In the vast expanse of the open sea, where the horizon blurred between endless blue waves and the sky, a familiar red-haired pirate ship cut through the waters with its distinctive jolly roger fluttering in the wind. The crew of the Red Hair Pirates moved about their deck with unusual tension, their usual boisterous laughter replaced by uneasy murmurs and watchful eyes.
On the main mast, a freshly nailed bounty poster flapped violently against the breeze.
**REWARD: 2.5 BILLION BERRIES**
**NAME: ROBOTNIK V. MIDAS**
**DEAD OR ALIVE... PREFERRED ALIVE**
A second poster hung beside it, belonging to a subordinate named York with a bounty just under a billion. It drew little attention compared to the first. But what truly unsettled the crew was the gravity Shanks himself placed on the matter.
"Do we have any solid information on them yet?" Shanks asked, his usual carefree grin absent as he leaned against the railing, staring out at the distant horizon with a rare flicker of unease in his eyes.
Yasopp shook his head, arms crossed. "Nothing concrete, Captain. They raided several facilities on Egghead and vanished just two days later. No traces, no trails—just gone. Like ghosts with steel claws."
Shanks exhaled slowly, his red hair whipping in the salty wind. "I can feel it... This era is going to change much sooner than any of us expected. The seas are stirring with something unnatural."
Far across those same restless waters, an entirely different vessel dominated the seascape—an enormous hybrid ship of reinforced steel and ancient timber, its design so advanced and alien that it left sailors who glimpsed it dumbfounded. To the few brilliant minds who might understand its engineering, it was a marvel of forbidden genius. On its upper decks, rows of robust orange robots patrolled with mechanical precision. These were the Egg "Sea" Paws: bulkier, far more brutal variants of the standard Egg Paw models, specifically engineered for the treacherous oceans of this world. Armed with quad-mounted torpedoes and reinforced hull plating, they stood sentinel as the massive ship plowed forward toward its destination: Wano Country.
Midas had chosen this moment carefully. He would make his move here—slaughter Kaido and his useless male underlings, sparing the women for... personal reasons. After all, even a genius like him needed to enjoy life once in a while. He still didn't have a girlfriend, and conquest had its privileges.
Deep within the ship's fortified laboratories, Robotnik V. Midas worked tirelessly on a new body. The prototype was modeled precisely after the actor Jim Carrey—chosen because Carrey had embodied the mad brilliance of Eggman so perfectly in that old world memory. It would serve as a temporary vessel until Midas could perfect a true masterpiece: a body inspired by Neo Metal Sonic, infused with the Metal Virus, rendering it impervious even to the strongest Haki.
"Hey, Midas," York's voice echoed as she strolled into the lab, eyeing the half-finished body with mild disgust. "We're approaching Wano. What are you planning to do with that ugly thing?"
Midas paused mid-weld, gripping the blowtorch tightly as he fought the urge to hurl it at her head for the insult. He let it slide—for now.
"The plan is simple," he replied coolly, sealing the body into a reinforced capsule. "We attack Kaido head-on. Kill the civilians too. Even if we liberated them, they'd only serve the Kozuki clan anyway. A foreigner like me already has a target painted by Kaido's regime." He needed the Op-Op Fruit soon to transfer his consciousness properly into the new form.
"But that robot of yours won't last against someone like Kaido," York warned, glancing at the upgraded Egg Dragoon Version 1.5 nearby. One arm had been permanently replaced with a heavy rotating gatling cannon, the other with a kairoseki drill that could be soaked in seawater for maximum effect. The rare metal had come from the remnants of Joy Boy's ancient robot—salvaged and repurposed.
Midas smirked, already changing into a fresh outfit: a bold red coat and signature goggles reminiscent of Eggman's look from that second Sonic film. "Well then... time to get to work."
---
On the misty cliffs of Onigashima, the Beast Pirates' sentries lounged lazily, watching yet another uneventful day pass by the roaring waterfall entrance.
"God, this is boring..." one grumbled, scanning the empty sea.
"You see that new wanted poster?" the second asked, flipping through a newspaper.
"Yeah. But how the hell does some random scientist get a 2.5 billion berry bounty?"
"Dunno. Maybe that 'Lost Century' nonsense?"
Their casual talk shattered in an instant.
A massive orange robot burst from the depths, firing its torpedoes without mercy. The sentry tower erupted in a deafening explosion of smoke, fire, and blood. The robot extended a mechanical arm, retrieving a Den Den Mushi and blasting a triumphant, villainous theme across the waters. Moments later, the colossal steel ship emerged, smashing straight through the waterfall's barrier as if it were paper. The gates of Onigashima cracked open under the assault.
From the ship's bow, legions of Egg Hammers—hulking robots wielding enormous hammers—leaped forward in perfect formation. Hangar doors hissed open, and Midas himself emerged, piloting the fearsome Egg Dragoon.
"This place is perfect!" Midas bellowed, his voice echoing with maniacal laughter. "Here shall rise the first EGGMAN LAND! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Sirens wailed across Onigashima as the ship docked at the port. Waves of robots poured onto the docks, crushing any resistance in a merciless blitz. These forces had been built rapidly—Midas and York had seized every Pacifista they could find, modifying them on the spot. Each completed unit then helped construct more, creating an ever-growing mechanical army.
The port descended into absolute chaos. Egg "Sea" Paws and Egg Hammers rampaged forward, smashing through pirates like insects.
A sudden spike struck one robot—launched by an artificial Devil Fruit user who leaped forward with arrogance.
"Behold my power!" he roared, unleashing a barrage that felled several machines. "I'm definitely getting a raise after—"
His words were cut short as a massive hammer slammed down. He looked up from the ground to see four Egg Hammers towering over him.
{Activating Protocol S-1: Eliminate any lifeform resembling Sonic the Hedgehog,} the lead robot droned. They beat the pirate savagely but left him alive—perfect material for Midas's future experiments, especially those drawing from Dr. Gerald's research.
Another robot exploded from an energy blast. The attackers turned to see Who's Who standing tall.
"The World Government really knows how to make an entrance," Who's Who sneered as the robots compiled their data on the threats.
"It's the Tobiroppo!" a pirate screamed, only to be crushed into a pulp by an Egg Hammer.
"We're saved!" another yelled, dodging wildly.
"Who do these tin cans think they are, challenging Kaido-sama?!" Ulti shouted, watching in confusion as the hammers suddenly retreated.
{Category 7 targets identified. Initiating Protocol Beta,} an Egg Hammer announced, leaving the Tobiroppo momentarily bewildered.
From the sea, swarms of Egg "Sea" Paws launched into the air, unleashing a relentless barrage of torpedoes.
**KABOOM!**
A blinding white flash engulfed the entire port, quickly turning into roaring orange flames. From the inferno, the battered Tobiroppo emerged, badly wounded but still standing.
"Shit... That was rough..." Page One growled in his hybrid form, already beginning to regenerate.
"I swear I'll rip them into metal confetti and then—"
**POW!**
There was no dramatic pause, no time for speeches or transformations. The robots attacked instantly, following the cold efficiency of a true strategist like Katakuri—strike before the enemy grows stronger.
Chains of kairoseki were driven brutally into the pirates' bodies, creating deep wounds that were then sealed with white-hot irons. The metal would stay embedded, suppressing their powers unless surgically removed.
"Kill the useless pirates. Spare those with potential for my projects," Midas commanded from within the Egg Dragoon as it advanced toward the Skull Dome. "Queen must be taken alive. We'll deal with Caesar and Doflamingo later. Keep King alive as well..."
This would be the ultimate clash: the world's brightest mind against its strongest beast. The invasion of Wano had only just begun.