"Cough cough--!"
Loki coughed up a mouthful of black blood, and as the blood droplets landed, wisps of charred smoke rose from them, clearly indicating that he had suffered serious internal injuries!
But he didn't even flinch. This injury was nothing but dust in his eyes. The pride of the Ancient Giant Race would never allow him to bend easily!
The invisible pressure of Conqueror's Haki and the jet-black light of Armament Haki converged wildly towards the giant hammer, and the ground that touched the hammer instantly exploded!
Spiderweb-like cracks spread rapidly, and crimson Inazuma danced and roared wildly in the crater several meters deep. The suffocating mental pressure swept in all directions like a tidal wave, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze!
"What? You really think you're the only one who has mastered Conqueror's Haki?"
The red light at Imu's fingertips suddenly receded; that move was merely a casual, unintentional ploy.
Since both Loki and Nami can use the power of lightning to fight, she simply took over the entire thundercloud for her own use—not only dismantling the opponent's support, but also making this thundercloud, containing violent power, a deadly weapon in subsequent group battles.
The lightning from the thunderclouds posed no threat to her powerful subordinates, but it was a deadly attack for others!
As soon as he finished speaking, an even more terrifying Conqueror's Haki erupted! The entire battlefield was instantly enveloped in crimson Inazuma, as if the world had turned upside down. The sheer power of the aura was so strong that even space itself began to subtly distort!
The next second, all the crimson Inazuma suddenly contracted, coiling around the crimson trident like loyal guards. The trident's body shimmered with light, radiating an aura of dominance over the world!
She will crush Loki with absolute power and make everyone understand that she not only possesses various supernatural abilities, but also has an unparalleled domineering Haki!
She is a flawless ruler, without any weaknesses; victory has always been hers!
"What terrifying Conqueror's Haki..."
Rayleigh's pupils contracted sharply, his heartfelt sigh barely concealing his grave expression.
Having traversed the seas for decades, he had encountered countless powerful figures, but he had never felt such an overbearing Conqueror's Haki. And to make matters worse, the wielder of this terrifying power was their mortal enemy! This was no ominous sign!
"Yes... even Roger, Garp, or Rocks back in the day, are far inferior to this Haki!"
Gaban echoed in a deep voice, a hint of reminiscence flashing in his eyes.
He had experienced a similar powerful Conqueror's Haki in Elbaf, where Shanks was also present.
On that very day, the Elbaf suffered a devastating upheaval. Harald died in the palace, Loki became the sinner of the entire Elbaf.
Although the Conqueror's Haki of that day was similar to the aura of this moment, it was far less terrifying. Only the shared evil aura remained vivid in his memory, yet he never confused the two.
"Too powerful... Where exactly does this Haki power reach its limit?"
Vic was deeply moved and could not calm down for a long time.
Since his appearance, Imu's Conqueror's Haki has grown stronger with each appearance, and even though he has never actually used it in battle, it keeps him on edge at all times.
Now that his opponent was finally going to clash with Haki, he felt both joy and deep worry. He realized that the limits of Haki were far from being reached, and he still had enormous room for improvement. But he also felt profound anxiety— Imu was impeccably strong in every aspect, seemingly without any weaknesses. How could he possibly defeat such an enemy?
As Roger once said, human thought is limitless, and so is power. Whether one can reach the other side of the peak depends on whether one can find the right direction and persevere in digging into it.
Rayleigh's tone carried a hint of nostalgia. Even though an enemy stronger than Roger had appeared before him, he still firmly believed in his comrade's words. This trust and bond had long been ingrained in his very being.
"I hope so..."
Vic sighed helplessly.
Even if Roger's words were accurate, he didn't have enough time to raise his Haki to that ideal level.
Moreover, Imu has lived for a very long time, yet his Haki has not yet reached that level. How could he possibly achieve it? Besides, time is running out!
As the three talked, Loki and Imu had already imbued Haki weapons with all their Haki.
"Ha! Let's see! Take this—!"
Loki completely ignored the overwhelming pressure of Imu's Conqueror's Haki. The outcome of a battle is never solely determined by the strength of one's Haki! An unwavering will is the key to pushing power to its limit!
His determination to kill Imu was as firm as a rock. This will supported him in overcoming all obstacles, and he would never back down even if there were mountains of knives and seas of fire ahead!
The giant hammer, carrying a world-destroying momentum and crimson Inazuma, hurtled straight at Imu like a meteor falling to earth, showing no sign of retreat, only a resolute determination to burn its bridges!
At that moment, everyone watching Loki felt that his figure grew even taller and more imposing, and even the thick thunderclouds in the sky were violently churning under his aura, as if they were about to collapse!
Imu remained motionless until the very moment the giant hammer was about to strike him, at which point he suddenly moved! His crimson trident shot out like Inazuma, and the two men's Conqueror's Haki clashed violently in mid-air!
"Boom--!"
A tremendous mental shock and a violent burst of crimson Inazuma instantly swept across the entire valley!
Sand and stones flew everywhere, the sky darkened, and countless powerful figures swayed precariously under the impact. Some were even swept away by the invisible shockwave, plunging the battlefield into chaos!
The thunderclouds in the sky were forcibly pierced, and a huge crack stretched across the sky, as terrifying as if the heavens and earth had been created!
Even Rayleigh, a legendary figure who had seen it all, was astonished, finding the scene utterly absurd!
Weapons faced off across the distance. Loki gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his ferocious face, his hands trembling uncontrollably, and the bandages covering his eyes were already soaked with tears of resentment!
Meanwhile, Imu remained calm and indifferent, holding her halberd in one hand without moving an inch, clearly not yet displaying her true strength!
Tears of humiliation and resentment mingled with blood, sliding down Loki's cheeks and staining his bandages. He hated his weakness, hated this feeling of powerlessness!
The standoff lasted only three seconds before Loki was struck as if by a heavy blow, flying backward like a kite with a broken string! He coughed up a mouthful of blood, and blood seeped from his nose and ears, completely staining his already soaked bandages a deep red!
"Boom!"
Loki crashed heavily into a mountain peak at the edge of the valley, causing the entire mountain to collapse instantly, sending rocks flying everywhere!
He leaned against the collapsed rocks, his arms outstretched to support his body, in a posture that resembled someone soaking in a hot spring!
A faint smile played at the corners of his lips, his gaze remaining fixed on the battlefield in the valley. His giant hammer was driven deep into a nearby mountain peak, its handle pointing diagonally towards the sky, still radiating an indomitable sharpness!
" Loki--!"
"Your Highness the King!"
"Younger brother!"
Shouts rose and fell. Loki, this towering giant, was easily knocked away. This crushing defeat worried all his relatives and friends, and was hard for many to accept!
After all, when he first arrived at the valley, he was so dazzling Haki, as if he could sweep across the entire Lodestar Island and no one could defeat him!
"That's all there is to it."
Imu glanced at Loki briefly before looking away, his tone full of disdain.
Opponents like Loki always had limits, and she never took them seriously!
His bloodline was both his strength and his weakness—the bloodline of the Ancient Giant Race gave him a starting point far beyond that of ordinary people, but it also became an insurmountable constraint. Even with a lifespan three times that of an ordinary person, transcending the mortal realm and entering the God Realm was as difficult as ascending to heaven!
Just like the Sacred Body in " Shrouding the Heavens ", it starts at the peak and can reach an extremely high realm, but it is extremely difficult to become an emperor!
What Imu truly fears are figures like Roger, Garp, Vic, and Luffy.
They are exceptionally talented and determined. The more setbacks they encounter, the more resilient they become. As long as they are not completely wiped out, they will eventually make a comeback with an even stronger force!