March 25
"Yes! Three hundred million!" Luffy shouted, leaping into the air with joy as he held up his new wanted poster.
"Nice. That puts your crew's total bounty over six hundred million," Kong said with a relaxed smile. "Maybe one day your crew will catch up to mine."
The reminder hit like a wave—Kong's bounty alone sat at a staggering one billion. The crew couldn't help but glance his way, a mix of awe and amusement passing through them.
Kong chuckled to himself as he looked over Sanji's poster. The picture was, once again, an absolute disaster—a crude sketch that barely resembled him.
But Sanji snatched the poster away, tearing it to pieces out of sheer embarrassment. What should have been a proud moment quickly turned into a personal nightmare. Instead of celebrating, he was left fuming over the ridiculous drawing that mocked his appearance.
Even if he tried to ignore the sketch, the sting remained. His bounty was only the fourth highest on the crew. Zoro had surged ahead with a bounty of 120 million, followed by Robin at 80 million. And there he was—Sanji—stuck at 77 million.
Trailing behind him was Nami, now worth 16 million. Then came Chopper, with a bounty of 50, though everyone knew the World Government still mistook him for a mere pet.
As for the Sniper King, his poster listed a 30 million bounty, but it didn't matter anymore. He was no longer part of the crew.
"I know this is a huge shock, and I'm sure there's a lot you want to talk about. But the main reason I'm here is because of this—Big Bro is now wanted by the World Government."
The one who delivered the news was part of Franky's group of oddball friends—at least, Kong thought so. He had just met them and, truthfully, hadn't bothered asking too many questions. Names were work, and Kong wasn't feeling particularly energetic.
He stood off to the side, half-listening—until the guy turned to Luffy and asked if they could take Franky with them. At that, Kong's eyes lit up, a sudden spark of excitement filling them.
"He can join my crew!" Kong declared without hesitation, his voice cutting through the air.
Luffy immediately jumped to his feet, shoving Kong to the side. "He's joining my crew!" he shouted back, eyes wide with determination.
And just like that, the two collided—neither willing to back down. Both wanted a cyborg, and Franky was no ordinary one. He had rebuilt and upgraded his own body, transforming himself into a walking, talking powerhouse of steel and fire.
Why wouldn't they want someone that cool on their crew?
"You already have a shipwright!" Luffy shouted, jabbing a finger toward Beru, who stood casually off to the side.
"I thought Enel was the shipwright?" Kong asked, genuinely puzzled.
"I'm the navigator," Enel replied flatly, his tone edged with frustration. This clearly wasn't the first time they'd had this conversation.
Kong gave a slow, understanding nod, like it had just clicked—before letting out a long, resigned sigh.
***
They made their way down to the docks, where Luffy's crew stood waiting—only to freeze in awe as the covering was pulled back, revealing their brand-new ship: the Thousand Sunny.
It was breathtaking. With a proud lion's head at the bow and a sleek, polished frame, the ship looked like it had leapt straight out of a dream. It was massive, towering over their old vessel, and loaded with features and upgrades that clearly set it apart from any ordinary ship.
Kong wasn't surprised, though. He had already seen it many times during the building process, having lent a hand here and there.
But as the Straw Hats admired their new home, they couldn't stay long. There was still something they had to do—someone they had to get. Franky wasn't officially a member of the crew yet, and as he wasn't part of the crew, Kong didn't step into their crew matters.
So, while they left to bring Franky aboard, Kong stayed behind, choosing instead to hang around with the group that remained.
"I've been meaning to ask—what's that tattoo?" Kong said, his eyes drifting to Nami's shoulder, where the ink stood out clearly against her skin.
"It's a long story," Nami replied with a soft smile, one that carried the weight of something unspoken.
Her fingers brushed over the mark gently, almost instinctively, as if the simple touch stirred memories buried just beneath the surface.
"Oh… that reminds me—Enel, make a list. We need to find a navigator, a helmsman, and a musician. That should cover it," Kong said casually,
"You dumbass," Enel snapped, his expression twitching with frustration. "I'm the navigator! And we should be looking for a doctor before anything else!"
You say we need a doctor, like anyone can even defeat us… Oh, wait—we need a sniper too," Kong muttered, suddenly slumping. "I should've convinced Sniper King to join my crew…"
He let out a long, defeated sigh, clearly regretting the missed opportunity.
With that, Kong said his goodbyes and made his way off to check on his own ship—and oh boy, was it a sight to behold.
It wasn't docked on the same island. Instead, it waited on a nearby one, so he set off toward it.
When he finally arrived, he was greeted by Zed and the rest of his crew, all gathered and visibly impressed. They couldn't believe how quickly the ship had come together—its size, its design, everything about it was beyond expectations.
"Enel had to make a few extra trips to gather more trees from that island, but in the end, we pulled it off," Kong said with a proud grin.
And he had every right to be proud—what they'd built wasn't just a ship, it was practically a floating town.
The vessel stretched over 1,600 meters in length, with a beam spanning more than 200 meters. Massive, imposing, and impossible to ignore.
Its hull was painted a deep, commanding red, and at the bow sat a colossal dragon head, mouth wide open in a permanent roar—like it was daring the world to challenge it. At the stern, the dragon's tail curled upward, completing the mythical form.
Along the ship's immense body were rows of windows—seventy-five floors in total. Every 25 floors, a towering window was installed, sized specifically for giants, making the ship even more surreal in scale.
They had built a beast of legend, and it had a name worthy of that title. It was called the Draconic Eclipse.
"I highly doubt this thing is fast…" Zed said with a skeptical frown, arms crossed as he eyed the massive ship.
"Yeah, well, it's mainly a floating fortress—a mothership," Kong replied with a wide grin. "And best of all, it doesn't rely entirely on Enel's powers."
With that, he reached for a button built into the ship's massive steering wheel and pressed it without hesitation.
The moment he did, the entire vessel began to rumble beneath their feet. A low vibration ran through the hull, growing stronger by the second. Then the sea around them erupted—massive waves surged outward in every direction, crashing against the shoreline as the water itself seemed to respond to the awakening of the Draconic Eclipse.
"We're using Dials… well, to be exact, the entire ship is a Dial," Enel explained calmly, watching as the massive vessel slowly began to rise into the air.
"The ship absorbs air and releases it at high speed to keep us aloft," Berus added, his voice filled with pride. "There are dozens of smaller Dials built throughout the structure that do the same thing, working together to support the lift."
He folded his arms, clearly satisfied with his own brilliance. "I designed the ship to absorb more energy than it expels, so we can stay airborne—even with extreme weight. It's stable, efficient, and durable."
Of course, it wasn't just engineering skill. Berus had made full use of his Devil Fruit ability to adapt, pushing the design beyond normal limits. The result? The best possible ship he could imagine.
"Of course, the ship absorbs more than just wind," Kong said with a grin. "But we'll get into that later. We also left room for upgrades, so the ship can grow alongside us."
Zed gave a small nod in response. He wasn't a full-time member of the crew—just here until the World Government was dealt with. After that, he planned to go his own way.
"No," Enel said flatly, slapping Kong's hand away the moment he reached for the steering wheel. There was no hesitation in the smack. Why on earth would he let someone who couldn't walk a straight line without getting lost steer their prized ship?
"Rude… whatever, let's go," Kong muttered, brushing off the fact that Garp was currently chasing after Luffy. Not that it mattered—Garp clearly wasn't putting any real effort into it, and Luffy's crew didn't seem to be fleeing at full effort. If anything, they looked like they were waiting for Usopp to return.
"Where to, Captain? Back to exploring the Calm Belt?" Enel asked, his tone casual.
Kong said nothing at first. He just stared out at the vast stretch of sea before them, a grin slowly forming across his face. Then, with a simple nod, their course was set.
The Draconic Eclipse turned away from Paradise and surged forward, heading straight into the Calm Belt, leaving the Grand Line behind in its wake.
***
"Look at that… first an island filled with huge trees, and now an island filled with short trees," Kong said, squinting at the strange landscape ahead.
"Something about that island feels off, don't—" Enel began, but he didn't even get the chance to finish.
Kong had already leapt from the ship, rocketing toward the island like a blazing shooting star. Enel let out a long, helpless sigh, but he didn't do anything to stop Kong.
"Don't order the captain around," Beru said coldly, his tone sharp and unyielding. Enel's face twisted with rage.
"Shut up, you bug-for-brains," he snapped. "You want me to kick your ass again?"
He was clearly fed up with Beru and his over-the-top devotion to Kong. Enel was loyal since joining the crew, but Beru acted more like a fan girl than a crewmate, and it drove him crazy.
"Do I need to remind you? Last I checked, I defeated you right out of the womb," Beru said angrily, his voice low and heated.
Zed, Ain, and the others watched in silence. They had always known these two didn't see eye to eye, but this was different. This was the first time neither of them held back.
It was clear now—they weren't just annoyed with each other. They were ready to explode. But before a single punch could be thrown, a loud explosion rocked the air.
Their attention snapped to the island, eyes narrowing as a thick cloud of dust burst upward into the sky, rising above the treetops and spreading fast.
"The gravity there is powerful… Kong's struggling to move," Enel said with a raised eyebrow, shocked by what he was sensing. He couldn't understand how a single island's gravity could be so intense while the rest of the world remained completely normal.
"What the hell is this?!" Kong growled, forcing himself to his feet. Even that simple motion felt like he was picking up mountains.
.
This was a man capable of lifting battleships with one arm, yet here, the weight pressing down on him made even battleships feel like feathers by comparison. Every inch of movement felt like dragging mountains.
He took a single step—and instantly, the ground beneath his foot compressed under the force. Kong stared at the deep imprint, taking in the sight with a thoughtful expression. Then, slowly, a grin crept across his face as an idea sparked in his mind.
'I should train here. I've already reached my physical peak… no— if I train here, I'm sure I can push my body even further. Some real Dragon Ball shit!' His eyes lit up with excitement. He already believed he was the strongest man in the world—but it wouldn't hurt to make sure he became even more overpowered.
{A/N – Power Scaling Clarification:
The MC in this story is on Roger's tier of power—maybe even a bit stronger. Yes, I place Roger significantly above someone like Big Mom, despite her ability to sacrifice her lifespan for power boosts.
Why? Because of Oden.
Oden was clearly Yonko level. He pushed Kaido to the edge and was going to win their duel in the manga before being interrupted. Yet that same Oden, with all his monstrous strength and haki, was one-shot by Roger.
That tells me a lot.
So in terms of tiers:
Yonko Tier includes the likes of Kaido, Big Mom, and Oden.
Above Yonko Tier stands Roger, Whitebeard (Prime), and Garp. These are the legends who sit on a tier of their own.
As for Rocks, his placement is tricky. All we really have is his clash with Harald, where they seemed evenly matched. Future manga chapters might shine more light on Harald's true strength, which should help clarify where Rocks truly stood.
Now, regarding Rocks meeting Imu: personally, I didn't read too much into it. Rocks snuck in, confronted Imu, and was promptly ignored. His presence didn't faze Imu at all. That scene felt more like a cool aura moment for Imu than a feat for Rocks. All Rocks could do was speak a few lines—he wasn't even acknowledged as a threat.
When it comes to Whitebeard in his prime, the fact that he was a rival to both Roger and Garp puts into perspective just how powerful he truly was. Based on that, I'd place the current version of Kong somewhere in the Above Yonko tier. But we also know that someone out there was stronger than even Whitebeard—and that someone is most likely Shanks' father.
He's the one who gave Whitebeard those scars—the ones that still ache whenever he sees Shanks. Roger didn't scar Whitebeard; I checked. Whitebeard was scarless before and after his clash with Roger. That means Shanks' dad is the only logical explanation for those wounds.
So, in the Above Above Yonko tier, we place Shanks' father. Rocks D. Xebec also belongs on that tier. Although I believe his defeat came from a three-way battle, it wasn't a true alliance. Roger, Garp, and Rocks were all clashing, not working together. Still, I could be wrong, especially when you look at how Coby got his title—Hero—by working with Blackbeard. It might be a deliberate parallel to the Rocks situation.
Anyway, I think Shanks also deserves a spot in the Above Above Yonko tier. Why? Because Joyboy's Haki might be stronger than Shanks', but the fact that it's not definitively stronger suggests that Shanks is close—maybe even equal—in terms of raw Haki power. The implication is clear: Shanks belongs on that level.
However, there's something worth noting—Mihawk no longer sees Shanks as a worthy rival. That implies Shanks might've gotten weaker after losing his arm. So even if he once sat securely in that tier, his current placement could be debatable.
As of now, the Above Above Yonko tier includes Shanks' father, Shanks, Mihawk, and Rocks. Above them all, I'd place Imu.
But let's not forget Kaido during his battle with Gear 5 Luffy. Many overlook the fact that Kaido wasn't at 100% during that fight. Before facing Luffy, he'd already been fighting Big Mom, carrying an entire island, and enduring a long string of injuries. Even Kaido himself admitted he was getting tired as the battle progressed.
Now, Kaido and Big Mom appeared somewhat equal—but were they really? Has Kaido ever gone all-out against Big Mom? And did Big Mom ever use her lifespan to power herself up in their clashes? Probably not. Based on that, both Kaido and Big Mom should be categorized in the Yonko tier before tapping into their final forms.
This brings me to Kizaru. I genuinely believe Kizaru wanted to lose to Luffy. Who else brought Luffy food? The anime practically confirmed the theory—Kizaru helped him. That strongly suggests Kizaru wasn't fighting at full power during their clash. And honestly, neither was Luffy. Or rather, he wasn't using his full imagination.
Whenever Luffy begins tapping into his imagination while in Gear 5, he gains the upper hand. Against Lucci, they were nearly evenly matched—until Luffy let his creativity take over. Versus Kaido, his imagination gave him the edge for most of the fight. And his final move against Kizaru? All thanks to imagination.
So where does that leave Kizaru and the other admirals? I'd say they're solidly Yonko-level, at least comparable to Oden. That means they could stand against someone like Kaido—at least until Kaido activates his flaming dragon form. Once that happens, Kaido transcends the Yonko tier and enters the Above Yonko tier, rivaling even peak Whitebeard.
But did I miss something? I don't know, with Akainu being fleet admiral, he is like an endgame boss for Soba, right? So, the story needs Akainu to give Sabo a challenge. But about the 5 elders... I need help scaling them. I need to do some more searching; this is the main reason the updates have stopped.
Scaling One Piece character is a pain without too much information to go off... let's not forget Blackbeard, I swear, a battle could go evenly matched between him and someone else, just for him to win as soon as the camera looks away. Does he have 3 personalities? Is one Personality strong enough to rival Shanks' Haki? How did Shanks get injured? Don't bring the whole sea king event up, because the manga is already shining light onto why Shanks lost that arm. Shanks seemed to have done it to remove a symbol or something, but yeah, i need your help here.