"The culprit that must be eliminated..."
Shirogai's gentle voice carried a faint smile, yet to the pitch black twisted figure before him, it sounded unbearably sharp, as though every word had been stretched and repeated countless times.
"A true demon."
Swish!!!
Blood red turbine shaped eyes suddenly snapped open.
"De...?"
Within the endless darkness, all the malice, greed, hatred, and desires of the world gathered together. At that moment, the concentrated corruption took shape as a crimson evil presence resembling a god of destruction.
"...mon?"
The black phantom of Imu slowly repeated Shirogai's words.
"Hee hee hee hee..."
The expressionless dark face split apart. A terrifying crimson mouth lined with jagged teeth curved upward into a horrifying smile.
"Demon... It has been a very long time since Imu heard such an ancient title..."
Crack, crack, crack...
Behind Imu's shadowy form, a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood seemed to emerge from the darkness.
Sizzle, sizzle...
An indescribable aura of terror spread across the dreamscape. It was the kind of pressure that made people instinctively want to kneel in submission.
Sizzle!!!
Sizzle!!!
A bizarre and overwhelming Haki spiraled outward from Imu's incarnation. The intensity of it far surpassed the level of an Emperor of the Sea.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!!!
Even if Edward Newgate, Kaido, Charlotte Linlin, and Shanks fought together, they would still be unable to withstand this monstrous power.
Hatred.
Destruction.
Desire.
Madness.
This Haki felt nothing like ordinary Conqueror's Haki. It resembled the manifestation of pure evil itself.
In comparison, even Shirogai seemed insignificant before Imu's overwhelming presence.
It felt as though Imu could erase him with a flick of a finger.
Sizzle!!!
The black and crimson Haki shook the entire dream world violently, causing everyone trapped within the dreamscape to tremble in fear.
"Hee hee hee hee!!!!"
For a brief instant, the entire world fell silent beneath that terrifying pressure.
"Shiro...gai, you truly are more interesting than Joy Boy."
Imu stepped forward lightly. Madness and cruelty danced within those blood red eyes as the figure looked at Shirogai with clear amusement.
"That is correct. Mu is a demon... and also the King of Demons."
A horrifying vibration echoed across the dreamscape as a chaotic mixture of male and female voices overlapped together.
"However, Imu prefers humanity to call Imu... the Creator."
Imu's voice layered endlessly, as though countless beings were speaking at the same time.
"If Imu did not exist, this world would have long since fallen into silence and destruction."
"It is Imu who granted vitality to this world."
"Imu is the rightful god of this world."
Sizzle, sizzle...
The corrupt Haki wrapped around Shirogai layer after layer, attempting to crush him completely.
Yet Shirogai's expression remained relaxed.
A faint smile rested on his face as though none of this pressure mattered.
"Heh, another idiot claiming to be a god."
He shook his head lightly.
"Our Straw Hat crew really does attract strange people."
"There are always bastards calling themselves gods who come looking for trouble."
Shirogai crossed his arms. A silver white glow slowly emerged around his body, resisting the corrupting darkness.
"Unfortunately, your understanding of a god is completely wrong."
"In my homeland, a god that cannot serve humanity has no value at all."
His silver eyes narrowed slightly.
"If that's the case, then it's better for that god to die."
Boom!!!
The silver white aura around Shirogai erupted brilliantly.
At the same time, a terrifying dark presence exploded outward from his body.
Pure black Conqueror's Haki surged violently, merging together with the silver glow as it smashed against Imu's evil Haki.
Crack!!!!
Black and white lightning split apart the dream world.
The collision of the two Conqueror's Hakis created massive inverse shockwaves that tore through the sky itself.
Sizzle!
Sizzle!!!
More and more violent Haki distortions shattered the dreamscape apart.
Just as the world seemed ready to collapse completely, Imu calmly raised a hand.
"There is no need to destroy this place so quickly."
"Imu still requires this dreamscape."
The moment those words fell, reality itself seemed to obey.
Swish!
The violent Haki collision disappeared instantly.
The dream world returned to the exact moment before the clash occurred, as though time itself had been reversed.
"Remarkable Conqueror's Haki."
Imu's crimson eyes stared at Shirogai with growing interest.
"Has it already surpassed Joy Boy's?"
"Interesting. Truly interesting."
"Imu has almost forgotten how long it has been since someone called Imu by Imu's true name."
"Shirogai, you actually uncovered the history Imu erased from the world itself."
The horrifying smile on Imu's face became even more twisted.
"Even those arrogant scholars of Ohara failed to uncover the complete truth."
"As expected of the pirate Imu values so highly, you continue to surprise Imu."
"Oh?"
Shirogai stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"So demons really can feel surprise after all."
"A god does not experience surprise like mortals."
Imu's bloody smile widened further.
"Those emotions belong to lesser creatures like humans."
"Imu merely finds you amusing."
"The scholars, the kingdoms, the rebels... all of them were insignificant entertainment."
"But you, Shirogai..."
Imu's scarlet eyes locked onto him like a predator staring at prey.
"You are the one who gives Imu true enjoyment."
The smile stretched wider and wider until it became grotesque.
Crack!!!!
Suddenly, a gigantic claw tore through a nearby nightmare world.
Boom!!!
The enormous piano key shaped claws crushed the surrounding dreamscape apart as a monstrous figure descended into the endless dream world.
"Adorned with a blackness deeper than darkness~♬"
A haunting song echoed through the air.
"Offering prayers while drowning in hesitation♪Ψ♪~~"
"Woo... woo woo..."
Several enormous claws twisted unnaturally as they reached toward both Shirogai and Imu.
This terrifying monster was the Song Demon released by Uta.
Tot Musica.
Boom!!!
The massive claws slammed together violently.
But both Shirogai and Imu had already vanished before the attack connected.
Swish!
Shirogai appeared above the gigantic monster, hands tucked casually into his pockets.
He tilted his head slightly toward Imu beside him.
"This so called Song Demon..."
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
"I have a feeling this thing is your doing too, isn't it, Imu?"
===
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