After finally coaxing Hancock and her two sisters to sleep, Nero finally had a moment to gather his thoughts. Back in his old world, he had loved the One-Piece manga. He had followed it right up until the moment he crossed over; he knew every plot twist and turn.
But knowledge was a double-edged sword. He knew all too well that this was a world defined by cruelty. Since Roger had ushered in the Great Pirate Era, order had collapsed into chaos. Pirates pillaged without mercy, and the Marines were infested with corruption. For an ordinary man, survival was nearly impossible. His only lifeline was his knowledge of the future, but the "canon" story wouldn't start for another fifteen years.
How was he supposed to survive that long? Worse, he was about to become a slave. Even if he knew they would eventually be rescued in four years, would he even survive the first four days? Nero felt a wave of hollow despair.
The three little girls were fast asleep, exhausted by the day's terrors. They still clung to the hope that their sisters from the Kuja Pirates would come for them. Nero sighed. He knew exactly how tragic their future was, yet he was powerless to change it. Marigold and Sonia were so adorable now, but they would be forced to eat Snake-Snake Fruits and turn into gorgon-like monsters, bloating their bodies with "Sumo Hotpot" just to gain enough strength to survive. And Hancock... while the Love-Love Fruit would make her the most beautiful woman in the world, it would also shatter her personality into the arrogant, cold woman she eventually became.
Most of all, the "Hoof of the Celestial Dragon" branded onto their backs would remain a lifelong scar—a mark of eternal pain. Looking at their innocent, sleeping faces, Nero felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his heart.
He hated it. He hated his own helplessness. In his past life, a girl who looked up to him like an older brother had died right in front of him because he was too weak. He had no power, he was timid, and he was nothing in the face of a "privileged second-generation" brat. What was the point of having good grades? Who would offend a high-ranking official for the sake of an orphan?
Nero gave a self-mocking laugh. He had been too naive back then. As that rich brat had told him: "So what if I ran someone over? Keep bothering me and I'll kill you too. You're nothing but a fart in the wind to me." Now, his situation was even more pathetic than before. Was he really going to watch a tragedy repeat itself? Nero's knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists, his nails digging so deep into his palms that blood began to drip onto the junk beneath his feet.
Suddenly, the pile of scrap metal beneath him vibrated. Two massive moon-shaped blades—chakrams—burst from the debris, knocking Nero to the ground. Before he could react, the two blades circled in the air and lunged toward him. Nero instinctively raised his hands to block. A searing, white-hot pain surged from his hands into his mind, and the world went black.
Mary Geoise: The Estate of Saint Nicholas
"Great Saint Nicholas, your new shipment of slaves has arrived." A butler dressed in black called out cautiously to his master. Though Neil had only been the head butler for a few months, he knew exactly how bloodthirsty his master was. The previous butler had been thrown into a beast's cage simply because he sighed while watching the master's pet's feed. In Mary Geoise, Celestial Dragons didn't need a reason to kill.
"Oh? My new toys are finally here. My 'little darlings' must be bored by now." A man dressed in what looked like a bulky spacesuit sat up from his bed. Behind the glass dome of his helmet, his expression was utterly indifferent, as if discussing nothing more important than the weather.
"Great Saint Nicholas, this batch includes two giants, five pirates with bounties over 5 million Berries, three warriors from Amazon Lily, and... one strange specimen of unknown origin," Neil introduced respectfully, praying his master would be satisfied.
"Unknown origin? Hmph." Saint Nicholas felt a spark of interest. "Bring me my mount. The Fishman I bought the other day will do."
A moment later, servants brought forward a creature that was half-man, half-fish. He looked ferocious, but his face was a void—a deathly silence that suggested his soul had already been extinguished. Neil carefully assisted his master into the saddle on the Fishman's back and led him toward the cages.
At the first cage, the Saint looked at the two giants. They were like small mountains of muscle, but it wasn't enough. "Hussein's combat slave killed a giant with his bare hands last week," the Saint muttered. He waved his hand, signaling his men to brand them with the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon—the mark that they were now property of the gods.
The second cage was even less impressive. Though the pirates looked strong, Nicholas saw they weren't wearing Sea Prism Stone handcuffs. "If they haven't eaten Devil Fruits, they're just trash. Can a human truly beat a Giant or a Fishman?" He accepted them anyway; they would make good snacks for his pets after dinner.
Finally, he reached the last cage.
"GUARDS! SEIZE THOSE DISPICABLE SLAVE TRADERS!" Nicholas roared suddenly. "They dare cheat the Great Nicholas? Brand them all! Tonight, they can play with my pets!"
Ignoring the traders' screams for mercy, he turned his fury on Neil. "These are your 'Amazonian Warriors'? Three runts who clearly can't even use Haki! And your 'unknown species'? It's just a boy with slightly long ears! Do you take me for a fool?!"
Neil turned ghost-white. He knew that if he couldn't find an excuse, he was a dead man. He decided to gamble everything.
"My noble master," Neil bowed low, his voice trembling. "The girls are indeed young, but this strange human... he possesses a terrifying hidden power. He will become the greatest combat slave you have ever owned."
"You're certain?" Nicholas looked at him like a clown performing a final act.
"I am certain. If you graciously grant me three Devil Fruits to ensure the girls don't hold the 'specimen' back, you will not be disappointed tomorrow."
"Interesting. I don't know where you get this confidence, but tomorrow you'll be in the pit with them and my new giant bear. You can have the fruits. Take three from the warehouse. But remember—deceiving a Celestial Dragon is an insult to the entire Navy. Brand them. Perhaps tomorrow will be entertaining after all."
The Saint rode away on his Fishman mount. Neil collapsed to the ground, whispering, "I'm dead. I'm completely dead."
A passing servant looked at Neil with pity and began dragging the slaves toward the branding irons.
"No... wait," Neil muttered, his eyes suddenly sharpening. "There's still a chance. If I can find the right Devil Fruits... I might actually live."
At that moment, the gears of history groaned and shifted, veering off into a completely different direction.