Sabaody Archipelago.
"BOOM—!"
An ear-splitting explosion, the unmistakable shockwave of a full-powered, Haki-infused punch, rocked the grove.
A wave of pure kinetic force vaporized the street, sending flames and debris shooting skyward and painting the already chaotic scene a terrifying shade of crimson.
The bubble-domed auction house, a symbol of human depravity, was now a flaming wreck.
In an instant, the entire district descended into madness. Slave traders, bounty hunters, pirates, and even World Nobles fled in every direction, their arrogant facades shattering into pure, primal panic.
Screams, wails, and curses mingled into a horrifying symphony, turning the once-bustling tourist spot into a living hell.
Amidst this chaos, a new, colder terror descended.
Like phantoms dropping from the sky, a group of mysterious figures in pristine white suits and blank, expressionless white masks landed in perfect, silent unison.
Their immaculate attire remained untouched by the surrounding fire and filth.
They were CP0, the most powerful and ruthless of the World Government's intelligence agencies, and their very presence instantly enveloped the area in a deadly, suffocating atmosphere.
"By direct order of Saint Saturn, we are to thoroughly investigate the assault on a Celestial Dragon!" the lead agent declared, his voice was cold and completely devoid of human emotion.
"No one involved shall escape!"
"Yes, sir!" the other agents responded as one.
The Straw Hat Pirates, still reeling from their own audacity, soon found themselves completely surrounded.
A desperate, furious battle erupted.
Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji fought back with everything they had, but this was not like any enemy they had faced before.
The CP0 operatives were masters.
They moved with a cold, supernatural speed, their Rokushiki techniques honed to a lethal edge.
Though the Straw Hats resisted fiercely, the gap in raw power and experience was too great.
They were being systematically dismantled, and capture seemed inevitable.
Then, at the most critical moment, a shing sound tore through the air.
A silvery-white sword slash, so fast it seemed to cut the light itself, flew across the battlefield, carrying a razor-sharp, kingly intent straight toward the CP0 agents.
"BOOM—!"
A tremendous collision erupted as the Haki-infused blade met a flurry of desperate Shigan and Rankyaku attacks.
A dazzling, blinding explosion of white sparks lit up the grove.
The powerful shockwave shattered the surrounding mangrove roots like glass, sending debris flying like bullets while a thick cloud of dust and pulverized bark blotted out the sky.
As the dust slowly, agonizingly settled, the CP0 agents looked on, their forms tense.
The Straw Hat Pirates had vanished from sight.
The only figure remaining in their line of sight was a lone man, his back to them.
He had a shock of white hair and a beard, and he gripped a long, simple sword that still shimmered faintly with a residual, silvery light.
"The Dark King… Silvers Rayleigh," the lead agent hissed, recognizing the legend instantly.
"Get them!"
Just as the CP0 agents prepared to give chase, Rayleigh's eyes flashed with an intense, overwhelming power.
An invisible, crushing aura erupted from him, pressing down on the CP0 agents like a physical, mountainous weight.
The air thickened, the world seemed to warp, and the agents stumbled, gasping for breath as if the very oxygen was being stolen from their lungs.
"This is…" The lead CP0 agent paled, beads of cold sweat forming instantly on his forehead.
"Conqueror's Haki…!"
The other agents felt the crushing pressure, their legs weakening as they nearly collapsed to their knees, their minds screaming in terror.
By the time they fought off the spiritual assault and recovered their senses, the Thousand Sunny was already racing away, its Coup de Burst propelling it far from the island.
"Damn it, they got away!"
"'Dark King' Rayleigh… Why would he, a relic of a bygone era, intervene to save those rookies?"
"We'll report this to headquarters first. That old bastard will get what's coming to him, sooner or later."
The lead agent pulled out a Den Den Mushi.
"Brrrring brrrring…"
"Saint Saturn," the agent reported, his voice still betraying a hint of the strain from the Haki.
"We had the Straw Hat Pirates cornered and were about to capture them. But 'Dark King' Rayleigh suddenly interfered, disrupting the operation. Mission failure."
"Rayleigh?!" The grating, arrogant voice of the Elder shrieked from the receiver.
"Why would he intervene? Does he have some connection to that crew?"
"I'm not sure, Saint Saturn. But what are your orders?"
"Never mind. Take the team to Marine Headquarters. The Straw Hat matter is a nuisance, but the business at Marineford is far more pressing. We'll deal with them later."
"Yes, sir!"
With that, the CP0 agents abandoned their pursuit and, using their Geppo, launched themselves into the air, speeding off toward Marineford.
All except for one.
A beautiful woman in a form-fitting white outfit, red tie, white fishnet stockings, and high heels, lingered for a moment.
Unbeknownst to her colleagues, the Log Pose that was "guiding" them toward Marine Headquarters had been secretly and expertly tampered with.
On their current, slightly-altered course, this elite CP0 squad was now on a direct collision course with the massive, bloodthirsty fleet of the Beasts Pirates for a very "friendly" exchange.
"Heh, this should be interesting," a subtle, dangerous smirk curled at the corners of Stussy's crimson lips.
She lightly brushed a strand of her silky blond hair, her fingers gliding through the locks.
She had received a call from Kuma just a few hours ago, a call that had briefly, but completely, shattered her worldview.
The entire Marine organization... completely realigned.
She, the perfect, loyal clone created by Dr. Vegapunk, had always followed his will.
And now, Vegapunk himself had been recruited by a "Mike-san" into this "New Marine," serving as its chief scientist.
Her true master now had a new master.
She was deeply intrigued by this mysterious "great benefactor" Kuma had spoken of.
This Captain Mike, the founder of the New Marine.
What kind of man could breathe new life into the rotting, colossal behemoth that was the Marines in such a impossibly short time?
And that name, "Mike"… it felt vaguely, strangely familiar, though she couldn't quite place it.
It probably had nothing to do with her other life as the "Queen of the Pleasure District."
After all, she mused, someone capable of steering the entire Marine ship so drastically, of orchestrating such a grand, complex coup, must be… well, how to put it?
He must be an extremely upright, ruthlessly serious, and incredibly… dull man.
A master strategist, no doubt, but utterly boring as a person.
At this thought, Stussy couldn't help but let out a soft, musical chuckle.
Shaking her head, she dismissed the chaotic musings and, with a graceful leap, accelerated to catch up with her distant, and very doomed, CP0 team.
.....
New Marine Headquarters—Marineford.
Sunlight danced on the waves at the docks, the sea breeze carrying a salty taste.
Bartholomew Kuma stood at the very edge of the pier, his massive body like a silent, unmoving statue, a stark contrast to the bustling, energetic activity of the New Marine soldiers around him.
According to Kuro, Captain Mike's new secretary, Bonney had been successfully retrieved by a New Marine warship and was en route at full speed.
By his calculations, she should be arriving... any moment now.
"Bonney…" Kuma murmured, his voice a hoarse, mechanical rasp, yet it trembled almost imperceptibly.
He was filled with a dizzying, terrifying anticipation, but even more so with a bone-deep dread.
Years had passed since he made the choice, since he offered himself up as a "human weapon" to Vegapunk, undergoing modifications to erase his memories, his will, his very self, all to save her life.
Now, thanks to Mike, he was free.
His consciousness was his own again, trapped within this cold, cyborg body.
But was he free?
Would she blame him?
Blame him for leaving without a word all those years ago? Blame him for failing to be a father?
Kuma wasn't even sure how to face her.
Countless times, in the darkest recesses of his mind, he had imagined this reunion.
Bonney, running into his arms, sweetly calling him "Daddy."
But just as often, he had been terrified.
Terrified that what he'd see in her eyes would be the coldness of a stranger, or worse, resentment.
Disappointment.
Just then, the dark silhouette of a warship appeared on the distant horizon, cutting through the waves as it sped toward them.
As the ship drew closer, a petite, familiar figure could be seen anxiously scanning the surroundings from the deck.
That familiar pink hair, shimmering brilliantly under the sunlight like dancing flames.
Those lively, defiant eyes, darting around as if searching for something… or someone.
That… that face.
The face that had been his entire world, now gradually overlapping with his fractured memories.
Kuma's massive body began to tremble violently.
His gaze locked onto the figure on the deck, as if trying to etch her image into his very soul to burn away the last vestiges of his programmed emptiness.
It was her.
It was his daughter, Bonney—the one he had longed for day and night, the reason for his every sacrifice.
"DAD—!"
Bonney's voice, clear and bright, pierced through the sea breeze and the noise of the docks, ringing distinctly in Kuma's ears like a forgotten song.
She was waving her arms frantically, her voice brimming with an explosive, unbelievable joy.
She shouted again, her voice now carrying a hint of a coquettish pout, a trace of playful reproach, and… a barely detectable sob that shattered his heart.
"You still owe me my tenth birthday wish!"
"Plop—"
Large, heavy teardrops, no longer controllable, spilled from Kuma's impassive eyes, rolling silently down his rugged, scarred cheeks.
He took a heavy step, then another, his massive metal feet clanking on the stone pier as he walked toward the warship, toward his daughter.
The ship slowly docked, and the gangplank was lowered.
Bonney couldn't wait.
The moment it was low enough, she leaped straight off it, launching herself through the air like a joyful, pink-haired cannonball, and threw herself at Kuma's massive, unfeeling chest.
"Dad—!"
Two figures embraced tightly on the pier of the New Marine Headquarters.
The sunlight bathed them both, stretching their shadows long, so long… as if freezing this perfect, impossible moment in time.
The busy New Marine soldiers all around them—men and women who had just sworn their loyalty to a new, more just world—slowed their steps.
They smiled, knowingly, quietly.
No one disturbed them.
They simply watched in respectful silence, feeling the warmth of this hard-won, long-overdue reunion.
At this moment, there were no pirates, no Marines, no factions, no right or wrong.
There was only a father and a daughter, reunited after a lifetime of trials.
Only a love, finally, miraculously, fulfilled.