The sea behind Egghead shimmered beneath the open sky, its surface broken only by the roaring wake of two ships sailing side by side.
The Thousand Sunny tore through the waves like a living thing, its lion figurehead roaring proudly as white foam exploded outward. The ship creaked with familiar sounds—laughter, shouting, arguments, music—life in motion.
Plates clattered across long tables. Empty mugs rolled across the deck before being kicked aside. Sake splashed freely as voices overlapped in chaotic harmony.
"Oi, Luffy! You already ate three whole plates!""That was Sanji's fault!""DON'T BLAME ME, YOU RUBBER GLUTTON!"
Sanji's leg snapped out instinctively, kicking Luffy across the deck. Luffy stretched, rebounded, and laughed so hard he nearly fell overboard.
"Hahaha! That was awesome food!"
Nearby, Franky and Usopp were arguing over which one of them deserved more credit for their escape from Egghead.
"I'm telling you, without my super steering, we'd be scrap metal!""YEAH?! WITHOUT MY GENIUS TACTICAL DISTRACTION, WE'D BE DEAD!"
Chopper cheered for both of them, tears in his eyes. "You were both amazing!"
Robin watched quietly from the shade of the mast, a small smile touching her lips as the wind played with her hair.
Above them all, the sun shone warmly—peacefully.
Sailing alongside the Sunny was a ship unlike any other: massive, ancient, carved with runes and battle scars older than most nations. The giants of Elbaph stood proudly upon its deck, their booming laughter echoing across the sea like thunder.
"HAHAHAHAHA!""These humans are insane!""I like them!"
Huge mugs crashed together as giants drank deeply, their voices carrying across the waves.
"This voyage will be legendary!""Elbaph awaits the Straw Hat!"
At the very front of the Thousand Sunny, Monkey D. Luffy sat cross-legged at the figurehead, legs dangling freely above the ocean. His straw hat tilted back, his scarred chest exposed to the wind as he grinned wider than the horizon.
"We escaped again!" Luffy shouted, pointing forward. "Next stop—Elbaph!"
The crew cheered.
For this moment, there was no war.No enemies.No chains.
Only freedom.
But the sea is vast.
And somewhere beyond laughter, fate was already shifting its gears.
Nami stood near the navigation room, her usual confident posture stiffening as a Den Den Mushi crackled to life in her hands.
The small transponder snail, usually cheerful and exaggerated, wore an unnaturally grim expression. Its eyes were narrowed. Its mouth barely moved.
Static buzzed through the air.
"…repeat, this is confirmed intelligence. Multiple sources corroborated."
Nami's fingers tightened around the shell.
Robin stepped closer, holding several intercepted reports taken from Cipher Pol transmissions and underground informants. She read silently, her eyes scanning line after line.
With every sentence, the air around her seemed to grow heavier.
Nami swallowed.
"Robin…" she whispered. "Please tell me this is fake."
Robin closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, there was no hesitation.
"It's real."
The world didn't explode.
It collapsed.
Nami's breath hitched. "Monkey D. Garp… has been captured."
The laughter around the deck faded—first slowly, then all at once, as if the sea itself had gone silent.
Robin continued, her voice calm but laden with weight. "The Blackbeard Pirates. Pirate Island—Hachinosu. The report states he was ambushed while evacuating Marines and civilians."
She paused.
"A public execution is being discussed."
A mug slipped from Usopp's hand.
It shattered against the deck.
"What…" Franky said slowly, metal fingers curling. "What did you just say?"
Sanji's cigarette burned forgotten between his lips.
Zoro opened one eye.
Luffy turned around, still smiling. "Huh?" he asked casually. "Who's captured?"
Nami forced herself to meet his eyes.
"Luffy…"
Her voice shook.
She took a breath deep enough to hurt.
"Your grandfather."
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then Luffy laughed.
"Haha! That's stupid," he said, scratching his head. "Gramps doesn't get captured. He's crazy strong!"
A few Straw Hats let out weak, desperate laughs—clinging to that thought like a lifeline.
Robin stepped forward.
"Luffy," she said gently, "the report includes eyewitness accounts. Several Vice Admirals were defeated. Garp was overwhelmed… while protecting others."
Luffy's grin didn't disappear.
But it froze.
"Even so," he said. "He can break out. He always does."
His voice was steady.
Too steady.
Nami watched his hands.
They were shaking.
Then it happened.
A memory ripped through Luffy's mind without warning.
Chains biting into skin.
Fire roaring against stone.
A fist—magma—through his brother's chest.
Ace smiling through blood.
"Don't worry, Luffy… I'll be fine."
Luffy's breath caught.
The deck tilted beneath his feet.
Ace had said the same thing.
Ace was strong.
Ace still died.
Luffy turned sharply and walked to the edge of the ship, gripping the railing with both hands. The wood creaked beneath the pressure of his fingers.
The sea stretched endlessly before him.
But all he could see was red.
The Straw Hats gathered behind him, none daring to speak.
Usopp swallowed hard. "This feels just like before…"
Chopper's eyes filled with tears. "Marineford… no one could stop it…"
Sanji crushed his cigarette beneath his shoe. "That war broke him."
Zoro's jaw tightened. "And he's not letting it happen again."
Jinbe folded his arms, his expression grave. "Blood ties are the strongest chains of all."
Even the giants of Elbaph fell silent.
One of them slammed a massive mug onto the deck of their ship, splitting the wood.
"Blackbeard chained the Hero of the Marines?" the giant roared.
Another snarled, veins bulging. "That coward hides behind darkness and tricks!"
They raised their sake again—not in celebration, but in rage.
"If Straw Hat goes to war," the giant bellowed, "Elbaph will not turn away!"
Sake splashed like spilled blood across the planks.
Nami stepped closer to Luffy.
"We're going," she said softly.
Usopp nodded hard. "No way we sit this out!"
Robin placed her hand on Luffy's shoulder. "You are not alone."
Luffy didn't turn.
"No," he said quietly. "I'm going alone."
The words struck harder than any blow.
"What?" Sanji snapped.
Zoro stepped forward, killing intent flickering. "Say that again."
Luffy faced them, eyes dark.
"Blackbeard's power is different," he said. "He erased Ace's flames. He stole Whitebeard's strength."
His fists clenched.
"If I bring you there… you might die."
Silence.
Then Zoro spoke.
"Captain," he said coldly, "don't insult us."
Sanji stepped beside him. "We didn't follow you this far to watch you break alone."
Franky crossed his arms. "We're built for impossible fights!"
Jinbe nodded. "This crew chose its fate long ago."
Luffy's voice cracked.
"If even one of you dies…"
He stopped.
Then laughed—a sharp, broken sound.
"…I won't be able to live peacefully."
He looked at them all.
"So if we go—"
His grin returned.
Wild.
Unbreakable.
"—we live together… or die together."
The Straw Hats smiled.
Far away, in the shadows of the world—
Monkey D. Dragon stood motionless as the report ended.
"…Garp captured."
The room shook as his fist slammed into the table.
"Prepare the fleet," Dragon said. "We sail for Pirate Island."
"For my father," he continued, eyes burning, "and for every soul Blackbeard has chained."
At Marine Headquarters—
"Do not interfere."
The order echoed coldly.
Sengoku rose slowly.
"…No."
"I will not abandon him."
Koby stepped forward, trembling but resolute. "I'll follow you, sir!"
Sengoku nodded.
"Then let justice move."
The Thousand Sunny turned.
The wind howled.
Luffy stood at the helm, straw hat casting his face into shadow.
"Blackbeard," he whispered.
The sea trembled.
"You took my brother."
The wind screamed.
"And now you touched my family."
The ship surged forward—straight toward Pirate Island.
To be continued…