Imu's thinking was simple: threaten Dragon with the lives of Belo Betty and the others, forcing him to relinquish control of Pluton.
And just as expected, Dragon's expression froze, his face twisting into a knot of conflict. Belo Betty and the others were not just his subordinates; they were his comrades, people he had fought alongside for years. Now, faced with a choice between the Ancient Weapon Pluton and the companions he saw day in and day out, Dragon was momentarily lost.
Seeing this, a flash of delight crossed Imu's eyes. Dragon was wavering.
But things were not proceeding as Imu had anticipated.
Meanwhile, after dealing with the dragon-like demon, Ryuuto had already pulled Belo Betty and the others into his Thunder Domain. He intended to use its power to reverse their transformation from the Black and White Reversal. After all, Imu had used a type of magic that imposed its own rules to turn them into demons.
So what would happen if it encountered the far more domineering Thunder Arts?
Staring at Belo Betty and the others, who were lunging at him but frozen in place, Ryuuto stroked his chin thoughtfully.
With a wave of his right hand, a fine web of electricity instantly enveloped them. The crackling aura of destruction suppressed the demonic energy surging from their bodies while simultaneously rushing into their minds.
A tremor ran through their bodies. Their movements ceased, and they stood perfectly still, utterly silent.
"It's working!"
A look of joy spread across Ryuuto's face as he watched them intently. Not far away, Hancock and the others were also focused on the scene. When Belo Betty's group suddenly stopped moving, their hearts leaped into their throats.
Inside the minds of the revolutionaries, the violet Annihilation Thunder was relentlessly suppressing the wisps of black fog. Under the crushing pressure of this destructive power, the black mist evaporated on contact. It was only a matter of time before the last remnants were completely eradicated.
Time ticked by, second by second.
Suddenly, a brilliant purple light erupted from Belo Betty and the others. Countless streams of black mist poured from the tops of their heads and dissipated into nothingness. Imu's power was being thoroughly purged.
Soon, their figures were completely swallowed by the light. Within the halo, the horns on their heads vanished, and their protruding fangs slowly receded. They were returning to their original forms.
"Hahahahahahaha, the Annihilation Thunder never fails!" Ryuuto praised himself internally. "It seems that with my Thunder Domain, Imu's magic is useless. I can take that so-called Black and White Reversal and reverse it right back."
This revelation put Ryuuto in an excellent mood.
"That's our captain!" Nami cheered, leaping with joy. Belo Betty was a good friend of hers, after all.
Hancock's eyes curved into crescents as she looked at Ryuuto. This man was always creating miracles.
"Wh... why are we here?"
Belo Betty and the others regained consciousness, their voices tinged with confusion. They had no memory of the time they spent under the Black and White Reversal. Ryuuto quickly explained the situation.
"Captain Ryuuto, you saved us again!" Sabo said, looking at him with pure admiration after learning what had happened.
Bonney gazed at him with the same reverence. Her mind was already racing with advanced applications for the power of thunder, envisioning the infinite potential it could unlock when combined with her Age-Age Fruit. A future God of Thunder in the making!
All of this had transpired in the brief moment it took Dragon to place the Mother Flame into Pluton's control core. By the time Imu made his threat, Ryuuto had already restored everyone. Thus, Imu's threat was completely empty.
And Imu knew it. He was simply gambling that Dragon didn't know what had just happened.
The red light in Imu's eyes flickered as he stared intently at Dragon. His arrow-tipped tail extended, ready to deliver a fatal blow the moment Dragon made his decision. Across from him, Dragon's fists clenched and unclenched, his heart in turmoil.
After several seconds of hesitation, Dragon's head snapped up as if he had made a final, terrible decision. He looked at Imu, grit his teeth, and slammed his hand down on the three pillars of magma.
In the end, he had chosen Pluton, abandoning Belo Betty and the others.
From Dragon's perspective, revolution was impossible without sacrifice. If that sacrifice could secure ultimate victory, then it was worth it.
"Ivankov, Betty... you won't blame me for this, will you?"
A storm of emotions raged within Dragon's heart. He believed his choice had condemned his comrades to death, and a wave of guilt washed over him.
In that instant, a powerful surge of energy erupted, and the entire warship began to vibrate violently. The long-dormant Ancient Weapon was slowly stirring to life.
"As expected..." Saint Figarland Garling said, his face grim. "The leader of the Revolutionary Army is indeed a decisive man."
Imu's face contorted with rage. His arrow-tipped tail lashed out at Dragon again and again, striking the protective shield with black lightning and sending thunderous booms throughout the cavern. The force of the impacts was so great that the entire volcano began to shake.
Under Dragon's control, Pluton's propellers began to turn, preparing for an attack. On the deck, the colossal cannon slowly rose, its dark, cavernous muzzle aiming toward a distant point. An ancient and powerful aura began to emanate from it.
"What's happening?" Ryuuto wondered, transforming into a streak of lightning and bolting toward Room 5.
"The warship is moving! Does that mean... Dragon succeeded?!" Ivankov shouted, a look of pure elation on his face.
Kuma also looked toward Room 5. Hearing Ivankov's words, he couldn't help but feel happy for Dragon. He knew how long his friend had endured for this very moment.
Sensing this, Imu's attacks grew more frantic. As countless arrows rained down on the shield, the black shadow of his body twisted and expanded. A terrifying pressure exploded from him. Imu was finally getting serious, preparing to transform into his full demon form.
With a final shockwave of energy, Imu's body convulsed and swelled, transforming into a massive, twisted demon. At the same time, a figure named Junzi tumbled out from the black shadow.
The demon was hundreds of meters tall, resembling a colossal salamander hunched on the ground. Vicious black-and-red lightning crackled around it. The sheer energy it emitted caused the volcanic interior to groan and collapse. This form revealed Imu's truly immense power. It possessed thick scales, razor-sharp claws, and deadly fangs. With a deafening roar, two straight horns sprouted from its forehead, radiating an ominous aura. Imu then charged, slamming his entire body against the three magma pillars.
Black-and-red lightning sparked violently from the tips of his horns. As he lunged, the very space around him seemed to cry out, unable to bear the weight of his power. This was Imu's demon form—a being with the power of immortality and regeneration, coupled with immense physical strength. He intended to shatter Pluton's defensive shield with this brute-force assault.
A tremendous crash echoed as the salamander demon collided with the barrier, unleashing a powerful shockwave that swept through the cavern. Countless rocks shattered and rained down from the ceiling. It was clear the volcano wouldn't hold for much longer.
The shield generated by the Mother Flame flickered violently, its color dimming as if it were about to break.
Watching Imu's overwhelming attack, Dragon had to admit he had underestimated his enemy's true strength. At this rate, the shield would shatter after another two hits.
"Fire!" he roared in desperation.
A massive torrent of energy surged from the Mother Flame, channeling through the ship and into the giant cannon on deck. The yellow-green beam of energy moved with incredible speed, disappearing into the weapon's chamber in an instant.
At that moment, Ryuuto had just reached Room 4, where he came face-to-face with Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro in his Bakotsu form. Ryuuto didn't hesitate. Seizing the opportunity, he clenched his right hand, which instantly swelled into a fist hundreds of meters wide, and swung it down on the skeletal horse. Dozens of lightning patterns materialized, and the fist descended with blinding speed.
Yamato and King, panting from their own battles nearby, watched with wide eyes. How could anyone attack like that? It completely defied all logic.
Ryuuto's attack landed.
"What is this thing?!" Nusjuro shrieked, his eyes widening in terror. The fist was too fast and too massive to escape. He tried to raise his sword to block, but it was too late. He was struck squarely.
With a sickening crunch, Nusjuro was flattened into a thin paste, seamlessly pressed into the icy floor. He went silent, instantly and grievously wounded.
"Huh... how was it that easy?!" Yamato stammered in disbelief, her jaw nearly on the floor. "It's like... Ryuuto's strength has reached some kind of terrifying new level."
It was true. With his Thunder Arts now perfected, a foe on the level of the Five Elders was no longer a match for him. They were, after all, just a group of parasites who relied too heavily on Imu's power.
"The Emperor, Ryuuto," King said in a low, somber voice.
Saint Valks, who was currently fighting Kaido, glanced over and his blood ran cold, nearly causing him to falter. Fortunately, his sentient sword acted on its own, breathing fire to deftly parry Kaido's Hassaikai.
Kaido saw it too, and his heart pounded in his chest. "How is that possible?! In such a short time, I feel like Ryuuto has gotten several times stronger! What is going on? Has his power grown beyond all reason?" he wondered, continuing his assault.
Ryuuto, however, was oblivious to their shock. He had no time to linger. His body transformed into a purple arrow hundreds of meters long, pointing directly at Room 5. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared at the tip of the arrow, now only a few hundred meters away. It was a magnificent performance, filled with artistic flair, though there was likely no one to appreciate it.
But just then, a cataclysmic boom echoed across the world. Pluton shuddered violently from the recoil. On deck, the massive cannon fired, unleashing a titanic shockwave that sent the Beast Pirates, who were about to land, scattering in disarray.
"A cannon as big as a small island?" Ulti murmured, the Gifter she was riding backing away nervously, though her eyes shone with excitement.
"It's so powerful!" everyone exclaimed in awe.
The energy beam that shot from the cannon barrel was like an act of god. It tore through the air, paused for a fraction of a second, and then vanished beyond the horizon as if it had compressed space itself. All that remained was a cloud of energy mist at the cannon's muzzle. The beam itself was completely invisible.
Pluton's attack directly ignored the laws of space—wherever it aimed, it was guaranteed to hit!
As for its target... it was, of course, the Holy Land, Mary Geoise. Where else would Dragon aim? In his mind, if he destroyed Mary Geoise, then Imu would surely die with it.
"No... no, don't do it!"
Inside Room 5, Imu sensed what was happening and screamed in silent terror. To Dragon, however, all he could hear were the furious and panicked roars of the giant salamander demon.