The Devil's Triangle was perpetually shrouded in dense fog.
Deep within this treacherous sea region, a massive three-masted ship loomed like an island, anchored in the mist-laden waters.
On either side of the ship, as well as at its stern, stood towering masts adorned with enormous sails. Each sail bore the emblem of the Maude Pirates, its vast design clearly visible despite the heavy fog, thanks to its sheer size—easily ten times larger than conventional sails.
The surrounding waters lay eerily still, devoid of even the faintest ripple. Listening closely, one wouldn't hear so much as a whisper of waves.
The ship itself was equally silent.
An ominous, ghostly atmosphere, thick with mist, filled every corner of the colossal vessel.
Ever since the Maude Pirates took control of the Thriller Bark, it had become a true pirate graveyard.
Some pirates, en route to Sabaody Archipelago, strayed into the Devil's Triangle but, through sheer luck, managed to avoid the Thriller Bark entirely and eventually found their way to their destination.
Others weren't so fortunate. Within mere days of entering the Devil's Triangle, they stumbled upon the Thriller Bark—only to be hypnotized by Lafitte and forced to serve as training fodder for Jim and the others, fighting until their deaths.
For any pirate who crossed paths with the Thriller Bark, survival was nothing more than a fleeting dream.
Occasionally, even unlucky civilian ships found themselves within range of the Thriller Bark.
But Lafitte had no interest in civilians. At most, he would confiscate some supplies before using his hypnotic abilities to erase their memories, sending them on their way, oblivious to their brush with death.
Thanks to Lafitte's meticulous purging efforts, the waters surrounding the Thriller Bark were eerily tranquil.
Tap… Tap…
The sound of leather shoes against stone suddenly echoed through the ruins of a derelict structure, located roughly a hundred meters from the castle on the ship's deck.
In this deathly silent environment, the footsteps seemed especially pronounced.
A tall figure gradually emerged from the mist, approaching from the distance.
It was none other than Lafitte, dressed in his usual attire—top hat perched on his head and cane in hand.
He paused atop a broken stone slab, raising a gloved finger to gently lift the brim of his hat. Tilting his head back, he gazed into the murky, overcast sky.
Behind him, more footsteps echoed through the silence, some light, some heavy.
One by one, figures emerged from the mist, stepping into view beside Lafitte.
There was Gaya, her long ponytail swaying as she adjusted the sheep-patterned headscarf tied around her forehead, her eyes perpetually squinted.
Jim, a hulking, bald man covered in scars, his upper body bare, muscles resembling chiseled stone.
Philo, with her long, snow-white hair cascading over her shoulders, her sapphire eyes gleaming beneath the raven mask strapped to her back.
And finally, Brook, dressed in an elegant black suit with a frilly pink scarf wrapped around his neck, his afro as wild as ever.
"Is… Is Maude coming back?"
Philo, noticeably uneasy, glanced around nervously as she spoke, her gaze shifting erratically.
"Yohohoho…"
Brook pressed his hand against the brim of his hat, his empty eye sockets locking onto Philo's flustered expression, but he didn't answer her question.
Wary of Brook's infamous habit of asking to see women's underwear, Philo quickly darted behind Gaya, using her as a shield.
Gaya's eyes cracked open slightly, revealing a glint of amber as she smiled at Brook.
"Gah—"
Meeting Gaya's gaze, Brook's mind conjured an unsettling image of his bones being boiled into soup. His laughter came to an abrupt halt, and he swiftly turned his head away, feigning innocence.
"Yes, the captain will be back soon."
Jim responded in his usual deep voice before pulling out a custom-made oversized dumbbell, proceeding to lift it with practiced ease.
Peeking out from behind Gaya, Philo caught sight of Jim's freshly healed shoulder wound. Her voice immediately shot up two octaves in alarm.
"Jim! Your shoulder injury hasn't fully healed yet! If you keep training like this, the wound will reopen!"
"It doesn't matter."
Jim remained unfazed.
Even as he spoke, his wound predictably split open, fresh blood trickling down his shoulder.
Yet, despite the injury, Jim's expression remained unchanged. He continued his training as if the pain, or even the bloodied arm itself, didn't belong to him.
Philo instinctively reached for her medical kit, preparing to treat the wound.
"Hoho, Philo, I've told you this many times before—self-inflicted wounds are the quickest way for Zoan-type Devil Fruit users to accelerate their growth. If you treat them with medicine, the effect will be lost."
Lafitte interjected just in time, halting Philo's impulse to administer first aid.
"Oh…"
Hearing this, Philo hesitated before lowering her hands, looking somewhat embarrassed.
Gaya, still smiling, reached out and gently patted Philo's head in reassurance.
Silence fell over the group.
After a brief pause—
Lafitte suddenly shifted his gaze toward the mist-filled sky. His eyes gleamed with anticipation as he smirked. "Well then… let's prepare to welcome our 'Sovereign.'"
"Yohohoho…"
Brook removed his hat, gazing upward.
Gaya and Philo lifted their heads as well.
Jim halted his training, setting his dumbbell down by his feet before looking toward the sky.
Above them, amidst the swirling fog, a distinct whooshing sound pierced through the air.
In the next moment, under their collective gaze, a figure enveloped in a faint glow shot through the mist like a meteor, descending directly onto the ground before them.
Pa!
The impact barely caused a stir, producing only a soft sound upon landing.
At the center of the disturbance, a shallow paw-shaped crater formed on the ground.
A swirling gust of air kicked up by the landing momentarily dispersed the surrounding fog, revealing a tall, imposing figure standing within the paw-shaped indentation.
His eyes, dark as the night, radiated an undeniable presence.
His stance, as sharp as a drawn sword, exuded an overwhelming aura—one of effortless authority and lethal precision.
It was Maude, who had been soaring through the skies for three straight days and nights.
"Yo, everyone. I'm back."
Standing at the heart of the crater, Maude smiled as he greeted his crew.
"Welcome back."
Seeing how immeasurably stronger Maude had become, his crew members' eyes gleamed with excitement.
This was their captain.
Lafitte's unwavering gaze locked onto Maude, as if admiring a priceless, meticulously crafted masterpiece.
In just three short years, Maude had exceeded his expectations, securing the power necessary to reach the summit of the world.
This was their sovereign!
At Maude's waist, Bailey suddenly transformed back into his original form.
"Gaya-neechan, I'm starving."
Now perching atop Maude's shoulder, Bailey clutched his stomach pitifully as he looked at the ever-smiling Gaya.
"I've already prepared a feast for you all."
"Awesome!"
Bailey cheered.
At that moment, another glowing figure descended from the sky, landing in a second paw-shaped crater.
It was Law.
Half-kneeling upon impact, he slowly stood up, his expression as calm as ever.
"Got a newspaper?"
Ignoring his own hunger, Law's first priority was information.
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