"W-What?!"
Bullet, who had just rolled to his feet, was stunned by the words that came out of Garp's mouth.
He froze instinctively, his pupils trembling.
"As a child, you were betrayed by adults. When you grew up, you were betrayed by your friends. And now, even Roger—the first one who truly accepted you, the first one to defeat you—he's gone. You've lost your purpose in battle, and your direction in life."
"You must feel lonely. And lost."
Garp made no move to follow up his attack. He simply stood there, looking with pity at the boy who had chosen a path of no return.
Bullet had once yearned for honor, once cherished comrades. After meeting Roger, he had even found a goal in life. But reality had crushed him time and again, each blow forcing him further down this path.
Now, he trusted only himself, lived only for himself, and insisted on facing everything alone.
Bullet had become a lost and directionless monster.
"Kh—You… You…"
Bullet trembled all over, completely stunned. He didn't even bother to wipe away the blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.
Each word Garp had spoken struck harder, deeper, and more painfully than that previous punch—each one pounding directly against his heart.
It was like something buried in the deepest recesses of his soul had been dug out and exposed under the blazing sun.
"SHUT UP!!!"
Bullet roared hysterically at Garp.
At the same time, he exploded into a rampage once again, all the power in his body surging like a tidal wave as he charged with everything he had.
"You know, kid… I truly hope that one day, you'll meet someone who can accept you again."
"But right now, you need to cool off first!"
As Garp's heartfelt words echoed out—
A massive and a smaller fist—both dark, both forged like iron—collided mid-air, each wrapped in an aura of highly compressed Haki and raw power.
[BOOOOOM—————]
Waves of blue-black and pure black energy clashed violently at the center of the battlefield. But the moment the pure black wave surged forward like a towering mountain and overwhelmed the other, an explosion of dazzling, blinding light erupted.
This time, the ground could no longer hold.
The earth beneath them was completely overturned under the crushing force, surging like a wave.
Buildings—corpses—it didn't matter.
Even tree roots were ripped from the ground by the shockwave and flung far into the vast ocean.
...
Two days later.
The sound of a Den-Den Mushi echoed in a room at the highest point of Pangaea Castle in Mary Geoise.
"Lord Imu, Douglas Bullet has been defeated by Garp and imprisoned in the 'Eternal Hell' level of Impel Down."
Upon hearing this, Imu showed no surprise. He replied calmly, "Good. Proceed as previously instructed."
"Yes, your will shall be done."
The receiver was placed back onto the Den-Den Mushi's shell.
Imu then had another visual Den-Den Mushi connect to Impel Down's surveillance system.
Soon, a high-definition projection appeared in the air before him.
Onscreen was Bullet—his hands and feet shackled, lying on the cold floor.
He now wore a black-and-white striped prison uniform, his face bruised and swollen beyond recognition.
"He's a promising talent."
Imu's gaze was filled with a rare appreciation.
But he also knew the man's personality was too extreme—without proper discipline, he'd be difficult to control.
Handle him poorly, and he could end up hurting his own people.
Fortunately, Imu was a transmigrator and had some insight into what was going on inside Bullet's head.
With enough strength and resources on his side, it wouldn't hurt to try and use this double-edged sword.
Still, much like Golden Lion Shiki, Bullet couldn't be deployed right away.
At the very least, he'd need to be locked away for two years—to grind down that wild temperament. No matter how good a sword is, it has to obey before it can be used properly.
Just then, the Bullet in the projection unexpectedly spoke.
"Who's there?"
Though lying on the ground, he couldn't see the figure outside his cell.
But his Observation Haki could still sense their presence.
And it was strong.
"I am a God's Knight. I speak with the authority of the Celestial Dragons' highest will. As for my name… someone like you isn't worthy of knowing it."
"Hmph, the Celestial Dragons? So you're a lackey of that trash? Pathetic."
Bullet sneered, staring up at the ceiling.
But the shadowy figure outside the cell didn't respond with anger or rebuke, which caught Bullet slightly off guard.
"One of the higher-ups sent me to ask you this: are you truly content?"
Bullet frowned but didn't answer. He chose silence in response, yet the shadow didn't seem to mind and went on speaking.
"You were defeated by Roger. Roger is dead. There's no longer a chance to surpass him. This time, you lost to Garp—but he's still alive. Are you really willing to rot away in this lightless abyss of the sea, wasting your talent moment by moment?"
Fury flashed across Bullet's face. How could he be content? How could he possibly be content?!
"So what are you saying? That the Celestial Dragons want to let me out, and in exchange I become their dog?"
"Do you still remember your ambition?" the shadow asked.
The Strongest in the World.
Those words surfaced instantly in Bullet's mind.
"The World Government controls the highest authority on this planet."
"They have the best training resources, the largest number of top-tier powerhouses. Don't you want to challenge a Marine Admiral with your own hands? Or maybe one day fight Garp again?"
"They can even offer you the greatest wars imaginable—ones that never end, ones where you'll never lack opponents. And most importantly, it's all legal."
"For someone like you, isn't this the best shortcut to becoming the strongest in the world?"
Each sentence echoed again and again inside the prison cell, making Bullet's pupils tremble.
Because to him, it sounded like it made a lot of sense.
But having long since learned not to trust anyone and accustomed to fighting alone, it was difficult for him to persuade himself to join the World Government and obey the Celestial Dragons.
"You're hesitating."
"And you're struggling because it would mean taking orders from the Celestial Dragons—people you utterly despise, right?"
Bullet remained silent—or rather, his silence was a tacit admission.
"Then what if I told you… you'd only have to follow one man's orders. A man who, in the truest sense, can be called the Strongest in the World?"
"What?! The true strongest?"
Bullet was visibly shaken.
"Don't be ridiculous. There's no such man in the World Government. Ever since Roger died, the only one on the seas who's even qualified to contest for that title is that monster Whitebeard!"
"Heh… Well, let me tell you something: neither that so-called Whitebeard, nor the Garp who just beat you, not even Roger himself could compare to this man. Not even close. So—are you interested in meeting him?"
The shadow chuckled.
"That's impossible!"
Bullet growled through clenched teeth from the ground.
"You'll find out whether it's possible soon enough. But first—you have to get out of here."
"…Fine!"
"I agree. Let me out. If someone like that truly exists, I'm willing to join the World Government!"
"Good. But you still can't leave. Because right now, you don't understand the value of freedom—nor would you cherish it. So take your time… live a little more of this slow, suffocating existence. I'll be back in a year or two."
The cell once again fell into silence—except for Bullet's heavy breathing, echoing endlessly. His bloodshot eyes were filled with unwillingness and fury.
Outside, the shadow turned to leave. A man in a black suit approached and bowed respectfully.
"My lord, shall we deactivate the 'soundproof barrier'?"
"Mm."
Looking ahead—
A faint violet shimmer could be seen in the air, enveloping Bullet's cell and the surrounding several meters.
...
In the first half of the Grand Line, even though this sea contains tens of thousands—or even hundreds of thousands—of islands, there is one island whose presence ranks easily among the top five.
This was an island where almost no trace of untouched nature could be seen. Every corner radiated the magnificence and grandeur of human craftsmanship. Yet, it lacked any advanced technology. The stone buildings that lined the streets exuded an ancient atmosphere.
Canals, bridges, and shipyards made up the main aesthetic of this maritime city. The gray of marble, the blue of waterways, and the golden hues of the town combined into a picturesque oil painting.
Countless canals flowed through the city.
Due to the presence of seven massive shipyards on the island, the world referred to this place as 'Water 7'.
It was internationally recognized as the island with the greatest number of shipwrights—and the best of them.
Originally, the island's atmosphere had been harmonious and lively, filled with laughter.
But since January 1st, following the public execution of the Pirate King Roger, a strange rumor about a great treasure began to spread. As a result, the number of pirates arriving on the island steadily increased.
These pirates—who had never cared for law or order—often used their weapons and brute strength to avoid paying after receiving new ships, leading to frequent conflicts with the shipwrights.
The shipyards, unable to collect payments, gradually fell behind on wages and couldn't afford to purchase shipbuilding materials from outside the island. Combined with the rising number of pirates, maritime trade—which was already perilous due to the complex and ever-changing weather—became even more difficult.
Suddenly, a large flock of seagulls playing by the coast was startled and burst into the sky like a chaotic cloud of white.
Local fishermen, casting their nets nearby, looked up at the noise—and their eyes widened in disbelief.
They saw a ship. A massive vessel, estimated to be around 40 meters tall and roughly 150 meters wide. Its bow was clad in blue armor inlaid with golden patterns.
"Look! That's the symbol of the World Government!"
"It's a Judiciary Ship!"
The sudden appearance of this colossal ship threw all of Water 7 into a frenzy. Especially when a squad of Marines, rifles in hand, marched through the streets escorting a Fish-Man with bound arms—Tom—it drew gasps from the crowd.
This Fish-Man was a master shipwright, well-known across the island.
However, when the spectators heard that Tom had been arrested for building a ship for the Pirate King Roger, many of them weren't all that surprised.
After all, Roger's crew had caused a great deal of trouble for the world over the past decade or so. It was well known that they had even destroyed an entire kingdom for the sake of a crewmate.
Building a ship for such a notorious criminal—calling that a crime didn't sound entirely unjustified.
But events took an unexpected turn. Tom, who was originally to be taken to Enies Lobby for execution, proposed the creation of a 'Sea Train' to connect various islands—including Water 7 and Enies Lobby. As a result, the judge granted him a ten-year stay of execution.
At the same time, he won the support and cheers of many residents. Everyone hoped that Tom would be able to save Water 7.