The gigantic meteorite continued its rapid descent. Imu, who had been sent crashing into Mary Geoise by Shin, quickly recovered and leaped back into the sky. With a series of precise slashes, she unleashed a terrifying wave of energy, aiming to obliterate the meteor before it reached the ground.
Shin sneered, his figure flashing as he appeared directly in front of Imu and threw a devastating punch. Yet, instead of retaliating, Imu dodged the attack and focused all her efforts on the falling meteorite.
With another strike, Shin sent Imu flying across the battlefield, but just as before, she recovered swiftly and evaded further engagement, prioritizing the destruction of the meteor above all else. After a relentless barrage of attacks, she successfully shattered the meteor into smaller fragments. Though still dangerous, the catastrophe had been averted.
Shin narrowed his eyes. "Interesting. Why are you so desperate to stop that meteor?"
His gaze sharpened as realization dawned upon him. "Could it be that your so-called immortality is somehow tied to Mary Geoise? Is that why you're so fixated on protecting it?"
Imu's lips curled into a cold smirk. "You can keep guessing."
Shin rolled his eyes. This Imu fights more like a scheming strategist from the ninja world rather than a pirate...
From their previous battle, Shin had already speculated on the source of Imu's immortality. The most likely explanation was that the body before him wasn't her true form at all.
It was similar to a lich from Western mythology—an entity that couldn't be destroyed unless its phylactery was found and destroyed.
Recalling how Imu had been unable to leave Mary Geoise and her obsessive efforts to prevent its destruction, Shin pieced it together.
"Guessing, huh? Let's test my theory!" Shin's smirk widened. The last time he freed the slaves of Mary Geoise, he had been restraining himself. Now, with war looming, there were no innocent bystanders left—only the Celestial Dragons and their loyal hounds.
If there was ever a time to unleash my full power, it's now.
"Super—Almighty Push!"
A terrifying repulsive force erupted from Shin's body, expanding outward in a devastating sphere. The last time he attacked Mary Geoise, a defensive shield had activated, but now, it was either gone or hadn't been repaired.
In an instant, Mary Geoise collapsed into ruins, turning into a massive crater.
The Celestial Dragons were flung in every direction, their once-mighty holy land reduced to rubble. Only a few elite agents, powerful bodyguards, and the Five Elders remained standing amidst the destruction.
"You bastard!" One of the Five Elders, blood streaming down his face, charged at Shin in a blind fury. Despite his injuries, he threw a punch fueled by raw hatred.
Shin barely acknowledged him. With a casual flick of his hand, he slashed through the elder's body, cutting him cleanly in half.
Yet his gaze never left Imu, who remained eerily composed.
A chilling thought struck Shin. So many Celestial Dragons just died, yet she didn't even flinch…
"That confirms it. Your weakness isn't in Mary Geoise..."
Just as this realization sank in, Imu suddenly attacked, attempting to strike Shin while he was distracted. But with his vastly superior strength, Shin effortlessly caught her fist mid-swing.
Imu's expression darkened. She pulled back, attempting to free her arm, but it was like trying to move a mountain. With a swift motion, she swung her sword at Shin's head.
Clang!
Shin parried the strike with a single swipe of his hand. The sheer force made Imu's grip loosen, and her weapon nearly flew from her grasp. Even as she tightened her hold, blood dripped from her hands.
However, her regenerative ability was astonishing—the wound sealed within seconds.
Shin exhaled slowly, his fists tightening. "If I can't find your weakness, then I'll simply smash you into dust."
He clasped his hands together, and with a sickening crack, shattered Imu's fist in his grip.
Imu barely reacted. Instead, she swiftly severed her arm, only for a new one to grow in its place.
Shin's eyes flashed with determination. "Eight Gates: Seventh Gate—Gate of Wonder!"
With an explosive burst of energy, he launched a relentless barrage of punches, each strike tearing through the sky like meteor impacts. The air burned with heat, and the force of his attacks spread for hundreds of kilometers.
Imu's body was obliterated under the sheer onslaught, reduced to dust.
And yet, within moments, she reformed once more.
"It's useless. You can't kill me." Imu's voice rang out as she fully regenerated.
Shin narrowed his eyes. 'That's what you think.'
With a swift motion, he extended his hands, forming a complex seal. "Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Jutsu!"
A brilliant beam of white light enveloped Imu, tearing her apart at a molecular level.
And yet, she returned once again.
Shin's expression remained unreadable. "Strange… The last time I destroyed her body, her strength noticeably weakened. Why doesn't it seem to affect her now?"
He activated his next move. The dark void surged forth, consuming Imu entirely.
For a moment, everything went still.
But then, Imu reappeared outside the dark dimension, completely unharmed.
Shin's brows furrowed. 'As I thought… This isn't her real body. If it was, she wouldn't have been able to escape my dark dimension.'
His mind raced. Last time, her strength visibly declined. What did I do differently back then?
Then it hit him.
"Aside from shattering her body… I also blew a massive hole through the Red Line."
Shin's eyes gleamed with understanding. "Imu's true weakness isn't in Mary Geoise—it's buried beneath the Red Line!"
His thoughts rapidly aligned. The entire battle had been fought in the air—Imu had never once allowed herself to touch the ground.
At first, Shin had assumed it was because she didn't want to destroy Mary Geoise in the crossfire. But now? Mary Geoise was already gone, yet Imu still refused to land.
His lips curled into a knowing smirk. "I see now. So that's where you're hiding."
Imu's expression finally shifted—if only slightly.
For the first time in this battle, she looked truly uneasy.
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