The Five Elders immediately went off to rally all remaining military forces, leaving Imu alone on the grand platform.
"Eight hundred years," Imu murmured coldly, "For eight hundred years, I have ruled unchallenged. I cannot—will not—be defeated. This world will remain under my dominion. I... am God."
But unfortunately for him, he had no idea what kind of monsters were coming for him this time.
Time passed slowly, and in the blink of an eye, three months had gone by. Through everyone's tireless efforts, every nation in the world had been liberated—except for one. Only Mariejois, the stronghold of filth and corruption, remained.
"So this is the final stop, huh? Then we can finally go home and play games!" Shion stretched her arms out on the deck, her voice cheerful. After so many battles, they were finally nearing the end.
"Don't celebrate too soon," Souei poured cold water on her excitement. "Even after this fight, we'll still have to clean up the aftermath. That'll take another month or two."
"Ugh, seriously? I just want to go home," Shion sighed with her head drooping. "I miss hugging Lord Rimuru so much. It's been ages… that feeling was unforgettable…" As she spoke, an unnatural blush crept across her face.
"If Miss Shion wants to return early, that can be arranged." Diablo had somehow arrived beside them, smiling. "These minor tasks are no trouble for me. Of course, all you have to do is admit you're the second secretary."
"Excuse me?!" Shion's face darkened as she put her hands on her hips and shouted, "Don't look down on me! I'm a highly professional secretary! And I was the first to serve at Lord Rimuru's side—so I'm the first secretary! You're the second! Remember that. Hmph!"
Diablo chuckled, unbothered by her outburst. He and Shion had a good relationship, and these harmless little spats were just part of their dynamic.
"All right, that's enough banter," Benimaru approached, sword in hand. "Get ready for battle. We've arrived."
Everyone turned to look ahead. Thousands of warships were lined up in perfect formation, all of the World Government's remaining forces gathered here. Even their side could feel the oppressive pressure radiating from the enemy.
But the allied forces weren't lacking either. Roger, Whitebeard, Red Count, Golden Lion—they all stood at the fronts of their ships, staring down their opponents with unwavering eyes.
"Tch. Last-minute resistance?" Benimaru scoffed, then turned to the others. "Your job is to hold off the enemy's top fighters. You don't have to beat them—just stall them. Got it? Let's go!"
Just then, a voice spoke from behind.
"Then we'll begin our mission too."
Milim, Veldora, and Guy Crimson strolled forward.
"Yeah," Benimaru nodded. "Just take Imu out. Let's end this quickly. No need for pointless sacrifice."
As he turned to face the trio, a flicker of pity crossed his face. Two of the oldest Demon Lords and a Storm Dragon… he couldn't help but picture Imu being smashed into the ground.
"Relax, relax," Milim grinned confidently, raising her chin. "That Imu guy? I'll crush him in seconds."
"I hope you're right," Benimaru sighed. "Don't underestimate him. His Devil Fruit ability is a pain to deal with."
"Yeah, yeah, nag nag nag—" Milim took off before he could finish.
"Well, we're off too," Guy and Veldora said as they followed Milim.
"Let's hope everything goes smoothly," Benimaru muttered, rubbing his temples. Then, he took a deep breath, drew his sword, stood at the bow of the ship, and roared:
"CHARGE!"
No speeches. No negotiations.
The final battle began.
From the sky, "Steelbone Meteor Strike!" Garp leapt into the air, his monstrous power condensing into a massive shockwave aimed at one of the ships. A direct hit would mean total destruction.
"Spirit Magic — Nature's Guardian!"
At the last second, a green barrier enveloped the ship. The shockwave slammed into the shield, causing ripples to form, but ultimately—it held.
"Vice Admiral Garp, I'm afraid I can't let you go wild here." Shion, surrounded by a glowing aura, stepped forward with her greatsword. "Your opponent is me. Don't get it twisted."
"Tch… what a hassle." Garp eyed her warily—he could feel an immense threat from her.
Elsewhere, Whitebeard sent Sengoku flying with a punch and kicked Kuzan, who was trying to sneak up behind him, straight into the sky.
"Sengoku, did you forget to eat today? That pathetic strength? Go home and drink milk! Gurarararara…" Whitebeard laughed as he charged, his quake-quake powers infused into his naginata, slicing fiercely at Sengoku.
"Don't get cocky, you overgrown brute. Strongest in the world? Even a toddler's stronger than you!" Sengoku barked back, his hands coated in Armament Haki. His golden Buddha form shimmered with dark energy as he met Whitebeard's blade head-on.
The area around them was a warzone. Within a kilometer, not a single soul dared approach—their clash promised certain death to anyone caught in it.
Elsewhere, Kong found himself intercepted… by none other than the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.
"You bastard! You actually dare show yourself before me again?" Steelbone Kong roared, his Armament Haki so intense it looked like physical armor.
"Skyfall Break!"
Faced with Kong's full-force blow, Roger furrowed his brow. "Hey, hey, hey! Someone could actually die from that, you know!"
Still, he nimbly dodged the attack at the last second. His ability to hear the voice of all things wasn't just for show—it gave him an edge few could match.
"Damn it! If you've got guts, take me head-on!" Kong bellowed, sending punch after punch flying toward Roger. But Roger dodged each one with uncanny precision, leaving Kong infuriated but helpless.
Meanwhile, deep inside the grand palace of Mariejois...
A few uninvited guests had arrived.