During the Summit War, countless people witnessed the fall of many powerful figures, led by Whitebeard himself.
The balance of power was shattered.
Whitebeard's territories became a sea of blood.
The world was thrown into chaos.
This was an inevitable outcome that had been laid bare for all to see.
In the shadows, however, innumerable eyes fixated on the ultimate prize—the Gura Gura no Mi, whose new wielder was yet to be determined.
Not only that, but other formidable Devil Fruits belonging to the likes of Golden Lion, Jozu, Doflamingo, and even less renowned ones like the Rust-Rust Fruit—whose impact during the war had been minimal—had also become coveted targets.
Due to the limitations of the live broadcast coverage, no one knew exactly how many Devil Fruit users had perished during the war.
What was certain, however, was that the cycle had begun anew, and many of these Devil Fruits—including the Gura Gura no Mi—were now back in circulation.
Thus,
Rather than seizing Whitebeard's former territories, many set their sights on locating these lost Devil Fruits.
Kaido had already deployed an intelligence network to track down the Gura Gura no Mi.
Yet, even before the Beasts Pirates could take action, the underground factions of the world had already mobilized in full force.
Moreover,
Countless pirates, bounty hunters, and even the World Government itself had begun their own search for the legendary fruit.
This unparalleled Devil Fruit, currently unaccounted for, held the power to reshape history, and in this turbulent era, it was an object of insatiable greed.
Those with keen instincts could already sense the coming storm—a bloodbath that would follow in the wake of the war.
Peace? Balance?
Those concepts were now nothing more than shattered illusions.
...
A former stronghold under Whitebeard's banner.
As night fell,
Towering flames illuminated the sky.
What was once a thriving town now lay in ruins, consumed by a raging inferno.
Bodies lay strewn across the ground, their lifeblood pooling into crimson rivers that reflected the flickering flames.
Not a single soul had survived the massacre.
This was hell on earth.
"Mama! Mama! Did I get my revenge?!"
Amidst the blazing town, a hulking man wielding a naginata stood in the blood-soaked streets, his face alight with exhilaration.
He was massive and obese, yet his disproportionately thin legs gave him an oddly unsettling appearance.
A white crescent-shaped mustache, reminiscent of Whitebeard's, adorned his face—though his was thinner and longer.
His body bore two prominent stitched scars—one encircling his entire neck and the other wrapping around his elbows—giving him the eerie semblance of a stitched-together monstrosity.
This man was Edward Weevil, who proclaimed himself "Whitebeard Jr."
Standing before him was a short, elderly woman draped in a leopard-print coat, her wrinkled face obscured behind oversized sunglasses and bright red lipstick.
This was the woman he called "Mama"—Miss Buckin.
"Silly child, revenge isn't the trend anymore. What matters is money. We need to focus on inheriting your father, Newgate's, immense fortune!"
Buckin crouched down, unfazed by the blood-drenched ground, cheerfully packing up the wealth they had plundered from the town.
Weevil hesitated as he looked at her back. "But Mama… I still want revenge, especially against Maude, who killed Papa. If I get the chance, I'll rip out his bones and stack them into a little tower."
Smack!
Buckin swung her Haki-infused cane, striking Weevil's leg hard.
"Oww! Mama, that hurts!" Weevil cried, stumbling back.
Buckin looked up at him and scolded, "I already told you, revenge isn't what matters now. You need to listen to Mama, understand?"
"I-I'm sorry, Mama… I get it now." Weevil mumbled, looking dejected.
"That's better," Bakkin said with satisfaction. "You are the one true heir to the world's strongest man, Whitebeard! So forget about revenge. Your priority is inheriting Whitebeard's legacy!"
"Mmm!" Weevil nodded vigorously.
"Now, tell me—what should you do next?"
"Uh… umm… Mama, I forgot."
Smack! Smack!
"Oww! Mama, that hurts!"
"Listen carefully! Your job is to hunt down every last remnant of the Whitebeard Pirates—starting with Marco the Phoenix and Fire Fist Ace! Track down all the division commanders who once served under Whitebeard, and wipe them out!"
"Because they are the biggest obstacles to your inheritance!"
"And more importantly… we must obtain your father's Gura Gura no Mi!"
"Only you, as Newgate's true heir, are worthy of wielding the power of the Gura Gura no Mi!"
Her voice grew frenzied, and she brandished her cane excitedly, as though she could already see Weevil consuming the fruit and reviving Whitebeard's former glory in an instant.
To her, that meant only one thing—endless wealth.
Just imagining it made Buckin shudder with delight.
"Yes! I am the only one worthy of inheriting the Gura Gura no Mi!" Weevil declared passionately.
To him, the fruit was not just a source of power—it was proof of his legitimacy. With it, he would never again have to use brute force to silence those who doubted his lineage.
"But Mama, the sea is so big. How will we find the Gura Gura no Mi?"
"Don't worry, my dear," Buckin's expression turned cold, a glint of ruthless cunning flashing beneath her sunglasses. "The moment that fruit resurfaces, it will create an uproar. When that happens, all we need to do is seize it!"
"Mmm! But Mama, what if someone else has already eaten it?"
"Then we kill them."
"Ohh! I see!"
"Oh, and one more thing—I'm on good terms with Shiki, so… if we get the chance, let's also grab the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi."
"Okay, Mama!"
Under the darkened sky, the flames cast a path of carnage.
A towering brute and a diminutive crone walked side by side, their bloodstained spoils in hand, discussing their bright future with unshakable confidence.
But,
They were unaware of the horrors that awaited them ahead.
Blackbeard. The World Government. Kaido of the Beasts.
And Maude…
Each of these mighty forces sought the Gura Gura no Mi for themselves.
Everyone would become their enemy.
As the undercurrents stirred, the pursuit of the Gura Gura no Mi and Fuwa Fuwa no Mi set in motion an unstoppable global conflict.
Yet, unbeknownst to the world, the legendary Fuwa Fuwa no Mi—the power that once made Golden Lion's floating armada invincible—had already fallen into Maude's hands during the war.
And now, Maude had set his sights on the Gura Gura no Mi as well.
High above, beneath a sky devoid of clouds,
The colossal Thriller Bark, said to be the world's largest ship, soared through the heavens—heading toward the Sabaody Archipelago.
—————————
Want to read waaaay ahead of schedule? Head over to my Patreon —— patreon(.)com/EmperorGarus [remove the parentheses ( )]
NOTE: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon!