En route to Nanohana Port.
The ice trail stretched ahead like a winding river of glass, shimmering under the relentless desert sun. The Orcas skated across it at a steady pace, their laughter and chatter echoing across the dunes. While some of them glided smoothly—like Alvida, Sanji, and Nojiko—others were far less graceful.
To help the less agile members, Zino had created a sledge from ice, pushed by a few of them: Sanji, Gin, and Kruz. Marianne and Kaya took seats on it, while Chloris and Moris sat cross-legged, enjoying the ride like a pair of traveling monks.
Riding at the front, Zino glanced back. "So, Marianne… Are you sure about joining our pirate ship?"
The girl in the yellow beret gave a small nod. "Yes. Let me stay. I don't want to go back to that kind of organization again."
Zino observed her for a moment, reading the honesty in her eyes. Around them, none of the crew voiced any objection.
"Then… welcome aboard," he said simply.
A soft smile appeared on Marianne's face. It was the first genuine one she'd shown in days.
But before they could celebrate the new addition, a voice called out from behind.
"What about me? Does your offer from before still stand?"
The group turned in unison, eyes widening as they saw a familiar figure gliding toward them—calm, elegant, and mysterious as ever.
"Nico Robin…" several of the crew murmured, a mix of surprise and guardedness in their voices.
Robin slowed to a graceful stop, her coat billowing slightly from the breeze. "I hope I'm not too late."
Zino smiled as if seeing an old friend. "I haven't seen you since the day we left the ruins."
"I needed time to rest and... slip away from the chaos," Robin replied. "But now that you're leaving, I'd like to come with you—if your invitation still stands."
There was a pause.
Sanji's jaw dropped, his eyes heart-shaped in an instant. "Robin-chwaaaan!!"
Hibari raised a brow. "Well… she's dangerous."
"Yeah," Zoro muttered. "But so are we."
After another glance around, Zino gave his answer. "You're always welcome on my ship."
Robin bowed her head in thanks. "Then I'll be in your care."
"And just like that, we've doubled our crew in a day," Zino chuckled. "We're starting to look like a proper pirate crew."
"More like a floating circus," Stev muttered from the sled, rubbing his sore back.
"With this many people," Gin said, "we might want to think about upgrading the ship."
"I can help with that," Hibari chimed. "We could redesign the Silent Orca into a larger vessel—same name, just… more room."
Binko nodded. "I'll help too. We can start by sketching something. Something that still moves fast."
Zino waved it off for now. "Let's think about that later. The Silent Orca still has enough room for all of us. When it doesn't, we'll build something better."
"Alright." Hibari and Binko nodded.
As they continued skating across the glistening desert ice road, the group took a short break near a rocky dune. The sun was still high, but the shimmering path below kept them cool. It was during this pause that Usopp, catching his breath at the back, decided to speak up.
"You know… we've been picking up a lot of former Baroque Works lately," he said, half-thinking aloud.
Instantly, Mikita, Marianne, and Nico Robin—all ex-agents—turned to glance at him.
Usopp panicked. "I-I don't mean I'm against it!" he stammered, waving his hands defensively. "It's just that… well, you guys had reputations. Your names might attract more Marines, you know?"
His words hung in the air. The atmosphere turned slightly tense.
Robin's expression remained unreadable, but her eyes dimmed for a moment. She had been chased by the world government for most of her life. Being reminded of that—again—wasn't pleasant.
Marianne lowered her gaze, while Mikita gave a small sigh.
"Reputation, huh?" Stev broke the silence, adjusting his goggles and glancing toward the ex-agents. "Well, out of curiosity… how high were your bounties before?"
Mikita flicked her hair and replied coolly, "7.5 million berries."
Marianne rubbed her chin thoughtfully before answering. "Mine was 29 million."
All eyes turned to Robin.
She gave her signature mysterious smile. "79 million berries."
There was a collective gasp.
Even Alvida whistled. "Now that's something. You've got a higher bounty than our captain."
"Really?" Stev turned to Zino with surprise. "Captain, how much were you worth?"
"45 million berries," Zino replied calmly, as if he was announcing the weather.
Zoro, leaning on his skates, shrugged. "15 million for me."
"12 million," Gin added without hesitation.
Alvida folded her arms. "10 million here."
Sanji, who had been silent until now, frowned and crossed his arms. "…I don't have a bounty yet."
There was a brief pause before Kruz grinned. "So you're the most mysterious one here, huh?"
"Shut up," Sanji muttered, clearly embarrassed.
Gin chuckled. "Don't worry, Sanji. I'm sure it won't be long."
"Yeah," Hibari added with a smirk. "With the way you cook, some Marine admiral might start chasing you just for the recipes."
The group laughed, lightening the tension.
Usopp scratched his head. "I guess… I just didn't think how many of us had such dangerous histories."
Robin, her expression softening, said, "Dangerous… or experienced. Depends on how you look at it."
Zino turned toward the group. "The way I see it, your past doesn't matter. You're here now. That means you're part of this crew—and that's what counts."
There was a small but noticeable shift in the atmosphere. Marianne nodded quietly. Mikita smiled for real. Robin, though she said nothing, looked grateful.
Stev tapped his chin. "Still, at this rate, the Marines will think we're building a rogue's gallery of elites."
Zino smirked. "Let them think what they want. We'll decide who we are."
Just then, Kruz—currently Creed—said, "Speaking of ex-agents, there's something I need to tell you all."
Everyone turned to him.
"Back then when we fought each other, I fought someone called Mr. 3."
Robin's eyes narrowed. "Mr. 3?"
"Galdino?" Marianne asked, looking toward Creed with mild surprise.
"Yes. That's him," Creed confirmed. Then he turned to face Zino directly. "Captain, I think we should recruit him."
Zino blinked. "That guy with the wax powers huh. I guess his ability is pretty useful."
Creed shook his head. "It's more than that. He's not just generating wax. He's actually able to transform his body into liquid wax. I think… he might be a Logia."
That caught everyone's attention.
"Body turning into liquid wax?" Zino frowned, thinking. "That's not Logia. That would make him a Special Paramecia."
Robin's brow furrowed. "I've never heard of Galdino having that level of ability before. Or, did he hid his ability?"
Zino's thoughts raced. In the canon timeline he remembered, Galdino could only create and control wax, like a sculptor molding material. He never became wax himself. That was a huge change—one that couldn't be ignored.
Another butterfly effect, huh?
Zino's glanced at Creed. "So, where can I find him?"
Creed answered. "Well, I sent him somewhere."
"Sent him?" Sanji echoed, suspicion rising. "You mean you let him go?"
"Not quite," Creed said calmly. "I used my ability. I ate the Saku Saku no Mi, the Rift-Rift Fruit. I can tear open dimensional rifts—like doors through space. I trapped him inside Spring Island."
There was a pause. Everyone was processing it. Kruz is actually a devil fruit user?
While everyone was in thought, Creed raised his hand and slashed the air with his fingers. A shimmering rift split open—a swirling gateway into a strange, glowing void.
"Come," he said.
Zino gave a brief nod. Then, Creed and Zino stepped into the rift—and it sealed shut with a soft snap, leaving only drifting sparkles in the air.
"Did he just kidnap the captain?" Alvida's grip tightened on her iron club, ready for violence.
"Calm down," Zoro said, although his voice was tight with concern. "Zino didn't resist. He must trust Creed… or at least want to see this through."
The crew stood still, the cold wind whispering across the ice.
...
On the serene, vibrant surface of Spring Island, a shimmer sliced through the air as a space tear opened. From within the glowing rift, Creed and Zino stepped out, their boots touching down on soft grass as the tear sealed silently behind them.
"This is Spring Island," Creed said, taking in the familiar scent of blooming flowers. "The place where I was born."
Zino glanced around, immediately struck by the lush landscape. The air was warm and fragrant, the fields alive with vibrant blossoms in pink, gold, and violet hues. Birds chirped melodically in the distance. "It's beautiful," he murmured.
"It is," Creed agreed, though his tone turned somber. "But don't let it fool you. This island has a magnetic field that traps ships. Once you're here, you're stuck. That's why it's known as the Island of Despair."
Zino raised an eyebrow. "That's a grim nickname for such a peaceful-looking place."
Creed began walking through the meadow, and Zino followed. "It's nostalgic for me… and for Friday."
Zino tilted his head. "Friday? Who's that?"
Creed stopped, then turned with a faint, almost wistful smile. "He... is me too."
Zino blinked. "Come again?"
Creed stepped closer, placing a hand over his chest. "Let me reintroduce myself. I am Freed Creed. One of Kruz's split personalities."
Zino stared, caught off guard.
Creed looked up at the sky, as if watching distant memories drift by. "It happened three months ago. Kruz found the Saku Saku no Mi and ate it, gaining the Rift-Rift ability. But something strange happened—his consciousness fractured."
"You're saying… the Devil Fruit split his mind?" Zino asked.
Creed nodded slowly. "Exactly. That's when I and another personality—Friday—came into existence. The fruit didn't just give him the power to tear space… it tore something inside him too."
Zino folded his arms, thinking. "So now three of you live in the same body?"
"Yes," Creed confirmed. "Kruz remains the primary soul, and his choices ripple through us all. What he decides influences me and Friday, whether we like it or not."
Zino looked at him carefully. There was no deception in Creed's words—just a strange, tragic sincerity. "That's… a lot to carry."
"I know," Creed said quietly. Then he met Zino's eyes. "Which brings me to why I brought you here."
Zino waited, expression calm but alert.
"Kruz has made a decision," Creed continued. "He's chosen to sail with you. That means, wherever you go, we'll follow. That also means you will be leading more than just a man named Kruz… you'll be carrying the weight of all three of us."
He took a small step forward and bowed slightly. "So please, Captain—take care of him. Of us."
Zino was silent for a long moment. Then he let out a breath and nodded once. "Alright. I will."
Creed smiled gently, the tension finally easing from his shoulders. "Good. That's all I needed to hear."
A soft hum resonated as the space around his fingertips shimmered. With a practiced motion, he tore open a glowing rift in the air—a swirling portal of pale light.
"Now that I've told you our truth," he said, stepping halfway through, "it's time we return to the crew."
But before he could fully pass through, Zino raised a hand. "Hold on. Aren't we here to find Mr. 3?"
Creed paused, blinking. "You're seriously thinking about recruiting him?"
Zino shrugged. "I just want to see what he's made of. I'm curious about his strength."
Creed raised an eyebrow. "Well… his ability's tricky. He can turn into liquid wax—practically untouchable."
"Untouchable?" Zino gave a confident grin. "Not necessarily."
Creed tilted his head, then let the rift close with a quiet sigh. "Alright then. Let's find him."
The two then set off through the vibrant Spring Island forests.