Chapter 97

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# 096: Kill Him!

A scorched black skeleton broke through the ground and crawled out slowly. In the blink of an eye, under the light of endless flames burning everywhere, a horrifying and frightening scene unfolded. It was as if "true hell" had descended on Mariejois! Hundreds of thousands of scorched black skeletons continued to climb up.

Bai Ye came this way, awakening the ashes of those who died under the knife of Ryūjin Jakka! The high temperature released by the residual fire sword revived them on the Grand Line.

At the same time, these scorched skeletons began to shine in the firelight. The whole world shook violently.

"...Is that Marine Admiral Akainu?!" 

"...and Marine Vice Admiral Flying Squirrel!"

"There's even Kong, General of the World Government Army!!!"

"This can't be real, right?!"

All over the world, people watching the scene of Mariejois on the projection trembled, fearing that true hell had come.

However, when a tall scorched black skull with two horns climbed up, it revealed a monstrous figure that brought oppressive fear and would never be forgotten. Almost all the New World pirates were instantly drenched in cold sweat, their lips trembling uncontrollably.

"Wait, wait...!"

"Is that 'Four Emperors' Kaido?!"

Seeing the huge skull with two horns, someone suddenly remembered the first half of Four Emperors Kaido's journey to the Grand Line. Considering that Kaido had no recent news and looking at the huge charred black skull now at Mariejois, the pupils widened in shock.

"No, it can't be!"

They realized that Kaido had died at the hands of that man without anyone knowing.

At this moment, the world fell into dead silence. Only endless flames raged, and hundreds of thousands of scorched black skeletons covered the Red Line.

"It's over, Im."

Bai Ye stood in the center of hell, looking at Im indifferently. A scorched black skeleton began to move. Watching this, Im's heart trembled violently. The sky over Mariejois was dark and blood red. The scene included Marine Admiral Akainu, Marine Vice Admiral Flying Squirrel, the commander-in-chief of the world government's army Kong, Four Emperors Kaido, and the Five Elders, among others, all awakening within the army of skeletons.

Witnessing this scene with a terrifying visual impact, a hint of madness and unconcealable fear appeared in Im's eyes. He roared:

"You bastards! Are you trying to harm your 'god'?!"

"I am a god! The god who controls this world! You mere 'inferior creatures'...!"

Veins popped out on Im's forehead. He suddenly remembered Bai Ye beheading the "death torrent" composed of all the undead.

Im gritted his teeth, controlling Rocks and other puppets with his left hand.

"Come on! They are just a few 'abandoned' untouchables defeated in the war! No matter how many there are! Let me wipe out all the puppets crafted by this god!"

The voice fell, and Rocks and the other puppets under Im's control acted again. Without any will, they followed Im's orders. Even if they were once monsters at the apex of each era, they could not compare to the ashes of the dead awakened by the "Remnant Fire Taidao·'Nan' Huo Huo Ten Trillion Dead Burial Array." Whether it was Akainu, Kaido, the dead Five Elders, or folk monsters with alternate admiral powers, they faced off against Rocks, monsters who once stood at the top of the sea.

Despite the strength gap, the difference will not be too significant. Moreover, a steady stream of scorched black skeletons broke through the ground and climbed up, facing no more than a dozen opponents. Initially, golems like Rocks relied on various Devil Fruit abilities, giving them a chance to gain a certain advantage. However, in front of the blackened skeleton army that endlessly killed enemies identified by Bai Ye, things changed quickly.

Im's puppets began to suffer damage, break, and even get destroyed in the collision. The first golem was torn apart by the army of charred skeletons. Then, the second puppet, which had turned into a big white tiger, was abruptly submerged. In the blink of an eye, the third puppet, the fourth puppet, and the fifth puppet followed. 

Facing the endless army of scorched skeletons, most of the dozen or so puppets under Im's control were destroyed in no time. The remaining relatively powerful puppets like Rocks, Roger, and Golden Lion continued to resist but were held back by the skeleton army.

Holding a fire dagger and without being touched by a dozen powerful puppet jumpsuits under Im's men, Bai Ye, clad in prison clothes, walked towards Im with indifference in his eyes. At this moment, witnessing Bai Ye's approach, Im completely panicked. 

With every step Bai Ye took, it was like stepping heavily on Im's heart, intensifying Im's inner fear and trembling. 'Win... can't win! No matter what, you can't win!' Fear surged within Im, making his body tremble uncontrollably. Finally, seeing the figure of Bai Ye moving towards him like a demon from hell, Im lost all sanity. Almost subconsciously, Im lifted his foot to turn around, ready to activate the space fruit ability. Yes, as a "god," Im was ready to escape!

Facing such a desperate situation, Im's arrogance and identity no longer mattered. All Im could think about was getting away from the man who seemed to step out of hell. However, since Im exhibited the ability to travel through space at will, Bai Ye was prepared.

"I've seen your space ability before," Bai Ye said, his indifferent eyes fixed on the terrified Im. "The same tricks are ineffective against me." As Bai Ye's voice fell, two Kidō halos suddenly appeared on Im's hand, locking him in place. Im struggled to break free, but found he could no longer use the space fruit ability. He could use his ability, but his hand was bound in place.

Im's face changed drastically. Without the protection of space covering his body, he felt the terrifying high temperature and it seemed like he was witnessing real hell. The Kidō aura on Im's arms was exactly Kidō·'Kill the Burning Stake,' a seal-type Kidō that, when touched twice, punches into Kidō and triggers attached Reiatsu. Bai Ye, knowing Im could control space, attached his own Reiatsu to the Remnantachi to use when Im tried to escape.

Looking at the puppets suppressed by the skeleton army and Im's terrified face not far away, Bai Ye approached. Raising the fire dagger, Bai Ye said, "It's all over."

"No... no! Wait, wait!" Im screamed. "I am God! I am God! What do you want? This Shendu can give it to you! Power, status, wealth! This Shendu can give it to you!" 

Faced with the real fear of death, Im lost all semblance of a self-proclaimed god and even begged Bai Ye for mercy. However, seeing Im, who looked down on humans and always thought of himself as a god, Bai Ye responded without a single word and without hesitation. 

The Remnant Fire Taidao slashed down and in an instant, Im burned out in extreme fear.