"King, he's coming! This guy is extremely strong!" Vegapunk warned solemnly.
"Alright. I'll handle it, Vegapunk. Continue your work. When the time comes, I will attack Mary Geoise, and you will play a crucial role then." After that, Elior ended the call.
"Husband, what's wrong?" Sitting in Elior's arms, Reiju asked worriedly. She had just heard Vegapunk say that a monster was coming. Who exactly was this creature? Reiju could clearly see that Elior was frowning, a trace of gravity appearing between his brows. This was an expression she had never seen on him in any previous battle. She immediately understood that this time, the enemy must be terrifyingly powerful, so much so that even her seemingly invincible husband felt the pressure.
"It's fine," Elior said, offering little explanation. Reiju wanted to continue asking, but Elior gently pushed her away and left the room. Even if he had explained, Reiju wouldn't have been able to help. The enemy was beyond the imagination of the modern world: a monster from more than eight hundred years ago who had fed on human flesh for centuries. With a defense stronger than Kaido and the ability to absorb damage and counterattack with even greater force, the creature was a total enigma.
Soon, Elior convened a meeting. Naturally, only the top-tier powerhouses were allowed to attend: World, Redfield, Big Mom, and Kaido. Bullet was still away and had not yet returned, but Elior informed the others that the monster was on its way.
"Boy, can you really handle it? Don't forget, you're the strongest one here," Kaido said with genuine concern, subconsciously viewing Elior as his future son-in-law.
Redfield added, "According to your intelligence, that monster is far too terrifying and full of unknown variables."
"It seems all of us must mobilize. We should join forces, suppress it together, and then kill it!" World suggested.
However, Elior shook his head. "No. You just guard Paradise. The Celestial Dragons may take advantage of this opportunity to make a move. If they come, kill them on the spot. I'll handle this alone. I am still very confident."
"Elior, what's your method? Or your trump card?" Big Mom asked. She understood that something cultivated by the World Government for eight hundred years would be beyond imagination.
"I can stop time, sever space directly, and freeze time and space entirely," Elior revealed. The group was shaken by the revelation of such unbelievable power. Elior insisted they stay behind to guard against other potential threats. Kaido agreed, provided they kept a Den Den Mushi channel open. After some lighthearted banter about Big Mom's daughters and Kaido's approval of Elior, the meeting ended.
That very noon, Elior left Paradise. He headed toward Marine Headquarters and Mary Geoise, eventually standing alone on the open sea. He froze the water beneath his feet and waited quietly. According to Vegapunk, this creature, known as the War Ghost, could detect powerful auras. Elior stood there openly, confident the monster would lock onto him.
Meanwhile, several hours earlier, Imu arrived deep within the dungeon and personally removed the restraints from the War Ghost. The Gorosei placed Seastone armor upon the creature and handed it the spear Vegapunk had repaired. The War Ghost glared at Imu with eyes full of hatred.
"The man I loved the most... if you had agreed back then, you wouldn't have ended up like this, right?" Imu smiled cruelly. "Go. Bring me that brat's head." She struck the War Ghost with her palm, and in an instant, it vanished, much like the power of the Paw-Paw Fruit.
Moments later, the creature descended from the sky, crashing into the sea near the new Marine Headquarters with a massive explosion. The War Ghost stood atop the water and began compressing distance, crossing dozens of meters in an instant while the sea exploded in its wake.
The Marines was immediately alarmed. Gion, also known as Momousagi, was shaken. She had received word from Reiju that Elior was facing an unimaginably powerful enemy. Sensing the violent explosions on the sea, she boarded a small warship and departed alone, her heart filled with intense unease.