"I think instead of punishing us, Imu-sama might actually be pleased… because such a magnificent person has appeared,"
the bearded Gorosei said solemnly.
"This… when you put it that way, it does sound reasonable…"
The other Four Elders, hearing his words, exchanged glances. As absurd as it sounded, they all nodded in agreement, using that flimsy logic as the only way to comfort themselves under the current situation. There was nothing else they could cling to.
"Are you about to bloom, or are you hiding thorns among the flowers?"
Dragon's sharp eyes followed Rain's every move as he stood blocking Commander Kong. While he was impressed by Rain's strength, a different spark lit within him—expectation.
He wasn't just watching Rain fight. He was waiting. Waiting to see if this man could force the World Government to reveal their true trump card.
What Rain had shown so far—terrifying, yes. But in Dragon's eyes, still within the realm of possibility.
After all, if the World Government dared to leash the Navy as their obedient dogs, then it meant they possessed power equal to, or even greater than, the Marines.
And so far? Three Admiral-level fighters, nearly twenty Headquarters Vice Admirals, and the Celestial Guard still stood as the Government's front line. And beyond them—CP0's hidden elites, scattered across the world.
If gathered, the full might of the World Government would rival, perhaps even overwhelm, the Navy's high-end strength.
"Come on," Dragon whispered under his breath, a glint of fire in his eyes. "Show me what you're truly hiding."
"This monster…"
Kong, Kaido, and even the surviving God's Knights could only grind their teeth in disbelief.
Watching Rain battle was like staring at a force of nature, one that ignored every rule they thought defined the world.
The power he had displayed was more than enough to slaughter any one of them in a one on one.
How could such an unreasonable existence even be born into this world?
"Among the flowers, is it?"
Rain's sharpened Observation Haki—no, his hearing that bordered on Voice of All Things—told him that no one was there. No human presence. Nothing.
Yet… his instincts screamed otherwise. His body knew. His blood trembled. Behind that door sat an unprecedented power, waiting patiently for him to arrive.
A shiver of excitement ran through him. His smile widened, reckless and hungry.
"My body's starting to burn with excitement," Rain murmured, grinning.
Without hesitation, he pushed the door open.
Inside, upon the Void Throne, sat a figure draped in a black robe. The face was hidden, swallowed by the cloak's darkness.
But through the shadows, a pair of eyes glowed. Menacing. Eternal. Watching him.
"Is this Imu?"
Seeing the figure on the throne, Rain's curiosity sharpened. If not for his eyes, he wouldn't have been able to feel that presence at all and that alone said everything about how extraordinary this person was.
"Are you the foundation of the World Government?" Rain asked, excitement humming under his voice.
The power coiled inside him, domineering and ready to strike at a moment's notice.
A cold, almost electronic voice answered from the shadow. "Im. That is my name."
The tone made it impossible to tell whether Im was a man or a woman. The voice carried a clinical calm that could chill bone.
"You're so young, yet you possess such strength. That is... different from the other one who came before." Im's voice betrayed a trace of surprise.
Normally, Imu wouldn't bother with an intruder, no matter how strong.
What caught Im's attention this time was Rain's youth paired with an ungodly power.
For the first time in a long while, Im felt curious.
"Oh? Am I the second to come here?" Rain's face flickered with surprise.
"Yes." Im inclined their head a fraction.
"Then...if I'm qualified to look...what do you look like?" Rain asked, the question carrying genuine curiosity. He wanted to see the truth behind the robe and the throne.
"It depends on your strength." Im rose slightly from the throne and looked down at Rain.
"If you are strong enough, you may do as you please. If you are not then die here."
"Strength?" Rain's smile widened. "If that's the case, I won't be polite."
Power flared. Conqueror Haki and Armament Haki braided together, a fierce aura wrapping Rain like armor. The world around him seemed to tense in response.
"Kamusari!" Rain shouted.
"Boom!"
The chamber answered with a thunderous impact.
The ground trembled.
Im, who had been sitting dozens of meters away, appeared right in front of Rain in an instant—closing the distance without warning.
At the same time, Rain's blade was already in motion, slashing straight toward him.
"Huh?"
A low, surprised sound escaped Im's lips. Even he hadn't expected Rain's ability to be this strange.
"Ha!"
Rain roared, pouring even more strength into his swing. His haki flared, the edge biting forward with crushing force.
But Im's strength still exceeded Rain's imagination. Just as the strike was about to land, Im's body seemed to float back effortlessly.
"Boom!"
The slash split the marble floor, tearing a scar through the throne room. Im, however, remained untouched.
"So fast."
Rain's eyes narrowed, a trace of surprise breaking through his confident expression.
He knew an overwhelming power like this was normal for someone of Im's level… yet seeing it firsthand made the gap all too clear.
"Even with form magic boosting me, my base body still lags behind. Strength, speed, even haki...I'm far below him," Rain admitted inwardly.
"No wonder even that guy wasn't ready when he came here… Im really is the true pinnacle. Even Roger at full strength would have slim odds of victory."
He exhaled sharply, refocusing. It seems I'm still early. But right now… the only way I can fight is by relying on form magic to keep up with him.
"Strange abilities…"
For his part, Im was studying Rain with equal intrigue. For someone who had lived eight centuries, there were few Devil Fruits left unknown to him. Yet here, watching Rain, even he felt doubt gnawing at his certainty.
This was the first time he had seen such power. And he couldn't place it.
"The ground shrinks instantly, and suddenly I appear in front of him? Then earlier...the meteor shower. They were nothing but pebbles at first… then magnified into boulders in an instant."
His eyes glowed faintly beneath the hood.
"Is it the ability to alter the form of an object? A Paramecia…?"
Other than that, Im could think of no explanation.
And that uncertainty, the fact he could not immediately unravel Rain's secret was enough to sharpen his interest further.
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