The den-den mushi in Marineford buzzed with urgent messages, but the officers hardly needed them — the news of Nyx D. Ada's assault had already spread. Still, the full implications were sinking in.
Admirals and Vice Admirals exchanged grim looks. Sengoku's brow furrowed. "She's part of Roger's crew… but she carried out that assault alone. Even knowing that, it's staggering."
A Vice Admiral hands clenched into fists. "And she didn't even wait for reinforcements, didn't rely on anyone. She walked in, annihilated the base, left the Vice Admiral incapacitated, and her crew didn't even engage. There's no one else like her."
Garp grunted, leaning back in his chair. "I've seen a lot of crazy, but a lone pirate taking a full Marine base… that's bold. Too bold." He rubbed the bridge of his nose, a faint shadow of worry crossing his features.
Kong, seated beside him, leaned forward, voice low. "And you're saying we should… do nothing?"
Sengoku nodded grimly. "Attacking the Roger Pirates now would be suicide. Roger's crew is already formidable, and the Crimson Shadow has proven she can handle a Marine stronghold without assistance. Every soldier we send would be crushed."
A murmur ran through the room. Even seasoned Marines felt a cold shiver of apprehension. Across the seas, whispers carried through smaller outposts, spreading to every rank. The Crimson Shadow had struck. Alone. And the world would take notice.
Meanwhile, aboard the Oro Jackson, the crew moved through the aftermath of the assault. Smoke still drifted on the horizon from the ruined Marine fort, a silent testament to Ada's lethal precision.
Rayleigh leaned against the railing, arms crossed, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "I have to admit… that was impressive. Using her Devil Fruit and Haki in tandem like that… few could pull it off."
Roger watched Ada from across the deck, eyes sharp and calculating. "You handled that base… alone. I underestimated you." His voice wasn't reprimanding; it was genuine curiosity. "I wanted to see what my crew could do together… and yet, you proved more than capable on your own."
Ada tilted her head slightly, a ghost of a smile touching her lips. "I didn't do it for anyone's approval, Roger. But efficiency… and survival… they've always been my companions."
Rayleigh chuckled, shaking his head. "And yet, here you are, part of Roger's crew. You're supposed to work with the others, not do it alone."
"I can do both," Ada replied, voice calm, almost teasing. "I just prefer doing it my way."
Laughter rippled quietly across the deck, some from relief, some from admiration. Even the youngest crew members peeked from the railings, eyes wide, silently taking note of the woman who had reduced a Marine base to ruins without breaking a sweat.
Later, as the crew gathered for a short meal, conversation inevitably turned to the incident.
"Honestly," one of the deckhands muttered, "I didn't think anyone could do that… except for the Captain and Rayleigh."
Gaban puffed out his chest. "Hey! I can level a Marine base myself, you know!"
The others laughed, shaking their heads at his bravado.
Ada glanced up briefly, calm as ever, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "I just… like testing my limits."
Another crew member chuckled. "Well, she has sparred with Rayleigh before. Didn't think she'd make a whole Marine base look like nothing."
Ada gave a slight shrug, turning her attention back to her plate. "Sparring is different from real work. But it does teach you how far you can push… and how precise you need to be."
Shanks, still a toddler, gurgled in his crib nearby, blissfully unaware of what transpired earlier. Ada glanced down at him, her expression softening ever so slightly. Almost two years had passed since God Valley, and he was growing fast — curious, strong, and unknowingly already bearing a legacy.
Rayleigh leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Tell me… how did you gain such control over your Devil Fruit and Haki? You barely even broke a sweat against trained Vice Admirals."
Ada's eyes darkened slightly, gazing toward the distant horizon. "It's been… a long road. I started training my Haki as a child, after my parents deaths. The Devil Fruit… I've practiced infusing it with every move, every strike. Precision is everything."
Roger tilted his head, intrigued. "So even your Devil Fruit is an extension of your will. That's… quite something."
Ada's gaze met his, unflinching. "Power isn't enough. Control, timing, and knowing your opponent — that's what separates the killer from the corpse."
Rayleigh nodded slowly, clearly impressed. "And you've already learned that lesson better than most seasoned pirates."
The crew remained quiet, the weight of her words sinking in. Even seasoned members of the Roger Pirates felt a flicker of awe. This wasn't just an assassin anymore; this was someone capable of standing toe-to-toe with the world's strongest.
The sun climbed higher as the ship sailed onward. Smoke from the ruined fortress still lingered faintly on the horizon, a silent reminder of what Ada had accomplished.
From the crow's nest, a lookout called down, "Captain! Marines are sending reinforcements, but they're keeping their distance. Seems they know better than to challenge us directly."
Roger smiled, a slow, satisfied grin. "Let them watch. Let them plan. If they attack us, they'll pay for it. But for now… they've already learned a valuable lesson."
Ada's eyes flicked to the distant horizon, her hand resting lightly on her sword. "They'll learn more," she said softly. "The world doesn't know what's coming yet… and neither do they."
Rayleigh chuckled, shaking his head. "Careful, Ada. Don't let that confidence get the better of you."
Ada smirked, the corner of her lips curling ever so slightly. "I never let anything get the better of me. That's why I'm still here. And that's why I'm still standing."
The crew laughed, the tension easing, but everyone — even Roger — felt it: the presence of the Crimson Shadow aboard their ship was no longer just a rumor or a legend. It was real. And it had just reshaped the balance of power on the seas.
By nightfall, the Oro Jackson cut through calm waters, the moon reflecting off its polished hull. Ada stood at the prow, crimson coat fluttering in the wind, eyes sharp and alert.
She thought of the Vice Admiral lying defeated, of the fortress reduced to rubble, and of the whispers spreading across the seas. She had made her mark.
Yet, deep down, a faint pull stirred — a whisper of the seas ahead, of challenges yet unseen, of the world growing ever larger and more dangerous.
Ada's lips curved into a faint, confident smile. "Let them watch," she murmured. "They've only seen the beginning."
And with that, the Roger Pirates sailed onward — the Crimson Shadow at their side, the world slowly learning that a storm had risen, precise, deadly, and unstoppable.