"Robot, this white light can actually repair your body. Are you really alive?"
Kaito frowned, confusion clearly written across his face.
"It is fine to tell you now. After so many years, it is hard to keep everything bottled up."
Those purple lips parted slightly, carrying a strange and enchanting calm.
"Eight hundred years ago, the World Government dug me out from an unknown location. Along with me, they unearthed ancient images and written records about an android system."
"But those records were far too old. They could not understand them at all, so they forced me to translate them. Unfortunately, it seems I was incomplete back then. My mind went blank, and I could not recall anything."
"Of course, they refused to accept that answer and tried to use force. It was a pity for them. The so called elites they were so proud of were beaten to death by me with a single punch."
"As for my strength, if you convert it into the current standards, it is roughly five times that of an Admiral, with nearly endless stamina."
"Later, after realizing how strong I was, the elders of the World Government wanted to overthrow the ruling D family of that era. I did not understand the world at that time, so I simply followed along."
"You already know the rest. We succeeded. The D family fell, the World Government was established, and I was named Uranus."
"But I was never interested in ruling. What truly fascinated me was Haki based swordsmanship. Since the founding of the World Government, I have been refining it nonstop."
"It took me two hundred years to push it to its absolute limit, and then go one step further, breaking past what should have been impossible."
"After that, I demanded the World Government find me a Devil Fruit capable of curing anything. Decades later, they actually succeeded."
"That is it."
As Imu finished speaking, dazzling white light erupted from her body, brilliant like a miniature sun, illuminating the entire sea.
The sudden radiance drew the attention of everyone on the Sabaody Archipelago. Countless people looked toward the distant sky, their faces filled with disbelief.
The white light gradually condensed, and an angelic figure appeared before Kaito.
Six pristine white feathers unfolded behind Imu, drifting gently as they fell, each feather shining with breathtaking brilliance. She wore phosphor white armor, held a holy sword blazing with pale light, and carried a white shield in her other hand. A smooth white mask covered her flawless face.
Her entire body radiated multicolored light, making her look less like a ruler of the shadows and more like a divine being descended from the heavens.
Invisible ripples spread outward, and the pressure around Kaito multiplied several times over.
"An angel?"
"So beautiful…"
"The angel has descended!"
Some people in Sabaody fell to their knees, shouting in awe.
High above the sea, Imu looked down at Kaito. Her cold voice rang out clearly.
"Mythical Zoan. Seraph Fruit."
"A Seraph?" Kaito narrowed his eyes. "You really turned yourself into something inhuman."
Imu smiled faintly, the pressure in the air growing heavier. "Because I broke past the Ultimate."
"Beyond awakening?" Kaito asked calmly.
"As everyone knows, awakening is considered the peak of Devil Fruit development. Yet few ever imagined that another level exists beyond it."
"Go on."
"Perhaps it is because I have lived for so long and finally wanted someone to talk to. The truth itself is quite simple."
"Devil Fruits are called Devil Fruits for a reason. When you eat one, you gain power, but something else hides within your body."
"Before this stage, whether awakening or ordinary usage, the will inside the fruit subtly controls the user."
"The solution is simple. Follow the energy source of the fruit within your body, find it, and defeat it."
"Once you do, you become the one who controls the devil. You can even become a devil yourself."
Imu's voice trembled slightly, filled with pride. "This is my demon form."
"The increase in power is exponential. Of course, this is not my limit. That is, assuming you can defeat me in this state."
With those words, the pressure surged again, forcing the air itself to sink. Kaito felt as though he had stepped into a swamp.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
"Impressive," Kaito said as he slowly raised his hands. Activating the Seventh Gate, lightning crackled faintly around him. A lazy smile curved his lips. "I thought the Seventh Gate combined with my Devil Fruit would be enough. Seems I underestimated you."
"But that is fine. You showed me your strongest power, so I will return the favor."
The moment his words fell, Kaito's chakra erupted like a volcano. His body transformed instantly as a dark chakra cloak formed around him, marked with distinct magatama patterns.
Nine black Truth Seeking Orbs manifested behind him, floating in perfect formation.
Reaching out, Kaito grasped the void. A black scepter tore through space and appeared in his hand.
Six Paths Mode.
Feeling the overwhelming pressure surrounding him, Kaito smiled faintly. He tapped the air with his finger, and invisible ripples spread outward. Imu's oppressive aura vanished instantly, restoring the surroundings to calm.
Purple eyes lifted, locking onto the blazing angel in the distance.
"This is my final strength."
"What an astonishing presence," Imu replied. "I am becoming more interested in you."
Holy light surged. In an instant, Imu appeared before Kaito like a white flash.
The holy sword descended, space itself trembling as terrifying ripples spread outward.
With a thought, the Truth Seeking Orbs moved on their own, forming a solid black wall in front of Kaito.
A sharp screech echoed as metal met annihilation. White light flashed, and the black wall split apart.
Kaito's expression changed slightly. Another Truth Seeking Orb burst forward, colliding directly with the holy sword.
Boom.
The explosion was deafening, spreading across thousands of meters. On Sabaody, people turned pale as blood spilled from their mouths. Some collapsed unconscious on the spot.
High in the sky, visible shockwaves rolled outward like tidal waves, smashing through air and sea alike. Even an Admiral level fighter would be torn apart by such force.
Below, the ocean erupted. Waves over a hundred meters tall rose violently, swallowing nearby islands as if the world itself were being torn apart.
After a long while, the chaos finally subsided.
Kaito stared at the holy sword locked against his Truth Seeking Orb, genuine surprise in his eyes.
The Truth Seeking Orbs possessed the power to erase entire forests instantly. Anyone without Six Paths power would be erased upon contact.
Yet Imu's holy sword had withstood it.
At this point, this was no longer a simple battle between two individuals. It was a collision between the laws of two different worlds.
Before the aftershocks faded, Kaito waved his hand. Two Truth Seeking Orbs transformed into black meteors and shot toward Imu.
Behind him, the remaining five orbs spun rapidly. Black light condensed, and two new orbs formed instantly, restoring their number.
"Light Shield."
Imu shouted calmly, raising her shield.
The white shield expanded rapidly, growing to the size of a massive gate and completely enveloping her. Multicolored light rippled across its surface as destructive energy surged outward.
The shield held firm, resisting the annihilating power of the two incoming Truth Seeking Orbs head on.