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· Imu looks down at Elbaf Village from a high vantage point far away.
· The village had transformed into a grotesque sight, with eyes and mouths appearing, and trees resembling human faces.
· Imu watches this scene without emotion, sensing two strong presences approaching him: Nika and Nizhekh.
· Imu quietly mutters, 'You've come again.'

· On the outskirts of Elbaf Village, Zoro moves with Enma and Shusui, slicing off tree arms with slashes imbued with black Haki.
· The trees regenerate, but Zoro realizes they stop if their roots, which are their movement pathways, are severed.
· Zoro uses his 'Kanto Dragon' technique to cut all the roots spread underground at once, returning the giant trees to their original state.
· He explains to Gels that Imu's power moves through the roots and states that he will hold off the trees while Luffy moves forward.

· Luffy and Loki run together towards Oulst Castle.
· Luffy swings his arm to blast away trees blocking their path, while Loki freezes the remaining trees and branches with Ragnil to immobilize them.
· Luffy asks Loki if he knows about Vivi, saying he instinctively felt that Imu was looking for her.
· Loki replies that he trusts Luffy's instincts, and Luffy reveals his reasons for wanting to defeat Imu: to get Loki's father back, protect his friends, and restore the trees and houses that were forced to smile.
· Loki expresses empathy, describing Luffy's 'dislike' as 'anger.'

· Luffy and Loki arrive at the outer wall of Oulst Castle. Faces also appeared on the entire wall, but there was no laughter.
· As Loki freezes the wall with Ragnil, Luffy breaks through the frozen wall with 'Gomu Gomu White Don Brain' and enters the castle.
· Faces were also on the interior walls of the castle, but their movements were slower than outside, and Loki freezes the walls with Ragnil as they head to the top floor.
· Loki asks about the 'Devil-Devil Fruit,' but Luffy replies he doesn't know.
· Loki speculates that it might be a special fruit not even in Elbaf's ancient legends, or its name itself might have been erased from history.
· Luffy deduces that the erasure of history itself is a hint, and there must be a troublesome weakness if it's kept secret.
· Loki is surprised by Luffy's insight, agreeing that the act of erasing information itself becomes information, and Luffy proposes cooperation, saying, 'You observe, and I'll punch.'

· Three of the Gorosei remain in the Flower Room in Mary Geoise, with Saint Garling absent.
· One of the Gorosei speculates that if Saint Garling has motives other than obedience to Imu, now is the perfect opportunity to act.
· Concerns are raised that while there's no evidence, by the time evidence appears, it might already be too late.
· The Gorosei conclude that they don't have the authority to stop Garling's movements, but they do have the authority to record them.

· Luffy and Loki arrive at the door to the top floor of Oulst Castle. The faces appearing on the door seem afraid.
· Luffy kicks open the door and confronts Imu in the space beyond.
· Imu states that he faces Nika and Nizhekh for the first time in 800 years.
· Luffy declares that he is not Nika, but 'Monkey D. Luffy, Straw Hat Luffy, the man who will become the King of the Pirates,' and says he knows Imu's name (Nerona Imu).
· When Imu says, 'The King of the World needs no name,' Luffy retorts, 'I hate that kind of king.'
· Loki points Ragnil and shouts, 'Give me back my father's body. King Harald is not yours.'
· Imu warns, 'Those who defy the world's order always meet the same end,' but Luffy counters, 'I decide my own end. You won't decide it for me.'
· Luffy's heart begins to pound, signaling the imminent battle with Imu.