Imu remained silent.
Kuke's strength exceeded all her expectations.
She had planned to kill him in one strike.
Even if she couldn't kill him, she intended to heavily injure him, to make him feel an immense threat and pressure that would force him to leave.
But her plan had failed.
Instead, her opponent had grown more confident, more imposing.
For a moment, Imu was lost in thought.
She couldn't understand where Kuke's confidence came from.
I've paid a price, but that's all it was—a price. The gap in our power is undeniable. So where does his confidence to defeat me come from?
Having spent centuries in slumber, Imu's mind wasn't as sharp as it once was.
"Lord Imu, he seems to have invincible defenses, resurrection, long-range teleportation, and other bizarre abilities," the two Elders quickly reminded her.
They knew more about Kuke than Imu did.
These abilities, in their eyes, were more troublesome than Kuke's raw power.
No matter how strong someone was, there were always ways to defeat or capture them—it was simply a question of resources and manpower.
But when these abilities were added to his strength, the threat became almost insurmountable.
The repeated large-scale offensives by the World Government and Navy had all ended in failure because of these peculiar abilities.
The Elders loathed these powers.
"Oh?"
Imu's mouth opened slightly in surprise.
These three abilities?
Could they be the result of a single Devil Fruit's development?
Imu, who knew every Devil Fruit in existence, thought for a moment. No Devil Fruit could encompass three abilities with such distinct properties.
"A body that can accommodate multiple Devil Fruits?"
The thought occurred to Imu.
Such a phenomenon had appeared in history.
It wasn't impossible.
Imu's crimson vortex-like eyes glowed with a strange light as she scrutinized Kuke, trying to discern how many Devil Fruits he had consumed and which ones they were.
"Huh? He's not a Devil Fruit user."
Imu blinked.
She didn't doubt her judgment for a second.
She hadn't detected a single trace of Devil Fruit factors within Kuke's body.
He was absolutely not a Devil Fruit user.
He had never consumed a Devil Fruit.
"What? He's not a Devil Fruit user?"
The two Elders were equally shocked.
The seas were unsure of what type of Devil Fruit user Kuke was, but everyone believed he was one—and that his abilities were bizarre and mysterious.
"If he's not a Devil Fruit user, then where did those abnormal abilities come from? His crew?"
The Elders quickly began recalling the members of the Radiant Eclipse Pirate Crew.
Invincible defense?
That ability had appeared early on, back when the crew had only a few members.
It was known that Gion was a Mythical Zoan user, Boa Hancock had the Paramecia-type Love-Love Fruit, and Hancock's two sisters were Zoan users as well.
At the time, the only non-Devil Fruit user on the crew was Koala, a little girl the World Government and the seas paid little attention to.
Could it be Koala, that little girl, who had the invincible defense ability?
Yes, it had to be her.
The Elders were certain.
As for the resurrection ability…
By that time, the crew had grown to over ten members.
Most were Devil Fruit users, known to the World Government.
But one overlooked little girl, Kuina, stood out.
Was it her?
Did Kuina have the ability to resurrect others?
The Elders thought it over and concluded this was the most likely possibility.
And the ability to teleport across the New World…
Belo Betty's Operation Fruit allowed spatial manipulation, but could it be that powerful? Impossible.
Was it another mysterious little girl in the crew, such as Kozuki Hiyori?
The Elders' minds raced.
Their scalps tingled.
So, the Radiant Eclipse's greatest threat isn't its queens and empresses—it's the unassuming little girls?
It had to be.
Damn it!
They had never considered this before.
The Elders now believed they had uncovered all the secrets of the Radiant Eclipse.
The unknown is terrifying. Once it's understood, it's no longer frightening.
"Lord Imu, we've figured it out," the Elders confidently announced to Imu.
"?"
"The invincible defense, resurrection, teleportation, and other bizarre abilities of the Radiant Eclipse Pirate Crew all come from its members," they stated with unwavering certainty.
"The crew?"
Imu's gaze seemed to pierce through the walls, scanning all of Mary Geoise.
She observed Gion and the others, discerning their respective abilities.
"All excellent fruits," she remarked, marveling at the Devil Fruits they possessed.
Each one was remarkable.
"A mysterious man, or just a lucky one?" Imu wondered, glancing at Kuke in amazement.
To have gathered so many excellent Devil Fruits—it was impressive.
"Hm? The Mythical Zoan, Phoenix form… wasn't that a fruit the World Government obtained long ago?" Imu frowned slightly as she sensed Gion in her hybrid form outside.
Her eyes narrowed in questioning as she turned to the two Elders.
Their expressions grew awkward.
They couldn't find the words to respond.
With an enemy at hand, Imu chose not to press the matter immediately.
"Their abilities don't match what you've described," Imu confirmed.
Three Mythical Zoans, one Logia-type Rumble-Rumble Fruit, and one insignificant Paramecia-type ability.
Among them, Smoothie's Paramecia ability was the least remarkable in Imu's eyes.
"It must be the other members who didn't show up today," the Elders explained.
Those little girls again.
The Elders couldn't help but marvel at how terrifying the little girls of the Radiant Eclipse were.
Suddenly, a realization struck them.
"Didn't show up?!"
Their pupils dilated as they exchanged a glance, seeing the excitement in each other's eyes.
"Lord Imu, this is a perfect opportunity. Without those abilities, Kuke is no longer invincible."
Their breathing quickened with anticipation.
"Is that so?"
Imu, however, couldn't shake her unease.
Kuke showed no signs of panic despite their revelations and conclusions.
"You're overthinking this," Kuke said, glancing at the confident Elders without mockery.
They didn't know about the system's achievement points, but even reaching this conclusion showed they weren't completely foolish.
"Hmph! We've uncovered all your secrets. Do you think you can act as recklessly as before?"
The Elders glared at Kuke, their voices filled with hostility.
Kuke slowly began to walk toward them, and panic set in.
The two Elders hurriedly retreated toward Imu on the throne, seeking protection.
"If you have any hidden cards, now's the time to show them," Kuke said, his gaze fixed on Imu, filled with anticipation.
He hoped she had more secrets.
More hidden power.
The more she revealed, the more this world's potential ceiling would rise, offering greater opportunities.
"The Ancient Weapon Uranus… the World Government must have it. Bring it out."
The Ancient Weapon Uranus was a long-held theory among fans in his previous life, widely speculated and accepted.
Among the three Ancient Weapons, Poseidon was confirmed to be Princess Shirahoshi, and Pluton had also been prominently featured.
Uranus, however, remained shrouded in mystery.
"You even know about Uranus?"
Imu stared at Kuke, stunned and unable to hide her shock.
She couldn't detect any traces of the ancient era on Kuke, so how did he know these secrets?
"Who exactly are you?"
"If you want to know, join me. I'll tell you everything," Kuke replied playfully.
"You dare ask Lord Imu to join your pirate crew and become a pirate? You're dreaming! You've insulted the dignity of a god—you are unforgivable!"
The Elders pointed at Kuke, shouting furiously.
Kuke's gaze turned cold.
"No matter what hidden cards the World Government has, they must die today," he said, addressing Imu directly.
Small fry should remain silent.
And if they dared bark like dogs?
Then they would die.
------
DONT FORGET POWER STONE
________________________________
P/S: If you are interested, you can read up 50+ chapters at patreon.com/Emik01.