On the other side of the Den Den Mushi…
Crocodile shot to his feet, his chair screeching across the floor as it fell backward. With a violent roar, he kicked over the table in front of him. Everything around him began to decay at an alarming rate. His fury was so intense that he couldn't control his powers anymore. Even the pet crocodile in the corner, sensing the danger, backed away in fear.
Meanwhile…
In a quiet corner of the Little Garden, inside a wax house, Leo calmly put down the Den Den Mushi.
His eyes shifted to Miss Golden Week, who had been sitting silently in the room the entire time.
"What are you doing?" he asked abruptly.
Miss Huang Jinzhou, startled by the sudden attention, jerked upright.
She had worked hard to become invisible, reducing her presence as much as possible. Even when her boss had contacted her, she had stayed quiet, hoping to remain unnoticed. But why was this person looking at her now?
Was he trying to force her into a corner?
"I remember you and Mr. 3 were partners," Leo said thoughtfully. "Can you tell me how you got your abilities?"
He sounded genuinely curious. Sure, he could easily find out by force, but it felt wrong to push a girl like her.
"I… I said can you let me go? And give me back my paintbrush," Miss Huang Jinzhou pleaded timidly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Despite her small frame and quiet demeanor, there was a spark of stubbornness in her eyes. If someone didn't know her well, they'd probably be misled by her meek appearance.
"It's not impossible," Leo replied, stroking his chin. "But I need to check something first."
"Check?" Her expression froze. Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at him, suspicion and fear building rapidly in her heart. "What do you mean by check?!"
Leo sighed and rubbed his temples. "Why are all girls this sensitive at this age?"
Sixteen. Just sixteen, and yet she was already so complex and emotionally guarded.
Thwack!
A lump appeared on Miss Huang Jinzhou's head, emitting a faint green smoke. She glared at Leo with teary eyes, her face full of grievance. Her gaze was sharp, like a child who had just been wrongfully scolded.
"I just want to examine your spiritual power, that's all," Leo clarified, trying not to lose patience.
"Oh… okay."
Still rubbing the bump on her head, Miss Huang Jinzhou muttered under her breath. This guy is heartless. Who hits a kid that hard?
"My ability is innate," she explained reluctantly. "Since I was little, I've been able to sense people's thoughts. Over time, I learned to control them too."
"Innate?" Leo's eyes sparkled.
He stood up and walked over to her, tapping her forehead gently with his shrunken magic wand.
For a few minutes, there was complete silence.
Then Leo stepped back, his gaze complicated.
"Oh… what a shame."
He looked at her with a mix of admiration and pity.
It was such a waste—if she had been born in a world where magic civilization flourished, she would have become a near-god-tier magician.
"What do you mean, a shame?!"
Miss Huang Jinzhou grew alarmed. Her hands gripped her knees tightly. "Is there something wrong with me? I'm only sixteen! I haven't even had a boyfriend yet! I haven't eaten enough senbei!"
"It's not like that," Leo said, waving her off. "Here, look at this."
He raised his wand and drew a glowing circle in the air.
"Huh? What's this colorful bubble?" she asked, mesmerized. "It's so pretty!"
Miss Golden Week's eyes sparkled with wonder. The floating colors danced above her head, and in them, she seemed to hear faint, nostalgic voices—like childhood friends calling out to her.
"As expected… a naturally gifted magician," Leo whispered to himself.
He could tell from her reaction that she could see the elemental energies. Ordinary people couldn't perceive magic like this—only those with powerful spiritual potential could.
Her talent reminded him a little of Nami, although in a different form.
Leo fell into deep thought. He couldn't just leave her be, but he couldn't bring himself to force her either.
Engraving magic patterns directly on her was out of the question. She was still technically an enemy.
Brainwashing wouldn't work either. People with strong mental powers were notoriously resistant to such techniques.
Besides, she was too physically weak. Any mistake could kill her.
And even if he used mind control magic, she wouldn't grow strong that way. He'd just be wasting her potential—and his time.
But if he let her go freely, he risked creating a future enemy, just like those foolish villains who trained their own downfall.
He wasn't stupid.
And yet… releasing her without a plan wasn't an option either. Even though Luffy and his crew were powerful, this girl had the potential to disrupt everything. She could control minds, stir emotions, and manipulate outcomes. Luffy, who trusted everyone so easily, would fall victim instantly.
Miss Huang Jinzhou was, in every sense, Luffy's natural enemy.
Leo's mind raced. Then, a new idea occurred to him.
He might not have time to teach her himself, but that didn't mean no one else could. After this journey, perhaps he could steer her toward becoming a magician, under the right guidance.
"Look into my eyes," he said suddenly.
A brilliant pink light blossomed from his pupils.
Miss Golden Week blinked, confused. "Huh?"
"After I leave, you will forget your identity as a member of Baroque Works," Leo said in a calm, soothing tone. "You'll go and search for the Revolutionary Army."
"Remember—don't eat any Devil Fruits. Just wait quietly until I come for you."
His voice was hypnotic. Miss Huang Jinzhou stared into his eyes, slowly falling under the enchantment. She murmured his words back to him, her expression dazed.
Then she curled up on the bed, hugging her knees and resting her head down in silence.
Leo watched her quietly. Just to be safe, he left a mental backup command deep in her subconscious. One that would only trigger if necessary.
Now that she was handled, he turned his gaze toward Mr. 3.
Only to find… he was gone.
The ground where Mr. 3 had been lying was now stained with a pool of blood, and several bloody footprints led deep into the jungle.
Leo narrowed his eyes. He hadn't even sensed him leave. Clever.
But clever wasn't enough to escape justice.
He didn't mind sparing Miss Golden Week—her talent made her special. But Mr. 3? He was a different story.
The Baroque Works organization was full of scum, much like most pirate crews in this world. Outside of Luffy's crew, very few could be called decent people.
And Mr. 3… Leo remembered him vividly from the original timeline.
Because of him, Zoro nearly lost his legs. Nami and Vivi had almost died. And now, he dared to flee?
No.
Leo's gaze sharpened as he extended his spiritual perception.
In the distance, he detected multiple spirit signatures—Mr. 3 was merging with others and making a mad dash toward the coast.
There were no other people nearby.
Leo closed his eyes briefly to lock onto Mr. 3's spirit energy.
Then he lifted his right hand.
A massive magic circle bloomed above his palm, filled with intricate, glowing runes and powerful enchantments.
In the center of the circle, a unique symbol began to spin slowly.
"Celestial Magic: Meteor."
In the next instant, a brilliant shooting star tore through the sky, leaving a blazing trail behind it.
It struck the jungle with deafening force.
BOOM!
A blinding flash of light erupted, followed by an earth-shaking shockwave. Trees were uprooted and thrown like twigs. The air itself trembled..
When the dust finally settled…
Where Mr. 3 once fled now stood a massive crater, over 500 meters wide. The impact was so powerful that the bottom of the pit began to fill with water, forming a lake.
Leo stood still, surveying the devastation. No trace remained of Mr. 3 or his allies.
"A fitting end," he murmured. "For someone who thought he could escape judgment."
Øóffer going on for diamond tier
pàtreøn (Gk31)