An eerie silence enveloped the world, as if all sound had been sucked away.
The shockwave spread spherically, completely clearing the clouds for hundreds of miles around.
The remaining structures of Mary Geoise crumbled under the pressure. Even the battleships far below the Red Line could see the blossoming flower of death blooming on the horizon.
At that moment, in the ruined square of Mary Geoise, everyone looked up at the battle in the sky that surpassed human limits.
The sky resembled a torn canvas, dark purple and golden energy torrents continuously intertwining and colliding.
Even they had to release their Haki to resist the terrifying aftershocks.
Garp craned his neck, his eyes that had witnessed countless battles now reflecting an incredulous light. "Has that Setsuna already become that powerful?"
Dragon stood a bit further away, his gaze as heavy as iron. He hadn't interacted much with Setsuna, and doubts lingered in his mind. If he ultimately defeats Imu, will he replace her as the new 'God'?
Kaido slammed his kanabo heavily onto the ground. "Are we just supposed to stand here and watch?! I didn't break out of prison to be a spectator!"
His dragon scale tattoo writhed as his muscles bulged. "A battle of this level... it really gets the blood boiling!"
Big Mom sneered. "With your strength, you'd be instantly killed if you charged in, wouldn't you?"
Kaido turned to glare. "Crazy old hag, you're looking for a fight?"
Big Mom licked her lips. "I don't mind showing you who's the boss."
Zephyr stepped forward at the right moment, speaking in a grave tone. "Everyone, please calm down. Captain specifically instructed me before he left. He asked everyone to preserve their strength."
"The final moment will likely require everyone to join forces and buy him one or two seconds. That will be the moment for everyone to truly unleash their power."
Hearing this, Kaido's violent fighting spirit subsided slightly, but the excitement in his eyes didn't diminish at all. "To fight an opponent of that level, even for just a second or two is enough."
The battle in the sky continued.
Setsuna's fist, sheathed in earthen-yellow crystal and dark golden Haki, smashed towards Imu's face like a meteor.
Where the fist's wind passed, the air distorted and tore.
"What's wrong? Where did your earlier momentum go?"
Imu hastily raised a wing to block. One of the six jet-black wings shattered under the heavy blow, dark purple energy spraying out like blood.
Boom!
Setsuna's assault didn't relent. Another whip-like leg swept out.
Imu grunted, forced back hundreds of meters, dark black blood spilling from the corner of her mouth.
She tried to create distance, but Setsuna clung to her like a shadow.
"Why run?" Setsuna's fists poured down like a storm. "Didn't you say my Haki wasn't worth looking at?"
Imu seethed inwardly, 'That's not just Haki! Who's ever seen Haki that also wraps a layer of rock armor around the body?'
However, she had no time to retort.
Each of Setsuna's fists carried the power to shatter mountains. Two of her six wings were already broken, and the remaining four were covered in cracks.
For the first time, a flicker of shock and anger appeared on Imu's perpetually impassive face.
"Where's your 'Divine Dignity'?" Setsuna suddenly changed his move, a knee strike aimed straight for her abdomen. "Eight hundred years of accumulation, and this is all you've got?"
Thud!
Imu's abdomen caved in, her body bending like a shrimp.
She jerked her head up, dark purple light blazing in her eyes. "Enough!"
Jet-black energy erupted from within, trying to force Setsuna back.
But Setsuna didn't care. He forced his way through Imu's energy eruption, grabbed one of her wings, and executed a shoulder throw, slamming her into the Red Line.
Imu plummeted like a cannonball, plowing a trench several kilometers long through the ruins of Mary Geoise.
Before the dust could settle, Setsuna was already diving down, his right foot raised high.
This kick was like a hammer from the gods, smashing Imu back into the ground just as she was getting up.
The entire Red Line trembled under this impact. The sea below surged with hundred-meter waves.
:Cough..." Imu crawled out from the rubble, glaring venomously at Setsuna hovering in the air.
In eight hundred years, when had she ever suffered such humiliation?
Setsuna said calmly, "To be honest, I don't feel your body is significantly stronger than that Celestial Dragon's body from last time. Didn't you say your last failure was because that Celestial Dragon couldn't bear your power?"
Setsuna was quite dissatisfied. He had prepared himself for a near-death surge, but Imu wasn't nearly as powerful as he had imagined.
The words pushed Imu to the peak of fury. "If it weren't for that bitch Lili, using the Ope Ope no Mi to trap Imu in this weak body, how could Imu possibly lose?"
Hearing this astonishing secret, even Setsuna couldn't help but be shocked. "You mean Queen Lili of the Nefertari Family?"
'No wonder Cobra believed Queen Lili never returned to Alabasta.'
"You know of her?" Imu snorted coldly. The shadow receded from her face, revealing features of breathtaking beauty, strikingly similar to Vivi's.
"If not for that woman's consciousness hindering Imu, Imu would have exterminated the Nefertari Family long ago."
Setsuna stroked his chin, suddenly asking a completely unrelated question. "So, here's the question: Are you male or female?"
"Hmph, you'll find out soon enough," Imu said with a rather haughty tone.
Setsuna narrowed his eyes. "You mean, you still have a chance to return to your original body?"
"Correct. Lili used the Ope Ope no Mi to exchange consciousness with Imu. For these eight hundred years, Imu has been searching for the Ope Ope no Mi. But Devil Fruits choose their own users. Even though Imu has ruled the world for eight hundred years, Imu never obtained it."
The dark purple energy suddenly became active. A morbid smile appeared on Imu's face. "Fortunately, Dr. Vegapunk appeared. He truly is a genius ahead of his time. The consciousness-switching brain circuit he invented perfectly suits Imu's needs."
Setsuna raised an eyebrow. "In that case, why didn't you switch back earlier? Or are you worried that once freed from the constraints of this body, the power of time will immediately take effect?"
Imu's smile faded. "You are correct. Originally, Imu intended to wait for the Ope Ope no Mi user of this era to awaken and perform the Perennial Youth Operation on Imu's original body before completely switching back. But your appearance has forced Imu to take this step ahead of schedule!"
"Then hurry up and start. Let me see the power of your prime!" Setsuna said, then suddenly froze, his expression turning a bit odd. 'Wait... why does this dialogue sound so much like Vegeta asking for death?'
But Setsuna quickly shook his head with a wry smile. He wasn't bound by the Saiyan 'recklessness' gene.
This was entirely because he currently had the pressure of Omega Shenron inside him. He had to seize every opportunity to strengthen himself. Since Imu could still become stronger, he certainly couldn't miss this chance to get hurt and level up.