Not far out at sea, a pirate ship hovered silently, its crew frozen in place like statues, watching the distant battle unfold.
"This… is this still human power?" Buggy the Clown screamed in horror, his voice cracking.
"That kind of sword pressure…" Mr. 3 said pale-faced, his legs trembling. "Even Hawkeye doesn't have something like this."
"T-that one!" Alvida suddenly shouted. "One of them looks exactly like the new government's marshal. Kaito! No, it really is Kaito!"
"And that woman!" Buggy yelled, panic spreading across his face. "How can she fight Kaito like this? Who is she? And isn't Kaito supposed to be in the New World? How is he in the Grand Line!"
Mr. 3 followed the direction of the clashing lights in the sky, his expression changing drastically as realization dawned on him. "Captain… they're fighting all the way from over there."
"There?" Buggy followed his finger, his pupils shrinking violently as cold sweat poured down his face.
That direction… was Marine Headquarters.
Could it be that Kaito was attacking Marineford? And that woman… was she the World Government's ultimate trump card?
Buggy's hair stood on end as he screamed at the top of his lungs. "Leave! Turn around now! Back to the Four Seas! Back to East Blue, now!"
High above, Kaito and Imu paid no attention to such insignificant figures. Buggy and his crew did not even register in their awareness.
Sabaody Archipelago.
Shakky's Bar.
Rayleigh took a slow sip of the wine Shakky had poured for him, his expression filled with emotion. "I never imagined Kaito would reach this level. At this rate, the next step is obvious, Marineford, and the fall of the World Government."
Shakky smiled faintly, exhaling smoke. "Even Dragon is on his side now. The World Government must be in complete panic. This was never in their calculations."
Suddenly, Rayleigh's expression turned grave.
He stood up sharply and looked toward the sky.
In the next instant, he vanished.
"What a terrifying presence…" Shakky muttered under her breath. "Who on earth is fighting?"
Her figure faded as well.
High above Sabaody.
Kaito hovered in the sky, a thunder sword clenched in his hand. Dark lightning coiled around him like living serpents, twisting space itself, making him look like a thunder god descending upon the world.
Opposite him, white flames rose around Imu, pure and sacred, as if capable of erasing all impurity. She looked like a fallen angel wrapped in divine fire.
They stared at one another.
Both were covered in wounds.
Kaito frowned slightly. Chakra surged through his body, and the injuries across his skin healed at a speed visible to the naked eye. In moments, he was restored completely.
White light bloomed around Imu as well, purifying everything it touched. The blue blood staining her body vanished, her wounds closing just as quickly.
"I'm curious," Kaito said lightly, lightning crackling around him. "Are you really Uranus?"
"Uranus?" Imu scoffed. "That's nothing more than a flattering title given to me by fools. As for who I truly am, you'll learn after you defeat me."
The next instant, her white flame sword swung again.
Sword energy crisscrossed the sky, transforming into countless white beasts that roared as they charged toward Kaito from all directions.
"All beasts unleashed at once."
"Enough of these tricks," Kaito sneered. "They won't stop me."
He swung his thunder sword.
Dark lightning erupted outward like a storm of arrows, colliding head-on with the charging sword beasts.
Boom!
The explosion shook the heavens, like a volcano crashing into the earth. The sea below churned violently, massive waves surging upward.
The sky rippled with destructive shockwaves, tearing apart clouds and air alike, leaving behind nothing but an endless blue void.
The aftermath swept across thousands of miles, erasing everything in its path.
Within the storm, Kaito's clothes snapped violently, his hair dancing wildly. He and Imu stood facing each other, a man and a woman like fallen gods, cold eyes filled with killing intent.
Whoosh!
At that moment, a figure rushed into the sky.
Rayleigh stared at the two figures and the overwhelming pressure surrounding them, his face filled with shock. "Kaito… why is he here? Did he really attack Marineford today?"
Everything clicked instantly.
That woman… she had to be the World Government's ultimate weapon.
"Damn it," Rayleigh cursed. "What are these two lunatics fighting here for? Do they want to bury all of Sabaody with them?"
"Rayleigh, what's wrong?" Shakky appeared beside him, concern clear on her face.
"Run," Rayleigh said urgently, grabbing her hand. "If we stay any longer, Sabaody will be reduced to ashes by the aftermath alone."
Without bothering to hide himself, Rayleigh used his aerial movement technique and vanished with Shakky in an instant.
"Is that all?" Kaito said calmly, shaking his head. "If this is the extent of your power, you disappoint me. It's time to end this farce."
The thunder sword in his hand flared with blinding brilliance.
With a single step, space warped.
Kaito appeared directly in front of Imu.
The thunder blade slashed down, lightning tearing space apart. The immense pressure shattered Imu's mask, revealing a face capable of toppling nations.
"It's useless," Imu said coldly, raising her sword to block. "We are evenly matched. Everything you do is meaningless. Besides…"
Her disdain was unmistakable.
Hum!
As the storm raged, Kaito stared at her exposed face and chuckled softly. "Such a beautiful face. What a pity. You were careless. Did you really think this was my limit?"
"What?" Imu's eyes widened slightly.
In the next instant, she understood.
Cracks spread rapidly across her white flame sword. Thunder roared violently as the blade shattered completely, exploding into white light.
Slash!
A sharp arc of thunder tore through the sky and struck Imu directly.
Blue blood scattered through the air as her body was sent crashing downward like a fallen deity.
"It's over," Kaito said indifferently, watching her fall. "Uranus, that's all you have."
Yet the smile on his face vanished almost immediately.
"Of course… it wouldn't end that easily."
Below, Imu's falling body suddenly halted in midair. In the next instant, she shot back upward at terrifying speed, stopping right in front of Kaito.
Her skin was pale as jade, blue blood still dripping. Beneath the torn flesh, metallic structures were clearly visible.
"This is…" Kaito's eyes narrowed. "A humanoid weapon? Are you a machine?"
"I didn't expect you to damage my body," Imu replied, ignoring the question.
She continued coldly, "Your lightning is powerful. Against an ordinary person, that strike would have been fatal. Unfortunately for you, my body is completely nonconductive."
"In other words," she said calmly, white holy light flooding her form as her injuries regenerated rapidly, "your lightning is useless against me."