Chapter 8: The Pink Incident and the Silent King
The Mission: Operation Cotton-Cloud
The golden screen flickered, shifting from the terrifying image of a burning blizzard to a scene that made the entire world rub its eyes in disbelief.
The projection showed King, fully masked and clad in his black leather suit, standing in the middle of a bustling, colorful toy store in the West Blue. Beside him stood a much younger, much slimmer Jack the Drought, who looked like he wanted to sink into the floorboards.
[Rank 49 Secret Feat: The Great Toy Heist]
[Context: Kaido, in a drunken stupor, demanded a specific 'Pink Dragon' plushie for a party. King, ever the loyal right hand, took the mission with 100% seriousness.]
The world watched as King picked up a small, fluffy pink dragon with sparkly eyes. He held it with his gloved hand, turning it over with the same intense scrutiny he usually reserved for checking the edge of his blade.
"It lacks the requisite fluffiness," King's voice echoed through the screen, distorted by his mask.
"Brother King... can we please just leave?" Jack whispered, his voice cracking. "The Marines are outside. They think we're here to assassinate the Governor."
"Not until the Dragon is found, Jack. Efficiency is everything."
The Global Chat: Chaos and Commentary
The chat exploded. While the legends watched with amusement, the rest of the world couldn't contain their shock.
> [Random Pirate #42]: "Is that... is that the man who burnt down an entire coast last month? Holding a stuffed animal? I think my brain is melting."
> [Usopp]: "LOOK AT HIS GLOVES! He's squeezing it so carefully! He's afraid he'll pop the stuffing out! Luffy, I think he's actually a softie!"
> [Luffy]: "HEY! Pineapple-ossan! DOES THE PINK DRAGON TASTE LIKE CANDY? IF NOT, WHY DO YOU WANT IT?"
> [Sanji]: "Luffy, he's not going to eat it. Although, if he tried to slurp it through that titanium straw, that would be a feat worth Rank 1."
> [Chopper]: "It looks so soft... I want to touch it! But I'm also scared he'll set me on fire if I get too close!"
> [Queen]: "GAHAHAHA! I REMEMBER THIS! He brought it back and Kaido used it as a pillow for a week! King, you look like a giant crow trying to hatch a marshmallow!"
> [Tashigi]: "Even a criminal of his caliber has a sense of duty... even if that duty is for a toy. It's strangely... honorable? No, stay focused, Tashigi!"
> [Cavendish]: "A pink dragon? It's not as beautiful as a white rose, but I suppose for a man who lives in a mask, it's the closest thing to style he has."
> [Bartolomeo]: "LUFFY-SENPAI IS TALKING IN THE CHAT!! LOOK AT HIS TEXT! IT GLOWS WITH THE RADIANCE OF A FUTURE KING!! I'M CRYING!!"
>
The Weight of Loyalty
The screen slowed down. It showed King walking out of the store, the pink dragon tucked under one arm. A group of orphaned children were staring at him from an alleyway, shivering in the cold.
King stopped. He looked at the children, then at the toy. Without a word, he reached into his suit, pulled out a second, smaller plushie—a blue one—and tossed it to the oldest child. He then ignited a small, controlled flame on his fingertip, just enough to warm the air around them for a few minutes before he vanished.
> [Nami]: "Wait... he actually gave them a toy? And warmed them up? Maybe he isn't 100% evil... just 99%."
> [Robin]: "A spark of humanity in the shadow of a dragon. It makes him more dangerous, Nami. A man with a heart is a man with something to protect."
> [Franky]: "THAT'S SUPER HEARTWARMING! Even for a guy who looks like he belongs in a dark basement!"
> [Bepo]: "I'm sorry... I wish I was as fluffy as that pink dragon so Captain could use me as a pillow too."
> [Law]: "Bepo, shut up. You're fluffier. Now pay attention to the screen."
>
The Sudden Trial: The Question of the Flame
The screen suddenly turned a blinding, molten gold. The image of the pink dragon dissolved into a series of ancient, flaming runes. The humor vanished, replaced by the heavy, echoing heartbeat of the System.
[System: Trial of the 49th Sovereign — BEGIN.]
The screen flickered, the gold light intensifying until it felt like the sun itself was descending into the atmosphere. The "Pink Dragon" memory vanished, replaced by a massive, high-definition image of King's mask—specifically the small, circular eye-hole that revealed nothing but a piercing, red-glow.
The System's voice boomed, sounding like a judge passing sentence on the sanity of the entire world.
[System: Trial of the 49th Sovereign — BEGIN.]
[TOPIC: THE ANATOMICAL RIDDLE OF THE DISGUISE]
[QUESTION: During a high-stakes meeting with the Beast Pirates' underground brokers, a stray 'Drunken-Style' punch from Kaido accidentally knocked King's mask exactly 45 degrees to the left. To prevent anyone from seeing his true face, King performed an emergency maneuver. WHAT DID HE USE TO PIN HIS MASK BACK INTO PLACE, AND WHAT WAS THE BRAND NAME OF THE ITEM?]
A) A modified Sea-Prism Stone Stapler.
B) A 'Super-Strong' adhesive developed by Queen called 'Funk-Glue'.
C) A simple, pink butterfly hair clip he had 'confiscated' during the West Blue toy mission.
D) He didn't use an item; he simply used his own blood as a flash-freeze sealant.
[Time Remaining: 60 Seconds]
[Reward: 1 Golden Sovereign Coin]
[Penalty for Incorrect Answer: The user will be forcibly teleported to the middle of the 'Calm Belt' for 1 hour. (Note: The Sea Kings there haven't eaten all day.)]
The chat, which had been moving at light-speed, suddenly hit a brick wall of silence.
> [Random Pirate #902]: "A butterfly clip? If I guess that and I'm wrong, I'm fish food!"
> [Usopp]: "LUFFY! DON'T GUESS! YOUR LUCK IS GOOD BUT NOT CALM-BELT GOOD!"
> [Buggy]: "I... I think I remember this! No, wait, I was in a cage! Or was I? CURSE MY FLASHY MEMORY!"
> [Queen]: "GAHAHAHA! I'M NOT SAYING A WORD! I WANT TO SEE WHO DISAPPEARS!"
>
The timer began to pulse in a rhythmic, terrifying red.
59... 58... 57...