Chapter 102: East Blue’s Most Feared

— Everyone knows the terror of that sea.

One of the four seas. Known as a symbol of peace, the so-called weakest of them all with an average bounty of just 3 million berries — the East Blue speaks of that sea’s stories as if they were legends.

The Grand Line, known as the pirate’s graveyard.

Unthinkable incidents, inexplicable phenomena, and abnormal climates — things unimaginable in any other sea. There are many things to fear.

But what was feared the most in that sea… was a certain pirate.

“Come to think of it... some drunk guy came into the shop the other day talkin’ nonsense.”

“Oh yeah—said he saw a UFO, right?”

Floating in the middle of the sea, the world’s only floating restaurant. In its kitchen, the rough-looking cooks continued their tasks while exchanging idle chatter — about a strange man who'd visited recently.

“Idiot. Probably just hallucinating from drinking too much.”

“C’mon, UFOs? Aliens? That crap doesn’t exist.”

“What if it came to this restaurant?”

“Then I’ll fillet it and cook it up. Deep-sea fish, right?”

“Damn straight! Gya-haha-haha!”

Crude and wild they might be, the cooks of the restaurant were undeniably skilled — laughing all the while, their cooking never faltered.

Everyone agreed: UFOs? Ridiculous. In the Four Seas, that may be true.

But to men who knew the Grand Line... it wasn’t a laughing matter.

“Hmph… a UFO, huh. Can’t imagine one showin’ up in this sea.”

“! Head Chef!!”

“Ah, the owner!”

A man appeared in the kitchen, his tall chef’s hat and wooden right leg making him unmistakable. Called both “Owner” and “Head Chef,” he was Zeff — the proprietor of the sea restaurant Baratie, and a former pirate.

“C’mon now, Owner. Saying ‘not in this sea’ sounds like you think they’re in the other ones!”

“Yeah. On the Grand Line, it’s common knowledge — if you see a UFO, run. Been that way for decades.”

“Eh…?”

“You’re… joking, right?”

The ex-pirate who'd returned from the Grand Line didn’t sound like he was joking. He wasn’t the kind of man who made jokes in the first place. When Zeff spoke about things like this in his usual tone, it carried far more weight than idle rumors.

“I ain’t jokin’. You guys probably won’t run into one — but remember this. If you ever see a UFO at sea… run. If you don’t… you’ll see something more terrifying than anything in this world.”

“…E-Eeeh…”

“…UFOs, huh…”

The cooks — and the young sous-chef among them — filed that statement away in a corner of their minds.

And elsewhere, at another time, in another place—

“Sha-ha-ha-ha-ha!! Foolish humans!! You dared defy the natural order!!”

On an island, in the middle of a town — a towering fish-man with a jagged, elongated nose roared with laughter.

A fish-man is born ten times stronger than a human. And among them, this man stood shoulder to shoulder with the Warlord of the Sea and leader of the Fish-Man Pirates, Jinbe the Knight of the Sea. He was the head of the Arlong Pirates — Arlong himself.

With a bounty of 20 million berries — the highest in the East Blue — Arlong laid waste to the town through sheer power, crushing the humans underfoot.

“Defy me, and you die!! Those who oppose the superior race of fish-men will be punished accordingly!! That’s the rule under my rule!!”

Terrorizing humans, dominating them by brute force. Monthly tribute payments were demanded — and those who couldn’t pay, or even hinted at rebellion, faced Arlong’s wrath. He’d strangle humans with his bare hands, beat the lesson into them.

“Dyin’ is pointless. Surviving’s what matters most… but I’ll teach you lot something worse than death — torture!!!”

His body covered in battle scars, Arlong looked every bit the hardened pirate. His bloodshot eyes gleamed as he slashed at human bodies with Kirisame, his jagged weapon.

But no one noticed — that even Arlong, who inspired terror in humans, knew the fear of being ruled by something higher.

“All living things aren’t born equal!! The weak live as the weak!! And I’ll discipline you into understanding what that means!! Sha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!”

There wasn’t an ounce of sympathy to be found. Yet Arlong, too, bore wounds — on his back and in his heart.

Scars that would never heal. Scars etched into him by certain pirates — a hatred and terror of humans that would remain his trauma for life.

And again, elsewhere, at another time—

“You saw a UFO out at sea!!? You flashy bastards!! Why didn’t you say so sooner!!?”

On an island in the East Blue, a flamboyantly dressed group of pirates was docked. At their center, a red-nosed man suddenly exploded in rage during a banquet after hearing the offhand remark.

“Eh… what’s wrong, Captain?”

“Might’ve just been a bird, y’know? Even if it was real, it’s not like it’s that scary—”

“You clueless morons!! You can only say that ‘cause you don’t know!! Shit… can’t stay here… probably not nearby, but just in case…!! Men!! Party’s over!! We’re gettin’ the hell outta here!!”

“Ehhh!!?”

“No way!!? But Captain Buggy, we just started the party!”

Bounty: 15 million berries. Captain of the Buggy Pirates — Buggy the Clown.

When Buggy abruptly called off the banquet, his crew was stunned. They couldn’t understand why the mere mention of a UFO had him so spooked.

But Buggy knew. That’s why he clenched his fists and shouted to protect himself.

“No!! Listen up, you flashy fools!! UFOs… are the calling card of the Beast’s Beast!! The right hand of that strongest creature alive, Kaido of the Beasts!!! If you see one — it means that monster could be nearby!!!”

“!!!? K-Kaido…!?”

“Y-You mean one of the Four Emperors…!?”

Hearing the name, even Buggy’s East Blue-born crew went pale. Every pirate knew that name.

The Four Emperors — one of the three great powers ruling the Grand Line, reigning over all the countless pirates out there.

And Kaido of the Beasts was said to be the strongest of them in one-on-one combat. Land, sea, air — of all living things, he was dubbed the Strongest Creature Alive.

And his right hand — the “Phantom Beast” — was feared as an even more terrifying being.

“They say she eats people alive…”

“I heard she’s a massive, monstrous freak…”

“No, no — I heard she’s drop-dead gorgeous. So beautiful you can’t look away…”

“Eh? I heard she’s an old hag…”

“Yeah, I heard she looks like a teenage girl. Like, fourteen, fifteen… wait, you idiots!! This isn’t the time to gossip!! We’re leaving!!”

“Y-Yes sir!! Sorry, Captain Buggy!!”

The rumors surrounding the “Phantom Beast.” As speculation about her true form spiraled, Buggy barked back and urged his crew to hurry.

There’s no way she’d show up here. No way. But she just might — and that possibility alone was enough.

Buggy knew. He knew full well what she was — what the others only gossiped about.

—But in truth, no one knew her real identity.

In this sea, she was a legend — and a threat.

Like a natural disaster, she appeared without warning, without reason. No one could stop her once she moved.

“Fwaaaahhh~… this sea makes me sleepy…”

In the quiet calm of the open sea, something lay atop a UFO, gazing up at the sky and yawning.

“I’m hungry… gotta grab a bite somewhere… hmm… which way’s Baratie again?”

That something — that girl — moved with a will no one could predict, for better or worse.

Once dubbed a “Calamity,” she flew her UFO across the waves — her destination as mysterious as her identity.

---

In the East Blue, a certain crew continues their unstoppable rampage in obscurity.

"It doesn’t work! —I’m rubber!"

"Wha—?! Th-That’s impossible!! My iron mace!!!"

[Alvida Pirates Captain "Iron Mace Alvida" – Bounty: 5,000,000 Berries]

"Looking for this?"

"Guh!! My body parts!!"

"Hahahahaha! Nice steal! Leave the rest to me! Blast off, Buggy! 'Gomu Gomu no'—"

"STOOOOP!!!"

"—BAZOOKA!!!"

[Buggy Pirates Captain "Clown Buggy" – Bounty: 15,000,000 Berries]

Even a man who ate a Devil Fruit—a rarity in the East Blue—

"'Gomu Gomu no'—"

"My plans… will NEVER fail!!"

"Secret Technique: Gunpowder Star!!!"

"—BELL!!!"

[Kuro of a Hundred Plans, Captain of the Black Cat Pirates – Bounty: 16,000,000 Berries]

A cunning, ruthless man who excelled in strategy—

"I AM THE STRONGEST!!! NO ONE DEFIES ME!!!"

"This won’t be where I die!!!"

[Don Krieg, Admiral of the Krieg Pirates Armada – Bounty: 17,000,000 Berries]

The ruler of the East Blue, commanding a fleet of 50 ships, his body armed with hundreds of weapons—

"I’ll smash every last trace of that bastard’s existence!!!"

"You lowly scum…!! Don’t you DARE think you humans can bring down Arlong Park!!!"

[Arlong the Saw, Captain of the Arlong Pirates – Bounty: 20,000,000 Berries]

Even a savage shark fishman consumed by vengeance and rage—all were thwarted in their wicked schemes.

The ones who defeated them? A mere crew of five pirates—led by a single boy. His name—

[Monkey D. Luffy, Captain of the "Straw Hat Pirates" – Bounty: 30,000,000 Berries]

His wanted poster was issued worldwide just days after he took down the Arlong Pirates.

A straw hat on his head, grinning wide with arms outstretched toward the camera—at a glance, he seemed like an ordinary boy. Yet, with a 30,000,000 Beri bounty, he was undeniably a criminal who’d earned his infamy. The people, Marines, and pirates of the East Blue all trembled in awe.

But among them, one person gazed at the poster and laughed in delight.

"—Ahaha~ ♡ Wow… impressive. Barely a month at sea, and already 30,000,000… ♪ This one’s got promise!"

On the rocky shore of a deserted island, a petite girl sat atop a boulder, finishing a bento she’d gotten from a restaurant.

Dressed in a black one-piece and knee-high socks, her crimson eyes gleamed as unusual red-and-blue wings sprouted from her back.

At first glance, she seemed nothing more than an adorable girl—yet the air around her reeked of blood and terror.

"Mmm~ ♡ Came here on a whim, but it was worth it. Maybe I’ll visit again if I have time~?"

"GRRROOOAAARRGH!!!"

"Though, the rest is kinda boring. Yaaawn~ …—Oh? You’re still going?"

The girl casually blocked a massive spear—an explosive weapon—wielded by a hulking man, then lazily stretched.

An absurd sight. The man, weighing a ton and armed to the teeth, was effortlessly lifted—spear and all—and tossed aside like trash.

His crew fared no better. Swords and bullets alike bounced harmlessly off the girl’s skin. Blades shattered, bullets fell uselessly to the ground.

"Hah… Hah… No way… Hey…?!"

"N-Nothing’s working…! Not the Admiral’s weapons… not the Commander’s attacks…!"

The pirates shuddered. None of their attacks even fazed her.

Just days ago, they’d been the undisputed rulers of the East Blue—seasoned fighters who’d cheated death countless times.

"A Devil Fruit user… She’s gotta be…!"

"Devil Fruit~? —Ahaha! Why would I need that against the likes of you? Maybe against real pirates, but… nah."

"SHUT UP!! We… We’re the Krieg Pirates—the STRONGEST in the East Blue!!! There’s NO WAY we lose to some brat!!!"

Drenched in blood, the man roared and attacked again—but the girl didn’t flinch.

"Run, Admiral!! That thing’s a monster!!"

"Please… STOP!! Spare us…!!"

Terror gripped the crew. These hardened men trembled before the incomprehensible dread radiating from the girl.

Yet, to her, this was barely worth her attention. She watched them like one would a yapping stray—no, more like ants scrambling in panic.

"You’re just big fish in a tiny pond, yet you act so high and mighty… Thought I’d kill time playing with you, but… meh. You can leave now."

"WHAT…?!"

Elbow on her knee, chin in hand, she dismissed them with a bored sigh.

"I’m letting you go. Hurry up and— Oh, right, I kinda wrecked your ship. Well… it’s the East Blue. Just swim to another island or something~?"

"……!!"

The sheer condescension in her voice shattered the Admiral’s pride.

"DON’T MOCK ME!!! I… I NEVER LOSE!!! I’M THE STRONGEST!!! I’LL BE KING OF THE PIRATES!!!"

"Admiral, NO!!"

The man who’d clawed his way to the top, backed by an armada and an arsenal, couldn’t stomach her disdain. Not even that straw-hatted brat had humiliated him like this.

But as he lunged—

"—Strongest?"

"!!!"

In that instant, every living thing present froze—save for the girl.

Her gaze alone made them realize:

—We can’t win.

No, more simply—

—We’re going to die here.

"…Heh… Ahahahaha!! Ohhh, I see~ ♡ That’s how it is?"

They’d stepped on a tiger’s tail.

Their instincts screamed—this was a predator far beyond them.

"Well then… I’ll play along~ ♡"

"Guh… AAAAAAAAAH!!!"

The moment the girl stood up, they ran without looking back.

—And in that instant, the first fleeing pirate lost his legs.

"AAAAAAAH!!!"

"Sorry~ ♡ If this were the New World, I might’ve brought you back in one piece… But no ship to carry you, and honestly? You’re all just weaklings—so I’ll just eat you here instead~ ♡"

—What followed was a long nightmare.

Limbs torn away to prevent escape. Wounds agonizing enough to kill—but not quickly.

In that time, they experienced hell. Their spirits shattered instantly, reduced to pitiful begging.

But the girl never stopped.

"Oh right, you guys were starving, weren’t you? Let me teach you a great way to get food before you die!!"

Of course. Pirates who picked a fight with her—a pirate through and through—would never be spared.

"I’ll be King of the Pirates." "I’m the strongest."—Those who uttered such words had to be prepared.

The beasts of the New World don’t tolerate empty boasts.

[Beasts Pirates Vice Captain: "Phantom Beast Nue"]

"—I’ll cook you up real tasty~ ♡"

"NOOOO!!! STOP—"

Beasts show no mercy—not when devouring prey, nor when fighting over it.

If you’re weak, you should’ve known your place.

—In their final moments, they learned that lesson well.

---

"Mmm~… Alrighty."

Wiping her mouth with a handkerchief and rinsing it clean, she stretched. Her cooking tools vanished into the UFO beside her.

"My powers really are convenient~ ♡ —Hm?"

Just as she prepared to take off, her Den Den Mushi rang. She answered mid-flight, receiver in hand.

"Hellooo~?"

"—Nue. It’s me."

"Eh? ‘It’s me’ scam?"

"…It’s King."

"Oh, King!! How’s it going? Need me to wire some money~?"

"…………"

"Ah, you sighed just now!! Ahahaha!!"

Her laughter crackled through the snail. King’s exasperation was palpable—same old, ever-serious King. Queen would’ve bantered back.

"So, what’s up?"

"…We need you to handle something."

"Ehh~? I’m on vacation!! About to go spectate a big event!!"

"Kaido went out saying he’s gonna kill himself again."

"That’s normal. He’ll come back once he sobers up. Just ignore it."

She’d thought King’s call meant trouble, but no—just Kaido’s usual drunken theatrics. Lately, his broodiness over that kid made these episodes more frequent.

"Even if I rushed back, he’d be home by then. Just wing it. Not a big deal, right?"

"True, but… Nue. When are you coming back?"

"In a few days~ ♡ Gonna pick a fight with Dragon first! Oh, and prep for my live show when I get back!!"

"…Dragon?!"

King’s voice sharpened. Yeah, that got his attention.

"Revolutionary Dragon’s heading to East Blue~ ♡ Thought I’d ambush him for fun! Fufufu, can’t wait!! —Ah, but don’t tell Kaido!! He’d throw a fit if I got to Dragon first~ ♡"

"…! That’s—"

"Ehehe~ ♡ Exciting, right? A one-on-one with Dragon’s rare!! …Well, he’ll probably run, but I won’t make it easy~ Stay tuned!!"

"…Understood."

Click. King hung up—efficient as ever. He’d manage things fine without her.

"Now then… Gotta hurry~ ♡"

She sped toward Loguetown. Today—the day Straw Hat’s bounty was issued—his crew would arrive there.

And soon after… he would appear.

"Revolutionaries are so hard to track… This might be my only shot!!"

She knew their bases’ names, but not locations. No wonder the World Government struggled.

"But the main course is still ahead~ ♡"

Witnessing the future Pirate King and testing his father’s strength—blending her foreknowledge with the unknown—was perfect.

"A ‘Four Emperor’ crew member appearing now~ ♡ How’ll the world paint me? Ahahaha!!"

This world had once been fiction to her. Would she be a mysterious girl in the narrative? Or an off-screen shadow?

"No need to force things today~ Just a peek at the Straw Hats… and a real fight with Dragon~ ♡"

They’d meet the crew properly later. For now?

"Let them swim a little longer~ ♡"

They’d reach the New World eventually—and entertain her when they did.

"The greatest war in history… Fufufu~ ♡ Gotta make sure it’s spectacular~ ♡"

A world drenched in terror, war, and violence—where the strong reign supreme.

With that in mind, she flew toward the town of beginnings.