Chapter 216: [216] : [BONUS] – Analysis of Nika and Imu’s Power! Blackbeard’s Move!

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This epic battle, the Summit War, concluded under Rowen’s direction.

The first priority for both the Marine and pirate factions was to rescue their wounded, preventing further casualties. After the wounded were mostly attended to, both sides, with somber expressions, began collecting the bodies of their fallen comrades.

In this massive, chaotic battle, both sides had suffered devastating losses.

And due to Rowen’s intervention, Marineford was now practically indistinguishable from a completely destroyed island.

Under the destructive power of Rowen’s final earthquake and airquake, the very foundations of Marineford had been almost completely annihilated.

This place could no longer serve as the headquarters of the Marines.

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The Marine forces had also learned of the Red Hair Pirates’ presence. After learning Shanks’s crew had arrived in the area and then departed after the war’s conclusion, Sengoku sighed wearily.

If the battle had continued, Shanks’s intervention would have brought it to a halt.

Before the war, Sengoku and his Staff Officers’ worst-case scenario was facing the combined might of Whitebeard, Sky Sovereign Rowen, and Red-Hair—three Emperors.

Now, it had all come to pass, and even the Dark King Rayleigh was involved.

But all of that was still, to some extent, within their control. What truly caught Marine HQ off guard was the outrageous leap in Rowen’s combat strength during this war.

This man—didn’t even need Shanks’s intervention to bring the war to a close…

Rowen’s Rumble-Rumble Fruit-enhanced Observation Haki had, of course, sensed Shanks’s presence. Just as in the original story, even with the war over and Luffy conscious, Shanks didn’t come to see him, as that would have violated their promise.

Though Rowen didn’t know Shanks’s true motives, with his current strength, he no longer needed to overly concern himself with the Red-Hair Pirates’ movements.

Strategy was merely an extension of violence.

When two forces were relatively equal in power, strategy could play a decisive role. But when one’s violence was overwhelmingly superior, all strategy became pale and insignificant.

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After Rowen’s combat strength broke through to a new level, though he wouldn’t completely disregard the Red Hair Pirates, the one who truly held his attention now was Imu.

The King of the World’s later performance was astonishing.

His Haki was absolutely no less than Rowen’s current level. And the abilities he displayed were incredibly bizarre, like a demon incarnate, even capable of transforming Dorry and Brogy into demonic puppets under his control.

Regarding Imu’s abilities, Rowen had some speculations…

Mythical Zoan!

And a Mythical Zoan related to demons.

Not only were Imu’s abilities bizarre, but the Haki he unleashed on Elbaf was channeled through a possessed God’s Knight member, Saint Manmayer Gunko.

That Haki was already on par with Rowen’s current level.

If it were Imu’s true body… would his Haki be even stronger? It was an unknown.

But based on Imu’s performance in the original story—allowing Sabo and Vivi to escape Mariejois, and only taking action after Nika officially appeared, first sending the Five Elders, then only personally intervening on Elbaf by possessing Gunko Saint—combined with the fact that during the Summit War, even with the situation completely out of control due to Rowen’s intervention, Imu and the Five Elders made no move—

Rowen could basically conclude: Imu currently could not leave Mariejois, perhaps even couldn’t use his full power.

The cause of all this was likely the war against Joy Boy 800 years ago.

From known information, plus the Elbaf murals, the war between Joy Boy and Imu ended in Joy Boy’s defeat.

Imu became King of the World, mastered the power of immortality, and could even form contracts with others, granting this immortality to the Five Elders and the God’s Knights.

(Though in the Elbaf battle, the Pirate King’s left hand, Gaban, used Haki to temporarily prevent a God’s Knight’s regeneration, after the battle, he still regenerated—and that was just a God’s Knight’s immortality. Imu himself would be even more annoying. And Imu’s own Haki was no less than his; he could use his Haki to counter.)

To fight Imu, besides needing stronger Haki, it was clear another power was needed.

The power of the Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Model: Nika.

THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.

From Imu’s fear of Joy Boy, and his immediate intervention after Luffy Awakened Nika, it was highly likely that Nika’s power countered Imu’s abilities.

Though in the Egghead incident, the Awakened Nika Luffy still couldn’t break the Five Elders’ immortality.

However, Luffy’s mastery of the Nika form had only displayed Nika’s exclusive ’Imagination’; that ’Drums of Liberation’ power, frequently mentioned by important figures, had yet to appear.

Imu displayed multiple abilities—immortality, contracts, demonic transformation… As the ability of Imu’s mortal enemy, the Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Model: Nika’s special powers likely weren’t limited to just one.

That so-called ’Drums of Liberation’—was very likely a hidden power Luffy had yet to master.

And during the process of Rowen helping Luffy Awaken Nika, the ’Desire for Liberation’ did indeed play a dominant role, not the so-called ’Nika’s Imagination’ desire.

’Warrior of Liberation’—was the true interpretation of Nika’s power.

Though Devil Fruits generally reached their peak after Awakening, a special Devil Fruit like the Nika form having some hidden abilities was also normal.

As for Nika’s true power—after Luffy completely Awakened, Rowen would have plenty of time to study the Nika form’s power.

But regardless, before Luffy completely Awakened Nika, before Rowen himself equipped the Nika Trait, now was not the time to fight Imu.

His own combat strength still had vast room for improvement.

800 years ago, even Joy Boy was defeated—it showed the astonishing power in Imu’s hands.

For the final battle, besides his own power increase, the improvement of Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji’s combat strength was also crucial.

From this war, it was clear that although his own combat strength had reached a new level, under the combined might of Sengoku, Akainu, and Garp, they could still contend with him.

And that was in his Asura Aura-enhanced, three-headed, six-armed Giant state.

The Elbaf murals also showed Joy Boy fighting multiple of the twenty kings who formed the World Government at once. This showed that even at Joy Boy’s level—and Rowen’s current strength, Admiral-level fighters weren’t completely useless; working together, they could at least serve as a check.

So before the final battle, the more Admiral-level combatants, the better.

Luffy, needless to say, as the protagonist of the original story, his potential could at least reach Joy Boy’s level.

Zoro and Sanji possessed the potential to become Emperor-level fighters—and Vivi. Though the Sand-Sand Fruit was only a T2 Devil Fruit, But Vivi now possessed Conqueror’s Haki.

As long as she could fully master Haōshoku Coating, even if her combat power couldn’t compare to an Emperor, becoming a strong Admiral-level fighter was very easy.

The combat power of the other crew members also had great room for improvement.

After the war ended, before entering the New World, Rowen also needed some time to completely digest the gains from the Summit War.

During this time, he could use the Paw-Paw Fruit to send everyone to places suitable for their training and improvement.

After that—he would completely annihilate those two Emperors, Kaido and Big Mom.

Kaido’s Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon, that power to control elements and the Azure Dragon body—were all things Rowen needed and could use to further enhance his combat strength.

The two strongest elements Kaido controlled, lightning and fire, corresponded to the Rumble-Rumble and Flare-Flare Fruits, which Rowen had already obtained and Awakened.

The Rumble-Rumble and Flare-Flare Fruits, superimposed on the Azure Dragon body’s power, would definitely allow Rowen to obtain power exceeding the limits of the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon itself.

And Big Mom’s Soul-Soul Fruit—was something Rowen desperately needed…

Only by obtaining the Soul-Soul Fruit could he build a Soul Legion!

And in the battle against the God’s Knights and the Five Elders, the power of a Soul Legion would be indispensable.

Rowen’s soul library had been updated.

Whitebeard’s soul, and Aokiji’s soul, had been locked onto by Rowen’s Revive-Revive Fruit ability.

THE SOUL LEGION NOW HAD TWO MORE POWERHOUSE CANDIDATES.

So Rowen’s goal remained unchanged: crusade against Kaido and Big Mom.

And the Emperor ’Fortune’ on both of them, their physique energy and Haki, could also strengthen Rowen. These two were not old and dying, completely depleted like Whitebeard.

Kaido’s powerful Physique, and Big Mom’s natural monster ’Iron Balloon’—could greatly supplement Rowen’s current lack of physique energy.

And their Conqueror’s Haki—Rowen also considered them his…

(In this war, Rowen deliberately did not display the Revive-Revive Fruit’s ability, nor did he reveal how he obtained his massive power boost from Whitebeard—

—Though even if it were exposed, the World Government could do little about it. They wouldn’t dispatch forces to protect Kaido and Big Mom. But letting the World Government guess, tying up some of their energy, was a worthwhile move for Rowen.)

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After both sides had rescued their wounded, properly placed them, and recovered the bodies of the fallen—the pirate forces, under Rowen’s lead, departed from Marineford.

Signifying the complete end of the Summit War.

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“Hah…” Sengoku, now also bandaged, had been injured in the head-on clash of energy with Rowen, whose combat power had soared to this level.

Even with Akainu’s help, Sengoku was injured.

Especially that final blow, it was incredibly close; if not for Garp’s intervention, he and Akainu would likely have been severely wounded. But even so, the 77-year-old Sengoku felt like his old bones were about to fall apart.

At this moment, watching the departing pirate fleet, Sengoku’s expression was complex.

This public execution of Fire Fist Ace, initiated by their Marine HQ—had ended in complete failure.

“Don’t think about it, Sengoku. It’s not your fault. No one could have predicted Sky Sovereign’s combat strength would undergo such an unbelievable leap,” Tsuru came to Sengoku’s side and said calmly.

Victory and defeat were common in war.

Accepting defeat was also a necessary quality of a qualified Marine. All the powerhouses on these seas, except for monsters like Sky Sovereign Rowen, had experienced defeat.

Those defeated by it, like Moria before, would completely lose their Haki and become utter losers. And those who grew stronger from adversity—could become true powerhouses.

“I know. But someone has to take responsibility. I will resign from my position as Fleet Admiral of Marine HQ,” Sengoku exhaled.

He was 77 years old.

In this war, he had also felt his strength was not enough. Especially the final clash with Sky Sovereign Rowen, it made him feel the ruthlessness of time.

Stamina, Haki, with the progression of the battle, were all rapidly declining.

This era, ultimately, no longer belonged to them.

As for the next Fleet Admiral? Sengoku sighed…

He had high hopes for Aokiji, but now Aokiji was dead. The only one who could become Fleet Admiral—was Akainu. Kizaru’s personality wasn’t suitable, and Akainu, after all, had killed Whitebeard.

“The Navy… also needs fresh blood,” Tsuru sighed. In this war, their Navy’s losses were too heavy. Aokiji dead, a large number of elite Marines casualties.

With Sengoku’s retirement, and Akainu becoming Fleet Admiral, two Marine Admiral positions would also be vacant.

Gion and Chaton, though Admiral Candidates, their combat strength was insufficient to become Admirals.

A worldwide draft was the only option.

“And the Warlords,” Tsuru sighed.

The Warlords’ losses were even more severe. Doflamingo was killed by Rowen, Kuma was taken away by Rowen. And Blackbeard’s whereabouts were unknown; according to the World Government’s order, his Warlord title needed to be revoked.

In that case, the Warlords were left with only Mihawk and Boa Hancock. The seven great pirates who once intimidated the seas—because of Rowen’s slaughter—now had five vacancies.

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“REPORT! FLEET ADMIRAL!” Just then, a reporting Marine ran over, sweating profusely.

“What is it?” Sengoku frowned. The war was over; why was he so flustered? If the World Government was holding him responsible, they should call him directly.

“Warlord, Blackbeard, Marshall D. Teach, Using his Warlord status, entered Impel Down—and launched an attack. Under the Blackbeard Pirates’ assault, Impel Down has broken out in a riot. The prisoners have organized, breaking out of jail! Blackbeard also opened the sixth level, Infinite Hell! Many major criminals have been taken away by Blackbeard!” the reporting Marine’s forehead was drenched in sweat.

“WHAT DID YOU SAY??” Sengoku’s pupils constricted. Impel Down—had been breached??

Level 6, Infinite Hell!

Those imprisoned there were all pirates who could bring frightening disasters to the seas.

“Magellan is there! And the World Government should have made arrangements! How could it be breached?” Tsuru was also shocked.

Magellan, with his Venom-Venom Fruit, also had Admiral-level combat strength.

Though not comparable to the three Admirals, he was still a powerful combatant. And to prevent Rowen from attacking there to plunder powers, the World Government had made some arrangements.

“BASTARD! There’s something strange about that Blackbeard!” Sengoku grit his teeth.

“His goal in becoming a Warlord—was the major criminals on Impel Down’s sixth level? I underestimated him,” Sengoku’s forehead was full of veins.

Without the Warlord status, Blackbeard couldn’t even enter the waters around Impel Down.

“IMMEDIATELY ISSUE WANTED POSTERS! PUT A BOUNTY ON THE ESCAPED PRISONERS!” Sengoku immediately ordered.

“Th-The World Government has ordered… this matter is forbidden to be publicized… saying it will affect the World Government’s credibility—” the reporting Marine’s forehead was even more sweaty.

“WHAT DID YOU SAY??” Sengoku roared.

“The World Government… doesn’t want such a scandal to affect them,” Tsuru sighed.

Not putting a bounty on these major criminals meant the public on the seas wouldn’t know these dangers had been unleashed.

“WHAT A JOKE!” Sengoku roared furiously, gritting his teeth.

These scum, corrupted by power!

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