Chapter 180: The end of the War!
"As Ace said, this guy named Imu looks like..." The women of the Entei Pirate Fleet exchanged glances, their eyes narrowing as they scrutinized Imu. Despite Imu's current form—a grotesque manifestation resembling Baphomet—the features of his original appearance were still discernible in the lines of his face, especially around the eyebrows and eyes.
It was unsettling, yet undeniable—Imu bore a striking resemblance to Vivi.
Had Ace not already revealed Imu's true identity to them, the women would have been utterly shocked. But now, they understood the truth: Imu's appearance was inherited from Nefertari D. Lily, one of the twenty kings who founded the World Government eight hundred years ago, and the ancestor of Vivi's family.
"Lord Imu..." The Five Elders' voices trembled with a mixture of reverence and fear as they looked at their leader, who had been forcibly wrenched from the safety of Pangaea Castle by Ace's Dark Fruit ability. Their faces were ashen, the realization of what had just transpired sinking in.
Imu, with all his power, had been able to dominate the battlefield from the sanctity of Pangaea Castle. Yet here he was, drawn out by the very force they had underestimated—the Dark Fruit, an ability that was supposed to be the antithesis of the Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Beast-Nika Form. And now, it was wielded by none other than Ace.
The Dark Fruit's ability to generate an all-consuming gravity that could devour everything, including the powers of other Devil Fruits, made it the ultimate nemesis of all Devil Fruit users. The emergence of this power in Ace's hands was something the Five Elders had never anticipated, a twist in this war that defied all their calculations.
Everything about this conflict had spiraled beyond their control. The Entei Pirate Fleet had executed their attack with masterful precision, never once relying on Ace's known abilities to mask their movements. Instead, they used the ancient technique of ship coating to launch a surprise attack from beneath the sea. The power of the Transparent Fruit and the Lion Fruit had concealed the presence of Pluton, allowing them to devastate the World Government's forces without warning.
The Pacifistas and Seraphim, once thought invincible, were obliterated by Pluton's might, dealing a severe blow to the Government's combat strength. Even when the Five Elders joined the fray, the mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruits they wielded—considered top-tier—proved ineffective against the combined strength of the Entei Pirates.
Uranus, the ancient weapon they had pinned their hopes on, had missed its mark completely, its devastating attack neutralized with ease. And now, Ace had unleashed a Conqueror's Haki of such unprecedented magnitude that it shook even the most hardened of warriors. His Haki had reached a level that defied belief, far surpassing anything the Five Elders had ever encountered.
But the true shock came when Ace, using the power of the Dark Fruit, had drawn Imu out of Pangaea Castle. This action was beyond anything they had imagined possible. In a matter of just over an hour, the tide of battle had turned dramatically against the World Government.
This war, which they had expected to win decisively, was now completely under Ace's control. The Flame Emperor had orchestrated every move with precision, driving the World Government into a corner from which there seemed to be no escape. The realization weighed heavily on the Five Elders—they were up against a force that was not just powerful, but also ruthlessly strategic. And now, with Imu exposed, the final showdown was inevitable.
Vivi stood firm, her beautiful eyes locked onto Imu, her body enveloped in the fierce aura of Conqueror's Haki. She was on high alert, every muscle tense as she prepared for the inevitable confrontation. This vigilance wasn't just instinct—it was a direct command from Ace, one she followed without question.
Imu, in turn, regarded Ace with cold indifference, his scarlet eyes devoid of any trace of human emotion. "I must say, I'm quite surprised," Imu said, his voice as emotionless as his gaze. "How is it that you seem to know so much about my abilities and my true face?"
Imu's question hung in the air, his eyes flashing with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. For centuries, his existence had been shrouded in secrecy, known only to the Five Elders. The world at large remained ignorant of his presence, let alone his powers. Yet the man standing before him appeared to possess intimate knowledge of these closely guarded secrets.
Ace met Imu's gaze with a calm, knowing smile. "I'm not interested in satisfying your curiosity," he replied, his tone light, almost mocking. Imu's attempt to steer the conversation toward the mysteries of the Void Century was met with outright dismissal.
"The truth? Did you get something wrong?" Ace interrupted, his grin widening as his Haki intensified. "I couldn't care less about what happened eight hundred years ago or whatever Joyboy left behind. My goal is simple—to become the king of the world and create a brand new history. And you, as nothing more than a relic of the past, are standing in my way."
Ace's laughter echoed through the battlefield, a sound full of confidence and resolve. His words carried an unmistakable finality, as if the outcome of this confrontation had already been decided.
Imu's expression hardened, the scarlet in his eyes glowing with a darker intensity. "I see. In that case, there's nothing more to discuss."
In an instant, the air around Imu crackled with raw, terrifying energy. The power of Baphomet fused with his Conqueror's Haki, manifesting as black and purple flames intertwined with streaks of lightning. The sheer force radiating from Imu was overwhelming, a display of power that mirrored the dark energies present when the Five Elders were summoned by the magic circle.
Ace observed this transformation with a slight smirk, unshaken by the ominous display. "So, like Nika, you can perfectly merge Conqueror's Haki, Armament Haki, and the power of Baphomet?" he mused, the corners of his mouth lifting in acknowledgment. Imu was indeed formidable, his strength surpassing even the highest echelons of the "King" level.
This fight would not be easy. Ace knew that even at his full strength, it would take every ounce of his power, skill, and strategy to eliminate Imu. But the challenge only fueled his resolve—Ace was ready to face the strongest force the world had ever seen, and to prove once and for all who would reign supreme.
The skies above Marineford darkened as two titanic forces prepared to clash. Ace, the Flame Emperor, stood at the center of the battlefield, his eyes locked onto Imu, the mysterious ruler of the world, now revealed in the fearsome form of Baphomet. The air crackled with tension, and the ground trembled beneath the weight of their combined Haki.
Ace wasted no time. With a swift motion, he unleashed a torrent of flames, his fists igniting with the intense heat of his Mera Mera no Mi. "Hiken!" he roared, launching a colossal wave of fire toward Imu.
Imu responded with eerie calmness, his black and purple flames flaring up to meet Ace's attack. The two elemental forces collided mid-air, creating an explosion that sent shockwaves throughout the battlefield. The ground beneath them shattered, and the sky was lit up with the brilliant clash of fire and darkness.
But Ace was relentless. He followed up with "Dai Enkai: Entei," summoning a massive fireball that blazed with the fury of a sun. The sheer heat distorted the air around it as Ace hurled it toward Imu.
Imu's eyes flashed as he raised his hand, forming a sphere of dark energy. "Kuroyami no Taimatsu," he intoned, sending the sphere hurtling toward Ace's attack. The two spheres collided, and for a moment, it seemed as if they were evenly matched. But Imu's darkness began to consume the flames, swallowing the light within its endless void.
Seeing his fire being absorbed, Ace shifted tactics. He activated his Ultimate Conqueror's Haki, his presence becoming a palpable force that bore down on the battlefield. The pressure was so immense that the weaker fighters nearby collapsed, their consciousness overwhelmed by the sheer power radiating from Ace.
Imu, however, was unfazed. He responded in kind, releasing his own Conqueror's Haki, a dark, oppressive wave that countered Ace's. The air between them crackled with electricity as their wills clashed, creating a storm of Haki that threatened to tear the very fabric of reality.
The ground beneath them shattered as the two forces met. Ace pushed forward, his Haki infused with flames as he struck with "Ennetsu Jigoku," a devastating attack that sent pillars of fire erupting from the ground, converging on Imu.
Imu countered with "Mugen no Yami," summoning tendrils of darkness that snaked out to intercept the flames. The two forces battled for dominance, the darkness attempting to smother the flames while the fire fought to consume the void.
Imu's expression shifted as he realized the stalemate. His form began to change, the power of Baphomet fully awakening. His horns grew longer, his wings spread wide, and the black and purple flames surrounding him intensified. "You dare challenge me? You will be nothing but ashes in the wind," Imu declared, his voice echoing with a demonic resonance.
Ace's grin widened as he faced Imu, his confidence radiating like the flames that surrounded him. "But I don't recall ever wanting to fight you one-on-one, Imu," Ace taunted, his voice dripping with certainty.
As the words left his mouth, Bonney, who had been stationed on the deck of the Golden Merry, instantly appeared beside Ace. Without hesitation, she activated the full power of her Sui Sui no Mi, a Devil Fruit that allowed her to manipulate and distort the future. Analyzing the power of Nika, the Sun God, Bonney twisted the future, adapting Nika's strength into her own.
In an instant, Bonney's transformation began. Her hair, eyebrows, and clothes turned a brilliant white, and behind her, a white flame cloud, resembling a ribbon, coiled gracefully around her, mirroring Luffy's Nika form.
"Huh? Just like me? This is getting interesting," Luffy remarked, his face lighting up with his trademark grin as he observed Bonney's transformation.
Then, with a determined focus, Ace activated his own version of Nika's power, combined with the full force of his Mera Mera no Mi. Unlike the pure white associated with Luffy and Bonney's forms, Ace's transformation was engulfed in a blazing red hue, a reflection of his fiery nature. His hair, clothes, and even his eyebrows turned red, and a red flame cloud wrapped around him, pulsating with raw, intense heat. This was Ace's Zanka no Tachi Style - Sun God Form.
Imu's scarlet eyes narrowed as he observed the scene, the intensity of the situation finally dawning on him. The power he now faced was unlike anything he had encountered before. "Uranus!" Imu commanded, pointing his finger towards the sky, summoning the ancient weapon's devastating power once more.
A low hum filled the air as the terrifying energy of Uranus began to gather, but suddenly, the energy faltered and dissipated, leaving Imu stunned. "What's happening?!" Imu's voice betrayed his disbelief, his bloodshot eyes widening in shock.
Ace's voice cut through the tension, calm yet laced with an edge. "The Mother Fire, the source you use to power Uranus, is in Egghead, isn't it?"
Imu and the Five Elders exchanged looks of horror, their faces paling at Ace's revelation. "Mother Fire? How do you know that name?! Have you been working with Vegapunk?!" Saturn, one of the Elders, roared in desperation, his voice trembling as the reality of the situation set in.
The Mother Fire, an eternal flame developed by Vegapunk, was supposed to be a limitless energy source, yet its current purpose was far more ominous: it served as the fuel for the ancient weapon, Uranus. Without it, Uranus was rendered useless, and now, with the fuel compromised, Imu's plan was falling apart.
"Too late," Ace remarked, his laughter echoing in the silence that followed. Imu, his eyes filled with panic, found himself trapped within the suffocating gravity of Ace's Dark Fruit powers. Even with all his might, he couldn't activate his abilities to escape the darkness that now ensnared him and the Five Elders.
"From the sea, destroy them!" Nusjuro bellowed, raising the First Generation Kitetsu. In response, a massive wave rose from the ocean, and within it, countless Sea Kings emerged, their immense forms dwarfing the battlefield. Among them were colossal Sea Kings, some stretching over 5,000 meters in length.
"Poseidon...!" Mar, another of the Five Elders, muttered in disbelief, realizing the ancient power of Poseidon had been awakened and now worked against them, cutting off any possible escape route by sea.
"Your end has come," Ace declared, his eyes flashing with the power of Ultimate Observation Haki. Time seemed to slow as Ace's vision extended into the future, mapping out every possible outcome. The future was clear; Imu and the Five Elders were doomed.
"Attack!" Ace commanded, leading the charge toward Imu. Luffy and Bonney, both transformed into their Nika forms, followed closely behind him. The battlefield erupted in chaos as the three unleashed their full power, each strike a testament to their overwhelming strength.
Imu fought back with all his might, but the odds were stacked against him. Ace's Conqueror's Haki, now elevated to an unprecedented level, combined with his Mera Mera no Mi, had evolved to the point where it mimicked the very power of the sun. Luffy and Bonney, both wielding Nika's powers, added to the relentless assault.
Moreover, the Dark Fruit's gravity kept Imu and the Five Elders rooted in place, unable to escape the clutches of the Ultimate Darkness. The two opposing forces of the Dark Fruit and the Sun God's power created a synergy that overwhelmed Imu's defenses.
Imu, despite unleashing his full potential, couldn't withstand the combined might of Ace, Luffy, and Bonney. The darkness closed in, and with a final, desperate struggle, Imu was engulfed by the overwhelming force. His end was sealed, not just by one, but by the unified strength of three of the world's most powerful beings.
The battlefield, now silent, bore witness to the defeat of the most enigmatic and powerful figure in the world. Ace, his flames still burning bright, stood tall, his victory a testament to his indomitable will and the strength of his allies. The world had changed, and the Flame Emperor, alongside the Sun Gods, now stood at the pinnacle of this new era.
Soon, the tides of battle shifted irreversibly in Ace's favor. Imu, the enigmatic ruler who had held sway over the world for centuries, found himself severely wounded. With a calculated move, Ace utilized the power of the Paw Paw Fruit to forcibly eject Imu's soul from the body of Nefertari D. Lily, the ancient ancestor of Vivi. Imu's once formidable presence was reduced to a vulnerable soul, which Ace swiftly captured using the Turtle Turtle Fruit—Mythical Beast: Black Tortoise Form. The dark aura of the Black Tortoise engulfed Imu's soul, sealing it within a powerful, mystical prison. Ace knew that Imu's soul would serve a purpose later on.
The Five Elders, stripped of their immortality when Baphomet's power was severed, were no longer the near-invincible forces they had once been. Only Nusujuro and Warcury, with their immense strength nearing the level of the Four Emperors, managed to hold their ground, but even they fell short of the kingly power required to turn the tide. The remaining Elders—Saturn, Mars, and Peter—were only as strong as top Admirals, making them vulnerable targets.
Sabo, along with the combined efforts of his comrades and the Straw Hat Pirates, including the newly transformed Nikas, Luffy and Bonney, relentlessly pressed their advantage. The battle had already reached its inevitable conclusion. With the final, desperate resistance of the Five Elders crushed, their roars of defiance echoed across the battlefield before they were silenced forever. The world's highest authorities were utterly eradicated.
Simultaneously, at Marine Headquarters, the last remnants of resistance crumbled. Akainu, Green Bull, and Tea Dolphin were killed in action, while Kizaru, recognizing the futility of further struggle, surrendered. In a decisive and symbolic moment, the former Marine Marshal Sengoku, alongside the legendary hero Monkey D. Garp, stepped forward to announce the unconditional surrender of Marine Headquarters. The once-mighty force laid down their weapons, signaling the end of an era.
The Knights of God, the elite Celestial Dragon warriors led by Garling, refused to surrender, fighting to the bitter end. Yet, their fate was sealed as the cadres of the Entei Pirates systematically wiped them out. There would be no mercy, no acceptance of their surrender—Ace had made that clear. Their total annihilation was inevitable, and with their fall, the last vestiges of the old world order crumbled.
In truth, the outcome of this war had been determined long before the first blow was struck. Ace, with his ability to peer into the future and prepare for every eventuality, had orchestrated a battle that the World Government had no hope of winning. The combined might of the Entei Pirates, far surpassing that of their adversaries, coupled with the powers of three Nikas, the Dark Fruit, and four top-tier Mythical Beast-type Devil Fruits, ensured that Imu and the Five Elders were thoroughly outmatched.
As for Marine Headquarters, Impel Down, and other forces aligned with the World Government, they were little more than footnotes in the grand battle. Before the overwhelming power of the Entei Pirate Fleet, these once formidable entities were swiftly swept aside. The World Government, the colossal entity that had ruled unchallenged for 800 years, collapsed in the face of Ace's relentless assault.
The war was over.
Victory belonged to the Entei Pirate Fleet, led by the Flame Emperor, Portgas D. Ace. This new era, born from the ashes of the old, would be shaped by the vision and power of Ace and his allies. The world, now free from the grip of the World Government, would enter a new age—an age defined by the might of the Entei Pirates and the indomitable will of their leader. This era, without a doubt, belonged to them.