Chapter 101: The Beginning of a Legend

Humanity's scientific and technological advancements have been particularly remarkable in recent years.

However, new discoveries and technologies are not always immediately applied to improving people's lives.

After all, in this Great Age of Pirates—what is truly in demand are weapons for battle.

Thus, the World Government captures scientists with exceptional technological prowess and forces them to develop weapons to combat pirates and the Revolutionary Army.

The division responsible for this weapons development is the Marine Science Unit, and the man at its helm is none other than "The Man with the Greatest Brain in the World"—Dr. Vegapunk.

A genius scientist whose intellect is said to be 500 years ahead of its time.

From the discovery of biological lineage factors, to inventions utilizing Seastone, artificial lifeforms, the revelation of the transmission conditions of Devil Fruits, and even the technology to make objects "eat" Devil Fruits—all of it stems from Vegapunk's research.

These achievements have contributed immensely to the Marines' efforts in subduing and capturing pirates… but many seek to exploit his groundbreaking inventions, and not all of them yield results beneficial to the government. There have been sacrifices due to failed experiments, as well as leaks of classified technology.

Long ago, an evil army known as "Germa 66" was enhanced by a man who once belonged to the Science Unit. Then, just a year ago, an experiment gone wrong by the Unit's former No. 2 scientist resulted in the complete annihilation of an entire island.

The former, being a member nation of the World Government, is not an outright enemy, and to this day, they continue to wield their scientific prowess to maintain their status as mercenaries.

As for the latter—he, too, was about to be exploited by a certain man.

After all, this former No. 2 scientist of the Science Unit was skilled in developing dangerous weapons, and his personality was utterly ruthless.

Naturally, even after being captured for destroying an island, he managed to escape using his abilities and deliberately returned to the polluted ruins of that very island, deceiving the imprisoned test subjects there while preparing to resume his research.

But research requires money. And backing. Not only does the research itself demand funding, but someone must also be willing to purchase the results of that research.

And the more dangerous—and profitable—the research, the higher the risk of being targeted. Yet, he couldn't rely on the Marines for support.

But then, a man stepped forward to provide both. And that man was—

"Fuffuffu…!! Caesar Clown…!!"

"!!"

"No need to cower… I’ve got a proposition for you…!! I’ll be your backer, and in return, I’ll broker the deals for all the weapons your research produces!! As a middleman, a broker…!!"

That man was none other than one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, "Heavenly Yaksha" Donquixote Doflamingo.

Using his position as a Warlord and as the king of Dressrosa—a World Government-affiliated nation—he reigned as the most trusted broker in the underworld of the New World.

His business extended to countless pirates, nations, and even the World Government itself, granting him immense influence. With the power to move even the World Government, Doflamingo was the perfect backer.

And for Doflamingo, the scientist Caesar Clown held value as a means to generate vast wealth.

Among Doflamingo's clients stood a colossal entity—one that must not be angered, only pleased. And Caesar possessed exactly what was needed to satisfy them.

"—In addition to the poison gas and other weapons I just demonstrated… this will enhance your combatants…!!"

"Shurorororo!! That’s right!! This is my genius invention!! The Artificial Devil Fruit—SMILE!! Consume it, and you’ll gain the power of a random animal!!!"

In the stronghold of their client, Doflamingo and Caesar made their pitch—Doflamingo in person, and Caesar via a Den Den Mushi projection—extolling the wonders of their creation.

In Doflamingo's hand was a fruit with circular patterns on its skin, resembling an apple. It looked like a Devil Fruit—and indeed, it was one. But an artificial one.

Yes, Caesar's invention was none other than the Artificial Devil Fruit: SMILE.

A revolutionary creation born from the successful application of lineage factors, a discovery made by Vegapunk—though Caesar made no mention of that, instead grandly boasting of the fruit's power.

"The success rate for gaining an ability is one in ten, and the side effect is the loss of emotions like anger and sadness, leaving only laughter… but the power gained is immense!! And we can produce as many as we want!!"

"Fuffuffu!! Exactly. With these, creating the strongest pirate crew of nothing but Devil Fruit users is no longer a dream…!!!"

"…………Ohhh."

Doflamingo grinned slyly as he delivered the sales pitch—but the response was lackluster, as if the listener wasn’t even paying attention.

"…So? What do you think of this deal—"

"—WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!! WHY WON’T THAT STUPID GIRL COME HOOOOOOME?!!"

"…………(A crying drunk… What a pain.)"

In the grand hall of Onigashima’s fortress, Doflamingo stood motionless as a torrential downpour of tears flew in his direction, inwardly annoyed but betraying nothing on his face.

After all, the man before him was one of the Four Emperors, the most dangerous of them all—the captain of the Beast Pirates, hailed as the "Strongest Creature": Kaido, King of the Beasts.

"Today’s supposed to be the Golden Festival…!! That idiot girl… Had to go running off to that damn Whitebeard’s place…!!"

"…………"

"And that old geezer Whitebeard had to go and protect her too…!! Oiiii, NUE!! What the hell am I supposed to do, WAAAAAAHHHHHH!!"

And beside him—another creature not to be angered, the most terrifying beast of all—sat Nue, the Phantom Beast, sulking as she drank.

The clearly irritated girl, the Vice-Captain of the Beast Pirates, was also heavily intoxicated. At Kaido’s whining, she snapped back in annoyance.

"Nueeeeeehhhh!!! Nueeeeeehhhh!!!"

"Tch…!! Shut up, you idiot Kaido!!! I’m trying to think here, so stop yelling!!!"

"WAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!! How can you say something so cruel…?! Is there no one on my side…?! NO ONE?!!"

"Ugh, so noisy… Hey, if you wanna complain, why don’t you bother Mingo and Caesar over there?"

"!?"

'!?'

As Nue pointed at Doflamingo and the Den Den Mushi projecting Caesar, the two stiffened, their expressions freezing.

"Oh yeah… Right… Hey, you two. You’ll listen, won’t you?"

"Eh… Ah, yeah!! Of course!! (He’s not making any sense… But we’d better nod along for now…!!)"

"…Why wouldn’t we? (…Well, fine. It’s better to discuss business when he’s in a good mood anyway.)"

Under Kaido’s overwhelming pressure, neither Caesar (on screen) nor Doflamingo (in person) had any choice but to comply.

If they upset him, the deal would be off in an instant—and they might very well find themselves literally sinking to the bottom of the sea.

Better to let him vent and improve his mood. Plus, they might even glean some valuable information.

So while Caesar tensed up, Doflamingo calmly prepared to listen as Kaido, still sobbing, began his tale.

"Yeah… So, here’s the thing… A while back—my damn daughter ran away from home…!!"

——And thus began the story of the past year.

---

The Spade Pirates, led by "Fire Fist" Ace, had set sail from Wano Country and entered the territory of Whitebeard.

For reckless rookies, this was practically suicidal—but in these seas, such foolishness wasn’t uncommon enough to warrant much attention.

—If only his daughter hadn’t been among them.

"So which one of you brats wants my head? Come on then… I’ll give you what you asked for…!!"

The great pirate Edward Newgate, "Whitebeard"—a legend who had clashed countless times with the Pirate King Gol D. Roger and was said to be the closest to the One Piece in these seas.

"I don’t need backup."

"GYAAAAAAAAAAH!!"

"Captain!! …'Flame Net'!!"

A rookie with barely a year of piracy under his belt stood no chance against one of the Four Emperors. With a single swing of his bisento, Whitebeard sent the Spade Pirates’ crew flying, their screams filling the air. Immediately after, Ace erected a wall of flames behind him.

"Captain!!"

"Ace!! What the hell are you doing?!"

His crew shouted from beyond the fiery barrier—but to Ace, this was the right call. Following his instincts, he roared:

"RUN!!"

"…………"

Whitebeard looked down at Ace, puzzled.

"What’s this…? Getting cold feet now?"

Had the kid come all this way just to flee? Disappointment flickered across Whitebeard’s face.

"Let my crew go…!!"

Then Ace glared back and declared his resolve.

"But I… won’t run…!!!"

His enemy was a Yonko, a monster standing at the pinnacle of the seas.

He was the one who had challenged him. He was the captain.

He couldn’t retreat. Once he set his sights on something, he’d never back down. He wouldn’t let this monster pursue his crew—he’d hold the line.

That unyielding spirit… reminded Whitebeard of the man who had once conquered the world.

"Cheeky brat…"

"RAAAAAAAAAGH!!"

Whitebeard chuckled faintly as the fiery kid charged at him without fear.

But it was hopeless. Ace was no match.

Whitebeard’s restrained strikes sent Ace crashing into the ground, while Ace’s full-powered attacks were effortlessly deflected.

Yet—he kept getting back up.

"Gurarara… Still standing, huh? Too good a kid to die here."

"…………!!?"

Ace’s face twisted in rage at the implication.

And Whitebeard, knowing full well it would provoke him, continued:

"If you wanna keep fighting… then do it under my name. Raise hell across these seas as much as you want…!!"

Then, extending his hand toward Ace—

"—Become my son!!!"

"…………!!!"

In that instant—Ace saw red.

"DON’T FUCK WITH ME!!!"

His body moved on its own.

Whitebeard had been about to deliver one last non-lethal blow—when suddenly—

"—OPENING~~~!!!"

"!"

"!?"

A shadow descended from above, twin blades flashing toward Whitebeard. Recognizing the attacker, Ace shouted:

"Oi… Musashi…!! I told you… to run…!!"

"As if I’d listen!! You think I’d pass up the chance to face Whitebeard himself?! —Alright, old man!! Now it’s my turn!! Be a good little daddy and surrender~!!!"

"…………You…"

Whitebeard stared at the girl who had just ambushed him, a realization dawning.

Her demeanor… her words… reminded him of someone.

"En garde!! Let’s duel!!"

"…Hold on, girl. Before we fight—answer me. You’re not… by any chance…"

"RUST BEFORE MY BLADES~~~!!!"

"Tch—LISTEN, YOU IDIOT!!!"

"BWAAAAH~~?! Y-You… hit me?! You struck this beautiful, genius swordswoman’s head…?!"

"…The hell is this?"

What was supposed to be a serious battle had devolved into pure chaos the moment this Musashi girl jumped in.

But that chaos… also reminded him of another girl, and Whitebeard made up his mind.

—For now, knock them both out and take them to the ship.

There’d be plenty of time to talk later.

"Such monstrous strength… but this is nothing for the future World’s Strongest Swordsman…!!"

"! …A Zoan-type? Tough little thing."

"RAAAAAAAAH!!!"

And so, Whitebeard proceeded to pummel both the tiger-transformed Musashi and the battered Ace before hauling them onto his ship as prisoners.

—But that decision only complicated things further.

Ace and the Spade Pirates, along with Musashi, had challenged the Whitebeard Pirates—and been utterly crushed.

As prisoners (though neither caged nor chained), they began working to repay their debt for the food and shelter.

Except for Ace and Musashi—who kept picking fights with Whitebeard.

"Hey, hey… What the hell are you doing, kid? Watch yourself!! Sneaking around in the middle of the night like this…"

"......!!"

Ace, knife in hand, launched a night assault on Whitebeard.

But Whitebeard swatted him away as if shooing a mosquito, effortlessly knocking Ace to the ground.

As Ace lay there, stunned and bleeding from his nose, a red-eyed girl approached him and whispered in his ear.

"Told you, Ace. A regular ambush won’t work on him. A monster like that probably has his Observation Haki active even while sleeping."

"Tch… Shut up. Then I’ll just keep changing my approach and attack him again."

"—Well said. Fine, then follow my lead."

Rather than scolding or scoffing at Ace’s hotheaded words, the girl who had approached him—Musashi—instead flashed a mischievous grin, her eyes gleaming like a child’s.

Sensing this, Ace regained a sliver of composure and asked her a question. Though they hadn’t known each other long since leaving Wano, Musashi, despite her wild behavior, was sharp-witted. Maybe she had a plan.

"...You got something in mind?"

"Who do you think you're talking to? It's me, the genius beauty swordswoman Musashi! A sneak attack? Easy. First, we move to the room directly below Whitebeard’s, then use your flames and my wind to—"

"Huh... Not bad."

Ace nodded as he listened to Musashi’s plan. It was underhanded—not something his pride-clouded mind would’ve come up with.

But they weren’t the only ones listening.

A monster stood behind Musashi.

"—The hell kinda half-baked scheme you plottin’?! Dumbasses!!!"

"GYAH!!"

"......!!"

Whitebeard, having sensed something off, had gotten up and punched Musashi in the head, knocking her out cold. Ace, still bleeding from the nose, glared at Whitebeard, who merely sighed at the two before going back to sleep.

But the assaults kept coming—and each time, Whitebeard sent them flying.

Then, at one such moment—Whitebeard’s Den Den Mushi rang.

"—Give me back my daughter!!! Hand her over or I’ll kill you, Newgate!!!"

"Tch... Same loudmouth as always...!! But... Huh. So Musashi really is your kid, Kaido...!!"

The caller was one of the Four Emperors, just like Whitebeard—"Kaido of the Beasts."

Whitebeard clicked his tongue in annoyance as Kaido immediately launched into his demands, confirming his suspicions. But the voice that responded wasn’t his—it belonged to someone Whitebeard had been reminded of when he first saw Musashi.

"—Musashi!!! I know you’re there!!! Get your ass back here now!!!"

"! So it is you, Nue... Which means Musashi is—"

"—Shut up!! I’m not going back yet!! I still haven’t learned swordsmanship from Papa!!!"

"Don’t drag me into this!! I ain’t your damn papa!!!"

Whitebeard groaned as he watched Musashi, currently clinging to Vista, the 5th Division Commander, while shouting back. This sheer audacity... Yeah, she was definitely her parents’ child.

"Don’t be ridiculous!! I don’t care whose kid you pretend to be, but I never gave you permission to run off!!"

"...! Say what you want, I’m not going back!! I’ll learn the sword from Papa, and then—under Whitebeard... no, Gramps—I’ll test my blade against the world’s greatest swordsmen!!!"

"WHO THE HELL’S YOUR GRANDPA?!"

"Hey, Newgate!!! What the hell’s your game, stealing someone’s daughter?!?"

"Seriously, you kidnapper!! You planning to demand ransom or something?!?"

"Shut the hell up, you idiot siblings!!! Quit jumping to stupid conclusions!!!"

Things were spiraling out of control, and Whitebeard let out a weary sigh.

...But it was true. Kaido’s daughter being here could spell trouble for the Whitebeard Pirates.

By all rights, if a parent demanded their child back, they had the moral high ground. After considering this, Whitebeard turned his gaze to Musashi.

"...Hey, Musashi."

"! ...What?"

Musashi responded with slight tension, as if sensing what was coming.

"What about you? Your parents are sayin’ this... but what do you want? You wanna stay here?"

"......I... No, I..."

Her usual bravado gone, Musashi fell silent, lost in thought.

She looked like she was wrestling with something painful—like a runaway child after a fight with her parents... or a lost kid unsure where to go.

"...I don’t want to go back yet."

"............I see."

"Yet," huh...? Whitebeard pondered her words.

She clearly had complicated feelings about her parents. She didn’t seem to have completely given up on them, but she wasn’t without grievances either. This wasn’t just some rebellious phase.

Understanding that, Whitebeard forced out his next words.

"...Then stay as long as you need to."

"!"

Musashi’s expression shifted—she hadn’t expected that answer.

But to Whitebeard, it was obvious. Enemy’s daughter or not, he wouldn’t abandon a child with nowhere to go.

So he spoke into the receiver, addressing the furious Kaido and the bewildered Nue.

"Hey, Newgate!!! The hell you think you’re doing, making decisions like that?!?"

"...What are you thinking?"

"Relax. I ain’t pumpin’ her for info, usin’ her, or holdin’ her hostage. And I sure as hell ain’t hurtin’ her."

"...Hah?"

Nue’s voice dripped with even more confusion.

With Musashi here, they could pull off all sorts of schemes—just as Whitebeard said, there were countless ways to exploit her.

That was why Kaido and Nue were so insistent on getting her back. It was only natural.

But that was just from the perspective of personal or crew interests.

As a parent... what should they do?

"Right now, she’s a guest here, same as that fireball brat and his crew. If she wants to stay, she stays. And if anyone comes for her, the Whitebeard Pirates will protect her under our name—even if it’s her own damn parents."

"!"

"THE HELL?!?"

"...Are you serious?"

He couldn’t do for her what her own parents could.

But if she needed a place to stay while she figured things out—that much, he could allow.

That was the conclusion Whitebeard had reached.

"When Musashi wants to go back, she’ll go back. But until then... she’s free to do as she pleases."

"Don’t fuck with me!!! Who the hell do you think you are, meddling in family matters?!!"

"...I’ll admit, it is overstepping. But you’re the ones who dragged me into this."

"The hell you say!?"

Yes—Whitebeard knew full well he was sticking his nose where it didn’t belong.

Hell, this could even be seen as aiding the enemy.

But Whitebeard had no intention of holding back what he wanted to do.

Just as he had seen something in Ace and taken him in… he wanted to accept Musashi as much as possible, even after learning who she really was.

"...So you’re fine with making an enemy of us? A man like Whitebeard… willing to risk the lives of all your sons for one girl?"

"That’s nothin’ to fear. I’m Whitebeard…!!"

"...Hmph… I see."

He wouldn’t flinch even against the Beast Pirates. That was just who he was.

Hearing this, Nue fell silent for an unnatural pause, as if considering something, before speaking again.

"Musashi… You really don’t plan on coming back, do you?"

"...I’ll come back if you let me quit being an idol."

"Ahaha… That’s a no. So that means you aren’t coming back?"

"That’s not it…!! I just need to train in the outside seas to get stronger!! Don’t worry, I’ll come back eventually!! Think of it as a slightly long runaway stint!!"

"Ohhh… To get stronger, huh…"

Nue laughed with a meaningful lilt, as if she had something to say about that.

"Got something to add?"

"...I’ll be expecting souvenirs. ♪ —Well then, Whitebeard, take care of our Musashi for a while~ ♡"

"THE HELL!? Hey, Nue!! What the fu—"

"It’s fine, it’s fine. Alright, bye-bye now~ ♪ And do watch out for your health… and traitors~ ♪"

Click. With that, Nue forcibly ended the call before Kaido could protest any further.

Surprisingly, Nue seemed… almost permissive of Musashi’s runaway. Hell, it even sounded like she’d given her blessing.

"...? The hell was that…?"

"Fuh—HAHAHAHA!!! No clue, but looks like we got permission!!"

As Musashi laughed like an idiot, Whitebeard couldn’t shake a nagging feeling. He puzzled over what it could mean—the only thing that came to mind was the mention of health, but nothing else fit.

For now, he had no choice but to shelve the thought.

---

"──And that’s how Musashi ended up running away from home."

"Damn bastard…!!! Just thinking about it pisses me off…!! I should go rip off Whitebeard’s head right now──"

"Not yet, you idiot Kaido."

I picked up where Kaido left off, recalling the time Musashi ran away. Well, the story’s pretty much just that Musashi stowed away on the Spade Pirates’ ship and got picked up by Whitebeard, but still.

The more I thought about it, the more amusing the situation seemed. And just like Kaido said, it gave us the perfect momentum to take down Whitebeard.

"…Hoh. That’s quite the predicament."

"Shu, shurororo… For our young lady to suffer such a thing… Whitebeard… How cruel…!!"

Dofflamingo’s eyes gleamed behind his sunglasses, while Caesar played his little act. …They’re probably scheming how to use this to their advantage. Well, even the weak have their wits, so I should praise them for that. If you can’t crush something head-on, using strategy is the smart move. We’ve been pulling strings to set things up too, after all.

"…But, Nue-san. What if Musashi blabbed about our intel?"

"If it’s Whitebeard, who cares? We’re gonna crush him anyway, and he wouldn’t bother listening in the first place. Even if he did, after what I said, he wouldn’t try to use it. Whitebeard’s that kind of man. Though for him, this might’ve been digging his own grave."

The one who asked me that was one of the Flying Six, Who’s-Who, standing near the upper seats where Kaido and I sat, surrounding Doflamingo as he paid his respects.

Right now, the room was packed—Kaido and me, with the All-Stars King, Queen, Jack, and Joker lined up beside us, and the full Flying Six: Who’s-Who, Sasaki, Ulti, Black Maria, Page One, and Komurasaki.

After all, today was the annual Fire Festival. The golden revelry. The full might of the Beasts Pirates had gathered on Onigashima.

Of course, others not present here included the top officers and the Numbers, as well as major allies like the samurai and ninja under Kurozumi Orochi, the Oniwabanshu led by Fukurokuju, the Mimawarigumi under Hotei, and even the likes of Tesoro and Hancock.

And most importantly… today was the unveiling of the artificial Devil Fruits, the SMILEs, created by Caesar and supplied by Doflamingo. A day to showcase the new forces they brought.

"Muhaha… If we’re taking down Whitebeard, we’ll need firepower. But will those knockoffs really be useful?"

"Still better than your junk."

"HUH!?"

"My, how harsh. Sure, they’re nothing compared to Vegapunk’s inventions, but… King, that’s too much. Even if Queen’s an idiot, have some mercy."

"Shut up, Joker. Don’t talk back to me."

"Wait, was that supposed to be defending me or just dissing me harder!?"

"…………"

As usual, the All-Stars didn’t get along. Well, it was mostly King and Queen butting heads. Joker did her own thing, and Jack knew better than to speak up—smart move, since interrupting usually meant getting yelled at. He’s really mastered survival here.

"Who cares about some weaklings called the Gifters? More importantly, how’s this year’s batch of my booze? A once-in-a-decade vintage!! I outdid myself!!"

"Didn’t you say the same thing last year…?"

"Absolutely nya~t. Compared to my crops, it’s nothing special nya~."

"Big sis, drop the cat-speak, it’s embarrassing!!"

"Drop it, you say!? …How about you try using it too, Pe-nyan?"

"Like hell I will!!"

"Shut the hell up, you brats… Speaking of work, Komurasaki. You better have found a good racket by now."

"…………No."

"Tch… Useless little shit…"

And as always, the Flying Six were fiercely competitive and full of energy. Ambitious, eager to improve—they’ve grown a lot. …Komurasaki looked like she wanted to say something when Who’s-Who asked about work, but stayed silent. Maybe she’s reading the room in her own way?

"So, are we moving to take down Whitebeard?"

"If things go well, maybe soon~♪"

"How soon is 'soon'?"

"Hmm~… Let’s see~…"

I answered Joker’s question. Since he handles intel leaks to the government, he’d want to know early.

After a moment’s thought, I held up a finger.

"──Within. A. Year. ♡"

"!!!"

Everyone reacted with shock. Partly because it was sooner than expected, but also because of the certainty in my words.

If I said we’d do it, then we would—no matter what. Meaning… the Beasts Pirates would move to take down Whitebeard within a year.

I’d already discussed it with Kaido, so he backed me up with a swig of booze.

"Damn right!! Brace yourselves, you bastards!! Fighting Whitebeard won’t be easy!!"

"But we’ve laid the groundwork, and we’re gathering the forces for it…!"

I pulled out a slip of paper from inside my clothes.

A Vivre Card. Belonging to someone very important.

In a way, this situation worked out. Musashi could fly, and even if we’d cuffed her like Yamato, she’d have left Onigashima anyway. Not cuffing her might’ve been for the best.

"With this, Whitebeard’s location is an open book… We can strike anytime. No matter what happens… we will take him down…!!!"

"But that’s just the beginning!!! We’ve struck a new deal with Doflamingo—with the SMILEs, we’ll grow even stronger!!!"

The weapons and artificial Devil Fruits from Doflamingo and Caesar.

More arms, more ships, more crew turned into ability users—building the ultimate army.

Along the way, we’d crush Whitebeard. Getting Musashi back could wait until then.

Sure, someone else might kill Whitebeard before we do… but no matter who it is, in the end, we’ll be the ones standing victorious.

──Even… if our enemy is one of the "chosen ones."

"Now then… Next year’s festival will be even wilder… but let’s make sure this year’s just as hype, alright? ♡"

I leapt up, heading for the live floor.

Stage outfit—OK. Mic—OK. Stage—OK. Dancers—OK. The visual den-den mushi to broadcast my adorable self—OK.

The audience? Twenty thousand Beasts Pirates, ten thousand samurai and ninja of Wano.

Plus—subordinates, Warlords, allies.

But the real stage for my show… is this entire world.

"──Alright!! The annual 'Golden Kagura' starts now~~~~~!!!"

"WOOOOOH~~~~!!!"

"It’s starting!! Here we go!!!"

Every living thing here was both audience and participant.

"To all my Beasts Pirates~~~~!!! This year’s gonna be even wilder~~~~!!!"

"KYA──♡"

"NUE-SAAAAAN!!!"

The right to join belongs to anyone.

So… the right to dance at the center of this stage… belongs to anyone.

"First up, introducing our new forces!!! The lucky warriors who gained power from the artificial Devil Fruits, the SMILEs!!! The Gifters!!!"

"WOOOH~~~~!!!"

"Wha──!?"

"Artificial Devil Fruits!? What’s that mean~~~~!?"

That’s right—I’m not always the star.

You’re free to get in the way.

"And the unlucky ones who didn’t gain powers… the laughing warriors!!! The Pleasures!!!"

"GYAHAHAHA!!!"

"Wha──!?"

"I STILL DON’T GET IT~~~~~!!!"

If there’s anyone who hates our guts, they’re free to come at us.

"And for all you non-ability users still waiting for your chance at power… you’re the Waiters !!!"

"Wha───!? S-so…?"

"Does that mean even WE can get powers!?"

"HELL YEAH~~~!!! That’s awesome, Nue-san!!!"

"…What a pain."

There’d always be fools like that.

The samurai of Wano… the Red Scabbards. Kin’emon, Raizou, Kikunojo, Kyoushirou, Ashura Douji, Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, Shinobu.

Izou and Hiyori. And technically, Momonosuke too.

"This world belongs to the strong !!! The weak have no choice but to die !!! So fight for your power!!!"

The World Government. The Marines. Cipher Pol.

Even the Revolutionary Army would never side with us.

"But if you stand with the strongest —with us —then you’re strong too!!!"

Pirates. The Warlords. The Emperors.

And the Worst Generation yet to come.

"Wealth, fame , power…!! The strong take whatever they want!!! But even the weak—if they kneel to us —can have it all !!!"

We’d crush everything under sheer force.

"A world where violence decides who takes what!!! And in that world— we take EVERYTHING !!!"

Words like "dishonorable" don’t exist for pirates.

Use anything. Everything.

"That’s right—this is a once-in-a-lifetime deal !!!"

Because otherwise—it wouldn’t be fun.

"We’ll claim the One Piece —the greatest treasure of all!!!"

"WOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH~~~~~!!!"

"ALL HAIL NUE-SAMA!!!"

"LONG LIVE GOVERNOR KAIDO!!!"

…This spectacle was nothing less than the dawn of a legend.

Not some legend I’d heard—one I was forging.

"Alright!! Now, let’s sing !!! Today’s a cover of a legendary song from a certain sea!!!"

This wasn’t some flimsy fairy tale.

It was real. Flesh-and-blood, sweat-and-tears real.

Eardrum-shattering cheers. The heat of the crowd. The fire of ambition. Greed. Hunger.

A true pirate crew, built by me and Kaido.

Pirates who’d throw away their lives without hesitation for this dream.

"Let’s enjoy ourselves !!!"

I sang louder than anyone, drowning out the roar of the crowd—

"── WE ARE !!!"

With a grin splitting my face, I screamed the beginning of our legend into the world.

---

The blazing sun, white clouds.

An endless stretch of blue sea.

Seagulls soaring across the sky—this tranquil sea was known as the "East Blue."

"Yaaah, perfect weather to set sail!"

On a small boat bobbing atop the waves was a boy wearing a "Straw Hat."

This boy’s adventure… began right here in this place.

"Grrrrrl…"

"Whoa!"

As if sensing the presence of someone aboard the boat, a massive sea beast emerged from the depths, rocking the vessel.

The beast let out a growl, locking its sights on the boy.

"So you’re the 'Lord of the Coast'?!"

This sea beast was the vicious ruler of these waters.

Its fangs were sharp, its body many times larger than the boy’s.

But the boy wasn’t afraid.

"Too bad for you. Check out the skills I’ve honed for ten years!"

As the beast lunged, the boy swung back his arm, his fierce expression breaking into a grin.

"Gum-Gum…"

But his swing was clearly mistimed and way off the mark.

By all logic, it shouldn’t have hit. For a normal human, that is.

But this boy—was no normal human.

"PISTOL!!!!"

The moment he shouted the technique’s name, his right arm stretched—and his fist smashed into the beast’s jaw.

A punch as powerful as a bullet.

The skills he’d trained for ten years, combined with the power of the "Gum-Gum Fruit" he’d eaten, made his fists weapons surpassing even guns.

"Alright, let’s go!!!"

First, he needed a crew and a pirate flag.

Muttering that he wanted at least ten crewmates, this boy—who had eaten the Gum-Gum Fruit and become a "Rubber Human"—was named…

"I’m gonna be King of the Pirates!!!!"

—Monkey D. Luffy.

And so, the grand adventure of this boy, who dreamed of becoming the Pirate King and claiming the "One Piece," began here and now.