"......?"
"How did he end up looking like this?!"
"No! This guy is definitely not Lucci. Just who the hell are you?!"
Stussy quickly shouted her question, her eyes locked onto the eerie figure atop the ship's superstructure.
Imu did not respond. He merely looked down coldly, his gaze sweeping across the area before finally landing on Vegapunk.
"Three of Mu's most loyal servants have already lost their lives because of you. Now, Mu has descended..."
*Swoosh!!*
With those words, Imu's figure flashed and vanished into thin air!
Everyone was startled, abruptly turning their heads to look at Vegapunk.
"Protect the doctor!!"
It was unclear who shouted, but Sanji, Sentomaru, and Stussy dashed forward simultaneously!
Sure enough, in the very next second.
"Go and join them in death, Vegapunk."
Imu appeared right behind Vegapunk, his five fingers curled into a claw, thrusting fiercely toward his heart from behind!
In this critical moment! Sanji hurriedly unleashed a sweeping kick, striking Vegapunk and sending him flying to the side!
*Bang!!*
Completely caught off guard, Vegapunk flew sideways and crashed heavily into the wall of the ship's superstructure, barely dodging Imu's fatal strike!
"Ifrit Jambe: Collier Burst!!"
After kicking Vegapunk away, Sanji let out a loud shout. Using his momentum to spin around, scorching flames ignited out of nowhere on his leg as he viciously whipped a kick toward Imu's neck!
Imu's eyes remained entirely emotionless as he casually raised an arm to block.
*Bang!!*
This powerful and lightning-fast strike was effortlessly deflected, causing a hint of shock to surface in Sanji's eyes.
"Ashigara Dokkoi!!"
"Paper Art: Afterimage!!"
At the same time, Sentomaru and Stussy charged up from behind Sanji, launching a pincer attack on Imu from the left and right!
Imu's gaze darkened. He raised his other arm in front of him, pinching his thumb and index finger together to form a ring. A small cluster of black flames spontaneously ignited in his palm.
"Demonic Flame!!"
Imu blew into his palm, and the cluster of black flames abruptly expanded. Passing through the ring of his fingers, it erupted outward in a fan shape, engulfing the entire space in front of him!
"!!!"
Sanji and the other two widened their eyes in panic.
In the next instant.
*Boom!!!*
The ferocious black flames swallowed the trio! The high-temperature impact exploded, blasting them away on the spot!
*Bang!! Bang!! Bang!!*
Sanji and Sentomaru crashed into the mast and the superstructure respectively, while Stussy shattered the ship's railing and flew straight out, plummeting into the sea.
"Stussy!!"
*Splash!*
Lilith hurriedly dove into the sea to rescue Stussy.
Beneath the superstructure, Sentomaru's charred body lay motionless, his eyes rolled back. He had been knocked unconscious by just a single strike.
Similarly suffering from severe burns, Sanji lay on the deck. Clenching his teeth, he propped himself up with trembling hands, his eyes fixed deathly upon Imu.
"This guy... how did he suddenly become so strong, as if he's a completely different person? Bastard!"
Patches of deep pink dragon scales surfaced on his skin as an endless stream of power surged from within him. After transforming into his Dragon-Man Form, Sanji quickly flipped to his feet.
Imu shot him a faint glance, releasing a massive amount of demonic energy from his hand.
The surging demonic energy coalesced into a long Naginata, its blade curved and twisted like a silver snake.
"It can even turn into a weapon? What the hell is that thing?"
Sanji furrowed his brows, completely unable to decipher the ability his opponent was using.
Imu nonchalantly raised his weapon and casually slashed forward!
*Clang!!*
An invisible slash flew out vertically! Its sheer speed startled Sanji, prompting him to hastily leap to the side.
*Boom!!*
The violent slash landed on the mast, cleaving it cleanly in two! It then extended outward with undiminished momentum, tearing a massive rift into the sturdy deck!
"You bastard! What are you doing to this ship?!"
Sanji growled angrily at his opponent, yet he remained calm enough not to charge in recklessly. Instead, he opened his mouth and roared out a beam containing terrifying energy!
"Lightning Flame Dragon Breath!!"
*Swoosh!!*
The blazing pillar of fire, entwined with violent lightning, tore through the space and shot straight toward Imu!
The next moment.
Imu raised his other hand, holding his palm upright as a mass of demonic energy resembling black flames emerged once again.
The dragon breath crashed into the mass of demonic energy but was completely blocked, unable to penetrate it even a single inch!
Fire and lightning intertwined and flashed fiercely, scattering countless sparks and electrical arcs across the deck.
Seeing this, Sanji immediately halted his dragon breath and used Moonwalk to leap above Imu's head.
Imu looked up, glaring at Sanji with displeasure. With a casual upward wave of his hand, the mass of demonic energy previously used for defense instantly scattered into countless clusters of flames.
"A mere mortal of the lower realm, daring to stand above Mu."
Imu aimed his hand at Sanji, pinching his thumb and middle finger together. The clusters of flames floating around him instantly shot out like a dense barrage of bullets!
"Demonic Energy Bullets!!"
*Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew!*
"Crap!!"
Sanji's pupils dilated in panic, completely caught off guard that those eerie black flames could be fired in such a manner.
Suspended in mid-air, he had no way to dodge the terrifyingly fast and dense attack. Instinctively, he curled up his legs and arms, using Armament Haki Hardening in an attempt to block.
However, the power of those demonic energy bullets far exceeded his expectations. Even his invulnerable dragon scales combined with Armament Haki could not completely defend against them.
*Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!*
The dense barrage struck Sanji, shattering his dragon scales one after another as countless sprays of blood splattered outward!
*Bang!!*
Shot out of the sky, Sanji's body crashed heavily onto the deck. Imu stepped forward, ruthlessly stomping a foot onto his chest as a long, slender tail whipped out from behind him.
It was not a leopard's tail, but one with a sharp, inverted triangle at the tip—a tail exactly like that of a demon.
*Stab!*
Imu's gaze darkened as the tail viciously pierced into Sanji's abdomen. Demonic energy surged from the wound, continuously spreading across his body.
"At the cost of a portion of your life, Mu shall grant you even greater power. From now on, you shall walk the world forever as Mu's servant."
"Gah—!!"
Sanji coughed up blood, his hands gripping desperately onto his opponent's tail, his eyes bloodshot with rage.
A few breaths later.
Sanji gradually stopped struggling. His pupils turned as pitch-black as a pool of stagnant water, and the pink dragon scales on his body grew dull and blackened.
Imu turned his head, looking back toward the bottom of the superstructure.
Vegapunk was slumped on the ground. Seeing the entity look his way, his face inevitably filled with panic.
Just as Imu prepared to step forward, he seemed to suddenly sense danger, abruptly turning his head to look toward the coast.
*Swoosh!*
A streak of black light tore across the land, flying straight toward him at breakneck speed!
"It looks like you've done something terrible to my capable subordinate! You piece of trash!!"
Allen's eyes blazed with fury. Riding his immense momentum, he unleashed a spinning flying kick straight at Imu!
*Bang!!!*
Imu hastily held the Naginata horizontally with both hands to block. A terrifying force transmitted from the shaft to his hands, nearly knocking the weapon from his grasp as he was sent flying on the spot!
*Crash!!*
Imu's body shot backward at blinding speed, smashing through the railing and flying off the deck!
Countless wooden splinters scattered and fell into the sea.
A pair of wings abruptly unfurled from Imu's back, stabilizing his retreating form. Hovering above the sea, he glared coldly at the ship.
"So it's you... Proteus..."