Chapter 127: Message

—"East Blue," the giant bridge.

On that massive structure built by the World Government over 700 years using criminals gathered from across the globe and citizens of nations that refused to join the government, a mass of people began running in the opposite direction.

“H-Hey! Stop!! The bridge construction—Gwah!!”

“Shut up!! We’re not building this damn bridge anymore!!!”

“The World Government is gone, right!? Then there’s nothing left to fear!!”

“Now’s the time for rebellion!!! We’re not… shackled by anyone anymore!!!”

Slaves, in great numbers, rise up and overpower the overseers of the bridge's construction, breaking free.

The collapse of the World Government ignites hope and rebellion in the hearts of the enslaved, giving them the courage to take action.

No matter the reason… at least for them now, the collapse of order is something to be welcomed.

And nearby, in the waters around that bridge—

“…I’m surprised… The war, the fall of the government, all of that is shocking… but for you to lead the Revolutionary Army and show up before me…”

“…What, I just felt like seeing your face for a bit…”

“…Aokiji.”

On a lone ship. On a deck cleared of others, Nico Robin, the Straw Hat Crew's archaeologist, trembles at the appearance of a completely unexpected person.

She had already felt a bone-chilling cold from being in a cold region and on the sea, but ever since Aokiji arrived, the temperature seemed to drop even further. That likely wasn’t just in her head. As a Logia user of the Ice-Ice Fruit, capable of generating ice and freezing others to death, it was easy for him to change the climate.

And he, naturally, felt none of this cold. No longer wearing his coat embroidered with the kanji for "Justice," Aokiji stood before her wrapped in bandages and covered in numerous wounds—his battered form a stark contrast to the man she remembered.

“I heard you were here right after the war ended… so I asked Garp-san to let me come. Well, while I was at it… I cleaned up a few of the pirates that had popped up, so I guess it was a win-win…”

“…An admiral… of the Navy…”

“—I’m not a Marine or an admiral anymore… Ah, well… Since the new government is founding a navy, I am technically a Marine again… and apparently, I’m the next Fleet Admiral.”

Despite the cold, Robin breaks into a sweat. Any pirate would react that way before someone as powerful as Aokiji, once the Navy’s ultimate weapon.

On his way here, he apparently dealt with quite a few pirates—likely freezing most of them. That’s probably why there’s little scent of blood from his body… yet he still gives off a sharp, menacing presence, one that sends chills down the spine.

But Robin no longer feels the same fear toward him as before. That’s why her next words come a bit more easily.

“…There’s a place I have to return to. So I can’t go with you all.”

“…It’s dangerous out there. Even the East Blue, once a symbol of peace, is now overflowing with pirates… Well, I did make a mess of things around here, so this area might be safe for a while…”

“I know. I know the seas—and the whole world—are in chaos. But I still…”

“—Have your crew, huh… Hmph… You’ve really grown into an incredible woman…”

Aokiji finishes her sentence and, with a faint smile, leans against the ship's rail beside Robin, facing the sea. His smile quickly fades as he continues.

“Hey… Nico Robin… I… I survived…”

“…………”

Those words weren’t something you’d expect from a man who once rose to the rank of Navy admiral—they were words of weakness.

And yet, Aokiji deliberately said them only to Robin. Despite being one of the people responsible for destroying her home and her sanctuary.

“I never thought the World Government was the only ‘justice’ out there. Deep down, I’ve always… thought the world would be better off without the Celestial Dragons… The fewer of them, the better…”

Aokiji confesses what he had buried deep inside.

“But even so… I believed that maintaining order would save more lives overall… That’s what I told myself as I kept going… But now, after the war, the Celestial Dragons were all wiped out… and the Revolutionary Army rose to take their place…”

“…And…?”

“Yeah… I mean, on paper, that’s a good thing. The Celestial Dragons are gone, decent people are taking charge… and I get to be the fleet admiral of that organization, just dealing with the scum like always.”

Robin doesn’t offer much—just an occasional question or silent nod. She understands these words are more like Aokiji talking to himself than trying to hold a conversation.

So even without her response, Aokiji continues. His next words are spoken with a powerless tone.

“But still… I’m not happy about it… I’m not like you—I never had real crewmates. I’ve always been ready for someone to die. I’ve lost countless people I knew. But when the numbers get this high… it gets to you…”

“…………”

“Hey… Nico Robin… back then… what did it feel like… being the only one who survived…?”

A cruel question—especially to ask someone who lived through that experience. It wasn’t something a person should say, not even one who lived through loss himself.

“…Just kidding. You don’t need to answer that… Sorry. That was cruel of me.”

“…It’s fine. I don’t mind.”

But Robin shows kindness. And truthfully, she really doesn’t mind as much anymore. Remembering the past still brings sorrow, but now she has her crew. She’s not alone. And she knows that.

Now, it’s Robin who feels pity—or perhaps compassion—for Aokiji. That’s why she’s able to speak without much hesitation. Not just because she doesn’t sense hostility from him.

“…The reason I came to see you was… partly because I was cleaning up Garp-san’s home waters, but also… to make sure no one besides the Straw Hats got their hands on you…”

“…I see. But that’s not necessary—”

“I know. I know you can’t bring yourself to trust an ex-Marine like me… or the Revolutionary Army… But I can’t just leave you be. At least, not until you’re properly reunited with the Straw Hats.”

“…………”

“Sorry… but let me protect you. You probably don’t know this yet… but to the pirates of the New World, your ability to read the Poneglyphs makes you valuable—not just as a ‘key to the ancient weapons,’ but something even more… Everyone wants that value…”

“! What do you mean by—”

“You don’t need to know right now… In fact, if you did find out, it’d just interfere with your journey… Don’t rush it. Whether good or bad, the time will come when you’ll learn the truth…”

“…………”

Robin is left speechless by Aokiji’s firm, final tone.

Apparently, the pirates of the New World have some reason to seek out the Poneglyphs… perhaps even something beyond the ancient weapons.

But Aokiji refuses to say more. Just as he said, knowing now would probably dampen the crew’s spirit of adventure. Robin couldn’t bring herself to press further.

She thought of asking him to let her go, but… it seemed Aokiji had no intention of leaving her on her own.

“Don’t worry. I know I’m not the most trustworthy guy, but… the Revolutionary Army—no, the new government’s leader is Dragon. As you know, he’s the father of ‘Straw Hat Luffy’… and Garp-san is his grandfather… not to mention, he’s got a sworn brother too. No one’s gonna hurt you—and if they tried, they’d get hell for it.”

“! His… brother…?”

The first name that comes to mind is Portgas D. Ace, the brother Luffy and the others often talked about.

The one at the heart of the war. The government had sentenced him to execution, prompting the Whitebeard Pirates to wage war… and in that chaos, the Pirate Alliance wiped out both sides.

Luffy and Ace had apparently both managed to survive—but judging from Aokiji’s tone, he wasn’t talking about Ace.

“…We’ll talk about that once we get to headquarters. The new government’s HQ… it’s my first time visiting because of all this too, but it’s not a bad place.”

“…So you’re saying I have no choice.”

“Well… once we get word on your captain, I’ll let you know right away. I’ll also make arrangements so you can reunite with him quickly. …It’s cold out here. Why don’t you go inside?”

“…I’ll pass.”

“…I see.”

Aokiji nodded and walked past Robin. He was likely heading back into the ship. Robin, still wary, chose to stay outside.

Even if they weren’t Marines anymore, they were part of the new government. In the end, pirates and the government are bound to be enemies. It might be safe for now, but she couldn’t fully let her guard down.

Aokiji understood that. That’s why he walked away. But as he did, he added one more thing over his shoulder.

“…I said I came to see you for work… and maybe that was true, but… maybe I also just wanted to make sure someone I used to know was still alive…”

“!”

“Officially, the new government’s policy is still to capture pirates… but we’re not planning to go after you. …Take care of your crew—and yourself. It’s too late once you’ve lost something… You and I both carry lives given to us by someone else…”

With those words, tinged with emotion, Aokiji descended the stairs.

Robin, still surprised, could only silently watch him go. Because she, too, knew the feeling of losing something precious.

“—Kuzan-san!!”

“! What is it?”

But just then—a Revolutionary soldier called out to Aokiji—Kuzan—in a flustered voice.

In his hands was a newspaper. Most likely today’s edition of the World Economic News. Holding it, the soldier hurried over to Aokiji.

“Please take a look at this!! Ah, Robin-san, you too!!”

“Me…?”

“…Hope it’s not bad news… Wait—Hey, hold on… This is…!!”

Aokiji was the first to glance at the front page, and his expression quickly changed to one of shock. Whatever was in that paper must’ve been big.

With the world as it was, anything could happen—but seeing an article that made even Aokiji’s face twist, Robin’s heart skipped a beat as she leaned in to read it too. And what she saw was—

“—What… Luffy…!!?”

On the front page of that newspaper—was a photo of a woman, and next to her… “Straw Hat Luffy.”

---

──The incident took place a day earlier.

“No way!! I ain’t joining!!!”

At the Sabaody Archipelago, inside Shakky’s Rip-off Bar, the moment “Pirate Empress” Boa Hancock invited Monkey D. Luffy to join the Beasts Pirates, the air in the room froze.

Luffy flatly rejected her offer. —Anyone who knew him could have predicted that answer, but… even so, Hancock, who had voiced the proposal, twisted her expression in frustration and tried to persuade him again.

“...! ...Luffy, please listen. If you go on ahead… into the ‘New World’… you’ll surely face a baptism.”

“A baptism…?”

“The pirates in the New World… they’re not nearly as soft as the ones in these first seas. You saw it for yourself in the war, didn’t you? The terrifying power… of the pirates known as the ‘Four Emperors’...!!”

“!!”

At Hancock’s words, Luffy recalled.

The “Four Emperors,” the “Seven Warlords of the Sea,” the “Marine Headquarters”—those who possess enough strength to contend for the very top of the seas.

Even here in the Sabaody Archipelago, the Straw Hats had been helpless before Kizaru, Kuma, and the Navy’s new weapon. They’d been torn apart and scattered.

If one thing had gone wrong, the crew might’ve been wiped out right then and there… and if something else had gone off-track… he or Ace might’ve died in the war.

“You’ve probably sensed it already… but I’ve long been under the umbrella of the Beasts Pirates. My being one of the Seven Warlords… that was just convenient for them...!!”

“…! So that’s how it was…!!”

“…………”

Jinbe furrowed his brows at that statement, but did not condemn her.

The Beasts Pirates had thrown that war into chaos—and Jinbe himself had old grudges with them. Still, he too had mingled with the Whitebeard Pirates while being a Warlord. And Hancock had even betrayed the Beasts Pirates on the battlefield—for Luffy’s sake.

That made her proposal all the more surprising. Perhaps the Beasts Pirates had let her betrayal slide.

Law stayed silent, listening. He didn’t join the conversation, but it was clear the topic was worth hearing.

“……!! But I ain’t gonna serve under anyone!! I won’t have anyone under me either!! If I’m not free, there’s no point in being a pirate!!!”

“…Can you say the same if it’s your life… or your crew’s on the line?”

“…!!”

At the mention of his crew, Luffy was lost for words. His own life didn’t scare him. If he died, then that was just the measure of his strength.

But the lives of his crew—those were more important than anything. He’d rather die than lose them.

That’s why Luffy had always protected them. He would stake his life to treasure them, just as he had done before—and always would.

But the reason he couldn’t respond wasn’t because he disagreed—it was because, deep down, he half-acknowledged what Hancock had said. He didn’t want to admit it. But her words had struck the anxiety buried in his heart.

“Luffy… you’re weak……!!!”

“!!! I’m not weak──”

“No, you are weak!! Luffy… I hate to say it, but… you’re not even a match for the Four Emperors or their top officers… not even for me. You’re just a small, insignificant rookie…!!”

“! That’s not──!!?”

Luffy bristled at her words. And then, without warning, Hancock kicked him across the room.

“Then prove it…!! I’ll teach you what the New World wall is like… I’ll show you your weakness…!!”

“Tch… You said it now…!! I didn’t wanna fight you… but if you’re gonna go that far, don’t hold it against me!!!”

“! Wait, Luffy-kun!!”

“...Don’t blame me if you move too much and die.”

Forced to face the truth—one he didn’t want to accept—and carrying the burden of everything he’d held in until now, Luffy took the bait. He rose to Hancock’s provocation.

He ignored Jinbe’s warning and Law’s caution as a doctor. Luffy charged straight at Hancock.

But—

“Gum-Gum──!!!”

“Hmph!!”

“Ugh!!?”

In an instant, Hancock stopped him cold with a heel drop.

She closed the distance just as he extended his arm, raised her leg high, and stomped him down—it sounded simple enough, but when done with elite strength and technique, a weakling had no way to resist.

“Ow… she’s strong… what the hell… get off me…!!”

“I will not…!! Not until you admit your weakness… and agree to join the Beasts Pirates…!!!”

He couldn’t match her strength. The difference between man and woman didn’t matter. What stood between them was simply overwhelming power.

Though Hancock’s face was contorted with pain at having to strike the one she loved, she didn’t ease her strength. She was determined.

She pinned Luffy down—for no one’s sake but his own.

“Why the hell do you get to decide what I do!? I’m not gonna lose to those guys…!! I’ll beat them all and become… the Pirate King…!!!”

“Be silent, Luffy!!! Do you still not understand!!?”

“!!?”

Hancock’s fury. The force of her shout silenced even Luffy, who had been arguing right back.

She wasn’t unleashing Conqueror’s Haki, but the conviction behind her words carried enough power to shut people up, even without it.

Not just Luffy—everyone in the room fell silent. In the heavy air, Hancock delivered the truth.

“The ‘Four Emperors’ are overwhelmingly powerful!!! Not even the Navy or the Warlords can stop them anymore… There are barely any who can stand up to Kaido… or Nue… or Big Mom!!!”

She spoke. Hancock knew the inner workings of it all. That’s why she understood just how hopelessly strong their violence was.

“Now that they’ve allied, they’re literally the world’s strongest force!!! Your tiny strength alone won’t change a thing!!! You’ll accomplish nothing, lose everything, and die!!!”

“……!!”

She stood over Luffy, shouting him down—but that’s when he noticed it.

Even as she beat him and pushed him into this kind of coercive persuasion… Hancock had shed a single tear.

A tear so subtle no one else would’ve noticed—because she had once said she couldn’t cry in front of others. It was the manifestation of her anguish, her torment, her burden—all condensed into a single drop falling down her cheek.

And to Luffy, that twisted expression of hers looked like a tear-streaked face.

“Do you know, Luffy!! The Beasts Pirates… they don’t just kill you outright!!! They crush you, then offer to take you under their banner…!! If you refuse, they torture you relentlessly, breaking your spirit with cruel precision!!! Days, years—it doesn’t matter!!! Until they get the answer they want, they’ll hurt your body, hurt your crew, hurt their loved ones and anything they hold dear!!!”

Hancock knew. She had seen it. The fate of those who got crushed but still refused to submit.

If you bent, you survived. But those who didn’t—those like Luffy—once captured, they were doomed.

“If you keep refusing… you’ll lose everything and die!!! The corpses don’t even look human… they get fed to beasts or monsters in the end!!! They’ll show you your friends and family dying like that…!! They laugh as they watch you scream and beg for mercy……!!!”

Those who defied the Beasts Pirates left behind not even bones—that was New World common sense.

And Big Mom was no better. She too had no mercy for traitors or enemies.

Hancock had seen it—lived through it.

“They can’t be stopped anymore…!! No matter how you struggle, everyone who opposes them is doomed!!!”

One blow—she could endure. She wouldn’t flinch if something happened to someone else.

But—

"But... if you become comrades, you’ll be saved!!! Luffy… you and your crew… everyone… all of you… will be saved!!!"

"!!"

—But seeing someone dear to her end up like that… she couldn’t bear it.

If it would prevent that future, Hancock was willing to raise a hand even against the one she loved.

If that was the only way to save them, she didn’t care. She would willingly become a beast herself.

But Luffy, at least—

"—My bad."

"…! Huh…?"

Luffy’s low voice reached her ears, and Hancock eased the strength in her legs and took a step back.

She doubted what she heard, but it was clearly an apology—an apology directed at her. Which meant—

"So you were thinking about us after all… and yet, just because I got called weak and provoked, I went and tried to throw a punch… I’m sorry."

"…Y-You finally understand…!! In that case—"

"—But still. I’m gonna take down that ‘Four Emperors’ alliance someday… I’m gonna smash the Beasts Pirates!!!"

"!!?"

But his conclusion hadn’t changed.

Luffy refused the Beasts Pirates’ invitation. No—he declared he’d take them down. Rayleigh and Law responded with serious expressions, while everyone else looked visibly shocked.

Hancock in particular was shaken and pressed him further.

"Why!? Even after realizing your own weakness, even knowing how dangerous they are, why would you still choose to fight!? If you go along with them, no one has to be sacrificed!!! You could protect everything so easily!!!"

"—But then you’re the one being sacrificed, aren’t you!!!"

"!!!? Huh…?"

Luffy shouted with a force that surpassed Hancock’s. The pressure of his words was so intense that even she, a wielder of Conqueror’s Haki, was overwhelmed.

"You’re one of them, aren’t you!!! Hancock!!! You fought on my side in this war… helped me and all that… but you’re still one of them, aren’t you!?"

"…Yes, but…"

"Then why are you the one suffering and crying!!!"

"!!?"

—It was oddly reminiscent of when Hancock had just met Luffy… when the citizens of Amazon Lily who had helped him were turned to stone, and the crowd laughed. Luffy got angry back then, too.

That moment flashed through her mind. Now he was angry for her sake… and Hancock let a second tear fall.

"I can’t stand people who don’t value their friends—and I won’t forgive anyone who makes my friends cry!!! That’s why I’ll take them down!!!"

"…! Luffy…!!"

Hancock pressed her hand to her face. She never cried in front of others. She would never show tears. That was absolute.

So she held it in. So the tears wouldn’t fall, so no one would notice.

And even when Luffy called out that she was crying… she didn’t deny it.

"Besides, I’m gonna be the Pirate King!! I don’t care about the Four Emperors or whatever—I’ll blow them away!!! First I gotta regroup with my crew… and to do that, I’ll figure something out!!!"

"That’s so reckless…"

"Hehe, Monkey-chan really is… a sinful man."

At Luffy’s bold declaration, Jinbe gave an exasperated sigh, while Shakky smiled—not at his fearless words, but at Hancock’s reaction.

And Rayleigh and Law, who had been listening silently… each let a quiet grin slip.

Even Hancock herself—

"…Hehe… you really never change, do you… even in a situation like this…"

"Yeah!! So anyway, I’m not joining, so give it up!! And… let’s see… without my crew, I can’t go to the New World, so until I heal, I’ll train!!!"

"…Fufufu… in that case, Luffy-kun. I have a proposal for you."

"Huh? What is it?"

—And then, with a soft smile, Rayleigh offered a suggestion.

To Luffy, it was a gift from the heavens… and the perfect way to make up for their lack of strength.

Even so, Luffy had one concern about accepting it.

"How do I get the message to my crew…?"

"Can’t we figure something out!?"

"Hmm… probably best to get it in the newspaper… but unless it’s some major incident, it won’t make the front page with a photo in this climate… and if it’s a direct message, someone might catch on… now then, what kind of incident should we cause to get a reporter to snap a picture…"

"Hmmmm… what if I do a dine-and-dash and eat meat ‘til I die…?"

"…………In that case, I’ve got one idea, if you’ll hear me out?"

"Huh?"

"Well, for it to work… Hancock-chan will have to help out too♡"

"Eh…?"

Shakky threw a wink toward Hancock and the others. As they all tilted their heads in confusion, her idea was revealed—

"WHAT!!? No way!! I’m not doing that!!"

"You don’t actually have to do it, Monkey-chan. Just the ‘Pirate Empress’ Boa Hancock making a public love confession is enough to make headlines. You can totally turn her down. She’s the one saying it all on her own."

"…Hmm… well, if it gets the message across to my crew… I guess… but I’m still turning her down!!"

"Hehe, then it’s settled♡ You ready, Hancock-chan?"

"W-With Luffy…"

"…Even if it’s just for the sake of getting published, that’s one crazy idea…"

And so, after a small commotion—Shakky’s brilliant idea was, in the end, put into action.

---

—And so, the massive incident was reported across the entire world.

New World — Wano Country, "Onigashima".

“—Nue-san!! Bad news!! That Hancock woman just… geh!!?”

“Shut up!! I’m thinking right now, so stop yelling!!! Ughhh… anyway, we’ll put Musashi’s kid on hold for now… first I have to finish laying the groundwork with Orochi and his men… and then get the Gold Kagura in order…”

“B-But Nue-san, about Hancock—”

“…Hancock? Oh right, there was that whole relocation thing. So? She made up her mind?”

“It’s not that…!! Just—please look at this article!!!”

“Hah? Just tell me already. If it’s a boring piece, I’m not gonna let this slide. —Let’s see………… huh?”

—Grand Line, “Baltigo”.

“Dragon-san!! Sabo-san!! There’s a crazy article about ‘Straw Hat Luffy’…!!!”

“! For real!? Hah! Knew he was still alive!! Hey, let me see that!!”

“Father. There’s an article about Luffy…”

“Luffy… So he was alive…”

“““………Huh?”””

—Grand Line, a certain country’s town.

“Are these guys… stupid…?”

“They’ve lost it…”

—New World, at sea.

“C-Captain Ace!!”

“Hey Ace!! It’s your little brother—!!”

“…HUH!!?”

—East Blue, Goa Kingdom, Foosha Village.

“L-Luffy~~~~!!!?”

“C-Congratulations…? Is that what we say…?”

—New World.

“…Killer. Do you think there’s any meaning behind Straw Hat’s actions?”

“…No idea.”

—Ruins of the Shikkearu Kingdom.

“Your crew’s never boring, huh…”

“Huh!!? What the hell’s he doing!!?”

—Boin Archipelago.

“L-Luffy~~~!!? Are you serious~~~!!?”

“W-What happened, Usoppun!!?”

—Grand Line, in the sky.

“Ehhhhhhhhhhhhh!!?”

—East Blue, Tequila Wolf, offshore.

“What in the world is he thinking…”

“Hehe… that’s a unique way to send a message… but I get it, Captain.”

—Future Country Baldimore.

“Luffy… you really are something else…”

—Sky Island, Weatheria.

“That guy… There are ways to say things, you know!!!”

“My, my… fufu, in times like these, one must still celebrate a wedding… For dinner, we shall serve red rice…”

“Nobody asked for that!!!”

—Tena Geena Kingdom.

“This is just… so enviouuuuuussssss!!!”

—Kamabakka Kingdom.

“Lu…Lu…Lu…LUUUUFFFYYYYYYYY…!!!”

—That newspaper article sent shockwaves across the globe… and reportedly made half the world shed tears.

Before they could decipher the hidden message in the article, Luffy’s crewmates—each and every one—showed a stunned reaction to the shocking headline.

Was it real or fake? The world didn’t know. Most probably believed it to be true. But to his friends and those who knew him, it was obvious the whole thing was staged just to get the photo in the paper… probably. Still, the way he did it was so outrageous, that nearly all of his allies and family members were left slack-jawed.

—The headline, with a photo of a reluctant man and an embarrassed woman linked arm-in-arm, read as follows:

“Pirate Empress” Boa Hancock!! Married to “Straw Hat Luffy”!?! Or is it an engagement!? Sudden proposal on the Sabaody Archipelago!!

"LUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUFFFFFYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!! YOU… YOU BASTAAAAAAAAAARD……!!! I’LL NEVER FORGIVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!"

One individual, ahead of the rest, ignited with flames of rage in his eyes and across his back at the contents and photo in the article—his brows curled like a spiral, he howled toward the heavens like a demon unleashed.

Still, for the most part, the false article—crafted solely to draw attention—and the real message hidden behind it were successfully received by Luffy’s crewmates and a select few. Meanwhile, the rest of the world was thrown into even greater despair and confusion, albeit for entirely different reasons.