The colossal shadow of the Noah receded into the distance, dragged by the titans of the deep toward the Sea Forest. The waters of Fishman Island, which had been churning with the threat of annihilation mere moments ago, calmed into a gentle, rhythmic current.
Luffy floated in the open water, his body limp. The steam from Gear Fourth had dissipated, leaving his skin raw and pink. The tribal Haki markings faded, and the immense muscular inflation vanished, leaving him looking small and fragile against the vast backdrop of the ocean.
He hears us, the voice of the Zebra Sea King echoed one last time in Luffy's mind. The Sovereign has returned.
We must wait for the day, another voice rumbled, deep and ancient. The day of the promise.
Luffy didn't respond. He was too tired. His consciousness was flickering like a dying candle. He let gravity take him, drifting slowly down toward the bubble of the plaza.
"He did it," Usopp whispered, his hands trembling as he lowered his binoculars. "He actually stopped it."
"He didn't just stop it," Zoro sheathed his swords, the sharp click echoing in the silent plaza. "He made the Sea Kings move it. That is the crazy part. Since when does he have a pet zoo following him?"
Luffy broke through the surface of the bubble, falling through the air.
"Gotcha!" Sanji leaped into the sky, catching his captain before he hit the ground. He landed gracefully, laying Luffy on the stone pavement.
"Luffy!" Chopper rushed forward in his small Heavy Point form, his medical bag bouncing against his hip. "Luffy! Can you hear me?"
Luffy's eyes were half-open, glazed over. He looked at the reindeer.
"Meat," Luffy mumbled.
"He is fine!" Usopp cheered. "He is asking for food!"
"No, he is not fine!" Chopper screamed, placing a hoof on Luffy's neck. "His pulse is thready! Look at his skin!"
Chopper pressed his hoof against Luffy's arm. The skin was pale, almost translucent.
"The pressure of the deep ocean," Chopper stammered, his eyes widening in horror. "He forced his body to expand into a giant while submerged in crushing depths to stop a ship the size of an island! The external pressure fought against his internal inflation!"
"What does that mean?" Nami asked, terrified.
"It means his capillaries burst!" Chopper yelled. "He didn't take damage from Hody, but he tore his own vascular system apart with that technique! He is bleeding internally and externally from thousands of micro-ruptures! He is losing blood too fast!"
Luffy's breathing was shallow. A small pool of blood began to seep from his nose and mouth, confirming the diagnosis.
"We need a transfusion!" Chopper yelled, panic rising in his voice. "Does anyone have Type F blood? I need Type F!"
"I have Type F!" Sanji stepped forward, rolling up his sleeve. "Take mine!"
Chopper looked at Sanji, then at the dried blood caked under Sanji's nose from his earlier excitement.
"You can't!" Chopper barked. "You lost liters of blood from your nosebleeds earlier! If I take your blood now, you will go into shock and die! I can't lose two idiots in one day!"
Sanji froze. "Oh. Right. I forgot about the mermaids."
"Does anyone else have Type F?" Chopper shouted to the crowd of Fishmen surrounding them. "Please! He saved your lives! He saved the island! He needs blood!"
The cheering in the plaza died instantly. The joy of victory was replaced by a heavy, suffocating silence.
The Fishmen looked at each other. They looked at their hands. They shuffled their feet.
"Type F?" a fishman murmured. "I am Type F, but..."
"We can't," another whispered, looking terrified. "The law."
It was the oldest law on the island. Sharing blood with humans is forbidden. It was a law born of hatred, of fear, of a history where humans stole fishmen and sold them into slavery. It was the law that had led to the death of their hero, Fisher Tiger.
"Why is no one moving?" Nami shouted, her voice shrill with anger. She looked at the crowd. "He just fought an army for you! He punched a ship the size of a mountain for you! And you won't give him a pint of blood?"
"It is the law," a woman cried, clutching her child. "If we mix blood, the curse."
"There is no curse!" Usopp yelled. "It is just red liquid! Are you guys stupid?"
"Is there no one?" Franky roared, removing his sunglasses to reveal tears in his eyes. "Is there no one with a super heart on this island?"
The silence stretched. It was painful. It was shameful. King Neptune looked down, shame burning in his chest, but even he could not force his subjects to break the taboo.
"Here."
A deep, gravelly voice cut through the silence like a cannonball.
The crowd parted. Jinbe, the Knight of the Sea, walked forward. He moved with a heavy, solemn grace. He walked past the hesitant citizens, past the royal guards, and stopped in front of Chopper.
He sat down on the stone tiles and rolled up the sleeve of his kimono, revealing his thick, blue arm.
"I am Type F," Jinbe said firmly. "Use my blood."
"Jinbe-oyabun!" the citizens gasped.
"But the law!" someone shouted from the back. "Jinbe-sama! You cannot! You are a hero of the Fishmen! You cannot mix your blood with a human!"
Jinbe turned his head. He looked at the crowd. His eyes were not angry, but they were disappointed.
"The law is old," Jinbe declared, his voice booming across the plaza. "It is a relic of a time we must leave behind. If we do not break it now, when will we? This man fought for us. He bled for us. He destroyed the symbol of our hatred, Hody Jones, and saved us from the ghost of the past, the Noah."
He looked back at Luffy, who was breathing shallowly.
"If his blood and my blood mix," Jinbe said softly. "Maybe the hatred will finally dissolve. Maybe this is the path Queen Otohime wanted."
Chopper didn't hesitate. He grabbed the needle. "I am doing it!"
He stuck the needle into Jinbe's thick vein. He ran the clear tube across the space between them and inserted the other end into Luffy's arm.
The crowd watched in breathless silence. They held their breath. They expected the world to end. They expected the sky to darken. They expected a curse to strike Jinbe down.
But all they saw was blood.
Red blood flowing through the tube. It left the blue arm of the fishman and entered the pale arm of the human.
"It is, red," a child whispered.
"It is the same color," a soldier murmured, dropping his weapon.
Color slowly returned to Luffy's cheeks. His chest began to rise and fall with a steady rhythm. His eyelids fluttered.
"Luffy!" Nami cried, falling to her knees.
Luffy's eyes opened. He blinked, adjusting to the light. He looked at the tube sticking out of his arm. He followed the line to the massive blue fishman sitting next to him.
"Jinbe?" Luffy mumbled, his voice hoarse.
Jinbe smiled. It was a rare, gentle smile. "Rest, Luffy-kun. You are running on my energy now."
Luffy stared at the tube for a second. Then, a slow grin spread across his face.
"Is it salty?" Luffy asked.
Jinbe blinked. Then he threw his head back and laughed. "Wahahaha! You foolish boy! Blood tastes like iron, not salt!"
"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed with him.
The tension in the plaza shattered. It broke like a dam. The citizens began to cry, but this time it wasn't fear. It was relief. It was the sound of a century-old wall crumbling down.
"He is awake!" "The hero is alive!" "Jinbe-sama broke the curse!"
"Party!" Luffy shouted, sitting up despite Chopper's protests. "I want meat! Lots of meat!"
"Yeah!" the crowd roared. "Bring the meat! Bring the sake!"
King Neptune wiped a massive tear from his eye. "Open the royal vaults! Bring all the food in the kingdom! Today, we celebrate the saviors of Fishman Island!"
Three hours later, the Ryugu Palace was vibrating. Literally vibrating from the bass of the music and the stomping of feet.
The banquet hall was a sea of colors and sounds. Mermaids swam through the air in bubbles, pouring drinks. Fishmen soldiers danced with human pirates.
Luffy sat at the head table, a massive bandage on his arm, surrounded by a fortress of food. He was eating with a ferocity that frightened the waiters.
"More!" Luffy shouted, swallowing a whole roasted hog. "And bring that takoyaki!"
"Don't eat the takoyaki!" Hacchin waved his arms from a nearby table. "I made that for Camie!"
"Too late," Luffy gulped.
Zoro sat by a massive barrel of sake, challenging the three Neptune Princes to a drinking contest.
"You guys are weak," Zoro grunted, slamming down his tenth bowl. "Is this water? I thought this was the Grand Line."
"It is 80 proof!" Fukaboshi protested, his face flushed red. "How are you still standing?"
"I don't stand," Zoro poured another bowl. "I sway with style."
Sanji was in a different kind of heaven. He was surrounded by ten mermaids who were feeding him grapes.
"I have died," Sanji declared, weeping joyfully. "Do not resuscitate me. If I go back to the ship and see Zoro's face, I will vomit. Let me stay here forever."
"You have to cook dinner tomorrow, Sanji!" Usopp yelled, stuffing his cheeks with pasta.
"I resign!" Sanji shouted. "I am a merman now!"
Luffy wiped his mouth with a tablecloth. He turned to Jinbe, who was sipping sake quietly beside him.
"So," Luffy said.
Jinbe looked up. "Yes, Luffy-kun?"
"Join my crew," Luffy said.
The table went silent. Nami stopped drinking. Zoro paused his cup. Sanji stopped crying. They all looked at Jinbe.
Jinbe placed his cup down. He closed his eyes.
"Luffy-kun," Jinbe said slowly. "I am honored. Truly. To be asked by a man like you, it is the greatest compliment a warrior could receive."
"But?" Luffy asked, not losing his smile.
"But I cannot," Jinbe said firmly. "Not yet."
"Why?" Luffy tilted his head. "You are strong. You are a good guy. You have cool eyebrows. And you are a fish. We need a fish."
"I am a fishman," Jinbe corrected with a smile. "But the reason is duty. I have unfinished business."
"Business?"
"I am currently allied with Big Mom," Jinbe explained, his face turning serious. "After Whitebeard died, I needed protection for this island. I pledged loyalty to Charlotte Linlin to keep the slavers away. If I leave now without proper protocol, her wrath will fall on this island. I cannot abandon my people to join you."
Luffy frowned. "Big Mom again. Everyone talks about her."
"She is an Emperor," Jinbe said. "She is a force of nature. I must go to her. I must sever my ties properly. I must drink the cup of departure. Only then, when I am a free man, can I join you."
Luffy looked at Jinbe. He saw the resolve in the old warrior's eyes.
"Fine," Luffy said. "I can wait."
"Thank you," Jinbe bowed his head.
"But Jinbe," Luffy said, his voice dropping. "If you go to Big Mom, tell her something for me."
"What?"
"Tell her she is fired."
Jinbe blinked. "Fired?"
"I'm taking this island," Luffy stated, stabbing a piece of meat with a fork. "It's my territory now. You, the princess, the meat. All mine."
Jinbe stared at him, then burst into laughter. "Wahahaha! You are truly reckless! Challenging an Emperor so casually? Do you have any idea what that means?"
"I'm not challenging her," Luffy said, biting the meat off the fork. "I'm replacing her."
Suddenly, the massive doors to the banquet hall slammed open. The wood splintered.
The Minister of the Right rushed in, looking pale and terrified. He tripped over his own tail and slid across the floor.
"King Neptune! King Neptune!"
"What is it?" Neptune asked, hiccuping bubbles. "More pirates? Tell them to join the party!"
"No! It is not a party!" The Minister screamed. "It is the Big Mom Pirates!"
The music stopped. The room went cold.
"What?" Jinbe stood up instantly.
"Pekoms and Baron Tamago are at the candy factory!" The Minister trembled. "They are demanding the monthly tribute! Ten tons of candy!"
"The tribute?" Neptune sobered up instantly. "But the factory was destroyed during the battle! The falling rubble crushed the machines! All the candy was buried or eaten!"
"They say if they don't get the candy," the Minister whispered, "they will burn the island down."
Luffy stood up. He swallowed the last of his food. He adjusted his hat.
"Zoro. Sanji," Luffy called out.
"Yeah," Zoro stood up, grabbing his swords. The drunkenness vanished from his eye instantly.
"Ready," Sanji stood up, lighting a fresh cigarette. The hearts in his eyes were gone, replaced by cold steel.
"Where is the factory?" Luffy asked.
"Luffy-chin!" Camie swam over, grabbing his arm. "You can't fight them! They are a Yonko's crew! They are monsters with bounties over 300 million!"
Luffy looked at Camie and smiled. "300 million? That's cute."
He looked at Jinbe.
"You said you wanted to sever ties, right?" Luffy asked.
Jinbe nodded slowly.
"Then let's go make a phone call," Luffy said.
The Candy Factory was a ruin of twisted metal and crushed stone. Standing amidst the rubble were two figures who radiated arrogance.
One was a long-legged man with an egg-shaped body, holding a teacup. Baron Tamago. The other was a lion-mink wearing a pink suit and sunglasses. Pekoms.
"This is unacceptable-bon," Tamago said, sipping his tea. "Mama is expecting ten tons of candy for her tea party in three days. If we return empty-handed, she will eat us. Literally."
"Gao!" Pekoms roared. "These fishmen are useless! If they don't have the candy, we take the treasure! And then we burn the town to teach them a lesson!"
"Hey!"
Luffy walked out of the shadows of the factory entrance. He was flanked by Zoro and Sanji. Jinbe followed closely behind.
"Who are you?" Pekoms snarled. "A human?"
"I'm the guy who ate the candy," Luffy said calmly.
Pekoms and Tamago stared at him.
"You, ate it?" Tamago lowered his tea. "Ten tons? That is impossible-bon."
"It was delicious," Luffy patted his stomach. "Especially the chocolate ones."
"You insolent brat!" Pekoms threw his sunglasses on the ground. "Do you know who that candy belonged to? It belonged to Charlotte Linlin! The Great Big Mom! Stealing from her is a death sentence!"
"I didn't steal it," Luffy said. "It was just sitting there."
"Die!" Pekoms roared. He crouched down, then launched himself at Luffy.
He was fast. He was a master of Haki and a Zoan fruit user. He transformed into his turtle form mid-air for defense, then switched to offense, aiming a Haki-clad claw at Luffy's neck.
"Caribou Swamp!" Pekoms yelled. "Wait, no, just die!"
Luffy didn't move. He didn't blink. He watched the lion-turtle hybrid flying toward him.
"Luffy-kun!" Jinbe warned. "He is a Haki user!"
Luffy's eyes narrowed.
"I know."
Luffy didn't dodge. He waited until Pekoms was inches away.
Clang.
Pekoms' claw hit Luffy's neck. It shattered. Not the claw, but the force behind it. It was like hitting a diamond wall.
Pekoms' eyes popped out. "What? He didn't even block? My Haki, didn't work?"
Luffy looked at Pekoms. His expression was bored.
"You are too weak to dance."
Luffy grabbed Pekoms by the mane. He pulled his head back.
"Sleep."
Thud.
Luffy headbutted him.
The sound was like a thunderclap. Pekoms' eyes rolled back into his head. The lion-mink collapsed instantly, knocked unconscious by a single, casual hit.
Tamago dropped his teacup. It shattered on the floor. "Pekoms! You one-shotted a 330 million berry bounty holder? Who are you-bon?"
Luffy looked at Tamago. Then he looked at the Transponder Snail Tamago was holding. It was ringing. Puru. Puru. Puru.
"Is that her?" Luffy asked.
Tamago nodded, terrified. "Y-Yes."
Luffy took the snail from Tamago's shaking hand. He picked up the receiver.
"Hello?" a terrifying, deep female voice drooled from the speaker. It sounded like grinding stones and bubbling acid. "Is that you, Tamago? Where is my candy?"
Luffy held the snail. His eyes narrowed. The air around him grew heavy. The pressure in the ruins increased. This was it. The first interaction with an Emperor.
"I ate it," Luffy said.
Silence on the other end.
"Who is this?" Big Mom's voice dropped. "Do you have a death wish?"
"I am Monkey D. Luffy," he declared. "The man who will be King of the Pirates."
"Luffy?" Big Mom mused. "Ah. Garp's grandson. The rookie. The one who made a mess at Marineford. You think because you beat a few warlords you can talk to me?"
"I don't think," Luffy said. "I know."
"You owe me candy," Big Mom hissed. "I will come there. I will destroy that island. I will drag you out of the ruins and turn you into a cupcake."
Luffy's expression darkened. He remembered what Jinbe said. He remembered Shirahoshi's tears. He remembered the blood flowing through the tube in his arm.
He wasn't going to let anyone touch this place. Not Hody. Not the Navy. And certainly not an old lady who liked sweets too much.
"You are an Emperor," Luffy said, his voice cold and devoid of humor. "You sit on a throne and eat sweets while threatening people."
He gripped the snail tighter.
"Listen to me, Linlin."
The usage of her name made Tamago gasp.
"I am taking Fishman Island under my protection," Luffy stated. "It is my territory now. If you want to touch it, you have to go through me."
"You defy me?" Big Mom roared. The Transponder Snail shook with her rage. "I am a Yonko!"
Luffy smiled. It was the smile of a predator sensing a challenge. The smile of the Apex Rubber King.
"If you come here," Luffy said, his voice dropping to a whisper that echoed with the weight of a King. "I won't just beat you. I will crush you."
He didn't wait for a response. He slammed the receiver down.
Click.
Luffy turned to Tamago, who was shaking like a leaf.
"Tell your boss," Luffy pointed at the unconscious Pekoms. "The New World has a new set of rules."
He noticed a large, heavy sack lying near Pekoms' feet. It was the stolen royal treasure, gleaming through a tear in the fabric. Tamago's eyes darted toward it, desperation on his face.
"Wait-bon!" Tamago stammered. "At least, give us the treasure! We cannot return with nothing! Mama will kill us!"
Luffy walked over to the sack. He picked it up effortlessly with one hand. Tamago reached out, hoping.
Luffy pulled the sack back.
"No," Luffy said.
Tamago froze. "No? But you said you ate the candy! That is payment!"
"I don't pay for food I found," Luffy said, swinging the sack over his shoulder. "Besides, I have a navigator who loves money. If I give this to you, she will beat me up. And she hits harder than Big Mom."
"You, you are robbing us?" Tamago shrieked. "You ate the candy and you keep the treasure? That is not how deals work-bon!"
"I didn't make a deal," Luffy said, his eyes flashing red. "I made a declaration. Now get lost before I change my mind and beat you up too."
Tamago scrambled backward, realizing he was dealing with a madman. He grabbed the unconscious Pekoms by the collar.
"Y-Yes! We are leaving! You will regret this, Straw Hat! Mama never forgets-bon!"
They ran. They didn't look back, disappearing into the shadows of the factory ruins.
Luffy watched them go. He felt the weight of the moment. He had just declared war on a Yonko and refused to pay a single berry in tribute.
Zoro grinned, his hand resting on his sword. "You really did it now, Captain. Picking a fight with the biggest monster in the sea and robbing her messengers."
Sanji lit a cigarette, blowing smoke into the air. "Nami-san will be pleased with the gold. But we might have just invited an apocalypse."
Jinbe looked at Luffy with a mix of shock and admiration. "You kept the treasure? You truly fear nothing."
"Treasure is good," Luffy shrugged, patting the sack. "But mostly, I didn't like his face."
Luffy turned back to his crew. The seriousness vanished, replaced by his trademark grin.
"Shishishi! Now that the boring stuff is done, let's go back to the party! I have a present for Nami!"
"You just ate ten tons of candy!" Usopp yelled from behind a rock where he had been hiding. "How are you still hungry?"
"Pirate King needs energy!" Luffy laughed.