Holy Land Mariejois.
Imu sat silently on the Empty Throne, holding the mocking newspaper in his hands as he read through it.
The total strength of the Neo Navy was around four million, while the remnants of the Marines numbered only about one million. Even when adding the rest of the World Government's forces, they were still no match for the Neo Navy.
The Neo Navy now had the strength to take complete control of the world. Like a beast lying in wait, it eyed the vast land hungrily.
Still, he wasn't too concerned about the six admirals of the Neo Navy.
After all, he still had the Knights of God and the CP organization. If he gathered them, he could assemble fifteen or sixteen individuals.
In terms of numbers alone, his side even surpassed the six admirals announced by the Neo Navy.
If Caelan weren't in the picture, then the current Neo Navy wouldn't be much different from the Rocks Pirates of the past, just with more men.
He didn't even need to say it. The Knights of God could take care of them.
But, the problem was Caelan.
Caelan was too strong, too terrifying.
The image of the God Slayer Spear that annihilated the three Elders during the Battle of Marineford still replayed in his mind.
That one strike had taken out three of the Five Elders. But that didn't mean it could only kill three.
He was certain that no matter how many of the Five Elders stood in front of that shot, they would have all died.
He still held the Celestial Dragons' National Treasure and still possessed the power to counterattack.
But Caelan had some strange resurrection ability, and the National Treasure couldn't guarantee it would kill him.
So, the National Treasure could only be used as a last resort.
He had to find the right moment to destroy all of the Neo Navy in one move, either before or at the beginning of the final battle.
It didn't matter if Caelan didn't die.
If he lost a million soldiers and several admirals in one strike, then Caelan's threat would be greatly reduced.
As long as he hid himself somewhere, it would be difficult for Caelan to find him alone.
And since he was immortal, he could wait for Caelan to grow old or make a mistake.
There was still a chance.
"He knows the National Treasure exists, but he doesn't know when I'll use it." Imu gripped the newspaper tightly, seizing upon his last hope. "I'll wait until Caelan has gathered all his forces, then I'll find the perfect time to activate the National Treasure."
"Don't rush it. Don't get impatient. I only have one shot, and I must strike a fatal blow!"
The activation of the National Treasure consumed enormous energy, and Vegapunk's research wasn't complete yet. The treasure still lacked a stable energy source.
After one shot, the National Treasure would become useless for a while. If that strike failed, it would be the end.
How ironic. If not for the leaked intel from one of Vegapunk's clones, he wouldn't have even known about the Mother Flame.
If the Mother Flame were completed, he'd have a version of the National Treasure that didn't rely on energy constraints. He might not even fear Caelan then.
Just as Imu was deep in thought, the leader of the Knights of God, Figarland Garling, entered the hall with two other members.
Garling, whose hair was as white as the moon, bowed toward Imu and said, "Lord Imu, I've brought them."
"Hmm."
Imu glanced at Garling and the two who followed him.
All three were members of the Knights of God, and each one possessed strength on par with the original Five Elders. They were suitable replacements.
The deaths of the three Elders, who had been connected to part of his power, had injured him severely and caused him to lose a portion of his strength. But this also left three vacant slots for new connections.
Those three slots had to be used. Perhaps he could bait out another God Slayer Spear from Caelan.
Unfortunately, this method couldn't be used repeatedly.
The part of his power that had been destroyed by Caelan couldn't be restored. If he kept using the Five Elders to block the attacks, he'd run out of power himself.
Now, it was time to divide that power among these three.
Imu's form suddenly shifted, and a massive demonic silhouette appeared behind him in the void. He looked at the three and spoke calmly, "From today on, you three will take the places of the previous Elders and become the new Five Elders."
Garling: "As you command, Lord Imu."
"I am willing to die for Lord Imu!"
The other two were even more reverent than Garling, their eyes full of fanatic devotion.
They weren't afraid of Imu's demonic appearance. On the contrary, they held deep respect.
Although they had suspected this might be the reason they were summoned, hearing it for real still filled them with excitement.
They were about to become the Five Elders.
The Five Elders were not only the highest power among the Celestial Dragons, but also granted immortality by Imu himself.
Until now, only the leader of the Knights of God had ever succeeded in being promoted.
In other words, only when three Five Elders died could the other two have a chance to rise.
"Use this power to win me victory."
Imu gave a slight nod and locked eyes with them, his scarlet pupils glowing.
A massive black magic circle appeared beneath the three, and thick black flames surged upward.
The flames were as dark and oppressive as the fires of hell, terrifying and unsettling.
Yet the three men bathed in these flames wore expressions of pleasure, as if taking a miraculous elixir.
After a long time, the magic circle faded.
Garling and the other two seemed to have been reborn, their bodies now filled with an unfamiliar and immense power.
Unlike their own strength, this power could not be used at will. It only obeyed Imu.
But that didn't matter, because Imu was the one they had pledged allegiance to.
They were excited. Ecstatic.
From now on, they would possess lifespans spanning centuries and near-immortal bodies.
"Thank you, Lord Imu, for this power!"
Garling and the other two knelt before Imu in perfect unison.
"Good." Imu nodded. "Garlin, go to Egghead Island and oversee Vegapunk. Ensure he completes the Mother Flame as soon as possible."
"Vegapunk has a clone named York. She's on our side. You can coordinate with her."
The Mother Flame was crucial. If he could get it, the tide might still turn.
A Celestial Dragon National Treasure with unlimited energy was a strategic weapon capable of rivaling the God Slayer Spear.
Not only could it wipe out Caelan's forces, it could bombard Caelan endlessly to test whether he was truly immortal.
"I understand, Lord Imu." Garling answered solemnly. "I will return with the Mother Flame."
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)