Imu was the real hero of the Void Century.The tragic truth about why Joy Boy had to die.

Act I: The Fracture of the World

Eight hundred years ago, the world was a chaotic, war-torn landscape, but amidst the bloodshed, three figures stood as the closest of friends: Imu, Joy Boy, and Queen Lili. Joy Boy was a brilliant, free-spirited mind from a highly advanced Great Kingdom, envisioning a world where people could live without boundaries.

However, the relentless global warfare eventually reached their doorstep. A devastating conflict claimed the lives of people they cherished deeply—close family and dear friends whose loss shattered their innocence. Standing amidst the ruins of their loved ones, Imu’s worldview broke. Unable to endure the endless cycle of grief, Imu made a fateful decision: someone needed to become the supreme authority, a solitary figure who would take on all the world's hatred to force humanity into absolute, unbreakable peace.

Joy Boy vehemently opposed this. He loved his friend too much to watch them become a "slave to peace," carrying the crushing weight of the world's sins alone. He believed humanity’s true salvation lay in absolute freedom, not authoritarian control. This fundamental disagreement planted the seed of their separation.

Act II: The Descent into Darkness

Determined to execute their vision of order, Imu began to cross lines. At first, it was small, justifiable compromises—actions that were dark but seemingly necessary for the greater good. Joy Boy tried to look the other way, hoping his friend would find a better path.

Meanwhile, Joy Boy’s advanced kingdom had designed a blueprint for a miraculous new technology. It was meant to help the world, but in the wrong hands, it was a weapon of mass destruction. Believing that only overwhelming power could permanently end all conflict, Imu stole this blueprint and forged the very first Ancient Weapon.

The turning point arrived when Imu used the weapon, committing unspeakable atrocities and erasing entire populations to enforce submission. The peace Imu sought was now paved in innocent blood. For Joy Boy, the realization was agonizing. The destruction was not only carried out by his best friend, but it was powered by his own creation. The guilt of his invention being weaponized broke Joy Boy’s heart, leaving him no choice but to stop Imu.

Act III: The Web of Betrayal

The rift between the two friends widened into an unbridgeable chasm. Queen Lili, caught between them, ultimately aligned with Joy Boy’s ideals of freedom, acting secretly as his agent. When Imu discovered this, it was the final, devastating heartbreak. Betrayed by the only people they had left to trust, Imu locked away all remaining compassion, fully embracing the role of the cold, ruthless god-king the world "needed."

Act IV: The Lonely Battlefield

The ideological war finally exploded into physical conflict. The Great Kingdom, led by Joy Boy, faced off against the alliance of the 20 Kings, led by Imu.

As the battle raged, a crucial tragedy unfolded behind the scenes. Joy Boy’s most powerful allies—the Giant Robot Emeth and the massive elephant Zunesha—made a catastrophic mistake and were delayed. They failed to arrive at the battlefield, leaving Joy Boy completely isolated.

As the war decimated his kingdom and his people fell around him, Joy Boy stepped forward to face Imu. The two leaders locked eyes. There was no hatred between them, only a profound, suffocating sorrow. They had gone too far; there was no turning back.

Act V: The Ultimate Sacrifice

As they clashed, they fought as perfect equals. But deep within Imu’s heart lay a hidden, desperate wish. Imu had grown exhausted by the atrocities and the isolation. They fought with the secret hope that Joy Boy would win—that their best friend would strike them down, killing them and finally freeing them from the horrific burden of being the world's warden.

But Joy Boy, fighting completely alone and worn down by the loss of his allies, was outmatched by the combined might of Imu and the 20 Kingdoms. He fell.

Laying on the shattered earth, taking his final breath, Joy Boy looked up at the friend who had become a monster. He didn't curse Imu or vow revenge. Instead, he spoke his final, devastating words:

"Sorry, my friend. I was unable to free you. I know you came today wanting to be freed from the burden, but in the end... I failed you, my friend, again."

Epilogue: The Prisoner of the Empty Throne

Joy Boy died, leaving Imu stranded in a hell of their own making. Joy Boy’s final words confirmed that he understood Imu’s silent plea for death, making the victory the cruelest defeat imaginable.

To hide the truth of this tragedy, Imu erased the century from history and established the World Government. For the next 800 years, Imu never stepped into the light. They sat in the freezing vaults of Mariejois, a solitary prisoner on an Empty Throne, staring at a giant straw hat and a faded photograph—the only remnants of the friends they loved, fought, and sacrificed to force peace upon a broken world.

The End