"As you said, the only standard in this world is strength. Then the ownership of this throne should also be decided by strength," Ortoren said softly.
As he spoke, one hand rested on the armrest of the throne.
"Strength… very well." Imu nodded.
After a brief pause, he added, "I originally intended to give this throne to you. But after meeting you, I felt that doing so would be too arrogant, too disrespectful toward you."
For someone who had ruled the world for more than eight hundred years to even consider Ortoren's dignity spoke volumes. Imu truly regarded him as an equal.
"Hahahaha, the way you put it," Ortoren laughed loudly. "If you were really willing to give it to me, I'd gladly take it."
That was nothing more than a joke. Ortoren hadn't come this far to accept charity.
The throne he wanted was one he would seize with his own strength, not one handed to him by Imu.
Imu didn't take the remark seriously either. Smiling, he said, "Then there are two paths before us now. It's time to choose."
"What two paths?" Ortoren asked.
"The first," Imu said calmly, "is a fight to the death. You and I battle until one of us dies. Only then does it end. As for what comes after, there's no need to say it. The winner takes everything and redefines the world."
He paused, then continued with a hint of weariness, "But for me, even then, nothing would really change. If I win, I'll keep sitting on this throne, waiting for the next person like you to appear. Or, if I grow impatient, I'll destroy this world with my own hands and bury it along with myself."
It was clear that Imu no longer cherished this world, nor did he truly care about the throne. He was tired of it all, to the point that a trace of self-destruction had crept into his thoughts.
Perhaps it was the endless loneliness brought on by immeasurable time. As a king, as the strongest, he refused to lower himself to stand among the flock.
At most, he would hide away in some corner of the world, passing the time with things he found amusing. But even those would quickly lose their appeal. Once he completely lost his attachment to this world, he might truly choose to destroy it and turn it into his grave.
Before Ortoren could speak, Imu laughed and said, "But between the two of us, is there really any hatred that can't be resolved? Any reason we must fight to the death?"
Ortoren was momentarily taken aback.
Taking Imu's throne should have been reason enough for an irreconcilable conflict. Yet Imu himself didn't seem to care. As for any other grudges… Ortoren honestly couldn't think of any.
This was the first time he had ever met Imu. Where would such hatred even come from?
If anything, he could say their time together had been rather pleasant.
Both of them had shown respect to the other, and respecting one's opponent was, in the end, respecting oneself.
"Seems like there isn't," Ortoren said after thinking it over for a moment.
Once the struggle over the throne was set aside, he really couldn't find any reason that absolutely required him to kill Imu.
"Ah, right. There is one thing I absolutely won't give up," Imu said, as if suddenly remembering something. "That may well become the deciding factor that forces us into a fight to the death. If you're willing to let it go, then we won't have to choose that first path."
"What is it?" Ortoren asked, a little surprised.
Even the throne of the world itself could be cast aside so casually, yet there was still something Imu clung to even more stubbornly?
"Uranus," Imu said seriously, stroking his chin. "This is the one thing I cannot give you. So if you insist on obtaining Uranus, then we can only settle things by fighting until one of us dies."
"Huh? Why?" Ortoren asked.
"Because Uranus comes from beyond this world," Imu explained. "It's also the only key capable of leaving this world. This place has already lost all meaning for me. So if everything goes smoothly, before I truly choose self-destruction, and if I can get Uranus running again, I plan to ride it and leave this world, to see what lies beyond… Perhaps that will bring enough novelty to cleanse this decaying soul of mine. Don't you think that sounds interesting?"
"Leaving this world…" Ortoren murmured thoughtfully, then asked, "Doesn't that thing have blueprints or something? Can't you just build another one?"
"In theory, yes," Imu replied. "Back then, it was precisely because we stole some of Uranus's technology that we were able to create Pluton. But until now, no one was worthy of me sharing Uranus's secrets. However, if it's you… If you can defeat me, I'll naturally give you a copy of Uranus's blueprints. Whether you can actually build it after that will depend entirely on your own ability."
After a brief pause, Imu added with a sigh, "I heard from that kid Saturn that at most another ten years or so will be enough to reproduce Uranus's energy technology. That technology is very likely to be replicated by a scientist named Vegapunk. These days, they call it the Mother Flame."
"That's true," Ortoren nodded.
As for Imu calling Saint Saturn, one of the Five Elders, "that kid," considering Imu's age, Ortoren found nothing strange about it.
"So if you'd come another ten years later," Imu laughed, "by the time you reached Mary Geoise and stood before this throne, you probably wouldn't have seen me at all."
From the sound of it, once Uranus was fully restored, Imu might simply pat himself off and head off to conquer the stars.
Yet in the original course of events, Imu hadn't done that. Instead, he had tried to wipe out the Straw Hat Pirates, the ones who might threaten his throne, extinguishing that light.
At first glance, it seemed contradictory. But then Ortoren remembered what Imu had just said: he hated pirates above all else. That alone could explain why he wanted the Straw Hat Pirates destroyed.
Perhaps, in Imu's eyes, they weren't the ones he had been waiting for, but rather the future foretold by that detestable Joy Boy. Maybe he would rather destroy the world than let Joy Boy's vision come true.
And perhaps, after dealing with that foretold future, he really would leave in the end.
Ortoren didn't dwell on it. After thinking for a moment, he said, "As for Uranus, leave me the blueprints. If I feel like it later, I'll build a new one. You can keep the original. As for the energy issue, once we settle things between us, we can cooperate. When that so-called Mother Flame is completed, I'll personally send you out of this world."
"Very well," Imu said with a satisfied nod. "That way, when you eventually grow tired of all this, you can come look for me among the stars. Who knows, maybe by then we'll even become like-minded companions. Hahahaha."
Then Imu continued, "But all of this assumes that you win. So if I win instead…"
"What do you want?" Ortoren asked, raising an eyebrow.
"If I win, you'll stay here in Mary Geoise and quietly keep me company as a way to pass the time," Imu said after thinking it over. "Whatever you want, I can give it to you. There's only one condition: once I've resolved the issue with Uranus, you must leave this world with me. That way, I won't be lonely on the journey."
"Well damn," Ortoren rolled his eyes and joked. "If I win, you pat yourself off and leave. If you win, you pat me off and leave, huh?"
Imu chuckled and nodded. "Exactly."
"Then I'll be bringing a lot of people with me," Ortoren said after a moment's thought. "I'm not like you. All your ties are long gone. I still have plenty of people I can't abandon."
"Uranus is huge," Imu replied with a smile.
"In that case, I accept your condition," Ortoren said confidently, nodding. "But I won't lose."
"Then let's go," Imu said as he turned toward the exit of the hall. "Those pointless, tedious battles outside can end. I've already prepared our battlefield. Follow me."
Ortoren didn't hesitate and stepped forward to follow him.