Even if Imu could fly himself, even with Saint Mars aiding him, there was no way they could stop Souta Kiryuu and his crew now.
Just the Six Paths of Kiryuu alone could pin down Saint Mars, while the others stood ready to back Souta against Imu himself.
"You're threatening me?" Imu asked coldly, his many-pupiled eyes narrowing. "Do you think I care about those Celestial Dragons?"
Behind him, shadowy lances formed out of pure darkness, humming with deadly power.
"Then use those Celestial Dragons," Souta replied, his tone like frozen steel, "and publicly execute them. Sacrifice them in blood to the people of Amazon Lily."
He smirked slightly. "Oh, and those three fools you left behind on the island— I hope they can run fast. If they start a massacre there, I'll see them thrown into the Calm Belt, straight into a nest of Sea Kings — along with every last one of your beloved nationals."
Souta's dragon eyes glowed, unwavering. Around him, every Seraphim assumed combat formation, their weapons charged and ready.
The Pirate Empress clung tightly to Souta's horns. Though fear for her homeland churned in her heart, she trusted him completely.
From the moment Souta attacked Mariejois, Boa Hancock had understood his resolve — every strike, every risk he took was to protect Amazon Lily and its people.
Even if they couldn't save it in the end, she wouldn't blame him.
But she swore that if her island fell, the Celestial Dragons' blood would pay for it — even if it cost her life.
Imu regarded Souta silently for a moment, then chuckled softly.
"To think that someone as interesting as you… a so-called 'hero'… will wither away into a useless old man decades from now — it's almost a shame."
His cold eyes glimmered with mock amusement.
"This time, you win. Release those Celestial Dragons. The Gorosei won't touch Amazon Lily again."
Imu's tone was casual, but there was a glint of cruel amusement behind it — he had already decided to play with this creature personally.
After all, it had been centuries since anyone forced the Five Elders into a full retreat. Not even Rocks D. Xebec had achieved that.
Such mortals rarely caught his attention.
Perhaps, before his eventual clash with the Sun God Nika, Souta Kiryuu could serve as a bit of entertainment.
After all, the other so-called "Emperors of the Sea" were little more than weeds — chop one down, and another sprouted in its place. For eight hundred years, pirates had come and gone, none lasting long enough to truly matter.
He didn't even need to lift a finger — their endless rivalries and betrayals would cull them for him.
The pirate world was self-cleansing.
The only one who had ever posed a true threat… was Nika, the one called the "Drum of Liberation."
That being possessed the power to unite others, to make even the mightiest follow.
Only Nika could rally the world against the Government.
And Souta Kiryuu — this artificial Azure Dragon — was clearly no Nika.
No matter how powerful his forces grew, Imu was certain his reign would fade like smoke.
Still… Souta had humiliated the Celestial Dragons repeatedly. That could not go unpunished.
Imu wanted him to understand what it felt like to be targeted.
Even Joy Boy, the freest man in history, the one who had once united the seas, had fallen to Imu's design — betrayed by allies, abandoned by those he saved.
By the time the world realized their mistake, Joy Boy was already dead by Imu's own hand.
Souta's expression tightened. Imu's sudden change of tone caught him off guard — but he could sense the malice lurking beneath those words.
"Souta Kiryuu!" Saint Nasujuro barked from below. "You heard Lord Imu! His word is law — don't think of playing tricks. Our forces can wipe out Amazon Lily in an instant and teleport back before you even blink!"
"Release the Celestial Dragons now, and we'll bring our men back immediately!" shouted Saint Vochuli, his voice trembling with anger that anyone would doubt Imu's promise.
Imu had spoken — therefore, to them, it was truth.
Souta let out a short, amused breath. "I'm afraid that's not possible. Those captives are already far from here."
Then he paused, a spark of mischief in his eyes.
"…But wait a moment."
He glanced toward Seraphim Kuma, giving a small nod.
Kuma vanished instantly, reappearing miles away to retrieve Capone Bege.
In truth, Souta hadn't sent Bege back to Sky Island as the Government assumed — but to an island near the Sabaody Archipelago, precisely for this negotiation.
Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters, powerful figures were mobilizing. Using Moonwalk and icy bridges created by Aokiji, they raced up the Red Line toward Mariejois.
Seeing this, Souta and his Six Paths ascended higher into the clouds, putting more distance between themselves and the Red Continent as they waited for Kuma and Bege to return.
When Fleet Admiral Sengoku finally reached the ruins of the Holy Land, he went pale. His heart sank.
It was over. His career, his command — everything.
During his tenure alone, Enies Lobby had fallen, Impel Down had been breached, the Demon-God Island incident, and now the Holy Land itself — the Celestial Dragons slaughtered by the dozens.
Not even a living Buddha could bear so many disasters.
Nearby, Garp and Aokiji stared up at the distant figure of the Azure Dragon in disbelief.
"This guy's insane," Garp muttered, jaw tight. "He actually attacked Mariejois."
The place most secure on the planet — and he'd burned it to ash.
So this… this was Souta Kiryuu — vengeance incarnate, unrelenting, merciless.
Through Steelbone Kong's grim whisper, Sengoku learned the situation:
The World Government was preparing to negotiate with the dragon — to recover the hundreds of Celestial Dragons taken hostage.
As Seraphim Kuma and Capone Bege returned, they landed upon a floating warship hovering above the Red Line — sustained by the Float-Float Fruit's power.
The Six Paths of Kiryuu stood guard, their presence radiating danger.
"Imu!" Souta called out from the skies. "It's ready. Let your Elder return — and don't try any tricks. I've got eyes on your side too."
At his command, Bege dumped the captured Celestial Dragons onto the floating warship — pale, trembling, stripped of their arrogance.
Imu raised one hand, summoning a teleportation array that pulsed with divine light.
Through it, the remaining Gorosei established contact with Saint Peter, who was still on Amazon Lily.
For the first time, Sengoku and Garp saw Imu clearly — the eternal ruler of the world, the immortal King who had existed for eight centuries.
The sight froze their blood.
So the legend was true.
The King of the World… really existed.