"Man, those are some nasty wounds. That's just cruel!"
In a hazy daze, Sakura felt herself lowered into warm currents. The seawater instantly sapped her strength, leaving her limp in someone's soft, plush embrace.
Then gentle hands with a sponge brushed over her injuries, washing away the grime.
Bubbles covered her body, but one curious hand started wandering up and down.
"Hey, Sera—check this out! Human anatomy is so weird!"
Excitement mixed with awe—that bubbly voice whispered to her friend.
"Melo, you don't need to be that curious. You'll get legs too once you hit thirty!"
A slightly more mature voice sighed, followed by the pop of bursting bubbles.
Something heavy splashed into the water, waves crashing against shore rocks with a wet smack.
"Skin's so smooth… but the chest is kinda flat. Let me just check that—"
Sakura felt the hand heading into dangerous territory, sliding straight toward the dreaded River Crab Abyss. She couldn't take it anymore.
Fighting exhaustion, she cracked her eyes open. "Hey! That's way too much, buddy!"
Right in front of her: a lady with flowing blue hair and an elegant figure, looking totally caught.
Her fish tail flicked a few times, sending a faceful of foam at Sakura.
"Ah—sorry, sorry!"
The mermaid big sis raised the sponge apologetically and wiped the bubbles off Sakura's face.
Sunlight finally let Sakura take in the view.
A starry ocean stretched endlessly, shimmering with phantom light.
A narrow waterway cut across the sky, rainbow colors playfully weaving through it.
She floated in a cove, coral reefs towering ahead in extravagant shapes.
Countless mermaid ladies glided gracefully between the corals—some perched on sea beasts playing with fish, others touching up makeup in mirrors, a few lazily sunning their tails on rocks…
Every single one—drop-dead gorgeous—and every single one stared at her with curiosity. Some even swam right up and lightly poked her.
"H-Heaven!"
Hunger, exhaustion, and the sea's Devil Fruit suppression made her voice weak, but Sakura swore she'd drag her dying body to shout: This is paradise!
The avalanche of pale skin and soft mermaid curves? She could stare forever!
Was there anything better than being carried through the water by mermaid ladies?
Oh yeah—wait, I'm a Devil Fruit user!
"Anyway, now that you're awake—Tiger boss told us to let you know he and your human friend are waiting at the café!"
The blue-haired mermaid used her killer curves to float Sakura to shore, then handed her a dry towel.
While Sakura wiped off, she pulled out bandages and wrapped the wounds.
The one called Sera surfaced too, holding a bubble with a patched-up ninja outfit covered in sunflower designs.
"We fixed your clothes a bit—hope it fits…"
"Sewing skills on point! Thanks a ton~"
Sakura grabbed it, gave Sera a thumbs-up, and slipped back into her gear.
"The café's at the end of Coral Road, left side. Come hang out whenever!"
Melo—the blue-haired mermaid—pointed the way. A crowd of mermaids waved goodbye behind her.
"They're so friendly…"
Sakura grinned dreamily, scrubbing leftover lip prints off her face before jogging to the Mermaid Café.
Weaving through Fish-Man Island's streets, massive new districts were under construction—houses built into coral, mermaid kids floating in air bubbles.
The closer to the café, the busier it got. Shops packed with pearls, gems, and sea beast goods lined up neatly.
Mermaids and fish-men turned to stare at Sakura's weird outfit, heads swiveling as she ran—causing a few crashes.
"Found it!"
She skidded to a stop in a cloud of dust outside a shop with a metal sign.
The doors slid open on their own—no mechanisms—revealing Fish-Man Island's hottest spot.
"Hey, Sakura!"
At a table loaded with drinks, Fisher Tiger spotted her and waved.
"Up and at 'em, new spark of fire!"
The cloaked man with arms crossed glanced up too.
Sakura plopped down unceremoniously, snatched the waiting food, and chowed down.
"Tiger, you jerk—you kidnapped me to Fish-Man Island without a word!"
Mouth full, she tilted her head and pouted.
"No choice—the Government's losing their minds hunting us. Had to lay low."
Tiger slammed back his drink and pounded the table.
Monkey D. Dragon, sitting beside him, slid a fresh wanted poster across.
Ignore the ink smell—the picture showed battle-scarred Sakura swinging her war axe.
"Witch · Haruno Sakura—bounty…"
"Witch… Haruno Sakura."
Totland, the nation built by the pirate empress and Soul Queen, Big Mom.
On Cake Island—capital made entirely of fake desserts—Charlotte Linlin, no longer the figure of her youth, lounged on a massive couch, shoving fresh cream cake into her mouth.
"World Government trash—can't even come up with a decent nickname!"
The laziness in that title practically dripped off the page.
She'd been mocked for "Big Mom" before—those fools were now sea beast poop.
"A sixteen-year-old brat making them this nervous… could it be…"
Four words flashed in her mind: SPECIAL RACE!!!
If so, this pink-haired girl was perfect for her collection!
Strong ability, tempting bloodline—join the Charlotte family and she'd birth powerful kids!
"Perospero—go get Katakuri. Mama's got a job for him! Mamama!"
Meanwhile, the New World's latter half.
A whale-shaped pirate ship sailed the seas.
The huge man in the middle of the deck chugged sake with one hand, newspaper in the other.
"Roger's ship kid, huh? The seas are about to get wild—gurararara!"
" Pops, I told you to cut back on the booze!"
"Shut it! What kinda pirate doesn't drink?!"
Wano Country, Onigashima.
"Urororo—not a Zoan? What a shame!"
The drunken beast guzzled from his gourd, then collapsed in a sobbing heap.
Some New World island.
"She's here, Sakura!"
The red-haired man in a straw hat laughed at the paper, roasting boar leg over the fire.
"Shanks, this the one you meant…?"
His gray-haired vice-captain leaned against a tree, smoking casually.
"Yeah—your vice-captain spot almost went to her."
"Hmph!"
"Hahaha!"
Red-Hair slapped the gray-haired man's back, laughter scattering a News Coo.
It flew off with the bounty and reports of the Mariejois incident to every corner of the world.
A young girl and a fish-man's impossible feat boiled the seas. Ambitious players moved in the shadows.
The Four Blues!
"The trash in the Holy Land's fallen this far? Perfect chance! I'm getting that Ope Ope Fruit!"
Grand Line, Paradise.
"Reckless fool. But she looks tough—gotta track down other Ohara exiles. Whitebeard, World Government—just wait!"
"Another sea monster. If I snag her shadow, maybe the Demon can move… Damn Kaido, you'll pay in blood!"
Jealousy, envy, desire, hostility—as their names exploded, the tides of the era swept them up.
Peace? Gone forever.
Back on Fish-Man Island.
"Witch Haruno Sakura—bounty: 440 million berries! Alive only!"
"Fisher Tiger—bounty: 280 million berries! Dead or alive!"
Dragon read them out across the table.
"Haha, those Five Elders must be pissed~"
Sakura squinted happily, cheeks puffed with food, wounds healing as she ate.
"Enough about World Government scum!"
Tiger slung an arm around Dragon and raised his glass.
"We survived hell—celebrate like it! Bad news tomorrow."
"Come on—drink!"
Dragon and Sakura shared a look. The three Mariejois masterminds clinked glasses amid the Government's frantic manhunt.
"Cheers!!!"
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