StrawHatAdventures

Chapters 1-35

Chapter 36-90

Chapter 91

Chapter 92 (NEW)

Queen of the Night-Halloween special ft Sanji and Usopp

Centuries- Rob Lucci x Reader

Die with a Smile - Portgas D. Ace x Y/N- Synopsis: Y/N, the determined daughter of Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, and Ace, the free-spirited son of Gol D. Roger, have always been bound by their legacies. After going their separate ways to pursue their own pirate dreams, they find themselves crossing paths once again. As they face off against the dangers of the Grand Line, old wounds resurface, and the sparks between them become impossible to ignore. With freedom and their futures on the line, can they overcome their pasts and the expectations that threaten to pull them apart?

Chapter 1: Beginnings

Chapter 2: Taste

Chapter 3: Changes

Chapter 4: Dreamin

Chapter 5: We meet again

Chapter 6: Lights out

“…Oi.”

His voice was low now.

“Where is she?”

Chopper finally spoke.

“…She’s… resting.”

Zoro frowned.

“Resting where?”

Another silence.

Luffy swallowed his food.

“Is she still hurt?” he asked.

That question made Chopper’s ears droop further.

“She… hasn’t woken up yet.”

The words landed heavily.

Sanji’s jaw tightened.

Zoro didn’t move.

“…What do you mean she hasn’t woken up?”

Chopper’s voice was small now.

“Her injuries were worse than we thought…”

Images flashed through the doctor’s mind—shattered leg, cracked ribs, reopened wounds, the head trauma.

“Miyagi and Tristan are watching her closely… but…”

Chopper clenched his fists.

“…but we don’t know when she’ll wake up.”

The room felt colder.

Sanji’s hand slowly tightened into a fist.

“Take me to her,” Zoro said.

There was no hesitation in his voice.

No anger.

Just certainty.

Sanji immediately stood too.

“…Yeah.”

Luffy wiped his mouth and hopped off the bed.

“I wanna see her too.”

Chopper sniffled but nodded.

“…Okay.”

One by one the Straw Hats began heading toward the hallway.

Down the quiet corridor.

Toward the room where Y/N lay.

Inside that room—

The lights were dim.

Bandages wrapped most of her body.

Her leg was suspended carefully in place.

Beside the bed rested her weapons.

Her rings.

Everything that belonged to her.

The door slowly opened.

Zoro stepped inside first.

The ruby necklace around his neck caught the light as he approached her bed.

He stopped beside her.

For once—

The swordsman had nothing to say.

Sanji stood on the other side of the bed, staring down at her pale face.

Luffy leaned forward slightly.

“…Hey.”

His voice was gentle.

“Wake up already.”

But Y/N didn’t move.

The only sound in the room—

Was the quiet rhythm of her breathing. 

“Well… how are we supposed to celebrate our victory if she’s not even awake yet?” said Monkey D. Luffy, leaning over the bed and poking Y/N’s cheek.

WHACK.

“Idiot! Don’t touch her!” Nami snapped, smacking Luffy on the head.

Luffy rubbed the bump, pouting.

“What?! I was just checking!”

At the foot of the bed, Chopper tried to keep his composure.

His hooves trembled slightly.

“We… we knew the extent of her injuries…” he began quietly.

Everyone turned toward him.

“Especially since Y/N complained about feeling light-headed back when we first arrived in Wano Country…”

Chopper swallowed hard.

“But now…”

His voice cracked.

“I… I saw how Big Mom kept hitting her head over and over to get her off when she impaled her with her two swords…”

Sanji’s cigarette fell from his mouth.

Chopper continued, forcing himself to speak.

“And when Kaido’s tail sent her flying back into that burning building…”

His eyes filled with tears.

“I thought… I thought we lost her…”

The room fell silent.

Sanji’s hands clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.

Roronoa Zoro stared at her, his expression unreadable, but the tension in his shoulders said everything.

Even Luffy stopped smiling.

“…She fought both of them,” Usopp muttered quietly from the doorway.

Chopper wiped his eyes roughly.

“She shouldn’t even be alive right now… her body is barely holding together…”

He looked back at Y/N.

“But she is alive.”

Luffy stepped closer again, quieter this time.

He looked down at her.

“…Then she’ll wake up.”

He said it so simply.

So confidently.

No doubt.

No hesitation.

Because in his mind—

His friends always came back.

Across the bed, Zoro’s hand slowly touched the ruby necklace resting against his chest.

The one Y/N had trusted him with.

His grip tightened slightly.

“…You better wake up,” he muttered under his breath. 

The room remained quiet as everyone stood around the bed.

Y/N’s breathing was steady, but faint.

Monkey D. Luffy scratched the back of his head, looking down at her.

“She’s still not waking up…”

Chopper adjusted the IV line again carefully.

“Her body’s exhausted… she needs time.”

Before the tension could grow heavier, a calm voice spoke from the doorway.

“Why don’t we let her rest?”

Everyone turned.

Kozuki Momonosuke stood there, now fully in his adult form, trying his best to carry himself like a proper shogun.

“She faced Big Mom… and won,” he continued.

“That alone deserves some rest.”

His eyes softened slightly as he looked toward her.

“And she also faced Kaido before and after that battle.”

Even the Straw Hats paused at that reminder.

Momonosuke crossed his arms, nodding decisively.

“We can celebrate again when she wakes up.”

A small smile appeared on his face.

“Double banquet.”

That finally got a reaction.

Luffy’s eyes lit up instantly.

“A DOUBLE BANQUET?!” he shouted.

“Yeah!” he grinned, pointing toward Y/N. “So you better wake up for it!”

Roronoa Zoro scoffed quietly, but the tension in his shoulders eased.

“…She’d kill us if we partied without her anyway.”

Sanji exhaled smoke slowly, glancing down at her.

“…Damn right.”

Nami gently adjusted the blanket over Y/N.

“Then it’s settled.”

One by one, they began stepping out of the room.

Giving her space.

Giving her time.

Soon the room grew quiet again.

Only the soft breathing of the sleeping girl remained.

And faintly—

The ruby necklace around Zoro’s neck gave the smallest glimmer of light.

.

.

.

Meanwhile, days later at Tokage Port, the atmosphere was far different from the quiet hospital rooms.

The sound of hammering and metal echoed through the docks.

Franky stood proudly with his arms crossed as shipwrights worked around him.

Nearby, Usopp watched nervously while repairs continued on the Thousand Sunny and the massive General Franky.

Not far away, other crews had their ships docked as well.

The Victoria Punk and the Polar Tang were both being repaired after the brutal battle.

Soon footsteps approached.

Bepo walked up alongside Killer and several members of the Kid Pirates.

The moment they saw it—

Their eyes sparkled.

“Whoa…” Bepo whispered.

They were all staring at General Franky.

“Look at that thing!”

“Is that really a robot?!”

They began circling it, geeking out like excited kids.

“I wouldn’t get too cozy if I were you…” a voice said from behind them.

Eustass Kid sat nearby on a crate, lazily eating a chunk of meat.

“…Don’t know what might happen once we set sail.”

He smirked slightly.

“I’m sure information leaked somehow. The press must already know what happened here.”

Kidd’s grin widened.

“With two emperors out of the picture… we’re the prime candidates to replace them.”

Bepo scratched his head.

“Don’t forget… Y/N fought Big Mom too.”

Kidd’s eyes narrowed.

“…She’s not a captain.”

He leaned back confidently.

“Which means they won’t pay her much thought.”

His ego practically radiated off him.

Before the moment could stretch further—

Trafalgar D. Water Law spoke calmly from nearby.

“This country may isolate us… but we don’t know what the world government is plotting now.”

Bepo nodded nervously.

“I bet the bounties for our captains went up…”

He blushed slightly.

“That makes me feel cool… but also scary.”

Suddenly—

A loud, obnoxious laugh echoed across the docks.

“FAHAHAHAHA!”

Everyone turned.

Scratchmen Apoo strolled toward them, waving a stack of fresh newspapers from the World Economy News Paper.

“You’re right! The bounties went up sure enough!”

He laughed wildly.

“Don’t know who leaked the info though…”

Kidd immediately shot to his feet.

“Don’t play dumb with us, you jackass! We all know you leaked it!”

Apoo raised his hands defensively, still grinning.

“Hey hey! I let the news out…”

He flipped one of the papers dramatically.

“But I let some news in too!”

“Check it out, yo!”

He tossed several newspapers toward them.

“Brand spanking new bounties!”

“And not just that…”

His grin stretched wider.

“…some familiar faces have just been dubbed the new Emperors of the Sea.”

The wind rustled the pages as they unfolded.

“But that’s not the juicy part…”

Apoo’s voice dropped with amusement.

“There’s also a new addition to the lot…”

He tapped the paper.

“A brand new Empress of the Sea.”

A wicked chuckle escaped him.

“Though rumor has it…”

“…she’s not looking too good either.”

The paper showed the headline clearly.

A massive new bounty poster.

And the picture—

Was Y/N.

.

.

.

“3 BILLION BERRIES?!”

The shout echoed across Tokage Port as the group stared at the newspapers in disbelief.

Eustass Kidd’s bounty poster.

3,000,000,000 Berries.

Next—

Trafalgar D. Water Law.

3,000,000,000 Berries.

And then—

Monkey D. Luffy.

3,000,000,000 Berries.

But the shock didn’t end there.

The headline beneath Luffy’s poster read clearly:

NEW EMPEROR OF THE SEA

His wanted picture had been updated as well—showing his newest form from the battle.

“Captain!” Bepo shouted, flipping to another page.

“Y/N has a massive bounty too! 2.9 BILLION!”

He held the poster up.

A brand new wanted poster.

PRINCESS Y/N

Her image captured mid-battle—eyes fierce, blades drawn.

Below it:

2,900,000,000 Berries

And beneath the bounty—

NEW EMPRESS OF THE SEA

The dock fell quiet.

Even the sea breeze seemed to stop.

Kidd slowly crushed the newspaper in his metal hand.

His teeth clenched.

He should’ve been the one.

Not Straw Hat.

And definitely not her.

Without another word, he turned and started walking away.

“Hey boss, where you going?” one of the Kid Pirates called.

Killer folded his arms calmly.

“The Flower Capital, I’m sure.”

He chuckled lightly.

“We have a new Emperor and Empress of the Sea now.”

“And it’s no surprise who it is.”

Then he raised his voice to the others.

“Hey guys! There’s a banquet in the capital tonight! Let’s all go!”

Law gave a small annoyed huff but followed.

—

That night, the Flower Capital exploded with celebration.

Lanterns floated into the sky.

Music filled the streets.

Tables overflowed with food.

The Straw Hat Pirates devoured everything in sight.

Even the sweets that Yamato had promised to eat were disappearing quickly.

Monkey D. Luffy climbed onto a table with a massive mug in hand.

“LET’S TOAST!” he yelled.

“Ninjas! Pirates! Minks! Samurai!”

Everyone gathered, raising their cups.

“The people of Wano Country!” Luffy continued, grinning widely.

“You people really kicked some ass!”

Cheers erupted.

Then suddenly—

“GET OUT OF MY WAY!”

Kidd shoved through the crowd toward Luffy.

“Jaggy!” Luffy grinned.

Before Kidd could react, Luffy grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him close.

“A toast to good food!” Luffy shouted.

“Every single day!”

“The hell—?! I’LL KILL YOU!” Kidd roared.

But Luffy only laughed louder.

Then—

BOOM!

Fireworks exploded across the sky.

“YEAHHH!” the entire capital cheered.

—

Meanwhile…

Far from the noise.

In the quiet area near the medical quarters—

Jinbei sat alone watching the fireworks illuminate the sky.

He slowly poured another drink.

“Perhaps another bottle is in order,” he said calmly before taking a sip.

“…Perhaps.”

A familiar voice answered.

Jinbei froze.

Slowly—

He turned.

Standing in the doorway was Y/N.

Her body still wrapped in bandages.

Bruised.

Weak.

But standing.

“Y/N?” Jinbei said in surprise.

She moved slowly into the room, every step careful and heavy.

Then she sat beside him and took his cup.

She drank from it calmly.

But the voice that followed was older.

Ancient.

“…I’m afraid not, First Son of the Sea.”

Jinbe’s eyes widened slightly.

“Red…” he said quietly.

Red, within Y/N’s body, exhaled slowly as the fireworks reflected in her eyes.

She leaned back slightly.

“We… have a lot to discuss.”

Her gaze lifted toward the distant celebration.

“…A great deal.”

“How are you?.. but I thought—” began Jinbei, staring at her in disbelief.

Red suddenly laughed.

It was the exact same laugh Y/N used.

“Yeah,” she said, brushing the short strands of Y/N’s hair back from her face. “I thought I was dead too.”

She glanced at him sideways.

“You act as if I’m a ghost.”

Jinbe calmly took another sip from his cup.

“Well,” he replied evenly, “you are inside my crewmate’s body.”

Red winced slightly, pressing a hand against Y/N’s bandaged side.

“This young girl…” she muttered. “She has no clue what kind of power she wields… let alone how to activate some of it.”

Jinbe stood immediately.

“Then I must tell the others! Y/N is well!”

“Sit down.”

Red’s voice turned sharp.

“Jinbei… if you do that, you jeopardize her life.”

He paused.

“…Jeopardize? How?”

Red leaned forward, her expression serious now.

“She carries my will… along with some of my weaponry.”

Her fingers flexed slowly, as if feeling the unfamiliar weight of the body she occupied.

“But that’s not all, I’m afraid.”

Her eyes lowered.

“…Y/N’s injuries…”

She hesitated.

“…She won’t remember who she is.”

Jinbei’s eyes widened.

Red clenched her jaw, clearly feeling the strain of the body’s wounds.

“I feel everything she feels,” she said quietly.

“And I see everything she sees as well.” She exhaled slowly.

“The damage to her head was worse than they realized.”

Outside, fireworks burst across the sky above the Flower Capital.

Inside the quiet room—

Jinbei processed the weight of her words.

“…So when she wakes up…”

Red finished the thought.

“She’ll be alive.”

Her eyes hardened.

“…But she won’t know any of you.”

“She will wake up soon,” Red said quietly, staring into the cup of sake in her hand. “And it is a fact she will suffer from amnesia. How long it will take her to remember… only time will tell.”

Jinbei listened carefully, his large hands folded calmly in front of him.

“But while she currently has amnesia,” Red continued, “I will be inside her… rather than inside my weapons.”

She glanced down at her bandaged hands.

“She lost a lot of my blood during the battle. That is why some of the weapons were blinking… fading in color.”

Jinbe nodded slowly.

“I see…”

Red leaned back slightly, the fireworks from the Flower Capital reflecting faintly in her eyes.

“I never wanted to be brought back,” she admitted after a moment.

Her voice carried the weight of centuries.

“I knew the moment I died all those years ago… at the hands of—”

She paused, her jaw tightening slightly as if the memory itself carried pain.

“But I also knew,” she continued softly, lifting the cup and taking another drink of sake, “that time… and life… have their own ways of presenting themselves.”

Jinbei studied her for a moment.

“You speak as if fate had a hand in this.”

Red gave a small, knowing smile.

“Fate… destiny… the will that flows through this world.”

She tapped a finger lightly against the table.

“Call it what you want.”

Her gaze drifted toward the distant noise of celebration.

“Your captain… Monkey D. Luffy… he carries a will that shakes the very foundations of this world.”

She chuckled softly.

“And that girl…”

Her eyes lowered again.

“Y/N jumped headfirst into a battle against Big Mom and Kaido without hesitation.”

Jinbei smiled faintly.

“That sounds exactly like her.”

Red sighed.

“Yes… reckless.”

“But also extraordinary.”

She slowly stood, though the movement clearly strained the injured body.

“She will wake soon.”

Red looked down at Y/N’s hands again.

Her eyes met Jinbe’s.

“But until she remembers…”

Red’s voice grew firm.

“I will protect her.”

Outside, another wave of fireworks lit the night sky over Wano. 

“I made a promise to your son… King,” said Jinbe quietly. “Back in Bege's Castle during the whole wedding cake fiasco… that I would guide her… and take care of her.”

Red lowered her gaze.

A small, bittersweet smile formed on Y/N’s face.

Then tears began to fall from her eyes.

“She did everything to avenge him,” Red said softly.

“She knew there was a probability… a chance…”

Red looked directly at Jinbei.

“You know what it was like… seeing you lose your son. Not once… but twice.”

Jinbei remained silent, but the weight of those words settled heavily between them.

Outside, fireworks from the Flower Capital burst across the night sky.

Red wiped at the tears that weren’t entirely hers.

“I’m glad I wasn’t summoned days ago,” she added, her voice turning colder. “When Y/N was fighting that bitch…”

She clenched her hand slightly.

“I would have ended her quicker.”

The hatred in her tone needed no explanation.

Big Mom had nearly killed the girl whose body she now inhabited.

Red exhaled slowly.

“I died when he was just three.”

Her voice softened again.

“I thank Francesco for taking him away… raising him alongside his own son, Dominic.”

She stared quietly at the ground.

“But I also knew… King and Dominic accelerated their age to rule the island.”

Her fingers curled slightly against the wooden floor.

A faint smile appeared again.

“I owe a bit of thanks to Y/N.”

Jinbe looked up.

“Because of her… I was able to watch my son.”

Red touched her temple lightly.

“Through her eyes.”

“For those two years of her training… I saw him grow. I saw the man he became.”

Her voice trembled slightly.

“…A king who was worthy of the name.”

For a moment neither of them spoke.

Then Red leaned back against the wall, exhausted from both the injuries and the memories.

“But now…” she said quietly.

“She’s the one who needs protecting.” 

Red steadied herself, gripping the edge of the table as she stood. Her movements were slow, each one punctuated by a wince.

“I ask you, Jinbe,” she said, her voice firm yet heavy with exhaustion, “not to reveal anything… and I trust you.”

She glanced down at Y/N’s body, noticing the bandages and the careful IVs, the fragile form she now inhabited.

“These injuries…” Red continued, her hand brushing over Y/N’s side, “…it’s going to take a while to recover. Nothing could have prepared us… but above all…”

Her voice faltered slightly, tinged with frustration and worry.

She exhaled slowly, closing her eyes for a brief, heavy moment. “We have to be patient… and careful. She’s stronger than most… but even she has limits.”

Red straightened once more, her presence filling the room like an absolute weight—a silent promise that Y/N’s recovery… and her safety… would be her responsibility. At least until the girl finally remembered who she was.

But the moment she took a step—

Her body betrayed her.

A sharp wince escaped her lips as her leg gave out beneath her, and she fell hard against the floor.

“Red!”

Jinbe rose immediately, stepping toward her.

“You are in no condition to be moving.”

Red gritted her teeth, pushing herself up despite the pain that clearly shot through Y/N’s injured body.

“I’ll be fine,” she said, though her voice tightened slightly from the strain.

She steadied herself against the wall, breathing slowly, forcing the pain down.

“I’ll be heading to my room now.”

Each step she took was slow… careful… deliberate.

The shattered leg protested with every movement, but she didn’t stop.

Wouldn’t stop.

Jinbe watched her in silence, concern etched across his face, but he didn’t interfere.

He understood.

This wasn’t just stubbornness.

This was will.

Red continued down the dim hallway, her silhouette flickering in the distant light from the Flower Capital fireworks outside.

A wounded body…

Carrying two souls.

Jinbe exhaled quietly once she disappeared from sight.

“…This is proving to be quite the situation,” he muttered to himself.

.

.

..

Meanwhile, back at the Flower Capital—

“I’m going to take you out!” Eustass Kid snapped at Monkey D. Luffy, shoving the newspaper into his chest.

Luffy blinked, looking down at the bounty… then up at his title.

“EMPEROR OF THE SEA?!”

But Kid wasn’t listening anymore.

A darker realization had already taken hold.

Y/N was still injured.

And that meant she was vulnerable.

Without another word, Kid turned and bolted toward the medical ward.

—

Inside—

Red, still within Y/N’s body, rested quietly.

Her gaze shifted toward the small table beside her.

The rings.

She reached for them slowly, sliding them back onto Y/N’s fingers—the pinky ring glowing faintly, the other settling firmly into place.

“Ahhh…” she murmured in Y/N’s voice.

“Momma missed you.”

She leaned back slightly—

Just as the door creaked open.

Kid slipped in quietly, a concealed dagger in hand, his steps careful.

“Sorry, doll…” he muttered.

“You’re not fit to be Empress.”

He raised the blade.

“And since you’re down for the count… I’ll be taking your place.”

Y/N’s eyes snapped open.

A cold scowl formed instantly.

Before he could react—

She grabbed him by the neck and hurled him across the room.

CRASH!

Walls splintered. Doors shattered.

Kid groaned from the wreckage as Red, moving slowly in Y/N’s injured body, stepped forward.

“I don’t recall visitors coming to the ward,” she said coolly.

“Doll… I can—” Kid started—

But Red clenched her left hand and drove a punch straight into him—

BOOM!

Sending him flying through another wall.

“You dare try to kill her… to harm her?” Red’s voice dropped, dangerous.

“You just made a powerful—”

Footsteps.

Approaching fast.

Red smirked.

“…mistake.”

She lowered her voice quickly.

“Don’t try that shit again… or else.”

Then—

She let out a piercing scream and collapsed to the ground, going limp.

—

“What was that?!” Nami shouted as she rushed in.

“Y/N!” Roronoa Zoro yelled, stopping dead in his tracks at the destruction.

Broken walls.

Shattered doors.

And in the middle of it—

Eustass Kidd… holding a dagger.

Y/N—unconscious on the ground.

“Luffy! Everyone get here—NOW!” Zoro roared.

Footsteps thundered in.

Monkey D. Luffy burst through first.

“Oi—what happened?! Why’s everything broken?!” he shouted, eyes darting wildly—until they landed on Y/N.

“…Y/N?”

His voice dropped.

Something in his expression shifted instantly.

“Hey… why isn’t she waking up?” he asked, stepping forward.

“Don’t touch her!” Nami snapped, panic clear in her voice.

“Oh no—Y/N!” Chopper cried, dropping beside her, checking her pulse and injuries again.

Sanji entered next—

And froze.

“…What the hell happened here?” Sanji muttered, his cigarette slipping slightly from his lips.

His eyes landed on Kid.

Then the dagger.

Then Y/N.

A dangerous silence fell over him.

“…You.”

Flames almost seemed to spark behind his eyes.

Usopp peeked in—then immediately recoiled.

“WHAT THE HELL?! Why is everything destroyed?! Is she okay?!” he panicked.

Nico Robin stepped in more calmly, but her eyes narrowed sharply as she took in the scene.

“…This doesn’t look like an accident,” she said quietly.

Brook followed, gasping dramatically.

“Yohohoho—this is terrible! Though I have no eyes to see—this tension is chilling!”

Franky cracked his knuckles.

“This ain’t SUPER at all… someone’s gonna pay for this.”

From the back—

Jinbe arrived, immediately sensing something was wrong.

“…What happened here?”

Zoro’s voice cut through everything.

Low.

Sharp.

“…He tried to kill her.”

Silence.

Luffy’s head slowly turned toward Kidd.

“…You what?”

Sanji stepped forward, cracking his knuckles.

“You’ve got some nerve… coming into a medical ward and going after a defenseless woman.”

Kidd scoffed, wiping blood from his mouth.

“Tch… she’s in the way. That’s all.”

That was enough.

Luffy’s fist clenched.

“I don’t care about titles,” he said, voice unusually serious.

“But hurting my friends?”

His expression darkened.

“I’ll beat you for that.”

“WAIT!” Chopper shouted desperately.

“Focus! She needs help right now!”

“Quick—take her back to her room! She needs assessment again!” Nami added.

“Right!” Chopper said, as they carefully lifted Y/N.

Her body was completely limp.

Unresponsive.

As they moved her out—

Usopp looked around nervously.

“Wait… wait a second…”

He pointed at the destruction.

“…What if he already tried to take her?! What if we got here too late?!”

Luffy froze.

“…What?”

Sanji’s eyes snapped back to Kidd.

“You better start talking.”

Robin crossed her arms slightly.

“Because from what we see… you entered this room alone.”

Franky stepped forward.

“And everything’s wrecked like a fight already happened.”

Brook tilted his head.

Jinbe’s gaze lingered on Y/N as she was carried out—

Then back to Kidd.

Slow.

Calculating.

“…This situation is not adding up.”

Zoro lifted one of his swords slightly.

“…Start explaining.”

The hallway filled with tension—

As the crew stood between protecting Y/N…

And unleashing everything on Kidd. 

“She’s not—” Eustass Kidd started—

A cough cut through the tension.

“Y/N!” Nami cried, rushing forward.

“Is she waking up?!” Usopp shouted, nearly tripping over himself.

“Finally…” muttered both Sanji and Zoro at the same time—though their glares never left Kid.

“Out of the way, mosshead!” Sanji snapped, shoving past Zoro to get closer.

“Easy, Y/N… easy…” Chopper said, trying to keep everyone calm as he checked her vitals.

A soft groan escaped her lips.

“She’s waking up!” Nami said, tears already forming.

Y/N’s eyes fluttered open slowly, her vision unfocused.

“…Where… where am I…?” she whispered.

Sanji immediately dropped to one knee beside her, gently reaching for her hand.

“My angel, you are in the medical ward in Wano Country—”

She pulled her hand away instantly.

Sanji froze.

Zoro smirked slightly, though his eyes were still sharp with concern.

“How you feeling, princess?” he asked, sitting at the edge of her bed.

Y/N shifted back.

Away from him.

Away from all of them.

Brook tilted his head.

“Y/N… what’s wrong?”

She looked at each of them.

One by one.

Confusion.

Fear.

Unfamiliarity.

“…Who are you?”

Silence.

It hit like a shockwave.

Usopp’s mouth dropped open.

“…H-huh?”

Nami froze completely.

Sanji’s expression shattered.

Zoro’s smirk disappeared instantly.

Robin’s eyes narrowed slightly, observing.

Franky lowered his arms.

Brook stood still.

Even Luffy—

Monkey D. Luffy just stared.

“…You don’t know us?” he asked simply.

Y/N’s breathing quickened slightly as she pulled the blanket closer to herself.

“No… I don’t…” she said, her voice small. “I… I don’t know any of you…”

Chopper’s hands trembled.

“…No… no, no… this can’t be…”

Jinbe remained silent in the back.

Jinbe closed his eyes briefly.

He already knew.

“…Amnesia…” Robin said quietly.

Sanji shook his head.

“No… no, that’s not possible—”

Zoro stood slowly, his jaw tightening.

“…It is.”

Luffy stepped closer to the bed.

Not rushed.

Not loud.

Just… steady.

“I’m Luffy,” he said, pointing to himself.

“I’m gonna be King of the Pirates.”

He then pointed around the room.

“That’s Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Zoro, Chopper, Robin, Franky, Brook… and Jinbei.”

He smiled.

“We’re your crew.”

Y/N stared at him.

Still confused.

Still unsure.

“…Crew…?” she repeated softly.

Luffy’s smile didn’t fade.

“Yeah.”

A pause.

“…And you’re our friend.”

Behind her eyes—

For just a split second—

Something flickered.

But it was gone just as quickly.

And the silence that followed…

Was heavier than any battle they had just survived.

.

.

.

Behind him, John adjusted his glasses, his long medical coat swaying with the motion of the ship. “A few days out,” he replied calmly.

Dominik hummed, swirling the liquid in his glass.

“She turned on her trigger.”

John blinked. “Well… yes. King designed them that way—just like his mother’s—”

“Think harder,” Dominik interrupted, voice low.

Silence.

Then—

John’s eyes widened.

“…You don’t mean—”

Dominik’s smirk deepened.

A quiet, dangerous kind of amusement.

“Looks like we’re making a small detour.”

John hesitated. “…You still have our rings, right?” asked Dominik

“Yes… but—” said John.

Dominik didn’t let him finish.

“Next stop…” He tilted his head slightly, eyes gleaming. “…Wano.”

The glass slipped from his fingers—

Shattering against the deck.

Snap.

In an instant—

He was gone.

“…Damn it, Dom,” John muttered, already moving.

And just like that—

He disappeared too.

Nami POV.. 

We finally found a place—barely safe, but enough to breathe.

The chaos of battle still echoed in the distance, explosions rumbling through the air like distant thunder. I kept my grip tight on my Clima-Tact, refusing to let my guard down.

Nearby, Tama rested against Komachiyo, with Hihimaru curled close. Her small face lit up with relief.

“I’m so glad you’re okay!” she said, her voice bright despite everything.

I gave her a soft smile—but it didn’t reach my eyes.

“I’m worried…” I admitted quietly. “I hope Usopp was able to meet up with Kin'emon and Kiku…”

My voice trailed off.

“…I’m also worried about Y/N.”

The words felt heavier than anything else.

Before the silence could settle, a gust of wind swept over us—

Feathers.

I looked up just as Marco descended, his blue flames flickering softly as he landed.

“Looks like you Straw Hats managed to pull through,” he said with a small grin. “I’d expect no less.”

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

But then—

Cheers erupted.

Loud.

Overwhelming.

“What’s going on?” I said, stepping forward without thinking.

And then I saw it.

Y/N.

Lying on the ground.

Broken… but smiling.

Tears streamed down her face as she weakly pointed upward.

Nearby, Trafalgar Law and Eustass Kid looked just as battered—barely standing.

“You beat an Emperor of the Sea!” someone from Law’s crew shouted.

My breath caught.

“…She… she did it.”

Tears blurred my vision before I could stop them.

I stepped closer, my heart tightening as I took in her condition—far worse than when we last saw her.

“Y/N…” I whispered.

Beside me, Tama tugged at my sleeve.

“Is big sis going to be okay?”

I swallowed hard.

“She will…” I said, forcing confidence into my voice.

Because she had to be.

“She actually did it…” I thought, staring at her in disbelief.

“Sounds like Big Mom won’t be coming back…” I murmured under my breath.

Marco’s expression shifted slightly, more serious now.

“Looks like we can’t relax just yet,” he said. “We’ve gotta be ready for anything.”

Yeah…

He was right.

I lifted my gaze toward the sky above Onigashima, where the battle still raged.

“Luffy…” I whispered softly.

“…I hope you can wrap this up soon.”

Third POV…

The battlefield burned beneath the shadow of Onigashima, but far from the chaos, within the cold precision of Cipher Pol—

A Den Den Mushi crackled.

“Do you realize what you are asking of me? That will never work!” Guernica snapped, his voice tight with restrained frustration.

On the other end, the masked agent’s tone remained calm. Unshaken.

“The Five Elders have given the order. Eliminate Monkey D. Luffy.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Dangerous.

Guernica’s grip tightened around the receiver.

“And what about Nico Robin…? And Y/N?” he pressed. “I was given direct orders for their capture.”

A pause lingered on the line.

Then—

“You leave Y/N… to me.”

Guernica’s eyes narrowed behind his mask.

There was something in that voice.

Something… personal.

“…Understood,” came the final response.

Click.

The line went dead.

For a moment, the only sound was the distant rumble of war—the clash of titans echoing through the island.

Guernica lowered the Den Den Mushi slowly.

“What makes the Straw Hat Pirates so special…?” he muttered.

His gaze shifted upward—toward the rooftop.

Toward the storm.

Toward a boy who carried impossible weight… and refused to fall.

“…Why does the world fear them so much?”

No answer came.

Only the growing sense—

That tonight, something far greater than orders…

…was about to change the world.

Y/N POV…

I continued to stare up at the broken roof, the night sky fractured above us.

Law was a few feet away. Kidd lay on the other side, both of them just as wrecked as I was.

“Should we get ready? Kaido might come…” Kidd asked, his breathing heavy.

“That would be pointless,” Law said flatly. His gaze shifted to me. “How are you holding up, princess?”

“Peachy…” I muttered, my chest rising unevenly.

The drug…

Its effects had dropped.

Twenty percent.

Which meant—

Everything hurt twice as much.

Every fracture. Every cut. Every burn.

“My energy is all spent,” Law admitted. “I gave this everything I had… I can’t fight anymore.”

“Don’t worry…” I said, wincing as I slowly pushed myself upright. My body screamed in protest.

Then—

Rubble crashed down.

I rolled instinctively.

“What the hell…?” I muttered, forcing myself up again—only to clutch my side and drop to one knee.

“I can’t…” I breathed.

And then—

That presence.

Heavy.

Overwhelming.

I looked up.

A dragon descended from the sky.

“…Fuck.”

Kaido.

“Where is your leader?” his voice thundered. “Bring Oden’s son to me. It’s time for Momonosuke to announce his surrender.”

My breath hitched.

“Straw Hat Luffy… is dead.”

My eyes widened.

“What… did he just say…?”

“Straw Hat’s voice went silent… so it’s true,” Law said quietly.

“Seems he was no match for an Emperor,” Kidd added.

“No…” I whispered, forcing myself up—only for my right leg to buckle under me.

“Just give him a second…” I said through gritted teeth.

“No! Luffy is dead!” Chopper cried somewhere in the distance.

“If any of you still have the courage to defy me,” Kaido continued, “then step up. I haven’t had my fill of violence yet.”

I tried to stand again.

My legs wouldn’t move.

Move…

“Son of a—move!” I screamed internally.

The Beast Pirates cheered.

Praising him.

Celebrating.

Then—

A voice cut through everything.

Familiar.

Fierce.

“Stop bullshitting just because you can’t beat Luffy, you coward! Luffy would never lose to an old lizard like you! I can see the shape you’re in—he’s been kicking your ass!”

My heart stopped.

Nami.

“No…” I whispered.

No.

I forced myself up, staggering.

“Nami… get away…” My voice didn’t carry.

“Well now, that’s more like it,” Kaido said, amused. “At least one of you has guts.”

He inhaled.

Blast Breath—

I moved.

Before I could think.

Before my body could protest.

I clenched my fist and launched myself into the air, spinning—

And drove an electric tremor kick straight into his head.

Pain exploded through my right leg.

“My fucking leg—” I hissed, landing unevenly but forcing myself to stand tall.

“There she is…” Kaido grinned.

“Y/N fall back!” Law shouted.

I ignored him.

“You think…” I laughed weakly, blood on my lips, “you can defeat my captain?”

I steadied myself.

“Better yet… why not face me?”

Kaido laughed.

“You look like you’ve been through hell. Why would I waste my time on you?”

I smirked.

“Because I was the one who ended Big Mom.”

His expression darkened.

“You idiot! He’s going to kill you!” Law snapped, trying to rise.

“I have nine lives… remember?” I said.

Even if…

That wasn’t comforting anymore.

“So…” I exhaled, reaching for the hidden blade strapped to my thigh. “Are you going to gawk… and mope… or are you going to fight me?”

Some Beast Pirates rushed me.

Too bold.

Too stupid.

A blade sliced across my right arm.

“Damn it!” I snapped, kicking one away with my left leg.

I tossed my blade into the air—

Snapped.

Vanished.

Reappeared mid-air, catching it—

Aimed straight for Kaido’s back—

But—

His tail.

It slammed into my stomach.

Everything went white.

My blade slipped from my hands as I was launched—

Straight into a burning building.

My back—

My head—

Cracked against a steel pillar.

Flames danced around me.

I couldn’t move.

My body refused.

My head rang violently.

My vision blurred.

“…Get up…” I whispered.

Nothing.

My body was done.

My eyes grew heavy.

The fire flickered.

Distant.

Fading.

And slowly—

I succumbed to the darkness.

Third POV…

“Ms. Red!” Hyogoro shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.

“Quick—someone get her out of the building!” the samurai yelled, rushing forward—

But the flames surged violently, blocking the entrance. Heat roared outward, forcing them back.

“Damn it…” Trafalgar Law muttered, teeth clenched as he tried to push himself up, his body refusing to cooperate.

“Y/N!” Nami screamed, her voice strained—too far, too late.

“Big sis…” Tama whispered, clutching onto Komachiyo, fear evident in her eyes.

Above them, Kaido stood tall, unmoved, his presence crushing.

“Bring Momonosuke here!” he bellowed. “I’ll continue the slaughter until he comes!”

The Beast Pirates erupted into cheers, their confidence swelling.

Law and Kidd struggled on the ground, both trying—failing—to rise.

“It doesn’t matter if you beat Big Mom,” one Beast Pirate sneered. “You still can’t beat Commander Kaido!”

“Little shits…” Kidd growled under his breath, fingers twitching as he forced his body to respond.

“Protect the captains!” voices rang out.

Kidd’s crew surged forward without hesitation.

Law’s crew followed.

Even injured.

Even terrified.

They stood.

Between Kaido—

And their fallen leaders.

And behind them—

The flames continued to rage.

And their fallen leaders.

And behind them—

The flames continued to rage.

Kaido unleashed another Blast Breath, the sky igniting as fire and destruction swallowed everything in its path. The battlefield trembled—samurai clashing, pirates barely holding formation, bodies already pushed beyond their limits.

With both Y/N… and Monkey D. Luffy down—

Things were looking bleak.

“Pull it together! You’re all over the place!” Law snapped, forcing himself back into the fight, blade clashing despite the strain in his movements.

Across from him, Kidd fought recklessly—sloppy, furious, unrestrained.

“You’re on your own,” Law muttered, breath uneven. “I need to get to Y/N.”

Somewhere beyond the chaos—

“Luffy! I know you can hear me!” Nami cried, her voice cutting through the battlefield. “You too, Y/N! Get up and finish this!”

As if her voice alone could pull them back.

As if hope itself could rewrite fate.

But the building where Y/N lay—

Burned.

Collapsing inward, flames devouring what remained.

And from within the inferno—

An unfamiliar figure stepped through.

A CP0 agent.

“There you are,” he said coldly, eyes locking onto her motionless form.

He lifted his transponder snail.

“This is—ugh!”

A Sword pierced through him.

Clean.

Precise.

He staggered, choking.

“You’re not going to harm her…”

The voice that answered—

Ancient.

Heavy.

Unfamiliar.

Not hers.

His eyes widened as the figure before him stood—

Y/N’s body—

But not Y/N.

“My son bet a lot on this young girl’s life,” the voice continued calmly, almost disappointed. “And I refuse to allow her to die at the hands of you.”

The snail was crushed in her hand.

Silence followed.

Then—

Something shifted.

The air itself felt different.

The Red Warrior had taken control.

“By the time you wake up… a lot is going to happen,” she said softly, looking down at her own hands—at Y/N’s hands. “My job is to make sure you stay alive…”

A pause.

A quiet, almost solemn breath.

“Even if I have to be you, or take control so no one harms you… until you remember.”

She stepped forward through the flames, placing her sword behind her.

Unaffected.

Unbothered.

She reached down grabbing her 2nd blade from her thigh halter. 

With a swift motion—

She cut through the tied strands of hair.

The ponytail fell.

Short hair framed her face now—wild, uneven, free.

“There’s a reason short hair worked best.”

Her tone was distant.

Foreign.

Not the girl they knew.

Not the one who laughed, who fought beside them—

This was something older.

Something sharper.

Something far more dangerous.

And as she stepped out of the burning wreckage—

Eyes steady.

Presence overwhelming—

Even the battlefield itself seemed to hesitate.

Because something had returned.

And it was not going to lose again.

Meanwhile—far beyond the flames, beyond the battlefield, beyond even the island itself—

Zunesha stirred.

The ancient elephant stood still… yet everything around it seemed to move with purpose.

“Momonosuke…” its voice echoed, ancient and heavy.

“Zunesha…” Kozuki Momonosuke responded, his voice trembling within the silence of their shared connection.

A pause.

Then—

“Momonosuke… I can hear them… and feel them…”

Zunesha’s tone shifted.

Not burdened.

Not sorrowful.

But… nostalgic.

“It’s been so long…”

Momonosuke’s breath caught. “Hear what…?”

The answer came like a heartbeat across time—

“I can hear the drums of liberation…”

A distant rhythm.

Steady.

Rising.

Alive.

“And I can feel the flames of hell.”

Momonosuke’s eyes widened. “What…?”

“They are here,” Zunesha said, certainty rumbling through every word. “I am sure of it.”

The air itself seemed to tighten.

History… repeating.

No—

History awakening.

“Joy Boy…”

Somewhere on the battlefield—

A fallen body twitched.

A grin beginning to form on the face of Monkey D. Luffy.

“And the Red Warrior…”

Back within the flames—

A faint smile pulling at her lips—

Not forced.

Not weak.

But inevitable.

“…have returned.”

And in that moment—

The drums grew louder.

The flames burned hotter.

And fate itself… shifted.

Red—within Y/N’s body—clenched her fists, the sensation still unfamiliar, like wearing skin that remembered a different life.

“This may take some getting used to…” she muttered under her breath.

The flames behind her roared—

And she moved.

Exploding out of the burning building, she soared into the sky, heat trailing behind her like a comet. Midair, she clapped both hands together—then pulled them apart, her left hand crackling violently.

Lightning bent to her will.

“Electric Strike!”

She drove downward.

A blinding arc split the sky as she plunged straight into Kaido—lightning rods crashing into his body in rapid succession.

BOOM.

The impact thundered across the battlefield.

She spun on descent, landing with force—knees bending slightly, breath heavy but controlled.

For a moment—

Silence.

Then movement.

Her eyes shifted.

Her blade.

Without looking, she snapped her finger upward.

The hidden blade tore through debris and air—flying straight into her hand.

Across the battlefield, Law stared, eyes sharp.

“She’s… uninjured,” he said slowly.

Beside him, Kid narrowed his eyes.

“But… that’s not…” Law continued, something uneasy settling in his chest.

That wasn’t Y/N.

Not entirely.

“Y/N!” Chopper cried, rushing toward her, panic in his voice as he dropped to her side.

Red flinched.

A sharp, internal jolt.

Her gaze flickered downward.

Her right leg… is shattered.

She masked it instantly.

Smiling.

Soft.

Convincing.

But not hers.

“You have something that belongs to me,” she said, voice carrying Y/N’s tone—but lacking its warmth.

Chopper blinked as his bag suddenly burst open.

Before he could react—

Red reached in and pulled out the headband.

She placed it carefully over her head, adjusting it with practiced precision.

“…If she had worn this, a lot of head injuries could have been avoided,” she muttered quietly.

Then her eyes returned to Chopper.

A gentler expression.

Calculated.

“Thank you… for taking such good care of it.”

Chopper froze for a second.

Something felt… off.

Not wrong.

But not right either.

Behind them—

The battlefield held its breath.

Because the person standing before them—

Fought like Y/N.

Spoke like Y/N.

But the presence…

The presence was something far older.

And far more dangerous.

Red stretched Y/N’s arm, a sharp wince slipping through despite her control.

“She really took hit after hit, huh…” she thought, flexing her fingers as she examined her palms. The damage ran deeper than muscle—deeper than bone.

These need to heal.

“I thought you were dead!” cried Chopper, his voice breaking as he clung close.

Red’s expression softened instantly.

Gentle. Reassuring. Practiced.

“No… no, sweety. I’m not dead,” she said in Y/N’s voice, kneeling slightly despite the protest from her shattered leg. “Remember… I have nine lives.”

She lifted a hand, placing it carefully on his head.

“You were very brave.”

Chopper sniffled, trying to hold himself together under her praise.

Behind them—

A voice, older… trembling.

“Ms. Red…?”

Red stilled.

Slowly, she turned.

Her eyes met his.

Hyogoro.

For the first time—

Her composure cracked.

A small tear slipped down her cheek.

“…Hello, Hyogoro…”

Her voice dropped—no longer just Y/N’s.

Something deeper. Older.

She stepped forward and pulled him into an embrace, holding him with a familiarity that didn’t belong to this era.

“It’s been so long…” she whispered.

Hyogoro froze in her arms.

Because the presence he felt—

The voice he heard—

This wasn’t just the young warrior who fought beside them.

This was someone he remembered.

Someone from a time long buried.

And in that moment—

The past had returned to the battlefield.

“When I heard you died… I…” Hyogoro choked, his voice breaking as tears streamed down his face. The old samurai trembled in her arms, overcome.

“Ms. Red!” the surrounding samurai cried out, their voices filled with disbelief and reverence.

Red—within Y/N—tightened the embrace just slightly, steadying him.

“It’s okay…” she whispered softly, low enough that only he could hear. “There’s a lot we need to discuss… but not here.”

She pulled back just enough to look at him, a small, proud smile forming despite the destruction around them.

“You fought so well… for Wano.”

Hyogoro’s breath hitched, his shoulders shaking as he tried to compose himself under her gaze.

“And…” she continued, her tone shifting—something almost fond, almost impressed. “I thank you… for teaching her how to use my technique when it came down to those punches.”

Around them, the battlefield still burned.

But in that moment—

The samurai stood taller.

Because the legend they once believed lost…

Was standing right in front of them.

Red staggered slightly, Y/N’s body betraying her with every step. Her breath came out uneven as she pressed a hand to her side.

“I have a good thirty minutes… until I pass out again…” she whispered under her breath.

Still—she moved.

Each step was deliberate as she approached Trafalgar D. Water Law and Eustass Kidd, both worn down, both watching her carefully.

Her eyes lingered on Law a second longer than necessary.

I can see why she fancies the Surgeon of Death… she thought, a faint, knowing smile tugging at her lips.

Then—

She felt it.

A presence.

Ancient. Familiar.

Her smile softened as she tilted her head upward slightly.

“I knew you’d be here too…” she whispered, closing Y/N’s eyes for just a second—as if acknowledging something unseen.

—THUNK.

Arrows.

They pierced into her body, forcing her back a step.

“No—Y/N!” Law shouted, panic slipping into his voice.

Red’s eyes opened again—calm. Unbothered.

She looked down at the arrow lodged in her stomach… then gripped it.

With a sharp pull, she removed it—

—and it disintegrated in her hand like ash.

“You think measly arrows are going to do something to me?” she said, a smirk curling across her lips.

Her finger lifted slightly—

A beat.

Then—

One of the Beast Pirates below jerked violently as an arrow turned midair and struck him clean through, dropping him instantly.

“Learn your place.”

The battlefield seemed to pause around her.

She reached down, grabbing her blade, spinning it once with practiced ease before pressing it gently against her wound.

A soft white energy pulsed outward.

The torn flesh sealed.

The bleeding stopped.

She exhaled.

“Always on the right side…” she muttered, almost to herself, as the glow faded.

But even as she stood tall—

Her body trembled.

Thirty minutes.

And the clock was already ticking.

Red lightning cracked across the sky, splitting the dome above.

For a moment—the battlefield stilled.

Then—

A massive hand burst through, grabbing Kaido and dragging him back up toward the rooftop.

“Is that really Straw Hat?!” shouted Eustass Kidd, eyes wide.

“Luffy!” cried  Chopper, relief flooding his voice.

High above—

There he was.

Monkey D. Luffy.

Alive.

Changed.

“You’re alive…” Red whispered under her breath, something soft—almost ancient—flickering in her expression.

Then—

Thunk.

Luffy’s head got stuck awkwardly through the broken opening in the roof.

Red blinked.

“…How did I know you’d be stuck?” she muttered.

With a flick of her wrist, the ground responded—stone rising, shifting, forming a staircase beneath her feet. She ascended effortlessly, the rocks holding firm despite the chaos around them.

“Hey, Y/N!” Luffy grinned. “You beat Big Mom, huh? I’m glad!”

But Red didn’t see Luffy.

She saw Nika.

An old memory.

An old bond.

Her expression softened—gentle, almost nostalgic.

“…You haven’t changed,” she murmured.

Then—without warning—she grabbed his head.

And launched him straight back up onto the rooftop.

“FINISH HIM!” she shouted.

The force sent him flying back toward Kaido as the stones beneath her collapsed, carrying her back down to the battlefield.

The moment she landed—

Steel met her throat.

Trafalgar D. Water Law stood before her, sword raised, eyes sharp and untrusting.

“Cut the act,” he said coldly. “Who are you… and what have you done with Y/N?”

For a split second—

Silence.

Red met his gaze.

Measured. Calculating.

She couldn’t tell him.

Not yet.

“…Traffy, what are you talking about? It’s me,” she said, her voice perfectly mimicking Y/N’s.

She reached forward casually, placing a hand on his blade and gently pushing it down.

“Besides… don’t point objects like that,” she added with a faint smirk, eyes glinting.

“…Gives me the creeps.”

But Law didn’t move.

Didn’t lower his guard.

Because whoever stood in front of him—

Felt nothing like Y/N.

“Traffy, what are you doing? That’s Y/N!” cried Chopper, rushing forward, panic clear in his voice.

 Law didn’t answer right away.

His eyes never left her.

Sharp.

Searching.

Like he was trying to cut through her without using his blade.

Red felt it.

That gaze wasn’t doubt.

It was recognition—

That something was off.

She puffed her cheeks slightly, folding her arms with a small pout.

“I swear… it’s like you know someone and they just forget all about you,” she said in Y/N’s voice, tilting her head with practiced familiarity.

That made something in Law’s expression crack.

Worry.

Real, unfiltered worry.

Before she could react—

He stepped forward and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Red stiffened instantly.

Her body—Y/N’s body—flinched.

A sharp wince escaped her lips.

“…Don’t do anything stupid like that again,” Law muttered against her, his grip tightening just slightly.

For a moment—

Red froze.

Not from pain.

But from something unfamiliar.

Something warm.

Slowly… carefully… she lifted her arms and wrapped them around him in return, holding him tighter than she expected herself to.

“You should know…” she said softly, a small smile forming,

“Danger is my middle name.”

But her tone—

Lighter than usual.

Almost teasing.

Almost hers.

Yet something deeper lingered beneath it.

Because as she held him—

Red realized something unsettling.

This body remembered him.

“Out of my way, Trafalgar. Quit hugging my fiancée,” growled Eustass Kid.

Red blinked.

She slowly stepped back from Trafalgar D. Water Law, tilting her head as she studied Kidd like a particularly strange specimen.

“…You’re insane,” she said flatly. “I’m not sure if that’s clinically or mentally.”

Her eyes lingered on him a moment longer before she exhaled and glanced around.

The flames were spreading.

The building continued to collapse inward as fire devoured everything in reach.

“…This fire needs to be put out,” she muttered quietly. “Or lives will be lost.”

Suddenly—

A Beast Pirate lunged from behind.

“I got you now, Princess!” he shouted, blade raised.

Law moved instantly to intercept—

But he never got the chance.

Red turned without even looking.

Her hand shot forward and closed around the pirate’s throat mid-attack, lifting him clean off the ground.

His blade clattered uselessly to the floor.

“It appears you haven’t been paying attention,” she said calmly as the man clawed desperately at her grip.

Then—

She tossed him aside like discarded trash.

His body slammed into a stone pillar with a sickening crack before collapsing in a heap.

Silence followed.

Red rolled Y/N’s shoulder slightly, feeling the body protest again.

This girl’s body is reaching its limit…

The pain was spreading.

Muscle tears.

Internal bleeding.

The shattered leg.

Short amount of time before it gives up and faints.

Her jaw tightened slightly.

She needs medical attention… fast.

But there was still too much happening.

Too much unfinished.

And Red could already feel the clock ticking down inside Y/N’s body.

As the battle raged on, Red clutched Y/N’s side, the pain now impossible to ignore. Her breathing had grown shallow, each step heavier than the last.

Nearby, Hyogoro stood firm with the samurai, guarding her position.

“Don’t let anything happen to Ms. Red!” Hyogoro shouted, raising his weapon as the samurai formed a protective wall.

The Beast Pirates charged again, but they were met head-on. Steel clashed, voices roared, and the last desperate fighting continued across the burning battlefield.

Ahead of them,  Law and Kid battled through waves of enemies, buying time while high above—

Monkey D. Luffy fought Kaido.

Flames roared across the halls of Onigashima.

Until—

Water began pouring through broken corridors and shattered ceilings, rushing through the castle and smothering the fire.

Moments later, a voice echoed across the island.

“Listen, everybody… we’ve won!” announced Nekomamushi.

The battlefield froze.

“Luffy defeated Kaido and buried him deep into the ground! Lord Momonosuke turned into a dragon and stopped Onigashima from falling!”

Silence.

Then—

The samurai erupted in cheers.

“It’s a miracle!”

“We won!”

“Wano is free!”

Red exhaled slowly inside Y/N’s body.

“…Finally,” she whispered.

For the first time since taking control, her shoulders relaxed.

But then—

Her vision blurred.

The world tilted.

The body had reached its limit.

As the samurai celebrated around her, she turned slowly.

She saw Hyogoro.

Then—Law.

 Law stood a few steps away, still watching her carefully.

“…Would you… be so… kind…” she murmured weakly.

Her knees buckled.

“…to catch me…”

Law blinked in confusion—

Then instinct took over.

He stepped forward just in time, catching Y/N as her body collapsed into his arms.

“Hey! Y/N! Wake up!” he shouted.

Footsteps rushed in.

Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin ran to Law’s side while Killer rushed toward Kidd.

“Enough!” Law snapped, forcing calm into his voice.

He carefully lowered her to the ground.

Then—

A small figure pushed through the crowd.

Chopper froze the moment he saw her condition.

“Quick! Bring her here!” Chopper shouted urgently.

Without hesitation, they lifted Y/N and rushed her toward Chopper’s makeshift treatment area.

The war was over.

But now—

The fight to save her had begun.

Soon more figures rushed through the ruined halls.

Usopp emerged first, stumbling forward while carrying two wounded samurai.

“I got them! I got them!” he shouted breathlessly.

In his arms were Kikunojo and Kin'emon, both badly injured but alive.

Right behind him came Franky, carrying an unconscious Roronoa Zoro over his shoulder.

“Outta the way!” Franky barked as he pushed through the crowd.

Zoro’s body was battered beyond recognition—his fight had pushed him far past his limits.

At the center of the chaos, Chopper quickly took command.

“Tristan! Miyagi! Over here!” he called urgently.

Tristan and Miyagi rushed over, immediately assisting with the injured.

Y/N lay at the center of it all.

Her condition was worse than anyone expected.

Bruises covered her body.

Cuts that had mysteriously disappeared earlier had returned—wounds reopening across her skin as if time had caught up with her all at once.

Chopper swallowed hard as they began treatment.

Miyagi carefully examined her injuries, his expression growing more serious with each second.

“We knew the outcome of the drug, Gara… and judging by this young girl’s condition…” he said gravely.

“She has a shattered right leg, multiple muscle tears, bruised ribs, several cracked bones…”

His eyes shifted to her head.

“…and her head injury is a disaster.”

Chopper’s ears drooped.

Nearby, Zoro was laid down beside her.

He had several broken bones as well, though his breathing remained steady.

Not far away, Monkey D. Luffy had also collapsed from exhaustion after defeating Kaido. His injuries were quickly being treated too.

The captain was completely out cold.

Miyagi glanced back at Y/N.

“…I’m afraid to even remove her weapons,” he admitted quietly.

A few feet away, the Straw Hats gathered.

Franky stood with Brook and Usopp while Nami caught her breath nearby.

Standing with them was Yamato.

“I’ve decided,” Yamato said confidently. “I’m joining the Straw Hats!”

Nico Robin watched the exchange quietly, a gentle smile on her face.

“So you’re Kaido’s son, huh?” Franky muttered.

Suddenly—

“Stand back, Nami! I’m coming to save you!” shouted Sanji, sprinting out from deeper inside the castle.

But when Yamato turned—

Sanji and Brook both froze.

“He’s… a woman?!” Brook exclaimed.

Sanji’s eyes turned to hearts instantly.

“AN ANGEL—!”

But Yamato calmly introduced himself as Kozuki Oden, leaving both men even more confused.

Then—

Sanji suddenly looked around.

“Wait a second… where’s—”

His cigarette slipped from his mouth.

It hit the ground.

His eyes widened in horror as he saw Y/N lying unconscious on the ground, blood staining the bandages around her.

“Y… Y/N…”

Nami quickly rushed to her side.

“She’s not—” Nami started, panic rising in her voice.

Then she stopped.

Her eyes shifted.

Around Roronoa Zoro’s neck hung something familiar.

Y/N’s necklace.

For a moment—

The celebration of victory faded.

Because the cost of that victory lay right in front of them.

“But she was fine a few seconds ago!” Nami said, panic rising in her voice as she knelt beside Y/N.

Chopper and the Mink medics moved quickly. IV lines were inserted as they began stabilizing her breathing and circulation.

“Gara… can someone try to remove her weapons?” said Miyagi carefully. “I need to make sure she’s not injured on her back or upper thigh.”

A brief silence followed.

Then—

Sanji stepped forward.

“…I’ll do it,” he said quietly.

He knelt beside her, his usual confidence replaced by something heavier.

“Shit…” he muttered under his breath as he saw the full extent of her injuries up close.

Then he paused.

His eyes dropped to his hand.

His ring was missing.

For a moment he looked confused—until he remembered.

He reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled it out. Slowly, he slid it back onto his fingers.

The moment the ring settled on his ring finger—

A faint burning sensation spread across it.

A strange tingling followed.

Sanji frowned slightly but ignored it.

Right now, that didn’t matter.

He carefully reached down and unfastened Y/N’s thigh holster, removing the strap that held her two hidden blades. The metal clinked softly as he set them aside.

Next he reached behind her back and removed her two swords.

As he lifted them away, her head lolled slightly to the side, her body completely limp.

Sanji swallowed.

Then he gently removed the rings from her fingers—her pinky ring… and the other one she always wore.

For a moment he considered removing the bracelets and anklet as well.

But something stopped him.

“…No,” he muttered quietly.

He closed his hand around the items he’d taken.

“I’ll… keep these safe.”

Carefully, he stepped back as Y/N was laid down again so Chopper and the others could continue treating her wounds.

Around them, the victory celebrations of Onigashima continued.

But here—

The Straw Hats waited in silence.

Watching.

Hoping.

.

.

Days passed.

Across Wano Country, the celebrations had begun. The Flower Capital overflowed with music, lanterns, food, and laughter as the people celebrated their freedom.

The war was finally over.

But inside the medical quarters of Onigashima, things were quieter.

More uncertain.

Chopper stood beside the beds where Monkey D. Luffy and Roronoa Zoro lay resting.

Beside him were the mink doctors, Miyagi and Tristan.

“It won’t be easy to heal from such severe wounds,” Miyagi said gravely. “I’m afraid there’s a possibility that they’ll never wake up.”

Chopper shook his head stubbornly.

“I’m not worried,” he said firmly. “If we let them sleep for a while, they’ll wake up noisy and full of energy!”

Miyagi gave a small sigh.

“Our biggest concern, gara… is Y/N.”

Chopper’s ears drooped slightly.

“She’s under heavy observation,” Miyagi continued quietly.

Across the hall—

In another room—

Y/N lay resting.

Her condition was far worse than the others.

Bandages wrapped her shattered leg and wounded torso. Bruises still marred her skin, and the head injury remained a serious concern.

Beside her bed rested the items Sanji had left behind before leaving the room.

Her hidden blades.

Her two swords.

Her Bracelets

And her two rings.

They waited silently beside her, untouched.

—

Back in the other room—

Suddenly—

Monkey D. Luffy shot upright.

“BRING MEAT!” he shouted.

At the same time—

Roronoa Zoro woke up beside him.

“And booze!”

The medical staff groaned.

Moments later, plates upon plates of food and bottles of sake were piled around them.

Before long, the room filled with the Straw Hats and their allies.

Nami, Usopp, Franky, Brook, and Sanji gathered around while Nekomamushi laughed loudly in the corner.

Yamato burst through the door.

“We were so worried about you!”

Behind Yamato came Kozuki Momonosuke—now in his adult body—along with Kozuki Hiyori.

“Too soon to drink so much booze!” Chopper protested.

But Brook was already lifting a cup.

“It’s time to finally get this party started!”

Luffy and Zoro suddenly turned toward Momonosuke, both eyeing him suspiciously as they continued stuffing their mouths.

“Hey! It’s me! Momonosuke!” Momo said quickly.

Luffy blinked.

“You’re all cool and grown up now!”

“Must take after Oden,” Zoro said with a smirk. “Let me punch you and see.”

“N-No! That won’t be necessary!” Momonosuke stammered nervously.

“I’m not even using a sword,” Zoro added casually.

Panicking, Momo quickly ran over and clung to Nami—

Grabbing her chest.

WHAM.

Nami punched him instantly.

“Don’t grab me!”

The room burst into laughter.

“Haha… welcome to the world of adults, Momo,” Sanji chuckled.

“That baby face can’t protect you now, buddy boy,” Brook added.

“Hmm… speaking of baths… how the heck am I so clean?” Zoro muttered, looking at his hands.

“That’s because I wiped you down from head to toe!” Hiyori said shyly, blushing.

Zoro blinked.

Then—

He felt something heavy around his neck.

His hand rose slowly.

A necklace.

A ruby pendant surrounded by diamonds.

Memory flashed through his mind.

Y/N standing before him before the final battle.

“Listen… I gotta face this bitch,” she had said.

“You think you can watch my necklace?”

She placed it in his hand.

“Don’t worry—the trigger’s off… but it’s set to protect the wearer.”

Zoro stared at the ruby resting against his palm.

The noise of the party faded slightly in his ears.

Because suddenly—

He remembered.

Y/N.

Suddenly the room erupted in heat.

Flames flickered around Sanji as he stepped forward, cigarette hanging from his lips.

“Mosshead… I think we need to talk.”

Across the table, Roronoa Zoro looked up from his food.

“Oh right… almost forgot.”

Zoro slowly stood, resting a hand on the hilts of his three swords.

Memories flashed between them—of the battlefield, of promises made before things could have gone very wrong.

“I crawled back from the gates of hell,” Zoro said with a crooked smirk, drawing his swords.

“All so I can kill you, cook.”

Sanji groaned, rubbing his forehead.

“Ohhh forget about that… it all worked out.”

But that didn’t stop them.

Within seconds the two were already clashing—kicks and swords colliding as they argued loudly.

The others sighed.

Some things never changed.

Then suddenly—

Zoro paused mid-swing.

“…Wait.”

He lowered one sword slightly.

“Where’s Y/N?”

His smirk faded just a little.

“I made another promise.”

The words hung in the air.

Sanji’s movement stopped too.

Because they both knew exactly which promise he meant.

Before the battle—

Sanji had told Zoro that if something went wrong…

If he lost himself…

Zoro needed to stop him.

And in that same breath—

Sanji had admitted something else.

That he loved her.

But Zoro—

Zoro loved Y/N too.

And if things had gone the other way…

He had planned to be the one to tell her.

Now the room had gone quiet.

Chopper looked down.

Nami’s expression tightened.

Usopp avoided their eyes.

Even Sanji’s flames slowly faded.

Only one person in the room didn’t understand the shift.

Monkey D. Luffy looked around with a mouth full of meat.

“…What’s wrong?” he asked casually.

.

“We’ll be fine. We aren’t so helpless,” one of the Minks replied, already lunging back into battle.

“Let’s go, Robin—you heard them!” said Brook, his grip firm as he guided her through the chaos.

They ran.

Fast.

But Robin glanced back, her expression tight with worry.

“They’ll be killed…”

Brook’s tone softened, but his pace never slowed. “That’s why we must go. We can’t allow their sacrifice to be in vain.”

Behind them, the sounds of battle grew distant—yet somehow more ominous.

“I can’t believe they’re defeating those Mink warriors…” Brook muttered. “Whoever they are, they’re quite strong.”

“CP0,” Robin said, her voice steady—but low. “I saw them before… back in Dressrosa.”

Brook’s hollow eyes widened slightly.

“They’re a government unit… but what are they doing here? And why are they looking for you at a time like this?” he pressed. “What about Y/N? What do they want with her?”

Robin’s gaze darkened.

“I couldn’t say… but we are facing the worst-case scenario. CP0—the masked agents… they are the most dangerous, even among Cipher Pol.”

The air ahead shimmered with heat.

Flames.

Spreading fast.

“We can’t let them catch Y/N… or you, for that matter, Robin,” Brook added, tightening his hold.

They turned—

—and stopped.

A dead end.

Fire roared before them, blocking any escape.

For a split second, everything stilled.

Then—

Brook made a decision.

“Hold on to me!”

Without another word, he wrapped an arm around Robin and leapt straight into the flames.

Fire swallowed them whole—

their figures vanishing into the blaze, slipping away from CP0… at least for now.

Sanji POV…

Running.

The walls warped around me—breathing, bending—like the whole damn castle was alive.

My chest burned. My thoughts wouldn’t stop.

Bullets—deflected. Queen’s blade—shattered.

“Damn it…” I muttered, my voice shaking. “I don’t want to be a monster like the rest of my family.”

The name echoed in my skull—

Vinsmoke Judge.

“This is bullshit…”

Debris cleared as I pushed forward, boots slamming against broken ground. I wasn’t seeing anything—just memories, over and over again.

Queen’s voice rang out behind me, taunting, relentless.

“Shut up… SHUT UP!” I snapped, gripping my head. “I’m not like them, damn it! I’m human!”

I forced my eyes open—

—and froze.

Blood.

A woman trembling on the ground.

“…Are you okay… miss?” My voice faltered.

I stepped closer—

She recoiled instantly.

“Stay back! Don’t come any closer!” she cried, tears spilling down her face.

My heart dropped.

“I… couldn’t have…” The thought choked me.

“No—no, wait!” I rushed forward. “Miss, are you alright? Let me help you!”

More people emerged—fearful, protective.

“How dare you hurt a woman and call yourself a man!” one shouted, shielding her.

My breath caught.

“Please—you’ve got this wrong! I would never—”

“Excuses!” another snapped. “You’re fighting for Wano, aren’t you? Then you’re doing this to your own people!”

“No—listen to me!” I gritted my teeth, panic rising. “I don’t know what happened to her! I just showed up and—”

My voice broke.

“I didn’t… I didn’t do anything…”

But doubt crept in.

“I… don’t know…”

“We’re trying to hide! Monsters who beat up innocent girls don’t belong here!”

The words hit harder than any attack.

“I swear… this wasn’t me…”

A vase shattered against the wall beside me.

Then another.

And another.

I stepped back as objects flew—anger, fear, rejection.

The door slammed shut in my face.

Silence.

“…This isn’t happening…”

My hands trembled as I stared at them.

“I would never lay a hand on a lady…”

Would I?

I turned slowly, walking back into the chaos.

“Hey, Germa boy!”

The voice cut through everything.

Queen.

“Found you!” he laughed.

I barely heard him.

“I could never hurt a woman… could I…?”

My gaze dropped to my hands.

To the ring.

The one King gave me.

Heavy.

Too heavy.

My mind spiraled—

The Germa Kingdom. Cold halls. Emotionless eyes.

Germa 66.

Cosette—on the ground. Broken. 

Pudding—

Y/N—crying.

The way I hurt her.

“I…” My breath hitched. “I could…”

My chest tightened.

“You’re telling me… I’m going to end up like them?”

My body felt… different.

Stronger.

Harder.

Wrong.

“My body isn’t tingling anymore…” I whispered, dazed. “Maybe… it’s already happening…”

Queen stepped forward, cracking his neck.

“You got lucky once—but without that suit, you won’t last long!”

I barely registered him.

“Damn it…” I muttered, eyes distant. “Hey… Luffy…”

“What kind of man do you want in your crew?”

An unreliable dreamer… afraid of his own power?

Helpless in the face of a woman?

Or—

A warrior of science… who can crush monsters like this without hesitation?

Even if it means losing everything that makes me… me.

My mind drifted—

Back.

Before all of this.

Before the war.

Before the pain.

A softer voice.

Familiar.

“Sanji… you’re not a monster. Why would you say that?”

You.

Back on Thriller Bark.

Before we were torn apart.

Before I started questioning everything.

I closed my eyes.

“…Because I’m scared,” I whispered into the chaos.

“Scared that one day…”

“I won’t hesitate.”

Your voice cut through it—soft, steady, you.

“Listen, Sanji… we have a mission. I’d hate for anything to happen to you. And besides… you got that whole chivalrous look going on”

You smiled like it was the simplest truth in the world.

Like I was still… good.

“Tch. Forget it, he’s a lost cause.”

Of course.

Roronoa Zoro.

“Shut up, mosshead!” I snapped back instantly—

—and just like that…

The memory shattered.

Back to the present.

Fire. Smoke. Destruction.

The pleasure hall trembled under the weight of war.

Across from me—

Queen grinned like he already knew the answer to the question tearing me apart.

“Which would be more useful to the King of the Pirates…”

My thoughts raced.

Your smile. Luffy’s trust. The crew.

All of it clashed inside me.

“I don’t know what will happen but…” I muttered, gripping the cold metal in my hand.

The raid suit.

Germa.

The thing that could make this easy.

The thing that could make me them.

“Sounds like you finally get it,” Queen sneered.

“…But what I can do…”

My grip tightened.

“…is put an end to all of this.”

CRACK.

The can crushed by my foot.

Metal bent. Technology snapped.

Gone.

Flames roared to life around me.

“It’s over,” I said, exhaling slowly. “I’m choosing my own fate.”

No.

Not fate.

My choice.

I lit a cigarette, the flame steady despite everything.

“Goodbye, Germa…”

Germa 66.

“…Goodbye… women’s bath.”

A small, almost bitter smirk tugged at my lips.

Then—

I reached for the one person I never thought I would.

Elsewhere

“What the hell? Since when do I have this thing?!” Zoro’s voice barked through the Den Den Mushi. “Who’s calling me at a time like this?! I’m busy!”

Steel clashed in the background.

He was still fighting—

King.

Figures.

“I was afraid you might’ve been dying in a ditch somewhere,” I said calmly, smoke curling from my lips. “So I snuck that snail on you as a precaution.”

“I’m not dying, you idiot!” Zoro snapped. “Could you leave me alone?!”

“Listen. This won’t take long.”

My voice… steadied.

“I know we’ve got this. We’re beating the Beast Pirates no matter what.”

A pause.

“But after the battle… there’s a chance I might not be in my right mind anymore.”

Silence.

Even the clash of swords felt distant.

“If that happens…”

I closed my eyes.

“…then kill me.”

The words landed heavy.

No hesitation.

No jokes.

Just truth.

“And tell Y/N…”

For the first time—

My voice faltered.

“…I’m sorry.”

A breath.

“…and…”

Damn it.

“…I love her.”

“…What?” Zoro’s voice came out quieter.

Then—

A scoff.

“Yeah, I got it. No problem.”

Steel clashed again.

“I’ll kill you just like you asked…”

A beat.

“…and I’ll tell Y/N that I love her instead.”

My eye twitched.

“Oi—”

Even now…

Even at the edge of everything…

That damn swordsman.

“Until then… don’t you dare die on me.”

For a second—

Everything went quiet.

No flames. No war. No chaos.

Just those words.

“…I appreciate it,” I said, softer than I expected.

The line clicked.

The Den Den Mushi went silent.

I exhaled slowly.

Then—

I turned.

Back to reality.

Back to the battlefield.

Back to him.

Queen stood there, massive and grinning, like none of this mattered.

Like I hadn’t just made a decision that would define the rest of my life.

“Heh… done chatting?” he mocked.

I didn’t answer.

Didn’t need to.

My foot pressed against the ground—

Then—

Sky Walk.

The air cracked beneath me as I launched upward, flames already licking up my leg.

Hotter.

Sharper.

Different.

Not Germa.

Not science.

Mine.

“I’m sending you straight to hell!”

The fire roared—

Memories surged.

Pain. Hunger. Loneliness. The Baratie. Luffy. The crew.

You.

“Hell Memories!”

I came crashing down—

My leg engulfed in blazing fire as I drove it straight into Queen’s body.

BOOM.

The impact shook the entire hall.

Flames exploded outward, swallowing him whole as his massive frame slammed into the ground, the force tearing through the floor beneath us.

Smoke filled the air.

Burning.

Crackling.

Alive.

I landed, sliding back slightly, my leg still smoking.

Y/N POV… 

My grip tightened around the hilt—

Heavy.

Not just the sword… but everything riding on it.

The black and red flames pulsed along the blade, wild and unstable, like they had a will of their own.

Behind me,  Law’s voice cut through the chaos.

“Don’t be insane. You’re still injured—and you have a head injury.”

“When has that ever stopped me?” I shot back, not even looking at him.

Because if I did—

I might hesitate.

And I couldn’t afford that.

A thunderous rumble shook the ground.

The metal homies roared to life.

Big Mom laughed—loud, unhinged, monstrous.

The sound alone made my chest tighten.

“Hmm…” I muttered, watching them carefully.

She stepped forward—

And the floor cracked beneath her weight.

“I’m gonna make it hurt… and I’m going to enjoy every second.”

She slammed down with Napoleon—

BOOM

The force alone sent the three of us scattering.

I rolled, barely catching myself, my leg screaming in protest the second I landed.

“Damn it—” I hissed under my breath.

Not now.

I forced myself up anyway.

“Alright! You know what to do! Make mince meat out of them!” Big Mom commanded.

Metal shrieked.

Shifted.

Flew—

All of it magnetizing toward Kid.

“Of course it is…” I muttered, side throbbing as I steadied myself.

Law’s voice came sharp, calculating.

“I need a new strategy. Fighting a target that size isn’t easy.”

“Lucky for us—she’s getting sloppy,” Kidd shot back, grinning through the damage.

I exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing as I watched her movements.

Her stance.

Her timing.

Her control over the homies.

Patterns.

There were always patterns.

“Listen—” I said, stepping forward despite the pain flaring up my leg.

“If we can separate them…”

I lifted the sword slightly, flames flickering harder—

More violent.

More alive.

“We might actually have a chance.”

Big Mom’s eyes snapped toward me.

A grin spread across her face.

“Oh? Planning something, princess?”

The pressure in the air shifted.

Heavy.

Oppressive.

I smirked despite it.

“Yeah,” I said, adjusting my stance.

“Something you’re not gonna like.”

The flames along the blade surged—

As I prepared to make the first move. 

Sanji POV…

Flames cracked against my leg as I landed, smoke curling up from the impact.

Across from me, Queen kept talking—

Running his mouth like any of this meant something.

“—you and your siblings are his masterpiece! Powerful living weapons! A true testament to his genius as a scientist!”

I exhaled slowly, irritation building.

I didn’t care.

Not anymore.

Not about Germa.

Not about “perfection.”

Not about him.

“Why else do you think your daddy wanted Y/N married to your brother?!”

My body stilled.

“…What?”

The air shifted.

Subtle.

Dangerous.

Queen grinned, gears whirring as he leaned forward.

“Many years ago, he crossed paths with a woman more powerful than anything any of us had ever seen!”

My grip tightened.

“—and yet she wanted nothing to do with science. Just her strength… her weapons…”

His grin widened.

“A bloodline from her could’ve changed everything.”

My eyes darkened.

“I’m not understanding a damn thing you’re saying…” I muttered.

A step forward.

Heat rising.

“But keep her name out of your mouth.”

“They called her…” Queen chuckled, almost amused.

“The Red Warrior.”

My heartbeat hit harder.

Once.

Twice.

Something in my chest didn’t sit right.

Queen continued, laughing.

“The number of times your daddy got his ass handed to him trying to capture her strength—her weapons—!”

My mind snapped.

Images—

Fragments—

Things I didn’t fully understand.

Y/N.

Her strength.

The way she fought.

The way even monsters hesitated.

“…Failed,” Queen finished. Silence.

Just the crackling of flames from my leg.

I stepped forward slowly.

Each step heavier than the last.

“You talk too much.”

My voice dropped—

Cold.

Controlled.

But underneath—

Boiling.

“You don’t know a damn thing about her.”

Fire surged.

Brighter.

Hotter.

“I have one question, Judge’s boy!” Queen roared.

“HOW THE HELL DID SHE POSSESS HER POWER AND WEAPONS?!”

…Damn it.

My jaw tightened.

I didn’t have an answer.

I knew she trained.

I knew she fought.

I knew she earned her strength.

…but that wasn’t what he meant.

Not that presence.

Not that overwhelming force she carried into battle.

My thoughts flickered—

Her smile.

Her strength.

The way she stood in front of danger like it didn’t matter.

“Tch…”

“…I don’t know,” I admitted under my breath.

Queen kept laughing, going on and on—

Something about science.

About being better than Judge.

Like any of that mattered.

“At least I get a consolation prize!” he sneered. “Before you die—I’ll show you exactly what my science can do!”

His eyes glowed.

“Sparking Beam!”

My eyes widened—

I vanished just in time.

A beam shot past—

Exploding everything behind me.

“He shot beams… from his eyes?!”

Queen grinned wider.

“Bet you know this one too!”

“HENRY QUEEN!”

Blue lightning crashed into me.

“—!!”

My body slammed into the ground—

Pain ripping through me.

“…That’s… Niji’s technique…” I thought, gritting my teeth.

Before I could recover—

Another blast.

Another technique.

Ichiji.

Niji.

One after another.

“I did my research on your brothers’ moves!” Queen laughed. “Except I make it look GOOD!”

“I DON’T CARE!” I snapped, forcing myself up.

“I cut ties with those jerks!”

I dodged again—

Barely.

“The idea was to show it to you after you transformed,” he mocked. “But you screwed that up for me!”

“I don’t give a crap about your damn rivalry!”

“WINCH QUEEN!”

His mechanical arm shot forward—

Grabbing—

Crushing—

Throwing me across the hall.

“—!!”

I slammed into debris, coughing.

“…Yonji’s move…” I thought bitterly.

“DIE, Vinsmoke!”

Not happening.

I forced myself up—

Timing it—

Watching—

Waiting—

The arm came again—

Fast.

Violent.

I moved.

“Got you.”

My leg ignited—

And I kicked straight through it.

CRACK—!

Metal shattered.

His arm exploded into pieces.

Silence—

Just my breathing.

Heavy.

Burning.

I stood up slowly.

Rolling my shoulder.

Ignoring the pain.

“Let me make one thing clear…”

Flames rose again—

Stronger.

Hotter.

Different.

“Suit or no suit…”

I lifted my foot—

Fire spiraling violently around my leg—

“…you’re going down.”

I looked him dead in the eyes.

Calm.

Certain.

Unshaken.

“I’ve got everything I need—”

The flames shifted—

Blue-white.

Sharper.

Deadlier.

“—right here.”

My foot slammed into his stomach—

The impact echoed through the hall as Queen went rolling back, crashing through debris.

“What makes you think you have the upper hand?” I said, breathing steady despite the heat coursing through me. “I sent your ass flying once—I'll do it again.”

Then—

A sharp burn.

My hand twitched.

“…What the—”

I pulled off my glove, eyes narrowing at the ring on my finger.

The one King had given me.

It pulsed.

Blinking.

Burning.

“…Tch.”

Without hesitation, I slipped it off and shoved it into my coat.

“Once this is over… I’ll talk to Y/N…”

My focus snapped back.

Queen sneered. “You’re full of crap.”

I clenched my fist.

“I’m not the same guy you fought before.”

My voice dropped—firm, unshaken.

“I refuse to die like a dog… afraid of my own shadow.”

Flames coiled up my leg again.

“Right now… all that matters—”

The fire ignited brighter.

“—is kicking your ass.”

“Cut the crap, Vinsmoke!” Queen laughed. “My science is the best! You ain’t never had a foe like me!”

He vanished.

“Stealth Black!”

“…Invisible.”

I took off running—vanishing into speed—skywalking mid-air, scanning, listening—

Then—

A sound.

A tiny squeak.

My eyes dropped.

A small mouse.

And—

The woman from before.

She rushed out, trying to protect it—

My eyes widened.

The flames flickered—

Unstable.

…No.

My gaze sharpened.

Observation snapped into place.

The distortion.

The movement.

The presence.

“…You.”

Blue and white flames exploded from my leg—

Hotter than ever before.

Sharper.

Controlled.

“This is—”

The air trembled.

“IFRIT JAMBE!”

I vanished—

Reappeared—

And drove my foot straight into his face.

“DON’T YOU KNOW—”

CRACK—!!

“—A MAN CAN’T HIT A WOMAN?!”

Queen’s body snapped into visibility as he flew back, face caved in from the impact.

“W-Where did Master Queen come from?!” the woman cried, shaking.

I landed, flames still dancing violently around my leg.

“…Don’t worry.”

My voice softened slightly.

“Just leave him to me.”

I scooped up the mouse mid-motion, dodging another invisible strike without even looking.

Then I moved.

Fast.

Precise.

Relentless.

Each kick landed clean—

Each strike heavier than the last—

Driving him back—

Breaking him down—

“Ooooh, now THAT is Vinsmoke power!” Queen taunted.

My teeth clenched.

Voices— Echoes—

Memories—

“Worthless failure.” — Ichiji.

“A blemish.” — Niji.

“A cyborg.” — Judge.

Y/N… smiling… beside Ichiji…

“…Tch.”

“I don’t care.”

My voice cut through it all.

Sharp.

Final.

“I know who I am.”

Flames roared higher.

“Your words—don’t mean a damn thing to me!”

“I’m a first-rate chef of the sea!”

“My heart—”

The fire surged—

“—won’t waver!”

For a moment—

I saw them.

Zeff beside me.

The old man grinning.

And ahead—

Luffy laughing.

Nami.

Robin.

Chopper.

Franky.

Brook.

Zoro.

Jinbe.

And—

Her.

“Come on, Sanji!” Y/N called.

A smile tugged at my lips.

“…Yeah.”

I disappeared—

Reappeared in front of Queen—

All the force—

All the fire—

All of it—

Focused into one final strike—

“—!!”

My leg drove straight into his stomach.

The impact detonated.

Queen’s body blasted through the dome—

Sent flying—

Crashing down into the depths below.

Silence followed.

My breathing slowed.

Steady.

Controlled.

“…Good riddance.”

I turned back.

The woman still trembled. 

I gently placed the mouse into her hands.

“Don’t worry… your little friend’s safe.”

“Make sure you keep him safe.”

I hesitated—

Then added quietly—

“…You take care of her too, alright?”

I glanced at the mouse.

“…You’re not still bleeding, are you?”

My vision blurred.

The flames faded.

My body swayed—

“…Tch…”

The last thing that crossed my mind—

Was Reiju.

Her voice.

Soft.

Certain.

“Mom gave her life… to protect your humanity.”

“…Heh…”

Guess she did.

My legs gave out.

Darkness swallowed everything—

As I collapsed.

Defeating queen. 

Y/N POV…

Twenty minutes.

That’s how long it felt like I’d been standing on nothing but willpower.

“THAT’S ENOUGH! Your head injury—!”  Law shouted.

“Focus on your part!” I snapped back.

Blow after blow—

My vision blurred.

My head rang.

Something warm ran down my temple.

Still—

I didn’t stop.

Both my swords were buried deep—

Black and red flames twisting violently—

Burning through her—

And even then—

She smiled.

Big Mom’s haki-laced attacks slammed into me again—

And again—

And again—

I bit my lip hard enough to taste blood.

Don’t fall.

“Burn them to ash, Misery!” she roared.

“Yes, Mama!” the flaming homie screeched.

“Eustass, do it already!” Law yelled.

The ringing in my ears grew louder.

My knees nearly buckled.

And suddenly—

20 minutes earlier

I tightened my grip on the sword.

Black and red flames flickered along the blade.

“…Alright,” I exhaled. “Any bright ideas or—”

Pain shot through my side.

My leg trembled.

“…I think I shattered my right leg…”

I swallowed the groan.

“…Damn it.”

No time.

Before I could think further—

Metal roared.

A massive construct surged forward—

A bull.

Eustass Kid’s bull slammed into Big Mom, forcing her back.

“There’s my opening.”

“Don’t—!” Law started—

Too late.

I ran.

Every step sent a shockwave of pain through my leg—

But I ignored it—

I jumped—

Landing atop the bull as it charged forward.

“Mind if I try something?” I said, breath uneven.

I slid King’s sword behind me.

Both hands clenched—

Lightning erupted.

Crackling.

Violent.

Unstable.

I slammed my hand into the metal.

The current surged through the bull—

Through the horns—

And into her.

Big Mom’s eyes widened—

Her body convulsed—

Smoke poured from her mouth as electricity tore through her.

“—!!”

The force drove her backward—

Crashing into a pillar.

I gasped—

The world tilted—

My body gave out—

But before I hit the ground—

A metal arm caught me.

“I got you, doll.”

I blinked up at Kidd—

“…Thanks… Kidd…”

My voice came out weaker than I wanted.

My metal skirt shifted as I steadied myself—

Every injury screaming now—

Twice as loud—

But I forced myself up.

“Not now…”

“Woah! Big Mom can’t be down, right?!” one of the Beast Pirates shouted.

“That was awesome, boss!” one of Kidd’s crew cheered.

“And look—they’re a pair—!”

“Shut up,” I muttered.

“Alright, captain!” someone from Law’s crew yelled.

A blur—

Law appeared beside us.

He looked like he was about to yell at Kidd—

Then his eyes landed on me.

“You need to fall back.”

I shook my head.

“…No can do.”

I coughed—

Blood splattered into my palm.

“…Not until she’s gone.”

“Hey—you!” Law snapped, turning to Kidd. “Get your ego in check, I’m not your opening act!”

“My ego?” Kidd scoffed. “No one here gives a crap!”

“Oh yeah? What’s next—a hippo? An elephant?” Law shot back.

“…You guys… seriously…” I muttered, swaying.

I caught myself before I fell.

Then—

Something shifted.

The air.

The pressure.

My stomach dropped.

“…How is she still standing…?”

I stared.

“…I thought that technique would’ve—”

Big Mom stood.

“…All I did… was break her arm?!” I yelled.

“Shockwaves inside my body… all my ribs must be broken,” she said casually.

Law smirked slightly—

Too soon.

Big Mom raised her hand—

Soul energy surged—

Her bones twisted—

Cracked—

Reformed—

Her arm restored itself completely.

“…You’ve gotta be kidding me…”

My stomach churned—

I turned—

And threw up.

“…That was nasty…”

“Aww… you’re not getting sick, are you?” Big Mom teased.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, forcing myself upright. “…No. You’re just not a pretty sight to look at.”

Her grin dropped. Then she roared, the ground trembling beneath us.

My eyes dropped to my thigh—my halters weren’t glowing anymore. “…Fuck…” A sharp pulse hit my skull and I grabbed my head, vision flickering.

“This is serious,” Trafalgar Law said. “I only have enough left for one more attack—we need to—”

“I just said you’re not my boss!” Eustass Kid snapped.

Big Mom raised her arm. “Prometheus. Hera. Napoleon.” Fire, lightning, and steel surged together, forming something new. “Mother’s Visit Cannon! Three Thousand Years of Misery!”

“Well… that’s new…” I muttered, watching Misery take form. It slammed into Kidd, blow after blow. “…Kidd…” I whispered. “He can’t take another hit…”

Law moved—Tact—ripping a building from the ground and slamming it into her. The floor split open beneath her.

Then—

“Don’t be stup—” Law started.

“I trust you,” I cut him off. “…I know you can do it.”

His eyes shifted, worry flashing through them.

I turned back toward the fight. “…Idiot can’t even do one simple thing,” I muttered, watching Kidd still swing.

Law vanished, reappearing near Big Mom as Kidd’s metallic fists slammed into her face. Both of them were thrown back.

“Why don’t you take a hint and drop dead!” Kidd growled.

I exhaled slowly, reaching behind me—gripping both my swords. My gaze lifted to the shattered rooftop above. I pressed a kiss to each sword, then touched two fingers to my lips and pointed upward. “King… this one’s for you.”

Black flames. Red flames. They roared up my arms.

I moved.

Launching myself into the air.

Law’s blade pierced through her—K Room: Anasthesia—

And I followed.

Crossing my blades—

Driving them straight into her chest.

Law looked at me, confused.

I didn’t turn. “…Now… do what you need to do.”

His sword drove deeper.

Mine stayed—

Untriggered.

I coughed, blood spilling from my lips as I stared straight into Big Mom’s eyes. “You remember Whole Cake…? You killed someone dear to me… right in front of me…”

Her arm came down—Armament Haki coated—slamming into my face.

Again.

And again.

“What—no!” Law shouted.

“I told you—continue what you’re doing!” I yelled back as another hit cracked against my skull.

“I told you… this one’s gonna hurt…”

Blow after blow rained down. My grip tightened around my swords.

“Fucking… hell…” I muttered.

“Let go!” Law and his crew shouted.

“…Just a little more…”

The next strike made my vision explode into stars—blood spilling as my body nearly gave out.

I smirked.

And pressed the gemstone.

“…Now… burn.”

Both blades ignited—searing her from the inside out.

“Now—Puncture! Wille!” Law roared.

“What are you doing?!” Big Mom screamed as electricity surged through her, tearing deeper into the ground below.

Law retreated.

I stayed.

“Damn it, Y/N!” he shouted.

I ripped my blades free and snapped away, reappearing beside him as my knees buckled, vision swimming.

“Burn them to ash, Misery!” Big Mom commanded.

“Eustass, do it already!” Law yelled.

“…Finally…” I breathed.

Kidd stepped forward.

“Damned Punk!”

The beam slammed into her.

I forced myself upright, placing both swords behind me, legs shaking—my right barely holding.

“Oh no… Mama!” Misery cried.

“It’s time to fall straight to hell,” Kidd said.

Big Mom laughed. “I’m impressed… you don’t want this to end, do you? You’re young… you’ve got so much life left…”

“…Shit… no…” I muttered as she grabbed onto the rock, refusing to fall.

“Life… or slave!” she demanded, using Soul Pocus.

I clenched my fist.

Moved.

One last time.

Punch after punch—just like Hyogoro taught me.

“Stupid… bitch…” I spat, each hit heavier than the last.

“Y/N!” Law yelled.

“Kidd—don’t stop!” I shouted.

“Reroom,” Law said.

Each strike—I felt it—every ounce of hatred, every memory of what she’d taken.

“The underworld is waiting!” Kidd roared.

“Silence,” Law said calmly as a sphere formed around her. “Scream into the void.”

He cut down Misery.

Kidd fired again.

My fists kept moving—

Until—

Everything gave.

The combined force finally sent her crashing down.

I snapped my fingers, landing near where my hidden blade was lodged. I staggered forward, pulled it free, and slid it back into my thigh holster.

Then—

I collapsed onto my back.

Staring up at the sky.

Tears slipped down my cheeks as everything finally hit.

Around us, the dome erupted—cheers from both crews echoing.

“This is a big deal!” one of Law’s crew shouted. “A really big deal!”

I let out a shaky breath, wiping my eyes.

“…It’s over…”

.

“Right here.”

Heavy footsteps cracked the ground.

Big Mom emerged, fury radiating off her like a storm given flesh.

“You’ll pay for that one, princess,” she seethed.

Y/N scoffed, wiping blood from the corner of her lip.

“You get hit with a few fire arrows and you’re still bitching?”

Law’s jaw dropped slightly at her tone.

Kidd, still hunched, let out a rough breath as he forced himself upright, gripping his wound.

“Well this is interesting,” Big Mom sneered. “Are you in pain, Kidd?”

“Hey—don’t die on us,” Law muttered.

“Screw you,” Kidd growled, metal beginning to rise and twist around him again.

“Punk Gibson!”

The massive construct slammed forward—

—but Big Mom blocked it with Napoleon, the impact splitting the floor beneath them.

“Prometheus!” she roared. “We’ll burn these bastards until they’re nothing but charcoal!”

Flames surged—

“HEAVENLY FIRE!”

Before it could consume him—

A blue sphere snapped into existence.

Kidd vanished—

—and reappeared beside them, smoke curling off his body.

Law lowered his hand slightly, breathing heavier now.

Y/N stepped forward beside him.

Side by side.

Unspoken.

Big Mom’s grin widened.

“You don’t have to make me angry, Trafalgar,” she said, voice dripping with menace. “I was already going to kill you.”

Y/N tilted her head slightly, eyes glowing faintly at the edges again.

“Get in line,” she said flatly. “You’ve been trying that all night.”

A beat.

Then—

She shifted her stance, both swords aligning behind her back, fingers twitching slightly as if something unseen answered her call.

Law glanced at her.

“You can still coordinate,” he said under his breath.

“Don’t push it,” she replied—but she didn’t move away this time.

“Hey, I can take care of my damn self,” Kidd snapped—

—but suddenly his body jerked violently.

“—what the hell?!” he barked, clutching himself mid-motion.

Y/N’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell—?”

“You need to run!” Law warned sharply, already stepping forward.

“Too bad!” Big Mom roared. “Come here, Hera! Napoleon!”

Lightning and steel fused—

A monstrous force forming in her hands.

Y/N exhaled, irritation cutting through the tension. “Now how is that fair…”

Big Mom grinned wide.

“Now how about a thank you?”

Law moved instantly.

He stepped in front—

“Counter Shock!”

The attack collided—but the backlash was brutal.

Prometheus surged in retaliation—

“Law—!” Y/N called—

—but he was already sent crashing down beside her, smoke rising from his body.

She dropped to one knee next to him.

“Law…”

Kidd tried to rise.

Law tried to push himself up.

Neither made it far.

Big Mom lifted her arm again.

“Mama… Ray!”

The blast detonated—

Sending all three of them flying through the hall, crashing through walls into the next section of the building.

Debris rained.

Silence—

Then her voice.

“Now… which one of you three should I get rid of next?”

Heavy steps.

Closer.

“The quack who gets in my way… the loudmouth brat… or…”

Her gaze locked.

“The one who ruined my party… and stole something that belongs to me.”

Y/N breathed in slowly—

Blood dripping from her lips.

Her eyes sharpened.

She pushed herself up.

Across from Big Mom.

Alone.

“…Guess it’s just you and me now, huh?” she teased, spitting blood to the side.

Her fists came together—

This time—

Flames erupted, hotter, sharper.

She clenched her left hand—

And vanished.

A burst of speed—

A single, precise strike—

Her fist slammed into Big Mom’s midsection—

BOOM.

The Emperor was sent flying through multiple rooms, crashing deep into the structure.

“Mama!” Hera shrieked.

“Prometheus!”

Y/N landed lightly, back turned.

“I suggest you both get up now,” she said flatly, not even looking at Kidd or Law.

Behind her—

They struggled.

Kidd suddenly seized again, gripping his head.

“Damn it, Kidd!” Y/N snapped.

“What the hell is happening to him?” she demanded, glancing at Law.

Law frowned, equally confused. “…I don’t know.”

Before they could think further—

The walls ahead shifted.

Big Mom was already moving again.

“Law—cover me.”

Y/N didn’t wait.

She charged.

This time—

She grabbed Napoleon mid-swing—

The blade sliced straight into her palm.

Blood spilled instantly.

—but she didn’t let go.

She flipped—

Using the grip—

Dragging herself upward—

Her hand seized Big Mom’s head—

And she started striking.

Relentless.

Punch after punch after punch.

“Mama!” Hera cried—

Lightning struck.

CRACK.

It slammed into Y/N’s body—

Her entire frame tensed—

“I gotta absorb that damn lightning—!” she thought, teeth gritted—

—but she didn’t stop.

She kept hitting.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Across the battlefield—

Kidd’s body jolted—

“…the pain… went away…” he muttered.

Y/N was struck again—

Another surge of lightning ripping through her—

—but suddenly—

ROOM.

Law’s ability activated—

And she was pulled back, dropped beside him.

She staggered slightly.

“…Hers… hurts more than Zeus…” she hissed, pressing a hand to her head. “Fucking hell…”

Law’s eyes dropped to her arm.

Her palm—split open.

Blood running.

Her forearm—cut deep.

“You need to stop,” he said, firm.

Y/N shook her head slowly.

Breathing hard.

“This…” she said, voice low.

“…this is what I wanted.”

Her fingers twitched—

Touching the hilts behind her back.

Both swords.

The hidden blades at her thighs.

Everything responding.

Everything alive.

Her stance shifted.

The air around her changed.

“Now…”

A faint smirk pulled at her lips despite the blood.

“…it’s about to get interesting.”

Sanji POV…

This… this can’t be happening…”

My body froze mid-battle, breath catching in my throat as something felt wrong. Not pain—no, worse. Something deeper. Something unnatural.

“Sanji! Hey! Stay focused! Look behind you!” shouted  Chopper.

But his voice barely reached me.

Could my body be… mutating? Will I become like them…? Like my family?!

Fear clawed up my spine.

I didn’t even feel it when Queen’s blade struck.

—or rather, when it tried to.

CRACK.

Half the sword snapped on impact with my body.

“…The hell?” I muttered, my cheek slightly indented before shifting back into place.

“You did that yourself? Without using any Armament Haki?!” laughed Queen. “Looks like I get to see some Germa tech after all!”

“It’s happening again… damn it…” I hissed, grabbing my jaw and forcing it back into place.

Queen kept talking—running his mouth like always—but his words started blending into something I never wanted to hear again.

My father.

Vinsmoke Judge.

How he created us.

Cold hearts. Emotionless soldiers. Accelerated healing. Perfect weapons.

My vision blurred—

—and suddenly I wasn’t here anymore.

I was back at Whole Cake.

I saw Niji smirking as he tossed that plate of food—

CRASH.

—almost striking Cosette.

I remembered the rage.

The helplessness.

The arranged marriage…

With Pudding.

…and yours.

Y/N.

Promised to Ichiji like it meant nothing.

Like you were nothing.

I remembered grabbing you after we escaped with Monkey D. Luffy, Nami, Chopper, Brook, Jinbe, Carrot—

—my voice shaking as I demanded answers about Ichiji.

About him.

About them.

“I’m not like that…” I whispered now, the words ripping out of my chest. “I’m a human… not a monster…”

It felt like lightning struck me.

“Welcome to the monster club,” Queen sneered. “You’ll fit right in.”

“Shut up—!”

Beams fired.

Explosions roared.

I moved—instinctively dodging, weaving through the chaos as lasers tore through the battlefield.

“I need to figure out what caused this!” I shouted, kicking off debris mid-air.

But I already knew.

The suit.

Every time I used that damn Raid Suit…

Every time I relied on Germa…

Was I… losing myself?

Even as bullets rained down—

Ping. Ping. Ping.

—they didn’t pierce my skin.

“His exoskeleton is tough!” Queen laughed, unleashing another barrage.

“SHUT UP ABOUT GERMA!” I roared, flames beginning to lick at my leg as I vanished from sight. “I’ve got NOTHING to do with those maniacs!”

…but deep down—

—I wasn’t so sure anymore.

Third POV..

Elsewhere across the battlefield, chaos surged.

Robin and Brook sprinted through the war-torn corridors, the sounds of pursuit closing in fast.

"Don’t rough her up too much now!" one of Kaido’s men jeered.

Steel flashed.

Brook moved like a phantom—swift, precise.

"Are you alright?!" he called, cutting through another attacker.

Robin breathed heavily but steadied herself.

Just then—

A group of Minks leapt into the fray, striking down enemies with fierce precision.

"Your timing is sublime," Robin said, relief flickering in her eyes.

"We shall handle these thugs. Go on, Robin—stay safe!" one Mink declared, sending another foe crashing to the ground.

"Thank you," she replied, already moving—

—but then—

A groan.

Low. Calculated.

"Ah… pardon me for butting in."

The air shifted.

Brook’s posture stiffened instantly.

Robin’s eyes widened.

"CP0…" she whispered.

Before them stood Guernica, his presence suffocating, absolute.

"Nico Robin…" he said calmly, "I’m afraid you’ll be coming with us."

Brook stepped forward, blade raised, voice laced with irritation.

"Not much of a gentleman, are you? Why not ask the lady what she wants?"

"I’m not here for banter," Guernica replied flatly. "I’m here for two tasks."

Robin’s gaze sharpened. "And what would those be?"

"First—Nico Robin."

A pause.

Then—

"The second… is to bring in Y/N."

Brook froze.

Robin’s breath caught. "Why her?!"

Guernica’s eyes remained cold, unreadable.

"That is for me to know… and for the one who requested her."

He gave a subtle nod.

Another masked agent vanished instantly into the shadows.

Robin’s mind spiraled—

Back to Enies Lobby.

The fire. The destruction.

Y/N—

Broken. Bleeding. Barely holding on.

Carried onto the Going Merry.

And then—

The Galley-La Company ship arriving.

Relief.

Victory.

They had defeated CP9.

They had defied the World Government.

But victory had not come without a cost.

The Going Merry groaned beneath their feet—wood splintering, spirit fading. She had carried them as far as she could.

And now…

It was time to say goodbye.

Flames began to rise as Luffy stood before her, torch in hand. His expression trembled—not with fear, but with something far heavier.

"Thank you…" he whispered.

Fire consumed the Merry slowly.

Carefully.

Lovingly.

On the smaller boat nearby stood Zoro,  Chopper, Nami, Sanji, Franky, Y/N, and Robin.

And off to the side—

Usopp, hidden behind the mask of Sogeking… yet unable to hide his tears.

The crackling of flames filled the silence.

Tears streamed freely down nearly every face.

Except—

Robin.

And Y/N.

Robin stood still, watching the ship burn with quiet understanding, her pain buried deep beneath years of survival.

Y/N…

She looked like she could collapse at any second.

Her body was barely holding together—short skirt torn, heeled boots scuffed and stained, her bralette barely clinging to her frame. Even her jacket was missing. And her swords… gone.

Her breathing was shallow.

Unsteady.

She turned weakly toward Robin.

"Robin…" her voice came out hoarse, barely audible.

Robin’s head snapped toward her.

"I think… I think—"

Her knees buckled.

Franky lunged forward just in time.

"Y/N!" he caught her before she hit the ground.

"Y/N?!" Robin’s composure shattered as she rushed over.

"Oh no—her injuries!" Chopper dropped to his knees instantly, hands already moving, assessing, panicking.

Nami trembled, her voice barely steady. "That… that Ten Finger Pistol…"

Blood.

Fresh.

Seeping through Y/N’s side again.

It hadn’t healed.

It never had.

Sogeking—Usopp—fell to his knees, shoulders shaking.

"She… she took that attack to protect me…"

His voice cracked under the weight of guilt.

Chopper looked up urgently. "We need to move! Now! She’s losing too much blood!"

No one argued.

The small boat surged forward toward salvation—

Toward the Galley-La Company ship.

Back in the present—

The memory faded.

But the feeling didn’t.

Robin’s eyes hardened as she faced Guernica.

"You’re not taking her," she said firmly.

Brook stepped beside her, blade ready.

"Nor you, my dear Robin."

The air grew heavier.

Because this time—

They knew exactly what CP0 was capable of.

And they would not relive that nightmare again.

Y/N POV…

“Doll… why don’t you let me handle her…”

The voice dragged my attention back to the battlefield.

I turned—slowly—eyes narrowing as  Kid pushed himself up like nothing had just happened to him.

Blood.

Bruised ribs.

That twisted grin.

Still standing.

Still talking.

“Your injured,” he continued, rolling his shoulder like it didn’t bother him, “and I wouldn’t want my fiancée to dirty those precious hands… meant for me.”

…

I blinked.

Once.

Twice.

“...he’s lost his damn mind…” I muttered under my breath, staring at him like I was trying to figure out if he’d taken one too many hits to the head.

Fiancée?

Since when?!

A faint glow pulsed from my fingers.

I didn’t even realize it at first—

Until I felt the heat.

My jewelry… my rings… even the faint outline where my weapons should be—

Glowing.

Reacting.

Responding to something deep inside me.

That same strange energy that had been building ever since this fight started.

I clenched my jaw.

Not now.

“Knock it off, Kidd…” came a calm, grounded voice beside me.

I didn’t need to look to know it was Law.

Of course he’d step in.

Always the rational one.

Unlike—

“I’m serious,” Kidd cut in, eyes locked onto mine like he believed every word coming out of his mouth. “You think I’m gonna let anyone lay a hand on what’s mine?”

My eyebrow twitched.

“…what’s yours?” I repeated slowly.

The glow around me flared just a bit brighter.

Unstable.

Annoyed.

Dangerously close to snapping.

“You really wanna test that theory right now?” I said, voice dropping.

And now Kidd claiming me mid-battle?

Yeah.

My patience was running thin.

Very thin. 

The air cracked.

Not just from impact—but from sheer pressure.

Big Mom’s Haki rolled through the hall like a living storm, lightning tearing across the ceiling as fire twisted around her like a crown of destruction.

Across from me,  Law was already breathing heavily.

Too heavily.

And  Kid… still insane enough to keep going.

“Are you ready, Prometheus?” Big Mom grinned.

“Any time, Mama,” the fireball answered, swelling with heat.

“What a ridiculous attack…” she mocked.

“—Shambles.”

In a blink, Law vanished—

“Injection Shot!”

His blade drove forward—

—but Hera bit into it, lightning snapping violently as Prometheus surged forward, swallowing Kidd’s attack in flames.

“This is getting us nowhere…” I thought, teeth grinding as smoke burned my lungs.

“Mamama!” Big Mom laughed, voice echoing like thunder. “Sorry, boys—but we’re about to break those cheap little toys.”

Fire exploded outward.

Heat.

Smoke.

Chaos.

“Shambles—”

Law moved us again just before another strike landed, Hera’s laughter crackling in the air as she circled back.

“Damn it…” I coughed, waving smoke from my face.

“You know,” Prometheus sneered, flames twisting toward me, “if they’re getting on your nerves… you can always let me kill them. Better yet—let me have the princess.”

“How rude! You won’t offer to share?” Hera added, crackling with delight.

“I knew I hated you homies…” I muttered, glaring at them.

Big Mom laughed louder.

“What about me?! I wanna kill them too!” Napoleon shrieked from her blade.

…I exhaled slowly.

“I knew this was going to happen…”

My hand moved to my ponytail, tightening it as my mind raced.

Focus.

Think.

“Hey…” Kidd’s voice cut in, low but sharp. “You can do more, right?”

“Huh?” Law shot him a look.

“Don’t play dumb. You wouldn’t challenge an Emperor unprepared,” Kidd continued. “What’ve you got? A trump card? Awakening?”

“Trump card?” I echoed, glancing between them.

“I’m still working on it,” Law admitted, jaw tight. “I need to save it for my last leg.”

…Great.

“So what I’m hearing,” I said, a slow smirk forming, “is we need to buy time.”

“No. Absolutely not—”

Too late.

Kidd cracked his neck, metal already beginning to shift around him.

“We need to work as a unit,” I cut in.

And if I gotta get my hands dirty again… then so be it.

My fingers brushed my neck—

Empty.

The necklace.

The one the King gave me before he—

My jaw clenched.

I gave it to Zoro.

…Good.

Better that way.

Blood slicked my hand as I lowered it.

I tapped my heel once.

Twice.

Three times.

FWOOM—

Blue fire roared up my leg, licking to mid-thigh, heat bending the air around me.

“…ahh. Bingo.”

Energy surged.

Alive.

Hungry.

“Go all in—just—HEY!” Kidd shouted—

But I was already gone.

I sprinted forward.

Fast.

Too fast.

Big Mom’s shadow loomed—

She swung—

I dodged.

Jumped.

Higher.

Higher—

Then drove my heel down—

CRACK.

A clean, solid hit straight to her head.

“Mama!” Hera shrieked—

—and lightning slammed into me.

My body jerked violently as electricity tore through me.

“Tch—!”

I hit the ground hard, breath knocked from my lungs.

…I’m getting sloppy.

Before the follow-up strike could land—

“Shambles.”

Law pulled me back instantly.

I staggered, catching myself as smoke curled from my skin.

“Hera is set on your execution,” Big Mom said, grinning wider.

“Yeah?” I muttered, wiping blood from my lip. “She can get in line.”

Behind me, metal screamed.

Kidd stepped forward again, something darker forming around him.

“Trash is still trash… you little moron,” Big Mom sneered.

Kidd’s grin widened.

“Punk Rotten.”

And the battlefield shifted again.

“Ikoku!”

The roar tore through the battlefield as Big Mom unleashed a massive blast—walls shattered, the ground split, and  Kid was sent flying like he weighed nothing.

But—

I blinked.

I was still standing.

Beside me, Law exhaled sharply.

“...Could’ve used that on Kidd too, you know,” I muttered.

“And let you get hit again? Not a chance,” Law shot back immediately.

…Idiot.

I smirked slightly despite the chaos. “Law… wanna try something?”

“Anything,” he said, stepping closer without hesitation.

“Why don’t we save that after we win, huh?” I teased lightly, even as my body throbbed.

His eyes flickered—but there was no time to dwell on it.

“I’m going up again,” I said, already shifting my stance. “You figure out a strategy—I’ll prep an electric tremor kick.”

“At least I got the noisy one!” Big Mom laughed, flying down toward Kidd. “Too bad, Kidd… now I’m taking your head!”

“K-Room.”

That was my cue.

I launched upward, flipping through the air—using the lingering charge Hera left in my body. Electricity crackled faintly around me, bending to my will.

“Anesthesia…”

Below me, Law drove his blade forward—

Piercing straight into Big Mom.

“K-Room’s incision is harmless…” he muttered, voice low and focused, “but the shockwave it generates—”

“Y/N! NOW!”

“Got it!”

I dropped.

All the built-up charge—

All the stored energy—

Released at once.

“Electric Tremor Kick!”

At the same time—

“Shock Wille!”

The impact was devastating.

A violent surge ripped through Big Mom’s body—internal and external damage colliding at once.

She screamed.

Actually screamed—

—and crashed downward.

“You cocky little shits! Get back here!” she roared, blood spilling from her mouth.

“…Finally,” I breathed.

Metal screamed again.

Kidd was back.

And this time—

He wasn’t holding back.

Assign.

Everything changed.

Steel, beams, debris—everything began flying toward Big Mom, sticking to her as if she were the center of gravity itself.

“Alright, Law! Release it now!” Kidd shouted.

“Punk Crash!”

The buildings themselves seemed to collapse inward—crushing, piling, overwhelming.

I landed, knees bending on impact—

—and immediately felt it.

My right leg.

“…shit…”

Pain shot up through it, sharp and relentless.

Debris settled around us as we crashed back onto the performance floor.

All three of us—

Breathing hard.

Barely standing.

“There you have it…” Law muttered between breaths. “That’s my best trick…”

I limped toward him without thinking—

And wrapped my arms around him.

“That was incredible,” I said softly.

Law froze—

Then his arms came around me, steady despite the tremor in his hands.

“You were… marvelous,” he admitted, a faint blush crossing his face.

“Eat metal, witch!” Kidd shouted from behind us. “That’s payback for what you put me through!”

My mind flickered—

Whole Cake Island.

The Seducing Woods.

Cracker’s words.

He lost his arm…

I exhaled slowly, chest tightening.

“That was nice work,” Law added toward Kidd.

—but then—

He tensed.

“Law?”

I slipped from his arms, my own body faltering as pain surged through my side.

The drug…

It’s wearing off.

“...shit…” I hissed, clutching my ribs.

Then—

A sound.

Metal shifting.

Something rising.

I looked up—

“…Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”

Through the smoke—

She stood.

Still standing.

“Well… guess the theory about coming back from the dead is true,” I coughed. “Or in her case… just too stubborn to die.”

Kidd and Law immediately started arguing again.

“Guys—come on—”

“Doll, stay out of this—”

SMACK.

My fist connected clean with Kidd’s face.

“Focus.”

Silence.

Then—

“Life… or Oshiruko!” Big Mom’s voice boomed.

“…This is bad!” one of Kaido’s men shouted. “She’s using Soul Pocus!”

“What do we do?!”

Idiots.

I watched as their fear took over—

Their souls ripped from their bodies, feeding her power.

“…Pathetic.”

Big Mom grabbed the stolen souls—

And shoved them into steel, into Prometheus, into Hera, into Napoleon—

Then—

She added her own lifespan.

“She just… ate it…” I whispered, eyes narrowing.

“What a sick joke,” Law muttered.

“Crazy old bat, give me a break,” Kidd scoffed.

She grew.

Bigger.

Stronger.

More monstrous.

“She’s… getting bigger,” Law said.

“Well,” Kidd grinned, “on the bright side—bigger target.”

“That doesn’t help,” I snapped.

“I can’t cut through that,” Law admitted.

“Don’t be wusses.”

I stepped forward—

Ignoring the pain—

Ignoring the blood—

And reached down.

Gripping the sword.

His sword.

The weight of it felt familiar.

Heavy.

Meaningful.

“I can’t cut her,” Law said again.

“If you can’t…” I murmured, lifting the blade—

Black and red flames igniting, roaring violently around me—

“…then I can.”

I smirked.

And the battlefield shifted once more.

Big Mom rose from the rubble—towering, bloodied, but far from defeated. Smoke curled around her as her grin stretched wider, more unhinged than before.

“You’ve really outdone yourselves… it’s been a long time since I’ve felt pain like this. Decades, in fact,” said Big Mom, her voice rumbling like thunder. “If nothing else… I respect your strength—Trafalgar Law, Captain Eustass Kid, and Princess Y/N.”

Her eyes locked onto us—burning.

“You’re just like Straw Hat Monkey D. Luffy… but I won’t be replaced so easily.”

The air grew heavy.

Oppressive.

Like the world itself was pressing down on us.

Law adjusted his grip on Kikoku, breathing uneven—but his gaze never wavered.

“You know… some of us are trying to study history,” he said coolly. “We shouldn’t be fighting monsters just to learn a thing or two.”

Big Mom’s grin twitched.

Then sharpened.

“You want to be an Emperor so badly?” she sneered, raising Napoleon as lightning and fire roared at her sides. “Fine then—come take it from my cold dead body!”

The ground trembled again.

.

I cracked my neck, brushing dust off my suit.

“It’s almost like you’re overcompensating,” I muttered.

His grin widened. Bad move.

Queen’s chest plates split open.

“Laser time!”

A beam of light screamed toward me.

“Stop moving!” he yelled.

“Yeah, no thanks.”

I vanished just as the laser tore a smoking trench through the floor. Another beam fired—then another. The hall lit up like a battlefield fireworks show as I danced between the blasts, heat scorching past my face.

“I won’t stop—till I get enough!” Queen laughed, spinning, firing wildly. “Run all you want!”

“Damn it…” I hissed, flipping backward as another laser grazed my coat. “That laser crap is a real pain.”

My legs burned. My lungs burned. But my eyes flicked instinctively toward the distance.

Zoro better wake the hell up…

Third POV — Performance Hall

Steel shrieked against steel as the clash resumed.

Big Mom’s shadow loomed over them, massive and unrelenting. Her arm swung toward Y/N, Napoleon roaring with her—

—but Kidd slammed into Big Mom’s side, metal grinding as his mechanical arm forced her off course.

Y/N skidded across the floor, boots scraping, her body colliding hard with the stone. She coughed, blood splattering against the ground.

“You idiot!” Law snapped, already at her side. “She’s still injured!”

He hooked an arm under her shoulder, hauling her upright before she could collapse again.

Kidd didn’t look back.

His metal arm locked with Napoleon, sparks flying as blade met scrap.

“I’ve had enough of you, old hag!” Kidd snarled. “Time to die!”

Big Mom barked a laugh, veins bulging. “I’ve got plenty of years ahead of me, punk! Go away!”

She shoved Kidd back with monstrous force—straight toward Law and Y/N.

“Idiot!” Y/N snapped, tightening her grip on King’s sword, the gems along the hilt itching, humming, begging to be pressed. “What do you gain from that?!”

Big Mom’s laughter rolled through the hall.

“You’re facing an Emperor,” she taunted. “It’ll take more than your piddly scraps.”

Her gaze slid to Y/N, sharp and cruel.

“You’re falling apart. Even that pile of trash knows when to quit.”

Law stepped forward instantly.

“Y/N—get behind me.”

She blinked. “Now I—”

“We need to coordinate,” Law said, blade already raised.

“Coordination isn’t in our vocabulary,” Y/N shot back.

“Coordinate somewhere else,” Kidd barked, wiping blood from his mouth. “I told you—this bitch is mine.”

“She’s mine!” Y/N yelled back.

Suddenly, Kidd froze.

“What the hell—?!” he growled, staggering. “It’s like something just stabbed me!”

Big Mom threw her head back and laughed, thunderous and mocking.

“You three should learn to get along,” she said sweetly. “You’ll be spending eternity together once I send you to hell!”

She raised Napoleon—

—but Law blocked, steel ringing as the impact shuddered through the hall.

In the same heartbeat, Y/N moved.

She snapped King’s sword behind her, locking it into place, and clenched both fists together. Her left hand tightened, muscles screaming as she launched herself skyward—

—and came down like a meteor.

Her fist slammed into Big Mom’s face.

Once.

Twice.

Again.

Each blow cracked with force, haki flaring as Big Mom was driven backward step by step, stone exploding beneath her heels.

“Out of my way, Y/N!” Kidd roared.

“No way!” she shot back, teeth clenched, blood running down her chin.

She kept punching, relentless, furious—every strike forcing Big Mom further back as the hall shook around them.

Sanji POV — Live Floor

Smoke. Sparks. Lasers.

I twisted midair as another beam scorched past my cheek.

“I wanna see what my old pal Judge cooked up,” Queen cackled, metal jaws snapping. “Bet he made something interesting outta you!”

“Shut up!” I snapped, driving my heel straight into his face.

The impact rattled his cyborg skull—but before I could follow through—

A blade cut through the air.

King.

Kaido’s right-hand man landed between us, wings spreading wide, sword angled toward my throat.

“Prepare yourself, Black Leg.”

“Tch—damn it!”

A beam fired behind me at the same time.

Two of them?!

I flipped backward, barely dodging Queen’s laser as King’s blade carved through the space where my head had been.

“Why don’t you just accept it?” Queen laughed. “We’re two of a kind! We can be best friends, Vinsmoke!”

“Stop calling me that!” I snarled. “I’ve got nothing to do with that old man! I cut him out of my life for good!”

I spun back toward Queen.

“Diable Jambe…”

Flames ignited around my leg, heat roaring as I launched forward and slammed a blazing kick into his chest. Metal screeched under the impact.

But King was already there again, sword crashing down.

“You’re only delaying the inevitable.”

“Oh, shut up!”

My flaming leg blocked his blade, sparks exploding between fire and steel.

“Damn it, King!” Queen barked.

And that split-second distraction cost me—

King’s heel smashed into my ribs.

The world spun.

I crashed into a building wall, stone shattering around me as I hit hard.

“Sanguro! Are you alright?!” one of the samurai shouted.

I coughed, pushing rubble off my shoulders.

“I can’t finish both of them at once!” I muttered, forcing myself upright.

My body screamed. My bones felt like they were grinding.

Pull it together.

I glanced across the battlefield—

Zoro was still down.

“…Pull it together, mosshead,” I muttered under my breath.

King and Queen advanced again, pressure suffocating.

“Hey! Chopper! Miyagi!” I shouted. “If the drug’s not working, grab Mummy-juro and get the hell out of here!”

“Don’t worry!” Chopper called, now tiny again thanks to that Rumble Ball side effect. “We injected him! It should take effect soon!”

Soon?!

I dashed forward again, intercepting Queen with another blazing kick.

“You shouldn’t turn your back on me!” I yelled.

“Real cute, punk!” Queen laughed, swinging a massive claw.

Out of the corner of my eye—

King was moving.

Straight toward Chopper.

Straight toward Zoro.

Cold panic tightened in my chest.

“Just wake up already, mosshead!” I roared. “You’ve slept enough!”

Because if he didn’t—

This was about to get real bad.

I saw it—

King standing right in front of Chopper, Miyagi, Tristan, and the two samurai holding mosshead upright like he was luggage.

“You’re really making me work today, huh, mosshead?!” I shouted, launching toward them.

A beam screamed past my shoulder—

Queen.

I had to twist midair to avoid getting vaporized.

“Better get out of our way, Black Leg!” Queen laughed.

“Damn it—!”

Before King’s blade could fall—

A blue flame burst between them.

Marco.

He slammed into King, phoenix wings blazing, knocking him back across the floor.

“I didn’t expect to see you alive, Marco,” Queen taunted.

I landed lightly, flicked my lighter, and took a drag.

Smoke filled my lungs.

“…Yeah?” I exhaled slowly. “You’re looking pretty lively for scrap metal too.”

I dashed forward.

“Diable—!”

My leg ignited as I drove a blazing kick straight into Queen’s face—

At the same time—

“Purgatory Onigiri!”

Zoro’s blades carved through the air, crashing into King and sending him skidding across the performance floor.

Both All-Stars hit the ground.

The samurai erupted in cheers.

“Roronoa!” Queen roared.

I landed beside him, glancing sideways.

“Did you come back just to show me up?!” I snapped. “Why don’t you go back to sleep for good this time?!”

“Huh?!” Zoro scoffed, sword clenched between his teeth. “No way in hell you can beat them both at once.”

“Oh yeah?!” I shot back. “I was doing just fine! I can handle one, or three, or a whole army without you!”

I turned away with a huff—

—but damn it.

Relief hit harder than any attack.

He’s up.

“Good for you,” Zoro said flatly. “Since you’ve been working so hard, take a nap and leave these two to me.”

“Did you hear a damn word I said?!” I snapped, spinning back toward him.

He didn’t answer.

Instead—

“…Wait a sec.”

His head turned slowly.

Scanning.

“Where is she?”

His voice had changed.

Not annoyed.

Not competitive.

Sharp.

Urgent.

His eyes cut across the battlefield desperately.

And suddenly—

My stomach dropped too.

Because in all this chaos…

She wasn’t here.

“She’s fighting Big Mom with Traffy…” I said.

“SHE’S WHAT?!” Zoro roared.

“She’s already injured!” he barked. “She needs the medicine—she needs—”

A thunderous explosion cut him off.

The entire performance floor shook.

Stone cracked.

A wall burst outward—

And something came flying through the smoke.

“Shit—what was that?!” I snapped.

Through the debris and dust—

A body.

She hit the side of the building hard, rolled, and slammed onto the cobblestone below.

Smoke cleared just enough.

Y/N.

Clutching her right arm—the one already torn up.

Her other hand pressed to her side.

Blood soaked through her fingers.

“Fucking… bitch…” she rasped before her knees buckled and she collapsed.

“Y/N!” Zoro’s voice tore through the chaos.

He moved before I could even blink.

“Mrs. RED!” Hyogoro shouted from behind me.

Red…. I thought. Confused.

Zoro dropped to his knees beside her, hands hovering but afraid to touch wrong.

“Hey!- Hey! Stay with me!” he snapped, panic slipping into his voice despite himself.

She coughed.

Blood.

“Traffy’s still—” she tried to say, but it dissolved into another ragged breath.

“MIYAGI!” Zoro barked over his shoulder. “Give her the same drug you gave me!”

Chopper, still tiny from the rumble ball backlash, scrambled forward on shaky legs.

“W-Wait!” Chopper squeaked, voice high and strained. “That medicine isn’t a miracle cure! It forces the body to fight past its limits! The pain later will be twice as bad! Maybe worse!”

He looked at her injuries—arm twisted wrong, ribs likely shattered.

“She’s already losing blood! If her body can’t handle the strain, it could make things even more dangerous!”

Zoro’s jaw clenched.

“She won’t survive if she just lies here either,” he growled. “You said it yourself—it’ll work.”

Chopper hesitated—hooves trembling.

“…It will,” he admitted. “For a short time. But she’ll feel everything afterward. Everything.”

Y/N let out a weak laugh that turned into a cough.

“Since when… do I run from pain…?”

Zoro’s grip tightened on his sword.

“Give it to her,” he said.

Chopper swallowed hard.

“O-Okay! Miyagi, prepare the injection! Quickly!”

The battlefield roared around us—

But right there, for a second—

Everything narrowed to whether her chest would rise again.

Steel clashed. Flames spiraled. The air itself trembled from Big Mom’s laughter echoing like a storm ripping the sky apart.

But right there, for a second—

Everything narrowed to whether her chest would rise again.

“Damn it, Traffy!” I snapped, eyes darting toward where Law and Kid were locked in against Big Mom. Shockwaves cracked through the stone beneath them. Marco was already intercepting King and Queen, blue flames bursting against wildfire and plague as they advanced.

Hyogoro knelt near her, voice trembling. “Mrs. Red…”

“For the last… last time… I’m not—” Y/N coughed violently, blood staining her lips. “—that…” she rasped, frustration flickering even through the pain. “Fuck…”

And that’s when I felt it.

A pulse.

A light gleamed from inside my vest.

Her second sword.

It was trying to leave me.

The hilt burned hot against my ribs, vibrating—no, calling.

Then I saw it—

The blade lodged in her back.

King’s sword.

It began to glow.

Not faintly. Not subtly.

It answered.

Y/N gasped—her body arching violently as if lightning struck straight through her spine. Every muscle locked. Her fingers clawed into the ground.

Her whole body trembled in agony.

“CHOPPER! THE DRUG—NOW!” Zoro roared, one hand gripping Wado so tight his knuckles went white.

The air shifted.

Both swords shone brighter—one against her back, one fighting against my vest like it had a will of its own.

It wasn’t just reacting.

It was responding to her.

Y/N’s eyes flickered open for a split second—burning, unfocused—but glowing faintly red at the edges.

Just then, Chopper darted forward, small and precise, while Zoro grabbed the syringe.

“Wait, Mosshead!” I yelled, but Zoro didn’t hesitate. With steady hands, he injected Y/N. A small gasp escaped her lips.

“Shhhh,” he murmured as the medicine coursed through her veins.

Y/N collapsed onto her back, exhaustion painted across her features. Then, as if by instinct, her right arm straightened, bruises fading and wounds knitting with astonishing speed. She turned toward me, and with a flick of her wrist, the sword that had been lodged in my vest now hovered—and rested—in her hand.

“There you are…” she muttered, coughing once more.

Zoro reached forward, pushing her hair from her face. “I did it for your own good…” he said softly.

All Y/N could do was nod, her eyes flickering with gratitude and something fiercer.

Meanwhile, Queen froze, mid-attack, his laser beam locking on her. I seized the moment and landed a solid kick square in his face.

“I knew it…” he growled through clenched teeth. “I knew that wanted poster—along with your updated one—was the real deal… Red.”

I blinked, momentarily confused.

“Come on! Fight me! I wanna see!” Queen bellowed, snapping back to aggression.

“Give her time, you guys,” Myagi said, stepping closer. “She needs to adjust to the drug… besides, she’s reached her physical limit.”

Y/N’s chest rose and fell steadily, but her eyes burned with that same fire as before. Even at her limit, she was ready.

“We’ve got your back, Red!” yelled the samurai still dueling Queen.

“I’m telling you, I’m not…” Y/N’s voice trailed as she slowly pushed herself upright. Kings sword and her other blade now secured behind her back.

“I’m glad you two are okay…” she added, and I felt my chest tighten—swoon-worthy, even in the middle of a battlefield.

“OH MY ANGEL, YOU WERE WORRIED ABOUT ME!” I shouted, half-panicked, half-relieved.

“Listen… I need to head back where this bitch is,” Y/N said firmly, pointing toward the smoke-filled hole where Big Mom still raged.

“YOU IGNORING ME, RED?!” Queen bellowed, clearly offended.

Y/N turned her head calmly toward him, letting out a small, deliberate sigh. With a flick of her wrist, she snapped—an arrow shot up from the ground, striking Queen squarely and locking him in place.

“How did she…” I muttered under my breath, eyes wide in disbelief.

Zoro leaned closer to Y/N, whispering something low and sharp. My blood boiled instantly; the words were meant just for her—but I heard enough to know it was serious.

Y/N’s smirk widened slightly, her eyes glinting. 

I saw her lips move but couldn’t catch the words.

Then she reached up.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

Her fingers brushed the necklace at her collarbone — the one she wore at Whole Cake Island. The one that never left her skin.

And she took it off.

Time stopped.

She didn’t hesitate.

She handed it to Zoro.

That crushed something in my chest.

Zoro took it without a word. Slid it over his neck.

Nothing happened.

No pulse. No flare. No reaction.

“She must’ve turned off the trigger…” I thought, jaw tight.

Queen tore free from the arrow bind with a roar, shaking debris from his mechanical frame.

Y/N didn’t even look worried.

She pointed downward lazily.

“You two can handle them, right?”

Like she was asking about dinner.

Then—

She looked at me.

Not past me.

At me.

Her gaze softened just a fraction.

Not fragile.

Not romantic.

Just steady.

Sanji.

I swallowed.

“…Yeah,” I said, exhaling smoke slow and controlled. “Go handle your emperor, princess.”

Zoro adjusted the necklace at his collarbone, testing the weight of it.

“She’s pushing herself again,” he muttered.

“Shut up, mosshead,” I snapped, flame licking up my leg again. “You’re in no position to lecture anyone.”

Queen growled.

King stepped forward.

The battlefield split again.

Y/N turned toward the smoke-filled breach in the wall. Her metal skirt shifted, torn fabric exposing her bruised right leg. Blood still marked her side—but she stood straight.

Then, with a measured tap—three times from her left heel—blue flames erupted, licking the air around her. She reached for the hidden blade strapped to her thigh halter, gave it a flick, and sent it sailing back toward the building she had emerged from.

“Finish up, boys,” she said, snapping her right hand—and in the blink of an eye, she vanished.

“How the hell—she…” I muttered, disbelief slicing through my voice.

Zoro merely smirked, adjusting the sword in his mouth. “Those weapons of hers… she did it again,” he said, calm, like this was all expected.

I hated it. The not knowing. The feeling of being outside, watching, powerless.

Then I heard Hyogoro’s voice, trembling yet full of recognition: “This… strange sensation… Ohhh… I’ve missed you, old friend…”

He wiped a tear from his eye, and for a brief second, amidst the chaos, the battlefield felt almost human.

"Yo, wake up, your rookies! You boys better check yourselves before you wreck yourselves!" Queen bellowed.

"Huh?" Zoro muttered, tilting his head.

"And by the way, nothing you’ve thrown at us has done a damn thing," Queen continued, glaring.

Zoro smirked. "Sure about that?" he said, his eyes flicking over Queen—some of his body was clearly injured from Y/N’s attack.

I blew out a stream of smoke and cracked my neck.

"Let me remind you what they call us—The Drought, Wildfire, and Plague! We are the Three Calamities, protectors of Commander Kaido! They call us the Lead Performers because we take center stage!" Queen shouted, firing another beam from his mouth. We dodged, but suddenly, a sharp pain shot into my left shoulder.

"What's up with you?" Zoro asked.

"I don’t know how to describe it," I said, annoyed, gritting my teeth. "Ever since I took off that stupid raid suit, my body’s felt off."

"You’re telling me you’re sick or something? You better not drag me down," Zoro warned, still dodging Queen’s attacks.

"Idiot! I didn’t say I’m sick, just… feels kind of weird, alright!" I snapped, moving my shoulder again.

"Ahhh… weird, like your eyebrows?" Mosshead teased, grinning.

"I said my body, not my eyebrows, you jackass!" I yelled, barely noticing King’s attack until Zoro blocked it with his swords.

"That’s one you owe me," Zoro said.

"I don’t owe you a damn thing," I shot back, kicking Queen far back.

"I got a question, Judge’s boy," Queen said, making me grind my teeth.

"I already told you not to call me that," I said coldly.

"I heard all of Judge’s kids are cyborgs. What part of you is artificial? Better yet, what about your crewmate? She’s no ordinary woman, you know," Queen said, smirking, his tone dripping with curiosity and malice.

"Vinsmoke Judge is as crazy as he comes," Queen said, eyes narrowing. "Bet he got real creative with you. So… that burning leg of yours—is that a machine?"

I tensed, instinctively shifting my stance.

"And what about Y/N, huh?" Queen continued, smirking. "Her weapons… even her own strength… bears more than what anyone’s talking about. Tell me, how does it feel to have a crewmate who was once branded as… dangerous?"

I froze for a split second, caught off guard. Just… what the hell are you talking about? I thought, dodging the question in my head as I sidestepped another beam from Queen.

"Hate to break it to you, pal," I said aloud, keeping my tone casual, "but unlike my siblings, I’m 100 percent human."

Queen’s grin twisted. "Dodging questions now, huh? And by the way, humans… can’t light themselves on fire, you moron. And I know damn well you are not a Lunarian."

I swallowed, the words hitting harder than any attack. My leg burned faintly, not mechanical, but… fire. Y/N… I thought, glancing toward where she had disappeared. She wasn’t just dangerous—she was something else entirely, something I still didn’t fully understand.

"Watch and learn," I muttered under my breath, letting the heat coil through me. "This is all natural. My passion’s hotter than fire, so you better believe I can bring the heat."

I slammed my foot into the ground, flames erupting as I launched a rapid series of fiery kicks at Queen, each strike scorching the concrete around him. The smell of singed metal and scorched stone filled the hall.

Just then, my eyes flicked over to Zoro, locked in a brutal exchange with King. The samurai moved with precision and raw power, his swords a blur as they clashed against the emperor’s right-hand man. Damn… he’s holding his own, I thought, my pride swelling despite the chaos.

I adjusted my stance, fire coiling around my legs again, ready to keep Queen occupied, buying Zoro the space he needed. Time to turn up the heat, and show them all we’re not backing down.

Third POV…

Big Mom roared, swinging wildly at Kidd and Law. “Damn it, Eustass! You should’ve pulled yourself together!” Law yelled, narrowly dodging a massive blow.

Big Mom laughed, a booming, cruel sound. “What’s wrong? Worried about that spoiled brat I just tossed out? Good riddance! By the time I’m done with you two, she’ll be dead.”

Suddenly, a flash of blue light skidded across the shattered floor, striking Big Mom and sending her tumbling back, crashing into debris.

“What the—” Kidd muttered, eyes narrowing.

“You think I’ll go down from a measly toss? You’re mistaken,” said a familiar voice.

“Princess… you’re—” Law began, but stopped mid-sentence, taking in the sight before him. Y/N’s body looked sharper, more composed. Her bruises had vanished, leaving only the deeper injuries visible, and the faint blood on her side had stopped flowing. Her metal skirt shifted with ease as she moved, exposing the bruised but hardened right leg.

With a fluid motion, she retrieved the hidden blade that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere and placed it carefully back on her thigh halter. Her stance was confident, her presence radiating a deadly precision that even Law hadn’t expected. 

“We saw you get tossed out of the performance hall,” said Law, eyes narrowing.

Y/N smirked, tilting her head slightly. “And… you of all people should know—a measly toss is nothing.”

The air between them seemed to charge with tension, the faint echo of debris settling around them. Even Big Mom paused mid-swing, sensing the shift—this wasn’t the same injured girl she’d tried to crush moments ago. This was Y/N, standing taller, fiercer, and ready to strike.

Just then Big Mom charged.

Her massive feet slammed against the floor, cracking stone with every step. Y/N sprinted toward her without hesitation—

Only to be struck mid-dash.

A thunderous blow sent her flying the opposite direction, crashing through walls and vanishing several rooms away in an explosion of debris.

“Damn it! Not again!” Law shouted, gripping Kikoku tighter.

Kidd grit his teeth, still battling through his injuries. “She’ll get back up,” he muttered, though even he wasn’t fully convinced.

Meanwhile… several rooms away.

A transponder snail rang.

“Pick up immediately when I call you,” said a low, cold voice through the receiver.

Inside the dim chamber stood Guernika of CP0, along with two other masked agents—and two women calmly playing a stringed instrument as if the war outside didn’t exist.

“We’ve been dealing with a series of… unexpected events,” Guernika said evenly. “Haven’t had time to breathe.”

“That’s your excuse? That you weren’t ready?” the low voice replied.

“Another dragon like Kaido showed up. Would you say that was within your expectations?” Guernika countered.

Silence.

“We don’t have time for your sarcasm. Give me a clear and concise report. Nothing else. Understand?”

“I already said it wasn’t Kaido. It’s just as big… and pink, if that helps.”

The line went quiet again.

“Are you doubting what I said? It sounds off, I’ll admit,” Guernika added.

“So… anything else?” the voice pressed.

“In terms of the dragon’s origin, I have a theory. That must be a man-made Devil Fruit. Dr. Vegapunk’s doing. It appears to be allied with Straw Hat Luffy. In other words… both sides have dragons now.”

“Why is that a problem? Let the pirates destroy each other,” the voice replied calmly. “I’ve received new orders from above. A contingency plan. In case Kaido loses, the Land of Wano—currently unaffiliated with the World Government—is to be placed under our control. Effective immediately. A small fleet has already been dispatched.”

Guernika’s mask tilted slightly.

“And I received one more order…” the voice continued. “You must bring in Nico Robin. It doesn’t matter who wins tonight—both pirates ne—”

The voice was unmistakable now.

Rob Lucci.

A deafening crash interrupted the transmission.

The wall behind CP0 exploded inward.

Dust and broken beams rained down.

“What the—” Guernika turned sharply.

“Stupid hag… it’s bad enough I’m injured, now I gotta—” Y/N muttered as she pulled herself out of the rubble—then stopped.

Three masked men in white suits.

Two women calmly playing music.

“…Um. Not sure if you guys know this, but there’s a battle going on? The building’s kinda collapsing? And you guys playing… what is that, chess? Isn’t exactly something I’d be doing right now. Just FYI.”

The masked agents didn’t move.

Guernika stared at her.

On the other end of the line, Lucci went silent.

Beside him, Hattori cooed softly.

Thankfully, the snail hadn’t projected that.

Stussy calmly sipped her tea, a subtle smirk forming. Kaku appeared to be asleep against the wall.

“Well… I’m just gonna… yeah,” Y/N said, turning to leave.

Guernika stepped forward smoothly, blocking her path.

“Listen, my guy,” Y/N sighed, rubbing her temple. “I suggest you take three steps back. I gotta get back to fighting an Emperor of the Sea.”

Guernika tilted his head.

“You… you’ve got it all wrong,” he said calmly. “I’m interested in hearing you play.”

“Play?” Y/N blinked.

The two musicians’ strings hummed faintly.

The air in the room shifted.

Outside, the war for Wano raged on.

But inside—

Something far more deliberate was unfolding.

“Listen, as much as I would love to play, I don’t exactly carry a piano with me, so… oops. Let’s pencil that in for another time,” Y/N said dryly.

Guernika didn’t answer.

She carries her weapons… Those weapons shouldn’t exist, he thought beneath the mask.

From somewhere down the ruined corridor—

“Where is she?! Where’s that rotten princess?!” Big Mom’s voice thundered.

“Excuse that thought,” Y/N muttered.

She kissed her pointer finger and extended it outward—light bending at her fingertips as a translucent bow formed. An arrow materialized from nothing. Then another. And another.

She released.

Three arrows shot through the broken halls and exploded against Big Mom’s massive frame.

“That’s what you get!” Y/N shouted.

Big Mom roared in fury.

“Stupid hag… that’ll buy me some time to get back,” Y/N hissed under her breath, clutching her side as pain flared again.

She turned back to the masked agents.

“My guy… you still have your snail on?” she asked, pointing casually.

“Irrelevant,” Guernika replied.

“…Whatever,” she shrugged. “Anyway, you guys should probably find somewhere else to be.”

With that, she dashed out of the collapsing chamber, blue light flickering at her heel as she disappeared back into the war.

On the other end of the line—

Rob Lucci stood very still.

He had heard everything.

The crash.

Her voice.

That tone.

That infuriating confidence.

The same woman who had outmaneuvered him at Enies Lobby… who had bought her captain precious seconds when it mattered most.

The same woman whose scent—faint, metallic, and floral—had haunted him longer than he cared to admit.

For a brief moment, another voice echoed in his mind. Back in Mariejois.

“Admit it. You were charmed by her. What was it? Her attitude? Her confidence? Her strength?” Dominik had said, amused.

Lucci’s jaw tightened.

His obsession, his rage, his pride—they coiled together into something sharp and deliberate.

“Guernika,” Lucci said calmly, though a faint smirk tugged at his lips. “One other thing.”

“Yes?”

“You will bring in Nico Robin.”

A pause.

“And bring me Y/N.”

“…Understood,” Guernika replied, ending the call with a quiet click.

Stussy took a slow sip of her tea, eyes half-lidded with amusement.

“My… the princess is still alive after Whole Cake Island, I see,” she said lightly. “I do remember attending her wedding. Well… annulled wedding, if you will.”

Her smirk widened.

“Certain someone was on the line when the objection occurred.”

In the corner, Kaku stirred slightly but remained asleep.

“You talk too much,” Lucci said flatly.

Hattori fluttered to his shoulder and cooed softly, as if disagreeing.

Lucci didn’t respond.

He turned and walked toward the ship’s quarters, the door shutting behind him with a quiet click.

For a moment, he simply stood there.

Then he opened his bag.

At the very bottom—

A torn, cropped jacket.

Dark fabric, ripped along the side. Stained faintly at the hem.

He picked it up.

Vanilla.

And beneath it—

Iron.

Blood.

His grip tightened.

Enies Lobby flashed behind his eyes.

Smoke. Fire. Chaos.

Y/N—injured, but still standing. That same jacket clinging to her shoulders. Blood running down her side.

He remembered the moment clearly.

Jabra had disobeyed orders. A reckless Ten Finger Pistol driven straight into her, even after the command not to engage further.

Lucci hadnt seen it.

He was fighting strawhat somewhere else.

He saw her bandaged when he caught her from falling into the sea, that was when she admitted to what had happened.

Even injured.

Even outnumbered.

Even facing him.

The memory scraped at something buried deep in his chest.

How the jacket ended up in his possession… he didn’t know.

He never remembered picking it up.

Two years passed.

CP9 dissolved. Reformed.

They rose higher.

Stronger.

More ruthless.

Lucci became Chief of CP0.

And yet—

No matter how high he climbed, one name kept surfacing.

Straw Hat Luffy.

And beside it—

Y/N.

Lucci’s fingers tightened around the torn fabric, the faint scent of vanilla and iron grounding him more than he cared to admit.

“Kitten…” he murmured, voice low and cold. “You’ve played me once. Escaped me once.”

His thumb brushed over the ripped seam of the jacket.

“This time,” his eyes darkened, “I won’t let you escape me.”

The sea outside shifted, moonlight cutting through the cabin window and casting sharp lines across his face.

Two years.

Two years of rebuilding.

Two years of burying anything that resembled hesitation.

And yet—

Her name still moved through the world like a blade.

Enies Lobby.

Dressrosa.

Whole Cake.

Now Wano.

Each time she appeared stronger. Sharper. Untouchable.

He let out a quiet breath.

“You stand beside Straw Hat,” he muttered. “You defy Emperors. You mock the World Government.”

A faint smirk tugged at his lips.

“And you think you can keep running?”

She wasn’t surviving by luck.

She was evolving.

Hattori cooed softly.

Lucci closed his eyes briefly.

“You were never meant to be prey,” he admitted under his breath.

Then his gaze sharpened again, cold and predatory.

“But you were never meant to be free either.”

Lucci had already chosen his hunt.

And this time?

He wouldn’t underestimate her.

Not her strength.

Not her mind.

Not the fire that refused to die.

“Run,” he whispered, almost amused.

“I’ll enjoy catching you.”