Amano An no longer paid attention to the people left behind at Kizaru's G-2 Branch.A few days later, the newspapers were ablaze with shocking headlines—
"Fisher Tiger, Captain of the Sun Pirates, Dies After Refusing Human Blood Transfusion!"
Following Tiger's final wishes, Arlong concealed the real reason for his death, protecting his captain's reputation.After all, compared to "refusing human blood," the truth—that the hero Tiger was betrayed by humans, scarred by his time as a slave, and consumed by hatred—was far more cruel.
"The Celestial Dragons…"Steam filled the bathroom as Amano An leaned wearily against the edge of the tub, sighing."They're worse than trash."
In her hand, she crushed a shadow bug—an information device she had taken from the warship Jinbei and the others had hijacked. Through it, she learned what had happened before Tiger's death.
An already knew how depraved the Celestial Dragons were, how merciless they were toward slaves.But Tiger… Tiger understood that cruelty better than anyone.
He could never let go of his years in chains. Even knowing that there were kind humans in the world, he could never bring himself to love them.And yet, he still believed that one day, humanity would change.He asked everyone not to spread the truth—to keep his hatred buried—so that Fishman Island would not be swallowed by resentment after his death.
"Colonel Amano An, it's time to go!"The voice of a female soldier came from outside the door.
An had already been back at headquarters for several days. As usual, she filed a full report on the Sun Pirates and gave a detailed assessment of their combat strength. Her rank had risen again.Truthfully, her promotion had been overdue. Her record of achievements easily warranted it—but her youth and… certain "political reasons" had held her down.
Now, however, the Navy was desperate for capable officers. Her advancement came swiftly, accompanied by a new assignment—an urgent one.
"Coming," she called back.
An rose from the bath, droplets sliding down her pale skin. Her back was lined with scars—some faint and healed, others deep and jagged, refusing to fade.Just looking at them told a story of countless battles survived.
She had already received her transfer orders. Doflamingo had been stirring up trouble again, and Fleet Admiral Sengoku had sent her to investigate.Headquarters couldn't act directly in his territory—so the mission fell solely to her.
A transport ship dropped her off on a nearby island. Her orders were simple: gather intelligence, report findings to Vice Admiral Tsuru, and await further command.
"Today's weather is really nice," An murmured.
She wore a white skirt, a beige jacket tied around her waist, and carried a small, cute backpack. Her pink curls were tied into a high ponytail, with a soft yellow flower tucked behind one ear—making her look like nothing more than an innocent girl next door.
As she strolled through the market streets, deciding where to start her investigation, someone brushed past her in a hurry.An turned instinctively, eyes narrowing slightly.
…Why did that person look familiar?She frowned. She had memorized nearly every wanted poster in the seas—there shouldn't be anyone she failed to recognize.
She let it go at first, but after walking several steps, her feet suddenly froze.That face—she finally realized why it looked so familiar.
He looked like Ace.
To be precise—Ace as an adult.
The resemblance was uncanny, perhaps seventy percent similar.Still, it was impossible, wasn't it? The town was small but full of all sorts—pirates, traders, bounty hunters. Searching for someone here would only draw unwanted attention.
"Ah… Isn't substitute literature enough? Are you forcing me to become a real pervert now?" An muttered with a sigh. Then she shook her head and decided to enjoy her "paid vacation" before diving into the mission.
Following the lively crowd, An found herself at a casino.A kind smile curved her lips as she walked inside.
The air was thick with tension and greed. Losers shouted hoarsely, gamblers clung to their winnings like addicts, eyes blazing with hunger. Wealth and ruin mingled in the same feverish air.
No one noticed the pink-haired girl slip in—until they realized the pile of chips before her was almost towering.
"Why are you staring at me? Keep shaking the dice!"An looked up at the dealer, wide-eyed and innocent, her voice as sweet as a child's.
The dealer's hands trembled. Sweat poured down his pale face.In front of him, Amano An had turned a mere thousand Berries into thirty-eight million.
He had seen it with his own eyes—every roll, every bet—and yet…"How could this be possible?" he thought. If she walks away with this much, I'm finished…
"Come on, roll already!" a gambler shouted, veins bulging with desperation. "I'm gonna win it all back this time!"
He'd been losing for days, sinking into debt. Then, by betting alongside An, he'd made a small comeback.Now, with everything on the line, he couldn't stop.
"That's right! What, the casino can't afford to lose now?" someone else jeered. "Didn't stop you when we were losing our shirts every night!"
The dealer's shaking intensified. He looked to his colleagues for help, but no one dared intervene.
Just as he was about to faint from anxiety, a little girl in a maid outfit approached. She wore a big ribbon in her hair and had a porcelain-doll expression.
"Um… young master, please come with me," she said softly.Her tone wasn't commanding—more puzzled, as if she didn't quite understand why her parents had sent her to fetch a guest.
"Young master?" An blinked. Nobody here should've known her name.Had the casino decided to "handle" her quietly? That seemed unlikely—they'd sent a child?
"Our young master is Doflamingo!"
Amano An: "…Oh, wonderful."
Lucky—or unlucky—she couldn't decide.
"Hey! Who the hell are you?!" the desperate gambler shouted, his face twisted in rage. "I'm about to win my money back—don't you dare ruin this for me!"
He drew a pistol and pointed it straight at the maid's head.
But the little girl didn't flinch. Instead, she raised her hand—and her fingers shifted, transforming into a metallic barrel.
The gamblers froze in shock. One grabbed the man's arm in panic. "Idiot! Put it away! She's with the Donquixote Family!"
But the man was too far gone, lost to greed and madness. He pulled the trigger.
"Even if the Pirate King himself comes, you're not taking her!"
Several shots rang out—bang, bang, bang!—the bullets slicing through the air.Yet no blood spilled.
Instead, a metallic clink echoed as the bullets fell harmlessly to the floor.
Everyone stared.The girl—the harmless-looking one with pink curls—stood there smiling, holding out her hands.A few spent bullets rolled off her palms.
She had caught them. Every. Single. One.
A wave of horror rippled through the crowd. "W–What… what is she? A monster…?"
"Hey," An said softly, her smile bright and warm. "Don't kill people in front of me. Makes it hard for me to pretend I don't know you're pirates."
The man with the gun froze, his blood running cold.An unseen pressure filled the room—heavy, suffocating. His instincts screamed. He turned and ran—
—but he never made it a step. His eyes rolled back, foam spilling from his mouth as he collapsed with a thud.
Amano An's smile lingered, calm and sweet, as chaos erupted around her.