Inside one of the palatial chambers aboard a massive snail ship, a woman with short pink hair quietly read the latest newspapers.
"Subject 88… Mythical Beast, Azure Dragon… Bounty: 500 million Berries."
Vinsmoke Reiju's violet eyes lingered on the wanted poster, where Souta Kiryuu's photo blazed with defiance, the flag of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons burning in the background. From the image alone, she could feel the cold, violent aura radiating from this madman.
"Of course… all experiments are nothing but cruel and merciless monsters."
Her words were bitter, tinged with self-mockery. Every thought of her emotionless father and her heartless brothers filled her with sorrow. She had been raised in this cold-blooded family, forced to wear a mask of indifference. If she ever revealed her true self—if she let her emotions show—her father would have her modified again, stripping her humanity away.
She despised her family, yet she was powerless against her father's control. Only thoughts of her foolish little brother Sanji gave her comfort. Was he still alive somewhere in the East Blue? Had he found someone to give him the warmth she never had?
As Reiju drifted into memories of her mother Sora and Sanji, the sharp wail of alarms split the air. On the great flagship St. Germain, soldiers were already shouting, cannons roaring.
"Enemy attack?!"
Reiju dashed from her chambers, sprinting toward the platform. What she saw stopped her cold. A massive crimson dragon filled the skies, unleashing clouds of violet fire. The haze seared like poison, dropping even the strongest clone soldiers to the deck as foam spilled from their mouths.
"Reiju! Absorb the poison, now!"
Judge's furious roar echoed across the deck. But the dragon's flames twisted further—forks of violet lightning crackled within the clouds, smashing into the snail ship and clone army, wreaking devastation.
"Damn it!!"
"Electric Blue—Transformation!" "Thunder Fist!"
Niji's battle suit activated, arcs of lightning wrapping his body as he charged to intercept.
"Spark Red—Transformation!" "Blazing Spiral Strike!"
Ichiji shouted, launching into the air. His fist exploded with fire as he met the dragon's descending breath head-on.
"Winch Green—Transformation!" "Winch Crusher!"
Yonji propelled himself upward with his winch gauntlets, hurling his strongest strike at the dragon. But just as he closed in, a small, glowing paw mark floated toward him.
"Ursus Shock."
The low, magnetic voice of Bartholomew Kuma rumbled. Yonji's body convulsed as if struck by countless shockwaves at once. Blood burst from every orifice before his eyes rolled back, and he plummeted helplessly toward the sea.
"Yonji!!" Judge and Reiju screamed in unison. But Ichiji and Niji barely flinched.
"Yo-ho… terrifying! As expected of the Tyrant."
Laffitte's grin split his pale face as he soared above. Even he felt a chill at such overwhelming destruction. One strike had crippled Germa's strongest warrior.
Trafalgar Law's pupils shrank. If Kuma had used that air cannon on me days ago, I'd be in worse shape than Yonji.
Capone Bege's cigar trembled between his teeth as he muttered, "A monster…" His machine guns cut through swathes of clones, excitement glinting in his cruel gaze.
Judge rocketed forward, catching Yonji before he hit the water. But before he could retreat, a blazing laser beam tore down from the heavens.
"Why does he have so many powers?!"
"Garuda—Electromagnetic J—Transformation!" "Electro Spear!"
Judge's gray battle suit whirred to life. Wielding a charged spear, he struck against the descending laser. The explosion sent both him and Yonji crashing into the sea, waves towering dozens of meters high.
"Is it over already?"
"White Wing Thrust!"
Laffitte's blade pierced through clone soldiers as he laughed maniacally, blood raining around him.
"Room—Slaughterhouse!"
Law expanded his operating field, slicing swathes of soldiers apart with a single stroke. He shifted instantly, his cursed blade Kikoku slamming into Ichiji's armored chest.
Clang! The strike rang like steel on steel.
"You dare strike me?"
"Spark Light Fist!"
Ichiji's punch blazed with searing light, arcing toward Law.
"Room—Switch!"
With a smirk, Law swapped Ichiji with Niji. The blue-suited warrior barely had time to gape before taking the full brunt of Ichiji's devastating blow.
"What the hell, Ichiji?!" Niji roared, his jaw grotesquely dislocated. With a snap, he reset it as though nothing had happened.
"Unbelievable recovery…" Bege muttered. Law's eyes narrowed. This was the true might of Germa's engineered warriors.
"Roar!!"
A thunderous bellow shook the sea as the crimson dragon descended. Winds howled, lightning flashed, black and red bolts cracking across the heavens. Clone soldiers fainted under the crushing pressure as the dragon landed upon the St. Germain, transforming into a terrifying half-dragon form wreathed in lightning.
This was the man who had dared to wage war on the Celestial Dragons. Subject 88. Souta Kiryuu.
"So cool!! Boss of the boss!"
On the Polar Tang, Bepo leaned over the railing, eyes sparkling in awe.
"Souta Kiryuu is a hero!"
Princess Mansherry tugged on his ears with glee, shouting at the top of her lungs. The dwarves, Pekin, Shachi, and the others of the Heart Pirates stared in breathless excitement. They were witnessing the impossible—challenging Germa 66 itself.
"Crush them all!" Souta Kiryuu's voice cracked like a whip. Kuma charged at Ichiji, leaving Niji to Law's team. And Souta himself strode forward, eyes locked on the pink-armored Reiju.
"If Judge dies… will the brothers listen to you?"