Nami ran.
She told herself not to look back—
but she forgot one thing.
He was still there.
Her chest tightened the moment the thought hit her. The air felt heavier with every step toward the Going Merry. If she stopped now, everything she had done—everything she had endured—would be meaningless.
If I don't go… my village will suffer.
She wiped her eyes hard and forced herself forward.
When her feet hit the Merry's deck, her heart began to pound so loudly it drowned out the sea. She didn't understand why—only that something was watching her.
Slowly, she lifted her head toward the crow's nest—
Before she could speak, a soft, broken voice came from behind her.
"A-are y-you g-going i-in t-the e-end…?"
Nami froze.
Her fists clenched so hard her nails bit into her palms. She bit her lip—too hard. Blood welled and slipped down her chin.
Her voice trembled when she finally spoke.
"R-remember… when you said you'd help me… j-just once…?"
She didn't turn around.
"C-can you help me this time?"
"P-please… let me go. I'll just b-borrow the ship… I p-promise I'll come back. Just this once."
Her shoulders shook.
"When it's over… everything will be alright…"
Her words broke into a whisper.
"P-please…"
Silence.
Then—quietly—
"I-if t-that's w-what y-you t-truly w-want…"
"W-who a-am I… t-to s-stop y-you…"
Nami collapsed.
Her knees hit the deck as sobs tore out of her chest. Tears soaked the wood beneath her.
A sudden powerful wind surged from behind.
The sails snapped open.
The Going Merry lurched forward, pushed by an unseen force, cutting through the waves.
Nami hugged her knees, crying as the ship carried her away—
even as her heart stayed behind.
---
At the Baratie docks—
The bandage man stood still, watching the Merry disappear into the horizon.
He said nothing.
Then he turned.
"I-if I c-can't h-help y-you…" he muttered,
"t-then t-the s-sun w-will…"
The air darkened.
A suffocating bloodlust flooded the dock—raw, furious, starving.
Step by step, he walked toward the battlefield.
♤
Mihawk felt it first.
Zoro lay bleeding, his chest freshly slashed, Luffy and the bounty hunters scrambling around him. Mihawk's eyes narrowed sharply.
That presence…
Everyone felt it next.
Like cold steel pressed against their throats.
They turned—
And saw him.
A tall figure dressed in black. Katana at his waist. Bandages hiding his face. Pale hands stained by an aura that screamed death.
Fear swallowed the dock.
Then—
He vanished.
In the next instant, he stood before Luffy.
"L-luffy…"
"S-save N-nami…"
"S-she r-ran a-away… u-using t-the M-merry…"
Luffy's eyes widened.
"Y-you n-need t-to g-go n-now…"
"L-leave e-everything h-here… t-to m-me."
Luffy didn't hesitate.
"I got it," he said firmly.
"We'll bring her back. No matter what." So don't worry
The bandage man bowed his head slightly.
"T-thank y-you…"
Luffy hoisted Zoro's unconscious body over his shoulder, grabbed Johnny and Yosaku, and took off running.
"Usopp! Let's move!"
"We're saving Nami!"
As they reached a small boat, Luffy grabbed Sanji by the collar and yanked him along.
"Oi—WHAT THE HELL?!" Sanji shouted.
"Get in," Luffy said, his voice cold and serious.
"You're coming with us."
The boat launched.
Only then did Sanji snap out of it.
He looked back—
The Baratie was gone from view.
"WHAAAAAT?!"
"Why did you drag me here?! Who's protecting the restaurant?!"
Luffy didn't even look back.
"It's fine," he said simply.
"The bandage guy's there."
Sanji stared at him.
"…You better not be lying," he growled.
"Or I swear—you'll regret it."
Behind them—
At the docks—
The bandage man stood alone.
Mihawk watched him carefully, eyes sharp.
Two monsters.
One battlefield.
♤
"W-who the fuck are you?!" screamed Don Krieg. He couldn't take it anymore. He had been humiliated in front of everyone many times already. His anger boiled over as he lunged forward. "Oh, the bandage man… tell who tha fu—"
But before he could finish his words:
Sheeeeeezzzz…
A black katana sliced through his neck, severing his head from his body. His head rolled across the ground. The black katana then shot down again, cutting down Krieg's rolling head and planting it into the piece of wood where Don Krieg had been holding on.
Every crew and pirate witnessing this gruesome scene could hardly believe it. Don Krieg—the monster of the East Blue—was dead just like that. Seventeen million berries worth of infamy ended in an instant. Panic spread, and everyone began diving and swimming away.
But the bandage man didn't stop. From his back, the black mist solidified into black angelic wings twenty feet wide. The feathers of those wings shattered like leaves—but deadly. Each feather flew toward the pirates still fleeing. Screams and agony echoed as bodies fell into the sea, staining the waters red with blood.
The chefs looked on, unsure whether to celebrate the demise of their enemies or pray for their souls to rest.
Mihawk didn't speak or move the entire time. He simply stared at the massacre, watching in silence as the bandage man executed his merciless display.