After we let Lieutenant De Gaulle go, we started doing our own thing.
Luffy, Nami, and Koby were the first to explore Kotzia.Nami wore a determined look, her map-guards walking at her sides, ready to strike or block anyone who dared approach her with ill intent. With their help, she mapped the island in real-time—tracing out its terrain, roads, and villages.
Luffy and Koby simply headed straight to the first restaurant they could find.The vendor's reaction was… predictable.He went pale the moment he recognized their faces—especially considering the chaos that had broken out on the beach barely an hour ago. His hands shook so badly he nearly spilled the sauce multiple times.
But Luffy was Luffy in all his simplicity:He laughed, gave thanks, complimented the food, chatted about famous pirates—and Koby, for his part, was unfailingly polite.Little by little, the shopkeeper began to relax.
When it came time to pay, Luffy laid down the full amount with a wide grin."Thanks for the meal! We'll be back!" he shouted as they left, leaving behind a shopkeeper on the verge of tears—this time, from relief.
Sanji and Tornade Blanche—who had gone back to using her original name, Kazuki—went shopping for supplies together.It took him a few minutes to finally realize where he knew her from: the little girl Niji and Yonji used to torment, the one he had protected without expecting anything in return.When the memory settled, her eyes began to shine...And for the first time in a long while, Sanji didn't try to flirt.He simply smiled.A real smile.Sincere.And she smiled back, with a gentle shyness.Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up together, given their chemistry. On top of that, she's quite skilled in cooking, which means we've basically got a second cook—or at least, someone who can assist Sanji in the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Usopp came to find me, looking a little nervous."Uh… Jordan? Kaya… she, uh… she gets kinda weird when she's using the Heartless Rabbit. Like… really weird."I raised an eyebrow.Then I understood.And I removed the rabbit spirit from Kaya's shadow.
Once materialized, the creature had two clearly distinct forms:One soft, small, adorable—fluffy fur and droopy ears;The other agile, beaming… too beaming. With eyes full of wild energy and mischief.The kind of energy that shakes Usopp's masculinity—especially when it's holding a scalpel.
Intrigued, I dug into a Devil Fruit encyclopedia I'd found in one of Mirks' storage rooms.And the answer made me laugh out loud.The Zodiac-type Rabbit wasn't considered a simple Zoan. It sat somewhere between a standard Zoan and a Mythical one, due to the physical boosts it granted through emotion.The fruit amplified the dominant emotional trait of its user…And expressed it through a "mirror inverse" form.Kaya, sweet and reserved, thus gained an extroverted, playful, tactile form—at times even a little predatory.But never beyond what she truly wanted—only what she didn't dare to express.
I returned the Heartless to Kaya.She immediately jumped on Usopp, hugging him from behind and rubbing her cheek against his with a predator's smile.Usopp gulped audibly as she pulled him aside.
Meanwhile, Zoro and Kuina had already returned to the Going Merry.I spotted them a few minutes later, slipping into the crow's nest: Zoro, his breathing heavy but steady, letting his muscles slowly relax; Kuina curled up against him like a cat, her head resting on his shoulder, a peaceful smile on her lips.The two of them were a reassuring sight—when everything else was going to hell, at least those two would be ready to pounce.I gave them a look and a small knowing smile.Teenage Kuina was nothing like the little girl from the manga.
On my end, I took advantage of the encyclopedia to identify the Devil Fruit I had picked up on the black market in Lamini.Turns out, it's a Paramecia-type fire fruit—basically, it lets you ignite yourself to hit harder. Not exactly groundbreaking.I can't help but wonder… if I feed it to a criminal and then turn him into a Heartless, would that grant me a new ability?The only real upside to this fruit is that the temperature can be raised as high as the user's strength allows—but the specifics are pretty vague.
The capture and conversion of the three leaders were far more concrete.I had gathered Black Mountain, Mirks, and Yellow Thunder behind the cold crater of the volcano—an isolated place, swept by winds that still carried the scent of ash. I summoned Heartless to begin the transformation.
From Black Mountain's body erupted dark brown spheres, like hardened clumps of shadow matter falling like rain.Yellow Thunder expelled sour-yellow marbles that rolled and clumped into glowing masses.Mirks, on the other hand, gave birth to a Heartless bear: a massive black creature, gleaming with an inky sheen, its breath making the air vibrate.The whole scene smelled of soot, scorched metal, and something irreversible.
I absorbed the Heartless bear into my shadow, feeling its raw strength merge into mine—a heavy pull, then a surge, muscle power swelling inside me.Even if I can't stack multiple Devil Fruit shadows, the innate bonuses remain—and since I gave the gorilla to Kuina, the bear would make a fine substitute.
As for the two spherical clusters—heavy like miniature planets—I gathered them and wrapped them in a shadow portal.The trip back to the Merry was instant, the air crackling around the edges of the rift.When I opened the portal above the deck, the two masses rolled out and slowly fused into the hull, as if the wood itself was swallowing them.A small, black lock materialized, right behind the sheep-shaped figurehead.
I placed my hand on it, feeling the vibration of a brand-new mechanism—but I chose to wait.Opening it now would mean revealing to the whole crew what I had done…and I wanted them all to be there, present, to witness the Merry's transformation.
Marine Headquarters — Admirals' Briefing Room
Stacks of reports were already piling up on the desk when the door slammed against the wall with a deafening BANG.
"GAAAAARRRPPPPP!!!"
Sengoku's voice thundered through Marine HQ like a cannonball.He stormed in, fists full of crumpled bounty posters and scattered photos. His face was flushed red, a vein pulsing on his temple, and even his beard was twitching with rage.In three long strides, he reached Garp and grabbed him by the collar of his Marine uniform.
"Your grandson and his vice-captain just ANNIHILATED the bounty hunter HQ in Kotzia!! Do you even grasp what that means?!They DESTROYED a structure the World Government built over 150 years ago!!"
Garp, still seated in his chair, didn't react at all for three full seconds.Then, with his usual smug old-man smirk, he calmly reached into the mess of photos Sengoku was shaking in his face—and snatched them out of his hands like he'd just been gifted a photo album.
"Ohhh? That's my grandson! BAHAHAHA!! He even posed for the poster!"Garp burst into laughter, so loud the walls themselves seemed to shake.And he kept laughing.For a long time.
Tsuru, seated nearby, calmly sipped her tea, letting the storm pass without so much as a blink. Her eyes slowly scanned the photos, then she let out a soft, resigned sigh."Looks like they actually staged a photo shoot… before the Marines even caught up to them. Your grandson told you he'd send pictures."
Aokiji, leaning against the wall with one hand in his pocket and the other holding a coffee cup, furrowed his brow slightly."Eh… wait a minute. There are poses. Are you telling me they actually chose their stances for the bounty posters?"Tsuru nodded, handing him one of the photos.
It showed Luffy grinning ear to ear, his shield resting on his shoulder, looking like he was in a commercial.Jordan stood behind him, coat blowing in the wind, wearing a serious and dramatic expression—clearly deliberate.Aokiji blinked."…This looks like a magazine cover."
Sengoku massaged his temples, then handed Tsuru a thick dossier, already looking like he regretted his life choices."Want my opinion on organizing the bounties?" Tsuru asked calmly, pen already ready to take notes."No," Sengoku muttered wearily. "We've received enough testimony from Lieutenant De Gaulle. He even managed to film some of the battles using a visual Den Den Mushi…"He shot a dark glare at Garp."I've never seen a Marine officer risk his life that much just to gather evidence."
Garp, still howling with laughter, opened a new box of donuts—Only for Sengoku to snatch them away instantly.Garp exploded:"MY DONUTS, SENGOKU!!"Too late. Sengoku was already chewing through two of them, expression flat and unimpressed.
"Anyway," Sengoku cut in, brushing crumbs from his coat. "We've finalized the bounties. And the names."Tsuru raised an eyebrow."The names?""…Yeah." Sengoku sighed, like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.
He pulled out the first bounty poster.
Monkey D. Luffy – "Straw Hat" & "Shieldstorm"Bounty: 85,000,000 Berries
"We placed your grandson's bounty above Jordan's," Sengoku explained."He defeated Black Mountain—who was considered the peak of East Blue's strength, even stronger than Mirks. And Luffy wiped out an entire branch of bounty hunters with fewer than twenty people."
Garp puffed out his chest with pride."GUHUHUHUHU! That's my grandson!"
Tsuru pinched the bridge of her nose.
Heartless D. JordanCurrent Bounty Maintained(No Increase)
"Jordan's bounty remains the same," Sengoku announced."We're not going to raise it every time he decides to wipe out a criminal network. Otherwise, we'd be headlining the global insanity charts."
Garp stifled a laugh.He had already mentally framed the poster.
Tsuru gave him a sharp look."I forbid you from making copies."
Sengoku moved on to the next stack.He pulled out Koby's bounty poster: young, serious, dagger raised, posed like the hero of a novel cover.
Koby – 'The Apprentice Swordsman'Bounty: 5,000,000 Berries"Already above the level of a standard Marine captain. His speed is his real danger," Sengoku commented.
Then he pulled out the next poster—or rather, two posters attached together.
Sanji – 'Black Leg'Kazuki – 'White Tornado'Bounty: 15,000,000 Berries each
The photo showed them side by side, Kazuki practically pressed against Sanji, both in a graceful combat stance.
Tsuru smiled faintly."They make a lovely couple."
Aokiji glanced up, face perfectly neutral.In his mind: …She really is adorable.
Then came the most unsettling image.
Kaya, in her hybrid rabbit form, clinging to Usopp with a sweet smile—but eyes just a little too bright.The ground behind them was splattered with blood.
Blood Rabbit Kaya – 'Crimson Bunny'Usopp – 'Sniper King'Bounty: 17,000,000 Berries each
Tsuru set the file down.Sengoku pushed it further away.Garp cleared his throat."…She scares me," Aokiji admitted honestly."Same," Tsuru and Sengoku replied in unison.
Then came the poster for Zoro and Kuina.
Zoro, three swords drawn, eyes full of murderous intent.Kuina, in her hybrid monkey form, wielding a flaming Masamune.
Roronoa Zoro – 'Pirate Hunter'Bounty: 20,000,000 BerriesKuina – 'Blazing Blade'Bounty: 22,000,000 Berries
"The man is already a well-known bounty hunter," Sengoku explained."The woman… is unknown, but her swordsmanship and Zoan powers already put her in a league of her own."
Aokiji scratched his cheek."East Blue is… usually quieter, isn't it?"
Sengoku exhaled deeply, looking utterly drained."What a nightmare… How did this crew even come to exist in the weakest sea in the world?"
He pulled one last poster from the folder, looking tired—but also genuinely intrigued.
"And finally… the navigator."
He placed the poster on the table.
In the image:Nami stood tall on an improvised ice platform, staff raised, the entire harbor frozen around her.A stormy sky loomed overhead.
Nami – "The Elemental Sorceress"Bounty: 40,000,000 Berries
Garp burst out laughing."GUHAHAHAHAHA! She froze the whole port to protect the ship? Not bad!"
Tsuru frowned slightly."She's not a Logia, is she?"
Sengoku unrolled a scroll filled with witness statements."According to Lieutenant De Gaulle, she:froze the surface of the sea,redirected lightning during the battle,and triggered a targeted storm to isolate the combat zone."
Aokiji lifted his head, genuinely surprised."Wait… she froze an entire port? Without damaging the infrastructure?"
Sengoku nodded slowly."Yes. And if it had been you, Kuzan, you would've frozen the bodies too. She didn't. She kept it to the surface only. No civilians were harmed."
For once, even Garp stopped laughing.
Tsuru narrowed her eyes, clearly intrigued."…So she controls not only the element, but its precision as well."
Sengoku let out a long, weary sigh."And according to De Gaulle… she can modify the weather around her when she concentrates."
Aokiji muttered, "…That's dangerous," his dark eyes scanning the regional map spread out across the table.
Tsuru pursed her lips, then sat up straighter, her fingers brushing the massive transponder snail nearby."Sengoku, track this Lieutenant De Gaulle," she said in a tone calm but sharp."Offer him a promotion in exchange for regular reports. If Luffy and Jordan don't attack him — and I don't think they will — at least we'll know what they're planning in advance."
Sengoku frowned, weighing the idea. The war room, lined with charts and files, seemed to hold its breath."I see your point, Tsuru," he answered after a moment, "but sending a lone lieutenant to infiltrate a pirate crew… even a friendly one, is risky. We can't ask a low-ranking officer to blend into a group like that without backup."
Tsuru tilted her head, smiling with precision."I'm not suggesting a suicide mission. I'm proposing close surveillance. De Gaulle follows discreetly; he relays information. And if things get serious, we already have backup ready."
Sengoku stayed quiet for a moment, calculating the political — and media — implications of such monitoring. The Gorosei constantly reminded him that the Navy's public image had to remain flawless. Eventually, he nodded."Alright. We'll put him under cover, with communication relays and extraction teams on standby. But no solo deployment without a safety net."
Tsuru then turned to Garp, who had been watching the scene with a smug little grin and his hands folded behind his head."And for the active phase?" she asked."We'll need field support if this goes beyond observation."
Garp opened his mouth, feigning indignation."But I just got back —"
Sengoku cut him off with a sharp gesture. He didn't raise his voice, but the authority in his tone was final."I don't care if you just got back, Garp. Get ready. You'll be on standby for joint intervention as soon as we see a serious sign. And yes — you will go arrest your grandson if necessary."
A ripple of amusement passed through the room. Garp pretended to groan, then broke into his usual thunderous laugh, somewhere between irritation and fatherly pride.
Tsuru calmly noted the orders, Aokiji nodded silently, and Sengoku rose to issue the technical arrangements — radio relays, transponder snail coverage, retrieval teams ready for deployment.
Before leaving the room, Sengoku added in a lower, more practical tone:"And make sure De Gaulle knows he's being monitored too — not just for his safety, but so he sends us usable reports. We're not throwing him into the fire blindly."
Tsuru smiled, satisfied.Garp, already grabbing his cap, called out with a mischievous tone as he walked out:"Alright, alright — I'll go find my old uniform and get some training in. You never know when the world'll need a good ol' Fist of Love."
Luffy suddenly felt an intense chill run down his spine and looked around."Koby, we should get back on the ship. I've got a bad feeling."
"Let's go," Koby replied, and the two of them sprinted toward the ship, alerting each crewmate to board quickly as they ran.
(Author's note: I'm attaching the image of the Heartless bear here.)