Slicing Skies

We had lowered our guards. Perhaps after years of sparring against my son and facing defeat five years ago, I had mistakenly believed that there was nobody in this world that could face Veyron. It even thrilled me to think such a person could exist to challenge him.

But not like this, not while he is weakened with his guard low and extremely tired, not like this!

I never thought this person... no, this woman of all people would make a move personally. The one that sits on the empty throne, tasked to be protected by the very same knights who witnessed her sit on the throne. Back then during the void century, everything was lost and history itself was cleansed... her appearance included. Aside from a selected few, nobody was allowed to regard her appearance perhaps even Veyron didn't know who this person was while he was facing her.

But I know.

Her wicked red eyes regarded me the moment I appeared. I may not have seen her sky-blue hair and appearance but I had seen those eyes.

Lord Imu... no, now I know... it is not actually 'lord,' it is 'lady' Imu. An ancient being hailing from the world century with strength that not even Veyron could face. Back at Fishman Island, I was unable to sense anything... it had all been thanks to Robin.

Her power is that of darkness and during our journey, she told me she sensed a premonition, one in which Veyron was being engulfed in endless darkness. Her power allows her to connect two spots of darkness within the same timeline and move anything between those two spots so long as she doesn't release them.

She called it 'Dark Torrent.'

During our assault on Onigashima, she 'marked' a certain dark spot in the destroyer before flying down towards the island to rescue the girls... she took them through this torrent and back to the safety of the ship... this power is very useful but it has limitations.

She can only have two marks... a source and a destination, if either of them is overwritten, they're forever lost as the only way for her to create the mark is to be able to 'see' the spot. During the raid, she lost the mark of Onigashima and thus she'd have to fly.

I remember I had my doubts about the whole thing and told her that she shouldn't worry, but she insisted and set off towards Onigashima on her own yesterday, I also called Veyron and everything was okay... he told me he had just left Dressrosa with Yamato.

I had nothing to worry about and then... this happened with a suddenness that vastly outstripped even Veyron's thought process.

This highly ancient being is now saying with the audacity that characterizes celestial dragons, that she wants a son... and that MY son... is the perfect candidate? that she's going to take him away from me because of that?

"YOU MUST BE HAVING A LAUGH!".

RUMBLE!!!

BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!

I gripped Yoru with so much wrath, an overwhelming green aura shot to the skies splitting the night in two.

WHOOOOSHHH!!!

"Those hands of yours stained with the blood of millions, how dare you touch him with them?!"

I struck forth towards her with the intention to kill, I wanted nothing more than to slice her in two. Feeling my aura, the mocking aura she previously had was swiftly removed my strike carefully evaded Veyron and flashed towards her arms, creating a green hazy light in the skies and stopping the world itself.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!!!

"Ugh!".

She used her darkness to try and defend herself, but it was useless... my sword sliced the skies, the darkness, her arms... and her confidence.

"Damn you..."

Like it was nothing a new set of arms manifested and struck towards me, shocking me... I used Haki just now, even if she was a logia, her arms shouldn't have regenerated, let alone this quickly!

The demonic Robin took that change to take Veyron away from her grasp and into hers.

"Robin! LEAVE NOW!" I yelled. This is not an opponent Robin can help me with; in fact... I don't even know if I can win. My only priority right now is that Veyron is safe.

CLAAAANGGG!!!

Imu's arm was engulfed in darkness until I saw what looked like a draconian arm crashing against my sword, perhaps in this world no one else would dare to take on Yoru with their arms, not even Kaido.

"Mu shall take that boy!"

RUMBLE!!!!

Even with the night split into two, it was still her playground, akin to a black river within her control, I can see that this night is artificial as the subtle light of the day is coming through, it must be one of her powers... even if I wanted to slice through, it wouldn't be good for us, Robin too is benefiting from this night.

Imu waved her arm and the gust of darkness in the night rushed towards Robin, trapping her in place.

CLAAANGGG!!!!

I tried to get back her attention but Imu was dead set on getting Veyron even to the point of creating massive tentacles that entangled around Robin's gigantic demonic form. This woman is just too damn strong!

"GET ME UP THERE! I CAN HELP!".

We both saw in the distance, right beneath us, Yamato in what looked like a mythical zoan transformation, was swiftly falling to the ground. She didn't have the means to stay afloat like me with Rokushiki or Robin with her darkness... I don't know what she can do, but right now every hand we can get is profitable.

Robin knew this too; she groaned within Imu's devilish grasp but managed to pull out the darkness to take Yamato into the skies and to the battlefield.

RUMBLE!!!!

I felt Yamato's Conqueror Haki crash forth; it seems the girl is not helpless after all!

<Raimei Hakke!>

It was one of Kaido's techniques with the kanabo, worthy of his daughter. While defending against my Sword Intent, an annoyed Imu used her other dark draconic arm to protect against Yamato's incoming onslaught.

"ORAAAAAAA!!!"

BAAANGG!!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!

"Annoying peasants!".

CHAA!!!

The brutal clash created a rain of lightning as two wills of Conquerors crashed with Yamato giving it her all, we didn't need to defeat her, we only needed to give Robin a breath to flee.

Sadly this wasn't the end of Imu's offensive.

The attack sent Yamato high into the skies. The silhouette of the evil queen bulked up and transformed into a humanoid dark dragoness with two flapping wings, her focus was set on Robin who found herself unable to go into the darkness and flee, hence she opted for just flying away with Veyron in her grasp.

WHOOOOSHH!!

Imu tried to make a move again but a wave of my sword intent sliced everything she could ever try, once again slicing the night and letting in rays of light. With my second strike, I intended to just obliterate this dark domain as Imu is benefiting from it way more than Robin, but knowing my intentions, she stopped me.

CLAANGG!!

"Mu finds your insistence rather unpleasant, Mihawk! MU CAN GIVE VEYRON SOMETHING YOU NEVER COULD!".

"Shut up! What could you-".

"Mu can give him immortality~".

!!!

Even if for the briefest of seconds, I was forced to stop. It was a chance she was going to profit, but before she could, Yamato's kanabo crashed against her claw.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!

The impact sent Imu hurling back but Yamato also impacted against me, making some distance between us.

"You can't get distracted now!".

"..."

I shook my head several times and looked behind me where Robin was still fleeing the scene. Unlike before, Imu now looked exhausted and unwilling to pursue. I grasped Yamato to stop her from falling and continued to kick in the air.

"It seems Mu's proposal has left you thinking. You may not be aware because the knowledge of the Haki of the Dreamers is scarce, almost null".

"What are you trying to say?!".

"Why do you think the Pirate King died, what do you think was his disease?".

"..."

Why mention Gol D. Roger during this hurdle? I don't understand what she means and what she's trying to get to.

"Muhaha, His disease was the 4th Haki of Dreamers!".

!!!

"Or better said, his disease was his short lifespan... his mortal body was unable to keep up with that power that belongs to the Gods. That disease doesn't affect you or Mu for obvious reasons, but what about Veyron?".

"V-Veyron is a Lunarian, he-" I faltered, I'm just spitting nonsense, I don't even know if Veyron is a Lunarian or not, he always refused to be studied by Vegapunk.

"He's just half-Lunarian and doesn't even have the prologue lifespan that comes along as a trait of that accursed race. Moreover, the way we see it... he has been confidently overusing his powers recklessly... we wonder how much he has left?~".

After uttering those words and throwing my heart into disarray, she began scattering like the night leaving upon the dawn.

"... I can find a way, even if I have to steal the Ope Ope no Mi! WE DON'T NEED YOU!".

My voice sounded confident, but my heart wasn't... was that even a reliable method? for all I knew it was just a rumour. She just confirmed to me what I have been fearing the most. Veyron's power does come with a price to pay.

"We shall see... until then, enjoy his company, Mihawk... while it lasts".

Her eyes closed and the night began scattering turning back into the broad daylight of the day leaving Yamato confused.

"What was she talking about? Who was she even?!".

"..."

I had no words to utter, all I had was a complex heart and endless thoughts.