-Broadcast-
As Kikoku descended toward Camie's neck in a deadly arc, the mermaid chose to close her eyes. If death truly awaited her here, perhaps it would finally bring the relief she had been denied for so many years.
"Law, don't let your anger consume you. She's just a tool—a victim like your sister."
A pair of mechanical arms intercepted the blade mere inches from Camie's throat. Franky's timely intervention stayed the Shichibukai's hand, saving the mermaid from immediate execution.
"Have we met before?" Trafalgar Law studied the figure blocking his path, confusion flickering across his features. Franky's transformation over the past 5 years had been so complete that recognition proved elusive.
After Franky reintroduced himself, Law's memories slowly aligned with the cyborg standing before him. The man who had once been part human was now entirely mechanical—a walking testament to the power of scientific advancement.
Within Law's Room, Franky had been subjected to the same surgical dismemberment as everyone else. Yet somehow, the cyborg had managed to reassemble himself, though not without amusing consequences. His hands now sprouted from where his shoulders should be, his legs attached at hip level, and his head rested comically on his abdomen. The sight would have been hilarious under different circumstances.
As Law's memories of this particular pervert surfaced, they brought with them recollections of Camie as well. "Ah, now I understand why you want to save her," Law said, his grip on Kikoku relaxing slightly. "This mermaid appeared at a slave auction years ago. From her current situation, she was clearly sold again to someone in Dressrosa."
Understanding dawned, and Law slowly returned his blade to its sheath. Camie's fate mirrored his sister's in the cruelest possible way—both women had been reduced to commodities by those who saw them as less than human. The mermaid had become a plaything for anyone with enough berries, while Lami had been transformed into a living art piece for wealthy collectors to ogle. They were both victims of the same twisted system.
"Mr. Franky," Camie whispered, her voice barely audible as shame colored her features. "I never expected to see you here—to let you witness what I've become. Thank god Luffy isn't here to see this."
Despite his mechanical nature, Franky's gentlemanly heart remained intact. "Camie, it's over now. No matter what you look like or what you've endured, my captain would still greet you with that same bright smile. You'll always be Luffy's friend."
The simple declaration of acceptance shattered Camie's remaining composure. Tears streamed down her cheeks as years of accumulated pain found release. She had heard countless empty compliments from the men who used her—hollow praise designed to make her more compliant. They wanted only her body, never caring about the woman trapped within it.
She had resigned herself to spending the rest of her life in Dressrosa's entertainment district, but seeing a member of the Straw Hat Pirates rekindled a hope she had thought permanently extinguished. If Franky was here, then perhaps Luffy and the others would eventually return to the seas. Maybe, just maybe, they would rescue her from this nightmare as they had 5 years ago on Sabaody Archipelago. That savior complex, born from her sheltered upbringing on Fish-Man Island, still burned within her heart.
"Mr. Law, may I call you that?"
Trafalgar Law nodded curtly. The mermaid's sincere demeanor suggested that Franky's gentle approach had succeeded where intimidation had failed. Sometimes kindness proved more effective than the blade.
"The Silver Daughter—your sister—this was her debut performance. She wasn't originally scheduled to appear, but someone specifically requested her addition to tonight's show." Camie's voice grew stronger as she prepared to reveal crucial information. "The person who taught me the conditioning techniques—the glass-tapping method—was Dia—"
The words died in her throat as a serpentine blade burst through the back of her neck and erupted from her mouth in a spray of red. The weapon twisted like a living snake, its impossible flexibility allowing it to navigate through her body with surgical precision.
Camie's eyes widened in shock and pain as the blade withdrew as suddenly as it had appeared. She collapsed forward, blood painting her pale skin in abstract patterns of violence.
"Camie!" Franky caught her falling form, his sensors immediately analyzing the extent of her injuries. The readings painted a grim picture—the weapon had severed critical arteries and damaged vital organs.
"She's still breathing, but barely," Franky reported, his voice tight with urgency. "Law, please—you're a doctor. Help her. She won't last much longer."
But Trafalgar Law stood frozen, cold sweat beading on his forehead despite the arena's controlled temperature. His enhanced Observation Haki had been active throughout the Room's duration, yet the attacker had somehow remained completely undetectable. In all his years of combat experience, such a complete failure of his sensory abilities had never occurred.
Camie's trembling hand found Franky's metallic chest, the cool surface somehow more comforting than human warmth. She had grown to despise the touch of flesh and blood—this mechanical embrace felt pure by comparison.
As her strength ebbed, Camie struggled to speak, but only bloody froth emerged from her damaged throat. Her lips moved desperately, trying to convey some final, crucial message, but no sound accompanied her efforts. The frustration of dying with words unspoken filled her eyes with anguish.
"Camie, I understand," Franky said softly, his quantum processors analyzing her lip movements with mathematical precision. "Your message is clear—just rest now. I'll handle everything from here. Even if I can't solve it alone, Luffy will help me fulfill your wishes."
Relief flooded Camie's features as comprehension passed between them. Her expression transformed, becoming peaceful for the first time in years—the same serenity she had felt when Luffy first pulled her from danger on Sabaody. Slowly, her eyes drifted closed as tears traced final paths down her cheeks. The mermaid who had endured so much suffering finally found the release that had been denied to her for so long.
Franky had undergone complete mechanical ascension, theoretically purging emotions like sadness from his systems. Yet as Camie died in his arms, an unexpected sensation pierced his chest—a sharp, inexplicable pain that his diagnostic systems couldn't identify or explain. Without a biological heart, such physical discomfort should have been impossible.
This renewed connection to his humanity filled Franky with purpose. As a machine, he could no longer shed tears, but he could seek justice. The coward who had murdered Camie would answer for this crime, or Franky would never be able to face Captain Luffy again.
Bepo held the sleeping Lami protectively, positioning himself behind Law as both crew members formed a defensive barrier around the traumatized woman. Whatever came next, they would shield her from further harm with their own bodies if necessary.
"Here it comes," Law murmured as his Observation Haki finally detected a presence entering the arena—someone who had somehow masked their approach until now.
Franky gently laid Camie's body on the stage floor and covered her with the black cloth that had originally concealed the glass container. The simple act preserved her dignity in death, protecting her from the leering eyes that had tormented her in life.
"Law, my old friend! We haven't seen each other in far too many years." A voice dripped with theatrical malice from somewhere within the arena. "Are you surprised by the little gift I prepared especially for you?"
A figure emerged from the shadows—a man whose face bore elaborate clown makeup that failed to disguise the cruelty in his eyes. In his hand writhed a living blade that coiled around his arm like a trained serpent, its metallic scales gleaming under the stage lights.
Diamante, executive officer of the Donquixote Family, had finally revealed himself.
"I do hope you've enjoyed this evening's entertainment," the clown swordsman continued, his voice carrying the sing-song cadence of a carnival barker. "Though I suspect the night's festivities are far from over."