The Sea Trembles, Hearts Stir
Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
The Five Elders sat in their usual chamber, the atmosphere tense. Their expressions varied—some cold and still, others seething with rage.
"Are we really going to keep waiting?"
"That man, Kaelen Tsukishiro, killed a Celestial Dragon in broad daylight. He's made a mockery of the World Government."
"According to intel, it was Nicholas who fired first. Kaelen simply retaliated."
"Regardless, killing a Celestial Dragon is an unforgivable provocation."
"Our priority should remain the Reverie. This summit will not be like the ones before."
"Then let the Marines deal with him. Send Fujitora, or Kizaru. Either of them can engage for now."
After brief deliberation, they agreed to issue quiet orders to the Navy: keep Kaelen restrained, or at least distracted.
Even with Whitebeard and Blackbeard both dead, the World Government's reach still felt stretched thin. The escapees from Impel Down's Level Six were stirring again, and Kaelen Tsukishiro had become the storm that refused to settle.
---
Across the world, the news spread like wildfire.
Another Celestial Dragon slain. This time, by the infamous Reaper, Kaelen Tsukishiro.
After bringing down Doflamingo, Kaelen had struck again—this time directly at the so-called gods of the world. Reactions were explosive.
And with that, Kaelen's bounty soared to 3.985 billion Berries.
There were now only a handful of pirates alive whose bounty surpassed his.
The butterfly's wings had stirred, and no one could predict how large the storm would grow.
---
Somewhere in the New World.
Kuzan, formerly Admiral Aokiji, sat beside a modest fire, sipping sake and roasting meat. A fierce-looking penguin companion waddled nearby.
A newspaper lay open on the ground, its front page showing Kaelen Tsukishiro's face and the burning wreckage of five World Government warships.
Kuzan let out a long breath. "Man… really killed a Celestial Dragon, huh?"
He hadn't seen Kaelen for long, but even a few days apart had been enough for the man to upend the balance of the world again.
His thoughts were interrupted by footsteps.
Two men in black suits and white masks—agents from CP9—approached from the tree line.
They stopped several meters away. One of them bowed slightly.
"Kuzan," the agent said flatly. "We've come on orders from the Five Elders…"
---
Amazon Lily — Nine Snake Island.
"AAAHHHH!"
"So handsome! What do I do? I want to see him now—like, right now!"
Inside the royal palace, a series of flustered squeals echoed through the chamber, rising and falling between bashfulness and frustration.
Outside the throne room, two guards exchanged exasperated glances.
"She's been in there since morning," one muttered.
"And she's been muttering strange things again," the other whispered back.
"She did this before. Was distressed for a while, then quiet. Now it's started up again."
They sighed in unison and fell silent, standing at attention as their Empress raved within.
Inside the main hall, Boa Hancock lounged on her throne, cheeks flushed pink. Her flawless face glowed with a mix of excitement and longing.
In one hand, she held a wanted poster. Two photos stared back: one of Monkey D. Luffy, the other of Kaelen Tsukishiro.
Her heart skipped as she stared at Kaelen's picture.
"…He's more handsome than Luffy," she whispered, half-dazed. "So much more… mature."
Tiny stars seemed to sparkle in her eyes. Her face was radiant with youthful wonder.
But unlike in the anime, this Hancock had not fallen for Luffy at first sight.
She was no lovestruck girl. As Empress of the Kuja, and a survivor of brutal slavery, she had grown up too fast, too harshly, to be so easily swayed.
To her, Luffy was admirable—yes—but more like a younger brother than a romantic interest.
He was strong, kind, and brave… but also reckless, immature, and much younger than her.
She was 12 years his senior, after all.
And the story of how he entered Impel Down wasn't what the world thought. He hadn't clung to Hancock's back like a child hiding from trouble.
No, he had hidden inside Salome, her giant snake companion. That was how he slipped into the prison undetected.
The guards of Impel Down weren't fools. They were seasoned elites. A trick like that wouldn't have passed unnoticed otherwise.
Kaelen, though—Kaelen was different.
From the moment she heard his words during the Paramount War, she began to take notice. When she found out he had passed through Amazon Lily while she was away, she'd been filled with regret.
She followed his actions more closely after that, and with each bold move—from killing Doflamingo to dismantling the Celestial Dragon fleet—her admiration grew.
It wasn't love yet… not quite.
But it was something. Something stirring.
Strong. Handsome. Mature. Calm under pressure.
He was everything a woman like her found irresistible.
And now, after learning that Kaelen had taken out a Celestial Dragon without hesitation, Hancock felt a fire in her chest she couldn't ignore.
She longed to meet him.
To see if the man behind the name lived up to the legend.
She didn't know where these feelings would lead—but she knew one thing for certain:
She wanted to find out.
---
Meanwhile, Kaelen Tsukishiro—oblivious to the chaos he had left behind—had already left the Blue Sea.
Above the clouds, rising toward a distant silver light, he set his course…
For the moon.
---
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