The New World, Elbaf waters.
"Ah, how much longer do we have to guard this damn place?"
On the lavishly decorated ship, a man in a black military uniform and patterned underwear, legs propped up on a wooden desk, let out a sigh.
"They're just giants, right? Let's just go in, kill their elders, and burn the country down."
The man covered his forehead and leaned back: "My sweetheart at home, the art of love is waiting for me!"
"Ugh, Sommers, you bastard."
The red-haired man standing at the bow turned slightly, looked at this dissolute subordinate, and held his head in pain.
Destroy the land of the giants? For their God's Knight Order, it would indeed be very simple.
But what then?
Giants, exiled across the seas, filled with resentment, turning their blades towards the Celestial Dragons and the World Government with a will for revenge.
Relying on their innate terrifying physiques, and attracting a few Devil Fruits with special abilities, they could create a ship full of powerhouses in the blink of an eye.
If those people joined the anti-World Government forces, how would they fight that future war? With their heads?
"We were so close to taking Elbaf back then, why did it turn out like this!"
Lifting his leg, he kicked Somaz away. The man placed his hand on the rapier at his waist, his aura becoming restless.
But on a giant rock near the lowest of Elbaf's three realms, the Underworld, a man wearing a conical hat was staring at him with a wild, arrogant smile.
-Mountain Eater, Scopper Gaban!
"Tch, damn pirates!"
Closing his eyes, the scorching Haki slowly receded. The man turned and walked down from the bow.
"Hey, Captain Garling, look at this!"
Taking the newspaper from a news coo in the sky, Shepherd Somaz got up.
He held up a wanted poster, shaking it at the man descending from the bow. A flash of pink on the image was particularly eye-catching under the reflected sunlight.
"This person is..."
Figarland Garling's gaze shifted, recalling some rumors from the Holy Land.
The collectible personally designated by a certain Lord, circulating from the Room of Authority.
"Ahahaha, let me tell you, that fool Jalmack was killed by her."
Pulling pants from a box and putting them on, Shepherd Sommers pointed at the portrait on the wanted poster, laughing until tears flew.
"Those five useless old men let her grow to this extent."
Garling snorted contemptuously, but his eyes remained locked on the girl on the wanted poster.
Although it was a small... micro-sized pirate crew of only two members, the person in the image already possessed the power the World Government feared most on this sea.
Namely… the fame to gather a massive force.
No matter how grand an individual's power, they cannot seize the World Government's ecological niche in a power vacuum. What can replace this behemoth must inevitably be another behemoth.
This is also why, for 800 years, the World Government has constantly stirred up conflicts between affiliate nations, dividing and isolating communication and connections between all countries.
After all, whoever masters the power to mobilize everything also possesses authority.
This cruel world is only in this aspect, equally disgusting.
"This woman is also ungrateful, clearly having the chance to become a Celestial Dragon."
Casually swinging out a flying slash, he severed the wanted poster along with Sommers' hand.
"Captain, do you think it's possible that the other party simply doesn't know about this matter?"
Sommers looked helpless, bent down to pick up his severed hand, and reattached it to the stump.
The sound of military boots tapping the ground stopped. Garling turned back, full of bewilderment.
"Huh?"
…
"Is that so? Then thank you very much!"
On the mountain path behind the Isshin Dojo, Koushirou smiled, his hands tucked inside his robe, thanking the girl behind him.
"That child Kuina has been strong-willed since she was a child. I thought she would break through her barriers competing with another disciple, but I didn't expect her to meet Sakura-san first."
Behind him, Sakura, hands behind her head, waved playfully. "It's nothing!"
Arriving at a valley, Koushirou stood firm.
"Well, since the matter of thanks is settled."
The man pulled his hands out and pushed the bridge of his glasses.
"It's time we talked about… Sakura-san leading my daughter onto the path of piracy!"
"Whaaat?!!"
The pink ahoge on the girl's head stood straight up. Cold sweat began to slide down her forehead and face.
"Wait, this is a misunderstanding, I just accidentally..."
"Misunderstanding..."
Koushirou pressed his wrist down. A tachi with a blade length of about 80 cm slid from his sleeve. The hand gripping the hilt had bulging veins.
When he saw his daughter in the dojo this morning, having overcome the barriers for female swordsmen and grown stronger, Koushirou's heart was originally filled with immense joy.
But just when he thought his daughter had let go of her pride and understood the will to protect, able to tread the path of strength with a benevolent sword...
He heard from his daughter's mouth: She wants to be like Haruno Sakura, climbing to become the world's strongest with a conviction that surpasses everything.
Koushirou's world collapsed!
What a good child Kuina used to be… obedient, lovely, diligent, simple, remarkably talented... Apart from a few minor personality flaws, she was almost perfect.
But after just one night with this pirate, she turned into this delinquent girl reeking of rebellion.
How could Koushirou, as a father, not feel as if his heart were being sliced by a knife?
Alas, the wood is already shaped into a boat... It's like the childhood sweetheart you've always longed for runs off with the guy next door, and even takes on his shape. Everything is already beyond regret.
"Damn pirate, I'll kill you!"
The man's eyes were crimson. He gripped his sword with all his might. In that instant, a clear, resonant ring sounded in the wind.
Screech-!
A massive sword light, with the man's will to sever all things as its bowstring, shot forth.
The sharp sword intent stirred up a storm. After shattering the mountain behind Sakura, its remaining force charged towards the sea, cutting it open.
A Great Swordsman's slash, without a doubt.
Sakura, barely avoiding it thanks to Observation Haki warning, glanced at the devastation behind her and swallowed hard: "Hey now, are you serious?"
Before her, Koushirou tore off the coat on his back and raised his blade.
"Enough talk! If you want to take my daughter, you'll have to get through me first!"
Koushirou, his reason burned away by rage, couldn't hear any explanation. The tachi in his hand was raised.
The blade, with its crescent-shaped blade pattern, turned into a black moon under the saturation of Armament Haki. The blade edge emitted a sharp aura.
"Tch, are swordsmen all beasts? Fine, let me face you then!"
Sakura reached out and grasped the air. An ice sword slowly condensed.
Boom!
The peaceful island suddenly erupted with violent tremors. Villagers working in the fields as usual were shaken to the ground, looking around in confusion.
Inside the Isshin Dojo, Kuina, who was practicing basic swings, noticed the anomaly, let go of her wooden sword, and ran towards the deep mountains.
Charging into the mountains, the originally straight path had been severed by smooth cuts.
There were also spiral-shaped impact marks on the surrounding mountains, giving Kuina an opportunity to climb.
The girl ignored the mud all over the ground, directly jumped onto the impact scars, and climbed inward bit by bit.
Finally, after passing the mountainside-
Kuina saw the pirate and the dojo master facing off in the valley.
Casual swings could stir up huge storms. Sword light cut mountains and earth as easily as a hot knife through butter.
In the struggle between the two, the girl saw the peak she yearned for!
"Father... Sakura-nee!"
Kuina excitedly waved at the two, but then heard a crack sound beside her ear.
The rock supporting her body weight had broken!
Sakura and Koushirou, in the midst of their fight, both had a flash of rainbow light in their eyes as they looked up.
"Not good!!!"