Near the coast of Cocoyasi Village, Konomi Kingdom
A young girl with bright orange hair swiftly adjusted the sail, harnessing every gust of sea breeze to propel her small schooner toward the shoreline.
A small stack of packages sat at the bow of the boat. From the slit of one bag, a glimmer of gold peeked out.
This was the treasure that the "Cat Burglar" Nami had stolen on her latest journey out to sea.
"Faster, faster...!"
Nami's face was tense. She needed to return to her village quickly to warn Nojiko, Genzo, and the others, and help them all evacuate.
The Konomi Kingdom had fallen. Its royal family had been exiled.
The Goa Kingdom's army was rapidly seizing the entire region.
Nami was certain a clash between the Goa Empire and the Arlong Pirates who proclaimed themselves rulers of the so-called "Evil Dragon Empire" was imminent.
She knew full well how arrogant and overconfident Arlong and his fishman crew were.
If war broke out, Cocoyasi Village would be caught in the crossfire.
She no longer cared about protecting the orange groves or the village buildings.
All she wanted now... was for her family and neighbors to survive.
Based on what she'd overheard, the Goa army had already conquered four kingdoms in a row.
Such an event had never occurred in the history of the East Blue.
With military might that overwhelming, Nami doubted even the fishmen could hold their ground.
She even found herself hoping that the Goa Kingdom's army would be the ones to crush Arlong and his hateful empire.
As for the Navy? Nami had given up on trusting them long ago.
She had already uncovered disturbing evidence of collusion between Arlong and certain Marine officers.
That bitter truth shattered any remaining hope of negotiating peace.
All she could do was continue her mission: quietly stealing treasure and saving up the 100 million Berries needed to buy her village's freedom.
At the Marine 16th Branch Headquarters...
The sound of gunfire had faded around the fortress.
"Don't kill me! Please I'm a Marine officer!"
"Your Majesty, have mercy!"
Colonel Nezumi knelt before Victor Shaw, trembling like a leaf. He never imagined that the Goa warships would arrive so soon.
It was as if after conquering the royal capital they'd casually brushed aside the Konomi royal family and immediately come to destroy the 16th Branch.
It hadn't even been half an hour since he sent his panicked message to Marine Headquarters.
"You've got a cozy little treasury, you rat."
Victor stood before a mountain of stolen riches in Nezumi's private vault, shaking his head in disbelief.
A mere branch colonel... sitting on a fortune of over ten billion Berries.
Over six years, Arlong had heavily bribed Colonel Nezumi.
No wonder the Dao Mei Royal Family of the Konomi Kingdom had been so impoverished.
Aside from the Heavenly Tribute they had to pay, the rest of their wealth had been siphoned off split between Arlong and this corrupt Marine.
Colonel Nezumi had been living a life of luxury eating, drinking, and indulging in every pleasure imaginable.
He even had enough left over to grease the palms of his superiors and underlings.
And still, the treasure piled up.
He really was happier than the king of any official member nation.
A true local emperor.
Eric stared at the stacks of "liberated funds" and "spoils of war" carried by the Goa Empire's guards. His eyes glinted with greed.
No matter how hard you fought on the front lines, you'd never rake in tens of millions of Berries in bonuses or extra bounty pay.
But Victor Shaw, the King of Goa, had struck it rich simply by waging war and signing decrees.
The treasuries of four kingdoms, the seized riches of Marine branches…
It was an enormous fortune. And Eric found it very tempting.
"Send him to keep Morgan company."
Victor gestured coldly toward Colonel Nezumi, whose trembling form was still kneeling.
"Now, onward to Cocoyasi Village. I want to see this so-called Evil Dragon the most wanted pirate in the East Blue up close."
After crushing the Marines of the 16th Branch, Victor led his entourage to their next destination.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The guards, nobles, and officials of the Goa Empire marched behind him with swelling confidence and pride.
Their great king had conquered four kingdoms in succession, elevating the Goa Kingdom to unprecedented heights.
For every citizen of the Goa Empire, this was a moment of supreme glory.
The Goa Empire was rising!
En route from the Marine 16th Branch to Cocoyasi Village…
Victor Shaw was in high spirits until an urgent Den Den Mushi call came through from Princess Sally De Cannette.
Her voice trembled with frustration and concern.
"My lord, King Ba Dodhinai of the Flaus Kingdom is pressuring us to halt our expansion. He's hired Germa 66 forces from the North Blue and is threatening retaliation if the Goa Empire advances any further."
Sally's tone was tinged with anger as she reported the political maneuvering of the Flaus Kingdom.
The Flaus Kingdom a member of the World Government's Reverie alliance was a well-known military power in the East Blue.
In the past, they had hired the infamous Germa 66, crushed their rival Kingdom of Corgia, and expanded their territory significantly.
They had even turned the former Corgia territory into a new central province under Flaus control.
"Germa 66…"
"Flaus Kingdom…"
Victor's expression darkened.
He was planning to eventually annex the surrounding kingdoms but on his own terms. He needed time to consolidate power and absorb the new territories.
But now, the Flaus Kingdom dared to provoke him with mercenaries?
That infuriated him.
He vaguely remembered King Ba Dodhinai from a future World Summit some rising star of a monarch.
He also recalled that the Flaus-Oikot War had been instigated by the same aggressive kingdom.
The Kingdom of Oikot homeland of Nami and Nojiko had suffered at Flaus's hands.
The Flaus Kingdom was notorious for its ambition and imperialism.
No wonder they were among the World Government's elite fifty nations.
But now… King Ba Dodhinai was as good as dead.
To threaten Victor Shaw?
Unforgivable.
"Stabilize the front with Flaus. Put the expansion on pause."
"Once we've digested the Four Kingdoms, we'll pay our dear friend a little 'friendly' visit."
Victor's voice was calm but razor-sharp as he gave his instructions to Princess Sally.
This wasn't a real retreat it was a calculated pause, a backward step to prepare for a much stronger strike.
Germa 66, huh?
Let's see if their cyborg soldiers could withstand the wrath of Victor Shaw and the To-To-To Fruit.
"Understood. I'll keep King Dodhinai busy and contained."
Princess Sally felt reassured by the measured tone of her king.
She believed in him utterly.
"As soon as I return, Sally… you'll be Queen of the Goa Empire."
Victor's tone softened just enough to calm her completely.
"I'll be waiting, my brave king," she whispered, holding the Den Den Mushi with both hands, her earlier frustration vanishing in a heartbeat.
Victor ended the call and his face grew even colder.
The mood around him shifted immediately.
Eric, Van Auger, and the others went completely silent. Even the guards stood ramrod straight, beads of cold sweat forming on their brows.
Former slaves like Zangao, the Siamese Cat, and the Spotted Cat dropped to their knees on the deck, trembling.
Victor Shaw was furious.
"I've heard the Arlong Pirates call their base in Cocoyasi Village the 'Dragon Empire'..."
"A pathetic little village... daring to call itself an empire?"
"What kind of half-baked fishman dares to crown himself like me?"
"Kill him."
Victor's voice was icy.
Every guard, mercenary, and noble snapped to high alert.
This wasn't just another skirmish this was a royal purge.
The mission to crush Arlong would be executed with absolute precision.
No one dared make a single mistake.
They all knew...
If they failed to meet His Majesty's expectations, they wouldn't just be punished.
They'd be exiled or worse.