"Imu-sama, her strength… even I don't know, but I can confirm that her Conqueror's Haki is no less than yours! Imu-sama also possesses the power to destroy this world single-handedly!"
When Saint Saturn mentioned Imu, his expression trembled with the same fear he had shown when facing Thorne Ashveil, revealing that he was not exaggerating—Imu's power was indeed unfathomable.
"Then tell me," Ashveil said calmly, his tone laced with amusement, "what makes you think Imu can defeat me? If what you say is true, perhaps I'll consider sparing you."
He leaned back slightly, a cold smile curving his lips. Imu—the supposed ruler of this world—was someone worth understanding. Once he dealt with Imu, no one on this sea would ever threaten him again.
"Imu-sama… she...she is like you," Saint Saturn stammered, "possessing various abilities."
To save his life, he had no choice but to reveal Imu's secret.
"Various abilities?" Ashveil's brows lifted, genuine curiosity flickering in his eyes. "So, someone else like me exists in this world?"
It seemed Imu's rule over the world was not merely political but born of absolute strength. The ability to wield multiple powers was something that defied every known law of the seas. That was worth investigating.
"Oh? You're not trying to trick me, old man? Is there really someone who can possess multiple powers like I do?" Ashveil asked, though his smirk hinted that he already knew the answer.
Above them, the glowing energy sphere expanded, releasing crackling arcs of lightning that illuminated the heavens. The surrounding space distorted beneath its pressure, as if reality itself was being torn apart.
"I would never dare deceive you!" Saint Saturn shouted, trembling. "There truly exists a god-like being above me—Imu-sama!"
"Spare me, please! If you spare me, I'll explain everything to Imu-sama. I'll make her acknowledge your existence, grant you a position even above the Fleet Admiral, above all of us!"
He fell to his knees, desperation overcoming his dignity. "You would be second only to one person—and above everyone else!"
Ashveil regarded him in silence, watching the Elder's trembling hands. The fear radiating from the man was palpable. Once revered as one of the Five Elders, he now resembled nothing more than a pitiful old dog.
"Then tell me," Ashveil said slowly, "what kind of abilities does Imu possess?"
The only reason he was wasting time talking was to gather information. Knowledge was power, after all. To face an opponent like Imu without preparation would be reckless—even for him.
"Imu-sama's abilities…" Saint Saturn hesitated, frowning deeply. Imu was his master. Revealing her secrets could doom him, yet refusing meant certain death.
Ashveil's voice softened, though his smile remained cold. "If you don't tell me, how can I believe you?"
The glowing energy sphere lowered ominously, and its chilling aura crept closer to the trembling Elder.
"This… this… I don't know!" Saint Saturn blurted, panic flooding his face.
Ashveil's eyes narrowed. The next moment, a streak of icy mist burst forth from the sphere, slamming into the Elder's leg. A frost spread rapidly, turning flesh and bone into solid ice.
A scream pierced the air, echoing across the ruined sky.
"Ahhhh! This isn't ordinary ice! My leg—it's gone!" Saint Saturn howled in agony, his eyes wide with disbelief.
The cold bit into his cells, gnawing at him from within. He could feel life draining away, the frost consuming his very being. He tried to resist, channeling his Conqueror's Haki to stop the spread—but the moment his energy clashed with Ashveil's, it was devoured.
The icy power contained Conqueror's Haki within it—his Haki was being overwhelmed and consumed entirely.
"T-terrifying…" Saint Saturn thought, horror twisting his face. It's no wonder this man is called a demon…
Ashveil floated above him, calm and detached, watching the suffering below with faint amusement. "If you can't remember," he said lightly, "I can help you remember. My attack will only stop when you do."
The Elder's mind collapsed under fear. "I'll tell you! I'll tell you! Please, stop, Ashveil-sama!" he screamed hoarsely.
He could already feel his leg shattering beyond repair. If he waited any longer, even his life would slip away.
Ashveil tilted his head slightly, his expression almost kind. "You should have said that earlier. If you had, your leg wouldn't have been crippled."
To the Elder, those words were more humiliating than the pain itself. His leg was gone, and yet Ashveil spoke as if he were doing him a favor. The bitterness rising in Saint Saturn's chest nearly choked him, but he dared not show it.
His dignity as one of the world's highest authorities was gone. Before Thorne Ashveil, such titles meant nothing.
He was a predator among kings—and they were merely prey.
The frost slowly receded as Ashveil dispersed the energy ball. The oppressive chill lifted, leaving silence in its wake. The Elder collapsed to his knees, clutching what remained of his frozen leg, breathing heavily as sweat poured down his wrinkled face.
Ashveil's voice broke the silence, smooth and cold. "Now then… tell me about Imu."
Saint Saturn swallowed hard, trembling as his lips moved. "Imu-sama… her existence surpasses all logic. She has ruled in the shadows since the Void Century. Even the Celestial Dragons kneel before her."
Ashveil's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Interesting. So, the ghost of history still walks the earth."
His voice carried neither anger nor surprise—only a quiet, dangerous intrigue.
For a moment, the winds howled around them, carrying with it the whispers of ancient power. Ashveil's gaze remained fixed on Saint Saturn, probing, calculating, as though weighing the very essence of truth from the trembling man's words.
The Elder's breaths came in shallow gasps, each one a reminder of how close he had come to death. He realized then that nothing—no rank, no title, no history—could shield him from the will of someone like Ashveil.
Ashveil finally extended a hand, not in mercy, but in quiet dominance, as if inviting the Elder to speak the truths he had so long buried. The silence stretched, heavy with tension, broken only by the faint cracking of ice melting on the ground.
Saint Saturn's voice quivered, almost a whisper now. "She… she can manipulate time and space… she can summon powers beyond imagination… and she can destroy minds as easily as she destroys bodies…"
Ashveil's lips curved into the faintest of smiles. "Ah… a god above gods, then. That will be… interesting."
The sky seemed to darken further, reflecting the gravity of the revelation, as if the world itself recognized that a new kind of threat had been named aloud.