Gern's appearance was like someone pressing pause on time itself.
A suffocating silence swallowed the Thousand Sunny.
Years ago, on the ghostly waters surrounding Thriller Bark, Nami, Chopper, and Brook had personally witnessed Gern's terrifying power.
Now, aside from Sanji, who remained half-kneeling on the deck and barely supporting himself through sheer will despite his grievous injuries, the others felt their legs give out beneath them.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
One after another, they collapsed onto the deck, faces drained of color. Even their breathing slowed instinctively, as if making the slightest sound might provoke something far worse.
That nightmare-like memory from years ago surged back to life in an instant—far more terrifying than the Doflamingo they had just faced.
And Trafalgar Law felt as if he had fallen into an ice pit.
Cold sweat soaked through his back almost instantly.
His mind raced frantically, replaying every detail of his plan.
How is this possible?!
The Marine Admiral who should have arrived here is the newly appointed "Fujitora," Issho!
According to every piece of intelligence and every analysis of the situation, Fujitora—stationed at Marine Headquarters in the New World—is the most logical choice to deal with the changes involving the Seven Warlords!
But this man…
"Skyquake" Gern…
Why would he appear here?!
Did he see through my plan from the very beginning?!
Law's hand tightened around the hilt of Kikoku, trembling slightly.
All of his calculations, all of his schemes—before absolute power and a completely unforeseen variable—suddenly felt fragile and meaningless.
Not to mention…
Back during the Summit War of Marineford, he had seized the chaos of battle to escape from G-10.
And yet, amidst this suffocating atmosphere of terror—
Gern himself paid absolutely no attention to their reactions.
He casually set the fishing rod aside, hopped down onto the deck, and slowly crouched.
Facing Nami, who sat slumped on the floor with a pale face, he spoke in a calm, even tone.
"Shouldn't you greet your elders when you see them?"
"My little niece."
The moment those words fell—
They exploded across the deck like thunder.
"Y-Your… niece?!"
Chopper and Brook's jaws nearly hit the floor.
Two pairs of eyes—one set round and wide, the other two hollow sockets—darted back and forth between Gern and Nami.
Even the badly injured Sanji suddenly lifted his head, staring at Nami in utter disbelief.
As for Nami—
Under Gern's steady gaze, she finally clawed her way back to a fragment of composure from the overwhelming fear gripping her mind.
She forced a painfully stiff smile onto her face.
Her voice trembled visibly as she spoke.
"U-Uncle… Gern…"
"L-long time no see…"
The moment she called him uncle—
The entire deck erupted with a drawn-out chorus of disbelief.
"Ehhhhhhh—?!?!"
Chopper, in particular, pointed one tiny hoof at Nami, then at Gern, back and forth, completely unable to form a coherent sentence.
(Incidentally, after the events of Thriller Bark years ago, Nami—because of complicated feelings she couldn't quite sort out—never once told the rest of the Straw Hat crew that she had this kind of relationship with one of the Marines' highest authorities.)
At this moment, the faint smile on Gern's face remained as inscrutable as ever.
Then he lifted a hand and gently ruffled Nami's hair, every bit the kindly elder.
(Though coming from him, that "kindness" only made Nami's spine run cold.)
"Good girl," Gern said warmly.
"Next time there's an opportunity, I'll introduce you to your two aunts."
With that, he slowly stood up.
And the moment he straightened—
The lazy, relaxed air surrounding him vanished instantly.
His gaze passed over the sea, locking onto the coastline of Green Bit.
There—
A pink figure stood nailed to the ground, completely motionless.
Doflamingo.
Gern spoke again.
His voice was calm.
Yet the tone carried unmistakable command.
"Take the ship."
"Sail over there."
Faced with Gern's order, no one aboard the Thousand Sunny dared object.
Not a single person even hesitated.
Because this man existed on a completely different level from Doflamingo.
Back on Thriller Bark, the terrifying spectacle of him manipulating the heavens and tearing apart the sea itself still lingered in their memories like a nightmare.
Brook practically sprinted to the helm.
Nami, forcing down her fear, began giving directions in a trembling voice.
Obediently—quietly—
The Thousand Sunny began sailing toward the shoreline.
Meanwhile, the cowardly Momonosuke had long since been scared out of his wits.
He didn't even dare approach Nami anymore.
After all—
That terrifying man was standing right there.
So he could only hide behind Chopper, trembling violently, tugging on Chopper's clothes as he whispered nervously:
"C-Chopper…"
"Who… who is that Marine?"
"Why… why is everyone so afraid of him?"
"Even that Doflamingo ran away in terror…"
Faced with Momonosuke's question, Chopper—rarely—did not show his usual impatience toward cowardice.
Instead, he stared intently at Gern's back—the white Justice coat draped over his shoulders.
Then he explained in his soft, childlike voice, filled with rare seriousness.
"He's… Marine Admiral 'White Qilin.'"
"The Supreme Commander of the Marines' New World Strategy… the Grand Governor of the New World forces…"
"'Skyquake' Gern Reginald Sigmar!"
With each title Chopper recited, his voice grew heavier.
"He's… the man recognized across the entire sea… as the strongest alive."
"The… strongest?" Momonosuke seemed confused by the concept.
"That's right!" Chopper nodded vigorously, trying to make him understand the gravity of the situation.
"The Four Emperors are the most terrifying rulers of the New World…"
"But this man…"
"He can hold all four Emperors in check—by himself!"
Unfortunately, Momonosuke—who had grown up under the shadow of Kaido—wasn't thinking about those grand, abstract titles.
What mattered to him was a direct comparison.
So with a trace of disbelief in his voice, he asked:
"Then… then how does he compare to Kaido?"
In Momonosuke's mind, the man who had destroyed his homeland and killed his father—
Kaido of the Beasts—
was the very embodiment of invincibility.
Hearing the question, Chopper's small brows knitted together tightly.
"Of course he's stronger than Kaido!"
"Didn't I just say? He alone can intimidate all four Emperors!"
"And… and not long ago he even challenged the entire Big Mom Pirates by himself!"
"One person—against the full power of a Yonko crew!"
Chopper finished while waving his tiny hooves for emphasis, somehow still looking adorably intense.
At that moment, Law, who had also been watching Gern closely, spoke in a hoarse voice from the side.
"Kid… do you really know nothing?"
"Didn't Kin'emon tell you? You're a descendant of the Kozuki Clan."
Law's gaze swept across Momonosuke.
"Then you should know…"
"Back then, your clan's legendary hero—Kozuki Oden…"
"…was defeated in a direct confrontation by that man."
"!!!"
Law's words struck Momonosuke like a final crushing hammer.
His father—
The man he believed was invincible…
The man who had faced death with heroic dignity—
Had once been defeated…
By this Marine standing before them.