"Imu?!"
Hearing the exchange between the Figarland father and son and the woman floating in the air whose presence had changed so drastically, Ash was genuinely shocked.
He had never expected the final mastermind of the pirate world to appear before him so suddenly.
It almost felt too easy.
Then, as the thought crossed his mind, something else clicked into place.
He carefully recalled the woman's expression and the strange look in her eyes. A moment later, he slapped his thigh.
"Damn it, you're using possession, aren't you?!"
The instant Ash realized that Imu had merely descended into another person's body, Imu's gaze shifted toward him.
"Dawn... that so-called free will... but... you are not him."
Looking down at Ash from above, Imu abruptly abandoned the original plan.
"Ash, from this day onward, I command you to become a member of the God's Knights."
Ash remained seated beneath the parasol, a faint smile resting on his lips. He wanted to see exactly what tricks this so-called divine possession could accomplish.
"But in your current state, you would never obey my command."
"I shall grant you the power of a devil."
Speaking almost to itself, Imu raised a hand and traced a massive pentagram in the air.
"In exchange for a portion of your lifespan, I shall grant you an immortal body and extraordinary power."
"Under my dominion, reason and common sense shall no longer bind you."
"To become a devil is the highest form of life."
As those words echoed across the battlefield, the pentagram descended beneath Ash's feet.
Feeling the strange flames surrounding the formation, Ash raised an eyebrow.
"Not hot at all... it's actually cold."
"A devil's contract? That's a pretty interesting ability."
A flicker of surprise appeared in Imu's eyes when Ash remained completely unaffected.
With a smile, Ash stood up and casually stored the beach chair and parasol inside his storage ring.
"What? Surprised I didn't fall for it?"
Imu stared at him silently before flipping a hand downward.
"Black Turn: Domination."
The magical array beneath Ash instantly rotated one hundred and eighty degrees.
Ash simply floated upward.
"Oh, right. I can fly."
He looked at the stunned Imu and grinned.
"You don't even know that? For someone hiding behind the scenes all these years, you're a pretty incompetent mastermind."
"Come on, what else have you got? Show me."
"I am furious!"
Apparently provoked by Ash's mockery, Imu unleashed an overwhelming burst of Conqueror's Haki, intending to crush him outright.
Back when he had fought the Red Hair Pirates, Ash had complained to Shanks that he hated the flying debris and chaotic atmosphere caused by Conqueror's Haki clashes.
Now Imu had delivered an even stronger version of that experience.
Ash's eyes widened.
"You think you're the only one with Conqueror's Haki?"
His own fully mastered Conqueror's Haki erupted outward.
The moment the two forces collided, Imu's overwhelming pressure shattered like fragile glass.
Not only that, but every member of the God's Knights affected by Ash's Haki, including the previously unharmed Figarland father and son, seemed to be erased from existence, disappearing as though wiped clean from a chalkboard.
"..."
Looking across the suddenly empty battlefield, Ash instinctively rubbed the stubble on his chin.
"This looks almost exactly like what happened on Egghead, when the Gorosei were repelled by the Conqueror's Haki Joy Boy left behind."
"So it wasn't that Joy Boy's Haki specifically countered Imu."
"It's simply that overwhelming Conqueror's Haki can interfere with Imu's abilities."
"It's the same principle as powerful Haki overcoming Devil Fruit powers."
"As long as your Conqueror's Haki is strong enough, Imu is nothing more than... well..."
"...an old monster that's somehow survived for nine hundred years."
"So this is the final boss?"
"What a disappointment."
As soon as Imu and the members of the God's Knights vanished, White Lion Sali and the others hurried over, bombarding Ash with questions.
He could only explain his theory once again.
"So if someone doesn't possess Conqueror's Haki," Sali asked with a frown, "then defeating that thing is basically impossible? You wouldn't even be able to hurt it?"
Ash smiled.
"Relax. I'm here, aren't I?"
"After all, it's a monster that has lived for nearly a thousand years. Having a few unusual abilities is only natural."
"So what now?" someone asked.
"The God's Knights have been driven back, and the only Yonko remaining on Hachinosu is Big Mom. Are we still going through with the plan?"
Ash burst into laughter.
"We've already shown half our fangs. Why stop now before revealing the rest?"
"At this point, aside from Jinbe hiding beneath the sea, the Shichibukai faction has completely disappeared."
"And among the Yonko, only Big Mom remains."
"It's time to bring this so-called Great Pirate Era to an end."
"What are you planning to do?"
"For the first step..."
A smile spread across Ash's face.
"Let's go watch Jack and Big Mom complete their little exchange of souls and bodies."
...
Holy Land Mary Geoise.
As the Revolutionary Army spread chaos throughout the Holy Land, the Gorosei remained completely unmoved.
They stood silently outside Pangaea Castle, allowing the invaders to ignite fires, free slaves, slaughter guards, eliminate CP0 agents, and even kill numerous Celestial Dragons.
It was as though, to them, only Pangaea Castle and the Flower Room hidden behind it truly mattered.
At that moment, black lightning flashed across the sky.
The Gorosei slowly raised their heads.
Inside the Flower Room.
"Waaaaaahhh!"
Imu, who had been sitting motionless with closed eyes, suddenly snapped awake.
Its legs gave out instantly.
The ruler of the world collapsed onto the floor, letting out a shrill cry of pain.
"Haa... haa..."
After breathing heavily for a long while, Imu finally managed to recover.
"Joy Boy?!"
"No..."
"That's impossible."
"Neither that aura nor that Conqueror's Haki belongs to him."
"Dawn..."
"Ash..."
"Who exactly are you?"
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Hearing the commotion, a maid rushed into the Flower Room.
"Lord Imu, are you alright?"
Imu slowly stood up.
"...Issue an order to the God's Knights."
"Eliminate every last piece of vermin within the Holy Land."
"And inform the Gorosei."
"I want every scrap of information concerning Ash gathered and delivered to me."
"Not a single detail is to be omitted."
"Immediately."
"Yes, Lord Imu."
...
Because of Ash's warning, by the time the God's Knights had recovered and prepared to avenge their humiliation at the hands of the Dawn Faction, the Revolutionary Army had already escorted the final group of liberated slaves safely away from Red Port.
Standing aboard his ship, Dragon looked back at the towering Holy Land Mary Geoise and the massive Red Port below.
For perhaps the first time in many years, a faint smile appeared on his usually stern face.
He then gave his next order.
"Inform every standby unit."
"Spread out and monitor every shipping route connected to Red Port."
"Our next objective..."
"...is to completely cut off the Holy Land's food supply."
"Let those arrogant Celestial Dragons experience what it means to starve."
===
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