The Going Merry's sails billowed with the fresh ocean breeze as the beloved ship gradually pulled away from Drum Island's snow-covered shores. The crew's newest member, Tony Tony Chopper, stood at the rail beside his new nakama, his large eyes still glistening with tears from the emotional farewell ceremony that had painted the sky with cherry blossoms.
The scene should have been perfect—a moment of pure adventure and camaraderie as they embarked on the next chapter of their journey. Eren Yeager remained on the beach, his imposing figure gradually shrinking as distance grew between them. Despite his refusal to join their crew, the man continued waving goodbye with what might have been genuine warmth.
"Take care of yourself, Eren!" Luffy called out from his position on the ship's figurehead, his voice carrying across the water with characteristic enthusiasm. "If you ever change your mind, you'll always have a place with us!"
Chopper cupped his hooves around his mouth to amplify his voice, shouting with all the determination his small frame could muster: "Eren! You have to stay strong! When I come back from this journey, I promise I'll find a cure for your Amber Lead Syndrome! I swear it as a doctor!"
The little reindeer's confidence in this declaration stemmed directly from the Sky Screen's revelations about his future medical achievements. If he was destined to become a legendary doctor capable of revolutionary treatments, then surely he could develop a cure for the rare condition that continued to plague his friend.
Nami smiled fondly as she held the small reindeer steady against the ship's gentle rolling motion. "You're already thinking like a real doctor, Chopper. Always looking out for others, even when you're the one leaving everything behind."
"Don't forget about us!" Usopp added with theatrical flair, striking a dramatic pose that would have been more impressive if he hadn't immediately stumbled when the ship hit a small wave. "The great Captain Usopp expects regular updates on your medical discoveries!"
Even Zoro, typically stoic about emotional farewells, offered a respectful nod toward the distant figure on the beach. The swordsman had developed genuine respect for Eren during their brief time together, recognizing a kindred warrior spirit beneath the man's mysterious exterior.
The peaceful atmosphere shattered in an instant.
Zoro's battle-honed instincts detected the subtle whistle of incoming projectiles before anyone else realized the danger. His eyes snapped toward the horizon, scanning for threats while his hand moved instinctively toward his sword hilts.
"Something's wrong," he began, but his warning came too late.
CRACK!
The sound of high-velocity impacts echoed across the water like thunder. On the distant beach, Eren's body jerked violently as three perfectly placed shots struck simultaneously—forehead, heart, and lung. Blood erupted from the wounds in red sprays that painted the white snow around him in stark, horrifying contrast.
For a moment that seemed to stretch into eternity, time appeared frozen. Eren's hand remained raised in what had been a farewell wave, his body still upright through pure momentum before the reality of his injuries registered.
Then he collapsed.
The crew of the Going Merry stood in stunned silence, their minds struggling to process what they had just witnessed. One second they had been sharing a beautiful goodbye with a friend; the next, that same friend was lying motionless in a pool of his own blood.
"EREN!" Luffy's scream tore across the water with such raw anguish that seabirds scattered from their perches along the coastline. The rubber-man's usual perpetual grin had vanished, replaced by an expression of shock and fury that his crew had rarely seen.
Chopper reacted with the instant decisiveness of a trained medical professional, his grief temporarily overridden by urgent necessity. He transformed into his Heavy Point form, his small reindeer body expanding into a powerful two-meter frame capable of the physical exertion required for a rescue attempt.
"I have to save him!" Chopper declared, preparing to leap from the ship despite the considerable distance to shore. "He might still be alive! I can—"
"CHOPPER, GET DOWN!"
Usopp's tackle sent both of them crashing to the deck just as another rifle crack split the air. The sniper's bullet carved a bloody furrow across Usopp's right shoulder, tearing through muscle and sinew with devastating precision. Hot blood splattered across Chopper's face as his rescuer cried out in pain.
"Snipers!" Zoro bellowed, finally identifying the source of the attacks.
The warning came as more shots rained down on their position. Sanji moved with lightning reflexes, tackling both Nami and Vivi to the deck as bullets whistled overhead. His protective instincts had saved the women, but Igaram's position left him exposed to the continuing barrage.
The loyal retainer's eyes widened in surprise as a high-caliber round punched through his chest with mechanical precision. He staggered forward, reaching out toward Princess Vivi as blood frothed from his lips.
"Your... Highness..." he managed to whisper, his voice growing weaker with each word. "I... failed..."
Vivi watched in horror as the man who had protected her since childhood collapsed before her eyes, his life fading with cruel swiftness. "Igaram! No, no, no! Stay with me!"
But her pleas fell on deaf ears. The captain of Arabasta's royal guard died with his eyes open, still focused on his princess with the unwavering loyalty that had defined his entire adult life.
Another bullet streaked toward Luffy's position, but the rubber-man's unique physiology turned potentially lethal force into mere annoyance. The projectile struck his face and stretched his elastic skin to comical proportions before rebounding with equal velocity toward its point of origin.
"Everyone stay down!" Sanji commanded, his chef's training in crisis management taking over as he assessed their tactical situation. "Keep behind cover until we can identify the shooters' positions!"
Chopper had reverted to his smallest form, his entire body trembling as he stared at Usopp's wounded shoulder. Blood continued to seep from the bullet wound, staining the deck in an expanding red pool that made the young doctor's stomach lurch.
This was his first real emergency as the ship's medical officer, and the weight of responsibility threatened to overwhelm him. The theoretical knowledge from his training felt suddenly inadequate when faced with actual trauma involving people he cared about.
"Ship's doctor!" Sanji's voice cut through Chopper's paralysis like a blade. "What are you waiting for? Stop his bleeding, now!"
The sharp command snapped Chopper back to the present, his medical training overriding the shock and fear that had momentarily frozen him. He scrambled toward the medical supplies loaded onto his transport sled, his small hooves struggling for purchase on the blood-slicked deck.
"Bandages... antiseptic... pressure points..." he muttered to himself, reciting Dr. Kureha's emergency procedures while gathering the necessary materials. His hands shook as he worked, but his movements grew steadier with each passing second as muscle memory took control.
Usopp gritted his teeth against the pain, sweat beading on his forehead as Chopper began cleaning and dressing his wound. "Is... is it bad, doc?"
"The bullet passed through cleanly," Chopper replied with growing confidence, his medical assessment skills proving more reliable than his emotional state. "No major arteries hit, but you've lost a significant amount of blood. You need to stay still and let me work."
Meanwhile, Luffy remained at the bow, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. His eyes remained fixed on Eren's motionless form, rage building like a gathering storm.
"Who did this?" he demanded, his voice carrying a dangerous edge that made even his own crew members step back involuntarily. "WHO DID THIS TO OUR FRIEND?"
The answer came in the form of an approaching ship, its distinctive three-skull pirate flag becoming visible as it closed the distance between them. The ship was larger than the Going Merry, its dark hull cutting through the waves with predatory efficiency.
On the enemy ship's deck, a figure wrapped in a dark cloak observed their handiwork with cold satisfaction. Crocodile removed his cigar long enough to address his temporary allies with grudging approval.
"Excellent shooting, Van Augur," the Shichibukai acknowledged, his golden hook glinting in the afternoon sunlight. "Eliminating their primary threat before he could transform was tactically sound."
The sniper lowered his rifle with professional pride, already calculating trajectories for follow-up shots. "The distance was considerable, but well within acceptable parameters. The target's larger size made compensation for wind drift relatively straightforward."
"Zehahaha! Don't celebrate just yet," Blackbeard laughed from his position near the ship's wheel, his missing teeth creating gaps in his grotesque grin. "We still need to capture Straw Hat Luffy alive. He will serve my purposes perfectly."
Jesus Burgess flexed his massive arms with anticipation, his wrestler's instincts craving physical confrontation. "Captain Teach, let me handle their strongest fighters! It's been too long since I've had a proper challenge!"
"Remember the objective," Doc Q interjected in his perpetually weak voice, though his eyes gleamed with scientific curiosity. "We need the reindeer intact for research purposes. A talking animal doctor represents unique biological possibilities."
The temporary alliance between Baroque Works and the Blackbeard Pirates had been forged through mutual necessity rather than genuine cooperation. Crocodile's intelligence network, led by Nico Robin's research capabilities, had identified Eren as the Straw Hat crew's most dangerous member.
"According to our intelligence, the giant transformation grants him incredible physical strength and apparent immunity to conventional weapons," Robin had briefed them during their planning session. "Additionally, his ability to generate superheated steam and achieve enhanced durability through hardening techniques makes him extremely difficult to defeat in direct combat."
The solution had been elegantly simple: eliminate the threat before it could manifest. Van Augur's extraordinary marksmanship, enhanced by careful positioning and advance preparation, had made the impossible shot seem routine.
"The rest of their crew lacks Devil Fruit abilities," Crocodile continued his tactical assessment. "A swordsman, a cook with martial arts training, and their rubber-powered captain constitute their primary combat strength. Without the giant to serve as their heavy assault option, they're significantly weakened."
Blackbeard's laughter grew louder as their ship continued closing the distance. "The future that light screen showed won't come to pass! There's only room for one future Pirate King on these seas, and that's me—Marshall D. Teach!"
The declaration carried enough arrogance to make even Crocodile raise an eyebrow, though the former Shichibukai refrained from comment. His own dreams of conquering Pluton and challenging the World Government had been tempered by harsh reality, but he saw no reason to share that wisdom with his temporary ally.
Aboard the Going Merry, Sanji had taken control of the ship's wheel, his skilled hands adjusting their course toward Drum Island's shore. The tactical situation was clear: they needed to reach shallow water where the enemy's larger ship would be unable to follow, buying them time to regroup and plan a counterattack.
"How's Usopp?" he called over his shoulder while maintaining their emergency heading.
"Stable for now," Chopper replied, his medical training allowing him to work efficiently despite his emotional turmoil. "But he needs proper treatment soon, or infection could set in."
The little reindeer's eyes kept drifting toward the distant beach where Eren had fallen. Part of him desperately wanted to believe their friend might still be alive, that his medical skills could somehow reverse what appeared to be fatal injuries.
"Luffy," Nami said gently, recognizing the dangerous look building in their captain's eyes. "We need to think strategically here. Charging in without a plan will just get more people hurt."
But Luffy seemed beyond rational thought, his usual cheerful demeanor replaced by something far darker and more primal. The sight of Eren's blood staining the snow had triggered something deep within him—a protective fury that demanded immediate and overwhelming retaliation.
"They hurt our friend," he stated with deadly simplicity. "They hurt Usopp. They killed Igaram. That's not something I can forgive."
The approaching enemy ship had closed to within a few hundred meters, close enough for both sides to see each other clearly. The sight of familiar faces among their attackers only added insult to injury—recognizing members of Baroque Works confirmed that this assault was anything but random.
"Everyone hold on!" Sanji warned as he executed a sharp turn toward the shallows. "This is going to get rough!"
The Going Merry responded to his expert handling, her hull cutting through the waves as they raced toward the relative safety of Drum Island's coastal waters. Behind them, their pursuers maintained course with predatory determination.
The second wave of their Grand Line adventure was about to begin, and unlike their previous encounters, this battle would offer no mercy for the naive or unprepared.