Understand

Nico had just finished subduing the warriors on her side, each of them rendered unconscious or incapacitated by her swift and calculated strikes. Her devil fruit powers had made the battle seamless, though a fine sheen of sweat glistened on her forehead. As she turned her gaze toward Imai, she found herself frozen, her breath caught in her throat.

Imai stood amidst the carnage, her twin blades dripping with blood that painted the ground in dark crimson streaks. The scattered bodies of her foes bore the marks of precision, each wound a testament to Imai's mastery of the blade. Her expression, however, was what struck Nico most: the wide, feral grin that adorned her face, a chilling reflection of a person consumed by the thrill of battle.

Nico gulped, a bead of sweat trailing down her neck. The memory surfaced unbidden—Dressrosa. She had been there as a Cipher Pol agent, a shadow in the chaos, watching from the sidelines. She had witnessed the Fifth Emperor—this same woman—slaughtering marines, carving a path through the battlefield with unrelenting ferocity, even standing toe-to-toe with admirals.

The resemblance was unmistakable. The Imai of then and the Imai of now had merged into something even more terrifying. Her movements were fluid yet merciless, her strikes precise yet devastating. This wasn't merely battle—it was a dance of death, orchestrated by someone who seemed to take delight in the terror of her enemies.

Nico's hands clenched at her sides. She felt her stomach twist as she watched a terrified warrior drop his weapon and beg for mercy, only to be silenced by Imai's blade.

The fight ended as suddenly as it had begun. Imai sheathed her bloodied swords with a fluid motion, her red eyes glinting in the aftermath.

"Twelve," she muttered, as though counting sheep. "That's all of them." She turned to Nico, her voice calm, almost conversational. "How about you? Everything taken care of on your side?"

Nico hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes, they've been… taken care of." Her voice was steady, but she avoided meeting Imai's eyes.

"Good," Imai replied, her tone light and unaffected. She gestured toward the horizon. "To Upper Yard we go, then. But first…"

A low rumble interrupted her. The ground beneath them shifted, clouds parting to reveal a massive serpent rising from the depths. The snake's scales shimmered like polished bronze under the sunlight, its eyes glowing with primal fury.

Nico stepped back instinctively, her fingers twitching toward her weapon.

Imai, however, simply smiled. She released a wave of Conqueror's Haki, the invisible force crashing against the serpent like a tidal wave. The beast hesitated, its head swaying before it slowly lowered itself in submission.

"This snake will take us past the cloud trails and onto the Upper Yard," Imai said casually as she climbed onto its head. She extended a hand toward Nico.

Reluctantly, Nico accepted, letting Imai pull her up.

"Using a god's mount as a ride," Nico muttered, shaking her head. "That's… bold."

"God?" Imai chuckled. "If it was truly divine, it wouldn't have bowed to me."

The snake began to move, gliding smoothly along the cloud trail. Nico remained quiet for a while, her thoughts swirling. She glanced at Imai, who seemed utterly at ease, her crimson eyes fixed ahead.

The silence was broken by soft laughter.

"What are you laughing at?" Nico asked, frowning.

"Your face," Imai replied with a grin. "You look like you're thinking so hard you might hurt yourself."

Nico's cheeks flushed. "Don't look at me!"

Imai's laughter grew louder, and despite herself, Nico felt a faint smile tug at her lips.

"If you have something to ask, just ask," Imai said. "I'm an open book. For the most part."

Nico hesitated, then sighed. "Back there, with the warriors… what was that?"

Imai tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"The way you fought," Nico said, her voice quieter now. "It wasn't human. It was… brutal. Merciless. You didn't even hesitate."

For a moment, Imai didn't respond. When she finally spoke, her tone was calm but edged with something deeper. "It's the first step toward becoming myself again."

"Becoming yourself?"

"Yes. For a long time, I hated who I was—the Empress of the Blade. She was a monster who used strength to crush anyone in her path, who slaughtered without remorse. I wanted to leave that behind."

"Then why—"

"Because this world doesn't allow for weakness," Imai interrupted, her voice hardening. "Strength is everything. You know that as well as I do, Nico. Look at Ohara. The World Government wiped it out because they feared what your people knew. They destroyed it because they could."

Nico flinched, the mention of her homeland cutting deep.

Imai softened her tone. "To protect what matters, you need power. Enough power that no one can ever take anything from you again."

"And once you have that power?" Nico asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I'll destroy this world and rebuild it," Imai said simply, as though discussing the weather.

Nico stared at her, stunned. "Rebuild it? With you at the center? That's insane."

"Maybe," Imai admitted with a shrug. "But when the time comes, you'll understand."

Before Nico could respond, the serpent slowed, its massive body coiling as it approached the edge of the cloud trail.

"We're here," Imai announced, leaping down. She extended a hand to Nico, who hesitated before following.

The island of clouds loomed before them, the ancient structures of Upper Yard casting long shadows.

"Let's go find Conis," Imai said, her grin returning.