The man being attacked above, yet appearing so relaxed, was he truly Im?
Benedict didn't know.
However, with Karp and the others working together, it was clear they wouldn't be able to defeat him anytime soon.
They might even be defeated themselves.
Glancing at Uta, Benedict flew out.
"Stand down, everyone. This person is not someone you can handle."
Benedict flew into the air and said to Saitama and the others.
Saitama looked at Im, frowning, and said, "Give me more punches for proof."
After a pause, Saitama added, "A super serious punch is also fine."
Hearing this, Benedict looked at Saitama with some surprise.
Wasn't a serious punch the strongest punch?
He then scanned Saitama's status panel.
Indeed, a new skill was found: "Super Serious Punch."
There was a note below it, stating it possessed the power to gravely injure a god.
This meant the power of this punch reached SS+ level.
It was likely a power developed after reaching SS rank.
Benedict then looked at Im, seeing the man's deep gaze fixed on him. He said calmly, "Then you play first."
"Everyone else, retreat," Benedict then said to Karp and the others.
Karp knew Saitama's strength was monstrous, and with Benedict present, he didn't hesitate and retreated.
Benedict also moved back a bit, leaving the space for the two of them.
Im's gaze shifted from Benedict to Saitama.
Saitama's strength, his pure power, was formidable.
Im sensed this.
However, Im did not believe Saitama possessed the power to match him.
"Are you being overly confident?" Im asked.
"Indeed, we are quite confident," Benedict replied.
"Let's fight first," Saitama said, already moving.
Saitama's punches were direct, straightforward, and powerful.
Because every punch was serious, the water screen released by Im was broken.
However, as one water screen broke, another appeared, layer upon layer, blocking almost all attacks.
But this also made Im's gaze turn more serious.
"I don't believe you can keep being a turtle hiding in its shell," Saitama said with a cold sneer, seeing this.
This time, Saitama's speed was even faster, and his attacks were fiercer.
Im was forced to retaliate, clashing with Saitama.
Saitama didn't unleash any powerful aura, yet his fists contained terrifying power with every strike.
Sengoku and Karp watched Saitama's open and grand fighting style, stunned.
Their intelligence hadn't shown Saitama fighting with such ferocity before.
He hadn't even fought like this against devils.
Thus, this was the first time.
And he was fighting more fiercely as it went on.
"Marshal, who is this person?" Sengoku asked Benedict beside him.
In Sengoku's opinion, someone this powerful, capable of rivaling Benedict, should be known to Benedict.
Because he was on the level of a super-powered individual.
Benedict looked back at Sengoku and the others and smiled, "If my guess is correct, this is the person the Five Elders have been serving."
Before, Benedict was somewhat uncertain, but now he was sure.
"What?"
"The person the Five Elders have been serving?"
"Marshal, you can't be joking."
"Who else is qualified to have the Five Elders serve them?"
"How have we never heard of this?"
Sengoku and Karp were incredibly shocked, and also filled with many questions.
Because they had been in the Marines for so many years and knew much about the World Government.
And the Five Elders were the ones who managed the Celestial Dragons.
But then again, the Five Elders were merely the external representatives of the Celestial Dragons.
For the people of certain Celestial Dragon families, their decisions even required their consent.
That aside, they had never heard of anyone else who needed the Five Elders' service.
"It's normal that you haven't heard of him."
"I can tell you this, in this world, no more than ten people know of Im's existence."
"Furthermore, Im's existence, like the Five Elders, can be traced back eight hundred years."
Upon hearing Benedict's words, everyone fell silent.
Benedict's words were too shocking.
High above.
Saitama and Im's battle had reached a higher level.
At an altitude of thousands of meters, the power emanating from their fight could still be felt as terrifying on the ground, causing impacts.
Im, fighting against Saitama who had entered a full berserk state, was also shocked.
Although he knew this bald man's strength wouldn't be simple, he hadn't expected him to be this strong.
Therefore, he was forced to use seventy percent of his strength to clash with Saitama.
At this moment, Saitama had sustained several injuries.
Swollen, dark red from bruising, slightly bent limbs, a sunken chest, and so on.
"Pah!"
Saitama spat, spitting out blood that had been held back for a long time, his expression more solemn than ever.
"Very few people can convince me wholeheartedly."
"You are the second, after the Marshal."
"This punch is worth me giving it to you."
As Saitama spoke, he had mobilized all his strength and threw a punch.
The moment Saitama attacked, Im's expression also changed.
His powerful Observation Haki allowed him to foresee the next three seconds.
Therefore, Im also attacked with great seriousness.
Activating the power of the Water-Water Fruit, he launched a black fist.
The black water, seemingly, held terrifying power.
Boom!
A powerful air current instantly erupted.
Benedict and the others could see that in an instant, fierce winds howled, and the sky was clear and cloudless for thousands of miles.
On the ground.
Buildings began to collapse continuously as they could not withstand the impact of such power.
The sea, under the immense force, was forcibly pushed aside, forming layers of turbulent waves that surged outwards.
The waves traveled further and further, and it was unknown how many islands, how many people would be displaced and die as a result.
For the common people in the first half of the Grand Line, this day was undoubtedly a day of disaster.
Benedict frowned as he looked around. At this moment, it was not something he could prevent if he wanted to.
Because such battles were unavoidable.
And they would only increase.
"There's actually someone other than Benedict who forced this bald man to go all out?"
Buggy, hiding in a corner, looked up at the sky and said in utter shock.
"You should say, that bald man is very strong, to force that person to fight seriously," Rocks said, also incredibly shocked, retorting to Buggy's words.
"Who is that person?" Buggy asked curiously.
"The most terrifying, mysterious, and strongest person among the Celestial Dragons," Rocks said in a deep voice.
"That bald man won't win against him."
"Benedict will make a move."
"Your chance has come, Buggy."