One Piece: I am Imu

"Y-Your Excellency Imu, and the honored Five Elders, I-I have been cooperating with the World Government for decades!"

"Wouldn't it be in everyone's best interest for me to become the new 'BIG MOM'?!"

Faced with imminent doom, Carmel desperately suppressed her fear and shouted loudly.

It wasn't entirely her fault for falling into such a pitiful state.

When she was devoured by Linlin, Carmel had used her unique awakening ability to temporarily anchor the fruit's power to her soul, thus saving her soul and preventing death.

Because she no longer had a physical form, the Soul-Soul Fruit's abilities naturally integrated into the new host.

In essence, because her soul was bound to the devil fruit and her soul was stronger than Linlin's, she allowed it to inhabit her body by entering brief periods of torpor.

And when Linlin managed to awaken the soul fruit, Carmel managed to gain more control and successfully suppressed Linlin's soul—or rather, her consciousness—burying it deep within her, and had taken complete control of this immensely powerful body.

"...."

However, despite Carmel's hysterical cries,

the Five Elders ahead of her remained utterly silent.

As Carmel continued her frantic, endless pleading, desperately trying to grasp even the slightest chance of survival—

a flash of violet light suddenly filled her vision.

"AAAAAAHHHHH——!"

In the next instant, her entire being was engulfed in roaring violet flames.

Her shrill, tragic scream lasted less than two seconds before both her soul and consciousness were completely reduced to ashes.

This scene unfolded right before the eyes of Kaido and Tsuru.

Strangely enough, though, neither of them felt the expected searing heat from the flames.

Instead, just watching it made a chilling cold seep into their very bones, as if the flames carried an overwhelming, soul-piercing frost.

"Such noise."

Imu's voice, tinged with faint irritation, echoed, making the seven figures below feel an even stronger wave of dread.

Yet none dared to speak a word.

"Minister Tsuru, from now on, Charlotte Linlin will live under your supervision for a time."

"She may be kind, but she must not remain naïve. While you're at it, teach her how to handle management duties."

At this moment, Linlin could clearly recall all her past memories, but having been forcibly separated from Carmel, her consciousness returned to when she was six years old, the moment when her soul blended with Carmel's.

Regardless, she had to grow up!

"Yes, Your Excellency Imu," Tsuru bowing her head in acceptance.

"Hmm. You may leave."

The moment Imu's voice fell, before Tsuru and Kaido could react, they found themselves instantly teleported from the Hall to the massive door at its entrance.

The two Giant God Warriors still stood solemnly on either side.

"Please."

Oimo activated his Door-Door Fruit ability, opening an air gate into a verdant, green space for the two to enter.

Despite the astonishment still lingering on their faces, Tsuru and Kaido exchanged a glance and could only helplessly step through.

...

Just as Garp was rushing frantically toward the Sabaody Archipelago, ready to properly interrogate Dragon about what exactly was going on with his precious grandson—

Imu had teleported alone to the deepest, coldest part of Pangaea Castle.

At that moment, he was silently gazing at a massive straw hat preserved in cold storage.

And behind him—without anyone noticing when it had happened—stood four red Poneglyphs, silently looming.

"Monkey D. Luffy has finally been born... but where is your Nika Fruit, Joy Boy?"

Imu was also pondering how to deal with Luffy.

Yet very soon, he revealed a serene smile and murmured to himself, "So what if you're born? The world today no longer needs you, after all~"

He was confident that if, someday, a group really attempted to overthrow the World Government, the very first to object would be the millions upon millions of citizens of the seas themselves.

"Besides," he chuckled lightly, "I won't let Garp raise you this time."

Yet, compared to the relaxed and cheerful atmosphere on the sea's side—

the Shinobi World was shrouded in a chilling tension, even the drifting wind carrying the scent of blood.

At Amegakure, A had ultimately agreed to Hanzo's proposal.

After all, this wasn't just about revenge—it might also be the only chance to rescue the Third Raikage.

In young A's view, since Crocodile had chosen to capture rather than kill, there was a good chance his father was still alive, imprisoned somewhere within the borders of Roran!

Thus, gritting his teeth, he ordered the Two-Tails—sealed inside the Amber Purification Pot—to be delivered from the village.

Seeing this, Hanzo was naturally delighted.

Truthfully, he had always been half-skeptical whether A would agree to it.

After all, a Tailed Beast was a strategic-level weapon of war.

With one in Amegakure's hands, alongside his own strength, the other great nations would think twice before turning their land into a battlefield again!

The power of a Tailed Beast Bomb was no joke!

Having obtained the Two-Tails, Hanzo quickly selected a loyal, relatively young jōnin from the village to become its jinchūriki.

However, not long after the Two-Tails' chakra was injected into the jōnin's body, he completely lost his mind.

Left with no choice, Hanzo, alongside A, resealed the Two-Tails back into the Amber Purification Pot— the jōnin, of course, died in the process.

They tried several more candidates after that, even bringing in children who had yet to come of age, but each attempt ended in failure.

Frustrated and irritable, Hanzo even briefly entertained the idea of becoming the jinchūriki himself.

Yet, considering his own age, he forced the thought aside, keeping it as a desperate last resort.

Young A, witnessing all this, secretly found it hilarious.

Finding a jinchūriki isn't so easy, huh? Look at you—even handing you a Tailed Beast, tiny Amegakure can't put it to use!

That said, he already had someone in mind for the Two-Tails jinchūriki—a woman from the Uzumaki clan he had recently stolen from Kusagakure.

But A wasn't foolish enough to offer her up voluntarily.

If Hanzo exhausted all his options, he might be forced to return the Two-Tails—and then Kumogakure could make use of it!

"What?!"

That morning, just after waking, A received shocking news from Dodai: Hanzo had publicly announced an open recruitment in Amegakure, seeking volunteers who believed they had the potential to become the Two-Tails' jinchūriki!

The notice explained not only the great significance of the jinchūriki to Amegakure, but also spelled out the dangers and risks involved.

Of course, it also promised an incredibly generous reward—along with high status and treatment for whoever succeeded.

It had to be said—

Hanzo, who was not yet fully old, still showed remarkable spirit and vision.

Sure enough, his announcement immediately stirred up the entire village.

...

Inside a wooden hut, with rain pouring down relentlessly outside—

"WHAT!!"

Two voices, one male and one female, cried out in shock, their exclamations quickly drowned by the sound of rain.

"You want to become the Two-Tails jinchūriki?!"

Konan and Nagato stared at Yahiko, who stood before them with an extraordinarily serious expression.

Yahiko solemnly nodded.

"Now that Jiraiya-sensei has left, it's up to us to protect Amegakure."

"This is a chance—and I can't allow such terrifying, unstable power to fall into the wrong hands!"

...

In the forest along the western border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rivers—

Under the orders of the Third Hokage, Nara Shikaku had been dispatched to rendezvous with Namikaze Minato and the others, and to capture the imposter posing as the First Hokage.

He now stood atop a thick, sturdy branch, alongside Yamanaka Inoichi and the newly appointed head of the Hyuga Clan, Hyuga Hiashi.

Around them, one could spot numerous Konoha shinobi in green flak jackets, all wearing grave expressions.

"The preparations are complete. Based on Namikaze Minato's estimated travel speed, they should arrive here in about two hours."

"Good work."

Nara Shikaku simply nodded at Yamanaka Inoichi's report, his demeanor exceptionally calm.

It was as if he wasn't the least bit concerned about the battle to come.

However, as someone who knew him well, Yamanaka Inoichi could easily tell—Shikaku's heart was anything but light.

Or rather—

Everyone who was privy to the mission's details found it impossible to remain at ease.

Yamanaka Inoichi let out a quiet sigh. "Let's hope all our preparations pay off."

A towering figure standing over three meters tall, monstrous physical strength, mastery of powerful taijutsu, and the ability to use the legendary Wood Release of the First Hokage—

This enemy had shattered Hyuga Hizashi's Rotation technique with a single strike and had withstood Inuzuka Gaku's clan's secret jutsu, while simultaneously injuring both him and his ninken severely.

On top of that, Namikaze Minato had even determined that the enemy possessed a powerful sensory ability capable of predicting where he would teleport using the Flying Thunder God Technique.

And if that wasn't enough—

This opponent's Wood Release could even heal others. It was reported that both Hyuga Hizashi and Inuzuka Gaku, who had been gravely wounded, recovered rapidly after being pierced by a mere tree branch.

This meant the enemy could potentially heal himself mid-battle.

Based on the intelligence relayed by Namikaze Minato,

Nara Shikaku had judged that against the Wood Release abilities of the 'False First Hokage', sheer numbers of low- to mid-level shinobi would be meaningless.

Sending in large numbers would only result in unnecessary casualties and severely impact morale.

Thus, he made a decisive call: he would only lead a force of thirty jonin, twenty tokubetsu jonin, and fifty chunin selected from various major ninja clans.

The level of importance placed on this operation was extraordinary.

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