The sea never stopped moving.
Neither did the Athena.
Season after season, the magnificent ship continued sailing through every magnetic route of Paradise. Countless islands came and went beyond the horizon. Some were remembered for their breathtaking landscapes, others for the people they met, while many simply became another page in the ever-growing story of the ART Pirates.
Time passed quietly.
Without anyone noticing...
One year slipped away.
The crew continued growing stronger—not because Arthur demanded it, but because every one of them had discovered a reason to improve.
Robin's personal library gradually expanded until several shelves had been built specifically to hold the countless books she collected from every island they visited. Ancient legends, forgotten customs, navigation journals, medical records, and local folklore filled the growing collection. Every evening, the quiet sound of turning pages became as familiar aboard the Athena as the rhythm of the waves themselves.
Law's laboratory slowly transformed into one of the most advanced medical facilities sailing the seas. Stacks of research journals covered nearly every available surface. Charts detailing Devil Fruit interactions, anatomical sketches, and observations from years of experimentation accumulated one after another. Every island offered him another puzzle, another disease to study, another technique to refine.
Baby-5's kitchen evolved alongside their journey. Spices from snowy kingdoms stood beside herbs gathered in tropical forests. Recipes collected from humble fishing villages shared the same shelves as dishes once served only to royalty. Every meal aboard the Athena became a reminder of another island, another culture, another memory they had carried with them across the sea.
Sugar never lost her love for sweets.
If anything...
It became worse.
Every island offered another dessert she insisted everyone had to try. Yet behind her carefree smile, hours of relentless practice slowly transformed her into one of the finest marksmen in Paradise. Her shots became calmer. Faster. More precise. Targets once thought impossible gradually became routine.
Bepo remained exactly who everyone expected him to be. No matter where they landed, children somehow found him within minutes. By sunset, he would inevitably be surrounded
by laughing boys and girls climbing over his enormous white fur, dragging him into games he never seemed capable of refusing. It had become such a familiar sight that the crew often joked the Athena carried two navigators—Hancock for the ship, and Bepo for finding playgrounds.
Koala continued perfecting Fish-Man Karate with unwavering dedication. Each passing year brought greater harmony between martial arts and her Devil Fruit abilities. She no longer relied on raw power alone. Every movement became smoother, every strike more controlled, every technique more elegant than the last.
Monet rarely remained idle. Whenever the crew visited a new island, she quietly disappeared into its towns and cities. Tavern owners, merchants, wandering adventurers, retired sailors, and traveling scholars gradually became pieces of a growing network that stretched across Paradise. Long before newspapers reached the Athena, important information often arrived through people who simply trusted Monet enough to write a letter.
Hancock's mastery of navigation became almost frightening. The impossible weather of the Grand Line, once capable of surprising even experienced sailors, gradually became something she could anticipate through subtle changes in the wind, the clouds, and the sea itself. Storms that would have doomed ordinary crews became little more than obstacles quietly avoided.
Kuina remained unchanged in one regard. She never skipped a single day of training. Rain or sunshine. Calm seas or violent storms. Whether the Athena rocked gently or was tossed between towering waves, the steady sound of her blade cutting through the air never disappeared.
And then...
There was Baccarat. Among everyone aboard the Athena... she changed the most. The woman who had once hidden behind Arthur during every dangerous encounter slowly disappeared. The hesitation in her eyes faded. The uncertainty in her voice vanished. She no longer looked toward others before making a decision. She trusted herself. Sometimes she even caught herself smiling without realizing it. Confidence had quietly replaced fear.
Arthur never pointed it out.
He never praised her.
He simply noticed the quiet confidence that had replaced her fear...
and smiled.
...
Another year passed.
Then another.
Before anyone realized it...
Two years had already gone by.
Life aboard the Athena settled into a rhythm that none of them had expected.
Arthur's children grew a little taller with every passing season. Their laughter echoed across the deck from sunrise until sunset as they chased one another between the masts. Wooden swords replaced wooden toys. Curious questions replaced childish cries.
The three Angeloids never left their side. Ikaros watched over them with quiet devotion. Nymph spoiled them whenever Arthur wasn't looking. Astrea somehow managed to become both their bodyguard and their favorite playmate. Watching them together, strangers often assumed they were one family.
Perhaps...
They already were.
Without anyone ever discussing it...
The Athena slowly changed. It was no longer merely a pirate ship—it had become home. A place where breakfast was shared together every morning. Where arguments ended in laughter. Where victories were celebrated. Where failures became lessons instead of regrets. Where no one ever had to face tomorrow alone.
...
Three years passed.
Then four.
Time continued flowing like the endless sea.
The crew that had once entered the Grand Line as ambitious young pirates gradually matured into something entirely different. Their bodies became stronger. Their movements more refined. Their decisions more thoughtful.
The recklessness of youth slowly gave way to quiet confidence earned through countless experiences. They no longer looked like pirates chasing adventure. They looked like veterans who had already survived it.
Yet among all the changes...
One quality endured through every passing year.
Arthur.
Whether speaking with kings or fishermen...
Whether standing before wealthy nobles or hungry children...
He treated everyone exactly the same. He still wandered unfamiliar streets carrying nothing more than a sketchbook. He still spent hours listening to ordinary people tell stories about their lives. He still repaired broken furniture when no one asked. He still painted landscapes simply because he thought they were beautiful.
Titles came.
Fame followed.
The world called him an Emperor.
Arthur simply accepted each of them with the same quiet smile before returning to the things he had always loved. As the years quietly slipped away...
The crew matured.
The seas grew rougher.
The world became louder.
But Arthur never stopped finding beauty in the ordinary things the rest of the world had long since forgotten to see.
The world never stopped watching. While the ART Pirates quietly continued their five-year voyage across Paradise, newspapers carried their name farther than the Athena itself ever could. At first... they were simply another rising pirate crew. Then... they became one of the greatest mysteries on the seas.
...
Every few months, another headline appeared.
THE ART PIRATES SIGHTED IN THE SOUTHERN ROUTE OF PARADISE
A few weeks later...
THE FIFTH EMPEROR HELPS REBUILD A TOWN AFTER A STORM
Then another.
MARINE FLEET ARRIVES TOO LATE—THE ART PIRATES HAVE ALREADY DEPARTED
Then another.
ARTHUR REFUSES TO CLAIM TERRITORY ONCE AGAIN
The pattern repeated itself for years.
No matter where they appeared... they never stayed long.
No island flew the ART Pirates' flag.
No kingdom paid them tribute.
No nation declared itself under Arthur's protection.
Unlike every other Emperor, Arthur never expanded his influence through conquest.
He simply... kept sailing.
...
The newspapers eventually gave him a new title.
The Uncrowned Emperor.
The Emperor Without a Throne. An Emperor Without Territory.
The name spread across every sea.
Some admired it.
Others mocked it.
Most simply couldn't understand it.
..
Inside a crowded tavern somewhere in Paradise, drunken pirates burst into laughter as one of them slammed a newspaper onto the table.
"The Uncrowned Emperor?" one pirate scoffed.
"What kind of Emperor doesn't even own an island?" Another emptied his mug in a single gulp.
"He talks about changing the world..."
"...but he's spent five years hiding in Paradise."
Laughter erupted throughout the tavern.
"He's afraid of the New World."
"I bet the moment he sees one of the real Emperors, he'll turn his ship around."
"He's nothing more than a celebrity."
"A paper Emperor."
Their laughter grew louder. Until someone quietly spoke from the darkest corner of the room.
"You've never been to the New World..."
The laughter gradually faded. An old pirate sat alone with a weathered coat draped across his shoulders. Deep scars crossed both his face and hands, while one empty sleeve hung motionless at his side. He calmly folded the newspaper before setting it down.
"So you shouldn't mistake patience for fear."
No one answered. The old pirate took another slow drink.
"I've seen pirates rush into the New World chasing glory."
"I've buried most of them." Silence spread across the tavern.
"If Arthur truly wanted territory..." He looked toward Arthur's photograph printed across the front page.
"He could've taken it years ago."
"Then why hasn't he?" One pirate frowned.
"Because he's collecting something far more valuable." The old veteran smiled faintly.
"What?"
"Experience."
"Five years?" Another pirate laughed nervously.
"He wasn't preparing for Paradise." The veteran nodded.
"He's preparing for the world." His eyes remained fixed upon Arthur's bounty poster.
...
Across Paradise, Arthur's name gradually became impossible to ignore.
Merchants spoke of the pirate who repaired damaged ports before sailing away without asking for payment.
Travelers shared stories of a crew that accepted no tribute, claimed no territory, and disappeared before anyone could properly thank them.
Every island seemed to know a different version of Arthur.
Yet none of those stories explained where he was truly heading.
...
Far away, within Marine Headquarters, stacks of intelligence reports covered an enormous conference table. Each document contained the same name.
Phantasm D. Arthur.
"No territorial expansion." One officer flipped through another report.
"No attacks against civilian kingdoms." Another opened a different file.
"No confirmed alliances with underground organizations." A third frowned.
The room grew unusually quiet.
"Then what exactly has he been doing for the past five years?" One Vice Admiral finally broke the silence.
No one could answer. Because every report ended the same way.
Destination: Unknown.
Next objective: Unknown.
Long-term strategy: Unknown.
That uncertainty disturbed the Marines more than any confirmed military campaign ever could. An enemy without visible ambition was impossible to predict.
...
High above the Red Line...
Within the Holy Land of Mary Geoise...
Another report reached the World Government. A white-gloved agent placed the document upon an enormous table before silently stepping back. Several figures read the report without speaking.
After several moments...
One of them finally broke the silence.
"Still no territory?"
"No."
"No fleet?"
"No."
"No declaration of war?"
"None."
The room fell silent once more. Then another voice spoke.
"That's precisely why he's dangerous." Several eyes turned toward the speaker.
"He doesn't waste his strength maintaining an empire."
"He doesn't exhaust his crew protecting islands."
"He doesn't divide his attention governing nations."
The report was slowly closed.
"Everything he has..."
"...is focused on moving forward."
Silence returned. Finally, a single order was given.
"Increase surveillance." Another voice calmly added,
"From this day onward..."
"...every movement made by the ART Pirates is to be reported immediately."
No one questioned the command. For the first time in years...
The World Government had begun treating Arthur not as a rising pirate...
But as an Emperor whose next move could shake the balance of the entire world.
...
By the end of those five years, the Athena no longer resembled the ship that had first entered Paradise.
Every plank had been repaired countless times.
Every sail carried the memory of distant islands.
The polished railings, worn deck planks, and weathered corners all bore the marks of years spent together at sea.
The magnificent ship cut gracefully through the calm waters of Paradise, its white sails billowing proudly beneath the morning sun.
It no longer resembled the vessel that had first entered the Grand Line.
It felt alive.
Arthur's three children, no longer toddlers, raced one another between the masts with wooden swords clutched in their hands.
"I'm faster!"
"No, you're cheating!"
"I'm not cheating!"
Astrea burst into laughter before scooping all three children into her arms at once.
"You three are all cheating!"
"Astrea!"
The children squealed as she spun them around. Nearby, Ikaros watched over them quietly, a gentle smile softened her usually expressionless face.
"They're going to break something again." Nymph sighed dramatically.
"They already did," Astrea answered cheerfully.
"...What?" Nymph blinked.
Astrea pointed toward the broken bucket lying upside down near the mast.
"It wasn't my fault!" The children immediately pointed at one another.
"Don't worry." Arthur simply laughed.
"It can be repaired." He picked up the broken bucket.
Within moments, the cracked wood had been carefully restored beneath his hands.
"Dad can fix anything." Lancelot looked up at him with sparkling eyes.
"Not everything." Arthur chuckled.
"What can't you fix?" Merlin tilted his head.
"Time." Arthur looked toward the children playing across the deck. The answer lingered quietly in the morning breeze.
...
Life aboard the Athena continued as naturally as breathing.
Robin sat beneath the shade of a small tree that had long since taken root inside one of Arthur's living sculptures, peacefully reading another newly acquired book.
Law remained inside the laboratory, where shelves overflowing with journals now surrounded him on every side. Even after five years, his pursuit of medical knowledge showed no sign of slowing.
Baby-5 hummed softly while preparing lunch, the rich aroma of spices gathered from countless islands drifting across the ship.
"...Is it ready?" Sugar wandered into the kitchen only moments later.
"No." Baby-5 didn't even look up.
"...How about now?"
"...Still no."
Sugar pouted before quietly attempting to steal a freshly baked pastry.
Without turning around, Baby-5 lightly tapped the back of Sugar's hand with a wooden spoon.
"Ow!"
"No sneaking."
"I was conducting a taste test."
"You say that every day."
"And one day it'll be true."
"You still owe me money from three islands ago." Bepo laughed so hard he nearly dropped the crate he had been carrying.
"Put it on the captain's tab." Sugar immediately pointed toward Arthur.
"I don't remember opening one." Arthur looked up from his sketchbook.
"Well... You have now." Sugar smiled innocently.
The entire deck erupted into laughter. Even Hancock couldn't hide a faint smile.
Five years earlier, moments like these had been rare. Back then, everyone carried their own burdens in silence. Now, conversations flowed as naturally as the sea breeze. The laughter echoing across the deck no longer sounded unusual.
It had simply become part of everyday life.
...
Arthur quietly closed his sketchbook before walking toward the bow. The sea breeze gently stirred his silver hair as his crimson eyes looked toward the distant horizon. Footsteps approached from behind.
Robin joined him without a word.
They stood side by side, watching the horizon.
Finally...
"Five years..." Robin smiled.
"It went by faster than I expected." Arthur nodded.
She looked toward the endless ocean ahead. The water had begun changing. The waves grew heavier. The wind carried a sharper edge. Even the sky somehow felt different.
"The New Era... It feels close." Arthur's gaze never left the horizon.
"Do you think everyone's ready?" Robin folded her arms.
"No. And that's exactly why they are." Arthur smiled faintly. Robin looked at him.
"You haven't changed." She laughed softly.
"I hope not."
Silence returned.
Comfortable.
Natural.
The kind of silence shared only between people who no longer needed words to understand one another.
After several moments, Robin spoke again.
"So..."
"Are we finally leaving Paradise?"
Arthur took one slow breath.
Then...
He smiled.
"Yes. Soon."
...
High above the Athena, a News Coo soared across the bright blue sky.
The morning newspaper slipped from its satchel before landing neatly upon the deck.
"Captain!" Bepo hurried over and picked it up.
He unfolded the front page. His eyes immediately widened.
"You're on the cover again."
"Again?" Sugar leaned over his shoulder.
The enormous headline stretched across the page.
THE UNCROWNED EMPEROR COMPLETES EVERY ROUTE OF PARADISE !!
WHERE WILL THE ART PIRATES APPEAR NEXT !?
The crew exchanged quiet smiles. None of them seemed surprised anymore.
Far away...
Inside Marine Headquarters...
A Den Den Mushi rang.
"They've departed."
"Destination?" Another voice answered immediately.
"Unknown."
"Notify every Marine base." The officer remained silent for only a moment before speaking again.
A second report reached Mary Geoise shortly afterward. A masked Cipher Pol agent knelt before the Five Elders.
"The ART Pirates have completed their five-year voyage through all Paradise's routes."
The room fell silent.
One of the Elders slowly closed the report.
"So... They're finally coming."
No further orders were necessary. Everyone already understood what those words meant. The world had watched Arthur quietly sharpen his crew.
Now...
The waiting was over.
...
The sun slowly disappeared beneath the western horizon, bathing the Athena in shades of crimson and gold. A cool evening breeze drifted across the deck as lanterns were lit one by one, casting warm light over the ship.
Dinner had become something of a tradition. No matter how busy the day had been, everyone gathered around the same long table.
Robin quietly closed the book she had been reading.
Law finally emerged from his laboratory after hours of research, his white coat still stained with ink.
Kuina arrived moments later, wiping sweat from another long training session.
Sugar had somehow already claimed the largest dessert before anyone else had even sat down.
"I call this one!"
"You've been calling it for ten minutes," Baby-5 sighed while placing another dish onto the table.
"That's because I planned ahead."
"You planned dessert before dinner?" Bepo laughed.
"Obviously."
The crew chuckled.
Nearby, Arthur's children eagerly described everything they had done that afternoon.
"I almost beat Astrea!"
"You fell into a barrel."
"That wasn't part of the competition!"
"It became part of it," Astrea replied proudly.
Even Ikaros allowed herself a faint smile.
Arthur watched the lively conversation in silence.
Back then...
Most dinners had ended quickly.
People ate, then returned to training, studying, or standing watch.
Now...
No one seemed in a hurry to leave the table.
Conversations wandered from one topic to another.
Someone always laughed.
Someone always argued.
Someone always stole food from Sugar's plate.
"...Hey!"
"Serves you right."
"It was my dessert!"
"It was everyone's dessert."
Robin quietly looked toward Arthur.
"You've been smiling for a while."
"Have I?"
"You have."
Arthur looked around the table without saying a word.
Robin was smiling over her book.
Law was arguing with Baby-5 about nutrition.
Sugar was accusing Bepo of stealing her dessert.
The children were laughing so loudly that even Ikaros couldn't completely hide her smile.
Arthur had set out to build a crew capable of surviving the New World. Somewhere along the way, he realized he no longer measured their strength by the battles they could win—but by the fact that none of them faced tomorrow alone.Top of Form
Bottom of Form
Far beyond the horizon, the sea grew darker. The waves rose higher. Massive storm clouds gathered in the distance. Beyond those waters lay the second half of the Grand Line. The New World. The sea ruled by monsters. The sea where the Four Emperors stood at the pinnacle of piracy. The sea that had shaped legends.
Arthur rested against the figurehead while Robin joined him. Neither of them looked at each other. Their eyes remained fixed on the sea stretching endlessly ahead. A faint smile appeared across his face.
"Five years..." Arthur quietly looked back.
His family.
His companions.
The people who had crossed every path of Paradise together. Then he looked forward once more.
"Let's begin."
The Athena surged ahead, cutting through the waves toward the unknown.
Behind them... Paradise slowly disappeared beyond the horizon.
Ahead... the greatest stage in the world awaited.