North Blue · Winter Island · Minion.
Under overcast skies, a snowy wasteland.
In the biting wind, the city—now in ruins—lay in dead silence.
Once a World Government affiliate nation, it had been as bustling as Sabaody Archipelago's Area 36 mangrove.
But sadly, with the mounting burden of the Heavenly Tribute, Minion Island refused to wage wars on other countries for plunder. It got booted from the World Council, fell into decline, and now sat quiet as a graveyard.
Out on the sea, five sunken warships burned. The island's shores were littered with the bodies of high-ranking Navy officers. Clearly, a fierce battle had just raged here.
"Huff... huff... huff!"
Corazon, covered in bloody wounds, collapsed in the snow, his panting breaths freezing into frost that fell back on his face.
"It's been half a year, Corazon!"
Doflamingo, in his wine-red suit with hands in his pockets, loomed over him.
"Where's Law? And why betray me? My dear brother!"
Corazon propped himself up against a chunk of wrecked warship on the shore, his trembling hand lighting a cigarette.
"Marineford, 01746, Navy HQ Lieutenant Commander Rosinante, Donquixote Family Captain Doflamingo—I'm undercover to stop the tragedy you're about to unleash!"
With that, he pulled a pistol from his coat and aimed it at the man in front of him.
"You bastard—you can talk?!"
Pica drew a massive sword from behind, stepping in front of Doflamingo.
"Step aside, Pica. This guy won't shoot!"
Stepping past his family member guarding him, Doflamingo's rage boiled higher with every stride.
Gritting his teeth, he drew his own flintlock and pointed it at Corazon.
"Now, only one question matters: Where's Law?!"
"Heh heh, you'll never find him. That kid's free now!"
Corazon pinched the cigarette between his fingers, lit it, took a deep drag, and cocked the hammer on his pistol with his other hand.
He'd handed Law off to someone reliable. That boy's fate wouldn't be chained by the abomination Doflamingo's malice had forged.
So now, Corazon could settle things with his brother without regrets!
Kill him, or be killed by him!
At that moment, Diamante leaned in and whispered to Doflamingo: "Doffy, the Ope Ope Fruit deal on the island's south side is about to go down!"
"Of all times!"
Veins bulged down Doflamingo's forehead as he gripped his pistol tighter.
"Why?! Corazon, why make me kill my real family twice?!"
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
Every Donquixote Family member present widened their eyes in disbelief at the scene.
"What the hell?!"
"How dare he?!"
"Aaah, Doffy, stop the bleeding quick!"
In the chaos, the panicked executives rushed forward, crowding around Doflamingo to staunch the wound.
"Rosinante! You bastard..."
Doflamingo looked down, clutching his abdomen where a penetrating bullet hole now bled, soaking his wine-red suit and dripping onto the snow.
"Haha, that Haruno Sakura was right! Wrapping the bullet in my powers really does fool Observation Haki!"
Leaning against the broken wall, Corazon's face lit up with pure, childlike joy.
"You bastard—die!"
Doflamingo shoved aside those holding him and fired his semi-automatic pistol repeatedly.
In an instant, it poured like a storm.
Bullets tore through Corazon's body, stealing his life.
"Shout!"
"Let's go. Time to reclaim what's ours—the Ope Ope Fruit!"
Without a moment's grief for killing his kin, Doflamingo led his crew charging toward the Barrels Pirates' base.
Heavy snow kept falling, slowly burying Corazon's body.
In his final moments, Corazon thought he saw Law's shadow before him.
You gotta be happy, Law!
A smile tugged at the man's lips as his head lolled weakly to the side.
"Mr. Corazon!"
A heartbroken roar echoed across the snowy plain. Law, finally reaching the shore, witnessed his death.
Law charged forward frantically, throwing himself beside Corazon.
"No, no—Mr. Corazon! Aaaaaah!"
Feeling Corazon grow colder in his arms, Law couldn't even sense the outside chill anymore. He bawled his eyes out.
"Sis Sakura, please—please save him!"
Choking on sobs, Law turned and knelt before Little Sakura.
"No kneeling! Stand up! A man dying for his beliefs—that's the coolest thing on these seas!"
Little Sakura's expression was solemn as she snapped at Law.
Right there in front of her, the man lying in the snow—dead but still smiling—had traded his life for Law's chance to stand tall. No way she'd let Law waste it!
From the start, Corazon knew taking down Doflamingo was a one-way trip.
But he'd resolved himself: using his life as a blade to cut every chain binding Law.
Navy or pirate, identity and allegiance—no longer shackles. Law could freely choose his path forward.
"Mr. Corazon..."
Hearing her words, Law stood, arm still raised to wipe his tears.
"Paying such a price for a total stranger? You're too kind for your own good, Marine!"
Little Sakura moved his body to a spot the snow wouldn't bury, draping her coat over him.
Meanwhile, in the castle on the island's south side, occupied by the Barrels Pirates.
"Damn it! That treacherous Doflamingo!"
Defector Navy officer Diez Barrels trembled with rage, smashing everything in the room.
Explosions and his crew's dying screams echoed outside, tormenting the former officer's nerves.
Finally, bloodshot eyes raised, a mad glint in them.
"Doflamingo, you want this fruit? Let's all go down together!"
In his frenzy, he grabbed a subordinate and shoved the Ope Ope Fruit straight into the guy's mouth.
BOOM!
Just then, the base's final barrier—a metal gate—exploded open.
Doflamingo stormed the castle with his Donquixote executives, only for the group to freeze.
"You bastard—what have you done?!"
Clang—!
His string cage raged in the air. The pirate who'd just eaten the fruit flew up, dissected by Doflamingo's threads.
But staring at the gnawed, powerless Ope Ope Fruit on the ground, Doflamingo's furious roar shook the whole island!
"Damn it all—!"
The echo of his bitter howl carried, even reaching Little Sakura on the north shore. She looked up toward the sound.
"Hm?"
No clue what happened, but for some reason, her mood lifted a ton.
Glancing down, Law beside her still hugged his knees, curled up like he was shutting the world out.
Little Sakura rummaged through supplies from a wrecked Navy warship, grabbed an apple, sat next to Law, and shoved it into his arms.
"Crying's over. Lift your head and stare straight ahead."
"From today, someone's entrusted you with a huge belief in their life. You gotta live—and live more amazingly than anyone!"
Her words stirred Law's frozen heart. He moved mechanically.
Dazed, he grabbed the apple she'd given him, slowly opened his mouth, and bit down.
"Yuck~ Sis Sakura, this tastes awful."
Through sniffles, the boy's choked words came out.
"Huh? You little punk, even if you're sad, you can't waste fo—"
Little Sakura's voice dried up, her eyes bulging, face going slack.
Because right in front of her, what Law held was a red heart-shaped fruit with black swirl patterns.
Superman-type · Ope Ope Fruit!
And more importantly, it had a bite taken out of it.
"Soft????"
Wait, no—WTF????