Blood gushed from the gaping wound in Enel's chest where Imai had torn out his heart. His lifeless body lay sprawled on the ground, the same shocked expression frozen on his face. His arrogance, once unshakable, had crumbled in the face of overwhelming power.
The stillness that followed was eerie, punctuated only by the soft crackle of residual electricity in the air. Somewhere in the distance, the brainwashed citizens of Skypiea stirred, the weight of Enel's control lifting from their minds.
Footsteps approached from behind. Nico and Conis joined Imai, their gazes fixed on the pulsating blue fruit in her hand.
"Is that it?" Conis asked, her voice a mix of awe and apprehension.
"Yes," Nico confirmed, her tone steady. "This is Enel's Devil Fruit—the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. The source of his reign of terror over Skypiea."
Conis turned to Imai, hesitation evident in her expression. "Are you really going to eat it?"
Imai nodded without hesitation. "That was the whole point of coming here. We've achieved two things: ending Enel's tyranny and freeing this country from his grip. Now, I'll ensure his power doesn't fall into the wrong hands again."
Conis bowed deeply, her voice trembling with gratitude. "Thank you. Thank you so much! Finally, Skypiea can be at peace."
Imai waved dismissively. "Don't mention it. We just did what needed to be done."
Without further ado, Imai brought the Devil Fruit to her mouth. She bit into it, grimacing as the bitter, acrid taste spread across her tongue. Despite its unappetizing flavor, she devoured it quickly, eager to unlock its potential.
The transformation was immediate.
Raising her hand skyward, she focused, willing lightning to strike.
RUMBLE!
A bolt of lightning tore through the sky, but instead of the bright blue streaks Enel had wielded, it was a deep, vivid purple. The strike hit Enel's corpse, reducing it to a charred, blackened husk.
Nico narrowed her eyes, intrigued. "Purple lightning?"
"It's probably because of my Conqueror's Haki," Imai theorized. "The color of my willpower is purple, so it must have merged with the lightning when I commanded it. This is my power now."
To test further, she extended her arm and concentrated. The limb dissolved into streaks of purple lightning, crackling and writhing in the air.
"Amazing…" Conis whispered, her eyes wide with awe.
While Conis marveled, Nico observed silently, her emotions conflicted. She was glad Imai had achieved her goal, but the immense power she now wielded was frightening. Before, Imai was already an unstoppable force, but now? She was something else entirely—something dangerous.
Nico's thoughts turned dark. If Imai ever decided to turn her strength against the world, who could possibly stand in her way?
"Nico!" Imai's voice snapped her back to reality.
"Hm?" Nico blinked.
"What are you thinking about?" Imai asked with a grin. "We got what we came for, didn't we?"
"Sorry, I just zoned out," Nico replied, forcing a small smile.
Conis's gaze dropped to the fruit's absence and back to Imai. A question bubbled to the surface, her face growing pale. "Wait… If you pulled that fruit from Enel's chest… doesn't that mean you ate his heart?"
Imai tilted her head, unfazed. "Yes. So?"
Conis took a step back, horrified. "You ate his heart?"
Nico chuckled, her voice carrying a macabre humor. "Now that you mention it, I guess I've done the same before. It's not so bad once you get used to it."
Conis looked between them, her expression a mix of disbelief and revulsion.
"Am I the only normal one here?" she thought, feeling like an outsider in the presence of these two enigmas.
"Don't overthink it," Imai said, dismissing the concern with a wave of her hand. She grabbed Nico and Conis by the arms, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Now, let's test this baby out. Hold on tight!"
"What?!" Conis yelped.
Before either woman could protest, Imai transformed her legs into lightning and launched them into the sky at blinding speed. The world blurred around them as they streaked through the heavens.
"LET ME DOWN! I DON'T WANNA DIE!" Conis screamed, clutching onto Imai for dear life.
Imai laughed, her exhilaration evident. "Come on, Conis! You've flown before, haven't you? This is just a little faster!"
"This isn't flying! This is insanity!"
"Hmm, insanity sounds fun," Imai said, her tone teasing. "Maybe we'll aim for the future or the past next time!"
Conis's cries of protest only made Imai laugh harder, while Nico remained calm, accustomed to her companion's antics.
After a few minutes, Imai slowed down and landed gracefully at the Pumpkin Café, setting Nico and Conis down gently. Conis wobbled, clinging to Nico for support, her face pale and trembling.
"Imai…" Conis said between labored breaths. "Never come back here again. And I mean that."
Still grinning, Imai shrugged. "Oh, don't be like that. You'll only make me want to visit more often."
"You…"
"Enough," Nico interjected, guiding Conis to a chair. "Let's not fight. Conis, take a moment to calm down."
"I'm heading out to test more abilities," Imai said, waving goodbye. "Don't wait up."
Once she was far enough away, Imai raised her hand again, summoning multiple lightning strikes in rapid succession. The purple bolts hammered the ground, growing stronger with each impact. Wind howled as the atmosphere churned around her.
"Enough of that," Imai muttered. "Time for something more interesting."
She threw her katana into the air and watched it descend. The blade sliced through her arm, severing it cleanly. Instead of blood or bone, streaks of lightning crackled where her limb had been. Within moments, her arm regenerated, as good as new.
Imai smirked. "Looks like I'm untouchable unless they've got Haki or a Devil Fruit ability. Perfect."
Finally, she willed her entire body to transform into lightning.
ZZZAP!
Her form shot across the sky as a streak of purple energy before reforming in her original spot. She clenched her fists, feeling the raw power coursing through her.
"With this ability…" she murmured, a dark smile creeping across her face. "The balance of power will shift. No one can stop me now."
Her crimson eyes gleamed, swirling with a menacing intent.
"Who will dare to stand in my way?"