Chapter 112: The Beginning of the End
What exactly is the public perception of the pirate crew, the "Straw Hat Pirates"?
They're pirates from the "East Blue," with only nine members including their captain.
Yet their combined bounty totals 750 million Berries. An extraordinary case where every member of the crew has a bounty on their head. For a rookie crew sailing the first half of the "Grand Line" and not even a year since their formation, this is an outrageous figure. The very definition of a small, elite force.
Still, considering their accomplishments, it's not exactly an overvaluation.
Right after forming, they took down top bounty holders in the East Blue one after another. Their captain was given an unprecedented bounty of 30 million Berries in the East Blue, and then they plunged into the Grand Line. There, they defeated one of the "Seven Warlords of the Sea," Sir Crocodile, in Alabasta. The captainâs bounty rose to 100 million, and bounties were placed on the other members as well.
But even then, they weren't widely known pirates yet. Their name truly spread after the sensational event that shook the newspapers â the fall of "Enies Lobby," the Judicial Island.
Incredibly, the Straw Hat crew stormed Enies Lobby, one of the three great institutions of the World Government, set fire to the Governmentâs flag, and declared war. They then went on to defeat "CP9," a group of assassins long touted as the Governmentâs strongest, and brought the island to ruin.
And since then⌠although not as publicly known, they also defeated another Warlord, Gecko Moria, once again troubling the Government.
Which is why the general public sees them as insane pirates. And rightly so. Attacking the Judicial Island isnât something sane people do. And they succeeded at it.
No matter how favorably they're viewed by those who know them personally, in the eyes of society, they are pirates â deranged and dangerous villains. That is the general assessment.
ââHowever, that is only how the general public sees them.
From another perspective, there are no pirates more intriguing than they are.
After allââthey are the center of this world.
Unfortunately, only one person in the world knows this. But from her perspective, their existence cannot be ignored â they are the "protagonists" of the original story, destined to become the future rulers of the sea, the "Pirate King" and his crew. Henceââshe chooses to make contact with them to learn about who they are now.
ăââYaaay!! Bubbly~⥠Ahhh~~~âŚâŚă
"Kyah! Hey, whatâs wrong?"
"Oh, itâs because Iâm a Devil Fruit user â if I soak in the bath, I lose all strength~. So Iâd really appreciate it if someone could support me~âŞ"
"You sure seem to be enjoying yourself despite thatâŚ"
âŚwas one of her excuses. This mysterious girl â "Nue" â was currently indulging in the ultimate fanservice from the Straw Hat crew, bathing together with the two female members. She was closely inspecting the naked bodies of none other than Nami and Robin â something everyone must surely dream of. A personâs dream never ends.
ăHaaaď˝ď˝ď˝âĄ That felt amazing!! This shipâs bath is the best!!ă
"Oi!! Youâve got good taste, I see. This super ship I made is the best, yâknow!!"
"The bath with Nami-san and the othersâŚâŚâĄââAnyway, here you go, mademoiselle. Your requested meal."
"Yaaay!! Thank you~!!"
On the deck of the Thousand Sunny. A table with a parasol and chairs sat on the grass, and there I was, being served by the chef â yes, itâs me, the worldâs idol, Nue-chan!!
So right now, Iâm enjoying myself aboard the Straw Hat Piratesâ ship, counted among the Supernovas. I presented myself as a pure and innocent, cute girl who just wandered aboard. At times like these, being small and cute means people let their guard down. Itâs easy to get welcomed. If it were Kaido, even if people didnât know who he was, theyâd immediately put up their guard and go pale. I mean, heâs huge and scary. By contrast, I look harmless. Thatâs one of my charms. Cuteness is justice!
So, using that charm effectively⌠while also taking care to mask my true identity with some obscure guise, I decided to start by taking a bath. I joined the two rare women on this crew.
ăPirate "Straw Hat Pirates" Navigator "Cat Burglar" Nami â Bounty: 16,000,000 Berriesă
"So, where exactly did you come from?"
ăPirate "Straw Hat Pirates" Archaeologist "Devil Child" Nico Robin â Bounty: 80,000,000 Berriesă
"Doesnât seem like you stowed away from Thriller Bark either."
An exceptional navigator who can sense the weather by skin alone, and the worldâs only person said to be able to read ancient scripts â both stunning beauties. Well, not as stunning as me though!!
Even so, as someone familiar with them, I was interested in their beauty. Just like I once did with Hancock-chan, I got in the bath with them to find out more. The result⌠grrr⌠their development is absurdâŚ!!
Had my old male mindset from long ago still lingered, I might have enjoyed it more. But now, all I felt was frustration and jealousy. Iâm a cute girl through and through now. As a remnant, I can enjoy touching other girls, but since I feel it as girl-to-girl fun, thereâs no lewdness. I donât even feel regret over that.
So in that regard, I have mixed feelings.ââBecause I donât want to admit it!! That I, the worldâs most beautiful girl, I would be rivaled in development by my own transformed self!!
Of course, I firmly believe that my adorably petite body is the cutest and most attractive. But losing out in charm is frustrating as a girl, so sometimes I change my body a little. Adjusting my figure is easy with my abilities and techniques.
Even so, their physical beauty was nothing to scoff at. Well⌠I suppose I can acknowledge it. As the worldâs cutest idol, Iâll accept it with grace. Thatâs what it means to be a queen. Refusing to acknowledge it out of spite is for losers (shaking voice).
Anyway. These two are undeniably outstanding crewmates. As a navigator, Nami is off the charts even by New World standards. She still lacks in knowledge, but more importantly, her innate ability to sense the weather is insane. Knowledge can be gained, but unique talent canât be acquired even if you want it.
Her strength lags behind the others â even with the âClima-Tactâ weapon, her physical ability is close to an average person. But a navigatorâs job isnât to fight, so thatâs fine. The more I think about it, the more I want her. I get why that shark-for-food Arlong was so obsessed with her.
And the other one⌠as for Nico Robin, the archaeologist, thereâs no need to say much.
Sheâs the survivor of Ohara, the daughter of one of our own. She possesses the knowledge to read the "Poneglyphs," which everyone desires.
A user of the Hana Hana no Mi, and strong enough within the crew. Sheâs also quite clever⌠but honestly, that doesnât even matter. The ability to read ancient text trumps all.
Because⌠you know? Itâs necessary to obtain the Ancient Weapons, or become the Pirate King. Without that, a pirate wouldnât need someone with the title of "archaeologist." History doesnât matter to pirates â what matters is the power that can be gleaned from it.
So my evaluation of these two is without complaint. Perfect scores. They can hold their own even in the New World. You have my seal of approval⌠ah, I should answer their questions now. Iâll miss out if I donât enjoy the conversation too.
"I just saw this really awesome, interesting-looking ship and snuck aboard!! ââNom. Mmmď˝ď˝ď˝âĄ So tastyď˝ď˝âĄ"
"Youâve got good sense, girl. But let me tell ya, the Thousand Sunnyâs greatness isnât just its looks!! Though I did go all out on the design, too."
"Yeah yeah, I think itâs a great ship. The foodâs super yummy too!!"
"Why thank youââwait, you already ate it? Want seconds?"
"Yup!! I wanna eat more!!"
"Alright then, hang on a sec. Iâll stuff you full."
"Thanks!! ââAh, but donât treat me like a kid, that pisses me off. Treat me like a proper girl⥠Or Iâll kill youâĄ"
"Oh ho, scary words from a little lady⌠Understood, milady."
"There wonât be a next time~âĄ"
Waving goodbye to the blond, funny-eyebrowed cook as he headed back into the ship, I chatted briefly about the ship with the sunglasses-and-swim-trunks pervert guy.ââThese two are quite the characters too.
ăPirate "Straw Hat Pirates" Shipwright "Cyborg Ironman" Franky â Bounty: 44,000,000 Berriesă
ăPirate "Straw Hat Pirates" Cook "Black Leg" Sanji â Bounty: 77,000,000 Berriesă
First, the shipwright â the pervert. He used to run the Franky Family, a group of bounty hunters and ship dismantlers in the shipbuilding city of Water 7.
Heâs also one of the disciples of Tom, the shipwright who built the Pirate Kingâs ship, and the original holder of the Pluton blueprints. He might still have them memorized â and if so, that would make him the most terrifying one of all. But after a series of events, those plans were burned. A risky gamble if Iâve ever seen one, really.
In any case, his shipbuilding skills are quite solid. The Thousand Sunny is a fine ship. Personally, I think it lacks a bit in weaponry, but the main cannon and acceleration system alone are techniques Iâd love to learn. Wano and our craftsmen arenât bad, but this pervertâs tech is just⌠baffling. What on earth did Tom teach him?
And with that same perverted tech, he remodeled his own body into a "cyborg"ââbut frankly, compared to the Governmentâs human weapons, he pales. And even as a standalone fighter, heâs not that strong, so heâs not much of a threat.
Still, if you could mass-produce him, heâd be decent as a combat force. And considering the tech could evolve further, we canât underestimate him. In any case, Franky earns a positive evaluation. Heâs a capable shipwright.
Next up is the cook, Sanji. Heâs a fighting chef with a background as the sous-chef at the floating restaurant Baratie.
A disciple, so to speak, of âRed-Leg Zeff,â the man known for never using his hands in combatâonly his legs. Thatâs why his kicking techniques are top-tier among the Straw Hats. Heâs easily in the top three when it comes to combat ability... but more importantly than thatâfar more importantlyâis his skill as a chef!!
Honestly, when I set out to meet the Straw Hat Pirates, what I was looking forward to the most was Sanjiâs cooking. Iâd eaten at Baratie before and had high expectations, but his skill has far surpassed even that.
Our King has leveled up quite a bit himself and canât be beat when it comes to grilled food, but Sanjiâs strength lies in how well-rounded he is. He can make anythingâand itâs all delicious.
Heâs been serving up dish after dishâmeat, seafood, noodles like pasta, sweets, dessertsâeach one perfect. I canât stop eating. Personally, heâs the crewmember I want the most. Iâd love to make him my personal chef... or have him serve under King. Not that I expect itâll ever happen.
And then thereâs his fascinating background. A real prince of the Vinsmoke family. Hilarious, right? I really enjoyed watching him sulk after that whole reveal. Still do. Sanjiâs the kind of guy whoâs made to suffer beautifully... Ah, he seems to consider me just outside his strike zone, but Iâll chalk that up to differences in taste and let it slide. Now thenâonto the two non-human ones.
âDid you say... Nue-san? What do you mean, a passing idol who happens to be our fan?â
âExactly what it sounds like! You guys donât realize how famous you are? Not that youâre as famous as meâan adorable idol who sings and dances!!â
â? Hey, whatâs an idol?â
âIt means someone cute and super popular, like me, who sings and dances!! Youâre pretty cute too though~~âĄâ
â!? Wh-Whoa!! Whatâre you doing!?â
âEee~! So fluffy~⥠Fluffy fluffy flluuuffyyy~~âĄâ
âYohoho! What a delightful coincidence!! I too am a musician, so I suspect weâll get along quite well, dear lady who loves song and dance! In fact, would you care for a tune!?â
â...Sure!! Why not, Iâll sing for you!! My voice is on the high side, but think of it as a special treatâŞâ
And so I sang along while petting this round, adorable mascot-like creature, to the violin music of the tall skeleton. The tune? âBinksâ Brew.â A pirate classic. Sure, my original songs are better, but this oneâs not badâI like it. And yes, both of these strange ones are also part of the Straw Hat crew.
"Pirate â Straw Hat Crew â Musician 'Humming Brook' â Bounty: 33 million berries"
"Pirate â Straw Hat Crew â Ship Doctor 'Cotton Candy Lover Chopper' â Bounty: 50 berries"
The skeleton is Brook. He looks just like a walking corpse. Thanks to the power of the Revive-Revive Fruit, he came back to life in skeletal formâan utterly bizarre being. And coming from me, that means something. Heâs kind of a mystery, to be honest. No idea how his body even functions. But he feels like someone I could get along with as a fellow youkai.
âBy the way, young lady... would you mind showing me your panties?â
âAhahahahaha!!! Too bad~ Whatâs under my skirt is a total mysteryâĄâ
âWell then, perhaps just the colorââ
âAsk that again and Iâll shatter every bone in your body⥠You damn pervy skeletonâĄâ
This perverted musician actually has some real skill with his instrumentâheâs about on par with our music division. I rate him pretty highly, personally. As for his strength... I think heâs decently tough. Being dead and made of bones means heâs got resistances, plus his swordsmanship is fast thanks to how light he is. Really, heâs like a walking joke. I mean, just listen to what he says! A total creep.
For the record, my skirt defense is flawless. The method is classified: sometimes itâs mist, sometimes itâs sleight of cloth. Sometimes Iâm wearing them, sometimes it just looks like Iâm not. Usually black. I donât mind showing skin, but panties are a no. Thatâs the âmystery girlâ standard. My pride.
Anyway, moving on. Next is the blue-nosed reindeer. The shipâs doctor, Tony Tony Chopper, a Zoan-type animal who ate the Human-Human Fruit. Heâs a total fluffball. Fluffy. Warm. Fuzzy fur that makes him perfect as a hug pillow. Adorable. Just absolutely irresistible for someone like me, who loves cute things. I want to keep him as a pet. In fact, the world seems to agreeâhis bounty is a mere 50 berries, basically treating him as one.
But heâs way too skilled as a doctor for that. Seriously competent. Our medical teamâs decent, not bad by any means, but we donât prioritize it. Most of us are Zoan types who heal quickly anyway, especially those at the Gifters level and upâmyself included. Queen can even create viruses, and he knows enough to make vaccines and antidotes when he needs to, but heâs more about breaking bodies than healing them.
Chopper, though, is just a plain good doctor. Whatâs more, heâs invented drugs that mess with the transformation frequencies of Zoan users. Now thatâs interesting. The Rumble Ball. With that, we could maybe manufacture half-awakened Zoan soldiers in bulk. A nice little fantasy.
As for his combat skills, heâs not bad. Kind of a coward, sure, but heâs a Zoan-type animal. Physically stronger than your average human. Another one Iâd love to have. Name your priceâIâll pay. Five hundred million on the spot. I want to make him mine. Iâve even thought about getting him captured and sold at the Human Shop so I could buy him... but honestly, if Iâm going to go that far, I might as well just steal him myself. Ugh, decisions.
âHmm... You donât look like Marines or bounty hunters... Are you really fine just standing there?â
âAhaha, of course I am. Iâm an idol, remember? ...Uh, hey, are you a tengu?â
âExactly! This long nose is proof IâmâHEY!! Iâm not a tengu!!â
âAhahaha!! Long-nose-kun, youâre hilarious!!â
That got a reaction out of the long-nosed guy whoâd been trying to decide whether I was worth being cautious of. He even did a little comedy routine. Pretty fun guy. Heâs another member of the crewâand a bit of a big shot himself. That would be:
"Pirate â Straw Hat Crew â Sniper 'Sogeking the King of Snipers' â Bounty: 30 million berries"
Yep. The guy who infamously burned the World Governmentâs flag. Sogekingâbetter known as Usopp.
But honestly, I donât have much to say about him. As a sniper, heâs good. Not the strongest fighter, though. Skilled at lying, and sneakily clever. He made Namiâs weapon too, I think. Heâs got a surprising knack for standing out in subtle ways.
...Honestly, heâs the hardest one to rate. Fans of the original would say not recognizing Usopp is a rookie mistakeâbut seeing him in person like this? It really is a mystery how he manages to accomplish anything. Sure, heâs the son of Yasopp, so thereâs probably some hidden durability and foot speed in there, but letâs be real: he looks weak. Too weak to worry about. But maybe thatâs the trapâmaybe you donât take him seriously, and thatâs when he strikes. His snipingâs solid, at least, so he earns his role. The fact that someone so weak can still shine? In a way, Usopp might be the most impressive of them all.
And the last two crewmates are quite famous even outside their group. Both are part of the Eleven Supernovas.
âTch... Seriously, whatâs the deal. Iâm heading back to the ship.â
âEhh~? Donât be so cold! Come chat with me, Mr. Delicious Lettuce~â
âWho the hellâs Mr. Lettuce!? Iâll cut you!!â
âHey, you wouldnât happen to know how to get to Fish-Man Island, would you?â
The green-haired swordsman who immediately lost interest after realizing Iâm just a cute girl, and the guy in the straw hat casually asking for directions to the next island without a care in the world. Both are pirates with bounties over a hundred million.
"Pirate â Straw Hat Crew â Combatant 'Pirate Hunter Zoro' â Bounty: 120 million berries"
"Pirate â Straw Hat Crew â Captain 'Straw Hat Luffy' â Bounty: 300 million berries"
To have bounties that high within just under a year of sailing... says a lot about their combat ability.
Zoroâs widely recognized as the Straw Hat crewâs most dependable member. Heâs got a reputation for things like defeating a hundred bounty hunters at Whisky Peak, and regularly taking down enemy number-twos. Even the government acknowledges his strength. He still looks a bit raw to meâgreen, unpolishedâbut for a non-Devil Fruit user with no Haki, his swordsmanship isnât bad. Physically strong too. As he is now, heâd make a decent Tobi Roppo. And talent-wise, thereâs no question.
And then... thereâs their captain, Monkey D. Luffy. His nameâs notorious. I even asked Appoo, whoâs surprisingly well-informed for a fellow rookie, and he said the Straw Hats are full of lunatics, with Luffy as the craziest of them all.
And itâs not just hearsay. Heâs defeated two Warlords and took down CP9, destroying Enies Lobby in the process. Totally unhinged. His tendency to charge headfirst into stronger opponents reminds me of some of our own execs. That unshakable belief in his own strength? Feels a bit like Ulti-chan.
But yeah, that kind of mindset is captain material. Heâs definitely suited to lead a pirate crew. Not surprising, considering heâs Garpâs grandson and Dragonâs son.
That âRed-Hairedâ brat passing on his hat? Kinda makes sense. With the potential for Conquerorâs Haki and his insane growth rate, the future looks bright. A Rubber Human thanks to the Gum-Gum Fruit, with physical strength, durability, and recovery to match.
ââThat said... And this goes for the rest of the crew too...
"âŚâŚâŚâŚ"
"Hmm? What's up? You've been staring at me."
"Nuh-uh, it's nothing. Fish-Man Island, right? Iâve heard itâs a wonderful place~⪠So many delicious sea-food-delicacies you can eat as much as you want~âĄ"
"UOOOH!! Seriously!? Alright, boys, full speed ahead to Fish-Man Island!!"
"Iâm tellinâ ya, we donât even know how to get there!!"
Luffy gave the order to head to Fish-Man Island just from hearing about the food, and Usopp instantly shot him down. Watching them, I couldnât help but chuckle. It was genuinely amusing.
But in the back of my mind, I was thinkingâhow far will this "heaven-sent luck" of the Straw Hat crew⌠no, of Straw Hat Luffy himself, carry him?
It's strange when I think about it. Iâve lived in this world for over fifty years, and Iâve been a pirate for more than forty. Even now, I still donât understand it.
Not even after pondering the words of my former captain and Roger. Not even after decoding several of the Poneglyphs, the true history. Or the prophecy that Odenâs wife, Toki, sang before her death. The Will of D and all that surrounding mystery⌠This man, destined to be Pirate King, almost feels like heâs being sustained by fate itself.
It really makes me wonder. Because if thatâs trueâŚ
If he truly is being guided by divine luck, and everything keeps conveniently turning in his favorâthen how, exactly, is he going to escape me, right here and now?
"Hey⌠did you come from Fish-Man Island? If so, Iâd really appreciate it if you could tell us how to get there."
"Hmm, not really from there, no. Though, I am cuter than any mermaid, you know!!"
"This kid⌠doesn't really speak our language, huhâŚ"
I watched them chatting so casually with me, so relaxed. As rookies, theyâre not bad. Thereâs a certain spark to them. Potential, maybe even resolve.
But in terms of actual strength, theyâre nowhere near ready for the New World. A flimsy little crew thatâd scatter at the first real threat. One single triggerâone accidentâis all itâd take to shatter them.
To be blunt, theyâre nowhere close to being real pirates. Just kids playing pirate games. Sure, there are things worth acknowledgingâsome potential utility, maybe even combat value if they were allies. But as enemies⌠they pose no threat at all.
Straw Hat Luffy, the captain, may have defeated two Warlords and even Rob Lucci from CP9, but that was thanks to sheer luck. His raw power still isnât at a Warlordâs level. And his crewmates? Even weaker than that.
To survive the seas ahead as pirates⌠what they lack mostâmore than anything elseâis power.
If I went berserk here and now, I already know how itâd endâtheyâd all die.
Which is why I canât help but wonder. If I do go wild here, how will that so-called "heavenly luck" protect them?
No⌠it canât. No matter how you twist it, thereâs no saving them. I could rip the limbs off that woman and the tin man right now, gnaw off the long-noseâs head and stuff it down my throat, and slaughter the rest one by one as they scramble in horror.
Thatâs the kind of future I could bring aboutâeasily.
Could anything stop that from happening? âŚOf course not.
Unless, by some miracle, a certain red-haired man were to appear out of nowhere, itâs impossible. And even if the Navy showed up, I wouldnât stop. Whatever unforeseen events occur, I could kill at least one of them in a single second. Tragedy is unavoidable.
âŚOr is it? Could that "heavenly luck," or the so-called Will of D, also include the fact that I havenât killed them yet?
If thatâs the caseâthen all I can do is laugh. Laugh at the ridiculous optimism behind this "Will of D."
What, does it think I wouldnât kill them?
âŚWhen I get underestimated like that, it really makes me want to do the oppositeâjust to prove a pointâĄ
"Hey, Straw Hat Luffy?"
"Hmm? What is it?"
I asked him, my tone gentle, as if offering adviceâbut with a warning hidden beneath.
"âŚâŚActually, I can see things, you know. See peopleâs futures. And I just happened to take a peek at yours⌠so I figured Iâd give you a little warning."
"Huh!? The future~~!?"
"Come on, Luffy. Sheâs just messing with you. Thatâs what fortune tellers do, right?"
"Wait, youâre a fortune teller?"
"Got it. Hereâs the next dish, freshly made."
"ââThanks⥠Just leave it there."
And so, I spoke to the Straw Hats, who were laughing me off, dismissing my words as a joke. I gave them a generous prophecy.
"If you continue sailing forward⌠youâre going to lose something precious."
"!"
That, at least, wiped the smiles off their faces. I watched the change in their expressions with amusement, then smiled and laid it out clearly.
"As you are now, you wonât survive the seas ahead. If you keep going, all that awaits you is hell. Turning back now would be the smarter moveâĄ"
Yes⌠from here on out, tragedy is very likely to strike Straw Hat Luffy.
And even if he overcomes it⌠what awaits is an even higher wall, a deeper hell.
Thatâs why this is my first and last act of kindness. If they turn back now, Iâll spare them from that future.
"Soâ"
"Shut the hell up!!!"
"!"
But of course⌠he refused.
As if to say heâd decide his own fate.
"I donât care about the future!! Iâm gonna live free!! Donât go deciding my future for me!!"
"âŚâŚ!"
ăA pirateâs supposed to be freeâŚă
ăPirates are free!!ă
In that moment⌠I suddenly remembered the voices of two people long past.
Straw Hat Luffyâs wordsâso direct, so unwaveringâreminded me of those two.
"âŚâŚâŚâŚ"
"Hey, Luffy! Donât get so worked up! Sheâs just a kid! Look, you made her go quiet!"
"Yup!!"
"âŚâŚWell, I mean, that fortune was pretty grim. Still, no need to take it to heart. Come on, eat before it gets cold."
"âŚâŚI see."
"Huh? See what?"
I didnât answer directly. Instead, I glanced toward Nami, Sanji, the ones whoâd stepped in for me.
And quietly murmured to no one in particularâ
"âŚâŚHeh heh. You⌠really are just like him."
âHuh?â
Luffy, his cheek being tugged by Nami, tilted his head with a question mark floating over it. âŚWell, it wasnât something that needed to be explained aloud anyway.
âItâs nothing. Youâre right. If youâve made up your mind, then⌠just ignore the fortune and keep moving forward. Predictions are uncertain thingsâyou never know if theyâll come true or not.â
âI was gonna do that even if you didnât tell me.â
âAhaha!! Thatâs true!!â
Looks like he really is ready.
Then thereâs no need for me to hold myself back either. I can go all out.
Stillâ
âWell then, Iâll be taking my leave.â
âHuh? ââ!?â
Nowâs a good time.
With a snap of my fingers, black mist spread across the spaceâand I vanished.
And as soon as the mist cleared, I could hear their shocked reactions. They stared wide-eyed at the table where Iâd been sitting just moments ago.
âShe disappeared!!?â
âHey, even the foodâs goneâŚ!! Where the hell did she goâŚ!?â
âCould it be⌠a ghost!? Something inhuman!? Iâm very scared~~!!â
âDonât say that, youâre a skeleton!!â
âIâll be taking the food with me~. Thanks for the bath, too. Bye-bye~!â
âWait, we can still hear her voice~~~~!!?â
âS-S-So she really is a ghost!?â
Wow, theyâre so freaked out. Fufufu⪠Especially Usopp, Chopper, and Brookâthe way they tremble in fear is absolutely delicious. The others seemed pretty confused too.
Well, Iâm just flying through the sky normally, you know. Thanks to this mystery seed, even if they see me, theyâll just think Iâm a bird or something. ââAnyway, I suppose Iâll leave it at that for today. From the beginning, I only wanted to meet them face-to-face at least once, and Iâve enjoyed that enough.
âIt really would be a waste to kill them now, so Iâll let them go this timeâĄâ
Munching on a few tangerines I swiped on my way out, I muttered to myselfâa voice they couldnât hear. Sure, I could kill them now, but then everything up to this point wouldâve been pointless. Besides, it wouldnât be any fun. I still owe Garp a little, too.
Iâve seen them laugh, celebrate victories, mourn lossesâI know what theyâre like. But what I truly want to see⌠is the moment when they fall into true despair. When their resolve finally breaks.
If theyâve grown strong enough by the time they reach the New World⌠by the time they reach Wano, Iâll crush them myself. Until then, theyâre better left alone. Teasing them now wouldnât be that satisfying. Too soon.
Besides, Iâve got a much bigger event coming up right now.
âTime to head back to Kaido. Thereâs still that move against the âRed-Hairedâ to set in motionâŚ!!â
Ahahaha, I should start thinking of ways to torment them next time. What would be best� Killing their friends and crewmates is always a classic.
And it looks like theyâve got a lot of precious things. For example, I bet that skeleton would bawl if I shattered his
to pieces, or maybe made some fried whale out of that one friend of his. The others tooâIâd love to watch that brightness of theirs dim just a little.Humans⌠especially they shine the most in those moments of hardship, donât you think? Fufu, Iâve never seen them truly break before. Iâm so looking forward to it⥠Letâs hope they survive until thenââdo your best, Straw Hat crew!! Iâll be cheering you on forever and ever, as your biggest fa~an since the very beginning!!
After the mysterious girl Nue suddenly vanished, the Straw Hat crew stood there dumbfounded, as if theyâd just been tricked by a fox. But they knew standing around wouldnât get them anywhere, so they resumed their investigation for the journey to Fish-Man Island.
ââŚHm? Robin-chan, something bothering you?â
ââŚNo, itâs nothing.â
Amid the commotion, Robin found the girl's name familiar. She had been mulling over whether that girl might be the same person as someone she'd heard about before, but couldnât reach a conclusion.
After all, the rumors about that person were nothing but dangerous, and she was supposed to be a veteran pirate whoâd been around for quite some time. Thereâs no way that couldâve been a young girl like her. Besides, Robin had heard she was a black-haired woman. So at first, she dismissed the possibility outright. But⌠something about her final words, and the way she had appeared and disappeared without a traceâit was enough to make Robin wonder if theyâd just crossed paths with someone truly formidable.
That said, the girlâwho may have been that legendary figureâwas already gone. Maybe it didnât matter anymore.
Regardless, they had to focus on finding clues to reach Fish-Man Island. And just as everyone was getting back into motionâ
âHey, now that I think about it, that girl kinda looked like one of Aceâs old buddies.â
âHuh? You mean⌠Musashi? No way, she didnât look that much like her.â
âYou think so? I thought they were pretty similar~â
âThere you go again, saying whatever comes to mind⌠Hey, stop talking nonsense and get below deck already. Donât you wanna ride the sub too?â
âOh right!! Letâs go, Fish-Man Island~~~!!â
Luffy blurted out another of his oddball observations to Usopp, and after Sanji pushed him along, he dashed into the ship. âA few dozen minutes later, they encountered a mermaid, a starfish, and an old acquaintance: a fish-man octopus. Thanks to that meeting, the crew learned of a lead that would take them to the Sabaody Archipelago as the next step toward reaching Fish-Man Island.
âAnd it was there that they would come to understand.
The true level of the seas that lay ahead⌠and the unimaginable hardships awaiting them on the path toward becoming the King of the Pirates.
And that the world⌠was already being swept up in a tide no one could stop.
That afternoon, a newspaper extra hit the streets. Its contents shocked the publicâand the entire world.
âAre they insane!? The World GovernmentâŚ!!!â
âWhat!?â
âCaptain!! This is badâREALLY bad!!â
The people and pirates on the Sabaody Archipelago, having gotten hold of the information earlier than most, were thrown into uproar. Among them, one of the so-called Supernovasârookies with bounties over a hundred millionâsummed it up.
âWhat happened!?â
âThe second division commander of Whitebeardâs crew, Fire Fist Ace, is set to be publicly executed.â
âWhat!? âŚWhaaaaat!!? If they do that, wonât Whitebeard make his move!?â
âWeâre gonna have a war on our handsâŚ!!!â
Yesâwhat was coming⌠was war.
The World Government, Marine Headquarters, and the Seven Warlords of the Sea had resolved to execute Fire Fist Ace.
Standing in opposition⌠was one of the Four Emperorsâ
ââŚOld man. This articleâŚ!!â
ââŚYeah. That bastard Sengoku⌠heâs hell-bent on killing Ace. Gurararara⌠Seems heâs taking me lightly tooâŚ!!!â
âNaturally, the first to move in the New World⌠was the Whitebeard Pirates.
But it wouldnât stop there. One by one, the other Four Emperors would begin to stir.
âMa~ma!! Itâs out!! The governmentâs decision is in print!!!â
âHa~hahahamamaâŚ!!! Just as the intel saidâŚ!!!â
The queen of the land of sweets cackled as she read the articleâawaiting the moment the party would begin.
Elsewhereâ
âKaido-san. Preparations are complete.â
ăIâm done setting the stage too. Iâll join you at sea soon~âŞă
âWororororoâŚ!!! Then letâs get this show on the roadâŚ!!! The end beginsâŚ!!!â
The worldâs strongest creature, ruler of the land of samurai, let out a feral laugh as he led his beasts forwardâushering in the beginning of the end.
And in another placeâ
âWhat now, BossâŚ?â
ââŚYeah, weâre going. Get the ship ready⌠Weâre stopping them.â
Feeling the sting of the scar over his left eye, he didnât smile. Not even once. He moved to halt the tide of bloodshed that was about to flood the seas.
The Four Emperors began to move. So did the Seven Warlords. And the Navy Headquarters.
This⌠this is why the Grand Line is called a graveyard for pirates. And their movements would inevitably drag the entire world into the fray.
And so, they would not be the only ones to gather.
ââSo, thatâs the situation. Whatâll it be? If youâre coming, Iâll even let you help.â
ââŚâLet me help,â huh⌠Youâve gotten cocky. Talking down to me like that.â
âMmm~? So you donât want to help? Thatâs fine too, you know. Iâd actually rather head home. This place stinks, I canât stand it.â
ââŚNo, fine. Rogerâs son, Whitebeard, the Navy⌠if all thatâs involved⌠then maybe itâs not a bad time to show the results of my twenty years of biding my time⌠Ji-ha-ha-ha-haâŚ!!!â
ââŚGot it. Then the participation fee is a billion berries. Make sure you pay up before the deadlineâĄâ
âThereâs a fee!? And itâs THAT much!?â
And soâwhat was about to begin⌠would be the greatest war since the dawn of the Great Pirate Era.
A war no one had ever seen before. Its curtain had already risenâand slowly, it was dragging the world toward its end.
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