The sun shone brightly over the open sea as the Silent Orca continued its voyage, heading toward Alabasta. The wind was steady, the waters calm, and for once, there was a brief moment of peace aboard the ship.
As always, the crew didn't waste time idling. Training had become a daily routine.
On the deck, Miria was leading another Haki session, instructing the crew on how to sharpen their senses and strengthen their spirit. Her voice was sharp, her movements precise. Several crew members were gathered around her, mimicking her stances and breathing techniques.
Not far away, Zino stood alone at the bow of the ship, tendrils of smoke curling around his arms. His eyes were focused, body tense. He inhaled deeply, channeling his Smoke Element power, testing its limits.
Suddenly—
Ding!
A translucent blue screen flickered before his eyes.
[System Notification: Smoke Element has reached Level 20. You can now integrate the next element.]
A grin broke across Zino's face. "Nice."
Just then, a fluttering shadow passed overhead.
A News Coo squawked as it glided over the ship, dropping the day's newspaper onto the deck. The bird circled once before flying off into the sky.
Alvida walked over and picked up the paper, casually flipping through the pages. "Let's see what the World Government wants us to believe today…"
But as she turned another page, her eyes caught something—an article near the bottom.
Before she could react, Vivi stepped over, curious. "What's in the news today?"
Alvida held up the page without a word.
Vivi's eyes scanned the headline—and her blood ran cold.
[ALABASTA DESCENDING INTO CHAOS: Reports of Rebellion and Civil Unrest!]
Her hands trembled as she snatched the paper and read further. The article spoke of riots breaking out across the kingdom, unrest among the people, and rumors that the royal family was losing control. Worse still, it praised Crocodile as a protector of the people—framing him as the kingdom's only hope for stability.
Vivi's face turned pale. Her breathing quickened. She turned sharply and rushed toward the front of the ship. "Zino!"
He looked back at her, immediately sensing something wrong. "What is it?"
She held out the paper. "Please. We need to get to Alabasta—now. Things are worse than I thought. He's accelerating his plan!"
Zino glanced at the headline, then calmly nodded. "We're already on course."
The rest of the crew began to gather, curious about the sudden commotion.
"What happened?" Sanji asked.
"Why did Vivi look so shaken?" added Nami, frowning.
Vivi took a breath, steadying herself. "Crocodile has started the final phase of his plan. He's manipulating the people—causing riots, spreading lies, all to turn them against the royal family. Once the kingdom collapses from within, he'll step in as the 'hero' to take the throne."
The air grew heavy as the crew processed her words.
"So… this guy's not just hiding in the shadows anymore," Zoro muttered. "He's about to make his move."
"We can't let that happen," Vivi said, her voice firm. "My people… my father… they're counting on me."
Zino saw the urgency on her face. So, he made a decision. "Then we'll get there faster. Looks like it's time to use the Wave Breaker—"
He paused mid-sentence, his eyes narrowing.
"…Huh? What's this?"
A peculiar breeze brushed past him.
It wasn't like any wind he'd felt before. It was… chaotic—hot one moment, cold the next, and pulsing with an unnatural force that made his instincts scream.
'This isn't normal,' Zino thought, scanning the sky. The breeze carried no scent of salt, no trace of moisture. Just energy. Unpredictable, untamed.
One by one, the rest of the crew began to take notice. The air shifted further, and a low hum seemed to echo across the ocean.
Nami gripped the railing tightly, eyes darting to her instruments. "This wind… it has no direction. It's not following any natural pattern."
Before she could finish, a thick mist began to creep over the sea, silently engulfing the Silent Orca.
"What the hell…?" muttered Gin, his voice swallowed by the fog.
Within moments, visibility dropped to near zero. It was impossible to see more than a few feet ahead. Even silhouettes of nearby crew members faded into the whiteness.
Zino narrowed his eyes, trying to spot anyone. "Everyone stay close!"
But just as he called out, a sudden violent gust of wind exploded across the deck.
WHOOSH!
The ship lurched violently. The sails whipped like paper, and the hull groaned under the pressure.
"ZINO!!"
"KAYA, HOLD ON!"
Voices shouted across the fog—but they were faint, fading quickly. Zino opened his mouth to respond, but the wind tore the sound from his throat. It was like screaming underwater—muffled, distant, helpless.
Then came the pull.
Zino felt it first beneath his feet—the subtle shift of gravity, the tilting of the ship. The wind wasn't just pushing them—it was dragging them downward.
"Brace for impact!" he tried to yell, but no one could hear him.
The Silent Orca was no longer sailing—it was being swallowed.
Waves twisted unnaturally around them, forming a spiraling vortex. Cold spray mixed with gusts of wind, creating a disorienting swirl that slammed against the crew like a storm from nowhere.
Zino clenched his jaw, trying to stabilize himself with Air element, but it was no use. The forces pulling the ship down were far beyond anything natural. The world around him spun violently, like being flushed through a storm tunnel. The pressure mounted in his chest. His vision blurred. His breath caught.
Then—
Thud!
The motion stopped.
Zino felt his body slam into something solid. Cold. Hard.
He gasped, coughing as he sat up, snow sticking to his clothes. Around him, the fog began to thin. Slowly, his vision cleared.
What met his eyes was surreal.
He was lying on a snow-covered field, surrounded by frost-laced trees and frozen rocks. The air was still. Icy. Completely unlike the Grand Line's unpredictable climate from moments ago.
"…Where the hell am I?" he muttered, scanning the silent, white expanse.
The Silent Orca was nowhere in sight. Nor was his crew.
Only silence.
Only snow.
And the chilling realization that he had arrived somewhere far, far from where he intended. The sudden occurrence made him look with a blank face. He could not help but voice his doubt out.
"A winter island?"
...
On another island.
The sun blazed mercilessly overhead, radiating intense heat that shimmered off the cracked, dry ground. The entire landscape seemed parched, the earth split with jagged fissures and steaming in places. Yet, despite the suffocating heat, the island was far from barren. Strangely tall trees stood proudly across the scorched land, their green leaves lush and vibrant as if nourished by invisible water. It defied logic—but logic rarely applied in the Grand Line.
Suddenly, a violent surge of water spiraled down from the sky, mixed with mist and swirling winds. From within the vortex, a battered ship came crashing down, slamming onto the shoreline with a heavy thud and a spray of seawater.
Groans echoed across the sand as figures began to stir.
"Ugh… what just happened?" Gin muttered, sitting up and rubbing the back of his head.
"My back… hurts like hell…" Ussop whined as he struggled to his feet, clutching his lower back. "Is this what it feels like to be hit by a sea train?"
Vivi groaned, while Hibari helped her to stand up.
Miria scanned their surroundings. Although she was the strongest in the ship, she was actually swept by that strange storm. That's why she was warily observing the place.
She slowly stood, brushing sand from her uniform. The scorching air made it hard to breathe, yet the land pulsed with strange energy. Hibari remained quiet but alert, peering into the distance with furrowed brows.
"…This island's alive," she finally said, cryptically. "Where is this?"
The five of them stared at the bizarrely lush-yet-scorched terrain, trying to make sense of their situation. One thing was clear—they were no longer with the rest of the crew.
...
Meanwhile, on a different Island.
Waves gently lapped the shore of a peaceful-looking land, where colorful flower petals blanketed the soft earth like a natural carpet. The air was cool and fragrant, completely different from the fiery heat of the previous island.
Lying unconscious among the blossoms was Nami, her orange hair spread across a bed of petals.
"Hey… Nami. Wake up," a voice called.
Zoro knelt beside her, lightly tapping her cheek. She stirred with a faint groan.
"Ugh… Zoro?" she muttered, blinking her eyes open. "Where are we? What happened?"
"Wish I knew," Zoro replied, his hand casually resting near his swords.
Not far off, Binko emerged from the forest line, his curious eyes scanning the vibrant flora. He quickened his steps as he spotted them.
"Thank goodness you're okay," he said. "This place… it's like a garden. So many flowers… it's almost too peaceful."
Before they could discuss further, a warm voice suddenly echoed across the clearing.
"Welcome, guests."
All three instantly turned, eyes narrowing.
Standing a few meters away was a middle-aged man with a thick beard and a friendly face. He wore simple islander clothes and waved enthusiastically.
"Finally, someone else shows up! It's been ages!" he said with a bright grin, as if he'd stumbled into a dream.
Zoro's hand inched toward his katana. "Who are you?"
"Easy there, young man," the stranger said calmly, raising his hands to show he meant no harm. "I'm just a humble islander. Name's Freed Kruz, but most just call me Kruz. I live here."
The group exchanged cautious glances. This was no ordinary island.
...
On Autumn Island.
The sky was still rumbling faintly as the tail of the strange seasonal storm faded, leaving behind only drifting leaves and the sound of rustling trees. The air was crisp and cool, filled with the earthy scent of falling foliage.
Among the amber-colored woods, four figures lay scattered across the forest floor, groaning and disoriented—Sanji, Alvida, Nojiko, and the ever-loyal giant duck, Karoo.
Sanji was the first to rise, clutching his head as he staggered to his feet. His blond hair was tousled, and his spiral eyebrow twitched with mild panic. "Nami-swan! Vivi-chan! Nojiko-chan! Miria-neesan! Alvida-san!" he cried, eyes darting around desperately for any trace of the ladies of the ship.
"Tch. Could you not shout right next to my ear?" Alvida groaned, sitting up and rubbing her temples. "You're making this headache worse."
"Alvida-swaaaan!" Sanji's eyes sparkled as he turned and rushed toward her, arms open like he was about to embrace a goddess.
BONK!
A heavy fist came crashing down on his head.
"I said stop shouting!" Alvida snapped, shaking her fist.
Not far away, Karoo let out a distressed quack! as she waddled over to Nojiko, nudging her shoulder with her beak. Nojiko stirred and slowly sat up, brushing leaves from her hair.
"Where… are we?" she asked, glancing around the unfamiliar forest. The ground was covered in a thick carpet of red, orange, and yellow leaves, and the trees stretched high with twisted branches heavy with the last remnants of autumn.
Sanji straightened, eyes still darting between the trees. "Doesn't look like the Grand Line I know…where is everyone?"
"They might've been swept elsewhere by the storm," Alvida muttered, scanning the treetops warily. "That wind didn't feel natural."
"Quack!" Karoo stomped in agreement, flapping her wings urgently. She pointed her beak deeper into the forest, trying to say something—but, as usual, none of the humans understood.
"We need to regroup. Fast," Nojiko said, already brushing off her skirt and adjusting her headband.
Sanji nodded. "Right! Let's find the others! Nami-chwaaaan! Where are you!?"
His voice echoed through the forest, scattering a flock of birds from the treetops.
The group began to walk through the foliage-covered path, their footsteps crunching with every step. The forest was peaceful—but something about it felt too quiet, too still. They had no idea that the island wasn't just marked by the season—it was influenced by it. The further they walked, the stranger the patterns of nature would become.
But for now, all they could do was move forward, and hope the rest of the crew was safe.