Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 46.
Kizaru stood silently among the wreckage, his usually relaxed expression slightly more serious than usual. Around him, the scene was nothing short of disastrous. Dozens of marines lay scattered across the ground, unconscious and beaten.
Some were still floating in the nearby waters, drifting slowly with the waves, clearly defeated. Even Sentomaru, his own nephew and one of the strongest enforcers of Marine science, lay motionless on the cracked ground.
"They escaped..." Kizaru muttered, the words leaving his mouth slowly. He glanced around again, taking in the destruction. "Looks like Sengoku-san is going to be very angry about this."
On his way here, Kizaru had already encountered several rookie pirates—Basil Hawkins, Scratchman Apoo, Urouge, and X Drake. Though those young pirates showed promise, they didn't pose any real threat to him. He was about to handle them when a marine arrived, urgently informing him that the Orcas' ship had been located at Grove 46.
Without hesitation, Kizaru left the rookies behind and sped toward the location at the speed of light, aiming to personally deal with the Orca Pirates. However, by the time he arrived, it was already too late.
"This is such a headache," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, eyes narrowing slightly behind his yellow sunglasses.
A few surviving marines staggered onto the scene, injured but conscious. Kizaru gave them immediate orders. "Prioritize saving those floating at sea. Pull them out before they drown. Start patching this place up."
As the marines scrambled to carry out his commands, Kizaru pulled out his Den Den Mushi and dialed the line directly to the Fleet Admiral.
The snail clicked. "Kizaru," Sengoku's voice came through. "Did you catch Zino?"
Kizaru exhaled slowly before responding. "It's unfortunate, Sengoku-san. The one who encountered him first... was my nephew."
There was a brief pause before Sengoku's calm voice turned sharp. "...Did Sentomaru kill him?"
"No," Kizaru replied plainly. "He got beaten. All the marines here were taken down. Even Sentomaru is unconscious."
"What?!" Sengoku's voice rose in disbelief, almost shouting.
Another pause followed, heavier than before.
Sengoku's voice returned, quieter this time but still filled with tension. "Weren't there pacifistas deployed with Sentomaru?"
"There were," Kizaru answered. "PX-3, PX-4... maybe more. But all of them are gone now."
"Gone?" Sengoku asked, clearly alarmed. "What do you mean gone?"
"I mean they're not here. Vanished. Not a single unit or even wreckage left. As for the warships... they're gone too."
On the other end of the line, Sengoku fell into a thoughtful silence. His frown deepened as he processed the report.
"We underestimated them," he finally said. "It seems Zino is no longer just another Supernova... he's really operating at the level of a Yonko Commander."
There was a long exhale from Sengoku's side. "Alright. There's no helping it now. Return to headquarters for the time being. We need to rally every available force for the upcoming battle against Whitebeard. Focus on that."
With that, the Den Den Mushi call ended.
Kizaru tucked the snail back into his coat. Without another word, he walked over to Sentomaru, picked him up effortlessly, and slung him over his shoulder. His glowing yellow form then slowly faded into beams of light as he left the area.
The remaining marines, battered and barely recovering, began organizing themselves. With their commanding officers gone and their ships missing, they were left to clean up the mess, tend to the wounded, and figure out how to report their failure.
The Grove, once lively, now echoed only with the sounds of the injured and the sea breeze blowing through the shattered trees.
...
Out on the open sea, the Silent Orca sailed steadily, the towering forms of the Sabaody Archipelago long gone behind them. The crew moved about the deck, catching their breath after the recent battle, but the tension still lingered.
"So, what's your plan?" Zoro asked, leaning against the railing with his arms crossed.
Zino stood near the helm, lost in thought. The idea of heading straight to Impel Down weighed heavily on him. It was one of the most secure locations in the world, and his crew might not yet be fully prepared to face the powerful enemies waiting there. Charging in without a strategy could spell disaster.
After a moment, Zino turned to Robin. "Do you know any maps or routes that could lead us to Impel Down?"
Robin shook her head gently. "No. Impel Down is located deep within the Calm Belt. Reaching it is extremely difficult. The waters there are infested with Sea Kings, and the only safe passage is through the Gate of Justice — a heavily guarded marine-controlled entryway."
Zino frowned. "That's not an option. If we try to pass through the marine route, we'll be captured before we even get close."
"Then what do you propose?" Nami asked, curious.
Zino smiled faintly. "We take the sky route."
"The sky?" Nami raised an eyebrow.
"We fly the ship," Zino said confidently.
The crew turned to him in surprise, though they knew by now not to dismiss his ideas so easily.
"Alright," he continued. "We need to find land first — somewhere where we can start preparing for flight. Binko, Hibari, I'll need you two to work on modifying the ship for airborne travel."
"Understood. Leave it to us," Hibari said, already pulling out a notepad. Binko nodded beside him, gears already turning in his mind.
With their course set, the Silent Orca continued on.
Hours passed until a ship appeared in the distance. At first, it was just a shadow on the horizon, but as they drew closer, the outlines of the crew on board became clearer.
Sanji narrowed his eyes. "Is that... the former Baroque Works agents?"
The flag confirmed it — it was the Numbers Pirates.
Daz Bones stood at the edge of his ship, arms crossed as the vessels aligned. He clearly wasn't pleased to see them.
"Orca Pirates," he muttered, his voice low and unwelcoming.
Zino, on the other hand, grinned as if seeing old friends. "Well, look who it is. Didn't expect to run into you guys here."
"Are you heading to Impel Down?" Zino asked casually.
Daz Bones didn't answer immediately. "None of your business."
Zino chuckled. "Come on, no need to be so stiff. As a matter of fact, we're heading there too. How about we go together?"
The Numbers Pirates exchanged glances. Zino's words made sense, but Daz Bones didn't trust him. Not fully.
Seeing the hesitation, Zino added, "Look, the more fighters we have, the better. You know as well as I do that rescuing Crocodile won't be easy. You think your current numbers are enough?"
Daz Bones narrowed his eyes, considering the proposal. As much as he hated to admit it, Zino was right. Charging into Impel Down with a skeleton crew would be suicide.
"...Fine. We'll go together," Daz Bones finally said.
Zino smiled, pleased. With this unexpected alliance formed, their odds — however slim — had just improved.
"Alright. First, let's find an island," Zino said, scanning the horizon.
"Why do we need that?" Bon Clay asked, tilting his head.
"So we can start modifying both ships," Zino replied. "We're going to take the sky route to reach Impel Down."
"The sky route?" Zala repeated, clearly confused. "What does that even mean?"
"You'll find out soon enough," Zino said with a small smile.
With no further explanation, the two allied crews continued sailing together. After a few hours of searching, they found a small, inhabited island nestled among the waves. The ships docked, and the crews disembarked.
"Binko and I will do our best to modify the Silent Orca for flight," Hibari said, already pulling tools from his pack. "But it's not going to be quick."
"How long will it take?" Zino asked.
"At least a full day, maybe more," he replied.
"Understood," Zino nodded. "Once you're done with the Orca, do the same for their ship," he added, gesturing toward the Numbers Pirates' vessel.
"Got it," Binko said with a thumbs-up as he joined Hibari.
With the engineers hard at work, Zino turned to face his crew, his tone serious. "Alright, everyone. While they're modifying the ships, use this time to train. You all need to start awakening your Haki. No slacking off."
The crew looked at one another, nodding with varying levels of determination and uncertainty.
"The next battle won't be like before," Zino continued. "We'll be facing multiple Haki users. If you don't awaken Haki, you'll be overwhelmed — plain and simple."
The Numbers Pirates, standing nearby, overheard the conversation. The term "Haki" caught their attention.
"He knows Haki?" Drophy asked, her eyes narrowing.
"Seems like it," Zala replied.
Zino turned his gaze toward them. "That goes for you too. In Impel Down, if you don't know Haki, you won't last. Your chances of escaping are near zero. And your chances of rescuing anyone? Zero."
The words hit hard. Silence fell for a moment.
"...Then teach me Haki," Daz Bones said suddenly, stepping forward.
Zino's eyes narrowed. He studied Daz Bones for a moment. Just when he was about to ask his reason, Daz Bones surprised everyone by lowering his head.
"Please... teach me."
He then dropped to his knees, bowing his head all the way to the ground. The Orcas and Numbers alike stared in disbelief. Even Zino was visibly surprised.
"Why?" Zino asked quietly.
"I once lost to a Haki user," Daz Bones admitted. "I couldn't fight back at all. Even with my Devil Fruit power, I was helpless. That feeling... of powerlessness... I don't want to feel that again. That's why I want to learn Haki."
Zino fell silent again for a moment, his gaze unreadable. Then he spoke.
"Don't you think you're begging the wrong person?"
"I believe you know Haki," Daz Bones replied without hesitation. "I can sense it. Ever since I lost that day… I've been able to tell who can and who can't use Haki."
"Oh?" Zino raised an eyebrow. "You can sense it?"
Daz Bones gave a slow nod.
"Then tell me—who among us can use Haki?"
The Numbers and Orcas turned to watch as Daz Bones looked around, narrowing his eyes and focusing.
"You… her… and that chest," he said, pointing one by one.
He indicated Zino, Nojiko, and finally, Baral—the sentient treasure chest, causing a few surprised reactions, including from Daz Bones himself.
"...That thing's really alive? And it can use Haki?" Zala asked in disbelief.
"Impressive," Zino said, clearly intrigued. "I don't know how you're able to sense it like that, but that ability is quite rare and unique."
Then, a grin crept onto his face.
"Why don't you guys join my crew?"
Daz Bones and the other Numbers Pirates looked taken aback.
"...We already have our own ship," Bon Clay pointed out hesitantly.
"That's fine," Zino replied smoothly. "You don't need to abandon it. I'm not asking you to become part of the main crew. Just fly my flag. Become one of my vessels."
"Vessels?" Zala asked, frowning.
"That's right," Zino said. "I aim to become a Yonko. To do that, I need strong pirate fleets under my name. You'll be my first vessel crew."
The Numbers were stunned. The ambition in his voice was clear—becoming a Yonko, a title held by the most powerful pirates in the world, like Whitebeard and Big Mom.
"You won't regret it," Zino continued, voice calm but resolute. "You've already seen how far I've come. The World Government sees me as a threat. It's only a matter of time before I officially take that title."
The Numbers Pirates exchanged glances. Daz Bones observed Zino for a while, before asking, "If we become your vessel… will you teach us Haki?"
Zino nodded. "Of course. If you think it's part of the deal, then sure."
Daz Bones lowered his head once more, this time in acceptance. "Then we'll fly your flag."
"Excellent," Zino said with a grin. "Then, I hereby name you… the First Commander of the Orca Pirates."
"What?!" gasped several voices at once.
All the main Orcas frowned, clearly stunned.
"Shouldn't one of us be given a commander position first?" Usopp complained.
The others nodded in agreement. Sanji, and Zoro are also frowning.
Zino calmly said, "To be a commander of my fleet, you need your own crew and ship. Daz Bones already has that, so he qualifies. Besides, the position isn't permanent. Once you have your own troops, you can challenge him for that spot."
He looked at each of his crew one by one.
"Also, being a commander means you're leading a ship and crew under my banner. You're still on the main ship, the Silent Orca. You're not ready for that role yet."
The deck fell silent. Zino's explanation planted a seed of ambition in several hearts—especially in Usopp and Stev, who began to imagine what it would be like to have their own squads one day.