Chapter 219: Imu

At Pangaea Castle, amidst a sea of flowers, Saturn and Carl arrived at a vast floral expanse. Carl glanced around, marveling at the sheer number of blooms. He mused, This Imu sure has a flair for the dramatic.

At the end of the floral sea stood a grand, ancient palace—Imu's domain. Saturn bowed slightly toward the palace before turning to Carl.

"Saint Carl, this is where I leave you. Saint Imu merely expressed a desire to meet you."

Carl nodded, watching Saturn leave before turning toward the palace. After a brief pause, he crossed the flower field and pushed open the grand doors.

A crimson carpet, bright as blood, stretched from the imposing entrance toward what seemed an endless distance, like a flowing river of red. At the far end, a towering throne loomed.

The hall was dimly lit, with sunlight filtering through a few windows above the throne, casting an almost divine aura over it. This was the "Empty Throne," the ultimate symbol of global power.

Centuries ago, the twenty kings who founded the World Government swore never to sit on this throne, as doing so would signify absolute dominion. Yet, Carl now saw a figure seated there, shrouded in darkness, wearing a crown.

There was no mistaking their identity—Nerona Imu.

Strangely, while the distance between them was vast, it felt unnaturally close. With Carl's exceptional vision, he should have been able to discern every detail, yet all he could clearly see were Imu's crimson eyes.

Imu gazed silently at Carl, who took a step forward, advancing toward the throne. But as Carl reached the steps leading up to it, Imu's voice rang out.

"Do not come any closer."

The voice, devoid of discernible gender, carried a mysterious power that compelled Carl to take two steps back. He halted, bowing slightly as he spoke.

"Saint Imu, Saint Saturn mentioned that you wished to see me. May I ask why?"

Though Imu held the highest authority, Carl wasn't about to challenge them outright. He still hadn't figured out the nature of that strange power and wasn't eager to find out the hard way.

After a moment of silence, Imu finally spoke.

"The last vestiges of Cassilius's will have dissipated entirely, haven't they?"

Carl's eyes widened in shock, staring up at Imu, who continued without pause.

"He never reached Joy Boy's level. His will could not persist in this world. Awakening merely heralded his inevitable demise."

Imu rose slowly from the throne and took a step forward. For a fleeting moment, their figure wavered, almost imperceptibly, but Carl's heightened perception caught it. His face remained composed, but his mind raced.

Though Imu's features were still obscured, Carl was certain of one thing—Imu was a woman.

This revelation stirred an odd thought in Carl's mind, a song from Earth: "God is a Girl."

He quickly dismissed the notion. After all, both the Five Elders and Garling addressed Imu as "Saint." Among the Celestial Dragons, it was common for men to be addressed as "Saint" and women as "Gong."

Garling might never have seen Imu's true form, but surely Saturn had?

Imu descended the steps, stopping before twenty swords embedded in the ground. Her gaze lingered on them, her crimson eyes reflecting a faint trace of nostalgia. She reached out and pulled one from the ground.

Carl's eyes narrowed as he recognized it—it was identical to his own cursed sword, Muramasa.

Imu held the blade aloft and spoke.

"Since the real Muramasa has surfaced, this imitation serves no purpose."

With a slight tremor, the sword shattered in her hand.

Imu's gaze shifted to the mark on Carl's right hand, shaped like a blade.

"Show me the real Muramasa," she said. "Rest assured, no one can take it from you now that it has chosen its master."

Carl's eyes narrowed further, but he complied, summoning Muramasa. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled the sword toward Imu.

Imu caught it effortlessly, inspecting it with care before releasing it. The sword returned to Carl's hand, dissolving into a dark light and reabsorbing into the mark on his hand.

Imu returned to her throne, reclining slightly as she addressed Carl again.

"Carl, since Muramasa has acknowledged you, you must understand your mission."

Carl raised an eyebrow. Mission? What mission? That's protagonist-level nonsense, something Monkey D. Luffy should worry about, not me.

Imu ignored his silence, continuing.

"Your mission is to completely eradicate Joy Boy and everything he represents."

Carl smirked inwardly. So they want me to be their executioner?

"Saint Imu, does that mean Joy Boy is about to reappear?" he asked.

Imu leaned back, her gaze distant.

"He never truly disappeared. Whether through the Nika Fruit or something else, his will lingers, guiding others to his cause until the real Joy Boy returns."

Carl's expression hardened. "Like Roger?"

"Exactly. For the past 800 years, individuals like him have always emerged at critical junctures."

"And their purpose?"

"To remind the world that Joy Boy's legacy endures, so when he finally awakens, his call will not go unanswered."

Imu's voice was calm, almost mechanical. Even the Five Elders rarely received such detailed explanations, usually bowing and listening to commands without question.

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