That kind of despair was something they'd never experienced before. In the face of a power that could tear space apart, it didn't matter how strong their Zoan recovery was or how tenacious their vitality might be—none of it had any meaning.
That hidden existence only needed to use that move one more time, and the three of them would be wiped out completely.
"Bastard! If you've got the guts, come out and fight me one-on-one! Hiding in the dark and throwing cheap shots—what kind of hero is that?!"
Jack roared in fury, transforming into a mammoth as he cursed, trying to provoke the one lurking in the shadows into coming out and settling it with raw physical might.
But King and Queen yelled at the same time, "Jack, you idiot! Stop it!"
The terror of that hidden figure was even greater than their boss Kaido—someone like you wants to challenge it?!
Yet strangely, after a long while, there was still no movement at all—only Jack's angry shouting echoed on.
"Did he leave…? Or what?" Queen couldn't make sense of it. The one in the dark could've killed the three of them at any moment.
"Lord Creed is here," King said, pointing toward the sky.
Queen hurriedly looked up.
Sure enough, that godly ship had descended over Mary Geoise!
Clearly, the one in the dark had changed targets!
"Waaah! Lord Creed, you're too handsome!" Queen almost cried.
Only when you're staring death in the face do you realize how deep the shadow in your heart is—how absolute that despair feels!
After all… he, Queen, still hadn't had enough of that little mung bean soup!
Above Mary Geoise, the Ark Maxim was descending. Creed stood at the very highest point of the prow, his robes fluttering. In his right hand, he held a snow-white longsword with a chain at its pommel, ending in a crescent-shaped blade. His eyes were cold and sharp as he stared into a certain patch of empty space.
At last, he had seen the legendary Imu!
There, Imu's figure was slowly surfacing.
There was not the slightest trace of mundane presence about him. The entire void behind him seemed to be his garment.
Void as clothing—he was the void, and the void was him.
Creed understood at once: just as he'd suspected, Imu's ability was related to the void!
"Creed!"
Imu's voice was low. His face was somewhat blurred and impossible to make out clearly, but his eyes were blood-red and eerie—whether that was tied to his power, no one could say. Yet the dangerous aura radiating from him was something Creed had never felt before.
Too strong!
Just his presence alone made Creed's state of mind waver, sending a strange chill through his entire body.
No—!
It was Imu's aura coming through the void.
Or rather, he was influencing Creed's mindset through the void itself.
But in the next instant, Creed forced those foreign sensations out.
Even though he hadn't broken through to SSSS+ yet, his four core attributes were already SSSS-rank—an all-around monster.
Even someone as strong as Imu had a basic attribute that was only around SSSS-rank:
[Attributes]: Strength: SSSS+, Agility: SSSS, Endurance (Defense): SSSSS-, Mental Power (Conqueror's Haki boost): SSSS
[Abilities]: SSSS+ Void Sword Intent, SSSS+ Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki), SSSS Haoshoku Haki (Conqueror's Haki), SSSS Swordsmanship, SSSS Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki), SSSS Taijutsu, SSSS Marine Rokushiki…
[Devil Fruit/Special Ability]: Space Fruit (Fully Awakened)
[Overall Strength]: Demi-god
[Weapon]: Supreme Grade Blade: Void
The system scan of Imu's attributes made Creed click his tongue in disbelief.
Before this, Creed had thought his own attributes and abilities were already the strongest in the pirate world—but Imu's row after row of SSSS ranks was almost blinding.
Imu truly was an evenly matched opponent—one who thrilled him.
"Imu!"
Battle flames leapt in Creed's eyes as he tightened his grip on Hyōrinmaru (Ice Ring). And in his left hand, the Supreme Grade Blade Rinne appeared once more!
In an instant, heaven and earth lost their color. A divine wheel rose, illuminating everything.
This battle—he had to go all out from the very beginning.
Otherwise… he might lose!
A demi-god-level opponent!
It was enough to make his blood boil!
"Very good. You're the strongest challenger I've seen in over eight hundred years! I, Imu, acknowledge that in this regard, you're the strongest!"
Imu's next words left Creed momentarily speechless.
That line sounded way too familiar—wasn't this something that should've happened in the Naruto world?!
"Come on—let's have a real fight, Imu!"
Creed charged forward, but Imu suddenly sank into the void. "Follow me. I don't want to damage my beautiful Flower Room."
Whoosh!
However, Creed flashed forward—in the instant before Imu could fully vanish into the void, he sliced off a corner of Imu's robe.
"Interesting. I didn't expect you to awaken the Ope Ope no Mi (Op-Op Fruit) as well!"
Imu left behind those fading words, but his body had already shifted hundreds of miles away in the first moment.
No—he was still moving rapidly!
It seemed he was heading toward another towering peak two or three thousand miles away?!
Creed moved, elementalizing into lightning as he chased.
On the Ark Maxim behind him, Ain clasped both hands to her chest and whispered a few prayers to the heavens. Then her gaze steadied, calm and resolute, as she gripped Crimson at her waist.
She was going to fight too!
Rumble!!
But at that moment, a terrifying peal of thunder rolled down from the sky! A crushing pressure slammed down, making her heart and mind tremble—and it felt strangely familiar…
(End of Chapter)
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