leaving behind the remnants of a world cleansed and reborn, an entire empire humbled before the god-like wrath of a single man.
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If you Like this story! Check out my other story! One Piece: Elden Lord!
and
If you wish to read more or simply support me just because ? than check out my patréon at
"https://www.patréon.com/Riadooo"
Don't forget to change "é" to "e"