Chapter 401: Ancient Coffin, Imu Descends Again
At this moment, the entire world fell silent.
That giant starlight ship that had descended upon the battlefield out of nowhere seemed like a massive beast pressing down on heaven and earth, rendering the Marines and spectators present completely silent.
Especially those twelve figures, making everyone's hearts throb with unbearable excitement.
The Zodiac—to this day, the name of this organization has even surpassed the "Four Emperors" on the sea, capable of being called a legendary existence.
Every highest executive of The Zodiac, every codename is sufficient to shake the sea, making countless factions fearful and wary.
And this time...
"Except for that Star Lord... everyone is here."
"This is the first time, right?"
"The Giant Race, the Fish-Man Race, and the warriors of Amazon Lily..."
"Hey hey, those are the Pirate King's left and right hands, as well as former Warlords 'Knight of the Sea' Jinbe, 'Pirate Empress' Boa Hancock, 'Tyrant' Bartholomew Kuma, 'Hawk-Eyes' Mihawk..."
"The others look very strong too, that Giant guy—"
"That's the Giant Prince of Elbaf, Loki!"
Discussions instantly clamored across the entire world.
This was inevitable.
Because the number of military forces and powerhouses appearing on this battlefield right now undoubtedly exceeded comprehension.
"The world is going to change!"
Everyone truly realized that possibility.
One must know, the Marines had already fallen into a tough battle facing the Revolutionary Army and the two Four Emperors earlier.
And now, this batch of newly arrived military forces possessed a strength that even exceeded all the previous participants combined—the scales of the battlefield had completely tilted.
"Is the World Government... going to be overthrown!?"
And at this time, everyone who realized this possibility also couldn't help but recall Dragon's words just now, and the "truth" they saw through the Transponder Snails' broadcast just now.
Follow the stars, launch a resistance against the world, and then welcome...
"A New Era!?"
In an unknown number of places in the world, this common thought was generated at this moment.
But exactly at this time...
"..."
"..."
On the execution platform, Sengoku's expression had also completely darkened to the extreme.
"To think they actually came..."
He murmured in a low voice, and then looked at Gloriosa on the execution platform behind him: "Mamiya Gloriosa... the Government's 'plan' you mentioned, can be executed now, right?"
He said in a deep voice.
And after hearing this, Gloriosa raised her head and looked at the massive military force in the distance that had already begun to tear apart the Marine formations.
When her gaze landed on a certain afro skeleton in the crowd, her expression seemed to momentarily drift, as if some memories were trying to surge out from the depths of her brain.
"Father!"
"...Follow Brook and leave, you are... descendant... our bloodline... you..."
"Princess!"
Messy, chaotic voices seemed to ring by her ears, but vanished a moment later.
Her eyes became sharp once again.
"Of course."
Her gaze looked at Sengoku: "Sins, resisters... everything will be completely annihilated here—this is the will of 'God'."
She whispered as if sleep talking.
"..."
"..."
And after hearing this, Sengoku took a deep breath.
"Before executing it, I need one last confirmation—you will ensure the safety of the Marine warriors, right?"
He said in a deep voice.
Yes.
Just as stated before—before this war began, Sengoku had already learned of Luffy's identity and the enemies he might face from the Government's intelligence.
The Revolutionary Army and the Four Emperors were a matter of course, but the most crucial was "The Zodiac".
The Government clearly told him before the war started—The Zodiac would almost 100% participate in this war.
So the moment the war was prepared, Sengoku actually refused.
He knew very well.
Just the Revolutionary Army and the Four Emperors alone were already extremely difficult for the Marines to handle—even with the support of the World Government's other troops, it could only be said they barely had the power to fight.
If The Zodiac was added, that would be a completely different tier of power.
A war of this level, Sengoku would not easily be willing to trigger.
However, the Government gave him a condition he couldn't refuse.
That is, the Government promised... in this war, when The Zodiac participated, the Government would reveal its trump card.
That trump card would completely annihilate all enemies who dared to participate in this battle.
At that time, the Four Emperors, the Revolutionary Army, The Zodiac... all the evil factions that caused chaos on the sea would disappear.
To Sengoku, that also represented the first possible step to achieving the ideal he pursued!
So, Sengoku agreed to the Government's demand, and even tacitly consented to the Government's modification of the Impel Down prisoners.
And now, clearly, it was time for the World Government to fulfill its promise.
"God's promises are never empty words."
Gloriosa spoke calmly.
"Plan... begins execution."
Her words fell.
Then...
VMMM!
The overflowing starlight in Marineford became dim the next moment.
"Hm?" *N
At this time, existences with sufficiently strong Observation Haki all instinctively looked up at the sky.
Then they saw.
Above the sky, dim dark clouds were constantly changing—those boundless dark clouds, even Loki as "Uranus" couldn't control their movement.
Clearly, those were not ordinary clouds, but...
"The power of the Abyss..."
Loki furrowed his brows, tightly gripping the Iron Thunder in his hand.
And during the continuous gathering of those countless dark clouds.
They were constantly changing, constantly combining.
In just a moment.
Above the entire sky, the countless dark clouds had already gathered into an unprecedentedly massive Abyssal Magic Circle.
And in the center of that Abyssal Magic Circle.
A red-haired figure holding a long sword was already standing in the air.
That was exactly the currently sole God's Knight, Shamrock Figarland.
And at this time...
This sole God's Knight, also Imu's final contract holder right now, was currently holding the Seven Deadly Sins in his hand.
VMMM!
From his body, massive power was constantly radiating from the dense "Abyssal Servant Contract" marks.
Clearly.
It was exactly him, maintaining this massive "Abyssal Magic Circle" with the "Abyssal Servant Contract" on his body that was intense to the extreme and gathered almost all of Imu's remaining power.
And from within that Abyssal Magic Circle.
A massive object was slowly manifesting.
That seemed to be a massive outer coffin.
The coffin overall presented a metallic-like color, yet it was also seemingly illusory, suspended in the air—and its size was not even smaller than the Aster.
[Ancient Creation - Ancient Coffin].
And at this time, on that massive coffin, the coffin lid had already been opened.
From within the coffin, there were also countless pitch-black figures slowly manifesting.
But they seemed to still be bound by some power, unable to walk out of the coffin.
But exactly at this moment...
"Respectfully welcoming... My Lord!"
Shamrock's gaze looked at the battlefield below, looking at Gloriosa on the execution platform.
And as his words fell.
Changes indeed occurred on Gloriosa's body.
From the bizarre scythe she held in her hand, the black flames unique to Imu began to burn.
Gloriosa's body began to change, and pitch-black wings spread from her back.
She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, her eyes had already turned into a posture with concentric circles, like an abyss and a vortex.
Undoubtedly—just like in God's Valley.
Right now, she was no longer Gloriosa.
But rather... Imu.