With a heavy thud, Blackbeard dropped to his knees on the cold, smooth floor before the cushioned couch.
His head bowed, he braced both hands against the floor, his knuckles white. Compulsion and humiliation mingled,
making the veins at his temples bulge, yet even lifting his head was agonizingly difficult.
On the couch, Imu seemed to "regard" the new vessel kneeling at its feet.
Yet that flicker lasted only an instant.
"Urgh... hh..."
A series of strained gasps escaped from the shadows.
The shadows themselves began to waver unsteadily, the flow of dark matter within them showing signs of disorder.
The "wounds" Spark had burned into its essence, and the lingering shock of Joy Boy's Conqueror's Haki against the contract system, were still eating away at Imu's "existence."
Time was becoming a luxury it could no longer afford.
Though Blackbeard could not raise his head, Imu's sudden display of pain let him glimpse an opportunity.
He immediately suppressed his fear and fury, speaking urgently in the most "sincere" and "humble" tone he could muster.
"Lord Imu! Please believe me! We can work together!
I have the power of 'immortality' now, as well as the Dark-Dark Fruit and the Tremor-Tremor Fruit!
Just give me a chance and your support, and I'll crush all those rebels for you!
The Navy? Gern? The Revolutionary Army? Straw Hat Boy?
I can deal with them all for you! We can take control of everything again! Make the world grovel at your feet once more!"
Blackbeard poured out his vision of their "partnership,"
trying to sway Imu with benefits and loyalty-feigned loyalty-
to buy himself breathing room, even fantasizing about turning Imu's power to his own advantage.
But Imu ignored every word.
Its pained gasps gradually subsided.
There was no time.
*No time to train him