The entrance to the New World, Fishman Island.
When the crimson-skinned fishman, Fisher Tiger, finally set foot on this land, he stood frozen in place for a long time, unable to come back to his senses.
"At last... I've come home."
He stood there dazed for a while, then adjusted his emotions, making sure no trace of abnormality could be seen, and began walking toward the royal palace of Fishman Island.
Before long... a loud cry rang out across Fishman Street and spread quickly through the entire island.
"Tiger-sama has returned!!!!"
At the center of the street, Arlong and Jinbe, who had been in the middle of a quarrel, turned their heads in shock and joy toward the direction of the surging crowd.
"Tiger!!!!"
...
North Blue, Spider Miles.
The island was filled with ports. Every day, ships carried garbage from across the entire North Blue to be burned and disposed of here.
Due to its harsh environment, combined with the fact that the island itself served as a waste disposal facility...
This place was currently the stronghold of the rising Donquixote Family.
On this day, a pale-skinned boy snuck inside, breaking the silence...
Donquixote Family base.
"An intruder!"
"What?!"
"Get back here!"
"Don't touch that brat!"
"That deathly pale skin! It's a contagious disease!!!"
"That kid's covered in bombs!"
"Stay away!!"
Law, with a gloomy expression, his body strapped full of explosives, walked step by step toward the depths of the Donquixote Family stronghold.
Because of the rumor of his terrifying illness, combined with the explosives... no one dared to stop him.
In a dim hall, Doflamingo was napping on a sofa.
As the rising noise reached inside, he was finally roused, his mood instantly souring.
Opening his eyes, he saw Law standing not far away, with his subordinates frozen in fear further behind.
"What's going on with this boy?"
"Who let him in?!"
The faint anger in his voice sent chills down the spines of his men.
"Young master! With that ghastly complexion, no one dared approach him!"
"He's a survivor of that White Town! The plague-ridden disease!!!"
Blue veins bulged on Doflamingo's forehead. He snatched up a book from the small tea table beside him and hurled it.
"Idiots."
"You even believe the government's nonsense?"
"Get out of my sight!"
He then turned, his face expressionless, and looked at Law.
"Boy. State your business."
For the boy who had barged in so boldly, Doflamingo suddenly found himself interested.
Because the look in Law's eyes, his madness... was exactly like Doflamingo's own, back then.
Law stared at him and spoke calmly.
"Let me join you. Let me become a pirate under your banner."
"I want to destroy everything I see."
"Towns, houses, humans—everything, I will destroy it all."
"I grew up in White Town, Flevance."
"I don't have long left to live."
"I'll tear everything apart!!!!"
Though his voice remained steady, the madness on his face only grew darker. By the end, his expression was nothing but unrestrained violence.
For a moment, Doflamingo froze. His mind flashed back to that night, fifteen years ago.
That night when the flames raged into the sky...
"Mark my words! You mark my words!"
"I will never die!!!"
"No matter what, I will survive!!"
"And then I will—"
"Exterminate you all! To the last man!!!!"
It was from that night onward, he...
Doflamingo suddenly grinned, looking at Law as though staring at his younger self.
"Interesting. Very interesting."
"You're just my type."
"But the Family has its rules. They cannot be broken."
"You'll have to pass a trial first. Only then will you have the right to become one of us."
Law frowned slightly.
"A trial?"
The Donquixote Family's trial was simple: only those who could withstand Corazon, who despised children, were accepted.
The rest—over a hundred so far—had all been driven away in disgrace.
...
Fishman Island, inside the palace.
Because the most renowned adventurer of Fishman Island, Fisher Tiger, had requested an audience, the vast palace now held only King Neptune, Queen Otohime, and Tiger, who knelt half upon the floor.
Half-kneeling, Tiger was reporting something to Neptune and Otohime.
Neptune furrowed his brows.
"Freeing the slaves?"
"Are you serious, Tiger?"
Tiger bowed his head, his expression unreadable.
"Of course I'm serious."
"I can't endure it any longer."
"Those slaves live in nothing less than hell."
"They are still suffering in inhuman conditions."
Neptune looked troubled.
"But..."
Fisher Tiger suddenly rose to his feet.
"My decision is made."
"I know this will bring trouble to you, Your Majesty, and to the Queen."
"So I'm telling you beforehand."
"There's no room left for compromise."
Neptune fixed his gaze on Tiger.
"On this journey of yours... what exactly did you see, Tiger?"
Beside him, Queen Otohime also stared intently at Tiger. Unconsciously, her Kenbunshoku Haki stirred, sensing his heart.
Tiger clenched his fists and raised his head to meet Neptune's eyes.
"I saw... humans."
In an instant, tears welled in Otohime's eyes, spilling down her cheeks uncontrollably.
Her Haki had felt the immensity of his grief—grief impossible to conceal.
"What unfathomable pain this is!!!!"
...
East Blue, Loguetown.
Since that great war, Sakazuki had been stationed here for several days.
Partly because the campaign in the South Blue had concluded, with Enel and Bullet leading fleets toward this final corner of the East Blue.
But also because Sakazuki wanted to search the island himself, to see if there was any sign of the Float-Float Fruit.
Yet after days of searching, there was nothing.
No doubt it had reappeared somewhere else in the world.
With Sakazuki holding watch here, Loguetown had been far more peaceful. No pirates dared stop for supplies, and reconstruction of the island was proceeding quickly.
Most importantly, there was that massive island offshore—several times larger than Loguetown itself.
Many had already set their eyes on it. All manner of East Blue powers wanted their share. But word spread slowly across the seas.
By the time they arrived, the sight of Marine warships docked on the island sent them fleeing at once.
Buru buru~ buru buru~
Sitting on a massive boulder, watching soldiers construct a port, Sakazuki picked up the Den Den Mushi.
"What is it, Enel?"
Enel's sharp voice came through.
"Old man, we'll reach the East Blue by tomorrow afternoon."
"Where should we meet you? At that new base?"
Sakazuki looked around at the so-called base, still without even a functioning port.
"Make it Loguetown."
Enel's reply came quickly.
"Got it!"
"Oh, right, old man. Do you know of the Sorbet Kingdom?"
Sakazuki raised a brow.
"I do. What about it?"
Enel's voice suddenly grew quieter, deeper.
"Passing through the Sorbet Kingdom, I sensed Dragon's electromagnetic field."
"It was coming from the royal palace itself."
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