Departure from Little Garden
The Going Merry was moored near the beach, its sails ready to be raised. On the shore, Dorry and Brogy stood side by side, their massive silhouettes dominating the landscape.
"THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, LITTLE HUMANS!" Brogy roared with his characteristic laughter."GEGYAGYAGYA!"
"YOU REMINDED US WHAT TRUE FRIENDSHIP IS!" Dorry added."GAGAGAGA!"
Luffy waved enthusiastically from the deck."WE'LL SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN SOMEDAY!"
Nami began steering the helm."Alright, we're leaving. Next stop: Alabasta!"
The sails filled with wind. The Merry slowly pulled away from the shore.
That's when Dorry shouted something strange.
"CHARGE STRAIGHT AHEAD! NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS! DO NOT STOP!"
"Huh?" Nami frowned. "Straight ahead? But why…?"
Usopp stared at the sea in front of them."That's a weird piece of advice…"
Then the water began to boil.
"What the…?" Sanji muttered.
SPLOOOOOSH!
A COLOSSAL mass emerged from the ocean.
An Island-Eating Red Fish.
Bigger than a warship. Bigger than a building. Bigger than ANYTHING they had ever seen.
Its gaping mouth opened wide before them—large enough to swallow the Merry in a single bite.
"GYAAAAAAAH!" Usopp screamed, his eyes popping out of their sockets.
"WE'RE GONNA DIE!" Nami cried, frozen in terror.
"IT'S HUGE!" Vivi exclaimed, trembling.
Luffy, meanwhile, had stars in his eyes."WOOOOOW! THAT'S SO COOL! IT'S GIANT!"
Zoro rested a hand on his swords."We can't fight that…"
Sanji crushed his cigarette."We're screwed."
As for me? I sprinted to my cabin and summoned the Foundation door.
"Walter! Mr. Fish! Come see this!"
They stepped out, curious. Walter climbed onto my shoulder. Mr. Fish stood beside me.
"Look at that. You don't see this every day."
The Red Fish opened its jaws wider and wider. The Merry charged straight in.
Then—
BOOOOOM! BOOOOOM!
Two massive impacts echoed from the beach.
Dorry and Brogy had thrown their weapons—GIANT axes and swords, cracked and battered by a hundred years of combat.
The weapons spun through the air like missiles.
SCHLAAAAAACK!
They pierced straight through the Red Fish.
Blood erupted—a scarlet fountain staining the ocean.
The monster groaned one last time and collapsed into the sea, dead.
SPLAAAASH!
A massive wave rocked the Merry, but the ship held firm.
Silence.
Then everyone exploded.
"THEY KILLED IT!" Usopp shouted, eyes still wide.
"IN ONE HIT!" Nami added, stunned.
"The giants are AMAZING!" Vivi exclaimed.
Zoro smiled."Now that's real power."
Sanji whistled, impressed."Respect."
Luffy laughed loudly."GYAHAHAHA! THEY'RE SO STRONG!"
Walter squeaked happily on my shoulder, fascinated by the spectacle. Mr. Fish stared with his big fish eyes, mouth wide open.
"Indeed… impressive," I murmured.
The Merry sailed on, leaving the Red Fish's corpse behind. On the beach, the two giants waved goodbye enthusiastically.
Luffy's Question
As the Merry sailed calmly toward Alabasta, Luffy came up to me, a huge grin on his face.
"HEY, MARC!"
I turned around."Yeah?"
"DID YOU FIND ANY NEW FUNNY ANIMALS LIKE WALTER OR MR. FISH?!"
Everyone turned toward me, curious.
Nami stepped closer."That's true. You spent time in the jungle. Did you find anything?"
Usopp joined in."A dinosaur, maybe? Or a giant insect?"
I shrugged."No. Just a snail. Very aggressive and dangerous."
Luffy froze. Then his eyes lit up like suns.
"A SNAIL?! I WANNA SEE IT! CAN WE PLAY WITH IT?!"
He jumped onto me, clinging like an overexcited child.
"SHOW ME! SHOW ME!"
"Luffy, it's DANGEROUS. It weighs 860 kilos and it can dissolve you with its slime."
"THAT MAKES IT EVEN COOLER! COME ON, MARC!"
CLACK!
Nami's fist slammed into Luffy's skull.
"IDIOT! IF HE SAYS IT'S DANGEROUS, THEN IT'S DANGEROUS!"
Luffy collapsed on the deck, a huge bump on his head."Ow… why did you hit me…?"
"BECAUSE YOU'RE AN IDIOT!"
I smiled and headed toward my cabin."Well, I'm going back to the Foundation. I've got work to do."
"Again?" Usopp asked curiously. "What do you even do in there all the time?"
"I take care of my prisoners. And my anomalies."
Zoro opened one eye."Just make sure you don't create something that'll kill us all."
"Promise."
I summoned the door and stepped inside, closing it behind me.
[POV: NICO ROBIN – CELL]New Arrivals
Robin lay on her hard bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling. She mentally counted the books she had read today. Three. All fascinating.
This library… it's incredible. If I cooperate long enough, maybe I'll gain access to more…
Suddenly, footsteps echoed down the corridor.
Many footsteps.
She sat up and looked through the bars.
A squad of guards escorted three new prisoners.
Robin immediately recognized them.
Mr. 1. Daz Bonez. Still unconscious, a deep gash across his chest crudely bandaged. Dried blood stained his clothes. He was practically being dragged.
Miss Doublefinger. Zala. Conscious but weak. Her hair was completely disheveled, standing on end as if she had been electrocuted—which was probably the case. She limped, supported by two guards.
Mr. 3. Galdino. Shackled with seastone cuffs. He looked around with a mix of terror and confusion.
The guards shoved each of them into cells.
CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.
The doors slammed shut.
Mr. 3 immediately rushed to the bars of his cell, looking left and right.
His gaze met Robin's.
"ROBIN?!" he exclaimed, shocked. "YOU TOO?!"
Robin smiled calmly."Hello, Mr. 3."
"WHERE ARE WE?! WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!"
Robin stood gracefully and approached her own cell bars."We are in a laboratory. An organization called the Foundation."
"A… a laboratory?" Zala spoke weakly from her cell. "For what?"
Robin tilted her head, a dark smile on her lips."For experiments. We are the test subjects."
Silence fell.
Mr. 3 went pale."E-experiments? What kind of experiments?"
"Lethal ones, most likely."
"WHAT?!" Mr. 3 shook the bars in panic. "WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE! WE NEED TO CONTACT THE BOSS! HE'LL SAVE US!"
Zala nodded weakly."We need to find a way to escape…"
Robin watched them calmly. In truth, she had NO desire to leave. The library. The books. Knowledge. Everything she had ever wanted was here.
But she didn't tell them that.
"You can try," she said simply.
"Try?!" Mr. 3 stared at her. "You're not going to help us?!"
"I didn't say that. I'm just saying… try. See what happens."
Zala frowned."Why are you so calm? We're going to DIE here!"
Robin sat on her bed, crossing her legs elegantly."Because I've understood something. Here, they have methods… far worse than death."
Mr. 3 and Zala's faces darkened.
"What do you mean?" Mr. 3 asked, his voice shaking.
"You'll see."
Free Time Announcement
ALERT: FREE TIME GRANTEDALL CLASS-D MUST REPORT TO THE CAFETERIA
The robotic voice echoed through the cells.
The doors opened automatically.
CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.
Robin stood up calmly and stepped out. Mr. 3 and Zala hesitated, then followed.
Guards immediately surrounded them, forming a living corridor.
"W-where are we going?" Mr. 3 whispered.
"The cafeteria," Robin replied."If you want to escape, that's where you'll find the other inmates. Maybe they'll help you."
"Of course they'll help!" Mr. 3 regained some confidence."Any prisoner wants to get out of jail!"
Robin smiled but said nothing.
Oh, you're going to be surprised…
The Cafeteria
The cafeteria doors opened.
Mr. 3 and Zala stepped inside—and stopped dead.
Their eyes widened.
Before them, in the vast hall, four fish-men were relaxing.
Arlong lifted a barbell loaded with massive weights. 200 kilos. 300 kilos. He laughed while doing reps.
Kuroobi and Chew played cards, sipping energy drinks from colorful bottles.
Hatchan calmly drew on a sheet of paper, a pencil in each tentacle.
And most importantly…
None of them were wearing handcuffs.
Chew didn't even have his metal muzzle anymore.
"What the…?" Zala murmured, stunned.
"They're… free?" Mr. 3 didn't understand.
Robin walked past them and sat at a table."They cooperated. Earned privileges."
Mr. 3 swallowed hard. Gathering his courage, he timidly approached the fish-men's table.
He leaned in and whispered,"Hey… do you want to get out of here? With us?"
Arlong stopped instantly and slowly set down his barbell.
Then he turned toward Mr. 3.
And burst out laughing.
"GYAHAHAHA! LEAVE?! ARE YOU KIDDING?!"
Kuroobi chuckled."We've got food. Water. A pool. Exercise. Why would we leave?"
Chew nodded, sipping his soda.
Arlong leaned in close, his threatening face inches from Mr. 3's.
"Listen carefully, little human. Keep your suicidal ideas to yourself. If you try to escape and make us lose our privileges…"He grinned, showing his shark teeth."I'll eat you."
Mr. 3 backed away, trembling."I… I…"
"GET LOST."
Mr. 3 hurried back to the table where Robin, Mr. 1, and Zala were seated.
Mr. 1 ate slowly, replenishing the blood he had lost. His face was pale but stoic.
Zala picked at her food, still weak from electrocution.
Robin read a copied book—a privilege she had earned through good behavior.
And at another table…
Miss Goldenweek. Marianne. The little painter girl.
She ate calmly, her brushes and palette beside her.
"Marianne!" Mr. 3 exclaimed. "Are you okay?!"
She looked up and nodded calmly."Yes. They put me in a children's sector. I have a painting room. It's nice."
"NIC—?!" Mr. 3 stared at her in horror."WE'RE IN PRISON!"
"I know. But I can paint without being disturbed. It's better than before."
Mr. 3 collapsed into his chair, despairing."Everyone's gone crazy…"
The Alarm
WIIIIIII! WIIIIIII! WIIIIIII!
An alarm suddenly blared. Red and white. Flashing. Deafening.
All the new prisoners jumped in panic.
"WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" Mr. 3 shouted.
Arlong looked up calmly."It's happening again."
He turned to his companions."Stay calm. Don't do anything stupid. We don't want to lose our privileges."
Kuroobi and Chew nodded.
Hatchan set down his pencils and mentally prepared himself.
A group of guards flooded into the cafeteria. Fifty. Maybe more. All armed with FAMAS rifles, aimed at the inmates.
"STAY SEATED! HANDS ON THE TABLE!"
The older inmates obeyed immediately. The newcomers hesitated, then complied, terrified.
The guards moved methodically, cuffing every inmate—even the fish-men.
Then they chained the cuffs to the tables themselves.
No one could move.
Mr. 3 trembled."What's happening…?"
"The Director is coming," Robin murmured calmly.
"The… Director?"
Then the main door opened.
And Marc entered.
[POV: MARC]Announcement to Class-D
I stepped onto the raised platform at the back of the cafeteria. A microphone sat on a podium.
Below me, nine Class-D looked up.
The fish-men. Calm. Resigned. But attentive.
Robin. Impassive. Curious.
Mr. 1. Cold. Analytical. His gaze pierced through me.
Mr. 3. Arrogant despite his fear. He stared defiantly, trying to hide his terror.
Zala and Marianne. Listening with curiosity mixed with apprehension.
I lifted the microphone. My voice echoed throughout the hall.
"Sorry to interrupt your free time, my dear Class-D. But the Foundation is about to move forward. And you're going to have a much busier schedule than before."
Arlong broke into a wide grin, cracking his knuckles."FINALLY! Some action!"
"That's what we've been waiting for!" Kuroobi added.
Chew nodded vigorously.
I looked at them."We need your physical strength, fish-men. For the future. We will train you and continue tests to see how you perform under intensive workloads."
Arlong snickered."We'll show you the power of the fish-men."
"I'm counting on it."
Then I turned to Robin.
She looked at me calmly, her expression neutral but her eyes gleaming with intelligence.
"Robin. I will need an assistant for my research. If you perform your duties flawlessly, you will be granted greater access to the library."
Her eyes widened slightly. Then a real smile spread across her lips.
"I will do my best, Director."
"Good."
Then I looked at the Baroque Works agents. Mr. 1. Mr. 3. Zala. Marianne.
"As for our dear Baroque Works agents…" My tone grew colder."We will put you through a battery of physical tests to better understand your potential. Your Devil Fruits. Your abilities."
Mr. 3 opened his mouth to protest.
I raised my hand."And know this—if you attempt to resist… you will end up as food for the anomalies we have recently contained."
Silence fell.
"A-anomalies?" Zala whispered, paling.
"Yes. We currently have ten. Some are harmless. Others…"I smiled."Are very hungry."
Mr. 3 swallowed loudly. His arrogance collapsed like a house of cards.
Mr. 1 remained impassive, but I could see his jaw tighten.
"Any questions?"
Silence.
"Perfect. Guards, return them to their cells. Tomorrow, the real work begins."
I gestured. The guards detached the prisoners and escorted them out of the cafeteria.
Robin gave me one last look as she left. A look… satisfied.
Perfect. She's taken the bait.
[END OF CHAPTER 27]
[CLASS-D: 9][- FISH-MEN (4): COOPERATIVE – PRIVILEGES GRANTED][- ROBIN: RESEARCH ASSISTANT (IN PROGRESS)][- BAROQUE WORKS AGENTS (4): NEW – STATUS UNCERTAIN][ANOMALIES CONTAINED: 10][HIERARCHY ESTABLISHED][MOTIVATION: PRIVILEGES VS PUNISHMENTS][ROBIN: INTERESTED IN THE LIBRARY][FISH-MEN: SATISFIED WITH CONDITIONS][BAROQUE WORKS: TERRIFIED][NEXT STEP: PHYSICAL TESTS AND RESEARCH][DESTINATION: DRUM ISLAND (SOON)]