Chapter 431: The Might of Nika! A Shock Eight Hundred Years in the Making!

Imu stood in place, his expression shifting between light and shadow, for a moment even appearing somewhat dazed.

First, there were hegemons like Rocks and Roger, rare talents born once a century, who stirred the entire world into turmoil.

The lingering aftermath of their actions brought harm for decades.

Even though the Marines and the World Government exerted their full strength to exterminate them, life forces like roadside weeds not only failed to perish but, with the passage of time, showed a trend of becoming increasingly rampant!

Yet those two were ultimately dead; although the calamity they left behind affected the entire world, in Imu's eyes, it was ultimately controllable.

But this time...

It would be difficult!

Whether it was the knight Gao Wen, whose rise was unstoppable, or Nika, reborn from ashes, both possessed the ability to shake the foundations of the World Government.

And if such existences appeared simultaneously, for the World Government, it would undoubtedly be an unprecedented disaster.

"Lord Imu, Lord Imu, please issue your orders!"

"Activate Uranus and completely erase Britannias from the map!"

"Take with them the knight Gao Wen, take with them the Nika who has risen from dead ashes, as well as the monsters lingering in the New World!"

"If so, half of the strongest figures in the New World will cease to exist, and the pressure we face will be reduced countlessfold!"

From the receiver of the Den Den Mushi.

The Five Elders' panic, impossible to conceal, all transformed into incessant urging, demanding the most extreme means to eradicate every threat!

The shock brought by Nika had already caused the five of them to lose their usual judgment, but Imu had not; he only found it noisy.

"Silence!"

"Lord Imu..."

"I said, silence!"

The other end of the receiver instantly fell silent.

Even having lost reason, even with urgency in their hearts, the fear of Imu that had been engraved into their marrow still forced them to calm down.

Imu put down the receiver and couldn't help but reach up to rub his brow.

Since when did it start?

Since when did this world become like this?

A familiar face floated before Imu's eyes.

Short golden hair, silver armor, holding a long blade in hand, his posture casual yet subtly revealing the aura of a hegemon.

It was none other than the knight Gao Wen!

Everything began when this man appeared upon the seas.

From the East Blue to the New World, and then to Britannias, the knight Gao Wen had become the eye of the storm for nearly every event.

Slaying the Golden Lion at Water Seven, crushing Whitebeard at the Summit War, and now bearing the title of invincible in history, even Imu himself had to harbor three parts of caution toward him...

All of this should not have been this way!

Even someone as strong as the knight Gao Wen was merely an ordinary human; a mere few decades of lifespan was far too brief for such an existence.

He should have been like those powerful figures of the past.

After dominating the seas for decades, he should have ultimately been defeated by time, or crawled before himself begging for immortality.

Everything should have been this way!

Imu still remembered the confidence and stability he felt in his heart when he deduced Gao Wen's purpose back in Britannias.

But now, with Britannias having become a massive force capable of shaking the World Government.

When Imu reviewed the history of Gao Wen's journey, as well as the current state of Raven Port and Britannias, he finally realized with a start.

The knight Gao Wen might pursue immortality, but compared to that, what this man desired even more was this world!

Yet what chilled Imu to the bone most was that the knight Gao Wen, possessing Britannias, truly had the qualification for such a thing!

The scorching sun hung high, and heat waves whistled through the air.

Imu stood in place for a long time, then slowly lifted the Den Den Mushi receiver in his hand; his tone returned to its usual calmness as he spoke only a single word:

"Wait!"

The Five Elders felt unwilling:

"But..."

Imu sneered:

"Don't tell me you still naively believe that the threat posed by merely a ghost awakening wandering the seas is greater than that monster in Britannias?!"

"Eight hundred years ago I did not fear him, and eight hundred years later I certainly will not!"

"But the knight Gao Wen is different; if he wishes, the power of the Red Dragon could destroy this world!"

Snap—!

Imu casually hung up the phone.

Shiryu, waiting nearby, stepped forward and asked:

"Lord Imu, where shall we go next?!"

Imu glanced lightly at Shiryu, his gaze falling upon the blood-stained blade in Shiryu's hand; the bloodthirsty desire emanating from the latter had almost reached the point of being completely unmasked.

But it was precisely such a person who made a qualified blade!

Imu pondered for a long moment, then said:

"The Revolutionary Army or Wano Country—which do you want to strike first?!"

"Ara ara~"

"Those are quite formidable forces!"

Shiryu was stunned for a moment, then immediately became excited, his eyes turning completely crimson:

"If it's not a mortal threat to the World Government, then it's one of the Four Emperors who rule the New World?!"

"What about Red Hair's side?!"

Im said calmly:

"Others will deal with them. You needn't concern yourself with it."

"Is that so…"

Shiliew nodded, lowering his posture even further:

"If it's possible…"

"Let's start with the Revolutionary Army. After all, the main course is to be saved for last!"

Im shook his head:

"Kaido hardly counts as a main course. The main course is at Britannia!"

……

……

……

Britannia.

The Round Table Arena.

Ripples spread circle after circle across the ground. The Straw Hat standing at the center pounded his fists against his chest, sending the sound of the Drum of Liberation across the entire world!

And replenishing strength to his own body!

"Here it comes! Here it comes! Here it comes!"

The moment Straw Hat raised his head and shouted, Ajin in the distance had already charged in once more.

The bone armor of his Three Bones Six Heavens Demon King form appeared especially ferocious, displaying a cold-blooded bearing utterly unlike Nika's almost playful one.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

In an instant the two sides clashed hundreds of times in midair, the scattered shockwaves easily tearing apart the earth beneath their feet.

Cracks spread outward in every direction, forming a spiderweb pattern — yet that pattern lasted only an instant before shattering inch by inch!

Ajin wantonly unleashed the tremendous power within him, his mind set on nothing but defeating the opponent before him.

He wanted even more to see just how powerful this Nika — the one who had so thoroughly piqued Gao Wen's interest — truly was!

Boom!

Ajin landed a heavy punch square on Fifth Gear Straw Hat's face.

The latter's body displayed an unreasonable property — like a comedic character, even his eyeballs were sent flying.

"That was close! That was close!"

Straw Hat casually pressed his eyeballs back into their sockets, then used the force of Ajin's punch to spin himself like a top through the air.

"Rubber White Whip!"

A whipping kick landed dead center on Ajin's chest, blasting him hundreds of meters away to crash heavily against a distant wall!

"Hahahahaha~!"

"Fun! Fun!"

"This is just too fun!"

……