The Deep Sea.
"—BOOM—"
In the silent, crushing depths of the ocean, the Moby Dick sailed steadily onward, encased in a massive protective bubble.
Surrounded by pitch-black darkness, the colossal ship glided through the water like a ghost.
Not a single creature dared to approach.
The enormous, terrifying Sea Kings that roamed these depths gave the ship a wide berth, as did all the other marine life.
They could all sense the overwhelming presence on board.
They knew that on this ship stood one of the Four Emperors of the Sea—Whitebeard.
Whitebeard stood at the bow, his gaze fixed on the distance, his expression solemn.
"The Whitebeard Pirates have arrived!"
The excited shouts of the Fish-Man Island guards echoed through the water.
On the vibrant coral streets below, fish-men and merfolk began to stir, looking up as the massive shadow of the ship drew near.
Finally, the Moby Dick docked at the harbor.
Whitebeard stepped off the ship and onto the familiar land.
A tall, crown-wearing coelacanth fish-man with kind blue eyes slowly approached to greet him.
It was the king of Fish-Man Island, Neptune.
"Newgate, my friend! What brings you here so suddenly?" Neptune's voice was filled with a mix of surprise and confusion as he looked at the old friend who had protected his kingdom for so many years.
"Ahem—" Whitebeard coughed lightly, a hint of melancholy in his eyes.
"Neptune… my friend. I'm afraid Fish-Man Island will no longer be under my protection."
"NANI?" Neptune was stunned, his eyes wide with disbelief.
It was thanks to Whitebeard's flag that his kingdom had finally found peace after years of turmoil.
If Whitebeard was pulling his protection, what would happen to them?
Could they survive the storms that were sure to come?
Whitebeard took a deep breath.
"I've found you a stronger backer," he said, his voice heavy.
He met Neptune's gaze and said with absolute seriousness, "A Marine Headquarters Captain."
"His name is Mike."
*****
Skypiea.
Pristine white rooftops stood tall above the clouds like dazzling jewels in the sky.
Sunlight streamed through the windows, filling the room with a warm, peaceful tranquility.
Mike groggily opened his eyes.
The soft light fell on his face as he looked at the two beautiful women still sound asleep beside him.
Conis's golden hair was scattered across the pillow like rays of sun, while Laki's smooth black hair rested gently against her cheek.
A small smile touched Mike's lips as he quietly slipped out of bed and tiptoed towards the door.
He pushed it open, and a gentle breeze brushed against his face, carrying a refreshing, clean scent.
Mike stood in the doorway, stretching lazily as he gazed out at the endless sea of white clouds, all bathed in the golden light of the morning sun.
"This view…" he murmured to himself, a soft smile on his face.
"Is unbeatable."
Just then, a small, fluffy blur leaped towards him with surprising speed.
With a soft whoosh, something warm and soft collided with his chest.
Looking down, he saw a small, cloud-white fox nestled in his arms, its big round eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Hahaha—" Mike laughed, gently stroking the Cloud Fox's fur.
It was Su, Conis's pet.
The little creature purred contentedly.
Cradling Su in his arms, Mike walked down the wooden stairs and onto the soft, misty ground.
"You're awake?" a familiar voice called out.
Mike turned to see Kuzan standing there, holding two steaming cups of coffee.
He smiled, gently set Su down, and took one of the cups.
"Yeah, I'm awake," Mike said.
"That guy's awake, too," Kuzan added with a hint of amusement, gesturing with his head toward the center of the town square.
Mike looked over and saw Enel sprawled face-down on the ground, bruised and battered.
The all-night beatdown had clearly taken its toll.
Shackled with Sea-Prism Stone cuffs, he was completely powerless, left to the mercy of the people he had terrorized for years.
At first, Enel had still tried to be defiant.
"How dare you! I am God! I am supreme—"
But with every punch and kick, his arrogance had slowly crumbled into pathetic whimpers.
"No—not the face! Stop hitting there!"
His wails had echoed across the plaza all night, a sound of long-overdue justice.
Now, his eyes were just filled with fear and regret.
If only he hadn't provoked that terrifying man.
As the sun rose, the people's anger finally began to fade.
"Mike-sama said to spare his life," someone finally murmured, and that was the excuse everyone needed to stop.
The crowd began to disperse, leaving Enel a broken, groaning mess on the ground.
Mike just smiled faintly.
He walked towards Enel, his steps unhurried but carrying an undeniable weight.
As he got closer, Enel started to tremble, that same bone-deep fear from the night before creeping back into his heart.
'If it wasn't for this man', he thought miserably, I' wouldn't have been beaten all night! They knocked out every single one of my teeth!'
Mike stopped in front of him and tilted his head.
"Enel," he said calmly, "I've got a job for you."
Enel shuddered.
He forced himself to sit up, trying to look composed, but his lips were trembling.
"I…" he stammered, his voice hoarse.
"I'll do it!"
*****
Mock Town.
The sky was a dark, angry grey.
A ship slowly sailed into the harbor of the now-frozen town.
On the deck, Doflamingo stood rigidly, his sharp gaze taking in the horrifying sight before him.
The entire town was encased in thick, jagged layers of ice.
It looked like a scene from an eternal winter and the air itself was bitingly cold.
A flicker of something complex—shock, confusion, fury—passed through his eyes.
"This…" he murmured, his voice laced with a barely concealed rage.
"Such freezing power… Was it Aokiji?"
He stared out at the silent icy wasteland.
"What in the world happened here?"
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