The North Blue — Flevance.
Once, this nation was famed for its underground deposits of a mineral called Amber Lead. The very soil and trees gleamed as white as snow, earning it the name "White Town."
But the same mineral that brought it glory also sealed its doom. The relentless mining poisoned the people, and the toxic curse had no cure. In the end, the nation perished, leaving behind only silence and ruin.
Now, the once-prosperous kingdom stood as a ghostly wasteland. Rubble and broken walls littered the streets—no trace of life remained.
Inside an abandoned hospital at the center of the ruined town, the Heart Pirates were resting.
Under the command of their captain, Trafalgar Law, the crew had steadily made a name for themselves in the North Blue over the past two years. Law, known for his eerie Devil Fruit ability, had earned the fearsome title of "Surgeon of Death."
At this moment, on the first floor of the hospital, a large white bear was arguing heatedly with the crew about their next move—none other than Bepo, the talking polar bear.
Bepo, a Mink, when he was young, he set sail to follow his brother Zepo's footsteps but got lost and ended up in the North Blue. Too young to remember his homeland clearly, he dedicated himself to studying navigation, hoping to return to Zou one day.
Because he could talk, Bepo was often bullied. But then Law found him. The man and the bear depended on each other, and before long, the Heart Pirates were born.
Upstairs, in a second-floor room, Law lay on a couch, a book covering his face.
Sweat soaked his body, his fingers twitched—his rest was anything but peaceful.
"Corazon!"
Law jolted upright, gasping for breath, his eyes wide in terror.
After a long pause, he grabbed a nearby bottle of alcohol and drank deeply, then walked to the window.
"Doflamingo..." he hissed, the name leaving his lips like poison.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Corazon lying before him, covered in blood. The moment Doflamingo killed him was carved into Law's memory forever.
Fueled by vengeance, Law had spent these years killing and growing stronger, driven by a single goal—to one day bring down Doflamingo himself.
Rubbing his face hard, he donned his spotted hat, grabbed his sword Kikoku, and headed downstairs.
"Captain~"
"Captain, you're finally up~"
"Captain~!"
As Law descended, the crew greeted him with eager smiles.
"Our next move," Law began after taking a seat, "is to keep striking and destroying Doflamingo's bases and cargo lines in the North Blue."
"Captain, aren't we going too far? He's one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea..." Penguin, wearing his signature penguin hat, asked nervously.
"It doesn't matter," Law said calmly, waving his hand dismissively. "Most of his power is based in the New World. Whatever happens here in the North Blue doesn't concern him. Besides..."
His eyes sharpened with a cold gleam. "My real target has always been Doflamingo himself."
The newly joined members looked stunned. They had thought their captain's goal was to raise their reputation—not to challenge a Warlord of the Sea. Suddenly, they felt a surge of hot-blooded excitement.
"Then, Captain," Bepo asked eagerly, "when are we heading to the Grand Line? I can't wait anymore!"
"Shut up, Bepo! Are you trying to get us all killed?" Shachi scolded him with a glare.
Even Bepo knew he was right. The Grand Line wasn't some playground—it was a graveyard for the unprepared. With their current strength, stepping into that sea would be suicide.
"Sorry..." Bepo drooped instantly, his ears flat, looking utterly defeated.
The others sighed. Their "apologetic bear" really had zero mental resilience.
"You're right," Law said after a pause. "It's still too early for the Grand Line. We need to grow stronger first."
He understood better than anyone how terrifying Doflamingo's family was. Without absolute confidence, Law wouldn't take that risk. For now, he'd sharpen his blade here in the North Blue—starting with the remnants of Doflamingo's forces.
While the Heart Pirates were preparing for war, another ship was soaring through the skies toward the same land—the Gale.
After crushing and slaughtering every pirate in their path, Leno and his crew finally reached the seas around Flevance. Every challenger they encountered was annihilated. As word spread, so did the legend—The Thunder God has descended upon the North Blue!
The news swept across the seas like a storm, and every faction trembled. No one knew why such a powerful figure had come north—or what he wanted.
Unaware and unconcerned about the rumors, Leno's crew now hovered above Flevance.
They had planned to stop for a brief tour, but the sight below sapped all their enthusiasm.
"Wow... why is everything white?" Chopper leaned over the railing, eyes wide with curiosity.
"If I'm not mistaken," Robin said, her tone calm but sure, "this must be the once-prosperous White Town."
"Then why is it all ruins now?" Carmen asked sadly, gazing down at the lifeless city.
"I've told you all to read more," Leno sighed, crossing his arms. "Robin, explain to them what happened here."
Robin rolled her eyes but began softly, "It started over a hundred years ago..."
As she spoke, vivid images of Flevance's rise and fall filled their minds. Kaya and Nojiko grew silent, their expressions heavy.
"The entire population... poisoned to death?!" Kaya gasped, her voice trembling. She couldn't imagine the horror of an entire nation suffering and dying in agony—with no cure.
A calm, detached voice interrupted.
"The ones who died were all commoners. The nobles fled long before it happened."
Expressionless, Leno looked down at the ruins. "Only one six-year-old boy survived—because he hid among the corpses."
"Damn those nobles! Damn the World Government! Why don't they all just die?!" Yamato roared, trembling with rage. The tragedy could have been prevented—but greed had triumphed over humanity.
For a moment, she felt ashamed of her own life in Wano. At least there, the people still lived. But here...
Before Yamato could continue venting, Carmen suddenly screamed,
"Look—there are people down there!"
"...!!!"