"How can she control so many abilities at the same time? How does she do it...?"
Luo opened his mouth wide, looking up at the colossal shadow that Shrouding the Heavens, his eyes filled with disbelief and bewilderment.
Everything that happened today was far beyond his comprehension:
Abilities far exceeding Awakening, Imu's true form, unimaginable power... He felt his fate was like a leaf in a storm, about to be crushed by this battle at any moment, with no room for resistance whatsoever.
"This only shows that we are far from fully exploring the mysteries of Devil Fruit."
Katakuri's voice rang out beside Law. He was locked in combat with several God's Knights Trainee, Devil Fruit Awakening had transformed a large area of the battlefield into sticky mochi balls, restricting the enemy's movements.
His Observation Haki had already allowed him to foresee Law's predicament. This meticulous pirate had already developed his Devil Fruit to its Awakening state many years ago, and his Observation Haki had even reached the level of Future Sight.
Imu's current state gave him a deeper understanding of the potential of Devil Fruit.
"Perhaps... the Devil Fruit Awakening is never the end."
If Vic were here, he would certainly give a thumbs up for this accurate guess.
"They really are pests!..."
Garp stood at the edge of the battlefield, gazing at Imu's colossal shadow, his eyes suddenly sharpening like an eagle's.
He recalled the earth-shattering battle at God Valley, the towering shadow that had driven Rocks into a berserk rage back then, and the aura of the ferocious beast before him was exactly the same!
Even someone as powerful as Rocks was controlled by this evil force. He and Roger fought with all their might, exhausting their Conqueror's Haki, to barely dispel the evil's corruption. The intensity of that battle almost caused God Valley to disappear completely from the map.
The mastermind behind it all vanished like a ghost, never taking them seriously. It wasn't until he learned of the existence of the God Realm that Garp realized that back then, they were nothing more than insignificant ants in the other's eyes.
"Lord Imu has entered full combat mode! That brat Vic is doomed! Shanks, why don't you abandon the darkness and join the light!"
While fending off Shanks's fierce attacks, Garling shouted at him to surrender, his tone filled with an arrogant confidence.
He teamed up with Shanks ' twin brother Shamrock to attack Shanks, but they were constantly suppressed by Shanks' Conqueror's Haki. Seeing Imu reveal such a terrifying form, their morale soared.
Shamrock, standing beside him, remained silent, his face so dark it seemed to drip water—as twins, he was being completely overwhelmed by Shanks, and this disparity fueled a burning jealousy and resentment within him.
"If you really can win..."
Shanks ' sword flashed like a full moon, his Conqueror's Haki infusing the strike, cleaving through Garling's attack with unwavering resolve. His eyes were as firm as iron.
"If you really win, please kill me. I don't want to live in a world without freedom and hope. I've had enough of this kind of life! Maybe hell is a better place!"
Rebecca's fingertips were enveloped in solid, ink-black Armament Haki, and hundreds of flying swords wrapped in Haki hovered around her, their blades humming and vibrating, reflecting a chilling light.
Her eyes were fixed on the enormous black figure in the distance, a hint of worry hidden in them. A whisper, barely audible, escaped her throat. " Vic will definitely defeat that monster..."
Before her stood the female God's Knights who had once appeared in the God Valley, as still as a pine tree, time seemingly leaving no trace on her exquisite face.
Even though he noticed Rebecca's distraction, the God's Knights only gripped his holy sword tighter, a hint of apprehension flashing in his eyes, and dared not make any rash moves!
The scene of those flying swords tearing through the air and sweeping across the sky, as well as the scars left when they grazed her body, still haunted her, making her afraid to make the slightest rash move.
"If Shanks were to help Vic, that monster would be no match for him!"
Uta's voice carried the certainty unique to a young man, and the Thunder God Pirates emblem on her waist gleamed in the sunlight.
Although she has long since officially joined the Thunder God Pirates and has no intention of leaving, her trust in Shanks has never wavered!
The Demon King of Song, which was several times larger than the lizard monster before her, was killed by Shanks right before her eyes.
In her view, as long as the two strongest people in her heart join forces, there is no situation that cannot be broken and no enemy that cannot be defeated.
"The aura of this monster... it's like it's going to devour the heavens and earth!"
Barat leaned against the broken boulder, his longsword already drawn, the scratches on the scabbard marking countless fierce battles.
As the vice-captain of the Thunder God Pirates, he was already used to standing guard at the base for Vic was away most of the time.
The days when they left together in the Elite Camp are still vivid in his mind. He witnessed firsthand how Vic, from a promising soldier, climbed step by step through thorns to the top!
That trust was ingrained in his very bones, no less than Zoro's obsession with Luffy becoming the Pirate King.
He watched Vic's retreating figure, a confident smile curving his lips.
"But this guy has never shown his full strength. I really want to see what kind of waves he can stir up when he gets serious."
"Take care of the enemy in front of you first."
Wendy's voice was gentle yet carried an undeniable firmness. She stood beside Barat, her skirt billowing in the battlefield winds.
As Barnett's wife and Vic's comrade-in-arms, she believed in Vic's strength more than anyone else!
That boy who emerged from the Elite Camp dared to single-handedly confront Four Emperors 'Big Mom pirate crew in order to save her family.
At that moment, the pressure from the Four Emperors was like the Red Line pressing down on her, but Vic stood in front of her with his sword, and his words, "With me here, no one can hurt you in the slightest," still echo in her ears.
From the moment he won that seemingly impossible battle, Vic had become an omnipotent god in her eyes.
"We don't need to worry about Vic's situation."
An enormous, eighty-meter-tall figure stood in the center of the battlefield, its scales gleaming like obsidian, and with each breath it stirred up a gale, raising clouds of dust.
Imu's transformation was complete, revealing a battle form she hadn't shown in eight hundred years—since her nemesis Joy Boy fell and the secrets of the God Realm were sealed, she no longer needed to use this power!
The troubles that the Five Elders and the God's Knights couldn't solve, she could easily wipe out with a single clone descending upon her.
But today, this "ant" who came from the navy has repeatedly crossed her bottom line, thoroughly enraging her.
Imu slowly raised his claws, the sharp tips gleaming with a cold light capable of tearing through space.
She clenched her fists a few times, feeling the long-dormant, violent power surging within her, a bloodthirsty crimson gleaming in her eyes:
"After Joy Boy, there are still ants who can make me resort to this tactic..."
Her voice was deep and thunderous, making the surrounding air tremble, "Then, let your bones be a tribute to these eight hundred years of loneliness."
On the battlefield, voices of discussion, worry, and certainty mingled together, and all eyes were focused on the two men facing off.
The wind whipped sand and gravel against Vic's cloak, making a rustling sound, but his eyes remained as calm as a deep pool as he slowly tightened his grip on the long sword in front of the oppressive aura that could make the world tremble.
The atmosphere of confrontation seemed to freeze time and space; only the hum of weapons and the breathing of behemoths heralded the prelude to the final battle on this land about to be engulfed by war.