Saint Imu Descends by Possession

Mock Town.

An independent town located west of Jaya Island, it was a pirate gathering place beyond government control, renowned for its lavish, free-spending culture.

The town had carried several key plotlines.

For example, Donquixote Doflamingo, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, had operated there and conducted illegal dealings.

His subordinate Bellamy had clashed with the Straw Hat crew, tying into the Dressrosa Arc as well.

In addition, after Marshall D. Teach betrayed the Whitebeard Pirates, killed Thatch, and seized the Dark-Dark Fruit, he encountered the Straw Hat crew in Mock Town.

His subsequent actions had directly shaped the formation of the New World's balance of power.

After two days and one night of flying and stopping, Saint Marcus Mars finally caught sight of Mock Town with Sumer.

Along the way.

Everything in the pirate world had felt fresh and novel to Sumer.

Unfortunately, time was tight and the mission urgent, so he had no chance to experience the local customs of each place.

This hurried journey made Sumer realize that in the pirate world, having the ability to fly over extreme distances was incredibly important.

"Sumer and I have just arrived at the designated coordinates, Mock Town!"

A hundred meters in the air.

Saint Marcus Mars looked down at Mock Town while using long-distance communication—telepathy—to speak with the four men, including Saint Saturn, in Mary Geoise.

"Mars, you were too slow—"

Mary Geoise.

In the office of the highest authority, Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro sat on the windowsill with his arms around his katana. He used its hilt to push up his white-rimmed glasses, his expression composed.

On the sofa.

Saint Topman Warcury, Saint Shepherd Ju Peter, and Saint Jaygarcia Saturn said nothing.

They had been waiting throughout the past two days and one night.

None of them had slept.

"Sumer was too weak. He needed rest."

Saint Marcus Mars raised his head toward the cloudless sky. The blazing sun hung high overhead, and it was difficult to imagine islands existing above it.

"Go verify it as quickly as possible!"

Suddenly.

Saint Nerona Imu's voice rang through the minds of Saint Marcus Mars and the four men, including Saint Saturn. Clearly, he had been waiting as well.

"Yes, Lord Imu!!!"

Saint Marcus Mars turned solemn and prepared to spread his wings and spiral straight into the sky.

If he remembered correctly, Sumer had said Sky Island was ten thousand meters above Mock Town.

"Judging by the timing, the Straw Hat crew should not have reached Mock Town yet. I just wonder whether Marshall D. Teach, Blackbeard, has arrived."

"Sir Mars, should we wait a little?"

"I'm hungry anyway—"

Sumer suddenly spoke, his stomach growling.

When all was said and done.

Even an immortal body still needed to eat, drink, relieve itself, and sleep. Besides, he had not gotten a proper night's rest over the past two days and one night.

Anyone would be unable to sleep while being carried through the sky without their feet touching the ground.

He was not a powerhouse at the top of the pyramid like Saint Marcus Mars, who could go ten days or half a month without food or water.

He could even fight an evenly matched enemy without sleep or rest for days and nights on end. He was a monster in every sense of the word.

"Lord Imu ordered us to reach Sky Island as soon as possible—"

Saint Marcus Mars ignored Sumer's request. He spread his wings and shot toward the sky ten thousand meters above, whipping up a storm.

Sumer raised an eyebrow.

It seemed that while he was unaware, Saint Marcus Mars had already been communicating telepathically with the others.

He might even still be communicating with them now.

And Saint Nerona Imu might be watching as well.

"Since Lord Imu gave the order, we definitely need to get to Sky Island as soon as possible. Charge!"

Sumer immediately changed his tune without hesitation and began urging Saint Marcus Mars on as well.

This made Saint Marcus Mars lower his head and glance at Sumer.

Boom—

A deafening sonic boom exploded through the sky, heard even by many pirates in Mock Town below.

Saint Marcus Mars clutched Sumer and shot upward.

"Once we reach the Imperial Cloud at seven thousand meters, we'll see a navigable sea formed from 'sea clouds,' collectively known as the White Sea!"

"Like the ocean, the White Sea can drain Devil Fruit users of their strength."

"Various fish and other creatures live in it too."

"So, Sir Mars, be careful not to charge into the White Sea. We'll fly up along its edge."

As they ascended.

Sumer knew it was time to show off his knowledge.

"The White Sea?"

"It can also drain Devil Fruit users of their strength? Just like the ocean?"

"If that's the case, it explains why Sky Island can float in the air."

"At first, I guessed that Sky Island was suspended in the sky because it had received help from some Devil Fruit!"

"You mean Golden Lion Shiki?"

"His Paramecia-type Float-Float Fruit really can do that—"

Abruptly.

The voices of Saint Saturn, Saint Warcury, Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, and Saint Shepherd Ju Peter sounded one after another in Sumer's mind.

It was as though they were speaking right beside his ears.

Sumer's eyes lit up.

Had Saint Nerona Imu granted him the ability of "telepathy"?

"Cool, so cool!"

"So this is telepathy?"

"Thank you for Lord Imu's gift! I swear I will be loyal to you forever!"

"I'll go through fire and water for you, Lord Imu!!!"

Sumer appeared extremely excited and shouted aloud, startling even Saint Marcus Mars.

The other four, including Saint Saturn, fell silent.

"No need to shout. Just recite it silently in your mind—"

Inside the Flower Room.

A trace of awkwardness flickered across Saint Nerona Imu's cold, noble face, though he was in rather good spirits.

Once the Sky Island Arc was verified.

He would place great importance on Sumer, then find a way to reach Sumer's world through him.

He wanted to meet the author of the One Piece manga.

He wanted to become a true Creator God, rather than a manga character written by someone else—

"Yes!"

Brimming with enthusiasm, Sumer replied silently in his mind.

"What Sumer said was true."

"We've reached the White Sea!"

In that brief span of time, Saint Marcus Mars stopped ascending and looked up at the endless white clouds above.

At first glance.

They looked no different from ordinary clouds, but closer inspection revealed that this mass of cloud was exceptionally dense and gave off a contradictory sensation of being both heavy and light.

"Above the White Sea, there is another layer called the White-White Sea, located ten thousand meters higher in the sky."

"Sky Island sits upon the White-White Sea!"

No one answered Saint Marcus Mars, because the instant the White Sea was confirmed to exist, everything Sumer had said became increasingly credible.

Boom—

Without a word, Saint Marcus Mars spread his wings. With another sonic boom, he began flying along the White Sea.

Very soon.

At his extreme speed, he reached the edge of the White Sea, then shot skyward again.

Eight thousand meters.

Nine thousand meters.

Ten thousand meters.

Sure enough, an immense, vast sea cloud even larger than the White Sea appeared.

Saint Marcus Mars remained silent and continued flying horizontally beneath the White-White Sea.

Very soon.

Upon reaching the edge of the White-White Sea, he beat his wings and rose from the ground.

As his vision brightened, an endless white ocean came fully into view before Saint Marcus Mars and Sumer. Waves shimmered under the sunlight, and many bizarre creatures moved within it.

At the far end of the white horizon, several scattered islands could be seen.

On the largest of them.

An unimaginably enormous vine plunged into the clouds, reaching an unknown height.

Only Saint Marcus Mars could see these things, because Itsumade had given him the superhuman vision of a bird of prey.

By contrast, Sumer could only see the wave-splashed White-White Sea.

"Lord Imu, we have reached the White-White Sea and Sky Island—"

Saint Marcus Mars's eyes widened. His expression shifted uncertainly as his heart grew heavy with conflict.

Crackle!!!

A streak of black lightning slithered through the air, and Saint Marcus Mars's pupils were suddenly replaced by blood-red eyes marked with spiraling patterns.

Sumer abruptly lost weightlessness. Before he could cry out, a large hand grabbed him again.

"Lord Imu!?"

Sumer turned and looked at Saint Marcus Mars, who had exited his Itsumade form. His outward appearance had changed drastically.

Those massive bat wings, that demon-arrow tail, and those blood-red eyes brimming with oppression and suffocating pressure all proved that Saint Nerona Imu had descended through possession.