"I don't believe it! Your energy must be an illusion!" Imu attacked in fury. "How could anyone become stronger after recovering from injuries than before being injured?!"
Her figure blurred abruptly. In the next instant, she was already before Setsuna.
The six tattered wings spread like blades. Dark purple energy condensed into solid, razor-sharp points, stabbing straight for Setsuna's throat.
"Too slow."
Setsuna's fist arrived later but struck first. Wreathed in boiling Conqueror's Haki, it smashed heavily onto Imu's face.
Amidst the sickening sound of cracking bone, Imu's body flew backward like a cannonball, smashing through dozens of palace ruins before finally embedding itself in a distant cliff face.
The entire battlefield fell silent. Everyone stared dumbfounded. Imu, powerful as a god, had been casually sent flying by a single punch from Setsuna.
Theoretically, it was only a 30% increase in power. But at their level, every fractional increase was a qualitative leap.
At this moment, Setsuna completely surpassed Imu.
In the rubble of the cliff face, Imu struggled to push herself up. Her nose bridge was flattened. Blood traced bizarre patterns on her pale skin.
"You, this—" She began to speak but Setsuna's figure had already vanished from before her.
"I said... too slow." Setsuna's icy voice sounded by her ear. A heavy fist wrapped in Conqueror's Haki smashed down onto her crossed, blocking arms.
Crack!
A clear bone-fracturing sound rang out. Imu grunted. Her six wings flapped frantically, trying to create distance.
But Setsuna was faster. His figure was like a ghost, appearing almost simultaneously around Imu from all sides.
Every punch, every kick struck the weak points of her defense with precision. The dark purple energy armor shattered like glass.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Amidst the dense barrage of impacts, Imu was like a leaf in a storm, constantly being blasted through the air.
She tried to counterattack, but Setsuna always intercepted her moves a step ahead.
"Is this your limit?" Setsuna's voice held cold mockery, but his eyes were expectant… hoping Imu could still erupt.
A knee strike slammed heavily into Imu's back. Imu plummeted into the ground like a meteor.
Boom!
The massive shockwave threw up dust tens of meters high. The Red Line cracked once more under the impact.
When the dust cleared, Imu was kneeling in the center of a deep crater. Three of her six wings were broken. Her magnificent robes were in tatters.
"Damn it!" Imu's eyes were full of humiliation. She could tell from Setsuna's tone that he genuinely wished she could become even stronger, so he could use that bizarre ability to improve himself again.
"You damn bastard..." Imu wiped the blood from her mouth. The dark purple light in her eyes blazed to its limit.
"Divine Punishment: End!"
Dark purple energy collapsed frantically in her palm. Space began to warp. Light was swallowed. Even sound seemed sucked away.
This was her final killing move… compressing all her power into a single point. Its destructive force was enough to wipe a super-large island off the map.
"Go to hell!" Imu's shriek pierced the heavens. The dark purple [End] sphere shot forth abruptly.
The newly-born power within Setsuna erupted like a volcano. The ground beneath his feet exploded. Almost instantly, he appeared before the energy sphere.
Thump!
Setsuna delivered a violent kick, launching the energy sphere away. The kicked [End] sphere traced a beautiful parabolic arc, soaring straight into the sky.
The next moment, a black sun erupted ten thousand meters above.
There was no sound, for the explosive shock instantly emptied the air for dozens of kilometers around.
Blinding purple light spread across the sky like an aurora, illuminating the entire Red Line as if it were doomsday.
The shockwave spread spherically, clearing a vacuum zone tens of kilometers in diameter in the cloud layer.
Cracks in space spread high above, like a shattered mirror.
"Your ultimate move... nice scenery." Setsuna gave his review.
Imu's six wings froze mid-air. Her beautiful face was full of disbelief.
Her ultimate move should have been in an extremely unstable state. Logically, it should have exploded the moment it was kicked.
"I don't believe it!" Amidst the manic scream, Imu shot out dozens of dark purple energy spheres in succession.
Seizing the moment while Setsuna dealt with them, her six wings vibrated at maximum speed. She fled towards Uranus at her fastest pace.
However, she hadn't escaped more than a few steps before Setsuna blocked her path.
"Trying to run now? Don't you think it's a bit late?" Setsuna asked with a light laugh.
"Fine, fine..." Imu's voice suddenly became abnormally calm, yet more chilling than her earlier roars. "Since Imu cannot have this world, then let it be destroyed along with Imu."
The Uranus in the sky seemed to sense its master's will. The entire airship began to tremble violently.
Countless energy conduits lit up with blinding white light, converging towards the central cannon like blood vessels.
"Do you know what this is?" A morbid smile hung at the corner of Imu's mouth, as if showing off her most prized possession. "This is the Great Kingdom's greatest legacy… [Planet-Destroying Cannon]."
"Eight hundred years ago, it was this very cannon that sank the majority of the world's landmasses. Though it lacks energy now, it is enough to destroy the Red Line!"
Setsuna's expression shifted slightly. He could feel the annihilative power contained within that energy.
Without the slightest hesitation, his hands swiftly came together at his waist. Dazzling blue-white light gathered frantically between his palms.
Kamehameha!
A brilliant energy torrent shot skyward, like a spear piercing heaven and earth, heading straight for the core cannon of Uranus.
However, a semi-transparent hexagonal energy barrier abruptly unfolded, enveloping Uranus.
The Kamehameha crashed heavily against the barrier. Not even a single ripple was stirred before it was perfectly neutralized.
"It's useless." Imu's laugh was shrill and piercing. She watched Setsuna's futile efforts like a spectator. "This is the [Absolute Barrier] that even Pluton couldn't penetrate. Perhaps given enough time, you might drain the shield's energy. But it's already too late."
Dragon and the others all had grim expressions. If the Red Line sank, the resulting super-tsunami would sweep across the entire world.
"Kuma!" Setsuna's roar pierced the clouds.
Bartholomew Kuma, who had been guarding the rear, immediately understood. His massive frame instantly appeared at his side.
"It's time for you to save everyone again."
Kuma nodded silently. His large, paw-like hands began slapping the air at an astonishing speed.
Pat-pat-pat-pat!
Amidst the crisp sounds, one figure after another transformed into streaks of light and vanished.
Garp, Sengoku, Dragon, Rayleigh... Whether Marine officers or Revolutionary Army soldiers, all were teleported to safety by the power of the Nikyu Nikyu no Mi.
Imu merely watched coldly, making no move to stop them.
"Run. Run all you want." She whispered, her voice like a serpent's hiss. "Once the Red Line sinks and the seas submerge all land, where can you possibly run to?"
In less than three minutes, all of Mary Geoise was empty.
Having completed the teleportation, Kuma returned to Setsuna's side, only to see his Captain strike a strange pose.
Both hands were raised high overhead, palms facing upward, as if holding up some invisible weight.
"Captain, we can leave now!" Kuma said urgently.
But Setsuna replied calmly, "You go on. I have to stay here."