Chapter 53: JOKER

—The New World, “Desire Island.”

Once again, the Beasts Pirates returned to their island territory, laden with a mountain of plundered goods and treasure.Their strength and brutality had become notorious, both among the island’s residents and throughout the world.

“Hey, did you hear? Those two countries at war—they’re under the Beasts Pirates’ control now…!!”

“No way… That’s insane. Just how much destruction will satisfy them…?”

“I heard those two escaped from the Navy again—even after torture and a death sentence…”

As they watched the Beasts Pirates unload their haul and carry it toward their base, the townspeople whispered among themselves. Lately, the news had been nothing but trouble.

The upper ranks of the Beasts Pirates were especially infamous for their power. Even among the newer officers and Devil Fruit users getting attention recently, the true monsters were still ones like Queen the Plague and King the Conflagration—people who could wipe out entire islands. Their appearances alone struck fear into the hearts of residents, even as they offered a strange sense of protection.

And among them, one of the top two of the Beasts Pirates—a girl—sat perched on a wooden crate at the port, holding a small treasure chest and lost in thought. A rare sight, seeing her so pensive.

To that girl—Nue, the “Mythical Beast”—approached a hulking man: Queen, accompanied by several underlings.

“Nue, there’s a woman who says she wants in. She’s here to greet you. Want me to let her through?”

“A woman, huh?”

“Yeah. Word is she’s from this island. Says she looks up to you. She’s a Devil Fruit user too—looks like she’s got potential!”

“Hm~. Well, fine by me. But not right now. I’ve got something to take care of.”

“Something to take care of?”

Queen wanted to introduce the newcomer, but Nue declined for now. Curious, he asked about her errand, clearly unaware of the details.

Nue smirked wickedly, eyes still on the small chest in her hand.

“I’ve got someone in mind, too. Someone promising… someone who might just join our little family.♡”

With that, chest in hand, Nue stood and headed off—toward the person she suspected would be waiting at their hideout.

---

In a room within a grand mansion, a woman sat stewing over her thoughts.

The cause of her stress was a recent incident caused by a pirate crew she was working with—and the scolding she’d received from her superiors in the organization she belonged to.

“That idiot… Has no idea what I’ve had to deal with. I’ve been handling things just fine, haven’t I…!? Unbelievable…”

Her name was Stussy. In this elegant, feminine room, she sighed heavily. She was the overseer of Desire Island—known in the underworld as the “Queen of the Pleasure District,” one of its reigning monarchs.

But she also had another face: that of a CP0 agent. A member of the World Nobles’ direct intelligence agency.

For years, she’d maintained a cover identity and built ties with the Beasts Pirates, who had claimed this island as their territory. From the shadows, she’d worked to shape outcomes that favored the government, offering up results and intelligence alike to the World Government.

This time too, Stussy had secured a massive sum through backdoor deals and handed it over to the World Government.

And yet… rather than praise, she received nothing but harsh rebukes.

‘Why didn’t you stop them? If you knew what they were capable of, you should’ve acted sooner.’

‘This is your responsibility, Stussy. The fall of a member nation is on you.’

‘I don’t want to say it, but… you’ve been slacking lately. Maybe it’s time you got serious again?’

And that was the mild version of the criticism. The Celestial Dragons had been far more vulgar and insulting.

Stussy listened in silence, nodding, offering apologies and expressions of remorse—but inside, she was boiling. Don’t mess with me.

How was she supposed to stop them? The Beasts Pirates were unpredictable. Especially the captain and vice-captain—they were insane. She should be commended just for turning a negative into a positive. What more did they want? They ran their mouths, but never offered real solutions. They’re the slackers. Thanks to her dealings with this pirate crew, she’d become far stronger than before. If she had to go one-on-one, she’d come out on top—even against her reckless colleagues or her superiors.

And yet, they looked down on her. That’s what pisses me off.

As infuriating as it was, sometimes she found herself enjoying the freedom she had on this island. Tricking the fools here was satisfying—but the constant restrictions were building up stress. The pressure was relentless.

Wasn’t there some way to let off steam? At times like this, she couldn’t help but envy the Beasts Pirates. If only she could cut loose and go wild like they did…

“! —Come in. The door’s open.”

It was just then that she heard a knock. As always, despite being the one who called the shots, she never failed to appear out of nowhere and startle her. The person who entered was:

“Yoohoo~ Stussy♪ I’m here~!!”

"...Hello, Nue."

As expected, it was Nue—Fūjū Nue, the vice-captain of the Beasts Pirates. Also my “friend.” A false one.

She looks no older than a girl, but in reality, she's at least an adult, and her strength is far beyond mine. If we were ever to fight, I wouldn't come out unscathed. Even if I managed to escape, I'd have to be ready to lose at least an arm.

But for better or worse, Nue has a kind of purity about her that’s childlike. Just now, she dove straight onto the bed the moment she entered the room, and the face she turns toward me looks just like the friendly smile one might show a same-gender companion.

Even so, if I let my guard down, she could tear me apart. She’s that kind of monster—and Stussy never forgets it. What’s terrifying is how easy it is to forget, even when you know. With that in mind, Stussy asked her the reason for the visit.

“What brings you here today?”

“Ahh, just a little report and something I wanted to talk about~”

“A report and something to talk about? What sort of thing?”

It could be business related to the Beasts Pirates, or it could be something personal. Either was possible. But considering the treasure chest in her hands, and the fact that the Beasts Pirates had just raided the island, it was likely business. Stussy kept her posture natural, but stayed mentally prepared.

Then Nue smiled brightly.

“We’re thinking it’s about time to move our base to another island. That’s the first bit I came to report.”

“! That’s... going to be lonely.”

“Yeah, I guess so. But it’s not like we’re giving up the territory. We’ll still see each other, right?”

“I suppose…”

Stussy nodded, but she was already thinking. The Beasts Pirates moving their base to another island—quiet news on the surface, but a significant development.

The only reason she’s been able to gather information on them this well is because she dragged them into this island, which is practically her backyard. If they relocate, it won’t go nearly as smoothly. Even just meeting them will be more of a hassle. Espionage will become more difficult.

That made her consider following them—but no, that wasn’t realistic. She had other jobs too. Not that it was completely impossible, but leaving the island would be inconvenient. Still, there were some potential benefits to staying close to the Beasts Pirates… it wasn’t a simple decision, and one she couldn’t make on the spot.

While pondering, Stussy shifted focus. If that was the report, then there must be a second matter. And if that was the case, she had a feeling she knew what it would be.

“…Understood. Then, what’s the second thing?”

“The second thing? I thought I’d ask for your answer to my earlier invitation~♡”

“Ah…”

—Of course. It was the recruitment.

She was trying to bring me into the Beasts Pirates. Nue had been inviting me for a while now, trying to get me to join her crew.

But I’ve been dodging her over and over again. She promised me something in return, but up until now, I’ve never known what that “something” actually was.

However, now she had a treasure chest in hand. …That must be it. The reward. Stussy realized—this was the price for joining the Beasts Pirates.

“…Could it be that?”

“Yep! I managed to get my hands on it, lucky me~!! I really must be blessed, don’t you think?”

“Yes, I suppose… So, that Devil Fruit—what kind is it?”

“Fufufu♡ This is—”

Nue opened the treasure chest and showed it to Stussy. The Devil Fruit, purple and patterned with swirling vines, shaped like a tomato. Its name was—

“A Zoan-type Mythical Beast—Bat-Bat Fruit… Model: Vampire.”

“!! Wha—”

“Ahaha, surprised!? Love that look on your face, Stussy!! Even you didn’t see this one coming, huh!?”

“Yes… That fruit is…”

Stussy involuntarily held her breath. A Zoan-type Mythical Beast. The same rare class of Devil Fruit that Kaido and Nue likely possessed—rarer even than the Logia types.

If sold, it would easily fetch tens of billions. But this particular fruit—its value exceeded even that.

Zoan Devil Fruits allow the user to transform into the animal the fruit represents. Meaning, with just one bite, a person could become what it represents—an immortal vampire.

A true forbidden fruit. Even Stussy’s palms began to sweat. Her desires nearly took over. With that fruit, she could gain immense power… and more importantly, eternal youth.

“…So when you said you had a way to preserve your beauty… this is what you meant…”

“That’s right! Eat this, and you’ll have eternal youth!! Okay, sure, ‘immortality’ might be pushing it, but it’s still a totally busted ability, right!? Classic Mythical Zoan!! —So? What do you think? You wanna eat it and join the Beasts Pirates?”

"...Yeah, I suppose so..."

Her throat felt dry. She hesitated without meaning to. If it had been just any Devil Fruit, she might've refused—or if she accepted, she'd have thought about how to steal it and hand it over to the World Government.

But now, between Stussy's growing discontent with the Government and the overwhelming allure of that Devil Fruit, her resolve was shaken. In other words—she was actually considering taking it for herself.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to join the Beasts Pirates undercover... But how would she explain that to the Government? Would she even get permission? No—if she reported it to get approval, the Government would inevitably find out about the Devil Fruit.

And there’s no way they’d let something like that slip through their fingers. Someone from the Government would definitely eat it. Which means her chances of getting it would drop to zero.

Her heartbeat sounded loud in her ears. So did the ticking of the clock.

But then—Nue stepped closer to Stussy, looked up at her face, and said with a mischievous glint in her eyes:

"Haha, Stussy. You're hesitating, aren't you?"

"...Yes..."

"Aww, you don’t have to hesitate. Because—"

Her mouth curled into a wide, devilishly charming grin as she said:

"I’ve known you were with CP0 all along.♡"

"────"

In that moment, it felt like something icy had clutched her heart.

Stussy couldn’t move. If she’d been exposed, she should have acted immediately, made a run for it. But she was frozen.

She couldn’t even come up with a lie to deflect. Her mind had gone completely blank. After a pause, she finally forced the words out.

"...How long have you known? About me—not just my cover, but who I really am?"

"Hmm, probably since the beginning? I won’t tell you how I figured it out, though. I’ll leave that up to your imagination~♪"

Nue laughed, her voice carefree and playful. To anyone watching, it would’ve just looked like a mischievous girl basking in a successful prank.

But to Stussy now, that smile was something far more dangerous. She understood it clearly. This girl—Nue—was a monster she couldn’t read. A pirate.

Stussy couldn’t understand how she’d been found out. She hadn’t slipped up. No one should have been able to know she was with CP0.

Which meant—someone must have leaked the information. Only a handful of people within the Government knew her true identity.

The Celestial Dragons were unlikely—almost impossible.

So it must’ve been a colleague. Thinking back, some of her coworkers’ behavior had felt... off. She hadn’t been sure before. But now, it all seemed suspicious.

Had she been sold out? She couldn’t say for sure—but that’s what it felt like. When information leaks, it’s usually someone on the inside.

──And as if to push her imagination even further, Nue’s words slid into her ear and sank into her mind.

"Hey, come on, just let it go already. The Government’s full of idiots who only think about their own gain, y'know? Selfish, short-sighted morons. Would it really be so bad to betray them? We’d totally welcome you."

...It’s true. The Government is a group that might sell out their own.

So maybe it’s fine for her to betray them too. It’d just be payback. They betrayed her first.

"You want to live freely and do whatever you like too, don’t you, Stussy? If you join us, you can have it all—anything and everything. You’ll get the power of the Devil Fruit, keep working as a spy, and live the good life as one of us. Whatever you want—it's yours. This is what we call a sweet deal."

"A sweet deal..."

It was a tempting offer. So tempting, it felt almost devilish in its appeal.

And yet, Stussy still hesitated. Her voice trembled.

"...But even if you're okay with it... would Kaido really allow it?"

"Kaido’s not that petty, you know? If you become one of us, he’ll let the past go. You’re CP0—you’re strong, and you’ve got access to intel. That kind of resource is valuable for us, especially since we’re aiming to expand. It’s a win-win. No way he’d turn that down."

...She was right. It really was a win for the Beasts Pirates too.

If she fully defected, they’d gain intel from inside the Government, and her strength boosted by the Devil Fruit.

It aligned perfectly with Kaido’s goal of building the strongest pirate crew. From his perspective, it would be foolish not to accept her.

And she’d gain the powers of a vampire, rise through the ranks of the Beasts Pirates as an executive... all while keeping her Government role and fooling those idiots.

"...Haaah..."

"So? Have you made up your mind?"

At that moment, Stussy abruptly calmed herself.

She took a deep breath. Looking at Nue’s beaming, toothy grin, she said:

"...You’ve been reading me like a book from the start, haven’t you? You’ve been enjoying this... You’ve got awful taste."

"Aww, sorry, sorry, Stussy. But it’s just funny, y’know? Watching someone pretend when you already know everything. I mean, you get it, right? That feeling?"

"Yes... I suppose I do. Fooling idiots is... surprisingly entertaining, I’ll admit."

Stussy thought to herself... She couldn’t win against Nue.

She couldn’t beat Kaido either. Or the Beasts Pirates. There was no way to win.

...Maybe not even the mighty World Government could truly stand against them—

"...I never imagined I'd even consider becoming a pirate."

"It’s super fun!! Every day’s like Sunday!! Just doing whatever you love and being happy!! Forget about other people’s problems or rules—they don’t matter!! You can live totally free!!"

"...Hehe. Well... yeah. If it means things will get better than they are now—then there's really no need to hesitate."

Stussy made up her mind. Thinking back, she’d only been working for the government like a dog just to entertain herself.

The only thing that was changing was who she served. That alone was enough. That alone made it fun for her.

Nue seemed to sense her resolve. She held out a piece of fruit in front of Stussy and said:

"Then just for you, say ‘aah’♡ Here, aah♡"

"All right. Then—"

And with that, Stussy finally took a bite of the offered fruit.

"Ugh…!!"

"Yeah, it's super disgusting, right? So gross I still remember the taste. Blegh."

Just like Nue said, it really did taste awful. The moment it touched her tongue, she nearly gagged. It was that revolting.

But she forced herself to swallow it down. And just from that, she could feel something... off in her body.

She looked at her hands, then down at herself—visibly, nothing had changed.

But something inside definitely had. And she knew it. In that moment—she had become a Devil Fruit user.

"Congratulations!!! Stussy is now officially a Devil Fruit user!! And also a new executive of the Beasts Pirates~~~!!!"

"—Yes. I must say... it feels absolutely wonderful. Makes everything I worried about seem so ridiculous♡"

Power surged through her body. Stussy, already a master of the Six Powers and a superhuman in her own right, now felt even more almighty after gaining the power of a Mythical Zoan.

And yet—even so—she still didn’t feel like she could beat the girl standing before her. That was the frightening part. Just who was this girl?

Now that she was part of the Beasts Pirates, she felt like it was okay to ask directly. Even knowing she wouldn’t get a straight answer.

"...Hey, Nue? What are you, really?"

"Me? My true identity isss~~~ a seeecret♡ I'm not telling anyone~♪ Because… no one actually knows!!"

"...I see."

As expected, she got nothing. That used to terrify her. Honestly, it still kind of did... but if this girl was on her side, she couldn’t imagine a more reliable ally.

With the invincible Kaido and the mysterious Nue as her comrades, there really didn’t seem to be anything left to fear. Even though her own power now felt immense, this pirate crew was teeming with even greater monsters—and it was growing stronger by pulling in more beasts by the day.

"Okay, now that you're officially one of us, Stussy, I would love to throw a big welcome party for you~~~ buuuut there's just this one little thing I need you to do for me real quick♡"

"Oh? What might that be, Vice-Captain?"

Stussy listened to the voice of her friend—and now new superior—with a calm heart. Now that she was in this position, she didn’t feel the same anxiety or burdens she once did. Honestly, if this was what it felt like, she wished she'd made this choice sooner.

Then Nue looked at her with playful eyes and asked sweetly:

"Remember before…? You said… we could, you know, get closer with our bodies and all?"

"Yes, I remember saying that. Are you saying… that's what you want to do?"

"Mmmm, pretty much!! Sooo, would you mind if I ask you a little favor?"

Stussy had been bracing herself for some cruel or violent command—yet this was the first thing Nue asked for?

So this was her kind of thing.

…She’s got a cute side after all♡ Stussy couldn’t help but feel amused.

She didn’t mind. With a girl this cute, she actually welcomed the idea now. She was in a good mood, and if that’s what Nue wanted, she’d be more than happy to spoil her a little. Right now, nothing scared her. Whatever order she was given, she’d follow through—Stussy smiled and nodded,

"Sure, I don’t mind. I’m your subordinate now. I’ll do whatever you ask♡ Fufufu… then, shall we move to the bed—"

"Thanks♡ So you're willing to do anything, huh!! In that case, off you go—to the beeeed~!!"

"……Eh? Kyaah!?"

But the moment she turned toward the bed, the room suddenly transformed—from a girly space to a rough, masculine one in the blink of an eye.

And behind her appeared—

"—Worororo…!! Never thought you were one of the government's dogs, Stussy… but if you’re joining us, then I’m happy to welcome you in!!"

"Eh—ah… K-Kaido…!! I mean… Lord Kaido… I suppose. I… look forward to working with you."

The deep voice from behind—none other than “Hundred Beasts” Kaido—caught her completely off guard. Still processing what had just happened, Stussy hurried to give her new captain a proper greeting. Kaido, apparently drunk and in great spirits, bellowed:

"Worororororo!! Don’t worry about it, from now on you’re one of my crew!! This way, we’ll finally have some intel on the government—it’s gonna make things real interesting!!"

"…Yes. I promise I’ll be more than worth your expectations."

"That’s what I like to hear—now, let’s have a little quality time together—"

"Yes, understood… huh?"

In that moment, Stussy’s thoughts came to a complete halt. Then, from the side, Nue grabbed her hand—with an incredibly cheerful smile.

"No worries, no worries♪ I’ll be watching right here in the same room, so you’ll be fine!! So with that—I'll leave Kaido in your hands, okay? As for me, you can take care of me next time♡"

"Eh… R-right… wait, what?"

"UWOOOOOH!!! LET’S GOOOOOO!!!"

"!! H-Hold on—wait—!!"

"...All righty. While I watch, I guess I’ll get some work done. I’ve got that Eternal Pose from Wano that was sent over… oh right, I need to check in over the Den Den Mushi—"

"NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR THAT!!?"

—And that’s how Stussy was welcomed as an executive of the Beasts Pirates. A mysterious figure known only to the top brass… the elusive “JOKER.”

However, thinking this would be easy was a big mistake on Stussy’s part. The power she gained was incredible, and sure, she felt great—but that day also gave her a terrifying glimpse of just how intense things were going to get from now on.

And as she spent that day feeling like the sky itself had split in two, Stussy found Nue harder to understand than ever.

"Wasn’t that so much fun!?"

"NOT EVEN A LITTLE!!!"

And in the end, Stussy decided it was better to just stop trying to figure out who—or what—Nue really was.