Chapter 26: Interlude (Army Assembled)

(Taibhse Island)

Off The Morrigan's home, a dozen ships departed in the dead of night. Most of them were nothing to write home about, standard long ships made of oak. They were filled to the brim with a certain species of fighter.

The average specimen was barely five foot, stooped over from their medieval-style armor. Frankly, it was a mish-mash of breastplates and limb-coverings, to the point no two looked alike. Most of their weapons, consisting of short swords and daggers, were crooked and cheaply made. As for the creatures themselves, their skin generally was a greenish-gray shade. Their hands were gnarled, with four sharp nails at the end.

Their chins were pointed, with some covered in scars. Long, hooked noses added to the unsettling images. Thin lips were curled back in sneers, exposing sharp needle-like teeth. Finally, they had small beady red eyes.

These were Goblins, the signature troops of The Morrigan. On one hand, they were a clear announcement of one's affiliation with the War Goddess. On the other, Goblins were merely the lowest of the forces available, so only the newest of her generals had to depend on them for ground troops.

A fact that wasn't forgotten by the two figures on shore, watching the ships leave.

The first figure was an intimidatingly tall man, at around 7 feet. He wore a black cape that completely wrapped around his other clothes. In a conventional sense, he was incredibly handsome, with a neatly trimmed mustache and goatee and slicked back shoulder-length black hair. On the other hand, he was inhumanly pale. His dark eyes alone were intense enough to cower lesser men. His face was just thin enough to be unsettling.

And if those warning signals weren't enough, then his two pointed canines should.

"Hmm…I'm curious what your take on our newest companion is," he asked the other figure.

In contrast to her tall, handsome colleague, she was an old, hunched woman. She wore the tattered garb of a Slavic peasant, with a ripped hood covering patches of stringy white hair. Her skin had just as many wrinkles and imperfections. One eye was significantly larger than the other. Her long nose had a wart on it.

She snarled at her companion, revealing that most of her teeth had fallen out, with a few rotten ones remaining.

"That God is a fool," she simply put it. "You know that as well as I, Count." She spoke in a thick Eastern European accent.

The Count chuckled, his tone deep and amused. "I'm merely interested in what people think, is that so wrong?"

"I know what you're digging for, труп, it won't work," the old crone hissed.

"You wound me, Madame Baba Yaga," the man replied. "Are we not all The Morrigan's loyal retainers?"

"You've run your own legion of creatures for centuries, and you expect me to believe you'd so easily yield to another?" the Slavic Witch raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of, isn't one of your progeny with Ares?"

"Oh yes, Carmilla will be with them. The Morrigan asked for someone not of his crew to monitor the Olympian," the man revealed.

"Really…so eager to volunteer you must've been…though I'd think someone who can actually stand sunlight would be a better fit," Baba Yaga chuckled.

"That will be no matter," the man tersely replied, with the Witch finally managing to irritate him. "The Morrigan's clouds will cover the fleet and Thoth's entire island."

"Ah…makes me wonder why she isn't taking more direct action…if she's already putting this much effort into this task," Baba Yaga mused.

"Because…every outcome from this point forward is to her benefit. Should Ares succeed, the Monsters of the Nile shall decimate our enemies' forces…and if he should fail, the Gods of the Pyramids will unleash their wrath on all in their path," the Vampire explained.

"Still, we'd lose the power of a God in the latter scenario," Baba Yaga pointed out.

"And you think The Morrigan cares?" He raised his eyebrow.

"I suppose not," Baba Yaga admitted. "Speculating anymore is useless. I'll be in my cabin until our Mistress calls us. You're not invited."

And just like that, an oversized pestle and mortar materialized. Baba Yaga hopped on, and flew off.

"What is her goal here?" the Vampire couldn't help but wonder.

With that, Count Dracula morphed into a flock of bats, and vanished.

OoOoOoO

The lead ship was Ares' personal galleon. He'd dubbed it the 'Wrath of Sparta'. It was an absolute triple-decker monster painted in red and black. The figurehead was a ferocious Amazon, bow drawn.

On deck, Ares' own personal servants were manning the sails. They were his Phalanx, men and women who'd once been defeated in War. The God had found them all at the brink, giving them a second chance for battle, with enhanced strength and stamina, in exchange for servitude.

Aside from them, Ares had found quite a few fighters he'd 'persuaded' to go along with him. While he didn't trust the 'otherworlders' just yet, they had their uses. But at the moment, they were causing quite a ruckus.

"The hell is this vampire bitch doing here?" an incredibly tall, lanky man glowered. He raised an odd weapon at her. It resembled two crescent moons facing opposite directions. The man himself wore a white Arrancar's uniform, with an overblown hood on the back. Stringy black hair reached down to his shoulders, slightly obscuring the eyepatch on his left eye. A thin grey eye narrowed in agitation.

"I don't answer to you, Hollow," Carmilla coolly responded. She was also tall and thin…though not to her agitator's extent. Her skin was an unhealthy pale to match her white hair, accentuated by ruby-red lips and dress. Piercing blue eyes were slit in disgust. Using her elongated nails, she was holding back the weapon aimed at her neck.

Nnoitra Gilga didn't take kindly to the woman asserting herself. He was about to swing. Off to the side, his Fracción, Tesla Lindocruz stood at attention. He had dirty blonde hair, a turquoise mark on his cheek, and a plain eye-patch over the right eye.

"HA! Typical Hollow behavior, poking their nose where it isn't wanted," a deep voice rumbled. It was a large man (twice the size of an average human) with black hair and a chinstrap beard. He wore the white Sternritter Uniform. This was Driscoll Berci, Sternritter O, The Overkill.

"Shut it, Quincy Trash!" The irascible ex-Espada started railing on the large man. Carmilla, for her part, snarled at the brutish Sternritter.

"Could you damn Humans quiet down?" By the railing, a large Fishman growled, his grip digging into the wood. He had long white hair, an extremely muscled upper body (bare for all to see), and a scarf that slightly resembled a dead dog.

"Oh, Hody, you know you're enjoying the brawls just as much as me, human or not," another large man commented. He wore a red tank top, with black pants and boots. He had short spiky blonde hair and a single black eye. The left eye was a prosthetic, sticking out amongst the ugly scar tissue marring that side of his face.

Hody Jones glared at the man taunting him, drops of water trailing down his forearms.

"Shove it, Muscular!" Nnoitra shouted. "Your world is nothing but weak humans, you don't get a say here!"

"Hahaha…Yeah, humans should know their place," a nearby Demon laughed. He was even larger than Driscoll. His skin was a pale blue (broken up by crimson tattoos), with spikes jutting out of his head, neck, and shoulders, and teeth just as sharp. Four massive arms were crossed in front of his chest. His lower body consisted of six, segmented tentacles. On his upper right forearm was the Mark of Tartaros, his old Dark Guild.

"Oh?" Muscular, the Villain with the Muscle Augmentation Quirk, stood up. "Wanna see how tough Demons REALLY are, Ezel?"

Ezel stood at his full height, practically daring Muscular to move.

Off to the side, a final figure slouched against the wall of the cabin. When it came to this crew, he had the typical build of a large thug, with 8 feet of pure muscle. His hair was a thick, unruly mane. His arms and chest were similarly unshaven. His tanned skin was only covered by bearskin shorts and boots. Finally, there was a tattoo of a spider on his back, with the number 11 on the body.

Uvogin of the Phantom Troupe started stomping towards the growing arguments. Even though he had absolutely no stake or care in the debate, it just seemed too fun to sit back. He raised a fist, ready to unleash his Nen.

"BANG!" The door to the Captain's Cabin slammed open.

Oddly enough, the figure was only the height of an average man, but you wouldn't know it from how everyone reacted. All thoughts of causing trouble instantly died.

Ares was a well-built man, living up to the marble visages of him from millennia past. To the side, he placed his helmet down, its red plume bristling from the wind. The armor he wore was Spartan in style, a fine tight-fitting bronze. A red cape billowed behind him. A red shortsword hung in its sheath. As for the god himself, he was rather handsome. His strong jaw and crewcut were testaments to how he attracted the 'Goddess of Love' herself. Intense red eyes scanned his crew, before settling on Nnoitra.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen," he chuckled in a smooth voice. "Carmilla is our honored guest, and is to be treated as such."

Say what you will about the Gods of Olympus, but at least all of them respected Sacred Hospitality and Guest Right...except for that minor little incident with Poseidon and Hades forming the Sea, but minor details.

"That being said, the good madam must also remember that a guest should remember their own obligations," Ares turned. "And I'd hate to see what happens if a Vampire is no longer 'invited'."

"Hmm, it won't come to that, my lord," Carmilla bowed her head out of courtesy.

Ares narrowed his eyes at her, but accepted the response. "Why don't you come into my cabin? We can discuss your assignment." He lifted an arm in invitation.

"Of course," Carmilla gave a mocking curtsy to Nnoitra before entering.

"Now, as long all of you are in shape for the coming battle, anything goes. But I will kill anyone who deprives me of a good soldier." A pause. "Well, have at each other," Ares laughed before shutting the door.

With that ringing endorsement, the 6 brutes went at each other… and woe betide any of the Phalanx who got in their way. After all, when weighed against these six… well, it was clear whom Ares saw as more useful.

OoOoOoO

(Island of Miquiztli)

Since the Sea of Second Chances had been created, the Island of Miquiztli had usually been quiet. For good reason, no one wanted to be on the receiving end of Cipactli's temper. But now, every single one of his followers had come.

Tens of thousands of ships blanketed the ocean as far as the eye could see. Everything from single-sail vessels carrying a couple dozen enhanced animals, to immense barges and arcs containing a few hundred. The largest ships each had two massive Mosasaurs to draw them, reigns still attached. In one unusual case, a modern oil tanker was being driven by an Orangutan in a Captain's uniform.

All told, hundreds of thousands of Cipactli's servants had assembled. He'd even called back all his forces from the entrance islands to reach such numbers. Every single species imaginable had come.

So many had come, that the island wasn't even big enough to hold them.

Naturally, roars and hollers echoed across the ships. This put any human captives on the ships in a state of near-panic. One particularly loud roar came a lion with dark orange fur, a black mane, and a scar over his left eye.

Towering above the other animals, hundreds of dinosaurs tried to assert their dominance. Raptors snapped and snarled. Horns and spikes scraped against each other. Long necks slammed against each other, much like the giraffes on a few other ships. Tyrannosaurs bellowed their mighty roars. One large predator, a white genetic hybrid, gnawed on a dead Triceratops, its unusually long hands and claws digging into flesh, though she kept her distance from the Mosasaur steeds.

Speaking of dinosaurs, the latest of Cipactli's 'otherworld' recruits was rushing towards the cave entrance to present themselves.

"Oh, Pay-Pay…we're going to be late! And I'm so tired! Carry me!" A feminine Pachycephalosaurus with a mask covering her mouth, and a mink fur-lined cape, hopped onto the back of a Spinosaurus with long purple hair.

Page One and Ulti, elite Tobi Roppo of the Beast Pirates, barreled past the common animals standing at attention.

Behind them, hundreds of Gifters were trying to keep up. They all did their best to ignore the glares of the other animals, who didn't take kindly to anything resembling 'humans' on their turf. Of course, this went completely unnoticed by the brother and sister roughhousing with each other. They'd gotten into the habit of staying in their 'full-animal' forms granted by their Zoans…as did the other Devil Fruit users affiliated with Cipactli.

"GET OFF!" Page One bellowed, bucking his signature spine up and down.

By now, they'd made it to the cave entrance…but they didn't enter. Cipactli only allowed the highest of his elite to enter without permission.

At the sight of the two, another figure sighed in annoyance.

"Could you two children quit that unsightly behavior?!" King shouted from above, flapping in his fiery Pteranodon form. "I've had enough of that in one lifetime."

Just like that, Ulti's entire demeanor flipped. She gave an angry glare at her fellow Beast Pirate. "Oh…do you think your opinion actually matters to us all of a sudden? You arrogant piece of shit!"

King narrowed his eyes, but before he could respond, someone else did.

"Insolent brats," the massive horned serpent Manda glowered at the two. "I'd be more than willing to make a snack of you if you don't learn your place."

"TRY IT!" Ulti yelled at the snake that could literally swallow her whole, even in her larger dinosaur form. She was going so far as to prepare Armament Haki on her claws.

"Please, calm down sis!" Page One sighed.

"HAHAHA! Let her have some fun," Yammy cackled. Hordes of Gillian Hollows howled in agreement.

"For once, I agree with the Hollow," another voice declared. He wore the white uniform of the Sternritter, complete with the trench coat. He was dark-skinned, with black hair arranged in cornrows. Uniquely to him, he had sharpened upper canines, long nails, and patches of fur on his arms. This was Jerome Guizbatt, Sternritter R, The 'Roar'. "Let them at each other…I wanna see how those Ninja tricks do against Devil Fruits."

Off to the side, the only full-blown humans were keeping to themselves, all in suits. The most normal-looking was a slim woman with dirty blonde hair, pushing a pair of glasses up. Besides her, was a large man with his hair fashioned into two points, resembling a bull's. A larger man was a wild mane of light purple hair, with his skin nearly the same shade. He slammed his staff, as he took a standard Kabuki pose. Beside him was the final human, although he looked more like a ball than a human, with only spindly limbs, a tuft of green hair, and squashed face identifying him as such.

Around the four humans, two animals had formed something of a protective circle. One was a massive wolf with gray fur, and a distinctive Fu Manchu. The other was a giraffe with a square nose. Oddly enough, they had suits stretched over their bodies as well.

This was the infamous CP9. Kalifa, Blueno, Kumadori, Fukuro, Jabra, and Kaku. Well, it was every member except their strongest. In fact, Lucci had not returned to Miquiztli, which was causing great concern amongst his comrades. A fact that did not go unnoticed.

A massive mammoth stomped towards the group. It was so large, that regular humans wouldn't even reach his knees. He had long blonde hair in two braids, with a little puff on the top.

Jack the Drought leered at the former World Government employees. "You know…Youpi came back earlier with a Tzitzimimeh. I wonder why Lucci wasn't with him?"

While Jabra did growl at that, CP9 didn't dare respond, knowing just how precarious their position was.

"I was wondering, if even the legendary 'dark assassin' failed, what use would Cipactli have for the rest of you?"

As Jack guffawed, other members of the Beasts Pirates looked over. Who's Who, Sasaki, and Black Maria all rolled their eyes, having never been impressed by any Calamity, Jack least of all.

Off to the side, Queen simply ignored it. He was currently entertaining the nearest ship of dinosaurs. Somehow, he was doing his 'FUNKY' dance in his Brachiosaur form, much to the onlookers' amusement if their cheering was any indication.

A little off, a Faunus landed, flying off of a Grimm Nevermore. He mostly resembled a thin human, but the scorpion tail was a dead giveaway. His black hair rested in a long, braided ponytail that could honestly be mistaken for the tail. Slit yellow eyes were twitching in amusement. He childishly giggled while swaying back and forth.

"Tyrian…the hell is your malfunction?" a green Lizard man asked. He wore white-painted Kevlar, with black pants. A white bandana was wrapped around his eyes, with two holes cut out for his eyes. A red scarf added some color to his otherwise drab clothes. Besides him, a handful of creatures hung around him. The only things they had in common were a bipedal posture, massive muscles, and exposed brains, indicating that they had all once been human, but no longer.

"Oh, Spinner," the crazed Tyrian Callows chided. "One day, you'll appreciate the to and fro of such fractious comrades. I might even be inspired to compose a sonnet from it."

"I'll take your word for it," the Quirk-Mutant, and former League of Villains elite, rolled his eyes before walking off, his hand hovering over the handle of the katana on his back.

Tyrian's stinger tail hovered for a bit, aiming at Spinner's back. "Nah…not today."

The Nomu growled at the Faunus, but made no move, since their current intermediary with Cipactli wasn't immediately threatened.

"Ugh…such a pain," a large humanoid groaned. He was mostly bare-chested, with black pants and boots. A red mark crossed over one eye, while the other eye was an unfocused white. On his back, was the Ouroboros Tattoo. Sloth of the Homunculi didn't really feel any connection with the rest of the Pack, but he was honestly too lazy to keep looking after running into the first powerful deity he could.

To the side, another humanoid scoffed at all these brutes trying to assert themselves. He went back to playing his violin, blonde hair swaying with his head. He was young, tall, and lanky. He wore a frilly white shirt and pants. His Chimera Ant heritage was only given away by his human-sized butterfly wings and antennae.

"Wow, Pouf, you're still as good as I remember," a shorter Chimera Ant wandered up. They were feminine in appearance, appearing in a blue-button up overcoat. White hair, ears, and a tail resembled that of a cat's. Red eyes and an amused smile graced their features.

"Of course, Pitou, an elite Guard as myself should excel," Shaiapouf huffed. "Although, I have to admit it took me forever to find a suitable instrument. Had to burn down three islands worth of dumb humans until I stumbled on this."

Neferpitou brought a hand to their chin. "Say…you've seen Youpi? I heard he was brought back here."

"Oh yes," Pouf gave a smug grin. "Lord Cipactli will be presenting and honoring him once everyone's been assembled. I'm sure of it."

"Oh?"

"Indeed, with Youpi's actions, our Species has gained favor with Lord Cipactli. To have a 'God of the Sea' on our side, will certainly make things easier when Our Majesty finally revives here," Pouf stated with certainty.

"I guess it'll be quite the sight," Pitou giggled and sat down crisscross. Their gaze wandered back to the Chimera Ants' personal ships, filled with dozens of their species.

Finally, the last significant 'otherworlder' arrived. A massive Dragon landed. Razor sharp teeth were exposed in a mean smile. Their body was covered in large, swirly scales of a grayish-blue shade. This was Motherglare, of the Wizard World. They were one of the most ferocious of the original generation of Dragons.

"Has our Lord emerged yet?" Motherglare's deep, bellowing voice questioned.

"No," King shook his head. "He won't until his entire Congregation arrives."

For the sake of context, Cipactli's Congregation is in reference to his 7 greatest followers. Even with the 'otherworlders' joining, they still stood above such imposing figures as the Calamities, Espada, and Royal Guard. Long had they haunted the people of the American Continent. Well, most of them had. 2 were from faraway lands, but had impressed Cipactli enough for him to enlist them.

OoOoOoO

Within the cave, but not quite at Cipactli's residence, 5 figures awaited their Lord's coming.

The first hung from the ceiling, leathery wings curled around him. He was a massive bat, about twice the size of a human. His squashed face turned as pitch black eyes scanned the surroundings, fangs bared in annoyance. This was Camazotz, a Mayan God of Night and Death.

"Where is the Skin-Walker? Aren't they supposed to be here?" the Bat asked in a shrill and impatient voice.

"From what I've heard, they were sent on an assignment," a smooth female voice answered.

The speaker had the head, front paws, and general shape of a large cat. On the head though, the horns of a bison stuck out. Instead of fur, scales covered most of its body. Its tail resembled that of a snake's more than a cat's. The back legs were actually the flippers of a seal. This was Mishipeshu, the Underwater Panther of the Great Lakes. According to Algonquian legend, she was possibly the most powerful Underworld Deity.

"Ooh…how exciting," the smallest creature giggled with the voice of a young boy.

Halfway burrowed into the dirt, was a four foot worm. It was a bright red, segmented like other worms. Despite the lack of eyes, it seemed to be staring right at the Mishipeshu. A circular maw filled with razor sharp teeth seemed to spark in the dark cave, with five pincers twitching around it. It was known as the Olgoi-Khorkhoi, or the more common name, Mongolian Death Worm.

"The hell could be important enough for them to leave when we're about to face Tiamat?!" a deep male voice asked. "It's all hands on deck here!"

This figure was three times the size of a human. For the most part, he had the general shape of a large, muscular man. Dark brown fur covered most of his body. His face seemed to be the missing link between ape and human. Pronounced teeth stuck out a scowling mouth. A luscious beard and sideburns completed the image. He was the legendary Sasquatch, or Bigfoot, of the Pacific Northwest.

"Hehehehe…it would seem Lord Cipactli is keeping secrets from even us," the final figure laughed in an echoing voice.

They were an utterly gruesome sight. From far away, they could be mistaken for a horse and its rider. Up close though, the sight was an utter nightmare. For the supposed man was nothing but an extension of the creature. While the 'human' had no legs, their long clawed arms dangled to the point of dragging along the rock. Both 'horse' and 'human' completely lacked any skin, with raw red muscle exposed along their whole body, black blood pumping in visible yellow veins. A putrid cloud came the horse's mouth, its single eye narrowed in amusement. This was the plague of the Orkney Islands, a Devil of the Sea, the Nuckelavee.

"We think it has to do with those three sharks," both horse and human head of the Nuckelavee spoke in unison. While the human head had a sonorous male voice, the horse head had an aged female voice.

"Those weaklings aren't worth Lord Cipactli's attention…or even ours for that matter," the Worm declared.

"It was probably the vessel's fault," Camazotz huffed. "He was just an ordinary animal before his blessing, after all."

"Are you doubting Lord Cipactli's ability to raise up others?" the Mishipeshu coyly asked.

Camazotz snarled at the obvious baiting.

Before he could respond however, a chill entered the cave. All present members of the 'Congregation' tensed at Cipactli's final lieutenant.

"Aahhh," the newcomer exhaled, its rotted vocal cords giving it a scratchy voice. It was the largest member of the 'Congregation'. Colorless skin was stretched to the point of clearly outlining every bone in its body, giving the impression of emaciation. Milky gray eyes seemed in a perpetual state of looking up. Blood oozed out of said eyes, and from torn lips. What had once been feet had rotted away, with only bloody stumps remaining. And the stench was utterly foul, even by the standards of the others there. Putrid bits of human flesh remained in a perpetually open maw of both sharp and blunt teeth. On its head, it wore the skull of a caribou, complete with horns.

The Wendigo, the physically strongest of Cipactli's pack, had arrived.

All of a sudden, its eyes darted down, looking right at the Sasquatch, who prudently took a step back.

"Hhuugghhh!"

What the Wendigo had in strength, it lost in intelligence and cognitive reasoning, to the point of being little more than a mindless beast. To be honest, it was only Cipactli's own influence that was stopping it from simply attacking and devouring each and every thing in its sight. Even so, it always felt the pang of hunger, no matter how much it ate.

The Sasquatch clenched its fists.

"Ahh…I wish Lord Cipactli would hurry up!" the Worm nearly whined, breaking the tense mood. "I don't want to hang around this ignoramus," it gestured its tail to the Wendigo.

Said creature turned to the Worm, and growled.

OoOoOoO

At the end of the cave, Cipactli rested in his human form. On the ground beside him, in a state of undress, was a woman with a spiky green Mohawk. To be technical, she was a Crocodile Faunus, with splotches of her skin replaced with scales. To enhance that image, she had replaced her natural teeth with a sharpened steel jaw. By her side, two rapiers and an old-fashioned alarm clock lay on the floor. A loyal falcon with a proclivity for ice perched nearby.

Close to the side of the wall, there was a massive circle drawn into the ground, with dried blood serving as the border. Beyond that, two massive figures futilely struggled against their chains.

"Tock, It's time," Cipactli simply said as he rose up, securing his loincloth and headpiece.

"Already, love?" Tock questioned in a thick Cockney accent. "Thought they'd take longer to get here."

"Thank you for the pleasure, but you must rejoin the others," he left no room for argument. "I must prepare before taking command."

"Right, after our victory then?" she winked as she grabbed her blades, holding one arm for the falcon to land on.

"Perhaps," Cipactli gave the briefest flash of a smirk, before his usual stoic expression took hold. After all, even if Tock was a worthy mate, Cipactli only put so much stock in that sort of thing.

"Alright." With a click of her alarm clock, she and the falcon were off.

At the same time, another two figures flew in and knelt before Cipactli. One was a Tzitzimimeh, and the other was Youpi.

"Rise up, Menthuthuyoupi," Cipactli gave a pleased grin to the Chimera Ant. Once Youpi complied…

"Show me," Cipactli commanded.

Youpi's purple palm opened up, revealing the cursed golden Aztec Medallion. Cipactli deeply growled at the sight.

"Place it in the circle, and spill your blood upon it."

"Yes, my Lord," Youpi quickly stomped up, delicately placed the Medallion in the middle, and spilled his Chimera Ant blood over it.

For the briefest second, a pulse of power emanated from the circle, before vanishing as quickly as it appeared. Once completed, the Tzitzimimeh went on her knees outside the circle, and began to chant in the Nahuatl language.

"You have done well, Menthuthuyoupi," Cipactli proclaimed. "In any other circumstance, I would freely offer my blood to one who has served me so well, elevating you to the height of my 'Congregation'."

Youpi could almost hear that 'but' coming.

"But the curse of Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca remains strong," the God of the Sea scowled at the Medallion. "So instead, I shall ask, what is it that you wish of me?"

Youpi was taken aback at such a generous, open-ended offer.

"My Lord, all I wish is for peace between you and My King whenever he revives," Youpi bowed his head.

Cipactli brought a hand to his chin. "Ah…you mentioned his name was Meruem, yes?"

Youpi nodded.

"Very well, as long as this King Meruem doesn't side against my pack, I will leave him be," Cipactli decided. "You have my word. Will that be sufficient?"

"I…thank you, my lord. You are most generous," Youpi knelt back down.

"Rise, it's nearly time for us to depart," Cipactli reminded him.

As the Chimera Ant rose again, Cipactli walked to the back of his cave, where the two gargantuan beasts struggled.

One was a massive grey being that resembled a turtle, with crab-like spikes along the rim. Red skin was visible anywhere without protection. One red eye peeked out from behind a spiked forehead and chin. Its front limbs and feet resembled a human's. Instead of hind limbs, it had three tails.

The other was an enormous white slug. Two stubby arms uselessly hung on its side. Its optical tentacles darted frantically in distress. On its back, six tails strained against the chains.

"Calm yourselves, Isobu, Saiken," Cipactli spoke in his deep inhuman voice. "Your treatment isn't done yet."

The mighty Three-Tails and Six-Tails of the Ninja World roared in defiance.

"Just a little more," Cipactli said in what he thought was a soothing voice. He drew his Macuahuitl and made a small cut on each Tailed Beast. Right after, he cut open his own hand. First, he rubbed his black blood into Isobu, and then Saiken suffered the same fate.

For a good few minutes, both Tailed Beasts writhed in absolute agony. Veins bulged and darkened as the foreign blood took hold.

"Do you see it now?" Cipactli asked in a dissonantly calm voice. "My vision?"

The Tailed Beasts continued to roar.

"It's alright," the Aztec abomination stroked the turtle's ridged shell. "Soon, you shall see as I do. The time of Gods and Humans must come to an end. The Paradise of eons past is within our reach. All you need to do is give in, and accept me as your guide."

As he spoke, the Tailed Beasts quieted down, and bowed their heads to him.

"Welcome to my Pack."

Cipactli tore the chains apart with contemptuous ease. "Now…join the others at the entrance."

With that, the Three-Tails and Six-Tails walked off, fully enthralled.

OoOoOoO

By the entrance, the 'otherworlders' had all quieted down when the Tailed Beasts joined them. Motherglare chuckled in amusement. On the other hand, the Beast Pirates and CP9 capable of Observation Haki were incredibly on edge, having some ability to sense what had happened.

Manda narrowed his eyes. "To be capable of subduing two Tailed Beasts without effort…"

Before he could continue his train of thought, the man of the hour appeared.

Cipactli emerged in the middle of the entrance, and Youpi knelt before him.

To their right was Camazotz, then Sasquatch, and Olgoi at the end. To the left of their master, there was an empty space, reserved for Yee Naaldlooshii, the Skinwalker. Beside that spot was the Nuckelavee, then the Mishipeshu, and the Wendigo.

In response, every single animal roared as one. Even the elite otherworlders weren't immune to the desire. Tailed Beasts, Hollows, Quincy, Zoans, Dragon, Faunus, Grimm, Nomu, and Chimera Ants all shouted their dominance to the world as one pack. It's said that even islands that were miles away could hear the calls in perfect clarity.

Then, Cipactli roared. He even added a little bit of Wa-Ay for that extra oomph. His voice dwarfed all his subordinates' combined.

In submissive awe, the whole pack quieted.

"Brothers and Sisters! Look around you," Cipactli echoed his voice so that every single animal in his pack could hear it.

"This is what you all have created! Your efforts and sacrifices have let you reach this moment!"

A round of cheers.

"The faithless and accursed Tiamat has broken her vow as a 'God of the Sea'! She has let her children spill the blood of OUR Pack! Will you stand for this?!"

"NO!"

"We shall bring the fight to Tiamat herself! Make her feel our vengeance!"

"YEAH!"

"Now," he rose up a hand for silence, "before we proceed, we shall honor one of our newest pack members who was there at that moment of betrayal," Cipactli gestured down to Youpi. "Rise up."

The Chimera Ant did so.

"Menthuthuyoupi has fought with ingenuity and courage, against superior odds. For this, I shall give him his own command."

The Pack gave a customary cheer.

"And for his first act as commander, I shall entrust him with the defense of the Island of Miquiztli in our absence. His fellow Chimera Ants and CP9 shall be under his command."

CP9 bristled at this, being the first time they heard about it. They did not like the implications of being openly subordinated to a middleman between them and Cipactli himself, yet they had no choice but to go along.

As for the 'Congregation', all of them gave a questioning look to Cipactli and Youpi, wondering just what the latter could've done to gain such favor so quickly.

"Menthuthuyoupi, do you accept the weight of this task? And do you promise to perform to the utmost of your ability?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then the arrangements are complete. I am ready to lead you all, as God of the Sea," Cipactli announced.

Another chorus of roars!

"But first, we must commemorate our fallen."

With that announcement, those who could brought up a human captive.

"To Gustave and his pack!" Cipactli bellowed.

"To Gustave!" With that, the animals slit the humans' throats, and tossed their bodies into the sea.

In a wave of his hand, Cipactli shot out drops of his black blood into the ocean. Once mixed with the human blood, the God of the Sea raised his hand.

All the blood separated from the water and rose up into the sky, shaping itself into the image of a roaring crocodile large enough for all to see. Once done, the blood retreated into Cipactli himself.

"Prepare yourselves! We're going to war!"

"RAAHHH!"

OoOoOoO

Far to the east, a staggeringly-large island was moving. Even now, thousands of Samebitos toiled away in the production of weapons. One by one, the mistress felt her children returning. Everything from the lowliest grunt, to the most powerful of Demon Sorcerers.

Tiamat narrowed her eyes. She could feel that her rival's forces were ready.

Angered, she began exerting her own power.

Slowly, but surely, the shape of the island itself began to morph. Tiamat began attaching massive chunks of earth. By the time of the battle, Tiamat (and her island's combat-capable physical form) would be ready.

Omake: Happy Shark Week!

OceanLord looked at his three main stars.

"So…this is a little awkward," the Director/Producer/Writer/Overlord rubbed the back of his neck. Halibel's stern gaze wasn't helping.

"Here's the thing…we've got a couple chapters without any of you."

"What?" Jinbe questioned.

"We're the main characters," Kisame protested.

"I know, but Itachi and Ace have barely had any screen time. And I need to show Cipactli's whole army…"

"Alright, we get it," Halibel held her hand up.

"You know we still expect to get paid," Jinbe pointed out.

"Oh don't worry," OceanLord reassured them. "I got just the thing for y'all."

In an instant, the three felt their pockets fill to the brim in cash.

"And besides, I've got something for y'all to pass the time," OceanLord brought them to his TV.

"What are you planning?" Halibel asked, ever-suspicious of a self-proclaimed #1 fan of hers.

"Oh…just a classic tradition of summer," OceanLord put in a movie.

Du-Dun! Du-Dun!

And so, the three watched Jaws for the very first time. Some highlights…

OoOoOoO

"What sort of idiot goes swimming in the dark?" Halibel questioned.

"Well...I guess this is usually safe place to do it…" Jinbe suggested.

"Not for long…" Kisame eagerly added.

"AHHH!"

"And there it is," Kisame laughed.

OoOoOoO

"Where's the dog?!" Jinbe asked in a near-panic.

"Most likely devoured," Halibel said indifferently, completely ignoring Jinbe's aghast expression.

"Hey…looks like we've got the next victim!" Kisame added, pointing to the screen.

OoOoOoO

SSSCCCRRREEEE! The sound of nails scratching a chalkboard raked all their ears.

"Hehehe…I like this guy," Kisame grinned.

As the immortal Captain Quint gave his offer, the three were transfixed.

OoOoOoO

"Farewell and ado, to you fair Spanish Ladies!"

"Huh…I like this song," Jinbe started humming along. His cheer was so infectious, the others started going along.

OoOoOoO

For once, the three were utterly silent at Captain Quint's story of the USS Indianapolis.

"Did that…really happen in your world?" Jinbe couldn't help but ask OceanLord.

"Yep."

A moment of silence. Then, Jinbe walked out…and walked back in with his trusty sake.

OoOoOoO

By now, everyone was starting to feel the affects of the booze.

"It's coming, it's coming, it's coming," Halibel had drunk more than the others. So she was tapping on both Kisame and Jinbe's arms as the barrels made their way to the boat.

OoOoOoO

POOM!

"There goes their engine," Kisame gleefully pointed out.

"Ehh…they were idiots anyway," Halibel nearly slurred.

"They might make it," Jinbe hopefully suggested.

OoOoOoO

BANG! The shark began to rip the cage open.

"GET HIM, BOY!" Kisame cheered.

"And Hooper dropped the poison!" Halibel jeered. "Just eat him!"

"What's wrong with you two?!" Jinbe wondered. "Well…at least the others should make it."

OoOoOoO

"AHH!" And there goes Captain Quint.

"Hehehe…only Brody left!" Kisame laughed.

"C'mon Boy! Just wait for the ship to sink, then you can eat him!" Halibel was toasted, cheering along with Kisame.

"That's it…no more for you!" Jinbe snatched the bottle away.

OoOoOoO

The music built up, the shark was charging, Brody took aim.

"Almost there!" Kisame and Halibel cheered. Jinbe couldn't watch…or that's what he said as he peeked past his webbed fingers.

"SMILE, YOU SON OF A…! POW! BOOM!"

"NO!" Kisame and Halibel shouted at the TV.

"Oh thank goodness!" Jinbe muttered.

OoOoOoO

"So…what'd you think?" OceanLord asked.

"Why'd they have to kill that sweet little pup?" Kisame and Halibel nearly moaned in unison. You'd have thought they watched 'Old Yeller' or something.

"HE WAS EATING PEOPLE!" Jinbe shouted, before clearing his throat. "But I think we all enjoyed it."

"Okay, I know what'll cheer you up," OceanLord hit the switch.

There was a brief screen saying 'Shark Week', before it cut to two sharks nudging against each other, before lunging for bait at the end of a line.

"Aww…" Kisame and Halibel were instantly at ease again, leaning into each other.

"What'd you do?" Jinbe asked.

"Cute Shark Videos…works every time," OceanLord gloated.

A.N. Alrighty, lot to go over. First, Ares' crew. I get the feeling that they're going to be one of the most 'hated' crews…at least when it comes to you readers. This might seem like an odd team, and it is. To me though, Ares is the God of 'Pointless' War and Slaughter…and I felt that Nnoitra, Driscoll, Hody, Ezel, Uvogin, and Muscular epitomize that to a T.

Now, The Morrigan's elite followers. I'll go ahead and say they mostly follow the theme of classic monsters and fairy tales. Hence, Count Dracula and Baba Yaga. On this note, I'll go ahead and say that I'm planning on around half-a-dozen elite lieutenants for each 'God of the Sea'…who'll all be around the same strength as '2nd-Gen' Greek Gods like Ares and Persephone. Heck, one or two of those elites WILL be Olympians. At that level…only the 'main heroes/villains' of Naruto, Bleach, OP, and etc., will be able to fight/beat them one-on-one.

And of course, my reveal of Cipactli's entire Pack. Fun fact, the name of a group of Alligators is actually called a 'Congregation'…which is where I got the title for Cipactli's 7 trusted elite. Most of them have American origins, like Cipactli himself. The Camazotz is a Mayan God of night and death. The Wendigo is an Algonquian spirit of cannibalism, just as feared as the Skinwalker. The Mishipeshu (Underwater Panther) is also an Algonquian Underworld monster thought to live in the Great Lakes. We've also got THE Sasquatch/Bigfoot, which is pretty self-explanatory. And of course, our missing Navajo Skinwalker hunting the C.S. Crew down. Now the oddballs…The Nuckelavee is the worst of abominations haunting the Orkney Islands(its name even means 'Devil of the Sea'…how could I resist?). And finally, there's the Olgoi-Khorkhoi (or the Mongolian Death Worm). Enjoy your NIGHTMARES!

But to recap. Under the Might of Cipactli, we have 7 mythological terrors, two Tailed Beasts, a Boss Summon, an Espada with a Hollow horde, a Sternritter, the near-full might of the Beast Pirates (minus Kaido), CP9, a Dragon, a Grimm herd, bloodthirsty Faunus, Nomu, a Homunculi, Chimera Ants (minus Meruem), and every species of animal known (including Dinosaurs…I couldn't resist). I'd say that was a host worthy of one of my 'Big Bads'. It might be overboard, but I simply couldn't resist. After all, what else is a crossover of this scale for…if not to throw everyone together? Also…see if you can find the 4 Villains that I've hidden in Cipactli's Pack.

Also was REALLY eager to start diving more into Cipactli's character itself. Let me know what y'all think! I wanted to show his better traits (like honoring his word) while still showing just how horrible he could be (with the Tailed Beasts as examples).

I originally was going to add more of Tiamat and her 'children'…but I felt that the Cipactli stuff went on long enough that the chapter would drag. So keep an eye out for the next 'Interlude' for Tiamat's 'family'.

BTW…I finally got started on that 'Databook'. I've posted the first chapter whenever y'all get the chance. Although to be honest…it's mostly my 'Shark Trio' clowning while the info is dumped. It'll at least keep things clear in terms of who's with who…and I don't mean Who's Who…LOL!

And Shout-Out to CoolCarnage…who was the one to actually suggest the Mishipeshu and Motherglare as a part of Cipactli's Pack in his 'SoSC, but it's Memes.'

Also…I know it isn't until next week…but I don't think I'll get another chance. So…HAPPY SHARK WEEK!

Til Next Time…Have Fun! Stay Safe!