The Sunny broke through a veil of morning mist to find an island split in two. On the west, jagged volcanic cliffs belched smoke into the sky; on the east, rolling green plains stretched beneath a crystal-blue sky. A narrow river ran down the middle, dividing the land as if cut by a sword.
At the center of the river stood an ancient bridge, crumbling but still standing — the only path between the two halves.
The First Clash
As the Sunny neared shore, a blast of fire erupted from the west, answered instantly by a wall of water from the east. The shockwave rolled across the sea, rocking the ship hard enough for the crew to grab the rails.
Nami's eyes widened.
"They're fighting already."
Lyra's voice carried a note of unease.
"That's not just a battle… that's two verses rejecting each other."
Meeting the West Guardian
The crew split — Arkan, Zoro, and Franky headed toward the volcanic cliffs, while Robin, Sanji, and Chopper went east.
The west was a furnace. Rivers of lava wound between sharp rocks, the air thick with heat and ash. At the summit of a blackened hill stood a man clad in red-and-black armor, his hair a mane of fire, eyes like burning coals.
"Flamebearer," he said without turning."If you want my verse, destroy the one who holds the river's flow. The Song cannot have both fire and water."
Arkan's voice was firm.
"If the Song's going to survive, it needs every verse."
The fire guardian laughed, low and dangerous.
"Then you'll burn trying."
Meeting the East Guardian
On the other side, the plains were a paradise of rivers, lakes, and misty waterfalls. At the largest waterfall's base stood a tall woman draped in flowing blue silks, her hair a cascade of silver-blue waves. Her eyes, calm but cold, watched the approach.
"Flamebearer," she said to Robin,"If you seek my verse, you must end the fire that devours the west. The Song cannot carry both heat and tide."
Robin exchanged a glance with Sanji.
"And if we don't?"
The guardian's voice sharpened.
"Then the tide will wash you away with him."
The Serpent's Approach
From the Sunny's vantage point, Nami spotted black storm clouds gathering beyond the horizon — and in their heart, the faint coil of the Serpent's silhouette.
"We don't have time for them to settle this," Nami muttered."We've got minutes before the Heralds arrive."
Arkan's Decision
The crew regrouped on the bridge. Arkan stood between the two Flameborne, both brimming with power, each refusing to yield.
"You think your verses can't coexist," Arkan said,"but the Serpent's counting on that. If you don't join the Song, you'll both be erased."
Neither guardian moved. The ground trembled as distant thunder rolled closer.
The Test of Unity
Arkan stepped forward, igniting golden fire in one hand and conjuring water from the other — a merging of the verses they'd already gathered. The heat didn't boil the water, and the water didn't smother the flame. Instead, they burned and flowed together in perfect rhythm.
"If I can make them sing together," he said,"so can you."
The two guardians watched in silence — then, as the first lightning from the Serpent's storm struck the sea, they each extended a hand. Two relics appeared: a molten stone glowing from within, and a shell of purest sapphire.
Final Scene
As Arkan took them both, the verses fused briefly into a single note — a sound so clear it cut through the growing storm. The Serpent's silhouette shifted in the clouds, as if reacting.
Robin's voice was tight.
"It knows we've got both."
Arkan's eyes were hard as he turned toward the Sunny.
"Then we sail now."