The revelation of Joy Boy's identity had sent shockwaves across the Grand Line, but it was the implications surrounding Kaido that truly set the world ablaze with concern. Every island, every kingdom, every crew found themselves forced to confront an uncomfortable truth: the future they had glimpsed on the Sky Screen was rapidly approaching, and none were prepared for its consequences.
High atop the ancient elephant Zunesha, the island of Zou found itself at the center of a storm that threatened to tear apart centuries of tradition. The Mokomo Dukedom, home to the proud Mink Tribe, buzzed with heated discussions that echoed through both the Whale Forest and the Kurau City districts. The fate of their people hung in the balance, suspended between loyalty to an ancient oath and the harsh reality of survival.
In the heart of the Whale Forest, within the great tree that served as Inuarashi's fortress, two figures sat across from each other in tense silence. The sight would have been impossible just days ago—Inuarashi, the Duke of the Day, and Nekomamushi, the Ruler of the Night, sharing the same space without immediately drawing weapons. Their legendary feud, born from the tragedy of Oden's death, seemed almost trivial now in the face of what the Sky Screen had revealed.
"The historical text..." Nekomamushi's voice was heavy with defeat, his massive paws clenched into fists. "To think we'd lose the Road Poneglyph. Eight hundred years of guardianship, and it all ends with us bowing to that monster."
Inuarashi's remaining eye fixed on the flickering candlelight between them. The proud canine Mink's jaw worked silently for a moment before he spoke. "The shame of losing our sacred duty pales before what comes after. Did you see how the Minks fought in that future? Like mindless beasts, throwing themselves at the World Government's forces."
"Kaido's war hounds," Nekomamushi spat, his natural feline grace overshadowed by barely contained rage. "That's what he'll make of our people. The proud Mink warriors, reduced to cannon fodder for his ambitions."
The weight of leadership pressed down on both rulers. Outside their meeting place, young Minks played in the forest clearings, their laughter carrying on the wind. Guardian children practiced their Electro techniques under the watchful eyes of their elders, unaware that their peaceful world teetered on the edge of destruction. Every giggle, every innocent smile served as a reminder of what they stood to lose.
Inuarashi rose from his seat, moving to the window that overlooked the sprawling canopy. "Our people possess the power of the Sulong transformation—a gift that makes us invaluable as soldiers. Kaido won't see warriors when he looks at us. He'll see weapons."
"And Momonosuke-sama..." Nekomamushi's voice cracked slightly. "The Sky Screen showed our conflict with him. How did it come to that? How did we fail the son of our lord so completely?"
The question hung in the air like a curse. Both rulers had sworn themselves to the Kozuki clan, had bled for Oden's dream, had endured torture rather than betray his family. The thought that they might one day stand opposed to Momonosuke was almost too painful to bear.
"I have to find him," Nekomamushi declared suddenly, his decision crystallizing in the moment. "Before Kaido's influence spreads further, before the misunderstandings shown in that future take root. If I can reach Momonosuke-sama, explain our position..."
Inuarashi turned from the window, his expression grave. "The seas are dangerous for our kind. Humans still see us as curiosities at best, slaves at worst. And with the World Government's manhunt for the Straw Hats..."
"Then I'll take that risk." Nekomamushi's eyes blazed with determination. "Our people need options, old friend. If the future truly is set in stone, then at least we can ensure we're not caught completely unprepared."
The use of 'old friend' struck both rulers like a physical blow. It had been years since either had acknowledged their former bond, years of bitter silence and carefully choreographed avoidance. But the Sky Screen's revelations had a way of putting petty grievances into perspective.
Inuarashi nodded slowly. "Take the Guardians' fastest ship. I'll maintain order here and begin preparations for... for whatever comes. But Nekomamushi—" He paused, struggling with words he hadn't spoken in decades. "Come back safely. Zou needs both its rulers if we're to weather this storm."
Below them, deeper than the roots of the great forest, deeper than the consciousness of any Mink could reach, the colossal mind of Zunesha stirred with ancient memories. The elephant's massive brain, weathered by centuries of punishment and solitude, processed the name that had echoed across the Sky Screen.
Joy Boy... Joy Boy...
The name reverberated through neural pathways older than most civilizations, triggering fragments of memories from a time when the world was young. Zunesha remembered laughter, remembered freedom, remembered the weight of a great sin that had bound it to this endless march. For eight hundred years, the ancient elephant had carried its burden across the seas, waiting for a sign, waiting for redemption.
And now, that name spoken again, carried on winds that tasted of destiny. Zunesha's trunk lifted slightly, testing the air for scents that no longer existed, for the presence of one who might finally grant absolution.
The elephant's movement sent minor tremors through Zou, causing the Minks to pause in their daily activities and look around in confusion. None of them could understand the significance of that slight shift, the way Zunesha's ancient heart had begun to beat with something approaching hope.
Far beneath the waves, in the cramped confines of a yellow submarine, a different kind of breaking point was being reached. The Heart Pirates' ship drifted through the dark depths, its crew moving with uncharacteristic quietness as they navigated around their captain's fragile mental state.
Trafalgar Law sat alone in his quarters, the familiar surgical precision that governed every aspect of his life crumbling before a revelation that had shattered his carefully constructed worldview. The Sky Screen's images of his sister—alive, older, changed by years of suffering he couldn't imagine—played on endless loop in his mind.
Bepo pressed his massive white frame against the cabin door, his sensitive ears picking up the sound of muffled sobbing from within. The Mink's heart ached for his captain, but he knew better than to intrude. Law's pride was as sharp as his surgical blade, and some wounds needed to be faced alone.
"Is Captain still...?" Penguin's voice trailed off as he approached, his usual cheerful demeanor subdued.
Bepo nodded sadly. "He hasn't eaten since yesterday. Won't let anyone in." The polar bear's paws twisted together in distress. "I keep thinking... if I had been stronger in that future, maybe he wouldn't have needed to face Diamante alone. Maybe Lami..."
"Hey, don't go down that road," Shachi interrupted, placing a hand on Bepo's shoulder. "That future might not even happen. The Captain's one of the smartest guys on these seas—he'll figure something out."
But inside the cabin, Law felt anything but smart. The Surgeon of Death, who could dissect any problem with clinical precision, found himself utterly helpless before the chaos of his own emotions. His hands—hands that had saved countless lives, that had mastered the most complex surgical techniques—trembled as he stared at the scattered medical texts that usually brought him comfort.
"Lami..." The name escaped his lips like a prayer, like a curse. "What did they do to you? What did Diamante do to you?"
The memories came in waves, unbidden and devastatingly clear. His sister's laugh, the way she would sneak into his room when thunder scared her, how she'd insist on helping their father with his medical practice despite being too young to understand the procedures. He remembered the way her eyes would light up when he explained the circulatory system, how she'd declared she wanted to be a doctor just like Papa and big brother.
And then came the other memories—the ones that felt foreign yet familiar, as if they belonged to someone else but had somehow found their way into his mind. Images of two other children, orphans taken in by the kindness of nuns who believed in the good of humanity.
Ada Wong—serious beyond her years, with dark eyes that held too much understanding of the world's cruelty. She had studied alongside him under his father's tutelage, her nimble fingers showing promise with surgical instruments despite her young age. Law remembered how she would correct his suturing technique with the confidence of someone twice her age.
And Eren Yeager—Ada's self-appointed protector, a small boy with fire in his eyes and fists that never hesitated to defend those he cared about. Eren had been younger than the rest of them, but his presence had been impossible to ignore. Where Ada was methodical and careful, Eren was passion incarnate, ready to fight anyone who looked at his adopted sister wrong.
The three of them had been like family in those final days before the world ended. Law's real family, Ada's found family, Eren's chosen family—all destroyed in the space of a single night when the World Government decided that mercy was a luxury they couldn't afford.
"The nun told us we'd be safe," Law whispered to the empty room, his voice breaking. "She said the ship was going to take us away from the fighting. She believed them... we all believed them."
"No wonder Eren wants to destroy everything," Law said aloud, his voice hoarse from crying. "No wonder he chose the Rumbling. If I had his power..." The thought trailed off, but the implication hung heavy in the air.
The revelation that his sister had somehow survived, that she was out there somewhere bearing scars he couldn't heal, made every breath feel like a betrayal. How many nights had he spent believing he was the sole survivor? How many times had he used that isolation to justify his ruthless pursuit of revenge?
And now, knowing that Lami lived—that she had endured alone while he played at being a pirate, while he made deals with Shichibukai and planned elaborate schemes—the guilt threatened to tear him apart.
A soft knock at his door interrupted his spiral into darkness. "Captain?" Bepo's voice was barely above a whisper. "I... I brought some rice balls. I know you said you wanted to be alone, but..."
Law closed his eyes, drawing on the last reserves of his strength. His crew needed their captain to be whole, even if he felt anything but. "Leave them outside the door, Bepo. And... thank you."
The polar bear's relieved sigh was audible even through the metal barrier. "Should I plot a course anywhere specific, Captain?"
Law's jaw clenched as he considered the question. The logical move would be to continue with their alliance with the Straw Hats, to stick to the plan that had brought them this far. But logic felt like a foreign concept now, overwhelmed by the desperate need to find his sister before Diamante could hurt her further.
"North Blue," he said finally. "Set course for North Blue. I have someone to find."
Outside his door, Bepo's ears perked up in surprise, but he didn't question the order. After seventeen years of following Trafalgar Law through impossible situations, the polar bear had learned to trust his captain's instincts, even when they seemed to make no sense.
As the submarine's engines hummed to life and changed course, Law pressed his forehead against the cool metal of his desk. The future shown on the Sky Screen might be inevitable, but he'd be damned if he'd let it arrive without a fight. Diamante wanted to play games with his family? Then the Surgeon of Death would show him exactly how painful those games could become.
The tears had stopped, replaced by something colder and far more dangerous. Trafalgar Law had spent years learning to cut away infected tissue without hesitation. Now it was time to apply that same surgical precision to the cancer that was the Donquixote Family.
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