Dust kicked up along the dry, winding roads of the Kibi region.
Walking with a slow, steady pace, the swordsman adjusted the pink, floral-patterned haori draped loosely over his shoulders. Tipping his woven straw hat downward to block the harsh afternoon sun, Zoro kept his hand resting near the hilts of his blades.
A short, round man with a wild shock of blue hair bounced along right beside him.
"You are incredible, master samurai!" Tonoyasu cheered, his face stretched into a wide, permanent grin. "The way you handled those yakuza thugs back there! Slice, slash, boom! They didn't stand a chance!"
Ignoring the praise, the disguised pirate took a drink from his clay jug. He had stumbled across the small man being shaken down for gambling debts earlier in the day. After easily dispatching the local enforcers, Tonoyasu had attached himself to the swordsman like a loyal, noisy shadow.
"I am not your master," Zoro muttered, wiping sake from his chin. "Stop following me."
"Nonsense!" Tonoyasu laughed, skipping ahead to walk backward while facing the swordsman. "Ahahaha! I owe you my life! I will guide you to my home! It is just over this next ridge!"
Cresting the rocky hill, a sprawling, run-down settlement came into view.
Dilapidated wooden shacks leaned against each other for support. The roofs lacked proper tiling, patched together with scrap metal and dried grass. Dirt paths wound through the extreme poverty. Yet, despite the terrible living conditions, a deafening wave of noise rose from the valley.
It was not the sound of crying or despair. It was the sound of continuous laughter.
Entering the borders of Ebisu Town, Zoro looked around in confusion. Citizens wearing ragged clothes rolled on the dirt roads, clutching their stomachs in fits of giggles. Elderly women smiled brightly while washing worn fabrics in small buckets. Children chased each other between the shacks, laughing uproariously despite their visible malnutrition.
"Welcome to Ebisu Town!" Tonoyasu announced proudly, waving his arms. "Ahahaha! We do not have money! We do not have food! But we always have a smile!"
Frowning slightly, the swordsman observed the strange behavior. The resilience impressed him, but the underlying uniformity of the laughter felt unnatural. (He was sleeping when Ben was telling about Wano people condition.)
"Zoro-bro!"
A loud, booming voice called out from the center of the town.
Turning toward the noise, the swordsman spotted his crewmates. Franky waved a massive, tanned arm in the air. The heavy, dark gi of his Chad disguise stretched over his broad shoulders. Standing next to the shipwright, Usopp rubbed his spiky red hair, looking exhausted in his gray kimono.
Approaching the group, Zoro noticed Law leaning against a wooden fence. The surgeon kept his expensive white scarf pulled up high, observing the laughing citizens with a detached, clinical gaze.
"You made it to the rendezvous point," Sanji noted. "We secured a safe house here for the night. The capital guards are heavily patrolling the inner districts looking for the soba cart owner."
"You caused trouble again," Zoro stated, crossing his arms.
"I defended a customer," Sanji corrected coldly. "Something a brute like you wouldn't understand."
Before the usual argument could escalate, Tonoyasu rushed forward, offering the new arrivals a deep bow. Welcoming the group with his booming laugh, the small man immediately offered to share his meager rations with the disguised pirates.
Later that night, the moon hung high over the outskirts of the Flower Capital.
Slipping away from the noisy, laughing crowds of Ebisu Town, Sanji walked down a deserted, cobblestone road. He needed to scout the patrol routes near the weapon factories to gather intelligence for the upcoming raid.
A heavy shadow fell across the moonlit path.
Two massive figures blocked the street ahead. Transforming out of the darkness, X Drake and Page One stepped into the moonlight. The two members of the Flying Six had fully activated their ancient Zoan Devil Fruits, shifting into their lethal hybrid forms. Scales covered their muscular bodies, and sharp, predatory claws tore into the ground beneath their boots.
"There you are," Page One growled, his reptilian jaw snapping eagerly. "The arrogant noodle vendor."
Adjusting his silver glasses, Sanji did not flinch. "Queen sent dinosaurs to handle a street dispute. How flattering."
Lunging forward without warning, Page One swung a massive, clawed hand.
The strike tore through the air, aimed directly at the cook's head.
Instead of blocking, Sanji vanished. Utilizing the sliding, frictionless Bo-Bup footwork, he slipped under the incoming arm. Reappearing instantly beside the Spinosaurus hybrid, the cook pivoted on his heel.
Renewal Taekwondo: Hwechook.
Whipping his leg around in a blindingly fast spin, Sanji delivered a heavy kick squarely into the side of Page One's jaw. The strike carried no fire, relying entirely on raw kinetic force coated in dense Armament Haki.
The impact lifted the massive dinosaur off his feet, sending him crashing through the paper walls of an abandoned storehouse.
Drawing a sword and a four-bladed axe, X Drake charged immediately. The Allosaurus hybrid brought both weapons down in a devastating cross-slash.
Sidestepping the blades, Sanji moved with flawless grace. The heavy weapons struck the cobblestones, shattering the rocks into powder. Stepping onto the flat side of the embedded axe, the cook used it as a springboard.
Launching himself into the air, Sanji aimed a descending heel drop directly at Drake's skull.
Sensing the danger, the ancient Zoan raised his armored forearm to block.
The black leather shoe collided with dinosaur scales. A shockwave rippled down the empty street, rattling the windows of the nearby buildings. The immense pressure forced Drake to his knees, cracking the stone street beneath him.
"You hit hard for a cook," Drake grunted, struggling against the weight of the kick.
Recovering from the initial blow, Page One burst out of the ruined storehouse. Roaring in anger, the Spinosaurus hybrid opened his massive jaws, aiming to bite the airborne cook in half.
Using Drake's blocking arm as a platform, Sanji leaped backward.
Flipping gracefully through the air, the cook landed lightly on the roof of a small building. Looking down at the two enraged dinosaurs, he calculated the risk of continuing the engagement.
The noise of the fight had already echoed across the district. Paper lanterns flickered to life in the distance as capital guards rushed toward the commotion. Fighting two ancient Zoans would take time, and drawing a massive crowd violated Ben's strict orders to maintain a low profile.
"I have better things to do than babysit reptiles," Sanji declared flatly.
Tapping his foot against the roof tiles, the cook used the Geppo technique to kick the air itself. Launching into the night sky, he disappeared into the heavy clouds, leaving the two frustrated assassins roaring at the empty rooftop.
The next morning, ocean waves rolled gently onto the sandy shores of Kuri.
Running along the waterline, a group of children played happily in the surf. Otama giggled, chasing a small crab across the wet sand. Momonosuke followed closely, keeping a protective eye on the young girl.
Supervising the group from a safe distance, Kikunojo smiled gently. The tall samurai wore a simple yellow kimono, standing near a large piece of driftwood.
Disguised as the human child Toshiro Hitsugaya, Chopper built a small sandcastle near the water. The spiky white hair and green haori made the reindeer look like a fierce, serious little boy, but he hummed a happy tune while stacking wet sand.
Bounding out of the nearby trees, Merry and Sunny joined the fun.
Sunny sported messy red hair and a casual, oversized baseball shirt to mimic the rough-and-tumble Jinta Hanakari. Chasing him through the shallow water, Merry wore her dark hair in twin pigtails. Her polite, quiet Ururu Tsumugiya disguise contrasted wildly with her loud, echoing laughter as she splashed her brother.
Sitting under the shade of a palm tree, Bonney lounged in her orange gi. Chewing on a large red apple, the disguised pirate remained unbothered by the energetic children.
A strange, massive shape bobbed in the shallow water a few yards down the beach.
Noticing the obstruction, Sunny tilted his head. Trotting over to the shape, the avatar poked it.
"Hey, guys!" Sunny called out. "Look what washed up!"
Dropping his sand bucket, Chopper jogged over to the water's edge, followed quickly by Otama, Momonosuke, Kiku, and Merry.
Lying face down in the wet sand, a massive woman remained motionless. Her pink dress was soaked and torn. Seaweed tangled in her wild hair.
Recognizing the size and presence of the figure, the blood drained entirely from Chopper's face. The little boy disguise could not hide the raw panic exploding in his eyes.
"B-B-Big Mom!" Chopper shrieked, falling backward into the sand.
Drawing her sword instantly, Kiku stepped in front of the children. Momonosuke and Otama gasped, staring at the giant woman in confusion. Having never seen an Emperor of the Sea, the size of the body still radiated natural intimidation.
Taking another bite of her apple, Bonney didn't even stand up. "Oh. She followed us."
Merry skipped over to the unconscious Yonko, poking the woman's cheek gently with a finger. "She is sleeping."
"Get away from her!" Chopper yelled frantically, scrambling backward on his hands and knees. "She will eat us all! She is a monster!"
A loud groan rumbled from the giant woman.
Coughing up a mouthful of seawater, Big Mom slowly pushed herself up. Sand fell from her massive arms. Sitting upright, she rubbed her forehead, groaning in obvious pain.
Chopper stopped breathing, preparing for immediate death. Kiku tightened her grip on her blade.
Opening her massive eyes, Big Mom looked around the beach. Taking in the terrified boy, the drawn sword, and the children, she finally looked down at her own hands. A look of child-like confusion washed over her face.
"Who... am I?" Big Mom asked softly.
Silence dropped over the beach.
Blinking in surprise, Chopper lowered his hands. "Amnesia?"
Seeing the confused, lost expression on the giant woman's face, Otama stepped out from behind the samurai. Walking forward bravely, the little girl offered a warm smile.
"You bumped your head," Otama said gently. "Your name is O-Lin."
"O-Lin," the giant woman repeated, tasting the name. A wide, innocent smile broke across her face. "I am O-Lin! But... I am very hungry."
A full day passed.
Navigating the dusty roads of the Kuri region, Chopper's group successfully guided the amnesiac Emperor to the small, impoverished settlement of Okobore Town. Despite the severe lack of resources, the kind-hearted citizens welcomed the giant woman warmly.
Inside a small, open-air tea house, the owner, Tsuru, placed a large, steaming bowl on the wooden table.
"Eat up, O-Lin," Tsuru offered kindly.
Staring at the sweet red bean soup containing soft mochi, Big Mom picked up the bowl. Taking a massive slurp, the Emperor's eyes widened in delight.
"Delicious!" O-Lin cheered, a rosy blush spreading across her cheeks. "This oshiruko is amazing! It is so sweet and warm!"
Watching the terrifying Emperor eat soup like a happy child, Chopper let out a sigh of relief. The crisis seemed temporarily averted.
Stepping through the fabric curtains of the tea house, two new figures entered the establishment.
Disguised as Retsu Unohana, Robin offered a serene, polite nod to the owner. Walking beside her, Ben wore a dark green haori over a simple kimono, sporting a green-and-white striped bucket hat casting a shadow over his eyes. Using a wooden cane and wearing wooden geta sandals, he captured the eccentric, slightly dangerous vibe of Kisuke Urahara flawlessly.
"My, my, what a lively customer," Ben commented playfully, tapping his cane against the floorboards.
Approaching the table, the magician looked directly at the amnesiac Emperor.
"You like the oshiruko, O-Lin-san?" Ben asked, tilting his bucket hat up slightly.
Scraping the bottom of her bowl, Big Mom nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! It is the best thing I have ever eaten! I want more!"
Sighing in exaggerated disappointment, Ben shook his head. "What a shame. This town has no more to give you. They are very poor."
O-Lin frowned, a childish pout forming on her massive lips. "No more?"
Leaning closer, Ben lowered his voice, adopting the tone of a conspirator sharing a juicy secret.
"There is much more," Ben revealed softly. "Across the sea, there is an island called Onigashima. The people there have mountains of oshiruko. They have pots and barrels full of it. But they are very greedy. They are hoarding it all for themselves, refusing to share with the hungry people here."
The childish pout vanished instantly.
A dark, terrifying shadow fell over Big Mom's face. The innocent demeanor cracked, replaced by the raw, unhinged fury of an Emperor denied her sweets.
"Hoarding the oshiruko?" O-Lin growled, her voice dropping an octave. Slamming her massive fist onto the wooden table, the impact shattered the furniture into splinters. "That is not fair! I will go there! I will take it all!"
Stepping back, Ben raised his hand.
Focusing his spatial magic, the magician tore the fabric of reality. A massive, swirling blue portal opened directly in the middle of the tea house, large enough to accommodate the giant woman.
"The portal leads directly to the outskirts of Onigashima," Ben offered helpfully, gesturing toward the swirling vortex with his cane.
Standing up, the enraged Emperor did not hesitate. Driven entirely by the promise of sweet red bean soup, Big Mom marched forward. Ducking her massive head, she stepped through the magical gateway.
The moment her boots cleared the threshold, Ben snapped his fingers.
The portal collapsed instantly, vanishing with a sharp popping sound.
Silence descended upon the ruined tea house.
Sitting on a nearby stool, Chopper stared at the spot where the portal had been. He slowly turned his head to look at the magician. Momonosuke, Kiku, and Otama stared with equal expressions of horrified awe.
He had just weaponized an Emperor of the Sea and aimed her directly at Kaido's stronghold using nothing but a bowl of soup and a lie.
Robin stepped beside him.
"You solve problems in rather... unconventional ways."
Ben chuckled.
"I've spent years perfecting my technique."
Robin glanced toward him.
"Have you?"
"Oh, yes."
He held up his hand.
"It all comes down to proper finger control."
Robin's gaze lingered on his raised hand before she looked away with a faint blush.
"...You enjoy making innocent things sound scandalous."
Ben gave a helpless shrug.
"I only spoke of spellcasting."
"And yet..."
"And yet."
The two shared a knowing smile, while others looked at them both confused.