"System, where does the power interfering with the operation come from?"
Benedict hadn't expected that stripping a Devil Fruit from someone would cause such a huge commotion and take so long.
Moreover, this process was also very dangerous for the little girl, Uta.
Judging by the current situation, it was likely to result in a mutual defeat.
Therefore, Benedict's only hope now was that the system could resolve this issue effectively.
"From the source of Devil Fruit power."
The system's answer surprised Benedict.
Immediately, Benedict realized.
"Is it the Devil Fruit Tree?"
Although Devil Fruits were created, there was also a saying before that devils had their souls stripped and resided in fruits.
And because of this saying, there was indeed some truth to it.
There were devils within Devil Fruits.
Devil Fruits existed because devils existed first, and then came Devil Fruits.
However, how devils were specifically created was, as far as anyone knew, artificially.
Like the artificial devils that existed now.
But then again, what role did the Devil Fruit Tree play in all this?
"Yes!" the system responded.
"System, can this Devil Fruit still be stripped smoothly?" Benedict asked after a moment of silence.
"Yes!" the system replied affirmatively.
Benedict breathed a slight sigh of relief upon hearing this.
In the current situation, it was impossible not to harm Uta.
At least, not mentally.
About three minutes later.
The power that had been opposing Benedict began to weaken.
Seeing this, a glint flashed in Benedict's eyes.
It seemed to be succeeding.
At this very moment.
Above the Genbu Navy branch, a spatial rift was torn open, and a person emerged.
It was Im.
No one noticed Im's appearance.
Im's gaze swept across the surroundings, then fell upon the room where Benedict was located.
Im extended a slender finger and pointed towards Benedict's location. A silver light suddenly appeared, striking directly at Benedict.
The immense power sent chills down Sengoku and others, and they reacted immediately, looking towards Im's location.
Enel was the fastest.
"Raikou!"
Enel looked at the descending silver light and attacked with a solemn expression.
Boom!
The sound of thunder erupted, and the two powerful forces caused several nearby buildings to instantly explode.
Enel's figure was also sent crashing to the ground the moment the power detonated.
The terrifying power shocked Sengoku and others, and also made Enel doubt himself.
Although it wasn't his full power, it was still incredibly potent, enough to heavily injure an ordinary Admiral.
Yet, he was unable to match a casual finger flick from another.
Sengoku, Garp, Kenjuro, Saitama, Kamikaze, Yasuo, and Sakata Gintoki, seven people, moved rapidly and assumed a defensive stance.
"Who are you?"
Sengoku was the first to speak, looking at Im, who wore a mask, floated in the air, and was clad in white robes.
They had all seen it and believed that the previous attack was merely a casual strike from Im.
But even so, the power emanating from him made them, SS-class powerhouses, feel wary.
It also made them realize that this was a terrifyingly powerful individual who surpassed them in strength.
Before this, they only knew of one person, and that was Benedict.
Im glanced at Sengoku and the others, his eyes devoid of any ripple of emotion.
Im extended his hand.
A light sphere gathered in Im's hand, and then, like a machine gun, he began to fire upon Sengoku and the others.
"Up!"
Sengoku let out a low roar and immediately transformed into his Great Buddha form, launching an attack on Im.
Saitama, Yasuo, and Sakata Gintoki, the three who could fly, also moved with incredible speed to engage.
However, as the three approached Im, they saw water spheres encircling him.
The water spheres spun faster, forming a water barrier that enveloped Im.
This water barrier possessed formidable defensive capabilities.
The combined attacks of the three only created ripples, failing to harm Im.
This caused the pupils of Saitama and the other two to contract.
Then, Sengoku and the others' attacks arrived in succession.
Im waved his hand casually.
More and more water spheres were condensed, and in the next moment, a torrential rain began to fall.
But that was not the end.
The seawater from the surrounding vast ocean began to rise and join in.
The torrential rain covered the Genbu Navy branch, making crackling sounds.
Sengoku, Sakata Gintoki, Yasuo, and Enel, all Devil Fruit users, their complexions changed, and their powers rapidly waned.
The four quickly understood that the issue lay with the seawater and also with the person in front of them.
From the very beginning, the opponent had been controlling water.
This made them realize that the opponent was likely a Water-Water Fruit user.
The Water-Water Fruit was hailed as the nemesis of all Devil Fruit users.
Because the water it created could possess the characteristics of seawater, thereby affecting Devil Fruit users. It caused them to lose their Devil Fruit powers, meaning their stamina would be drained, and they would become lambs to the slaughter.
But the Water-Water Fruit had not appeared for a very, very long time.
The only speculation was that the Five Elders had found it and kept it in secret.
After all, this was something the Celestial Dragons, and even the Five Elders, would do.
Although Sengoku and the others' strength had reached SS-class, and their physiques were abnormal, the seawater would not affect them greatly.
But there would still be an impact.
And now, this impact was amplified.
They could clearly feel their Devil Fruit powers receding, and their stamina was also draining along with it.
Sengoku and the other three retreated from the battlefield.
If they continued to advance, they might ultimately be killed.
Therefore, the battle could only rely on Garp, Saitama, Kenjuro, and Kamikaze.
This battle had come suddenly and ended quickly.
Benedict in his office had sensed it when Im first attacked.
So, he was standing by the window at this moment, catching sight of Sengoku and the others surrounding and attacking Im.
However, Sengoku and the others soon retreated from the battlefield.
Benedict reached out and caught some of the falling rain. A mere sniff told him the salty taste of seawater, and he understood.
Benedict glanced back at Uta, who was still struggling, and frowned.
Benedict suspected that the powerful individual who had appeared was drawn here because he intended to strip the Uta Uta no Mi.
However, with such power, in the vast sea, in Benedict's memory, there was no one.
Even Rocks, who was once known as the strongest individually, could not achieve this.
Therefore, Benedict thought of the Five Elders and one person.
The strength of the Five Elders was unknown, but the person before him was clearly not one of the Five Elders.
That left only one person.
Im!