New World, Dressrosa Kingdom.
King Riku Doldo II, the current ruler of this nation, stared at the colossal island floating in the sky, his heart gripped by dread.
Why had the Hell Pirates, overlords of the New World, set their sights on their impoverished, backwater country? And why hadn't they left yet?
For hours, the massive island had loomed above the steel suspension bridge connecting Dressrosa to Green Bit, plunging the entire kingdom into chaos!
Countless citizens had already fled, piling into every seaworthy skiff and dinghy, desperate to escape the threat of the island crashing down and obliterating them.
"Father, why's that island flying up there? It's terrifying!"
Prince Doldo, King Riku's only son, barely in his teens, cowered behind his father, eyes wide with fear as he gaped at the oppressive island overhead.
If that thing fell on Dressrosa, their nation would be wiped out in an instant. How could anyone not be scared out of their wits?
This young prince, destined to become Riku Doldo III—father to Scarlett and Viola, grandfather to Rebecca, the "benevolent" king later toppled by Doflamingo—stood trembling.
"It'll be alright, son. We'll be fine!"
Riku Doldo II could only muster these words to comfort himself and his son. Against the Hell Pirates, he was powerless. If they wanted to destroy Dressrosa, he had no means to resist.
Their kingdom was dirt-poor—what could possibly attract the Hell Pirates' attention for hours on end?
Eight hundred years ago, when the Donquixote family abandoned Dressrosa to ascend to Mary Geoise as Celestial Dragons, the Riku became the new royal family.
The first Riku king had apologized to the Tontatta tribe, enslaved by the Donquixotes, and freed them all. He crafted the "fairy legend" to shield the Tontatta of Green Bit from human interference.
But without the Tontatta's labor, Dressrosa's economy crumbled under the Riku's "benevolent" rule, leaving the kingdom poorer than it had been under the Donquixotes.
Still, the people cherished this gentle governance. Even in poverty, their love for the Riku royal family never wavered.
Dressrosa and Green Bit had long maintained close ties via the steel bridge, but two centuries ago, ferocious fighting fish began swarming the surrounding waters. These beasts capsized ships and even attacked travelers on the bridge.
Over time, fewer ships ventured to Green Bit, and Dressrosa's residents grew wary of crossing the bridge. The two islands drifted apart, their connection fading.
Yet, Dressrosa's people still believed in the fairies' existence, revering them as guardian spirits. They brushed off the fairies' occasional "pranks," like petty thefts, with fond amusement.
...
"Could they be here for the fairy legend?"
Riku Doldo II murmured softly, grasping at straws. What else could their destitute kingdom offer to keep the Hell Pirates lingering for hours?
"Father, do fairies really exist? Last week, my cakes vanished every night! Was that really fairies stealing them?"
Prince Doldo, half-convinced by the legend, recounted how he'd stayed up watching his cakes, only to see them disappear right under his nose without a glimpse of any fairy. But that only made him believe in them more!
"My son, the fairies are real. They live on Green Bit, and they're good friends with our Riku family."
"Once that giant island leaves, I'll introduce you to these adorable, powerful 'fairies.' You must carry on our family's tradition of friendship with them!"
Riku Doldo II ruffled his son's hair, his voice warm but his eyes clouded with worry. Could the Hell Pirates be plotting to capture and enslave the Tontatta, as the Donquixotes once did?
"Awesome, Father! I hope that stupid island gets lost so I can meet the fairies soon!"
Prince Doldo's eyes sparkled with excitement, though he cursed the menacing island for scaring their people and delaying his fairy encounter.
...
Aboard the Ohara-Golden Island.
"Hey, Shakky, I'm done waiting! I'm heading down to track those Tontatta right now!"
Golden Lion Shiki, restless after hours of hovering, was itching to hunt down the Tontatta, snatch them up, and race back to Elan Island to throw down with Shirokiri.
As the Hell Pirates' aspiring number-two, Shiki refused to stay in Redfield's shadow forever. Taking on Shirokiri was his shot to shine!
"Hold up, Shiki! Look at you, oozing Haki, radiating badassery. The Tontatta'll bolt the second they see you, quaking in their tiny boots, too scared of your kingly vibe to ever come out!"
"Let's wait for Brook to get here. He's not far—should be here any minute!"
Shakky's tongue, honed to charm anyone or anything, worked its magic, soothing Shiki's impatience with a masterful blend of flattery and reason.
"Jahahaha! Shakky, you sly minx, always know just what to say. But don't underestimate me—if I can't find those Tontatta, I'll flip that whole island upside down till I do!"
Shiki roared with laughter, clearly pleased. Shakky was a gem—her words were pure gold!
Shakky piled on the praise, hailing Shiki as a god among men, a demon descended to earth, whose floating islands struck fear into all and whose withered cherry blossoms shook the heavens!
Shiki ate it up, practically floating higher than his island. He half-wished he had a Dial to record her epic hype for endless playback. This was professional hype!
Just as Shakky was running dry on poetic flair, the Golden Ark finally caught up, docking alongside the Ohara-Golden Island.
...
Two Poneglyphs—one red, one bluish-gray—stood aboard. Archaeologists from the Tree of Knowledge spotted them instantly, their eyes gleaming with obsession. A swarm of scholars rushed out!
Their hunger for knowledge burned like a wildfire. One quick-witted researcher, rummaging through bags and crates, pulled out a telescope. Even if these pirates wouldn't let him study the Poneglyphs up close, he'd memorize every ancient glyph he could!
He trained his lens on the red Poneglyph, determined to etch at least a fragment of its text into his memory.
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