Mio inquired out of mere curiosity, not expecting an answer from Im.
To his surprise, Im raised his slender hand, placed it before his eyes, and whispered.
"My ability? This is… the power of God. It's fine to tell you. The Fruit of Faith, the first Devil Fruit in this sea, allows me to bind others through my power. As long as they believe in me, I can draw the power of faith from them. You may not understand how terrifying this power is."
"Those who believe in me can imagine me to be perfect, invincible. Everything they imagine, as long as their faith is strong enough, I can possess it."
"Just like this thunder…"
A sizzling sound followed.
Thunder began to coil around Im's hand.
"See? This is what a believer imagines—me commanding thunder to reign supreme over the world. They firmly believe I possess the power to control it. Therefore, I truly wield this power."
Im's tone was calm.
But Mio couldn't help but look shocked as he listened.
"To actually… have such an ability?!"
Binding others, instilling faith in them, and thus gaining the power they imagined?
Such a power—could it really exist in this world?!
Even Mio flashed with disbelief. It was clear that the nearly one hundred Celestial Dragons who had arrived earlier were beings bound by Im—her devoted followers.
Mio keenly noticed the fanaticism in their eyes as they looked at Im.
"So, you've already bound a hundred followers?" Mio said gravely.
"Yes." Im nodded slightly. "Of course, I don't possess a hundred powers. The stronger a power, the more intense and devout the faith required—sometimes strong enough to drive a follower insane, disqualifying them entirely. Even so, the power I wield is beyond your imagination. Strong enough to destroy anyone who dares to overthrow the World Government—including you."
"That may not be the case!"
A cold glint flashed in Mio's eyes as a fierce aura surged from him. "At least, you didn't deal with Rocks, did you?"
He trailed off.
In the next instant, Mio appeared before Im, unleashing a devastating punch. The blow, brimming with Armament Haki, fused with demonic and dragon power, reached its peak.
Im reacted swiftly, clenching his right fist. Golden light and thunder swirled around him as he struck back.
But in the very next moment, Im was sent flying. He crashed through the air before finally stabilizing himself.
"Rocks?"
Im's eyes flickered. He shook his head slightly. "It's not that we can't deal with him. But he must return what he took from the World Government."
"Otherwise, he would have bid farewell to this world long ago."
Buzz—
Golden holy light erupted from Im again, and his form transformed into that of a gigantic angel, twelve pristine white wings unfurling from his back. Lightning and flames swirled around his radiant figure.
"Destroy!"
Boom!!
Flames.
Thunder.
And holy light.
They all intertwined, converging into a colossal, destructive beam that roared towards Mio.
"Something from the World Government?"
Mio's eyes gleamed. He took a deep breath as a violent gust of wind swirled around him. Demonic and dragon power surged together.
In an instant, a massive skeleton warrior erupted from Mio's body, enveloping him.
Demonic power shaped its frame. Raging winds formed its armor. Flames gathered at its fists, blazing with destructive heat.
Controlling the skeleton warrior, Mio hurled a devastating punch.
The blow collided with the beam in an earth-shattering roar.
The explosion blasted outward, its shockwave sending combatants flying. The violent tremors cracked the very ground.
Even the aftershock alone caused weaker fighters to foam at the mouth and collapse.
Mio's Observation Haki continued to blanket the entire Red Earth Continent. Through it, he sensed almost all the World Government's forces locked in battle—against the Revolutionary Army, the warriors of Wano, Zou, even the Nine Snake Island fighters, alongside the Black Crow Pirates.
From this, he drew his own conclusion, and a grin spread across his face.
"I see."
"So that's it… Uranus. Is that what Rocks took from the World Government?!"
Mio's grin widened with excitement. "Uranus must have been in the hands of the World Government. Yet now, he hasn't appeared. I guess Uranus is no longer under their control, right?"
A flicker of surprise crossed Im's eyes, but his voice remained calm. "You are sharp. As you said, Uranus is indeed no longer in the World Government's control. He rests within Rocks—fused with him. Unless Rocks himself wills it, no one can take Uranus from his body."
Mio frowned.
Uranus… inside Rocks?
How could such a thing be possible?
Though it sounded absurd, he didn't think Im was lying. There was no need.
"Could it be related to the Dark-Dark Fruit…?" Mio thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Unlikely."
Instead, he grinned. "That bastard Rocks has actually done me a favor. At least now I don't have to worry about Uranus showing up. I was prepared for quite a few sacrifices."
"Don't celebrate too soon."
Im, still in angelic form, waved his hand again. Another wave of devastating light surged toward Mio. His calm voice carried over the battlefield. "The World Government may have lost Uranus—but in your path to overthrow it, you've gained a formidable enemy. He shares your ambition. And he won't allow you to become the one to bring us down."
Im's gaze shifted toward a distant figure. "Let him out."
"Lord Im… do you truly wish to release him?" The speaker was a CP0 agent, his strength clearly Admiral-class. His body had taken on the awakened form of his Zoan fruit, resembling a humanoid Tyrannosaurus Rex. He had been rampaging across the battlefield, tearing down foes with terrifying strength. Yet at Im's command, he hesitated.
"Go," Im said coldly.
The man gritted his teeth, then nodded, quickly vanishing.
Mio's eyes narrowed, a grin tugging at his lips. "Rocks…"
"Another enemy? So what. Even if he's world-class, what's the harm?"
Boom—
A terrifying aura erupted from Mio. With a single step, he appeared above Im, his skeleton warrior smashing down a devastating punch.
"No matter who dares to stand before the Black Crow…"
"I'll crush them to death!!"
Im met the blow head-on.
But as Mio's words sank, an overwhelming burst of raw strength erupted from him. Im, even in his angelic form, was hurled back.
In raw power, he was no match for Mio.
Yet even after being blasted away, Im quickly recovered. His calm gaze shifted briefly to the rampaging Yasan before settling back on Mio.
"Two world-class beings on a single pirate ship," Im said coldly. "You truly have the potential to overthrow the World Government. But that alone does not mean you will succeed."
A buzzing sound filled the air.
Im's body split, dividing into three separate forms.
Each radiated a terrifying aura.
Though weaker than the true Im, the two clones possessed strength comparable to Admirals.
They attacked together.
One clone condensed blazing lightsabers in both hands, unleashing a strike at the level of a great swordsman.
Bang!!
Mio's fist, wrapped in layered power, collided with the slash, locking it in stalemate.
At the same moment, the other two Ims appeared to his left and right, unleashing blinding beams aimed straight for his head.
"Get out!!"
With a roar, Mio's power surged, shattering the strike.
His figure blurred, vanishing just as the beams cut through the air.
He reappeared behind one of the clones, grabbing it by the neck with one hand while smashing the other fist into its skull.
The clone's head exploded under the blow, and its body instantly dissipated.
Marijoa—
The very seat of the World Government.
Its grand architecture, built to symbolize unshakable authority, now lay drowned in blood and fire.
Hundreds, even thousands, fought desperately across its vast expanse.
But beyond Marijoa, no one knew.
No whisper of this battle would spread. Not even within the World Government itself, where reputation mattered more than truth.
The war had only just begun, yet it already raged at a fever pitch.
Blood soaked the earth. The metallic stench filled the air.
Corpses piled higher with every passing moment.
Many warriors reveled in the carnage, eyes burning with bloodlust.
Meanwhile, deep within the Holy Land of Mary Geoise—
Outside a fortified prison cell, a man arrived and opened the heavy door. Inside, chained and pierced through his very limbs, sat a small yet terrifying figure. His aura was so oppressive that even restrained, he exuded menace.
The man spoke in a low voice. "By Lord Im's command… you are released."
The sound of chains clanking filled the silence.
The prisoner slowly lifted his head. His sharp eyes, brimming with ambition, locked onto the man before him. That gaze alone carried crushing pressure.
A slow, sinister grin spread across his face.
"Ahahahahaha, I hear it!!"
"I smell it too!!"
"The sound of battle… and the stench of blood!! Ahahahahaha!!"
"Someone is declaring war against the World Government… is that right?"