There she stood, her blade in hand, lightning crackling around her like an ethereal storm. Her figure sparkled in the charged air, a contrast to the lifeless body of Gild Tesoro lying on the concrete below. Her eyes held nothing but indifference—cold and detached.
The battle was over.
To the onlookers, Imai was a god among mortals. With a mere gesture, she could summon lightning to smite her foes, unstoppable and absolute. Those who dared to stand against her would inevitably share Gild's fate.
She let her gaze fall to Gild's corpse, recalling his final moments. His eyes had been a tumultuous slideshow of emotions—desperation, regret, and anger, all culminating in his last, venomous words:
"These damned Celestial Dragons."
The name lingered in Imai's mind like a bitter taste. She knew the Celestial Dragons all too well. Self-proclaimed gods of the world, they ruled from their gilded thrones with unchecked power, hiding behind the World Government and the Five Elders. They were untouchable, unchallenged, and unworthy.
To Imai, they were her natural enemies.
The Celestial Dragons punished defiance with swift, public executions, their arrogance cloaked in laws they themselves had twisted. They were weaklings wielding power they didn't earn, and it enraged her to no end.
"Imai!"
"Captain!"
She turned, her brooding interrupted by the familiar voices of Uta and Rei. The two rushed toward her, their faces painted with urgency.
"I'm here. What's going on?" Imai asked, her tone calm yet commanding.
"It's the Navy," Uta reported. "They're mobilizing. A massive force is heading here, and it looks like they're planning to destroy the entire island—us included."
"Cannons and bombs," Rei added, shaking her head. "They don't care about the civilians here. They're abandoning them to wipe us out."
Imai sighed, glancing around at the aftermath of the battle. The pirates and Gild's lackeys had stopped fighting, the futility of their struggles dawning on them. If captured, they would be handed over to the Celestial Dragons—a death sentence in all but name.
She stepped forward, her presence radiating authority. "If the Navy's coming, why not give them a surprise? Let's make this interesting."
Uta frowned. "What are you planning, Imai?"
"Captain, I've got a bad feeling about this," Rei muttered.
Imai chuckled softly, leaping onto the roof of a wrecked car. With a crack of thunder, she summoned a lightning strike that illuminated the area, silencing the murmurs of the crowd.
"Listen up!" she bellowed, her voice carrying over the battlefield. "In less than five minutes, the Navy will be here. They're coming to drag you to prison or execute you on the spot."
Her words hung in the air, heavy with finality.
"But there's another option," she continued, her grin widening. "You can fight. Fight for your freedom. Fight for your lives. These so-called gods, these frauds who abuse their power—they don't deserve your fear. So, what's it going to be? Will you take the gamble or give up and die as cowards?"
The crowd erupted in murmurs, uncertainty rippling through them like a wave. Finally, someone shouted, "Why should we follow you?"
"Yeah! What makes you any different?" another demanded.
"They're after you, not us!" a third chimed in.
Imai threw her head back and laughed, her voice echoing like thunder. "You think you have a choice? Go ahead. Try to run. I dare you."
Lightning surged around her arm, illuminating her expression—calm yet terrifying. "If you run, I'll kill you myself. You'll die before the real battle even begins."
A lackey stepped forward, trembling with defiance. "How does that make you any better than the Celestial Dragons?"
Imai's eyes locked onto him, her gaze sharp as a blade. "Did I say I was better? I'm not a saint. I'm a pirate, a killer, an emperor. I don't follow the laws of this world. But here's the difference: I'll give you a fighting chance. If you stand and fight, maybe—just maybe—I'll guarantee your survival."
"Maybe?" another voice echoed skeptically. "That's all you're offering?"
Imai smiled, a chilling curve that didn't reach her eyes. "Life is a gift, but in this world, it's a privilege. The strong survive, and the weak perish. So, tell me—will you throw away your life, or will you fight like warriors and earn your freedom?"
BOOM.
The first shell struck nearby, shaking the ground beneath their feet. The Navy had arrived, their numbers pouring onto the island like a flood.
"This is your chance," Imai said, her voice calm amidst the chaos. "What will you do?"
For a moment, silence reigned. Then a single voice broke through:
"SCREW IT!" a lackey yelled. "If I'm going down, I'm going down fighting!" He charged toward the approaching marines with a roar.
"Follow him!" another shouted. "Today, we fight for our freedom!"
The crowd erupted into battle cries, surging forward to meet the enemy.
Uta crossed her arms, glancing at Imai. "I have to admit, I'm impressed. You moved them more than I thought possible."
Rei grinned, unsheathing her blade. "Captain, your speech fired me up too. Let's do this!"
"Then go," Imai said. "Give it everything you've got."
Rei sprinted into the fray, her laughter carrying over the clash of steel. Uta hesitated, placing a hand on Imai's shoulder.
"Did you mean it?" Uta asked quietly. "Guaranteeing their survival... guaranteeing their freedom?"
Imai turned her gaze toward the chaos below. "Maybe I did. Maybe I didn't. It depends. I could lead them to their deaths—or to the greatest moment of their lives."
Uta frowned. "You should value their lives more. People aren't just tools for you to use."
Imai chuckled softly. "I've never seen humans as tools. In fact, they're the greatest beings on this earth. But the strong rule, Uta. That's the world we live in."
As Uta unsheathed her blade and ran to join the fight, Imai stood tall, lightning swirling around her.
"Let's see who survives," she whispered to herself.