"Who are you talking about?" Luffy asked, his voice a fragile whisper as his entire body shook uncontrollably.
"Ace, of course. Fire Fist Ace." The woman seemed oblivious to his distress, speaking with a casual disapproval. "That troublesome boy was handed over to the Navy by Blackbeard. I'm surprised you hadn't heard."
The rest of the conversation was a blur. Luffy barely registered another word. He had all the confirmation he needed: his brother, Ace, was a prisoner. A single, unwavering thought took root in his mind. He would go to Impel Down and rescue him. No matter what.
Just as he made his resolve, the sky above the entire world changed.
A massive, ethereal screen shimmered into existence, spanning the heavens from the Grand Line to the four seas. It stopped pirates, Marines, and civilians in their tracks. Across the vast, endless canvas of the sky, five massive words appeared, glowing with an otherworldly light:
[Famous Scene Live Broadcast System]
A sudden, electronic voice, devoid of emotion, echoed through every corner of the world.
"Ding! The Famous Scene Live Broadcast System has arrived in the Pirate World!"
The announcement was followed by a set of rules that sent a shiver down the spine of every person listening.
"The system will play videos of famous scenes and ask questions based on the videos! Those who answer correctly will receive rewards! Rewards may include Beli, powerful abilities, or even the power to revive another person!"
Gasps rippled across the world. Reviving someone? That was a power beyond comprehension. But the next line quickly put a stop to any reckless thoughts.
"Those who answer incorrectly will lose something at random. The loss could be Beli, a memory, a Devil Fruit ability, Haki, physical prowess, or even your very lifespan! Answer the questions carefully. The final right of interpretation belongs to the system!"
"The live broadcast will officially begin in five minutes. Please be ready!"
The voice faded, leaving a stunned silence. People looked up at the impossible screen, wondering what it all meant.
Suddenly, a piece of text appeared on the screen, a familiar voice sending shockwaves through many.
[One Piece Roger: A broadcast? Will it broadcast events from the real world? Can I participate? It seems very interesting.]
At Marine Headquarters, Marshal Sengoku's eyes widened. He turned to Garp, who was munching on rice crackers beside him.
"Garp, did you hear that? That voice," Sengoku said, his voice unusually grave.
Garp stopped chewing. "Yeah," he said, the seriousness in his tone a rare sight. "It sounds very familiar."
Sengoku took a leap of faith, his hands shaking slightly as he typed a question onto the screen.
[Marshal Sengoku: Roger??? Are you Roger? Or is someone playing a prank on us? What in the world is this thing?]
A response appeared instantly.
[Pirate King Roger: Sengoku? Are you dead, too??]
"You're the one who's dead!" Sengoku shouted back, the sudden indignation overtaking his shock.
[Pirate King Roger: I did die twenty years ago, didn't I? But if you're not dead, how are you talking to me? This is confusing.]
Roger's words sent a jolt through Sengoku's heart. Could it really be him? The Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, speaking from beyond the grave? It seemed impossible, yet here it was.
The conversation had opened the floodgates. Soon, others from across the world, and even from the dead, discovered they could communicate on the sky screen.
[Golden Lion Shiki: This broadcast seems to be able to connect the world of the dead with the world of the living. A fascinating power.]
[Pirate King Roger: Golden Lion, it's been a while!]
[Golden Lion Shiki: Hahaha! Roger, it certainly has!]
Before their old rivalry could begin anew, the system's electronic voice cut in, silencing the chat.
"Ding! The first live broadcast officially begins. The famous scene this time is 'Take Me to the Sea Too.'"
The words vanished, and the sky screen filled with an image. The world held its breath.
The video began, showing a scene of furious wind and towering waves battering the walls of Water 7. In the midst of the churning sea, a single light cut through the storm—the Sea Train, Puffing Tom.
Two Sea Train staff members were about to head outside when they were stopped by a man in a crisp black suit. "This is a confidential mission. No other personnel are to be in the area," he said sternly.
The camera panned to the World Government's agents—CP9—as they patrolled. A man in a black suit, Rob Lucci, and a woman in a green headscarf stood among them. The words Nico Robin appeared on the screen, identifying the woman, and a collective gasp went up across the world.
Robin! The Straw Hat Pirates' own archaeologist! The famous scene was about them!
Hidden in the shadows, a tiny light flared, and the screen revealed the source: a man with swirling eyebrows, a cigarette dangling from his lips. His name also appeared, partially obscured by the system's censoring. Only two words were visible: Sanji.
The video continued. A CP9 agent carried a sack over his shoulder, a muffled voice shouting from inside. "No matter where you want to take me, I won't let you go! I've got 8,000 men under my command!"
The man in the black suit ignored the captive's noise, as did Rob Lucci, who simply encouraged his fellow agents to hurry. The team boarded the Sea Train, which soon began its journey toward Enies Lobby, the judicial island.
After they were gone, Sanji emerged from the shadows, taking a long drag from his cigarette. "Seriously," he grumbled, "he complains about causing trouble before he leaves, but now that he's gone, he's causing even more trouble!"
The scene shifted, following Iceberg, the mayor of Water 7, as he uncovered CP9's conspiracy and began to make his own moves. The Sea Train was already on its way, but CP9 remained vigilant, not daring to relax until they reached their destination.
What they didn't know was that a certain chef had already slipped aboard the train, hiding in the dark.
The video sped up, showing Nami's panicked arrival at the now-empty station. She fell to her knees in despair, realizing she was too late. The station was quickly flooded by the rising tide. She and the boatman, Barry, managed to escape, but Nami's despair was replaced with hope when she found a clue Sanji had left behind, along with a Den Den Mushi.
The camera followed Nami as she and Chopper searched for their missing crewmates. With a little effort, they finally found Luffy wedged in a wall crack. Chopper, meanwhile, found Zoro stuck in a chimney. The Straw Hats were finally reunited, and with help from Granny Kokoro, they found another Sea Train and began their daring pursuit.
Back on the first train, the scene jumped to Sanji, who had already begun his attack, rescuing Usopp and Franky. The group then moved to the top of the train, planning to make their way to the front and confront the enemy head-on to save Robin.
Suddenly, the video froze. The ability to chat on the screen returned, and the world erupted in a storm of conversation.
[Buggy the Clown: How did that Straw Hat kid appear on the screen? Is this whole thing about him?]
Buggy's post was the match that lit the fuse. Names Luffy recognized flashed on the screen, a mix of relief, concern, and the usual chaos.
[Little Thief Cat Nami: Luffy! Everyone, are you all okay?!]
[Blackfoot Sanji: Miss Naaamiii~! Robin-chwaaan~!]
[Devil Child Nico Robin: Yes, we're all okay.]
[Great God Usopp: I'm fine too!]
[Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro: It's okay, I just don't know how to get out of this mess.]
[Cyborg Franky: S... U... P... E... R! We're all fine!]
[Soul King Brook: Yohohoho! Could I trouble you to admire your panties, dear lady?]
[Chopper: Wow, everyone, I'm so glad you're all okay! What about Luffy? Is he all right?]
Luffy put his hand on his straw hat. A wide smile finally broke across his face as he saw the messages from his friends.
[Straw Hat Luffy: Everyone! I'm fine too!]
Luffy and his friends sighed with relief, their momentary fears gone. The live broadcast, however, was still in progress.
On screen, Sanji began to explain the details of what had happened with Robin. Franky listened, visibly moved by the story. Suddenly, a Marine came into view, but before he could act, a metallic ball slammed into him.
Sanji and Franky were startled. "Who is it?" they wondered aloud.
Then, a strange man wearing a mask and a red cape appeared, accompanied by a burst of music. "I heard what Usopp said about you," he declared. "You're going to save a lady, right? Then I'll fight alongside you! My name is... Sniper King!"
Sanji immediately recognized him, but didn't expose his identity. Instead, he played along, and the group devised a new plan. After fighting their way through the train, Sniper King finally came face-to-face with Robin. But she refused to leave.
To protect the Straw Hat Pirates, Robin chose to surrender to CP9, departing for Judicial Island on her own. The video ended with her leaving, and the audience was captivated by the bond between Robin and her crew. Robin, who was willing to sacrifice her own life for her friends, was being hunted relentlessly for simply possessing knowledge of the ancient Poneglyphs.
Viewers across the world watched, their emotions stirred by the scene. They saw the Robin on the screen as kind and beautiful, and in contrast, the white uniforms of the Marines looked stained with black.
[Koala: Nico Robin didn't do anything, so why are the Marines treating her like this?]
[Blackfoot Sanji: Robin-chwan, you have endured so much.]
[Revolutionary Dragon: The World Government is obviously trying to hide or destroy the Blank Century of history, so they persecute this poor girl like this.]
Dragon's words shifted the focus from the Marines to the World Government itself. The audience seemed to realize what was happening and began to flood the chat with their pleas.
[Civilian 1: Robin is so pitiful, why do you treat her like this!]
[Civilian 2: Nico Robin did nothing wrong at all! She doesn't deserve to be treated like this!]
[Civilian 3: That's right! Nico Robin should be pardoned! She is innocent!]
[Civilian 4: Pardon Nico Robin, she is innocent!]
...And so on, a tide of messages from civilians. Within moments, the number of posts reached hundreds of millions, and it showed no signs of stopping.
For too long, civilians had been afraid to voice their opinions for fear of offending the World Government. But seeing what happened to Robin, many were reminded of their own injustices and could no longer hold back. The anger that had been simmering for years finally boiled over. The flood of messages was unstoppable. Even some kings who tried to suppress the comments of their own citizens found the messages were replaced by the next one before they could even read them. Civilians, afraid to directly criticize the World Government, vented their frustrations through the Robin incident.
The entire sky was filled with pleas to pardon Nico Robin, a sight that stunned countless people.
Robin, who was at the Revolutionary Army's headquarters, saw the messages and was deeply moved. She had always considered herself an unlucky person, and had been surprised when the Straw Hat Pirates invited her to join. But now, seeing so many people speak up for her, she couldn't help but feel a little emotional.
Sabo, standing nearby, was also surprised. He had never imagined civilians could possess such power, that they didn't need to wait for rescue. If this power could be harnessed, it would undoubtedly change the world. Dragon, too, was moved. He had intentionally made that comment to spark a reaction, but the result was far beyond his expectations.
Both Dragon and Sabo were puzzled as to why the reaction was so strong. Robin turned to look at Sabo. "The people are doing this because they are filled with anger."
"Anger?" Sabo still didn't understand.
Robin explained further. "Yes. Look at the broadcast. While most of the messages are pleas for my pardon, there are also a lot of messages describing the evil deeds of the Marines and the World Government."
Sabo checked the screen and saw that she was right. "It's impossible for all Marines to be kind and righteous," Robin continued. "There will always be a few bad ones who bully civilians. In addition to the oppression from pirates, civilians also have to endure the Celestial Dragons, the World Government, and even their own kings. They've endured for too long, and one day, they couldn't take it anymore. This is their chance to vent their anger."
"I see," Sabo nodded. "That's why our Revolutionary Army is growing stronger."
"You could say that," Robin agreed.
As they spoke, the video on the screen continued. A man with a missing front tooth appeared, identified by the system as Marine Colonel "Ship Cutter" T-Bone. Sanji and the others had trapped him in a disconnected carriage, leaving him stranded at sea.
Today, the sea was treacherous, and the trapped Marines were in a precarious situation. T-Bone, choosing to save his men, decided to pull the carriage with a rope, chasing after the Sea Train. Suddenly, a huge Sea King appeared, trying to swallow the carriage whole. With a single, swift strike of his sword, T-Bone killed it. Without a second glance at the Sea King's corpse, he continued his pursuit.
But then, he sensed something. He stopped, his gaze fixed on a bright light in the distance—the light of a Sea Train. A bad feeling washed over him. He was afraid it was coming with bad intentions, and he looked at the approaching light with grim determination.
[Buggy the Clown: Oh, are we going to collide with the Straw Hat Kids?]
[Momomaru: I never thought there'd be such a highly skilled swordsman in the Navy, but why have I never heard of him?]
Marshal Sengoku was impressed by T-Bone's performance. But when he looked around and found that no one in the Navy knew the man, he felt a pang of sadness. It was a great loss to have such a capable subordinate go unrecognized. Fortunately, Vice Admiral Tsuru was already looking up information on the man, which brought Sengoku some comfort.
The video continued. Franky's brothers aimed their cannons at T-Bone. But before the audience could see the result, the video ended.
"Ding! Now, let's ask the first question. Who defeated T-Bone?"
"A. Monkey D. Luffy" "B. Tony Tony Chopper" "C. Roronoa Zoro" "D. Franky's brothers"
"Only the first four people to get a chance to answer the question can participate. The first person to answer correctly will receive a reward, and there will be no penalty for the remaining people who have not answered. But those who answer incorrectly will be punished. The quiz begins now!"
After the video ended, a red button appeared next to everyone, which they could touch to try and get a chance to answer. People frantically clicked the button, hoping to get a spot.
"Ding! The quick answer session is over. The candidates who have the chance to answer this time are: Bellamy, Nami, Buggy, and Tashigi."
Seeing that Nami, a Straw Hat Pirate, got a chance to answer, many people were dissatisfied.
[Buggy the Clown: That's not fair! The Straw Hat guys must know the result. How can you let them answer?]
[Bellamy: That's right, their chance to answer should be canceled.]
[T-Bone: I was just one step too late. I didn't get it.]
[Buggy the Clown: Hey, the real boss is here! Hey, T-Bone, who defeated you?]
A lot of opinions appeared on the screen, but most people felt it was unfair to let the participants in the video answer the questions. The system, however, ignored their protests.
"Ding! The answering system is fair and just, and everyone has a chance to answer. If other people appear in the video later, they can also participate. Now, the first audience member to grab the question, please start answering."
[Bellamy: Since Luffy is the captain, he must be the strongest. I choose A, Monkey D. Luffy.]
Bellamy was confident in his answer. But he was in for a surprise.
"Ding! Bellamy answered incorrectly. Punishment: Feel ten times the pain during the battle."
[Bellamy: What! I got the answer wrong!]
"Ding! Next person, Nami, please answer the question."
[Buggy the Clown: Looks like this woman will get the reward.]
[Little Thief Cat Nami: My answer is C, Roronoa Zoro.]
"Ding! Congratulations, Nami, for answering correctly! Reward: Rabbit Talisman!"
A moment later, an octagonal stone with a rabbit pattern on it appeared in front of Nami. As soon as she held it, she instantly understood its power. The Rabbit Talisman could give its user extraordinary speed, even enough to break the limits of time. Nami was delighted with her new reward. The next time she was in danger, she wouldn't be afraid of not being able to escape.
As Nami rejoiced, the screen was once again filled with comments.
[Strobel: It's impossible for a Marine like T-Bone to be defeated by pirates.]
[BABY5: Nothing is impossible. You Marines are too confident. But I'm more curious about what that Rabbit Talisman is.]
[Buggy the Clown: Yeah, I want to know too! Hey, Straw Hat Pirate woman, tell us now!]
[Golden Lion Shiki: Hahahahahahaha, I want to know too.]
[Moonlight Moria: I am curious, too.]
[Perona: Lord Moria, I knew you were fine.]
[Blackfoot Sanji: Shut up! Don't you dare hurt Miss Nami!]
[Little Thief Cat Nami: Just give up. I won't tell you.]
The quarrel broke out again, but BABY5, who had started the topic, disappeared from the chat.
In Dressrosa, Doflamingo looked at BABY5 with a smile. "You did a great job."
"Am I needed by the Young Master again? I'll try my best again!" BABY5's face was full of smiles.
Doflamingo began to wonder if the live broadcast was genuine. From the reactions he'd seen so far, the video seemed accurate. But he still wasn't sure if the punishments and rewards were real unless he saw it with his own eyes.
Thinking of this, Doflamingo turned to his subordinates. "Next, I hope you can grab this chance to answer. Don't let me down."
"Yes!" they replied.
At that moment, the video on the screen started playing again.
Zoro stood on the roof of the Sea Train and used his Three Sword Style: Gyu-Oni to knock T-Bone away, verifying Nami's answer. Afterward, the Straw Hat Pirates took the Sea Train to Judicial Island. After breaking through all the gates, a fluttering flag appeared before them, its image clear even from a distance.
Luffy was the first to reach the top floor of the Judicial Island Trial Chamber, followed by Nami, Chopper, Zoro, Sanji, and Sniper King. The six of them stood in a row, looking at the Tower of Justice from afar.
At this point, the video ended and the next question appeared.
"Ding! Question: Who destroyed the flag over Judicial Island?"
"A. Sanji" "B. Sniper King" "C. Roronoa Zoro" "D. Monkey D. Luffy"
"The quiz begins now!"
As soon as the system's voice fell, everyone rushed to answer, not stopping to think. They just wanted to be the first.
"Ding! The quick answer session is over. The candidates who have the chance to answer this time are: Lao G, Mr. 1, Smoker, and Moriah."
"Lao G, choose D," Doflamingo instructed.
[Lao G: I choose B, Sniper King.]
When BABY5 saw his answer, her eyes went dark. "You idiot! The Young Master was talking about Monkey D. Luffy!"
"Ah, what should I do?" Lao G panicked.
The other people on the screen were also confused by his answer.
[Crocodile: You actually chose that coward, Doffy. Hahahaha.]