Chapter 394: Sacrifice

The Horse Talisman, originating from the Dragon Ball Z world, is one of the Twelve Talismans, possessing a conceptual-level effect that dispels all adverse external forces.

Placed in other worlds, it might not be very useful against other bosses.

But in the One Piece world, the Horse Talisman is the ultimate counter to Imu.

It can not only解除 the control of Black Turn Domination, but also break the three layers of Demon Contracts—Shallow Sea, Deep Sea, and Abyss—established by Imu.

It is as if it were designed specifically for Imu, precisely dismantling all of Imu's revealed abilities from the underlying framework.

This mechanism monster, Imu, if lacking other means, would mostly have to admit defeat when facing a cheat like Saint Saint Saiwen.

Garp glanced at the spikes before him, then turned his head to look at Saint Saint Saiwen with an innocent little expression.

"You must have a way, right?"

Saint Saint Saiwen nodded: "Rest assured, Garp Senze, I will let you pass away a little more quickly in a moment."

From Imu's calm attitude after failing to Black Turn Dominate Loki, and from specifically targeting Garp, who is not a Devil Fruit user, Saint Saint Saiwen drew a conclusion he was unsure was true—

Black Turn Domination is ineffective against Devil Fruit users.

Perhaps because users already have a demon within their bodies, and Imu's demon power cannot dominate the demon inside a user's body.

Unfortunately, the information is insufficient.

Saint Saint Saiwen cannot confirm it yet.

Furthermore, the reason he did not use the Horse Talisman immediately to break Garp's Black Turn Domination was that Saint Saint Saiwen intended to change his approach.

The approach he previously envisioned was indeed excellent, banishing Imu seventeen years into the future, but the battlefield changes in an instant; it is impossible for everything to proceed exactly according to his plan.

It is better to act according to the situation.

Anyway, with the Pure Gold Pendant present, Garp's vitality is in a fixed state and will not be consumed by Black Turn Domination to undergo demonization at the cost of burning his life.

Saint Saint Saiwen seemed to have discovered something extraordinary.

The function of the Pure Gold is to weld vitality firmly at the current scale, preventing it from decreasing or flowing away.

The function of Black Turn Domination is to forcibly extract and burn vitality, thereby causing demonization.

Let's make a simple analogy.

Black Turn Domination is a water pump, while the Pure Gold is the valve blocking the pump's water pipe.

As long as the valve is present, no matter how the pump turns, it cannot draw out any water.

In short,

the Pure Gold is the vitality-level counter to Black Turn Domination; it can block the core mechanism of vitality consumption, causing Imu to lose the most lethal means of control.

But it is far from unsolvable, simply because the Pure Gold cannot break the mental control of Black Turn Domination.

The truth was exactly as Saint Saint Saiwen had thought.

After being hit by Black Turn Domination, Garp merely covered his head, as if forcibly resisting mental erosion, while his body showed no signs of demonization.

Instead, a huge humanoid shadow rose from above Harald's body.

It was completely consistent with the scene in God Valley back then, where Imu possessed Saint Saturn.

Thus, after losing one Lunarian vessel, Imu managed to turn the situation back in his favor.

And as Imu looked down at the Red Line split in two beneath his feet, his eyes involuntarily recalled the terrifying radiance of that blade light just now.

"Barzab—

Imu has met countless brilliant and talented people in this life; among those who have fought Imu in swordsmanship, no one is more excellent than you.

Imu is willing to call you the strongest."

During the battle at Marineford, facing Saint Saint Saiwen's feat of annihilating the Navy Headquarters in a single strike, Imu had already regarded Saint Saint Saiwen as being on an equal footing.

That is why Imu recruited Saint Saint Saiwen without holding grudges.

But the offensive of that single slash not long ago made Imu realize that He had ultimately underestimated Saint Saint Saiwen.

Cutting the Red Line in two with a single slash.

What kind of mighty power is this!

Possessing destructive power comparable to the Sky King Uranus at the age of twenty-two; if Saint Saint Saiwen continues to develop low-key for a few more years, even He might not be able to guarantee a victory against him.

At this moment, a flicker of relief flashed through Imu's heart.

Relief that Saint Saint Saiwen did not continue to endure in silence, did not continue to wait and act after another ten-plus years.

If it were ten-plus years later, with the appearance of the prophesied one, Joy Boy, and with Barzab and others... He might truly fail.

The sudden changes in the blink of an eye on the battlefield suddenly made Loki and Sengoku panic.

"Little Bai Mao, my father..."

"Saint Saint Saint Saiwen, Garp..."

One is Loki's biological father, the other is Sengoku's close friend of many years; if the two are unfortunately controlled by Imu, how should they choose?

Sengoku admitted he was not yet great enough to disregard Garp's safety in order to defeat Imu.

Loki was the same; in the face of family and close friends, they hesitated.

Humans are just like this.

"Don't worry, this is nothing yet."

Having said that, Saint Saint Saiwen looked at the humanoid shadow of Imu above Harald's head.

"Imu my lord, if you only have these means, then I must ask you to die."

Hearing these words, Imu spoke softly.

"Barzab.

Imu has met two people like you... one wanted to beat the Drum of Liberation to liberate the whole world, and the other wanted to become the King of the World."

"But they both failed."

"And you, will fail today as well."

"Because the world of Imu is not yet complete."

What Imu's world is like, Saint Saint Saiwen does not know, nor does he wish to know.

In his heart, he actually feels a certain degree of disappointment, for Imu's performance truly does not match the oppressive aura of a final BOSS.

It is not that Saint Saint Saiwen is being humble-bragging.

Rather, the fact is simply this: aside from Black Turn Domination and the Demonic Contract, Imu has yet to reveal abilities that inspire despair.

Very well, Saint Saint Saiwen is indeed humble-bragging.

Without the System, he might not even have the qualification to stand before Imu.

"Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, this is the end."

Losing a vessel had obviously exhausted all of Imu's patience, especially regarding the threat of Saint Saint Saiwen, who must be thoroughly eradicated.

The instant the words fell, a massive pentagram array simultaneously appeared on the ground and in the sky of the ruined Mary Geoise.

From a distance, it looked as if a cylindrical cage had materialized out of thin air amidst the ruins of Mary Geoise, enveloping Saint Saint Saiwen's side, the Five Elders, the God Knights, and this entire space within it.

The Five Elders, still struggling desperately, were instantly filled with sheer terror upon seeing this scene.

"Imu my lord, stop!"

As Imu's most loyal servants, the Five Elders had signed a Deep Abyss Contract with Imu centuries ago; naturally, they understood what the pentagram array before them signified.

This was to sacrifice them alive.

Not only the Morning Star Group, but even they and the God Knights would not be spared.

Imu... is a ruthless person.

The Five Elders served the World Government for hundreds of years; even if they had no merit, they had at least endured hardship, yet they were discarded by Imu as mere chess pieces.

This sudden turn of events caused Kaido and others, who were fighting the Five Elders and the God Knights, to halt their attacks simultaneously.

"Tsk tsk, it seems... something momentous is about to happen."

Watching the Five Elders' recovery speed slow down further, Kaido had thought victory was imminent, never expecting such a sudden turn of events.

Almost at the same time.

Saint Saint Saiwen had already flashed instantly before Harald, using a full thirty Universal Sealing Scrolls on the Giant King.

Although he was unclear on the specific purpose of the pentagram array, the moment the pentagram array suddenly appeared, images of his companions' demise flashed rapidly before Saint Saint Saiwen's eyes.

If this move is not interrupted, death will come.