At the heart of the Golden Entertainment City, countless gamblers and pirates filled the plaza, their eyes fixed on the fleet descending from the sky.
The Ark Proverb, flagship of the Wild Dragon Pirates, made a low-altitude landing before the Gran Tesoro, that legendary golden ship-city gleaming under the sun.
A shimmering, transparent staircase extended outward and settled on the golden deck. One by one, the Wild Dragon officers strode down, forming ranks on both sides, awaiting their captain's arrival.
Then the air itself seemed to tremble.
A crushing wave of pressure rolled across the city as the man feared across the seas—the God-Slayer himself, Souta Kiryuu, sat regally upon a golden throne resting on a violet thundercloud, drifting down through the sky.
Behind him followed legends of the New World: the Pirate Empress, the Tyrant Kuma, and other top-ranked monsters of the seas.
"That's Souta Kiryuu?! He's so damn theatrical!"
"Quiet! He's got the strength to pull it off—do you?"
"Lord Kiryuu looks incredible!"
"Kiryuu-sama is unstoppable!"
Amid the noisy crowd, the Wild Dragon Pirates set foot on Tesoro's golden territory.
"You've kept me waiting, Souta Kiryuu."
The Golden Emperor Tesoro watched him with burning eyes. From the moment Kiryuu had stolen away Vegapunk, Tesoro had followed the man's rise closely. And now he stood before him—strong enough to crush admirals, challenge the Four Emperors, defy the World Government, and personally execute a Celestial Dragon and even one of the Five Elders.
"Eheheh… I told you long ago I wouldn't let you down."
Kiryuu descended from his cloud throne, a broad grin on his face, giving Tesoro—the world's richest man and his earliest backer—the respect he was due.
Back when the Wild Dragon Pirates were expanding Vegapunk's technology, Tesoro had provided countless rare materials and experimental components. The wealth and resources he supplied rivaled Germa 66's armory and even surpassed Doflamingo's entire black-market network.
"There are three Celestial Dragons aboard this ship," Tesoro said, his voice trembling with excitement. "Tell your Seraphim to lift the Gran Tesoro into the sky. I want the execution of those pigs to be the first grand event of our flying casino!"
Kiryuu nodded once. "As you wish."
With a gesture, his officer Ningen-dō activated the powers of the Float-Float Fruit, causing the enormous golden island-ship to slowly rise from the sea.
Meanwhile, Kiryuu's scientists began upgrading the ship's propulsion system, determined to give the floating casino true navigational freedom—even if its speed was sluggish, the point was spectacle.
Under Tesoro's command, the Wild Dragon officers entered the most opulent palace of the Golden City. Outside, pirates from every sea gathered, eager to join the legendary crew.
Kiryuu, not one to waste energy, told Burgess and Bartolomeo to set up a massive battle arena in the main plaza—part recruitment, part entertainment. The strong would join; the weak would bleed for the crowd.
Inside the palace, Karina the Fox gazed at Kiryuu with open admiration. She approached him, half-nervous, half-thrilled, reporting her long and dangerous journey from the East Blue through the Grand Line, all in pursuit of meeting him again.
Her admiration shone like sunlight—enough that even the Pirate Empress and the others gave the songstress a second glance.
"I've seen your efforts," Kiryuu said, smiling faintly as he brushed his hand through her violet hair. "You can join the Wild Dragon Pirates… or stay here under Tesoro's protection. Either way, Tesoro belongs to us now."
His tone was calm, but his eyes held approval. To reach the New World alone was proof enough of her ability.
"Would you like a Devil Fruit power?" he asked. "Tell me what kind. I can get you one."
Karina thought for a moment, her lips curling in a smile. "I've always loved music… I heard there's a Supernova with the Music-Music Fruit."
That caught Kiryuu slightly off guard. He'd been planning to give her a Mythical Zoan—something divine and powerful. In this era, those fruits defined true monsters.
"You mean Scratchmen Apoo?" Kiryuu mused, rubbing his chin. His arrival in this world had already thrown the "Worst Generation" into chaos. The new Supernovae were weaker, less relevant.
Of the names worth remembering—Luffy, Zoro, Drake, Apoo, Hawkins, Urouge—only two still stood out: Apoo and Hawkins.
Drake, who'd gone undercover with Kaido's crew, hadn't even had the chance to shine before Kiryuu captured him. His fate had been… unpleasant.
"Yes, that's him," Karina nodded eagerly. "I read in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia that the Music Fruit lets its user turn any part of their body into an instrument, each producing a different effect. Apoo turns his teeth into piano keys, his chest into drums, his arms into flutes and horns. Anyone who hears his performance suffers explosions, cuts—countless effects."
Her eyes glowed with excitement. The idea of her music inflicting massive, wide-scale damage thrilled her. And with her musical mastery, she could surely unlock far more refined and powerful variations than Apoo ever could.
She even mentioned knowing Uta, the "World Diva," whose Sing-Sing Fruit granted mysterious large-scale powers.
Karina's ambition was clear. If Uta had her Sing-Sing Fruit, Karina wanted the Music Fruit. Apoo, in her mind, was wasting such a beautiful gift.
And according to her intel, he still hadn't joined any of the major pirate forces—certainly not Kiryuu's. He and Hawkins were still trying to make a name for themselves in the New World.
"If that's what you want," Kiryuu said, eyes narrowing with amusement, "I'll get it for you."
If Karina desired Apoo's power, then Apoo's bad luck had already been sealed.
He should've joined the Wild Dragon Pirates—or at least sided with Big Mom or Kaido.
Now it was too late.
As for Eustass Kid, the so-called strongest of the Supernovae—his will was iron, impossible to break. Kiryuu had other plans for him. Vegapunk had requested Kid's Magnet-Magnet Fruit for lunar construction projects. The fruit had been transferred to Dr. Wolf, Vegapunk's protégé, now working with Sanjuan Wolf on massive engineering operations on the moon.
"Thank you, Kiryuu-sama!" Karina said sweetly, hiding her triumphant grin. She was now far ahead of Nami in every way—richer, more famous, and closer to power than the Cat Burglar could ever dream.
"One more thing," Kiryuu added, a curious spark in his tone. "You've met the World Diva, haven't you? I'd like to meet that red-haired daughter of Shanks."