Chapter 109: Fighting Music
This island is a town that never stops ringing with sound.
Every kind of instrument plays its melody. Countless confident singers raise their voices in song. Dancers proud of their skills show off their steps.
Drawn in by the town's festive spirit, sailors visiting the island throw themselves wholeheartedly into the celebrations.
ââThe Grand Line. The town of carnivals: San Faldo.
Festivals take place all year round, and events big and small are constantly being held. Lured by the noise and spectacle, a certain pirate made their way to the island. Their name isââ
ăWe have a winnnnnnnnner!!! Third match of the final tournament in the 1st Live Battle Contest: San Faldo Cup!! The victor is none other than the fearsome vice-governor of the Four Emperorsâ Beasts Pirates!!! The strongest idol from the New World!!! The top pick for the championship!! The one and onlyââNue the Monster Beast!!ă
"Yeeaaahhh!!! Thank you, everyoneïœïœïœïœïœïœ!!!"
"Wooooooh!!!"
"KyaaahhhâĄ"
"CUTE!!"
"UNKNOWN!!"
On the open-air special stage, two performance platforms flanked the announcerâs podium in the center. This was the arena of the San Faldo Cup, where singing, dancing, and stage performance were all judged in competition.
And now, bouncing up and down on one of the stages, waving to the roaring fans and crowd, was a pirate so terrifying that even hardened warriors would tremble at the sightâânone other than Nue the Phantom Beast.
"Haaaïœïœïœïœïœïœthis townâs the best!!"
"Aye!! Nue-sama, that was incredible!!"
"Fufufu⥠Right? Well, of course it was!!"
Having rented out a cafĂ© terrace somewhere in town, I sat back and savored a skewer of grilled meat. All around me were countless piratesââmy subordinatesââvoicing their excitement over the live show earlier. Naturally, I expect praise, but it still feels good to hear it.
But not everyone was as fired up. I turned to address the outlier.
"Hm? Whatâs wrong, PÄ-tan? Still sulking because you couldnât catch Ace?"
"No⊠thatâs not really it, but⊠Nue-san. Why this island?"
Page Oneââa.k.a. PÄ-tan, one of the Flying Six of the Beasts Piratesââlooked unconvinced. Apparently, he was still trying to figure out why we stopped by this place. But the answer is obvious. I told him straight.
"Because I caught wind of a live contest happening, duh!! I mean, come on, Iâm the worldâs number one idol! How could I not take part?"
"You just donât get it, do you, PÄ-tan?"
"Muhaha!! The poor fool canât even appreciate entertainment!!"
"The stage is plain compared to my Gran Tesoro, but⊠well. Canât pass up a chance to perform."
"Nobody asked you guys!!! Also, why the hell are all of you even here!?"
PÄ-tan looked around the seats, gesturing at the rest of usââwell, at everyone except me. There was Black Maria, Queen, and Tesoro. Not exactly a casual crowd. What was he getting so worked up about?
"More importantly, isnât it your turn next, Queen?"
"Oh, is it already that time? Alright, boysïœïœïœïœ!!! Showtime!! Letâs gooooo!!! FUNK!!!"
"FUNK!!"
"Iâm up after that, huh⊠Hmph. Iâll show these penniless peasants what a real show looks like."
"Nue-san. For the next performance, I was thinking of using this kind of effectâŠ"
"Ooh, I like itïœâȘ Alright then, Black Maria, have the others handle the instruments and backing vocals again, okay?âĄ"
"Yes, maâam!!"
"âŠâŠâŠâŠYouâre telling me all of you seriously came just for a show contestâŠ?"
PÄ-tan looked at us in disbelief. Well, I get what heâs trying to say. It is a little excessive. One All-Star, two members of the Flying Six, and Tesoro. Joker already went back to Onigashima to drop off supplies, but just as she left, these three arrived. PÄ-tan stayed behind.
With this lineup, we could start a war or take over a country. Apparently, the Navy was seriously on alert, too. But they're too busy right now, fighting the Red-Hair Pirates in the New World. Must be rough.
So thatâs why we decided to drop in and join the big event here in San Faldo. In the world of music and showbiz, people like me and Tesoro are practically superstars. Famous and popular. How could we not show up?
Sure, the townsfolk were a little freaked out at first by a bunch of notorious pirates showing up⊠but once the contest started, the excitement drowned all that out. Guess thatâs just how this place is. Kind of reminds me of Dressrosa. As long as pirates put on a good show and entertain the crowd, nobody minds too much.
In fact, more people gathered once they realized theyâd get to see famous pirates. Fufun. Thatâs the power of my popularity. Gotta live up to it.
âȘ If I got too skinny, Iâd be too hot to handleâ« So I stay this size on purpoooseâ«
ăFUNK!!ă
"Oh, Queenâs show started."
"Queen is as flashy as ever."
"Well, either he or Tesoroâll probably face me in the finalsââoh, right, PÄ-tan. Since weâre here, wanna join the show as a backup dancer?"
"âŠN-no, I, uh, I think Iâll passâŠ"
As Queenâs performance kicked off beyond the crowd, I tried to be nice and invited PÄ-tan to take part. But he declined. Maybe heâs worried heâd just drag the show down? He really doesnât need to think like that. But hey, if he doesnât want to, I wonât force himââhmm?
"âŠâŠâŠâŠ"
"Hm? Something wrong, Nue-san?"
"âŠMmm~ fufufu⥠Iâve got a feeling the next stage might get real interestingâĄ"
"âŠ? What do you mean byââ"
Nothing at aaall⥠I cut off Black Mariaâs question by popping another bite of meat into my mouth. Spoiling the surprise would be boring, right? Lucky me⥠I decided to ignore the presence watching me from the shadows.
A man watching a group of pirates from the shadow of a building in the plaza was, himself, a pirate.
As he rubbed his chin, intrigued by the presence of a major figure on the island heâd happened upon during his voyage, something about his hand stood outâit had two joints in each finger.
Wearing glasses and headphones, the man drew puzzled looks from his crew, who addressed him with question marks practically floating over their heads.
"Captain Apoo, what are you looking at?"
ââFound some interesting folks.â
"Huh?"
"Look for yourself."
He gestured from the buildingâs shadow. When the crew peeked out and spotted the group seated at the cafĂ© terrace, their faces drained of color.
"!! T-Those guys⊠Thatâs the Beasts PiratesâŠ!!?"
"Yeah. One of the Four Emperors. And that one there is the âChimera Nueââknown as a sibling figure to 'Kaido of the Beasts.' The rest of them are those Flying Six guys."
"W-What are monsters like that doing in a place like this!?"
"Beats me. Maybe theyâre just here for the show contest?"
They had been listed as participants. And sure enough, one of the All-Stars from the Beasts Pirates was on stage right now, singing and dancing. It was a plausible explanation.
But more than anything, the crew was rattled by the sight of such heavy hitters and pleaded with their captain.
"Captain Apoo, we should run!! We canât deal with people like thatâŠ!"
"Calm down. If theyâre here for the contest too, theyâre not gonna go on a rampage for no reason."
"Maybe so, but stillâŠ!!"
"You guys really are clueless... They came here to throw down with music, didnât they? Then weâve got no choice but to challenge âem with our music."
"Wait⊠Youâre not seriousâŠ!!"
As his panicked crew looked on, the manâs lips curled into a smirk. Wearing a shirt emblazoned with the character for âsound,â he was a pirate who made headlines the year he set sailâearning a bounty in the hundreds of millions.
ăCaptain of the On Air Pirates, âRoar of the Seaâ Scratchmen Apoo â Bounty: 198 million berriesă
"And besides⊠When you pick a fight, best to piss âem off and get away!! Letâs roll!!"
"Captain Apoo!!?"
And with that, the pirate Apooâwhile his crew stood flusteredâleft the scene and headed toward the event setup.
âAlrighty, up nextâthe semifinals!!â
âGive it your all, Nue-san!!â
âWeâre rooting for you!!â
With Queenâs live performance and then Tesoroâs, the contest was rolling on. Now it was my turn again. The semifinals.
If I win this, itâll be either Queen or Tesoro in the finalsâand Iâm obviously going to win ⥠No way the worldâs cutest idol could lose. With flawless vocals, dance moves, looks, and stage presence, thereâs no competition. Ready to crush the small fry, I step onto the stage with my band and dancers, basking in the cheers of my loyal crew.
ăâAlright!! Time for the semifinals!! Your host is still with you: from the Blueberry Times, the guitar-shredding reporterâRocky Huttley, baby!!ă
Between the two stages, our host appearsâa blond man with sunglasses, hyping the crowd with riffs on his guitar. âŠI feel like Iâve seen him somewhere before⊠or not⊠probably have⊠but whatever. Doesnât matter.
ăFirst up!! Advancing to the semifinals is this monster with a bounty over 3 billion!! A member of the Four Emperors!! The sibling of âKaido of the Beastsâ!! But donât let that fool youâsheâs the worldâs cutest idol!! When I first saw her, I legit peed myself!! The âChimeraâ Nueeeeeeeee!!!ă
âAhahahaâȘ Everyone~~~~!! Iâm just here to sing today, so enjoy yourselves, okay~~~âĄâ
My cue. I hop lightly onto the stage in time with the MCâs voice, surrounded by a colorful display of UFOs. Once Iâm up, I strike a pose and winkâcue thunderous applause. Fufufu, guess Iâve gained even more fans⥠Sorry, but this roundâs mine too!!
ăAnd second upâwell, due to unforeseen circumstances, semifinalist Baian has withdrawnâŠă
âEhhh!?â
"Youâve gotta be kidding me!?"
Wait, does that mean I get a bye? Ugh, how boring. I had two more songs lined up and everything. Even the crowd is booing, and honestly, I feel like joining them. Boo! Let me sing more! Disqualify the dropout!
ăBut worry not, folks!! A surprise guest has stepped in to take his place!!ă
âA surprise guest?â
âWho could it be?â
With question marks all aroundâme, Black Maria, the audienceâthe MC gives one last guitar strum and points toward the opposite stage. The spotlight swings around. And with it, the announcer declaresâ!
ăFacing off against the Chimera Nue is this man!! A Super Rookie from the Longarm Tribe who burst onto the scene out of nowhere!! Captain of the On Air Pirates!! Bounty: 198 million berries!! âRoar of the Seaâ Scratchmen Apooooooooooo!!!ă
"Apapapapa!!! Check it ouuuut!!!"
"!?!"
With a jaunty step, smacking rhythm into his body and head with his long arms, he dances his way onto the stageâjust like the host said, itâs Scratchmen Apoo. Hmm~? You came all the way here just to mess with me? Whatâs your game?
"YO YO!! Youâre the Chimera Nue, right?"
"âŠIsnât it obvious? I am the cutest one here, after allâĄ"
"Whoops, my bad!! Wasnât trying to pick a fight or anything. Just came over to say hi, YO. Iâm actually a fan of yours, yâknow? Got all your TDs and everything, appappa!"
"Oh really? Thanks ⥠Thatâs awfully sweet of you. Well, I did just come to sing today, so fine by me. Letâs have some fun, okay? âĄ"
"Thatâs what Iâm talkinâ about â« Bet you and meâll get along just fine â«"
And then, Apoo starts chatting me upâon friendly terms, no less. âŠNot that itâs surprising. I noticed him earlier while I was taking a break, figured heâd make a move at some point, just didnât expect itâd be here. He gives off that cocky, slightly mocking vibeâpretty easy to read.
"Nue-san."
"Donât move, Black Maria. That goes for the rest of you too. We came here to sing, remember? âĄ"
Still, itâs fine. The moment Apoo walked up, Maria and the others started giving me looksâasking silently if they should step in. But I shake my head. He said itâs just a greeting. And if heâs telling the truth about being a fan and owning my TDs, well, that makes me kinda happy.
If itâs true, I might let a few things slide. If heâs lying, Iâll think about it⊠but either way, I really did just come here to sing today. A little rudeness isnât gonna bother meâweâre pirates, after all. Itâs not like I run a tight ship when it comes to etiquette! Stuff like that doesnât make me mad.
Thoughâthis wonât end quietly, I can tell that much.
ăAlright, now that the formalities are outta the way... itâs time!! The semi-finalsâSTART!!ă
"UOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!"
With the MCâs signal, the music kicks off on both ends. Apooâs going for a hip-hop DJ style, while Iâve gone for a rock-pop fusion with a touch of Wano flavor. âŠBut honestly, I can do any genre. I could switch to hip-hop if I wanted. Still⊠something about the way Appoo movesâitâs sketchy, you know? âĄ
"Wait⊠look at him!!"
"Is he⊠making sound with his own body?!"
Thatâs rightâAppooâs producing music straight from his body. But itâs not just something simple like body percussion.
Smack his head, you get cymbals. Hit his chest, itâs a drum. His teeth stretch and play like a keyboard synth.
"What the hell�"
"Yo yo!! This guyâs makinâ sound from his body⊠what a funky bastard!!"
"Thatâs⊠what youâre focusing on!?"
He turns his hands into string instruments, morphs his arms into clarinetsâevery part of his body becomes a different instrument, and he plays them all.
No wonder the audience is losing it. Even guys like Tesoro, Queen, and Page One are either dumbfounded or straight-up confused. I knew about his ability, sureâbut seeing it up close for the first time, yeah, even Iâm a little stunned.
"YO â« YO â« YO-YO-YO â« You hear this music, this sick rhythm? â« If you're feelinâ it, stay tuned in â« Nue the Sealed Beast â«"
"âŠYeah, I hear your music loud and clear â« Whatâs on your mind, Scratchmen Appoo? â«"
And hey, the music? Not bad.
Heâs not on my level, obviouslyâbut the sound and vocals are solid. And his actâturning his body into an instrumentâthatâs a unique power. No surprise heâs got the crowdâs attention.
Not that Iâm backing down or anything. I switch gears and throw back a rap verse his way. Our music crewâs sharpâthey catch my signal and shift the beat in an instant. Doesnât matter if itâs different from what we rehearsed.
The real problem here is⊠that cocky little rookie attitude of his.
"EVERYBODY!! Tune in to thisâFighting Music in the flesh!! â«"
And I smiled, deliberately choosing to savor it, to watch and see what heâd do. Apoo struck a chord on the stringed instrument wrapped around his wristâ
"SCRAAAAAAATCH!!! âSmack-Boomââ«"
â!?â
In that instant, even I couldnât track the speed of the incoming impact.
âNue-san!!?â
âWhat the hell!? She just flew off all of a suddenâŠ!!â
My body was knocked slightly into the air by the force and hurled to the sideâbut I quickly regained balance mid-air.
That was⊠a punch, probably. I think. I didnât recognize the technique. I tried to analyze it, but I couldnât. I donât understand the mechanics behind it.
Everyone around me was still in shock, unsure of what had just happened. And in that moment, Apoo againâ
ââSlash-SHAAANââ«â
ââŠ!!â
âNue-san, youâre⊠bleeding!?â
âNo wayâŠ!!â
âWh-Whhaaaaaaaat!!?â
âA slash. That attack cut me. Just barely, but it cut me. So I really canât follow it.
While I was observing Apooâs ability, the onlookers were all stunned at the sight of my blood. I suppose thatâs how much faith they have in me⊠but everyoneâs being a little dramatic. I bleed red like anyone else. Itâs just a shallow cut on my armâno need to freak out. Honestly, itâs so light itâs barely more than a paper-thin wrist cut.
âŠStill, I canât blame them for being shocked. After all, I was wounded. Could this be some kind of conceptual attack?
Ordinary slashes donât work on me. Even blades canât pierce my smooth, pale skin. Wind blades, like Rankyaku, donât affect me either, even without using Haki. Haki or not, it doesnât matterâour bodies are far tougher than steel. The only people who could cut me would be monsters like Kaido, Red-Hair⊠or Hawkeye.
So, if something like Apooâs attack can so much as scratch me, it has to be conceptual in nature, not physical. It must be a Devil Fruit ability that overrides normal physical laws. Thereâs no way he has advanced Haki like Odenâs, so that narrows it down.
Abilities that ignore physical rules are always troublesome. Like the Bari Bari no Miâthe barrier fruit. No matter how hard you hit it, it wonât break. It simply doesnât let anything through. I remember Kaido and I trying full-force once. Didnât work. That says it all.
Apooâs sound-based ability is probably something similar. Itâs just speculation, but maybe itâs an ability that causes a specific phenomenon in the body of anyone who hears a certain sound. Once the sound reaches your ears, the conditions for activation are fulfilled, and a phenomenonâlike an impact or a slashâis forcibly triggered. No matter how tough the target is, it inflicts at least some fixed amount of damage. The more I think about it, the more it seems like a conceptual ability⊠kind of unfair, honestly. But interesting.
ââBOOM-BLASTââ«â
â!?â
âEeeeehhh!? Nue-san exploded!? Is that part of the act!?â
ââŠ!! Was that his doingâŠ!?â
And this time, an explosion. So yeah, Iâm guessing the moment you hear the sound, the attack is set. In theory, all youâd have to do is block your earsâbut itâs a decent power for long-range ambushes or sneak attacks. Works in one-on-ones and group fights alike. Probably gets on peopleâs nerves, though⊠But anyway, this wasnât the time to be analyzing it.
âAHHH-PAH-PAH-PAH!!! Check it out, yâall!! Welp, thatâs enough music for today! No way I can win a straight-up fight, so Iâll be making my exit nowwwww!!â
âHey!! Donât let him escape!! Capture him!!â
âWhaaat!!? Strange phenomena one after another!! Andâhuh!? Th-The semifinals!?â
âAre you alright, Nue-sanâŠ!?â
Apoo stopped performing and tried to make a run for it. Hm. Teasing your opponent, getting them all riled up, then running off when theyâre madâheâs got a fun little personality. I get it.
But⊠thinking you can escape from me? Thatâs the one miscalculation, darling.âĄ
âHow dare you ruin Nue-sanâs live showâŠ!!â
âWhaâMaria-neesanâs transformingâŠ!!â
âQueen-sama!! Heâs heading toward the port!!â
âYou think you can run from me!? Time to test my new plague virus!!â
Black Maria and Queen were getting ready for battle, clearly intending to make him payâbut I stopped them.
âYou lot⊠donât you dare lay a finger on himâŠ!!â
âKhâŠ!! Nue-sanâŠ!!â
âHe actually had the guts to lay a hand on me. Iâd be a poor host if I didnât entertain him properlyâŠâĄâ
After I exploded and Apoo fled, Queen, Page One, Black Maria and the others had all started to move. I ordered them to stand down. While everyone froze mid-motion, I used Observation Haki to track Apoo, who was already far enough to be out of sight, hopping along the rooftops. Heâs fast, agile⊠even in a straight fight, he could put up a decent effort.
I traced the small slash on my right arm with a finger and licked the blood off. Fufufu⊠itâs been a while since I bled. Even if it was caused by a Devil Fruit, heâs proving to be a fun opponent.
And so, determined to catch him, I dug in my heel and leapt toward him in a single bound.
âAll set with departure prep. If I just keep going like this, Iâll be home free.â
ââNice ability. Iâll give it a sixty out of a hundred.âĄâ
âHuh?âWhaâ!!!â
Caught slacking, Apoo didnât have time to react before I smashed my fist into his face, slamming him straight into the ground. Bit too strong, actually⊠cracked the floor. That mightâve been a one-hit KO?
âGuhâŠ!!â
âHmm⊠ahaha⥠Not bad. Even with me holding back, you didnât pass out. Thatâs some solid durability! Alright, thenââ
Summoning three UFOs in flashing colors, I floated above the stunned, pale-faced Apoo⊠and announced the beginning of our âplaytime.â
âLetâs continue the music battleâŠâĄâ
ââŠ!!!â
âItâs time for a bullet-hell encore.
For the first time, Apoo came face to face with overwhelming powerâwith reality itself.
Sailing the seas, doing things his own way, riding the vibe however he pleased. His enemies were just playthingsâeasy to provoke, fun to mock. Heâd never lost, never been caught.
As long as it was entertaining for him, that was enough. He truly believed he could keep coasting on his vibe forever. Even against a Yonko.
"âOh? Done already? Câmon, keep dancing, keep dancing~â«"
âHahh... Hahh... Huff...!!â
But he was dead wrong.
She was the elder figure to Kaido of the Beastsâone of the Four Emperorsâand Vice-Governor of the Beasts Pirates. At first glance, she looked like nothing more than a girl. But those beastlike crimson eyes and the aura she carried were nothing short of monstrous⊠The thing standing before him was no human.
He bitterly regretted messing with Nue the Phantom Beast. What heâd intended as a casual attackâhis idea of a âgreetingââhad ended with him instantly pursued, caught, and now being toyed with.
"DANCEâ« DANCEâ« Step aside and dodge away~~~~~â«"
ââŠ!!â
It was less a musical duel and more a one-sided torture session.
Apoo had already realized the vast gap in strength between them. Escape was impossible. He tried fighting back briefly, butâno matter how hard he hit, she didnât even flinch. She wasnât going down. His blows connected, sure, but they didnât feel like they were doing any damage. And now that heâd stopped attacking altogether, it was like she was recovering.
She couldâve ended it in a single strike if she wanted to. But she didnât. She was deliberately holding backâthe overwhelming speed and power sheâd shown at the start, now sealed away.
So what was she doing instead� Bullet hell.
âCrank that voltage up up up~~!!! Next track!! âUnidentifiedâ!! âTwisty-Twisty Folklore Rhythm Danceâ!!!â
âGhhâŠ!!â
From the sky came a barrage of multicolored energy blasts. The patterns shifted every few seconds, and every hit dealt damage.
Apooâs only option was to keep dodging. Nue danced as she posed, calling out technique names that doubled as track titles. Then came bizarre, white, snakelike entities, wriggling and twisting toward him with unpredictable movements. He was struck again, but he couldnât afford to stop movingâso he kept dodging as best he could.
It had been going like this for a while now, and his stamina was running out. If this kept up, he'd eventually stop, and they'd turn him into swiss cheese. He didnât even have the presence of mind to register the music anymore.
âAlready ready to drop~? But Iâm not even close to done dancing!â
ââŠTch!!â
âA monster. Thatâs what she was. Plain and simple.
And she wasnât even a Yonko. Just one of their top brass. Her level was completely different.
On top of that, the only people left around were enemies. The townsfolk had fled. All of his crewmates were down. Only the Beasts Pirates remained, with their officers.
If this kept up, heâd die. He couldnât win. It wasnât fun anymore. The moment that thought hit him, he moved.
âAlâAll right, I give up!! I surrender!! Just stop already!!â
â! Ohh? Hmm⊠well, okay. I guess thatâs fine then! Iâll stop~!!â
Nue looked a little disappointed for a split second, then beamed with a bright smile and cut off the barrage.
He was caught off guard by how easily she stopped, though the fear didnât leave him. As Nue drew closer, he resisted the urge to retreat, instead speaking up quicklyâbefore the rest of the Beasts Pirates could reach them.
âHahh⊠hahh⊠L-Look, Iâm sorry!! Iâve got this habit of messing with people, okay?! I just wanted to see what would happen if I pushed your buttonsâit was a moment of curiosity, thatâs all!!â
âOhhh, I see!! Yeah yeah, I get it!! I totally understand that feeling!! Ahaha, sorry for tormenting you, okay? See, when I canât have fun in a fight âcause the other sideâs too weak, I end up trying to enjoy it in other ways~â
âR-RightâŠâ
âNue-san!!â
Apoo dropped to his knees, apologizing as the other officers arrivedâQueen at the front, followed by the rest. Tesoro was there, too.
âSo itâs over⊠Not much collateral damage this time, for Nue-san, anyway.â
âYou bastard⊠Youâre gonna pay for thisâŠ!! Nue-san, how do you want to handle him!?â
âPicking a fight here, of all places, takes some serious guts.â
Queen and the others glanced around at the townâwrecked from the bullet hell, but relatively intact. Honestly, yeah. It couldâve been a lot worse. After all, Nue had only targeted Apoo with the barrage. If sheâd gone hand-to-hand or unleashed her beast form, the island wouldnât have survived. Sheâd held back.
Page One was seething, demanding retribution. Honestly, moments like this reminded me just how much PÄ-tan and Ulti-chan really were siblingsâshort tempers, the way they lose it whenever someone opposes Kaido or me. Black Maria watched with a kiseru in hand, offering sarcastic praise. Tesoro said nothing, just observing.
Well, anyway. I should probably announce his fateâbefore PÄ-tan gets any angrier.
âNow, now. Settle down. His punishmentâs already decided.â
âAnd what exactly do you intend?â
âSame as always. âApoo.â
â!â
I turned to him. He was pale, clutching his bleeding shoulder, still gasping for breath⊠but we werenât heartless. We always let things slideâno matter who it was.
âJoin us. Come under our flag. We always welcome new strength with open arms! Ours is a pirate crew packed full of fun events!! And hey, youâre a DJ too, right? âĄâ
âHahh⊠hahh⊠Aha-ha⊠I see now⊠So the rumor was trueâyou donât kill anyone whoâs got valueâŠâ
âOh? Youâre well informed~! Yep, thatâs how we roll. Youâve got guts, and youâre decently strong. Join us and you wonât be treated badly. Itâs a meritocracy hereâif youâre strong and useful, youâll get the position you deserve âĄâ
âSo, whatâs your answer?
Apoo hesitated for a moment, something flickering behind his eyes. But his response came smoothly, without delay. And when I heard it, I couldnât help the grin that crept across my lips.
âFufufu~âȘ One of the Worst Generation⊠first one, securedâĄ
ââThe Island of Justice, Enies Lobby, has fallen!!
ââThe pirate âStraw Hat Luffyâ and his crew declare war on the World Government!?
The article printed that day echoed across the globe, sending shockwaves through civilians, marines, and pirates alike.
The name of the âStraw Hat Pirates,â now with a bounty totaling 300 million Berries, spread like wildfire across the world.
âUwahhh~~!! This shipâs the best~~~~!!!â
âItâs the best~~~~!!!â
âEven the lawnâs so soft~~~~!!!â
With a brand-new ship in their hands, the Straw Hat crew set sail from the City of Water, Water 7, aiming for their next destinationâFish-Man Island.
But no voyage is without its share of trouble.
âHmâŠ? Is that what I think it isâŠ?â
A shadow moving through the sky suddenly caught sight of the ship and the pirate flag hoisted atop it. Most of the Straw Hats hadnât noticed yet.
âHuh? What the hell is thatâŠ?â
The first to notice it⊠was the man whoâd been dozing off while on watch: the âPirate Hunterâ Zoro, bounty 120 million Berries.
But by the time he realized it, it was too late. The shadow was already hurtling straight toward the Straw Hatsâ ship, the Thousand Sunny.
âFound youuuuuuu!!!â
â!! Whoa!?â
âWhat the!?â
âAre we under attack!?â
To be precise, it was heading for one man.
Startled by the sudden shout from one of their crewmates, everyone turned to look.
Landing squarely on the grassy deck was none other than Roronoa Zoroâand another figure. A female swordsman with a unique outfit and two blades.
âFuhahahaha!!! Our fateful meeting comes after a hundred years!!!â
ââŠ!! Who the hell are you!?â
âWha!?â
âZoro and some cute girl just fell from the sky!?â
âWhat the hellâs going on!?â
âWho even are you!?â
The woman leapt at Zoro, blades clashing in a fierce exchange. As everyone but Sanjiâwhose eyes turned to heartsâstood stunned and on guard, the swordswoman with two horns shouted something unbelievable.
âRoronoa Zoro! Bounty 120 million Berries!â
âYeah, thatâs me⊠Who the hell are you!?â
âMe? My name is⊠Thatâs right!! Roronoa Musashi!! Iâm your⊠daughter!!! Daddy!!!â
ââŠEh.â
âHaâŠ?â
âWhat⊠did you sayâŠ!?â
âEhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!?â
For a moment, the crew was dumbfoundedâthen all at once, their voices erupted, echoing out over the sea.
ââAnd in the week following the mysterious swordswoman Musashiâs encounter with the Straw Hat Pirates, several events unfolded that could shake the world to its core.
ââ
âIâve been looking for you, TeachâŠ!!!â
â!?! Oh⊠AceâŠ!! CommanderâŠ!!!â
ââOn Banaro Island, deep in the Grand Line, two pirates collidedâ
âNo oneâs going to be able to stop it nowâŠ!!! This era gone mad!!!â
âI fear nothing!!! I am Whitebeard!!!â
ââIn the New World, two of the seaâs emperors stood face to face. Their negotiations failedâand the skies split.
And elsewhere, on an island in the New Worldâ
âHaa-hahahamamamamaâŠ!!! So you finally called. Whatâs this supposed to mean, Kaido?â
ăExactly what it sounds like!! Keep your head nice and cleanâbecause Iâm coming for it, Linlin!!!ă
âWell well⊠You really think you little apprentices are gonna take me down?â
ăWe were apprentices a long time ago. If you still think weâre the same⊠youâre in for a world of pain, LinlinâĄă
That exchange took place between one man and one womanâand one more woman.
They knew each other well. And yet their relationship now was purely hostile. Both sides enemies, ready to betray the other the moment they showed a weakness.
âDonât get cocky just âcause thereâs two of you. Fineâcome if you want. But donât expect to leave alive. You better be ready to dieâŠ!!!â
ăThe one whoâs gonna die is you, Linlin!!! Iâll crush you, so bring it on!!!ă
ăAhahaha!! Just like the old days! Iâm loving this!! Well then⊠letâs talk again next week, shall we~âĄă
And that transmissionâlike the other incidentsâwas another trigger shaking the world to its core.
The storm of this runaway era was finally beyond anyoneâs control. A âNew Ageâ of pirates was about to begin.
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