Takuro casually waved his hand, sending a dark red Qi blast screaming through the air. He didn't aim for the unstable energy core itself. Instead, he struck the exact point where the core connected to the palace structure.
Boom!
The support beams shattered instantly. Without its anchors, the energy core lost its stability and detonated in a violent flash. However, because of how Takuro had aimed his blast, the majority of the explosion was funneled upward. The lethal energy vented out through the massive hole Takuro had already punched in the ceiling. The remaining shockwave hit Monkey D. Dragon, sending him skidding across the floor. He was banged up and bruised, but he was alive.
Takuro didn't stick around to check on him. He shot back into the sky like a rocket. He knew his work wasn't finished. Even after taking a direct hit from his ultimate move, he could still feel that old monster's presence. Imu was still clinging to life.
Down below, Dragon struggled to his feet and watched Takuro disappear into the clouds. He looked around the ruined, smoking hall and let out a long breath. He didn't waste any time and immediately hurried to find where the rest of the Revolutionary Army was making their final push.
The sight of the explosion and Takuro's return—looking like a dark god of war—completely crushed what was left of the World Government's spirit. The Five Elders stared in horror at the massive crater in the middle of their holy land. They could feel Imu's power level dropping rapidly, and for the first time in eight hundred years, they felt true despair.
"Lord Imu!" they cried out in terror.
"It's over," Saint Saturn whispered to himself, his face pale. "The World Government... it's all falling apart."
On the other side, the allied forces let out a roar of victory that shook the Red Line.
"Lord Takuro won!"
"Keep moving! Wipe them out!"
Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom felt their spirits soar. Their Haki-infused attacks became even more brutal as they pressed the advantage. The Five Elders were too distracted and frightened to fight back effectively. They began to retreat, cornered by the sheer power of the Yonko. Even the elite God's Knights were being torn apart by the high-level fighters of the alliance.+2
The 800-year-old foundation of the world was crumbling.
The Tide of War
The battlefield was a scene of total collapse for the Marines and the World Government.+2
Lucci met up with the Revolutionary Army, carrying the secret data from the Poneglyph.
Gion finally broke her ties to the past by cutting down a Celestial Dragon who was trying to flee the chaos.
Fisher Tiger and his Fishman unit successfully smashed the chains of countless slaves, leading them to freedom.
The war was decided. Now, there was only one thing left to do: finish off the master of the world. Every pirate, revolutionary, and soldier looked up at the sky. They watched the dark red figure of Takuro walking through the air toward the weakened Imu.
The air was thick with the smell of ozone and burnt stone. Spatial cracks flickered like black scars against the clouds. Takuro walked with a steady, arrogant pace, his body wrapped in dark red Qi flames and crackling lightning. Imu's glow had faded, and the ancient ruler looked smaller, more fragile.
Imu's form was still blurry, struggling to hold together after the 100x Kamehameha. The black runes of Law were flickering like dying lightbulbs, unable to form a solid shield. Those eyes, which usually looked like they held the entire universe, were now focused entirely on Takuro.+2
"You are an anomaly," Imu said, the voice weak and filled with shock. "Your power... it's beyond anything my calculations predicted."
Takuro grinned, showing teeth stained with his own golden blood. It was a wild, predatory look. "Calculations? I hate people like you who sit in the dark and try to plan everything out. Power isn't about math. It's about letting it all out without any cheap tricks!"
He stopped a few feet away from Imu. He didn't fire immediately. Instead, he let the dark red energy pool in his hand, watching Imu like a cat watching a mouse.
"You lost, old monster," Takuro said, his red eyes locked onto the ruler. "This world needs someone new to make the rules."
Imu stayed silent for a long time as the fragments of Law drifted away like dying embers. The ruler looked down at the burning ruins of Mary Geoise and the people cheering for a new era. "The changing of Law... it isn't the first time..." Imu whispered, sounding incredibly tired and old.
"I don't care about your old stories," Takuro snapped. He raised his hand, and the energy began to compress into a deadly sphere. It wasn't as big as his last move, but it was more than enough to finish the job. "Time to go."
The Last Clue
"Lord Takuro! Wait!"
Dragon's voice boomed from below, amplified by a loudspeaker. He, Sabo, and Lucci had reached the edge of the crater. Lucci held up the Poneglyph rubbings.
"We found it!" Dragon shouted. "Nico Robin's research and these new rubbings say the final clue is in the Flower Chamber! It's connected to Imu! He might know what you're looking for!"
Takuro paused, his eyes narrowing. He looked back at the blurry figure in front of him. "Oh? You know about the Dragon Balls, too?" +2
A strange ripple went across Imu's face. The ruler didn't look at Takuro but began to mutter softly. "So... 'their' coordinates have been triggered after all. The balance is going to break..."
"Stop mumbling!" Takuro growled impatiently. "Tell me what you know about the Dragon Balls, and I'll make your death quick and painless!"
Imu slowly looked up. There was no more anger in those eyes—only a strange kind of pity. "You think you're chasing power... but you're only chasing destruction. The thing you want will bring an end that even I can't imagine."
"You're just trying to scare me!" Takuro didn't believe a word of it. The light in his palm flared up again. "Talk, or die!"
Just as he was about to strike, the air changed. Imu's light flickered violently, and the ruler's body started to fall apart. Imu stared deep into Takuro's eyes, as if memorizing his face.
"A new storm is coming... the Observer is here. The fate of this world is yours now, Anomaly..."
Before he could finish, Imu's body burst into a thousand tiny specks of light. They didn't fly away; they shot downward like a reverse meteor shower, diving straight into the deepest part of the crater toward the bottom of the Red Line. They moved so fast it looked like something else was pulling them down into the dark.
----------------
You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion