Recruit Luffy at the start and build the strongest navy.

Upon hearing this, a malevolent glint suddenly flashed in Im's crimson pupils.

"I've lived for nearly nine hundred years, long enough to be your great-great-grandfather's age. Do you think I'm a three-year-old? Still guessing?!"

"If you don't consider yourself a child, then why do you think I would tell you about my situation?"

"Now it's my turn to ask you, do you think I'm a fool? Would I willingly reveal my situation to my enemy?"

Kyle responded with a sneer, his tone full of sarcasm.

Im narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Fine, no matter what, you'll eventually die by my hand, and that won't change!"

"I can still find the answer by examining your corpse after you die!!"

"Heh~"

"The game isn't even halfway over yet, what are you doing popping champagne?"

"Wait until you can kill me first!!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Kyle raised his other fist and slammed it down on Im.

Bang! !

A dull thud resounded, and dark clouds of demonic energy rose, blocking Kyle's attack.

The next moment, the thick dragon tail behind Kyle also swept towards Im under Kyle's control.

Although this was his first time controlling the 'tail' to attack, he adapted unexpectedly well.

It was as if he was already very skilled at controlling his tail.

Its thick tail cut through the air, making a whooshing sound.

"Do you think you're the only one with a tail?"

Im growled.

Then his sharp, slender tail, with a spear-like tip, also pierced out from behind him.

Clang!

Another sound like metal clashing rang out, and the two tails collided violently in mid-air, sparks flying everywhere.

After the collision, both of them withdrew simultaneously, and then attacked again!

In an instant, the two tails danced, leaving countless afterimages that dazzled the eye.

The scene was somewhat surprising; what was supposed to be a battle between people had somehow turned into a fight between tails.

The tail fight lasted for almost a minute before the two backed away again.

"Huff~ Huff~"

At this point, after some time, Im not only had no injuries whatsoever, but even the injuries he had initially sustained from Kayle's charged ultimate attack had almost completely healed.

His skin returned to a bronze color, and his hair returned to snow white.

Apart from being slightly out of breath, her overall condition was even better than before.

While Kyle also had no injuries, judging from the intensity and frequency of his breathing, he was expending significantly more energy than Im.

Im's crimson eyes fixed on Kyle before he spoke:

"Let me correct what I just said. To be able to fight me to this extent, your strength is far greater than that of Joy Boy when he was still a demigod!"

"I hereby call you the strongest demigod!!"

"I accept you!!"

To be honest, Im is currently in a state of shock.

After all, in his mind, Joy Boy has always been the strongest person ever to appear in this world.

The opponent's performance, whether at the demigod or god level, far surpasses that of other strong individuals of the same level.

For example, he was also a god-level being back then, but he didn't have much ability to fight back against Joy Boy, who was also a god-level being.

But today, he himself has overturned this idea.

Because he was certain that even Joy Boy, at the demigod level, would never have been able to fight him to this extent at the god level.

This is absolutely impossible.

Because there is an insurmountable gap between demigods and gods.

However, Kyle's current combat prowess suggests that this gap may be narrowing.

Although Kyle's strength is still not at the god level, it is very close. Otherwise, he would not have been able to fight him for so long and only be slightly at a disadvantage.

But it was precisely because of this that Im's murderous intent toward Kyle surged once again.

If someone at the demigod level already possesses such combat power, what would happen if they truly reached the god level?

Wouldn't it be easy to hang him up and beat him up?

Although breaking through to the god level is extremely difficult in this era, even with Kyle's talent, it would be almost impossible without some extraordinary encounter.

But what if this serendipitous encounter just happens to happen?

As an old monster who has lived for so many years, Im has seen through too many of these kinds of things.

and so--

He would never allow anything to happen that was beyond his control.

Just like how he didn't hesitate for a moment to order Luffy to be killed after he learned that Luffy had awakened his Nika form.

There are no exceptions; at most, his strength will improve a little slower, but at least his life will be safe.

The longer one lives, the greater the fear of death becomes, and the greater the reverence for life also becomes.

So, it still comes down to what I said before.

Kyle is doomed to die today!

Without a doubt!!

So what if Kyle's current strength is close to that of a god?

Overall, he still has the advantage, and it's not a small one.

Even if he can't completely overwhelm Kyle, Kyle will definitely be no match for him in the long run.

It only takes a little time.

What impact will this have on someone like him who doesn't value time?!

No impact!!

"Heavenly Punishment Sword!!"

Im let out a low roar, and the demonic energy around his body surged and then converged upwards.

Finally, an enormous demonic sword formed above Im's head, and then, under Im's control, this sword slammed down towards Kyle...

-

On the other side, Marineford.

As a violent shockwave struck from ahead, tiny cracks began to appear on the thick ice.

Then, in a very short time, the cracks rapidly widened, eventually becoming huge fissures.

boom--

Before long, the ice shattered with a roar, and seawater surged up from below.

"Will this ever end?!"

"I'd like to see what exactly happened there!"

Garp leaped up, his face contorted with rage, and used Moonwalk to head towards the direction from which the shockwave was coming.

All you need to deal with the oncoming aftershocks is a pair of iron fists.

It's no wonder he reacted that way.

After all, he had experienced this situation countless times in a short period of time.

The shockwave came and crushed the ice, then a giant wave crashed in, and then Aokiji froze.

This process is repeated over and over again.

It annoyed Garp.

That's why I couldn't help but go and see what was going on.

"Garp, wait!!"

Zhan Guo spoke instinctively.

But clearly, Garp ignored him and continued on his way.

The figure grew smaller and smaller in their sight...