Time slipped by quietly.
Little by little, the year 1502 reached its midpoint.
On the Navy's side—
Aside from the G1 Branch near the Red Line, the Navy had fully withdrawn from the New World.
Their forces were redirected to focus on the Grand Line and the Four Blues.
As a result, the number of pirates successfully making it into the New World dropped dramatically.
The East, South, and West Blues entered a brief period of calm.
Meanwhile, the names of two monstrous Vice Admirals—Sakazuki and Borsalino—grew even more feared.
Except in the North Blue.
...
In the waters near the Calm Belt, on a nameless deserted island—
"Heeheeheehee, later, hag!"
Watching the Navy warship approach, Moria activated his Doppelman and swapped places with its shadow, which had already boarded the Sea Train.
"Another failed pursuit—damn pirates!!!"
Gion seethed with frustration as she stared into the Calm Belt. Every time they tracked Moria and the Doflamingo Pirates, they would vanish into the still waters.
"Tsuru-san, let's apply for a Seastone-coated warship!"
"It's not that simple," replied Tsuru, shaking her head. Her eyes gleamed with insight.
"Listen closely."
"Whooo... whooo..."
A faint whistle echoed from the Calm Belt.
"What's that?" Gion asked, puzzled.
"A Sea Train," Tsuru said softly, a note of fatigue in her voice. "Let's return."
Even a Seastone warship couldn't catch up to Moria and the others once they escaped on the Sea Train.
Still, the mission wasn't a total failure—they'd finally uncovered the secret behind the Doflamingo Pirates' sudden appearances in the North Blue.
...
New World.
Since the Navy's withdrawal, Big Mom and Kaido had gone wild carving out territories and collecting protection money.
Big Mom cared more about expanding her domain. The number of islands under her control had grown to over twenty.
Inhabitants traded years of their life and their island's unique desserts in exchange for her protection.
At this point, Totto Land resembled a miniature version of the World Government more than it did a pirate nation.
To these islanders, flying Big Mom's flag was more effective than invoking the World Government.
If something happened, the World Government might not lift a finger—but the Heavenly Tribute still had to be paid, or the Navy would come knocking.
But if some clueless pirate dared to tamper with Big Mom's flag, their soul would be turned into a Homie and added to the forces guarding Totto Land.
Kaido, on the other hand, had no interest in ruling land or managing people.
His passions were battle, armies, war, booze, and courtesans.
His newly transformed recruits were running guerrilla ops with Moria in the North Blue.
So, in between collecting protection money...
Kaido picked another fight with the retired Whitebeard. The result? A chunk of Bristol Island was permanently lost.
Kaido spent the next few days recovering in Wano.
As for Whitebeard, his condition remained unknown.
...
"The World's Strongest Creature vs. The Former Strongest Man—Who Truly Rules the Seas?"
Reading the headline, Doflamingo couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Fufufufu, you really are something, Kaido."
Good thing he never tried to take out that aging lion himself—otherwise, he would've been the one laid up for days.
Kaido had risked his life just to test Whitebeard's current strength. How thoughtful.
Setting the paper aside, Doflamingo turned to the man standing next to him.
"Tesoro, I assume there's more?"
"Yes, BOSS!" Tesoro nodded, pulling out a recording Den Den Mushi.
Now that tasks were being delegated, he had regained his full confidence and carried himself like a polished elite.
"The final group of Blue Sea migrants has just settled into Ring Three. The relocation plan is officially complete. The kingdom is now—"
As Tesoro explained, a projection of the new Donquixote Kingdom flickered into view.
At the very center was Tenryu Island, formed from Upper Yard and the former Pica Island.
It housed laboratories, hospitals, ancient weapon restoration facilities, the administrative center, and Doflamingo's palace itself.
Surrounding it was a sea of flowing white clouds.
Beyond that lay a miraculous terrain gifted by the Golden Lion.
Thanks to the combined efforts of Chief Laborer Smoothie, Second Laborer Pica, and Third Laborer Vergo, a ring of floating islands had been formed, divided into spring, summer, autumn, and winter climates.
Spring Island, as its name suggested, had eternal spring. It housed relocated Skyfolk and the Tontatta tribe, along with zones designated for cultivating IQ plants.
The other three islands had far harsher conditions, teeming with mutated creatures—perfect for combat training grounds for the Donquixote Battle Academy.
It was also Nola's favorite new hunting ground. After 400 years of eating sky fish, trying something new was totally reasonable, right?
Lastly, the outermost residential zone was centered around Angel Island, flanked by two other Sky Islands and reinforced with Island Clouds.
It was the new home for Blue Sea immigrants and native Skypieans alike.
Factories for Sky Island shellfish cultivation and Island Cloud production had also been relocated here.
The old migrant district, meanwhile, was now full of pirates and Navy prisoners in shackles, breaking their backs to manufacture Island Clouds.
This was Doflamingo's military buffer zone—just in case the skies ten thousand meters up ever became a battlefield.
If that ever happened, at least his homeland wouldn't be the first to suffer.
...
Water 7.
Galley-La Company.
Though still in its early days, under Iceburg's leadership—and with the Sea Train boom—Galley-La had already absorbed the Berellen Company, one of the world's top seven shipbuilders.
They even snatched a few World Government contracts, putting Iceburg in the spotlight.
The Government couldn't afford to move openly against him anymore.
Thanks to the Sea Train's economic boom, the locals who once opposed him and Tom had slowly begun to change their minds.
At this moment, however, the triumphant Iceburg was deep inside his old hideout—the city dump—wiping sweat from his brow as he tinkered away on a unique vessel.
The ship had a massive, streamlined pod, gondola-like hull, and specialized propulsion systems—totally different from the world's standard ships.
If Moria were present, he'd recognize it instantly. This unfinished ship was nearly identical to the airship he had used.
"Iceburg, how much longer for my ship?!"
Watching the ship take form, Crocodile's eyes gleamed with restless energy.
He couldn't wait to reclaim Pluton from Skypiea, kill Whitebeard, and claim dominion over the world.
"Crocodile-sama, your ship still needs at least two more weeks," Iceburg replied, forcing a polite smile to show he wasn't stalling on purpose.
"The outer shell is made from Sea King hide. For added protection, I recommend coating it with a membrane layer."
He paused, choosing his words carefully before continuing.
"Even with that, though... ships with this kind of structure don't handle ocean storms well."
He had considered keeping quiet, but someone like Crocodile could kill him on a whim.
Iceburg wasn't afraid to die, but Tom's legacy hadn't yet been fulfilled. Water 7 still needed him.
And judging from the massacre in the West Blue, Crocodile clearly no longer cared about the World Government.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have come threatening him in secret instead of using official channels to commission the ship.
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Fanfic is finished 527 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg