Mary Geoise was currently shrouded in a dense haze. The high-ranking leaders of the Celestial Dragons still could not believe how terrifying Elior had become. Elior had single-handedly killed Shanks, Garp, Zephyr, Black Viper, and many others. As for Sengoku's tragic death, it ultimately had nothing to do with Elior himself. It was Elior's devastating attack that stripped Sengoku of his ability to resist, allowing Kaido to seize the opportunity and kill him.
The Marine Headquarters had assembled all of its top combat forces, yet the outcome was nothing short of a catastrophic defeat. However, what truly enraged the highest-ranking Celestial Dragons was not the near-total destruction of Marineford, nor was it the death of the red-haired Celestial Dragon. What infuriated them the most was one unforgivable fact: the Marines had surrendered. Even if they had resisted or waited for reinforcements, they should never have surrendered. This matter concerned the dignity of the Celestial Dragons and the authority of the World Government. The surrender of the Marines was an unbearable humiliation and a complete disgrace.
The Gorosei and the highest-ranking Celestial Dragons immediately convened an emergency meeting. This was a council at the very highest level, consisting of twenty individuals. They were a group of middle-aged and elderly Celestial Dragons, yet they were also the most powerful and highest-status nobles in all of Holy Land Mariejois. Eventually, this group proceeded toward the building that housed the Empty Throne. Everyone nervously raised their heads, gazing at the god seated upon it: the Creator, Imu.
Imu was one of the Twenty Kings of the distant past. As one of those who had overthrown the Ancient Kingdom and the strongest among them, Imu naturally became the one who sat upon the Empty Throne. Although the kings once promised the world that power would be shared and that all races would be equal, reality proved otherwise. After settling in Mariejois, the so-called Celestial Dragons, the self-proclaimed World Nobles, were born. Among the Twenty Kings, only one returned to Alabasta. The remaining nineteen declared themselves gods. After all, everyone desires absolute rule, and even Im coveted supreme authority.
At this moment, Imu looked down upon the gathered Celestial Dragons. The meeting began, filled with Imu's fury. In the end, a decision was made to unleash the underground undead monster hidden deep beneath Mary Geoise. This was a cleansing of history, a measure reserved only for enemies beyond imagination. Rocks, Roger, and Whitebeard were all unqualified for such a measure. But Elior was qualified. He had to be erased from history.
That night, nearly three hundred slaves were thrown into the underground dungeon. Soon after, horrifying screams echoed endlessly. It took more than two hours before the sounds finally stopped. An hour later, the group stepped into a pitch-black dungeon saturated with the stench of blood. The floor, the walls, and even the ceiling were covered in flesh and gore. The sight alone was enough to make anyone lose their appetite for days.
The Gorosei followed closely behind Imu. They all understood Imu was about to cleanse history. Even the eldest among the Gorosei, a man over a hundred years old who wielded a first-generation cursed blade, had never seen this weapon deployed. There had been no enemy worthy of it for a very long time.
The moment Im stepped into the dungeon, the horrific scenery vanished. In its place appeared a sea of flowers, a world as beautiful as the garden where Im resided. The thick stench of blood was instantly replaced by floral fragrance. Bees, butterflies, and birds filled the air.
"Like a miracle," the Celestial Dragons whispered, though none dared to speak loudly.
Imu raised a hand, signaling them to stop, and walked alone toward the center of the flower field. There stood the undead monster. Nearly three meters tall with muscles that bulged grotesquely, he resembled a smaller version of Kaido. Yet the pressure radiating from him caused even the distant Gorosei to feel deep, instinctive terror. This was something far beyond Kaido.
His body was restrained by countless Seastone shackles. The moment Imu approached, his hellish eyes grew even more ferocious with hatred, rage, and madness. He was clearly insane, yet this hatred had become pure instinct. The flowers beneath his feet instantly turned black as if drained of life, but in the next moment, they bloomed again.
"If you had simply obeyed, wouldn't there have been far less pain?" Imu said calmly. The sea of flowers crushed all darkness, a clear declaration that Im was superior to him. "I want you to act once more."
Imu gazed at him obsessively. This man was not an immortal subordinate; he had once been a prince of the Ancient Kingdom before the rise of the World Government. He was the man Imu could never possess. Driven by the mindset of destroying what cannot be obtained, Imu had turned him into a living weapon of war, a tool bound to serve forever. He had once belonged to the D. Clan, the family that ruled that ancient empire. He was a superhuman who had awakened an ability capable of absorbing all damage, swallowing attacks of any kind and converting them into power.
Under Im's control, this power had twisted, evolving into devouring human flesh to grow stronger. His strength grew increasingly monstrous, constantly breaking physical limits. Even without human consciousness, his instincts still overflowed with hatred toward Im, who had destroyed everything he loved, slaughtering his lover, his family, and his children right before his eyes.
"This time," Imu said softly, "can you bring me back the head of a child?"
It was not a request; it was an absolute order. That same night, Dr. Vegapunk learned that this war weapon was about to be deployed. Vegapunk held extremely high authority within Mary Geoise and was the first to be informed. He was also ordered to repair another weapon: an ancient spear forged from a substance even Vegapunk could not identify. It was harder than Seastone. As Elior's undercover agent, Vegapunk immediately sent him an urgent warning.