Across the Pirate World, countless eyes fixed on the trembling space-time pendulum hanging in the sky. Many had reached the same conclusion: the pendulum had exhausted most of its energy constructing the larger, reinforced planet used for Ashveil and Saitama's battle.
Whitebeard's gaze hardened.
"If another battle of that scale erupts, that contraption may truly collapse."
Marco exhaled softly.
"To be honest, I hope it does. All these invaders keep appearing… If not for Ashveil protecting our World, we'd be overwhelmed already."
Elsewhere, Hawkins, shuffling his divination cards with trembling fingers. Kid paced furiously in front of him.
"Hey! Hawkins! You snail-paced guy! Hurry up and finish your divination already. What happened!?"
Hawkins' forehead dripped sweat. Something enormous pressed against his intuition.
Finally—after waves of impatience from those around him—Hawkins placed the final card.
His face drained of color.
Then his hands began to shake uncontrollably.
"A… a major event is coming," Hawkins whispered, his voice cracking.
"A major event? What kind?" Apoo demanded, leaning forward with Killer.
Hawkins swallowed, staring at his cards in disbelief.
"My divination says… a terrifying being is coming to conquer our Pirate World. The fate of all humanity will hinge on confronting this individual."
Kid scowled.
"How strong is this supposed conqueror? We already have Ashveil. What monster could scare you like this?"
Hawkins let out a bitter, helpless breath.
"That's the problem. I don't know."
"You… don't know?" Kid's voice faltered.
"When I divine Ashveil, I can see the limits of his power. But this time… my cards can't measure anything. His strength exceeds the boundaries of my divination."
The group fell silent.
Even Ashveil had once been readable.
This unknown entity was beyond that.
Could someone greater than Ashveil truly exist?
Across the One-Punch Man World, heroes exchanged uneasy looks. The space-time pendulum trembled violently, its glow flickering like a malfunctioning star.
And then—
A colossal tear ripped open the entire sky.
A voice echoed through the rift.
"Ah… ah…"
The people of Pirate World froze.
"That voice…" Whitebeard muttered.
"It sounds familiar," Golden Lion added, massaging his temples.
Jozu, Ace, Vista, Doflamingo, Hancock, Mihawk—every one of them frowned in recognition. But the memory remained just out of reach.
But on the Marine side?
Their expressions turned ashen.
The Gorosei shared a single horrified thought.
"That voice… Could it be… that person!"
Sengoku's glasses glinted sharply.
Garp's fists tightened.
"You're talking about Imu, aren't you?" Garp said, his tone solemn.
Everyone had witnessed Ashveil's battle with Imu. They had seen the so-called deity flee into the space-time rift rather than die.
Now, with the pendulum malfunctioning, Sengoku understood immediately.
"If the space-time rift connected again because the pendulum is unstable… then Imu could return!"
"That demon!" he roared.
Marine soldiers trembled.
Imu had once ruled them all from the shadows, and fear of her far outweighed fear of distant Otherworld invaders.
In the Shinobi World, Naruto, Kakashi, and Madara exchanged solemn looks.
Someone as strong as Ashveil had emerged from their world—could there be another?
The rift finally spat out a figure, who plummeted like a meteor and smashed into the planet below. The impact carved out a crater tens of thousands of meters deep.
When the figure climbed out—
The Pirate World gasped in unison.
Expressionless eyes.
Cold, indifferent gaze.
It was unmistakably Imu.
But not the Imu they once feared.
Her garments were shredded, hair disheveled, and her divine arrogance completely gone.
Above, the space-time pendulum flickered worse than ever, unable to declare the result of Ashveil's battle with Saitama. Yet no one cared. All eyes were locked on Imu.
As she looked up and recognized Ashveil, terror seized her.
"You… you… Ashveil! You wretched bastard!" she screamed.
High above, Ashveil floated calmly, lips curling into an amused smile.
"It's you, Imu. I didn't expect you to return," Ashveil said lightly, voice tinged with mockery.
He glanced over her battered form.
"Looks like your trip through the space-time rift wasn't kind to you."
Imu trembled with rage and humiliation.
When she had fled, she had hoped to grow stronger. Instead, she had wandered into a universe filled with physical monsters—beings who could demolish mountains with their bare fists, emit energy waves with their bodies, and shatter planets with brute force.
Even the weakest warriors had humbled her.
She had tried to enslave a hardened combat race—only to be beaten nearly to death.
She encountered gods who ignored her existence entirely.
She lived on edge, praying not to offend someone capable of vaporizing her with a single flick.
And now she blamed Ashveil for all of it.
"It's all because of you!" Imu shouted.
"You threw me into that universe and forced me to live like a low-class creature! I'll take everything back! I'll kill you today!"
Audiences across every world stared in shock.
A moment ago, they expected the battle's result.
Instead, a fallen deity returned demanding vengeance.
Marco let out a laugh.
"Imu really doesn't know that Ashveil has grown even stronger than before."
Whitebeard smirked.
"Hah. Even the mightiest beings from other worlds fell before Ashveil. What hope does Imu have?"
Madara crossed his arms with haughty disdain.
"Hmph. Ashveil is beyond me. What could you possibly do, Imu?"
In the One-Punch Man World, few had any expectations. Saitama had already fallen—what chance did Imu have?
Imu only smiled coldly.
"In that universe, I was nothing. But compared to this world? I'm stronger—far stronger than before. I can kill you now!"
Ashveil raised a brow, intrigued.
"Oh? Then show me."
Imu crouched—then launched forward like a cannon blast. Conqueror's Haki enveloped her fist as she rocketed toward Ashveil at extreme speed.
Ashveil blinked once.
"…Isn't that Saitama's attack pattern?"
He stared, dumbfounded.
"Did you learn some kind of mimicry technique in that Otherworld?"
In the Pirate World, chaos erupted.
The Gorosei nearly choked.
"Imu… didn't like physical combat. Since when could she fight like this?"
Garp sighed.
"She must have landed in a world that obsessed over martial arts."
Sengoku was stunned.
"Even if she learned martial arts… does she really think she can beat Ashveil with just that?"
In Mary Geoise, the Revolutionary Army was floored.
They had spent years preparing to fight Imu.
Now they were watching her charge in like a martial arts fanatic.
Nightmarish… but strangely impressive.
Ashveil watched Imu streak toward him using a technique identical to Moonwalk.
"I didn't expect you to go to another world and refine your body," he said with mild surprise.
Imu grinned proudly.
"Hmph! I suffered endlessly to learn this power. It was all for this moment! Today is the day you die, Ashveil!"
"In that world, physical strength can surpass even Haki! That universe gave me a great opportunity!"
"Prepare yourself!"
She launched the punch, screaming her intent.