Uta

"Don't try to break out of it, this is my world. You kneel before my throne created by the sadness and guilt that was bestowed upon me when I realized the truth." Uta said.

Imai gritted her teeth, she couldn't break free out of the cube that immobilized her no matter how hard she tried. She would rather die than see the expression on her true friend's face if she ever told her she had lost the earring.

"Don't look at me like that. This earring is important to you, I can tell. Everything here was important to me too, yet I lost it all. If you lose this earring, you would feel how I felt." Uta said, her voice in an odd tone.

"I've already lost everything, I've lost more things than you could ever imagine. You don't know a thing, Uta." Imai said through her gritted teeth.

"That may be so, after all, the only things I've heard about you was that you were a merciless killer. Who would've known that someone like you had a heart?" Uta asked as she put the earring on her finger.

"If you lose it, I'll kill you in both worlds." Imai threatened, her tone sickly cold.

Uta sighed as she walked towards the immobilized Imai. She held up her palm and brushed Imai's cheek.

"Maybe things would change if I had someone like you in my life. Someone to treat me as the most important being in the world."

Imai struggled for words, her breathing became slightly staggered against Uta's touch. There was a look of longing, desire, and sadness deep inside Uta's eyes. Her heart raced and her eyes widened as she watched Uta clip the earring back onto her ear.

"I'll return this to you, but I need a favor in return." Uta said.

With a snap of her finger, Imai had been released. She stumbled forward and was caught by Uta who forced her into a hug.

"What will the favor be?" Imai asked.

"Prioritize me." Uta whispered into her ear, "When everything is coming to its resolution, I want you to prioritize me over everything."

Imai couldn't tell what Uta was thinking at all. It was if she purposely took her earring to rile her up and pulled her into working with her. Currently, it was as if she walked right into Uta's trap.

"So this is your trap card." Imai said with a laugh. "Fine, I need you too. In the end, we'll both be using each other. So let's work together to the fullest, okay?"

Uta smiled, "I'm glad you understand! Now let's go to the stage, there's people waiting to greet us. Come."

Uta held out her hand and Imai took it. The two turned into a spiral of stars and made their way onto the stage.

A golden flash erupted on the stage, the navies stepped back to avoid any danger. They had gears that covered their eyes and ears to prevent them from entering Uta's world. But they made a mistake on their end, there was something they didn't calculate.

That was Imai, the anomaly that made their plans fall apart. They didn't think Imai would side with Uta considering their beliefs. Fujitora gritted his teeth, was there a mistake on their part?

"It seems there was something we didn't calculate." Momonga said.

"Yes, I never expected this combination." Fujitora replied.

The vice admiral and admiral muttered to each other as they watched Uta and Imai slowly plow down their soldiers.

"Let's step in." Fujitora said as he dashed towards Imai. He lifted his blade slightly up from his sheath. He increased the gravitational force on Imai but it didn't seem to do anything.

Fujitora noticed the glance Imai gave him from his senses. Suddenly, his senses flared. He realized Imai wasn't in her former position, she was right behind him. Increasing the gravitational force wouldn't do him any good since Imai could withstand it.

He pulled out his blade and blocked the attack from Imai causing him to stumble back. Fujitora noticed the trembling in his hand just from blocking the attack.

"Your skills seem to have increased, empress." Fujitora said.

"Did you think I would stay the same forever? There's no way I would be down there in those ranks alongside you." Imai said.

Fujitora frowned, "Such insults don't need to be said. Though, there seems to be something different about you. I can probably guess what it is."

"I would be disappointed in your skills if you couldn't tell. Now then, let's see what you've got, old man."

"The young need to respect the elderly more."

Fujitora's blade clashed against Imai's, as their attacks countered each other, they started to become faster. With each strike, the speed increased to the point where people with normal eyes wouldn't be able to keep up with them.

Imai glanced a few times at Uta to make sure she was doing okay. But seeing as though she's able to fight one of the vice admirals, Uta was going to be just fine. Her attention focused on the admiral that was keeping up with her.

"Then let's increase the tension of this battle. Sovereign's One True Cut!" Imai said. She swung her arm in an odd direction and imbued her attack with her haki.

*CRACK*

Fujitora used all his strength to defend against the attack for a second before flickering away to another spot. This was the first time he had been this close to death. If he had tried to defend any longer, his arm would've been cut off. He traced a finger over the part of the blade that had slightly cracked.

He frowned at the sensation, he had even used haki to defend himself. Yet it still didn't work, what really was Imai's level? He had doubts that he could defeat her alone, he would need a lot more comrades. Strong comrades.

"Are you done?" Imai asked with her blade pointed at Fujitora.

"My blade cannot cut, there is no need to risk my life for a battle I cannot win." Fujitora replied as he sheathed his blade. "But how did you break free from her world?"

Imai thought about it too, but there wasn't an answer she could explain that would make it seem believable. After all, before they turned into stars, Uta had grabbed her face, and abruptly kissed her. When she came back to her senses, the sensation of Uta's lip on hers was gone.

And she was back into the real world.

One thing Imai could say was that she did feel all of Uta's feelings being poured into the passionate kiss they shared. This was the second kiss Imai had received in her lifetime.

Uta had to take responsibility.

"I cannot tell you how I was able to return."