"Sorry, Imu. This guy was far too noisy. I had no choice but to act for some peace and quiet. I didn't expect to strike him so hard this time. Truly, my apologies!" Ashveil's lips curved into a slight, mocking smile, showing no hint of remorse.
Imu could sense that Ashveil was mocking her clansmen for their weakness. Yet, having lived for centuries in this world, her composure was unmatched. Seeing her clansman, Sword Saint Bickley, electrocuted and incapacitated, she showed no sign of distress. Instead, she regarded Ashveil with a cold, knowing smile.
"Oh? Is that so? Then I should thank you, Ashveil. I too appreciate peace and quiet. Had you not acted, I might not have been able to restrain myself and could have ended that noisy fellow myself…" Her voice was chilling, reverberating across the battlefield and sending shivers down the spines of all who heard it.
Ashveil narrowed his eyes, assessing Imu. It was clear she wasn't bluffing; she was capable of killing her own clansmen without hesitation.
"You truly are a sinister being, Imu," he murmured.
Imu's laughter rang out, echoing ominously.
"Hahaha! Ashveil, I had assumed that individuals like you and I already understood the truths of this world. Yet, you remain so naive! Hahaha! Well, you're still a kid." Her cold laughter spread across the Whitebeard Pirates' territory, making the air itself feel heavier.
"The truth of this world is simple: the big fish devours the small, the small devours the shrimp. Yet you fail to comprehend it!"
"Since Bickley lacked the strength, isn't it only natural for him to fall to a stronger being?" she added with an almost serene expression, countering Ashveil's earlier remark.
Ashveil shook his head. Imu was unlike anyone he had ever encountered; she moved without human emotion, like a perfect machine. Helplessly, he muttered to himself,
"The one who doesn't understand the truth of this world… is you, Imu."
He straightened, his resolve firm.
"Well, then. If a heartless entity like you has ravaged this world for centuries, I will act on behalf of the heavens and reshape this world!" Ashveil declared, his voice unwavering.
Imu's laughter only intensified.
"Don't be foolish, kid. You've only defeated a Sword Saint, someone merely favored by me. What is there to be proud of?" Her gaze was both confident and assessing.
"I could grant you a choice, Ashveil. Surrender now, and all your past deeds could be forgiven. Moreover, I could bestow upon you power second only to one, above ten thousand others!"
Her words surged outward with Conqueror's Haki, the terrifying aura instantly pressing in every direction. Even Whitebeard, the World's Strongest Man, Golden Lion Shiki, and Hawkeye Mihawk felt their bodies tense, cold sweat trickling down their foreheads.
"Such fearsome Conqueror's Haki! Even I, Golden Lion, feel the pressure!" Shiki muttered, astonished.
Whitebeard nodded solemnly.
"That means Imu's Conqueror's Haki rivals Ashveil's. And with Ashveil protecting us through his Haki wall… without it, we would have been crushed instantly!" Edward Newgate said with restrained awe.
Hawkeye Mihawk, eyes sharp and unwavering, swore, "Even if this battle ends with Ashveil's defeat, I will still fight alongside him. I will follow him to the very end!"
Whitebeard's expression softened with relief. It seemed Ashveil's choice in subordinates had been impeccable.
Imu, observing from above, looked at Ashveil with measured approval, demonstrating the nobility and authority of a true ruler. Yet Ashveil smiled faintly. He had no interest in titles, no desire to hoard power.
Even the highest position, constant worry, and endless scheming were meaningless to him. What he valued was already in his grasp—enjoying good food, basking in the sun, laughing with his brothers and friends. This life was infinitely more valuable than any crown or throne.
"Imu, power means nothing to me," Ashveil said softly, eyes gleaming with quiet confidence. "What I want is this life—peaceful, undisturbed, shared with my friends and brothers. Nothing could be better than what I have now."
The Whitebeard Pirates below felt inspired by his words.
"Ashveil… you rascal! Once you defeat Imu, and no one in this world can challenge the Whitebeard Pirates, I will drink you under the table!" Marco shouted, his enthusiasm echoing across the battlefield.
Other elite captains cheered, voices joining in, their faith in Ashveil's strength and resolve growing stronger by the second.
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