"That annoying old man, doing whatever he wants," Imai muttered under her breath as she made her way toward the Thousand Sunny.
Before she got too close, the sounds of gunfire and the panicked screams of navy soldiers reached her ears.
"There's another pirate! Capture her!" one of the soldiers shouted, pointing his blade in her direction. "Go!"
With the call, two soldiers charged at her while a third raised his gun, ready to fire.
Imai sighed, her expression hardening. "How annoying. Die, you weaklings."
In an instant, she disappeared from their sight. The soldiers froze, their eyes darting around in confusion.
"Where did she go?"
"She was just here, wasn't she?"
"She's—AGH!"
One soldier's scream pierced the air, drawing the others' horrified gazes. His body was cleaved in half, the gruesome sight rooting them in place. Before they could flee, their vision turned black as Imai's blade ended them swiftly.
"Even in the afterlife, may you never think you can defeat me," she said coldly, sheathing her blade.
The Thousand Sunny came into view, and Imai spotted Nico Robin waving at her from the rear deck.
"Quick!" Robin called out. "We're about to leave."
"Don't rush me," Imai mumbled before leaping aboard from a considerable distance.
Robin raised an eyebrow. "Impressive. Not many can jump that far."
"With Haki, almost anything is possible," Imai replied, brushing past her.
"Spread the sails, and let's go!" Luffy shouted gleefully. "Hahaha!"
With that, the Sunny submerged beneath the sea, its protective bubble shimmering around them.
Robin gestured for Imai to follow. "Come. Let's meet the others—they're eager to see you."
Imai smirked slightly. "Eager, huh? I doubt they'd be so welcoming if they truly knew who I was—a so-called Fifth Yonko with a bounty of 2.4 billion berries."
Robin chuckled. "Oh, they know."
"Of course they—wait, what?"
"Oi, Nico! Is that her?" Nami called from below, squinting upward.
Robin nodded.
Imai followed Robin to the main deck, her gaze sweeping across the Straw Hat crew. Luffy greeted her with his trademark grin, while Franky gave a thumbs-up. Brook and Sanji gawked in awe, and Chopper hid behind Nami with Usopp. Zoro stood still, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade, his expression unreadable.
"Yahoo! We've got a new crewmate! And a strong one at that!" Luffy cheered, spinning in place.
"Oi, Luffy! It's not that simple!" Nami scolded. "This girl could kill us all in an instant!"
"I agree," Zoro said, his tone calm but firm. His sharp gaze fixed on Imai. "I don't trust her."
Imai met each crewmate's eyes, her own expression unreadable. "I don't expect you to trust me. I was sent here by Rayleigh to chaperone you."
"Chaperone us?!" Nami exclaimed. "We're not kids!"
"Now, now," Robin interjected, her tone soothing, "let's not let hostility get in the way. We have other priorities to focus on."
"You heard her. Navigate the ship, and don't get lost," Imai said as she walked off, descending the stairs.
Despite their wariness, the crew turned their attention back to navigating the ship. Nami opened Rayleigh's notes and gave a quick explanation of how the coating worked.
"In short, the quality of the bubble is the same as the ones at Sabaody," Robin summarized.
Luffy peered over the railing, his eyes sparkling. "With my Gatling, I could catch a whole batch of fish!"
"Let's have a contest to see who catches more," Zoro added with a smirk.
BAM!
Both were on the ground moments later, courtesy of Nami's fists. "Idiots! Did you not hear what I just said?!"
Imai sighed, shaking her head as she leaped onto the roof of one of the small buildings on the ship. From there, she sat quietly, gazing out at the underwater world. The view was mesmerizing, a blend of beauty and eerie tranquility.
After a while, a voice broke the silence. "Are you not worried?"
Imai turned her head to see Nico Robin sitting beside her, her expression calm and curious.
"No," Imai replied simply. "If something happens, I can always swim back up."
Robin tilted her head. "Swim back up? The pressure here wouldn't allow it."
"Don't underestimate me, Nico."
Robin chuckled softly. "True. You were once called the Fifth Yonko. I suppose your abilities are beyond my imagination."
Imai grimaced. "That name again…" She paused, her gaze returning to the sea. "If anything, the government likely knows I've resurfaced."
Robin leaned back slightly. "Three years ago… I remember reading about you in the news."
Imai turned to her, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? I forgot. You've been around longer than I have."
Robin's lips quirked. "Are you calling me old?"
Imai smirked. "I wouldn't mind someone older than me."
Robin's expression faltered for a moment before she composed herself. "What was that?"
"Nothing," Imai said quickly, clearing her throat. "What did the article say?"
Robin's unreadable smile returned, but before she could answer, Usopp's panicked voice rang out.
"Alert! There's a ship heading toward us!"
Imai stood, her hand already resting on her blade. "Finally, some fun."