At this very moment, Sengoku and the other top Marine officers were somewhat dazed.
When they initially stormed the Domain of the Gods to confront Imu, they had envisioned a classic life-and-death struggle, a battle for Justice against the ultimate mastermind of evil. They expected a hard-fought victory where the Navy would prevail and dismantle the conspiracy ruling the world.
Instead, the situation had veered off course ever since they arrived.
As for the "conspiracy to rule the world," Imu didn't care in the slightest. She had essentially told them that if Diarmuid was willing to go with her, she would hand the entire world over to them in a heartbeat...
It was absurd.
Furthermore, her current goals had long since transcended petty desires. Ruling the world? That was something she had already grown bored of.
Indeed, in Imu's own words, she had "played enough." It was no longer interesting. Imagine the sheer prestige of being so high-level that you've grown "bored" of ruling the world.
Now, she was pursuing something unprecedented. In fact, her entire life had been a series of unprecedented feats. Whether anyone would ever follow in her footsteps was uncertain. After all, she now wanted to traverse space-time to reach a brand-new world and continue her legend there...
Sengoku thought about it carefully and realized it wasn't a bad deal; it was better than letting Imu stay and wreak havoc in their world. Sending her to another world seemed like a decent compromise. Of course, that was just a fleeting thought; he would never actually sell out Diarmuid for such a thing.
Imu watched Diarmuid with an expectant gaze, waiting for his answer.
Diarmuid hesitated for a moment, then said cautiously, "I think I'll pass. I'm the type who's afraid of traveling too far from home..."
"Sigh..." Imu's expression fell into deep disappointment, followed by a trace of stubbornness. "Won't you reconsider? I can give you anything. I can give them anything."
She paused, looking at Diarmuid with absolute sincerity. "For centuries, I have never taken a companion. Diarmuid, no one in this world is worthy of me, save for you. If you come with me, we... we..."
"Hey! Give it up! Diarmuid won't fall for your 'honey trap'!" Gion, catching her drift, immediately cut her off.
Diarmuid: "???"
Whether I fall for it or not, at least let her finish! That's basic etiquette, isn't it?
To be confessed to in public, especially by someone as peerless as Imu, even if he was going to refuse, the experience itself was quite pleasant. It was a massive ego boost and something he could brag about for ages! It was the ultimate proof of his charisma!
And yet, Imu's words were cut short by Gion's jealousy.
Seeing Gion's fierce glare, Diarmuid knew better than to say something like "let me think about it." He took a step forward, looking as righteous as if he were bathed in holy light. He spoke to Imu with solemn resolve: "Perish the thought! As a Marine Admiral and an embodiment of Justice, I, Rodriguez Diarmuid, will never collude with the likes of you!!!"
Beside him, Gion nodded in satisfaction. That's more like it.
Sitting upon her throne, Imu fell silent. Her expression darkened considerably. Though she had been amiable toward Diarmuid until now, she was still the person who had stood at the apex of the world for over eight hundred years.
In this world, she had never bowed her head to beg anyone. This was the first time she had made such an offer, and he hadn't left her a shred of dignity.
A spark of anger finally ignited in Imu's heart.
"So, you are telling me... I must take you by force and record the World Coordinates from within your soul?" Imu's voice turned chillingly cold.
Diarmuid grinned. "No, I'm telling you to surrender now, so you don't look too pathetic when you lose."
"Hmph!" Imu scoffed. She shifted from her leaning posture to a regal, upright stance. Sitting high on the throne, she looked down at the Marines with disdain. "You are not qualified."
The moment those words left her lips, Diarmuid, showing zero respect for the 'elder,' launched a sneak attack.
His eyes instantly turned pitch black. He focused his gaze on Imu as the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit erupted.
"Abyssal Darkness!"
Beneath the throne, the floor was instantly stained with shadows. The dense power of darkness surged upward at incredible speed, threatening to swallow the entire throne in the blink of an eye.
However, a look of disappointment crossed Diarmuid's face. Although the throne was devoured, Imu was already standing several meters away, her blade in hand. The moment he launched his attack, she had already sensed the danger and relocated.
"I've been meaning to say this... that sword looks very familiar," Imu said softly.
"The Cursed Blade, Kokorowatari," Diarmuid said, flourishing his weapon.
"Ah... Kokorowatari..." A look of nostalgia appeared in Imu's eyes. "That brat's sword array?"
"Are you referring to Claudius?" Diarmuid asked tentatively.
"No..." Imu shook her head. "History has never lacked for brilliant individuals like you... That blade was forged by the Great Pirate, 'Hellscream' Proudmoore Grommash. Two centuries after his era ended, it fell into the hands of the 'King of the Night,' Khaz'goroth Orgrim. Only after that did it reach Donquixote Claudius. The 'brat' I referred to wasn't Claudius, but Orgrim..." [1]
As she mentioned Orgrim, a rare flash of sorrow appeared in her eyes, as if she were remembering a dear friend long dead.
Diarmuid was confused. Why are you telling me this? I've heard the stories, but I don't know any of these people.
Imu seemed to sense his confusion. Her expression returned to its usual calm. "You wonder why I am bringing up such trivial things?"
"I am curious..." Diarmuid nodded.
"Seeing that blade simply reminded me of an old acquaintance, and of the blade I hold now," Imu smiled. Before he could speak, she continued: "That man was called the King of the Night. He hid within the Eternal Night Sea, where even I couldn't reach him... This blade was a gift from him, right before he died."
Before he died?
"Avalon. This blade is named Avalon. I once made a pact with him to remain undefeated throughout my life. Therefore, this blade can also be called the 'Sword of Promised Victory'!" Imu's tone suddenly sharpened as she leveled the tip of her blade at Diarmuid. "Are you prepared for defeat?"
"I could say the same to you." A black light flashed as Diarmuid coated Kokorowatari with the power of the Abyssal Devourer!
Despite the provocation, a smile played on Imu's lips. Without another word, she vanished.
"So fast!" Diarmuid thought, alarmed.
Even when observing her fight Sengoku earlier, he knew she was quick, but this was on another level. Her speed was so great that even Gion struggled to keep up, and Gion, with the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, was no slower than Borsalino.
Yet Imu wasn't using any Devil Fruit ability; she likely wasn't an ability user at all. She was matching Gion with pure physical speed!
In that instant of her disappearance, the Marines went on high alert. Diarmuid's Observation Haki, combined with the "lines" of his gravity powers, searched the surroundings for any movement.
In a heartbeat, Imu appeared directly in front of Diarmuid. Her blade, Avalon, descended with a momentum that suggested it could cut through anything.
"Hah!" Diarmuid roared, swinging Kokorowatari upward to meet the strike.
He was confident. To this day, no one had ever been able to stop the Abyssal Devourer. In Diarmuid's mind, this strike was truly unstoppable.
However, the impossible happened. As Kokorowatari swung toward Avalon, it met an invisible barrier three fingers wide. It couldn't advance an inch further!
"Haki? Conqueror's?" Diarmuid's eyes widened.
He had seen Imu's Conqueror's Haki before, and he was well-versed in Conqueror's Haki Infusion himself. That wasn't the shock. The shock was that her infusion was strong enough to completely halt the Abyssal Devourer.
You've got to be kidding me! Even Whitebeard used Haki to block it, but even he couldn't stop it entirely!
"Martial arts, brawling, swordsmanship... all these techniques eventually reach a limit, Diarmuid. But there is one thing that has no limit. It is truly infinite. Tell me... what do you call that power?" Imu looked at him with a slight, mocking smile.
She applied more pressure. The Conqueror's Haki Infusion on her blade became thicker and heavier, and a suffocating pressure began to radiate from her body.
As she said, physical techniques, swordsmanship, and even Devil Fruits have a ceiling. Within the confines of this world, there is a point where one can no longer improve. Imu had clearly reached the "level cap" for all these attributes, she was the ultimate all-rounder.
But she was implying there was one power that was truly infinite.
In that instant, Diarmuid understood.
Haki. Specifically, Conqueror's Haki.
While Armament and Observation can be honed through years of practice, they too have a limit; Garp was likely at that ceiling. But Conqueror's Haki... its growth cannot be consciously controlled. Instead, one can only learn to channel it. This power grows alongside a person's life experiences and history.
Diarmuid realized what she meant.
She has lived for over eight hundred years!
Her Conqueror's Haki was undoubtedly peerless in this world! Diarmuid couldn't even begin to fathom the sheer magnitude of the Haki she had accumulated over eight centuries!
"It seems you have the answer, Diarmuid." Imu read his expression and smirked. "Correct. The power that knows no limit is Conqueror's Haki, the unique power of a natural-born King to reign over all living things!"
With a sudden burst of strength, her Conqueror's Haki forcefully pushed through the Abyssal Devourer. Through sheer, brute force, she sent Diarmuid skidding backward.
As Diarmuid regained his footing, he was met with an aura so domineering it defied description.
How strong was this Haki?
Strong enough that, by itself, it exerted a crushing pressure on Diarmuid, Sakazuki, Borsalino, Gion, Tsuru, and Sengoku simultaneously.
The roof of the castle began to groan and buckle under the invisible shockwaves of her aura. Then, the heavy ceiling collapsed entirely. That invincible spirit soared into the heavens, and the world itself began to change color.
Above Mariejois, thick black clouds rapidly coalesced. Thunder and lightning exploded across the sky as gale-force winds began to howl.
Through the release of her aura alone, she made the world itself obey her command.
This was the King of the World!
Imulia!
[1] 'Hellscream' Proudmoore Grommash and 'King of the Night' Khaz'goroth Orgrim are the main characters of two other One Piece fanfictions written by the author. They are based on the Orcs in Warcraft.