Seeing the anger on and faces, immediately dismissed them and had , who was unconscious, carried away, admitting defeat rather straightforwardly.
Esdeath saw clearly why Nyau had lost. It wasn't just that his had no effect on ; Wood himself was an extremely capable fighter. Of the Three Beasts, Liver might be stronger than Nyau, but if he fought Wood, Esdeath doubted his chances of victory.
After all, Wood was also an Imperial Arm user, and he defeated Nyau without even using his Imperial Arm. Esdeath couldn't be sure just how strong Wood might be if he used his weapon, but she was certain it would be far beyond what he had already displayed.
Besides, Esdeath wasn't someone who couldn't accept defeat. She had made a bet, and if she had lost, resorting to sending people in turns to fight would have been truly disgraceful.
"I never thought you'd actually manage to defeat one of Esdeath's . You've impressed me." spoke to Wood, though her tone shifted to a stern warning, "But don't act so recklessly next time. You were lucky this time—Esdeath was in a good mood, and she seems to have taken an interest in you. Otherwise, you'd likely be dead by now.
"Don't doubt me; Esdeath isn't as kind or as approachable as you might think. Her power far surpasses that of the Three Beasts. Without sufficient strength, do not even think about challenging her—that path only leads to destruction."
Though Wood had emerged victorious, Najenda reprimanded him with a flick to the forehead. To her, Wood had acted impulsively. Despite her anger, she also looked at Wood with a hint of admiration. Both Wood and were still young, not yet even fifteen, and Najenda looked at them as she would at her own juniors.
The brutal acts of Esdeath and the Three Beasts toward the tribal people revealed to Najenda the Empire's dark, corrupt side. But Wood's actions, on the other hand, gave her hope. At least not all of the Empire's people were beyond redemption; some still held fast to their sense of justice and were willing to stand up at the right moment.
The hundreds of tribal women and children that Wood had won in the bet with Esdeath were ultimately released by him. That was all they could do; the rest were not as fortunate. Esdeath and the Three Beasts showed no mercy to the other tribal people, carrying on with their cruel executions.
Unable to tolerate it any longer, Najenda decided to take action. One night, after killing the guards, she secretly freed the remaining tribal women and children. By the Empire's laws, what Najenda did was no different from treason.
This decision was one Najenda had reached only after careful consideration. Esdeath's and her subordinates' brutal massacre of innocent tribal people made her realize that the Empire had truly sunk into corruption and darkness. Resolving to save her country in her own way, Najenda decided to defect and join the —the only power capable of opposing the Empire.
After freeing the tribal people, Najenda planned to flee, riding under the cover of night to the Revolutionary Army's headquarters. However, as she approached the stable, ready to leave, she found two figures already waiting for her in the moonlight.
"Boss, if you were planning to free the prisoners, why didn't you take care of the guards properly? No matter how careful you are, so many prisoners escaping is bound to cause a stir. But don't worry, we've taken care of it for you."
The two figures waiting were none other than and Wood. If it had been earlier, Najenda wouldn't have paid much attention to these two young soldiers. But after what had happened, Najenda now regarded them with a new level of respect.
"Lubbock, Wood, why are you here?" Najenda asked, surprised. She hadn't told anyone of her plans, and she had chosen to act in the dead of night. She hadn't expected anyone to catch on.
Najenda had hidden her intentions well, even discussing her return plans with her friend Esdeath earlier in the day. She hadn't shown any sign of betraying the Empire. But she had forgotten one thing—her loyal follower. While others might not have noticed Najenda's strange behavior, Lubbock had observed her closely, which led to the current situation.
"You two should go back. You know what I intend to do. With your talents as Imperial Arm users, you'll definitely be put to good use in the Empire."
Najenda didn't think Lubbock and Wood had come to stop her. Otherwise, Lubbock wouldn't have mentioned cleaning up her loose ends. If they weren't here to stop her, then they must be here to join her. But Najenda wasn't willing to let that happen.
Lubbock and Wood were both still young, barely fifteen. Joining the Revolutionary Army was tantamount to going against the Empire, a force so large and established that the fledgling rebellion seemed feeble in comparison. In her eyes, they had promising futures in the Empire and didn't need to throw their lives away in a fight they couldn't win.
"I've already made up my mind," Lubbock said, pulling a bloodstained wire from the spool on his wrist. "If you're joining the Revolutionary Army, then I'm coming with you.
"I killed the guards earlier using my . The marks are obvious. Once this escape is discovered, they'll eventually trace it back to me. I have no way back."
Lubbock's Imperial Arm, , was a wire weapon made from the hair of a legendary dragon-like creature from the Eastern Sea. It was strong, sharp, and capable of various uses like setting traps, creating barriers, and binding or cutting enemies. As Lubbock explained, the unique wounds his weapon left behind would make it easy to identify his involvement.
"And what about Wood? Did Lubbock drag you into this? With your strength and Esdeath's favor, becoming a general in the Empire would only be a matter of time." Najenda tried to convince Wood, knowing he had potential in the Empire.
Wood, leaning casually against the stable post, cut Najenda off. "I joined because I wanted to. The Empire is much stronger than the Revolutionary Army. If I want to fight strong people, I can't stay with them—I have to go against them.
"If I want to compete with the strongest, the only way to do that is to become their enemy. That's why joining the Revolutionary Army makes the most sense."
Najenda was speechless. She had seen battle maniacs before, but never one as straightforwardly obsessed as Wood. In reality, Wood's decision was partly due to his desire to maintain his persona as a warrior and partly because Lubbock had persuaded him.
The two had been friends since childhood. If Lubbock defected to join the Revolutionary Army while Wood stayed behind, they'd eventually face each other in battle. Lubbock didn't want to fight his friend, nor did he want Wood to become one of their most formidable enemies. He eventually managed to convince Wood by pointing out that this was the only way they could keep fighting side by side.
Seeing that both Lubbock and Wood were determined to join her, and knowing how valuable Imperial Arm users were, Najenda finally gave in. The three of them rode through the night, leaving the camp far behind.
Their original plan was to reach the Revolutionary Army's headquarters in three days. However, on the second day, their path was blocked by an unexpected, though not entirely surprising, figure.
Dressed in her signature white military uniform, stood in their way. Her long, toned legs were on display, her military saber strapped to her waist, as if she'd been waiting for them.
"Najenda, I didn't expect this from you," Esdeath said, her voice calm and cold. "But making this kind of decision must have shaken you, right? You, with your fiery spirit, forgot that we have flying in the military, didn't you? These ordinary horses could never outrun them."
Though she was alone, Esdeath's mere presence exerted an enormous pressure on the three defectors. Before any of them could react, Esdeath's figure disappeared. In an instant, she was upon Najenda, her saber inches away from her.
Wood barely managed to intercept, his blade clashing with Esdeath's saber, sparks flying. Najenda knew she had been too slow—even if she had reacted in time, she would have lost an arm at best.
She had known Esdeath was powerful, but she had no idea the difference between them was so great. Esdeath hadn't even used her Imperial Arm—she was simply too fast and too strong.
Wood was sent flying back, his feet skidding across the ground as he finally managed to stop himself. Feeling the numbing sensation in his hand, he looked at Esdeath, a grin spreading across his face.
"I was right—you truly are a worthy opponent."
In the world of pirates, Wood might not have lost in terms of sheer physical strength. But here, in his thirteen-year-old body, with Esdeath's exceptional combat skills and her special Imperial Arm, he knew he was at a disadvantage.
Esdeath, however, seemed equally impressed. "I was right about you too. You're special—at your age, I wasn't even close to being this strong. My offer still stands—join me, and I'll forget all of this ever happened."
Wood laughed, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, but I still have to decline, Esdeath. If I stay in the Empire, I won't get the chance to fight powerful warriors like you as freely as I do now."
With that, Wood tightened his grip on his blade and charged at Esdeath once more.