"Heavenquake..."
Imu's voice echoed through the vast, deathly silent hall.
It slowly rose from the cold Empty Throne, its movements unhurried.
"Mu will show you..."
"The true power of a Devil Fruit."
The instant those words fell!
Tangible darkness surged from Imu's lower body without warning!
Then, like a rocket thruster, the darkness generated a savage recoil.
It launched its body forward from the throne's base, closing the distance to Gern in an instant!
At the same time, it thrust its left hand toward a seemingly empty spot ahead and to Gern's side, clenching all five fingers inward!
"Dark Burst!"
Bang!!!!
The targeted space violently imploded without warning, followed by a devastating explosion of dark energy!
There were no flames, only a terrifying shock wave born of pure dark annihilation and spatial distortion.
It spread wildly outward in a sphere!
The ground near the blast was instantly pulverized, leaving a deep crater!
The attack had not targeted Gern directly. It had anticipated and blocked a crucial escape route!
It forced him to move in one specific direction!
Gern's pupils contracted slightly. The ground exploded beneath his feet as he retreated sharply to the rear and side!
He had intended to use the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's elemental Tremor Flash for a more flexible maneuver.
But the moment he called on his Devil Fruit power, he discovered he could no longer smoothly use the Tremor-Tremor Fruit to move in elemental form!
It was not completely nullified as it would have been by direct contact with Black Vortex.
But this wide-ranging suppression severely reduced Gern's mobility.
And Imu's assault did not pause for an instant!
Just as Gern was forced back and his movement briefly stalled,
Imu smashed its already poised hands into the empty air on either side of its body!
Crack!!!!!!
The