The Five Elders immediately scattered to rally all the remaining military forces, leaving only Imu standing alone atop the grand platform.
"Eight hundred years... I will never be defeated. This world shall forever remain under my rule," Imu murmured coldly. "I am God."
But what he didn't realize was—this time, he would face monsters far beyond his comprehension.
Time flowed by, and in the blink of an eye, three months passed. Through tireless effort and relentless campaigns, every single nation across the world had been liberated—except for one. Only one final, filthy bastion of sin remained: Mary Geoise.
"Just one last stop left, and then I can finally go home and play games!" Shion stretched lazily on the deck, smiling with pure relief. The long war was almost over.
"Don't celebrate too soon," Hakurou said beside her, dousing her mood like a cold splash of water. "Even after this battle, we still have a lot of cleanup to do—at least another month or two of work."
"Ahhh! I just wanna go home…" Shion immediately deflated like a balloon. "I miss holding Lord Rimuru. It's been so long… That squishy feeling in my arms… mmm." Her cheeks flushed unnaturally red as her thoughts wandered off.
"If Miss Shion wishes to return early, it's certainly possible." Diablo appeared beside them without a sound, smiling as he offered, "I can handle the finishing touches myself. Of course, that is—if Miss Shion is willing to admit she's the second secretary~"
"What?!" A dark shadow crossed Shion's face as she planted her fists on her hips and barked, "Don't underestimate me! I'm the professional secretary, and I've been by Lord Rimuru's side longer than you—so I'm the first secretary! You're the second one! Got that? Hmph!"
Diablo chuckled lightly, unfazed by the outburst. The truth was, he and Shion got along quite well. These harmless little spats were just part of their rhythm—entertaining, even relaxing.
"Alright, that's enough bickering," Benimaru approached, sword in hand, eyes razor-sharp. "Get ready—we've arrived at our destination."
Everyone turned their gaze forward. Thousands of warships stretched across the sea in perfect formation. The World Government had gathered all of its remaining elite here. Even with all their power, the pressure was undeniable.
On the other side, their own elite forces stepped forward as well—Roger, Whitebeard, Redfield, Golden Lion—all standing proudly at the helms of their ships, staring down their foes from across the waves.
"Tch. Struggling right to the end, huh?" Benimaru sneered and barked his orders: "You all, just focus on keeping their top fighters busy. Don't overdo it—just stall them. Got it? Alright—get ready for battle!"
"Then it's our turn to act!" came a voice from behind.
Milim, Veldora, and Guy strolled forward casually, exuding an aura of absolute confidence.
"Yeah, we just need to take out that 800 years old guy. Let's end this fast—no need for pointless sacrifices," Benimaru turned to them, a flicker of sympathy flashing through his eyes. He imagined the horror that was about to descend upon Imu… and couldn't help but pity the poor fool. Two Primordial Demon Lords and one Storm Dragon? He'd be lucky to remain recognizable.
"Relax, relax~" Milim tilted her head smugly. "This Time-Time fruit guy? I'll squash him in seconds."
"I hope so," Benimaru sighed. "But don't underestimate him. His Devil Fruit power is a bit of a pain."
"Yeah, yeah, nag nag nag." Milim waved dismissively as she launched into the air before he could finish.
"We'll head out too," Guy and Veldora nodded and followed right behind her.
Benimaru rubbed his forehead, took a deep breath, then raised his sword and pointed it at the opposing fleet. "CHARGE!"
The two armies collided with no room for pleasantries—just immediate, brutal warfare.
"Iron Fist: Starcrusher!"
Garp leapt into the sky, power radiating from his fist, creating a monstrous shockwave as he aimed to annihilate an enemy ship in one strike.
"Spirit Magic—Nature's Guard!"
At the last second, a brilliant green barrier enveloped the ship. The shockwave crashed into it, sending ripples through the air, but the shield held firm.
"Vice Admiral Garp, I'm afraid I can't let you run wild here." Shion stepped forward, her body wrapped in glowing magic, a massive blade resting on her shoulder. "I'll be your opponent. Don't mix things up."
"…This is going to be a real pain." Garp narrowed his eyes. The pressure she gave off was no joke—he couldn't take her lightly.
Elsewhere on the battlefield, Whitebeard sent Sengoku flying with a single punch, then followed up by kicking the sneaky Kuzan clear across the deck.
"Sengoku, did you skip breakfast or something? That weak punch was pathetic! Go home and drink some milk, old man! Gururururururu!" Whitebeard bellowed with laughter, his Gura Gura no Mi powers pulsing as he raised Murakumogiri and brought it crashing down toward Sengoku.
"Don't get cocky, you damn geezer! What 'Strongest Man in the World'? Even a three-year-old could beat you!" Sengoku retorted, and his golden Buddha form roared to life, now laced with black-armored Haki. He met Whitebeard's strike with a devastating shockwave of his own.
The area around them became a dead zone—nothing but raw destruction for hundreds of meters.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the chaos, another mighty clash was underway.
"YOU! You dare show your face in front of me again?!" Commander Kong snarled, pure black-armored Haki crackling around him like lightning.
His opponent: the Pirate King himself, Gol D. Roger.
"Celestial Fall!" Kong roared, unleashing a devastating blow.
Roger furrowed his brow. "Oi, oi! Someone's grumpy today. You know, someone might actually die if you keep swinging like that."
Despite his words, Roger nimbly avoided the attack with millisecond precision. The ability to hear all things wasn't just for show—it was incredibly effective in battle.
"Damn it! Fight me head-on if you've got the guts!" Kong unleashed a flurry of punches, each one packing enough force to obliterate a mountain. But Roger kept slipping just outside his reach, dodging again and again, frustrating him to no end.
And at that very moment, deep inside the grand palace of Mary Geoise… several uninvited guests made their entrance.