Chapter 107: Utopia

The final and greatest operation of Baroque Works—“Utopia.”

A grand plan to seize a powerful military force sleeping within the Kingdom of Alabasta.

To accomplish this, the Officer Agents of Baroque Works have been summoned for one last mission, heading toward the capital city of Alubarna, where over a million strong from the Royal Army and the Rebel Army are set to collide.

But… no plan ever goes off without a hitch.

There are currently six main factions in Alubarna.

The Royal Army standing to repel the rebels. The Rebel Army determined to take the capital. And the ones stoking the flames of their battle—Baroque Works.

Then there are the pirates who’ve come to stop the rebellion after learning the truth and hearing the princess’s plea—the Straw Hat Crew.

The Navy, acting to uphold their own sense of justice. And—

“Ahahahahahaha!!! Now this is a spectacle…!!!”

From the rooftop of a building overlooking the palace square, a girl—Nue—laughs with sheer delight at the sight before her.

The monstrous being leading this scene is here for nothing more than a celebration—the Beasts Pirates, treating this war like a festival.

“The Royal Army and the Rebel Army…!! A battlefield of over two million people killing each other… fufufu♡ Wouldn’t it be so much fun to perform a live concert here♡?”

“Nue-san!! We’re all set!!”

The rumbling of two million warriors turns into tremors and sandstorms, shaking the very desert earth.

With preparations complete to witness the entire spectacle, they gaze out upon the battlefield alongside the girl.

But of course… simply watching would never be the end of it for them.

“Thanks for your work!! Come now, all of you—take a good look before you join in!!”

Nue declares that this sight is the world they seek.

“To witness so many living beings slaughtering one another… You don’t often get to see a paradise like this.”

“Incredible numbers!!”

“Yes, quite a number, aren’t they♡ You don’t see this often… But that’s only for now.”

Indeed. Large-scale warfare is still rare—for now.

But in the era to come, once they take control of the world—it will become the norm.

“You newcomers, brace yourselves!! We’re going to make this kind of scene visible all across the world!! No more battles of just one or two million—people everywhere will have to choose: either embrace violence, or live cowering in fear!!! There will be wars in every corner of the world! A world ruled by power, where everything is seized through violence!!! That’s the world we’re after!!!”

“UWOOOOOOHHH!!!”

“This is the best!!!”

“Gives me chills...!!!”

They are all outlaws—those who became pirates in search of power, and once voyaged across the Grand Line with dreams of becoming Pirate King.

And the world they dream of is just as lawless. No boring rules, no laws from the World Government. A world where only the strong claim everything through force.

Though they once faltered after losing to the mightiest beast, that overwhelming power inspired awe. Swearing loyalty, they became part of the beast’s pack.

“For now, we prepare!! There’s a single key to dragging the world into war!! And it’s hidden within this country!!! We’re going to go and claim it!!!”

They are beasts with intelligence. If needed, they’ll bide their time and seek out the means to their end.

That “key” to building a world of violence is the ultimate military force—exactly what Baroque Works is after as well.

“Page One!! Bao Huang!!”

“Yes!”

“Aye!!”

Commanding the beasts are the executives—two of the Tobi Roppo. Nue gives them orders.

“Take your subordinates and go wreak some havoc on the battlefield!!”

“Aye!!!”

“Understood.”

“It’s more like a little diversion under the guise of a break… but be careful, okay? Even if most of them are small fry, a few might put up a decent fight. Especially for Page One—seems like there’s someone you have unfinished business with♡”

“! …I’ll capture them without fail.”

“Don’t go overboard, keep it moderate♡ And the rest of you, no massacres!! Keep it to five hundred kills per person!!”

She commands them to rampage, and everyone eagerly accepts.

In fact, the very notion of a kill limit is almost disappointing to these bloodthirsty beasts.

“Have fun out there, everyone!! Enjoy the festival♡”

“Yes—alright you lot!! Let’s go!!!”

“UWOOOOOOOOH!!!”

To them, this battlefield is a festival.

No need for reasons—they charge off, leaving only destruction and slaughter in their wake.

And in the end, only two remained behind.

“Dulac. You’ll stay here with me. We’ll observe and, when the time is right, move to retrieve the Poneglyph.”

“Sure. But… do we already know where it is?”

“Of course we do♡”

Left behind were Nue, and one of the Tobi Roppo—Dulac, archaeologist of the Beasts Pirates.

Their goal: to seize the Poneglyph from the royal family or Baroque Works.

That much, Dulac had already accepted. Yet Nue’s behavior struck her as strange.

“…If you already know where it is, wouldn’t it be better to go fetch it now?”

“Ahaha, fair point. Yeah, it’d definitely be easier that way. But don’t you think it’s more fun to go after all this?”

“…‘Fun,’ huh.”

Dulac lets out a sigh. That one word calls up all kinds of dreadful memories.

She’s been with the Beasts Pirates for over 20 years. She knows how they operate—and whenever Nue says something like that, nothing good ever comes of it.

Just earlier, she gave her subordinates permission for meaningless slaughter.

Their only true goal is the Poneglyph. They know where it’s hidden. If Nue were serious, she’d retrieve it and leave—end of story. It’d take minutes.

But she doesn’t. She lets loose the blood-hungry beasts, using “disruption” as an excuse—when no such tactic is even necessary.

It’s clear this is nothing more than a personal hobby. All this talk of “newcomer training” is probably just a convenient pretext.

To make it worse, the sources of their intel are often unknown, adding to Nue’s mystique and unpredictability.

Her cruelty and ambiguity have dyed millions—no, uncountable people—in terror.

“Yes, yes, it’ll be great fun~♪ So until then, we watch the battlefield.”

“…So that’s why the screens?”

“Exactly. I attached Visual Den Den Mushi to one of my UFOs—looks like a bird, doesn’t it? We can watch it all from here♡ See? Nice and clear!”

“Listen up, Chopper!! A real man—!!”

Even now, their battle is being spied on—by this monster.

Nue’s UFOs fly over the battlefield, equipped with visual snails. She embeds them with her ability to obstruct recognition, allowing her to view the fight without interference.

Even Nue’s Observation Haki isn’t perfect—it’s difficult to track millions, or distinguish individuals.

She says Observation only lets you pick out people clearly if they stand out. The more distance or numbers involved, the weaker it gets.

And the more she sharpens it to predict the future, the less effective it becomes at sensing far-off presences. Unforeseen events with no will behind them also evade her.

So her supreme Observation isn’t all-powerful. But with these modified UFOs, she can still gather detailed intel… though in this case, it's doubtful intel is even the goal.

“DIIIIIEEEEEE LONG NOSE!!! ‘Molehill Highway’~~~~~!!!”

“…E…even if…!! Even if they’re a terrifying enemy who’ll kill me…!!!”

“Whoa~~!! That’s one nasty move♪”

A makeshift monitor shows the footage transmitted by the visual snail.

It’s a battle. The Straw Hat Crew vs. Baroque Works Officer Agents.

“…Pa…Papoey… O-opey… Even if we’ve got no shot at winning……!!!”

The first screen shows a desert.

A long-nosed man and a strange reindeer humanoid, likely a Zoan user, are fighting.

Their enemies: the hulking Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas, the mole-woman with the Mole-Mole Fruit.

Nue watches with glee, snacks and booze in hand, as if she’s enjoying a sports match.

“Mr. 4!! Ready that ‘4-Ton Bat’!!!”

“Foooo~~!!”

“Here we go!! ‘Molehill’…!!!”

The battle is at its climax.

The long-nosed man is grabbed by the mole-woman and launched toward the bat-wielding giant.

“FOURTH INTERSECTION!!!!”

“USOPP~~~~~~~~!!!!!!”

“Wow!! Brutal attack~~♪”

A full-force swing with a 4-ton bat to the face.

His skull should’ve shattered, brain turned to mush. Dulac judges coolly—surely that boy is dead.

But that judgment was premature. Onscreen, the boy rises.

“…A real man…!!! There are fights… you just can’t run from…!!!”

“Wh-What?! You’re still…?!”

“!”

“When someone laughs at a friend’s dream!!!!”

“Hyuu~♪ What a cool line!!”

Dulac was astonished. At the sight of that boy standing up and shouting defiantly at his enemy.

“Ultimate Lie Technique — Hammer Comet!!!”

And even more so, that he continued the battle like that and ended up winning through quick thinking.

“Ahahahaha!!! Wowww~~~ that was incredible!!! I mean, he looks like a totally normal kid, but he takes a full swing to the head with a four-ton bat and gets back up? That’s some real potential, don’t you think?”

“…It was impressive, sure… but is this really what you’re enjoying?”

“It’s one of the things I’m enjoying♪ Fufufu, entertaining, right? Until the time comes, I’ll just sip some booze and enjoy watching this. I mean, waiting around doing nothing is boring!!”

Nue watched the fight with clear amusement, even voicing her thoughts with glee.

It was a battle worth watching—Dulac could admit that much.

But what became clear here was Nue’s rotten nature. As Nue turned her eyes to the next screen, Dulac came to understand it once again.

“Gwahahaha!! All bark and no bite—that fits you perfectly, doesn’t it? Can’t even stand back up? And you call yourself a first-rate chef of the sea!!”

“Ahahaha!! The Mane Mane no Mi really is the best~~!! I mean, I can do something similar too, though!!”

The next battle featured the blond man known as the chef, and the large okama in a swan coat—Mr. 2.

Using the powers of the Mane Mane no Mi to transform into his companions and throw off their attacks, Mr. 2 gained the upper hand. Nue doubled over with laughter watching it.

But the battle evened out again, and Mr. 2 launched a new wave of attacks on the chef.

“True power, concentrated into a single point, doesn’t cause wasteful destruction, y’know!?”

“Oof, that stings. Both Kaido and I tend to go a little overboard with the destruction. Like that one time I tried using Rokushiki just for fun, and totally wrecked everything around me!! Ahaha!!”

Even as she watched a battle where the fighters risked their lives, Nue just laughed and enjoyed herself.

Which meant one thing: to Nue, even life-or-death struggles, fought for things that truly mattered to people, were just entertainment to consume.

“Veal Shot!!!”

“Exploding Swan Bomberdi Arabesque!!!”

“Oooh~~!! They’re both going at it with combo kicks and ending with a finish—so cool!!”

The fight between the chef and Mr. 2 ended, and Nue praised it without hesitation.

But to her, a fight like that could be destroyed at any time.

No, not just that fight. She could wipe out all the battles happening in this land—along with the country itself.

Yet she didn’t. Because she could do it anytime. There was no need to go out of her way to ruin it.

After all, to Nue, these people were just comedians putting on an entertaining show.

“For eight years as a thief, I survived death countless times… You think I’m on the same level as those random girls!?”

“Oh right, I used to do a lot of that kind of stuff too... But trying not to get caught while stealing really gets the adrenaline going, y’know? And the satisfaction when you succeed? It’s amazing!!”

Another battle began—a woman wielding a strange staff and Miss Doublefinger, the user of the Spike-Spike Fruit. Still, Nue kept watching.

“This doesn’t hurt… or itch… not even a little… Could you ever understand her pain? Compared to that...”

“Oooh~~ nice. A bleeding beauty~♪”

Even Dulac, who only knew the general context, could tell how deeply these people felt about their fights.

The emotional intensity... the strength of will… it all came through clearly.

──But to Nue, it was all just a “performance.”

“…Hmph… Go ahead and try to cut me. Just taking hits won’t let you slice this body.”

“Too bad… Looks like I won’t be showing you how I cut through steel…”

“Supa Supa no Mi is strong, huh…? If he learns Haki, he might be able to turn his whole body into a black blade. Both of them still have room to grow♪”

“I’ll cut steel… when you’re dead.”

“...Fair enough...”

The Pirate Hunter Zoro—a former bounty hunter from East Blue—and his opponent, Mr. 1, once feared as a “killer” in the West Blue.

Durac had been with the Beasts Pirates for over twenty years, and had been at sea even before that—he was no amateur. He had thrown away his old name, risen to become a Headliner of the Beasts Pirates, and earned a bounty of over 200 million. He could recognize strength.

And from his perspective, this fight was top-tier. They weren’t using Haki yet, but their raw abilities alone could have earned them a spot among the Headliners.

“How’s he still standing…? After all those cuts… and dodging that rockfall too…!!?”

“! That’s…!!”

“Yup──he’s awakened Haki. Ahaha, well, it does tend to awaken in the face of certain death~~♪”

Still… even that was just a farce.

To them, it was a desperate struggle to survive—but to Nue, it was like watching a play.

“One Sword Style Iaijutsu… Shishi Sonson!!!”

“Atomic Spark – Fine Dust Slash Speed!!!”

“Yessssss~~!!! So cool!!!”

“…Thanks.”

──She’s making a joke of people’s real emotions.

Nue enjoys both tragedy and comedy equally.

If this were just a novel or a story, her taste might be considered normal.

But this is reality. And that is why Nue is a disaster.

To her, even reality is just a toy to be played with. Nothing more than feed for her entertainment.

The way of the Beasts is pure ego. That’s what it means.

Sure, pirates are all ego-driven—but the Beasts Pirates don’t care about anyone else’s circumstances, and even if they do, they trample over everyone’s rights regardless. They’re utterly vile.

“If the Seven Warlords are our enemy…”

“We have no room to complain about cowardice.”

“We four shall—”

“Settle this.”

“…So you’re famous or something…? Whatever. Go home, before I let you go.”

“The Toe Jam Troop, huh… Hmm… Even if this is a Grand Line country, if this is what they call ‘elite’ in Paradise, it’s kind of sad…”

“We cannot back down. We have our reasons!!”

“Reasons…?”

“If you’re truly the source of this rebellion…”

“!! That mark…!!! Don’t tell me… You’re…!!?”

Yeah… They don’t treat people like people. Giving them control of ancient weapons would be…

“They…!!! Drank ‘Energy Steroid’ just for a temporary power boost… knowing it would shave years off their lives… They’ve only got minutes left… they’re beyond saving!!!”

“Kuhahahahaha!! If they’re gonna die on their own, no need for me to lift a finger, right?”

“You won’t even fight…?”

“Ahahahahahahaha!!! Well, what did you expect him to say!!? If you hadn’t told them, maybe they would’ve fought. Man, they’re so dumb!! Seriously!! Ahahahaha!!”

…For now, the critical parts have been successfully covered up. If they can be hidden again this time—
“Dulac!!”

“!”

“I’ve been calling you for a while now. …Actually, I’ve been talking to you on and off, and you’ve just been ignoring me. Would be nice if you could at least pretend to hold a conversation, you know?”

“Ah, r-right… I’m sorry.”

Realizing Nue was staring at her with a clearly displeased look, Dulac quickly gave a small shake of her head, like snapping out of a daze. Losing awareness of Nue while deep in thought—that was dangerously careless. There’s no telling what she might do in that time.

“Well, whatever. More importantly—are you even watching the footage properly? You’ve been totally spaced out and barely paying attention.”

“Yes… Sorry. I’ll focus.”

“It’s fine♡ Now, come on, focus here and watch this part♪”

“Yes, I got it—ah…”

Forgiven with surprising ease, Dulac shifted her attention to the screen as prompted. This time, she made sure to truly watch. Right now, Crocodile had just defeated a warrior named Chaka, and a young man named Koza—the leader of the rebel army—had arrived.

As the agonized voices of the princess and the king echoed through the scene, Dulac finally noticed a woman in the footage.

“Eh…?”

Thump, thump—his heart began to race.

No way, he thought. Maybe it’s a mistake.

But it couldn’t be. It wasn’t a mistake back then, and even now—twenty years later—she could tell at a glance. The woman on the screen was—

“You look confused… It’s simple, really. Just imagine the ‘worst-case scenario’ you can.”

“Robin…!!!”

“Fufufu…♪”

—It was the image of her only daughter, Robin, whom she had parted with twenty years ago.

---

The Kingdom of Alabasta, the royal plaza in front of the capital city’s palace, had become the main battlefield where the royal army and the rebel forces clashed in full force.

“Overthrow the royal army! Storm the palace—!!!”

“Repel the rebels! Protect the kingdom—!!!”

They all fought with the same desire—to protect their country.

But none of them realized that this very battle was what would ultimately destroy it.

Even so, amidst a battlefield already beyond anyone’s control, there were still a few individuals who knew the truth—people who had the power to change the tide.

The battlefield stirred uneasily. The madness of war prevented full-blown panic, but one section of the field was clearly abnormal.

“Who the hell are you—Gyaa!!?”

“Aren’t they on our side!?”

“Are they rebels…!?”

In one corner of the plaza before the palace, soldiers were being slaughtered by combatants not affiliated with the royal army.

The royal army was seasoned and far more battle-hardened than the average soldier. They were putting up a fight, even against much stronger foes. The rebels were formidable as well.

But it was the rebels who were confused—because these strange attackers, while not part of the royal army, were also striking down rebel soldiers with equal ferocity.

“Gyahahahaha!! Die—!!!”

“What the hell… they’re laughing!?”

“Grizzly Nail!!!”

“Gahh!!?”

“What is that…!?”

The most violently rampaging fighters on the battlefield right now were these mysterious soldiers.

Men who smiled eerily the entire time. Others wielding inhuman, monstrous powers. Though small in number, their presence alone was wreaking massive havoc.

And yet, among them, one man wasn’t focused on killing. He was scanning the area intently.

“Now then… where the hell are you…!?”

Amidst the battlefield obscured by swirling sand and dust, dodging enemy soldiers while keeping his gaze moving—was Page One of the Tobiroppo, elite officers of the Beasts Pirates.

He wasn’t concerned with the royal army or the rebels. His eyes were locked on a single target.

That was—none other than the pirate who had once infiltrated the Beasts Pirates’ very headquarters, caused significant damage, and earned Kaido’s wrath: “Fire Fist Ace.”

His mission was clear—find Ace, beat him down, and drag him back to Kaido.

“Tch… Can’t find him just wandering around.”

But locating him wasn’t going to be easy.

There were nearly two million people in Alubarna right now. Even with Kenbunshoku Haki, it was tough to pick out one person among them all. Observation Haki wasn’t omnipotent.

So he’d have to come up with something. As Page One pondered that, he noticed a certain group.

“…! That’s… the Straw Hats…”

Near the palace, within the plaza, a group had gathered—presumably the Straw Hat Pirates Nue had mentioned, along with a woman who appeared to be the princess of the country. They seemed to be discussing something, but Page One didn’t care about that.

Still, he did recall something.

(…Come to think of it, that Fire Fist guy seemed to know the Straw Hat.)

When they crossed paths in a port town a few days ago, Ace and Straw Hat Luffy had spoken like old acquaintances. He didn’t know or care what their relationship was, but if they were close, he might be able to use them to locate Ace.

(Nue told me not to mess with the Straw Hats…)

They were useful tools for taking down Baroque Works—the organization secretly run by the Warlord Crocodile—so the directive had been to leave them alone if spotted.

But he had also been told it was fine to engage them if they made the first move. Just—don’t kill them.

“!? You…!!”

Which meant…

Now that they’d noticed him, he could afford to get a little rough.

(Looks like they’ve just finished a fight. Did they really take down one of Baroque Works’ Officer Agents…? Maybe Warlord executives aren’t as tough as I thought.)

“Wasn’t that guy Mr. 6…!?”

“No, dumbass. Someone claiming to be Mr. 6. Were you even listening, you shitty marimo?”

“Shut it!! Hah… But we don’t have time to deal with this guy right now…!!”

“Hey—Zoro!! Sanji!! Hurry up!! If we don’t handle this in ten minutes, the cannon fire…!!”

“…Cannon fire?”

Page One furrowed his brows. What was that long-nosed guy talking about?

But he dismissed it quickly. Whatever that was, it didn’t matter. Their situation, this country—none of it mattered to Page One.

“Tch… I hate helping people, but…!!”

“Now’s not the time to complain… Let’s end this in one shot!!!”

“!”

Page One noticed the green-haired swordsman and the blond man with distinct eyebrows charging at him. They seemed ready to unleash their strongest attacks.

“Oni…!!”

“Mutton Shot…!!”

—But Page One did not dodge.

“Slash!!!”

“Shot!!!”

“!!”

“Woooooah!! That had to do it, right!?”

The long-nosed man—Usopp—shouted, seeing the sheer force of the attacks. These were the top moves from Zoro and Sanji, second only to Luffy. No way anyone could take that head-on and be fine.

But the first to sense something was off were none other than Zoro and Sanji themselves.

“──Tch… Attacking out of nowhere like that… Damn annoying pests…”

“Wha!!?”

“What!?”

"What!!? Even after taking hits from those two...!?"

"Gyyaaaaahhh!!?"

"Eeeeehhhhh!!? H-He must be a Devil Fruit user!!?"

"...!! No... something's off... Mr. 6 couldn't possibly be this strong...!!"

Zoro and Sanji—key fighters of the Straw Hat crew—had just regrouped after defeating Baroque Works' main force.

Given the intensity of that battle, it was unlikely they were fighting at full strength. Still, what had just happened in front of them was too much to believe.

Sanji’s kick had landed squarely in the gut. Zoro’s slash had connected from shoulder to chest.

And yet, Page One had taken both attacks head-on.

Without a scratch.

Nami, Chopper, Usopp, and Vivi—all of whom knew how strong those two were—couldn’t hide their shock.

Page One snorted at their reaction and opened his mouth to speak, intending to deliver his message.

"Hmph... Hey, you lot."

"Wh-Wh-What do you want!? Just so you know, I’ve got 8,000 men under me—"

"I'm only here for 'Fire Fist Ace'... Tell me where he is!! If you don't—"

Page One cut Usopp off mid-sentence. He didn’t care about some made-up army. Even if it were true, he’d just crush them all.

But he couldn’t lay a finger on the Straw Hats. Killing them was out of the question. So instead, he went for intimidation.

"...Seems like you care a lot about the people of this country..."

"Tch... And what if we do!?"

"It’s simple. Until you talk... I’ll go around slaughtering everyone in sight—indiscriminately."

"...!!?"

"You bastard...!! There’s no way we’ll let that happen!!"

The Straw Hats were stunned by the threat, but just as Vivi declared, they weren’t going to stand by and let it happen. Their eyes burned with resolve.

Page One stared them down—and grinned.

"Then fight me. Maybe if I rough you up a bit, your tongues will loosen..."

"You son of a...!!"

"Don’t mock us...!!"

Sanji and Zoro narrowed their eyes and clenched their jaws at Page One’s arrogant tone. Just as they were about to charge in—

"Wait!! We don’t have time to fight right now!! We’ve got to find the gunner, or we’ll run out of time...!!"

"Tch...!! She’s right...!!"

The two pulled back just in time. Only ten minutes remained.

Even if they could beat him, it wouldn’t be quick—and any delay was a luxury they couldn’t afford.

"What’s the matter? If you don’t wanna die, then spit it out!!"

"Damn it...!!"

But the truth was—they had no idea where Ace was.

Back when they’d entered Alubarna, Ace had split off to pursue this “Mr. 6” on his own.

Now that very person was standing in their way, and Zoro cursed Ace internally for not wrapping things up.

But then—

"...I’m right here."

"Huh?"

A shadow fell over Page One—then a boot came crashing down.

"Right here!!!"

"Guooh!!?"

Page One was kicked away. He recovered quickly, but the impact—and the Haki behind it—made it clear.

He’d found his target.

"Whoa!!? That’s Luffy’s big bro for you!!"

"...Sheesh... Can I leave the rest to you?"

"Yeah. Sorry. I was looking for him too, but you guys found him first... I’ll finish this. Now get going!!"

"Ace!!"

"Yeah!! Let’s move!!"

Relief and determination lit up the Straw Hats’ faces. The man who had effortlessly knocked Page One back—was none other than Fire Fist Ace.

As he secured the crew’s retreat, Ace stood to face the recovering Page One. Behind him, the Straw Hats made their escape.

"I found you... Fire Fist Ace...!! Honestly thought you'd run back home!!"

"Seriously... You guys just don’t quit. Following me all the way to a country in civil war? Don’t you have better things to do?"

"No can do...!! We’ve got a score to settle with you for what you did back at our turf...!! And we don’t care what country we’re in!!"

"...Yeah, fair enough. This country has nothing to do with us."

Ace nodded. He agreed—the conflict between him and the Beasts Pirates wasn’t this country’s burden to bear.

They were pirates. Anywhere could be a battlefield. He had no intention of dragging innocent people into it.

"But... this place does matter to me—it’s my little brother’s friends’ country."

"...Huh? Brother?"

"Yeah. That’s why I can’t let you run wild here. You’re going down—Beasts Pirates."

"...!! Say that again, I dare you!!!"

"...!! Here he comes...!!"

Enraged, Page One lunged. Mid-sprint, he transformed—Ace narrowed his eyes.

It was a Zoan-type, the Human-Beast form.

But not just any Zoan—Page One was a carnivorous Ancient Zoan, far more powerful and durable than the standard kind.

"RAAAGHH!!!"

"!!"

His body doubled in size, covered in scales with massive claws, fangs, and a long tail. He charged at Ace with crushing force.

Ace was a Logia user, but attacks imbued with Haki couldn’t be phased through. He could avoid them by turning into fire, but if hit, he’d still take damage.

On top of that, Ace deliberately began retreating—drawing the fight toward a more deserted part of the town.

And that’s when it happened.

"RAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"

"!!?"

Ace reached the wall of a large building—Page One didn’t even hesitate.

He crashed into it. The building stood nearly a hundred meters tall and wide—but it may as well have been paper.

"!!? Hey!! That building’s coming down!!!"

"Shit!! Run!!"

"Uwaaaahhhhhh!!!?"

Nearby rebel and royal soldiers realized the destruction too late—they didn’t even know what had caused it.

Page One’s claw, aimed at Ace, had pulverized the building—and the shockwaves damaged others nearby.

The soldiers, caught in the collapse, couldn’t flee fast enough. It could have been a massacre—but then, a pillar of fire rose.

"Flame Pillar!!!"

"! What the hell!? Fire!!?"

A towering blaze shot into the sky—far beyond anything a normal fire could do. The soldiers stared in awe. That fire had saved them.

But it wasn’t some miracle. It was Ace, using his powers to protect them.

To a Logia user like Ace, collapsing buildings meant nothing. He could have ignored it.

But he couldn’t bring himself to let innocent people die.

"Hey!! Get out of here!!"

"Huh? Wait, aren’t you... I’ve seen you before...?"

"Just go fight somewhere else, okay...?"

"You let your guard down!!!"

"!!? Shit—"

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"

And then—it happened.

Page One didn’t waste the opening.

Through the fallen rubble and rising dust, the dinosaur monster roared and swung its claws.

The destruction went far beyond Ace.

The blow hurled him through over ten buildings in Alubarna—hundreds of meters away.

A chain of crashes followed as building after building collapsed. Ace, hurled into the eastern block of town, coughed up a little blood and rose from the rubble.

"...Damn it... Still got that insane power, huh...? It’s not the people I’m worried about—this city’s not gonna last...!!"

It wouldn’t hinder his fighting. But the damage was real.

The collision with the building didn’t harm Ace, who was a natural Logia-type, so the only damage came from Page One’s blows. Even so, it was effective to some degree.

If this had been an ordinary human, or if Ace hadn’t used Haki for defense, that one hit alone might have been fatal.

“Hey!! Don’t tell me that was enough to take you down!? No way that’s all it took, right!!?”

“Tch... Guess I’ve got no choice.”

As Page One moved in to press the attack, Ace wiped the blood from his lips and made up his mind. There was only one thing he could do if he wanted to avoid casualties.

“I’ll finish this fast!!!”

“Then try it, if you think you can!!!”

Ace, now engulfed in flames, launched his attack at Page One. Page One took the blow and countered again with relentless strikes.

The end of this conflict was near. So—Ace would end it before then.

---

—The battle was nearing its conclusion.

"──Hey!! What is the meaning of this!!?"

『…So this is the "Poneglyph of Historical Record". Nico Robin.』

『…………You got here fast.』

Among Baroque Works’ Officer Agents, only Mr. 0—Crocodile—remained.

But the pirate Monkey D. Luffy, who challenged Crocodile, had been defeated again. Crocodile had already descended to the underground chamber beneath the royal mausoleum in the west of the palace, where his partner awaited.

The city was still engulfed in conflict. The royal army and the rebels clashed, the pirates fought, and the princess battled to save her people. In secret, even the officers of a major pirate crew were engaged in their own deadly struggles.

And amid it all—one of the lead fighters of the Beasts Pirates, Durach, stared intently at the footage from a visual Den Den Mushi and questioned the girl beside him with desperation.

The girl glanced at her subordinate and gave a thin smile.

"…………What do you mean, "What’s going on"?"

"You should know full well!! Why is… that girl… here!!?"

Dulac’s voice trembled. Not as a member of the Beasts Pirates—but as Nico Olvia, the mother of the woman now standing beside Crocodile on screen, Nico Robin.

To her, this was a crisis she could not ignore.

Yet the girl she questioned—the Vice Governor of the Beasts Pirates, feared as the “Phantom Beast Nue”—answered with a calm, amused smile.

"…Even if you ask me why… I don’t know what your kid is thinking."

"Don’t play dumb!! Have you forgotten the agreement between us!?"

Olvia shouted, remembering the pact she made with the Beasts Pirates twenty years ago. It was clear:

—In exchange for becoming your scholar to decipher the Poneglyphs, you will never lay a finger on my daughter.

That was the deal. And yet Nue now sat observing her daughter. What did this mean? Olvia glared at her intensely.

But Nue didn’t flinch at all. Humming to herself, she watched the screen with an entertained grin.

"Nahhh—I didn’t forget~ ♪ But more importantly… hey, it’s getting really good right now. You should watch♡"

"！"

『I couldn’t care less about this country’s history!!! Just tell me already—where is the world’s most dangerous “weapon” hidden in this land!!!』

On the screen, Crocodile snarled at Robin, demanding she decipher the Poneglyph.

But Robin stood firm—

『It’s not written here. This only records history.』

『What?』

"Robin…!!"

Olvia’s daughter, Robin, refused him.

Like her mother, Robin could read the ancient script. She was a survivor of Ohara.

But she would not use her gift to aid wicked intentions.

That choice made Olvia proud. She bore too much sin to even call herself a mother—but even so, her heart swelled with joy.

…However, Nue—watching Olvia’s teary-eyed smile—simply grinned.

And on the screen—

『…I see…………What a shame.』

『!?』

Crocodile’s face twisted with frustration as he stared at Robin.

『You were a brilliant partner—but I’ll kill you here.』

『!!!? Wha…!?』

"……!!?"

Not just Robin and King Cobra on screen—even Olvia outside the screen was shocked.

Nue watched gleefully. And Crocodile had no intention of letting Olvia compose herself.

『The deal we made four years ago is now fulfilled. You approached me with this: If I took you to the Poneglyph’s location, you would give me the weapon’s information…』

"…Eh……?"

Olvia froze. A deal? Weapon information?

No—it couldn’t be. There was no way Robin would do such a thing.

But the truth didn’t stop. Crocodile went on, smugly.

『Your contributions over these four years at Baroque Works showed excellent intelligence and leadership.』

"──And so, turns out the Vice President of Baroque Works, Miss All Sunday, is none other than your daughter, Nico Robin~~~!! Ta-daaa!! Shocking truth revealed!!"

"No way…!! Why… why would she…"

『But—!! In the end, you broke our agreement…!! This country’s Poneglyph doesn’t even contain a clue about “Pluton”!!』

"! Robin!!"

Nue’s words and Crocodile’s accusations echoed in Olvia’s mind. To hear that the vice president of the group tormenting this country was her own daughter—it was more than she could process.

But beyond the confusion, her eyes locked onto the screen, where Crocodile now turned to attack Robin. She stepped toward the screen instinctively—but of course, she couldn’t reach through. The events pressed on relentlessly.

『──Yet I feel no anger toward you. Do you know why, Nico Robin……!!!』

『Heh…! Fool… We’ve worked together for four years! You think I didn’t see this coming!?』

『Hm!? …Water…?』

Robin pulled a flask from her coat. Inside was a liquid—Crocodile’s known weakness.

『! Gh……!!』

『If you’re soaked, even a knife can pierce you, right!?』

「Ohhh, your daughter’s really giving it her all~.──But this is probably the end for her♡」

『!!? He dodged—where is he!!?』

"!! No!! Run, Robin!!! Stop!!!"

Olvia realized it even before Nue pointed it out, and she desperately called out to the screen. …But her efforts were in vain──

『I will forgive everything, Nico Robin. Because I…』

"Ah… ah…!!"

Crocodile's hook pierced through Robin's chest──

『From the very beginning, I never trusted anyone anyway』

"Robin!!!!"

Olvia looked at the screen, tears streaming down her face. Her fists trembled as she cried Robin's name, who was collapsing to the ground.

Watching that, Nue took a casual sip from her bottle and offered words of comfort to Olvia.

"Pwah. Man, this drink is hitting the spot!! But hey, it’s not instant death or anything. The wound’s a little off-center from her heart, so there's still a chance she might make it. So come on, maybe save the crying for a bit later?"

──Though at this rate, she’s still going to die── Nue added lightly.

Hearing that, Olvia immediately tried to act. She forced strength into her wobbling knees and tried to stand.

But──

"Ah—nope, nope. You’re staying right here for now."

"!! Let go of me!!! I have to… I have to save Robin!!!"

Olvia’s hand was grabbed by Nue, but she tried to shake it off and rush to help nonetheless. From her hand, a tree grew.

"“Full Bloom Fire Blossom!!!”"

"!!"

The tree bloomed with red flowers, then burst into flames, exploding at point-blank range to blow Nue off her. A lethal-level attack, all from Olvia's powers.

However—

"To think you’d actually attack me… she really is that important to you, huh～?"

"…!! Agh!!"

…Even so, Olvia couldn’t escape Nue’s grasp.

Unaffected by the explosion, Nue kept hold of her and pinned her to the floor.

With nothing more than that, Olvia was completely restrained by Nue’s vice-like strength. Her face twisted in pain.

"And besides… we just fought a plant user recently, and honestly, I’m not in the mood for that again. Though your “Nyo-ki Nyo-ki no Mi” is a way better version than that weird ninja’s, I’ll give you that♡"

"Ugh… ah…!!"

"But since it’s a power we gave you, there’s no way I wouldn’t understand it. And even if I didn’t, you still wouldn’t stand a chance against me, would you?"

A “Plant Human” able to sprout and control any vegetation. That was Dulac's—Olvia's—ability.

But the Devil Fruit powers granted by Nue and her group twenty years ago were utterly useless against them.

"No need to panic so much… the girl might still live… and hey, maybe I’ll even help her"

"…Then… do it now!!"

"Nooope♡ Even if you’re our dear comrade, that’s a big no♡ And besides… there’s something I need you to do"

"Something you… need?"

"That’s right," Nue nodded cheerfully. She crouched in front of Olvia, grabbed her face with both hands, and locked eyes with her from up close.

"You haven’t told us the contents of the “Poneglyphs of History” yet… have you?"

"!!!?"

Olvia's eyes widened. Her face betrayed her shock.

Nue was still smiling, her face close. She didn’t look angry. But──

"To be precise, you haven’t told us accurately.… Just now, you said it yourself, didn’t you? “Do you remember the agreement from twenty years ago?”"

"Kh… ah…!!"

"Let me throw those words right back at you—Do you remember that agreement? That in exchange for your cooperation, I would leave your precious, precious child unharmed. I kept that promise. But you? You broke it first. Isn’t that just awful～?"

"Uaaaaah…!!"

"Seriously… you’ve worked with us for twenty years, you should’ve known better. Your lies have always been so obvious, you know"

Nue squeezed Olvia’s head with her monstrous strength, making her cry out. She tried to think—how had she been found out? But her thoughts were too scrambled to follow through.

Still, somehow, they had discovered her lies. That much was clear.

"──Just kidding"

"Wh… what are you…?"

Suddenly, Nue let go of her.

Olvia was stunned. She’d been bracing for torture, and now… confusion overtook her. What is she planning? The bad feeling in her gut only grew stronger as Nue smiled at her.

"If a little pain was all it took to make you talk, I would’ve done that from the start. But to really make you obey… the only way is to break the things you hold dearest♡"

"!! No…!!"

Olvia realized what was coming.

That condition, part of the agreement made twenty years ago—Nue was about to invoke it.

"Lately, I’ve gotten into making hamburgers, you know? Mince it—make the patty～♫ Slice it—add the pickles～♫ Stack it in a big bun and squish it down—“Monster Burger”～♫ Saw a pirate crew doing it once, but they were awful at it. Just roughing it up a bit—didn’t mince it properly, didn’t knead or cook it right, just lazy. And they didn’t even eat it all! That’s not a Monster Burger!! You gotta finish every bite. So hey, next time, why don’t I show you how Nue-chan makes a real Monster Burger♡"

──"With your daughter as the patty♡"

"……!! Stop it!!!"

Olvia screamed. There was no way she could let her daughter suffer such torment.

But Nue just looked more amused.

"Eeeeh～～? But you’re a liar. We can’t trust that you’ll tell us the truth… Maybe it’s better if you do feel some pain? Might help you break a little. Get desperate enough to finally listen?"

"Wait!! Please!! I’ll tell you next time!! Everything you want to know…!!!"

"Oh wow, now you say that? After all this? That’s a little too convenient, don’t you think? You’re not underestimating us, are you? Like, “I’m the only one who can read the Poneglyphs, so there’s no way they’ll hurt me,” kinda thinking. That is what you were counting on, wasn’t it?"

"…That’s not…!!"

But Nue was right. Olvia was one of only two people in the world who could read the ancient script.

To acquire the ancient weapons, or reach “Raftel,” her cooperation was essential.

That’s why she knew Kaido and Nue would never kill her. That’s why she thought she could lie without consequence.

But now… that optimism was shattered.

"Well, yeah, you're not wrong. If you were just a traitor, we’d have killed you already. But you’re not. You’re an irreplaceable asset to us.──So here’s what we’ll do"

"…………?"

Nue raised a finger and declared with that same unchanging, mischievous-girl smile,

"If the ancient weapon isn't at the location you're about to point us to… I'm going to kill that girl."

"!! That's…!!"

"Fufu, not a bad deal, right? I'm being super kind here, aren't I? I mean, if you just read the Poneglyph and honestly tell us what's written in it, there's absolutely no problem♪"

"……!! But!! Even if I do… what if—for some reason—the ancient weapon isn't actually there…!!"

Olvia voiced her concern. Even if she shared the contents of the Poneglyph and gave them the information, there was no guarantee the weapon would actually be at that location.

"Hmm~~… Well, yeah, it’s totally possible someone took it already or it’s just not there. But if it's not, that could mean you're lying, right? So—execution it is!!"

"No…!!"

Olvia was overwhelmed with despair. This wasn’t about whether she told the truth or not.

Even if she did tell the truth—if nothing was there—then… it would all end the same way.

"Can't be helped, right? If it's not there, that's a crime. You're out. So do your best. Anyway, we already know this Poneglyph here points to where 'Pluton' is, so we'll be coming to collect it later. Make sure you're ready then, okay?♡"

"…………"

"Huh? No answer?"

"…………Yes… I understand."

Olvia lowered her head and nodded.

There was no choice but to nod. Her daughter's life and death were, at this moment, entirely in Nue’s hands.

『We’ve got you cornered…!! Croc!!!』

『…………Why are you still alive? No matter how many times I kill you, why do you keep coming back at me… huh? …Straw Hat!!!』

"Look, things over there are heating up too. Why don’t we sit back and enjoy the show together? Your daughter’s still hanging in there, after all♪"

"…………Yes…"

Just like Nue said, Robin was still alive on the screen, and Luffy had appeared before Crocodile.

And then Olvia thought—was everything happening exactly the way Nue wanted it to?

She had sensed something was off before, but this time, the way everything was unfolding just as Nue described made her feel deeply unsettled.

How far ahead had this monster planned everything?

"Once this fight’s over, we’re heading out to get that Poneglyph, okay?♡"

"……Alright……"

And once again, Olvia was struck by a desperate realization:

She must not let her daughter become involved with this monster—no matter what.

---

The sun always rises—and the rain always falls.

“You say I took something from you…? Was it money? Fame? Trust!? …Lives? …The rain!? Kuhahaha! Tell me, what do you want back? If it’s something I’ve stolen, I’ve got more than I can count!”

“Your nation!!!”

Every battle, without fail, reaches its final act.

“Seems you’re a pirate worth your salt… But a pirate’s duel is always a fight for survival. There’s no such thing as cowardice in this game…!! If there’s an explosion on the surface, this place’ll come crashing down with it.”

The turmoil won’t stop.

“It’s because I don’t want them to die… that they’re my crew!!!”

“…Even if they end up dead?”

“If they die… then that’s just how it is…!!”

The storm rages on.

“A greenhorn like you was never meant to stand against someone like me… There’s no end to the things in this world you just can’t do a damn thing about…!!”

But the dreams of people never end.

“I’m the man who’s gonna become King of the Pirates!!!!”

“!! …Listen, brat… The deeper one knows this sea, the less likely they are to spout reckless crap like that. I told you, didn’t I? There are countless rookies like you on these seas!!!”

The battle between the man whose dream was broken and the one still chasing his dream—

“The more you understand the level of this sea… the less you’re able to dream at all!!!”

“…I’m the man who’s going to surpass you…!!!”

The fight between one who steals a nation—and one who protects it—

“…Some nobody from who-knows-where dares to stand before me!? Do you even know who the hell you’re dealing with!!!?”

“No matter who you are!!!”

The battle between pirate and pirate—

“I’ll surpass you!!!!!!”

In this land of sand—

“Gum-Gum…”

“Desert Dessert…”

Now—the final blows are struck.

“Tempest Storm!!!!!!”

“Diamond Blade Raspara!!!!!!”

And with that, the nightmare that plagued this country comes to an end.

“President of the underground crime syndicate Baroque Works, and Warlord of the Sea, Pirate Sir Crocodile—under the name of the World Government and Marine Headquarters, all your titles, rights, and privileges are hereby revoked.”

“No one can erase the past!!! …Stand atop the ruins of this war!!! And live on, Kingdom of Alabasta!!!!”

A battle never meant to be spoken of—comes to a close.

But… not all nightmares end.

“Now then, let’s have you read this, shall we, darling Drac-chan♡?”

“…Yes…”

What they stole from beneath the underground tombstone was an ancient stone that recorded a long-lost past.

A stone that marked the location of the worst ancient weapon—something that should never be revealed to those with malicious intent.

“Let’s put our little duel on hold for now.”

“Damn… We’re out of time…!! Retreat!!”

Some laid down their arms, knowing the battle was over. Others, called back from above, retreated like beasts.

And as the rain fell on all of them equally, the truth of their location now—

“The ancient weapon… Pluton… it’s located—”

“…Well now♪”

—was exposed… by those with evil in their hearts.

And when the incident ended, the pirates once again set sail upon the sea.

“You’re leaving already?”

“Yeah… We lost a lot of time here.”

Before the pirates who worked in the shadows, he bid farewell to his younger brother and his crew.

What he shared was his own burden. What he handed over—a small piece of paper symbolizing life.

“The next time we meet… it’ll be at the top of the pirate world.”

“Yeah!!”

And just before saying goodbye, he hesitated.

Should he tell them—about those pirates who had been here in this country?

But he shook his head quickly. Even if he told them, nothing would change.

They had their adventure. And he had his. No matter how hard it might be, he had to see it through.

“──Ah, excuse me. Have you seen a guy like this?”

And so, without saying anything to his brother and the others, he returned to the sea to fulfill what he had to do.

But at that very moment, in nearby waters—

“──Ah, sorry! Have you seen a guy like this? Freckles on his face, body blazing like fire… Yes!! Fuhaha!! That’s right, that guy!! Where did you last see him!!?”

Another had set out to sea, chasing after him. But he was unaware—that the one they were pursuing was the very crew wearing the straw hat.

---

Grand Line, on the sea.

Aboard the Beast Pirates’ ship returning to the New World, carrying the Poneglyph with them, Nue muttered like a curse to Olvia.

“…Still… it’s just so amusing♡”

“…?”

And then Nue whispered in her ear, as if to shatter her very soul—

“Your daughter went through all that trouble to protect the secret of the ancient weapon… And you, her own mother, are the one who exposed it♡”

“…Ah…!!”

—That’s right.

The future her daughter had protected, the history. She, the mother, had taken it away.

She had handed the knowledge of the ancient weapon over to them.

Even though her daughter was still alive—fighting to protect it.

And she, the mother, had…

“Fufufu♡ Well, that’s what makes you our kind of comrade. Looking forward to working with you—Devil Mama♡”

“Ah… Aahhh…!!”

There was no going back now.

Olvia collapsed to her knees on the deck, sobbing uncontrollably.

In the end, her resolve from twenty years ago had been shallow, fragile.

She had trampled on the will of Ohara… and she had meant to do so, fully prepared to sacrifice the entire world.

But now, she was crying—pathetically—out of guilt for both sides.

She repeated her apologies to her daughter and to everyone, over and over. Only now did she realize the depth of her foolishness.

And upon realizing that she had even trampled on her daughter’s wishes—she fell into despair.

“Well then! Now that we’re one step closer to our ideal, it’s time to say goodbye to this country~♡ We’ve got the treasure, so let’s head back and party!!”

“Uooooh!! That’s our Nue-san!!”

“Gyahaha!! This is the cash we stole from Crocodile’s casino!!”

But many of the crew were drunk on the spoils of victory, making a raucous celebration. Everyone praised Nue.

“Still… I can’t believe they really took down Crocodile…”

“I’m shocked!!”

“Ahaha, they really are something!! ──Though I’m even more amazing!!”

“Well, that’s…”

“Of course, right!? Was it childish of me to compete with them? Ahahaha!!!”

And so the nightmare—did not end.

It spread.

The yokai girl Nue, with her spoils in hand, left the land of sand and sailed once more—toward a place where she could further indulge her own desires.