The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

Dragon-Slaying Technique!!!

Im was stunned, puzzled.

For a moment, the battlefield fell into a strange stalemate.

Im was wary of "Starfire" and dared not attack Luffy easily again, fearing that Gorn would take the opportunity to launch an attack that could damage its very essence.

Gern did not immediately launch an attack, but stood with his knife in hand, the "spark" burning quietly at the tip.

It rivals Im's immense dark aura.

He was observing, analyzing, and waiting for the best opportunity.

More importantly, through Im's two descents (Saint Nassul and Saint Vocuri).

Combined with the secrets of God Valley learned from veteran powerhouses like Garp (Im once descended upon Satan and possessed and controlled Rocks),

The long-held suspicion in Gern's mind was becoming clearer and clearer, drawing ever closer to the truth.

Im... may not have a fixed "material entity" in the traditional sense at all.

It is more like a pure collection of consciousness, a "soul" formed by the fusion of countless ancient contracts, dark energy, and immortal will.

To put it more bluntly, it's an extremely special "Soul Weapon" system!

Im is the "soul": the immortal, domineering core of the ancient will.

"Vessel" is the carrier: those beings who have signed the highest-level "Abyss Pact" with Him.

The Five Elders, and the core members of the Knights of God.

These powerful individuals are not only its agents, but also living containers (Soul Vessels) through which it disperses its consciousness, stores power, and even transfers its "existence"!

Lifespan as "currency"/"fuel": Why are the contractors "immortal and ageless"?

Perhaps what they are consuming is not their own life force.

Rather, it serves in some form to maintain Im's "immortality" or the system of contracts.

It surrenders or transforms some kind of "existential" energy.

The contract is a "shackle": it is both a bond that grants power and "immortality" and an invisible chain that firmly binds the "vessel" to the "soul".

This ensures that the carrier cannot detach, and may even feed back its remaining "existence" to Im or the entire system upon its death.

Therefore, the only way to completely kill Im is no longer to find and destroy a "non-existent fixed entity".

Instead.

We must first destroy all the "high-level Horcrux carriers" scattered throughout the world that carry Im's consciousness and power!

That is: the Five Elders (the remaining three, two of whom are dead), and all members of the Knights of God (at least the core members, those who have the Abyss Contract)!

As long as one such "living Horcrux" exists...

Im's "soul" can be restored when the vessel is destroyed.

Instantly transferred via a contract network, it parasitizes another entity.

It's almost like being "immortal" in another sense!

If you kill one of the Five Elders, it can immediately "resurrect" in the Holy Land and control another Divine Knight member who has been granted an Abyss Pact to come back and kill you!

Previously, Gern killed Saint Nassshurou with a knife and Saint Satan with a fist.

The reason that backlash caused Im so much pain was likely because the attack not only destroyed the "weapon"...

Furthermore, it severely damaged the "device" stored within it, following the contract's outline.

A portion of Im's "soul" and power!

This is equivalent to directly damaging the essence of Im, rather than simply replacing its carrier.

Chapter 706 Black Turn Domination

Im and Gern stand off.

But Im deliberately crossed the Red Earth, risking the backlash to descend upon Egerhard.

It wasn't just about staring at each other and playing a game of who blinks first with Gern.

For this "god" who ruled the world for eight hundred years, patience is relative.

When plans are repeatedly thwarted, and threats are imminent, decisiveness and ruthlessness are equally chilling.

Since Gern was wary of "Spark" and did not immediately launch a full-scale attack...

He also hesitated to launch a full-force attack on either Guern or Luffy because he was wary of "Spark".

So……

Make use of everything at hand to create new "chess pieces" and "weapons"!

On the body of the mutated monstrous boar (Saint Vochuli) possessed by Im, countless tiny holes suddenly appeared on the surface of the writhing dark matter!

Immediately afterwards, several black tentacles shot out with incredible speed!

These tentacles are not targeting Gern in front of them, but rather the "wreckage" on the edge of the battlefield, those who are nearly powerless to resist due to serious injuries or loss of will to fight!

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

The tentacles pierced precisely through the chest and limbs of Shiryu of the Rain, who lay on the ground with only a faint consciousness remaining!

Shiryu's body trembled violently, unable to even utter a scream, and the last glimmer of light in his eyes was quickly consumed by darkness.

Several other tentacles then wrapped around Van Augur, who was preparing to use his teleportation ability again to create an even greater distance!

Despite Van Augur's extremely fast reaction time, he attempted to teleport away.

However, Im's power level far exceeded his understanding, and the stamina he had expended using the Devil Fruit earlier had not been fully activated.

His only dodge was still successful because the tentacles predicted his teleportation landing point.

The moment his figure solidified, it had already wrapped around his neck and waist, and the tip pierced deep inside!

Van Augur grunted, and for the first time, genuine horror at the unknown power appeared in his dead fish eyes.

"Hey! Oka!!"

Blackbeard, who was preparing to retreat further nearby, instinctively stopped when he saw this.

With a furrowed brow and his toothless mouth agape, he let out a startled and uncertain cry.

Van Augur was entangled and pierced by tentacles, but did not immediately feel excruciating pain or lose his life force.

Instead, it was a strange feeling of coldness, numbness, and something forcibly being injected into my body, eroding my will.

He looked down at the black tentacles writhing on his chest, then looked up at Blackbeard, his voice carrying a hint of confusion that he himself didn't realize.

"Captain... this thing... doesn't seem to hurt or itch?"

His expression was somewhat distorted, as if he was resisting something, but his eyes gradually became empty.

Blackbeard's internal alarm bells were ringing!

He knew all too well how strange and terrifying Im was!

This is definitely not as simple as "not painful or itchy"!

Sure enough, Im made his next move!

The moment the tentacles successfully pierced Shiryu and Van Augur's bodies, the mutated monstrous creature stood before them.

A five-star magic circle, radiating an ominous aura, suddenly appeared!

At the center of the magic circle, a twisted ancient rune representing "domination" and "transformation" is slowly rotating.

The whispers of the Imnafi were clearly heard throughout the battlefield through the resonance of the magic circle.

"Black turns to domination".

The moment the words left his mouth.

"Ughhhhhh!!!"

"Captain Teach!! Help...help me...Aaaaaah!!!"

Two piercing screams, a mixture of pain, fear, and the last vestiges of self-awareness.

It burst forth simultaneously from the mouths of Shiliu and Van Augur!

Shiryu's body, which was originally critically injured and on the verge of death, swelled up violently like an inflating balloon!

The muscles bulged and twisted, the skin tore open, revealing dark red flesh and blood with writhing black lines underneath!

Clothes were stretched to bursting, and broken bones were forcibly joined together and mutated under the influence of dark energy!

The same goes for Van Oka!

His body changed from tall and thin to burly and deformed, with his limbs becoming disproportionately thick, his joints twisted, and his fingernails turning into sharp claws!

He tried to reach out to Blackbeard for help, but his arm was quickly corrupted by darkness as it was being extended!

The heads of the two men underwent a horrific transformation.

His mouth was torn open, revealing sharp, interlocking fangs that resembled those of a wild beast!

His eyes were sunken, the whites of his eyes were swallowed by darkness, and his pupils turned into two bloodthirsty dark red dots.

On his back, near his shoulder blades, the skin and flesh suddenly burst open, and a pair of bat-like wings burst out and unfolded!

At the same time, their auras surged wildly!

The already severely injured and weak Shiryu now exuded a ferocity and oppressive aura that far surpassed his peak condition!

Van O'Kana's composure and precision as a sniper have completely vanished, replaced by a chaotic, ferocious, and destructive beastly aura!

More importantly, it was the last glimmer of light that belonged to "Shiryu" and "Van Aucker" in their eyes.

Like a candle flickering in the wind, it was extinguished completely amidst intense pain and darkness.

Instead, there is a hollow, numb, puppet-like gaze, completely subservient to some higher will.

Shiryu of the Rain and Van Augur, two core members of the Blackbeard Pirates

Within seconds, he was defeated by Im's evil power of the Abyss Pact.

They were forcibly transformed into two dark demon puppets that swelled to four times their original size, with bat wings on their backs, fangs and claws, and a ferocious aura!

"Roar!!!"

"Hiss!!!"

The transformed demons, Shiliu and Van Aukka, simultaneously let out an inhuman roar, their crimson eyes instantly locking onto the nearest target.

Blackbeard Marshall D. Teach!

They seemed to still retain a trace of instinctive memory of the "captain," but this memory now transformed into an even stronger, more dominant desire to attack!

Blackbeard stared at the two familiar yet strange demon puppets, which exuded a dangerous aura, his face turning extremely grim.

He spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, his eyes filled with anger at being betrayed (albeit forced) and fear of Im's methods.

"Damn it...they even dared to touch my crew..."

Blackbeard cursed under his breath, but took even more cautious steps backward.

He knew all too well what Shiliu and Van Aukka were like under Im's control.

He was no longer his partner, but a deadly enemy.

Moreover, it is a monster whose strength has been greatly enhanced and which has lost the ability to feel pain and fear!

Im seemed quite satisfied with his "work," his eyes slightly darting around as he admired Blackbeard's unpleasant expression.

Then, his gaze returned to Gern, and he manipulated the fiery ibise to raise one of its front hooves.

Pointing at the two newly formed demon puppets, his tone carried a hint of cold mockery and absolute dominance.

"Tian Zhen...did you see that?"

"This is the consequence of rebelling against 'God'."

"Whether they are 'Hyena's' henchmen or 'Nika's' successors..."

"In the end, they will all become eternal servants in Mu's hands!"