One Piece: Start as a mythical beast, practice to become stronger.

The boundless sea, magnificent and vast, seemed to weave an eternal tapestry where the endless sky met the azure surface.

Figaland Garland stood on the deck, a black cloak draped over his shoulders. The wind tousled his flowing dark hair, and his face, swept by the sea breeze, carried an undeniable air of authority.

He stood ramrod straight, his gaze like the deep ocean, fixed on the distant horizon. The misty sea seemed separated from Mary Geoise by only an invisible barrier.

Suddenly, he stopped, his right hand slightly raised, and even the wind seemed to pause.

The surrounding pirates immediately felt an inexplicable pressure, and everyone consciously fell silent, no one daring to break the stillness.

He turned, his black eyes as deep as an abyss, as if capable of seeing through all falsehood and pretense.

Looking towards Mary Geoise, it was as if the sky, the sea, and even the air there had instantly become extraordinary.

“Imu-sama!?”

These two words escaped Figaland's lips softly, low but with an undeniable force, like a summons rising from the abyss.

In that instant, the surrounding air seemed to solidify.

Figaland's heart also abruptly stopped for a moment, his gaze deep and complex, his inner turmoil intertwined with the external waves.

He knew that familiar presence had awakened once more.

Imu-sama, that being who had always existed in the shadows, forever lurking like a ghost in the deepest parts of the world.

But He was clearly dead.

Impossible.

A series of questions and information flashed through his mind.

Imu's death had been confirmed by several parties, but he had never truly believed it.

Whether it was the World Government's various operations or Imu's way of acting, everything made him strongly suspect what had happened back then.

“Is He...still alive?”

Figaland murmured softly, his tone filled with shock and confusion.

His heart rate gradually increased, and his tense muscles reflected his current vigilance and suppression.

His gaze pierced through the distance like a sharp sword, as if trying to directly strike that hidden presence through the distant Mary Geoise.

“No...”

He said to himself,

“Even if He is still alive, He cannot easily appear...that is not a power that a mere 'dead king' can control.”

However, a certain premonition in his heart told him that this was far from simple.

He took a deep breath, lowered his head, crossed his arms, and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.

“If that's really the case, then I must confirm it.”

The storm and waves before him seemed to be suppressed by his will, the sea no longer rising and falling, and the wind also ceasing.

At this moment, Figaland Garland was not just a solitary figure; he was like a lone island, standing on the edge of the world.

He slowly turned his head, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, but a deep chill could not be concealed in his eyes.

“Imu-sama, how long can your 'death' be maintained?”

The determination in his heart surged like the waves, although the outside world remained calm as usual, he was determined to step towards that unknown abyss.

He knew that if Imu's power still existed, then this world would be completely changed.

He would no longer retreat.

Figaland Garland's eyes were complex, and for a moment his heart was torn by complex emotions.

He stood on the deck, the wind blowing his black cloak, and the waves crashing against the ship, making bursts of sound.

On the sea, the waves surged, but his heart felt like it was being weighed down by something heavy, silent and solemn.

He didn't know how to face the truth before him—Imu-sama, the World Government's "God", the being who controlled everything, was still alive.

For a moment, the deep reverence in his heart made him feel a strange sense of relief.

Imu's revival meant that the power of the God's Knights had not disappeared, meaning they would not be mercilessly swallowed by the tides of the world.

But what followed was a heavy burden.

“Should I be glad, or should I be wary?”

Figaland murmured softly, his brow furrowed slightly, his gaze sweeping across the vast sea in the distance, as if trying to find some answers from the boundless sea.

Imu-sama, the existence who once led the World Government to destroy all resistance, had an unshakable position in the God's Knights and the entire world.

His name, like thunder, meant power, meant victory.

But this power was an invisible mountain pressing down on their heads, and also their solid shelter.

The members of their God's Knights, as a force personally cultivated by Imu-sama, had long known Imu's power and inviolability.

To them, Imu was a god, he was the master of fate.

His existence determined their glory, and also determined their future.

And this irresistible force was precisely what made every knight, while deeply aware of their own strength, have to succumb to that supreme authority.

However, recently, the God's Knights' actions seemed to have been repeatedly unsuccessful, which made him feel anxious.

The battle situation had been repeatedly reversed by the rebels, and the previous smooth and invincible days had become increasingly distant.

Their actions were being obstructed, sabotaged, and even at some critical moments, Imu-sama's mysterious power seemed unable to manifest in time.

"Without Imu-sama's protection, we might never have such an opportunity again."

Figaland gently clenched his fist, the unease in his heart becoming more and more obvious.

He had never had such strong conflicting emotions, both afraid and dependent.

Imu-sama's revival was undoubtedly a victory signal for their Knights, but it also meant that they had to continue to bear this heavy burden.

And as a member of it, no matter what, he could not escape this responsibility.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm the turmoil in his heart.

But that invisible pressure was like a dark cloud covering him, gradually making him almost breathless.

“With Imu-sama here, we will definitely be able to stand at the peak again!”

These words slipped out of his mouth unconsciously, his voice low and firm, as if swearing, as if cheering himself on.

Whenever he recalled these words, he could feel a strange power burning in his heart.

If Imu-sama was still alive, then the God's Knights could rise again and return to the peak.

That kind of glory and victory was an unparalleled temptation.

However, another worry quietly grew in his heart:

“If Imu-sama really returns, will he be dissatisfied with the past of the God's Knights?

Will he resent us for not being as brilliant as he expected?”

These thoughts lingered, troubling him. Just now, when he was muttering to himself, he could almost hear the sound of his own heartbeat.

That deep fear, as if an invisible eye was watching him, he could not escape, nor could he ignore it.

“In any case, now that we have reached this point, we can only continue forward.”

Figaland finally put down the burden in his heart, and the expression on his face became a little more firm.

He raised his head, his eyes flashing with sharp light.

Since I have chosen this path, there is no turning back.

In order to return to the peak, I will definitely dedicate everything, even my life, to Imu-sama and the God's Knights."

Just then, a faint wave suddenly came from the distant sea, which was a signal that the enemy was attacking.

Figaland's eyes instantly sharpened, he stood up straight, and gently patted the hilt of the sword at his waist, as if he had regained the peace and determination in his heart.

“Counterattack…it’s time to begin.”

He said in a low voice.

...