At the summit of the Red Line.
The Holy Land, Mariejois—the headquarters of the World Government—sat between the first and second halves of the Grand Line.
High above the clouds, Lin Xuan stood atop Impel Down. At this moment, the great prison had been torn from the sea and now hovered in midair like a massive flying fortress.
Those watching the live broadcast quickly recognized where Lin Xuan was.
The realization left them stunned.
In the blink of an eye, Lin Xuan had carried Impel Down all the way to the skies above Mariejois.
At the same time, countless people were confused—and uneasy.
What exactly was he planning to do?
Steel Bone Kong's expression was grim to the extreme. He clenched his teeth and muttered, "What on earth is he trying to do?"
Nearby, Sengoku, Garp, and the others all wore dark, unsettled expressions. A terrible premonition gnawed at their hearts.
But by now, everything was beyond their control.
No matter what Lin Xuan intended to do, it was already far too late for them to intervene.
Watching the young man on the screen, Sengoku and the others felt an indescribable sense of melancholy.
Once upon a time, they could still face Lin Xuan head-on on the battlefield.
Now, facing him again, an overwhelming pressure crushed down on them.
The gap in power was simply too vast.
Lin Xuan looked down at the massive city below, then suddenly grinned, his smile bright and carefree.
"I've brought you all a little gift," he said lightly. "Please make sure to accept it."
As his words fell, his Rinnegan activated.
"Shinra Tensei!"
A terrifying repulsive force erupted from Lin Xuan's body. Beneath his feet, Impel Down groaned violently, its massive structure shuddering as it was hurled downward, crashing toward Mariejois.
In that instant—
"Holy—!"
Everyone watching the broadcast widened their eyes in disbelief.
What the hell?!
Lin Xuan had gone through all the trouble of ripping Impel Down out of the sea… just to smash it straight into Mariejois?!
On-screen, the colossal prison plummeted at terrifying speed, friction with the air producing deafening booms.
Countless hearts clenched tightly.
It felt as though half of the Holy Land was about to be wiped off the map.
Inside Mariejois, complete chaos erupted.
The stationed soldiers were terrified out of their minds, fleeing desperately in every direction.
Staying behind meant certain death.
Many Celestial Dragons, their heads encased in glass helmets, collapsed onto the ground in terror, wailing and soiling themselves.
"Where is everyone?! Protect me, now! Hurry up—I don't want to die!"
"Damn it, get me out of here! I refuse to die in this place!"
"Help! I don't want to die! I still have so many new slaves I haven't even played with yet!"
Crying, screaming, curses, and desperate pleas echoed everywhere as Mariejois plunged into utter pandemonium.
Some World Government soldiers didn't flee—not because they were brave, but because they knew there was nowhere to run.
They attacked the falling prison with everything they had, desperately trying to destroy Impel Down before it hit.
It was useless.
Impel Down was built to contain the world's most dangerous criminals, its walls reinforced beyond imagination. With their strength, shattering it was nothing but a fantasy.
Suddenly—
"Enough!"
A furious roar thundered from the direction of Pangaea Castle.
At the same time, an enormous hand tore through space itself, appearing above Mariejois.
The gigantic palm blotted out the sky as it slammed toward the descending Impel Down.
The next moment—
Boom!
A thunderous explosion rang out.
The so-called "impregnable fortress," Impel Down, shattered violently.
Countless fragments exploded outward, raining destruction across the city below and collapsing countless buildings.
"Since you've come, don't think about leaving!"
Another voice echoed from deep within the Holy Land, heavy with anger, as the massive hand reached out toward Lin Xuan.
"Haha, perfect timing," Lin Xuan laughed coldly. "I was just getting curious about how strong you really are."
As his voice fell, a colossal golden giant—nearly a thousand meters tall—manifested in midair, raising its own hand to strike.
Boom!
The two enormous palms collided in the void, detonating with a deafening crash.
A terrifying shockwave rippled outward, warping the air as if space itself were about to be torn apart. Violent currents surged in every direction.
The next instant, both massive hands shattered like glass.
"You're strong," Lin Xuan said, his eyes narrowing slightly as he smiled.
They had only exchanged a single move, yet Lin Xuan could clearly sense it—the opponent's strength was indeed formidable.
Still, now was not the time for a true battle.
His objective had already been achieved. There was no reason to stay any longer.
"Haha, Im! We'll play again next time!"
With a loud laugh, Lin Xuan vanished without a trace.
"Hmph."
From deep within Mariejois came a cold snort.
Soon, everything returned to silence, as if the clash had never happened.
At the highest level of Pangaea Castle, within the Chamber of Flowers, a figure seated upon the throne slowly lifted his gaze. His eyes flickered as a low, heavy voice echoed through the hall.
"Lin Xuan… interesting."
At that moment, the entire world was shaken.
So the World Government had been hiding a mysterious powerhouse all along—and one who seemed no weaker than Lin Xuan himself.
Through Lin Xuan's live broadcast, countless people had witnessed that enigmatic figure's intervention with their own eyes.
Though the two had not truly fought, and no victor had been decided, the fact remained—
Lin Xuan had withdrawn.
That alone was enough.
Those forces that had begun to underestimate the World Government were forced to grow cautious once more.
And just like that, the name "Im" spread rapidly across the entire world.
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T/N:
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