While the Orcas were deep in their lively welcome party—laughter echoing and plates clattering with food—unseen eyes were watching them from afar.
Out on the sea, not too far from the ice shore, two ships drifted quietly—one bearing ragged black sails shaped like wings, the Carrion Crow, and the other cloaked in glowing mist, the Phantom Mirage. The Vulture Pirates and the Phantom Mirage Pirates, two groups that had nearly torn each other apart just hours ago, had instead chosen to follow the Great White all the way to Punk Hazard.
Now, both captains stood at the rails of their respective ships, dumbfounded as they stared at the gathering ahead.
"Wait… that's Monkey D. Zino," one of Griz's crew muttered, adjusting his glasses. "Captain of the Orca Pirates. His bounty's 2.25 billion berries!"
"More importantly, that's Admiral Aokiji!" another shouted. "Why is he here? Eating with pirates?!"
Onboard the Carrion Crow, Vane scowled, his claws tapping against the wooden railing. His sharp eyes locked onto Zino and Kuzan, who were calmly sharing food like old comrades.
Griz, on the other hand, was grinning ear to ear. "Look at that. My idol. In the flesh. Just having lunch like it's nothing."
He turned to his crew, his foggy cloak billowing. "Alright, guys. We're going in. Let's go meet them."
"Yeah!" the Phantom Mirage crew cheered enthusiastically, already raising sails and angling toward the icy shore.
Vane narrowed his eyes as he watched Griz's ship move forward through the haze. His grip on the railing tightened.
"Captain," one of his men asked hesitantly, "Should we go too?"
Vane didn't answer immediately. He watched the Orca Pirates for another moment, then turned away, his face shadowed.
"…No," he said coldly. "We're leaving. I have no interest in licking the boots of men stronger than me."
The Carrion Crow silently turned away, vanishing back into the sea mist from where it came.
Meanwhile, high above the icy plains of Punk Hazard, a pair of sharp, golden eyes tracked every movement below.
Perched on a jagged ice hill was a harpy-like woman with icy-blue hair and feathered wings—Monet. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted the Orca Pirates gathered on the ice platform.
"The Orcas…" she muttered. "Why are they here?"
Her gaze drifted to the tall man beside Zino, recognizing him instantly.
"Aokiji? What is he doing with them?"
Monet's lips tightened into a frown. Something about this gathering was deeply unsettling.
"I need to report this to the Young Master… and to Caesar."
With a flap of her wings, she turned and silently disappeared into the ash-laced sky, vanishing like a whisper in the snow.
Back on the platform, some of the more sensitive crew members had already noticed something unusual. Zino, Kuzan, and Nojiko all turned their heads toward the now-empty peak where Monet had been perched.
"A bird Zoan user?" Nojiko asked, shading her eyes.
"No," Zino said quietly. "She's a human who was modified through scientific experiments. Her form is artificial."
"So she's not a Devil Fruit user?" Kuzan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"She is," Zino replied, "but her wings and bird-like features are from scientific experiments. The fruit she ate is separate."
Kuzan gave Zino a sideways glance. "You know quite a lot about people you've never met."
"I know enough," Zino replied with a casual smile, not elaborating further.
Then his eyes flicked to the water. "Anyway, we've got some visitors."
As if on cue, the Phantom Mirage ship reached the frozen shore. Its crew disembarked with reverence and excitement, stepping carefully onto the icy land.
Leading them was a tall man wrapped in a long, dark coat, mist swirling around his shoulders like a living aura. His dark green hair was slicked back, and a wide grin spread across his face as he raised a hand in greeting.
"Well, well," he called out cheerfully, "hope we're not crashing the party."
The Orcas turned their heads, watching with mild curiosity and caution as the group approached.
As the man and his crew reached the edge of the platform, he stopped and offered a small bow.
"Captain Zino," he said with enthusiasm, "it's an honor. I'm Griz, captain of the Phantom Mirage Pirates."
Zino blinked. "Uh... Hello. Do I know you?"
"No," Griz replied with a grin. "But I know you."
Zino tilted his head slightly. "Really?"
Griz chuckled and then pointed. "I also know her. That's Alvida, right? She caused all kinds of trouble on Goat Island."
Alvida's eye twitched. Zino On the other hand raised an eyebrow. "So, you're from Goat Island?"
"Yep, I was born there." Griz nodded proudly. Then, he said, "I've admired your sense of justice for a long time. When you dismantled those corrupt Marines, it made a huge impact. I decided then to follow your example. That's why I set sail—to one day catch up to you and ask to join your crew."
His crew behind him all nodded in agreement, some even clapping in support.
"We want to join too!" one of them said.
Griz gestured to them with a grin. "They joined me because they knew I was following you. Most of us come from places your crew made better."
A well-built young man stepped forward, arms folded across his chest. "I'm Jinto, from Orange Town. I saw your ship back when it was still called the Silent Orca."
Next, a teenage girl with curly hair stepped up. "I'm Shola. Miss Kaya and Usopp might remember me—I'm from Gecko Island. My parents ran the medical hut there."
"Huh?" Kaya blinked, then smiled. "I do remember you!"
Then a tall, lean guy with a casual smile waved at Nami and Nojiko. "Hello there. It's been a while."
Nojiko narrowed her eyes, then blinked in surprise. "Kuroshio?! You were the weirdo who kept trying to help at the tangerine farm."
"That's me," he said with a grin.
One more man stepped forward, dressed in desert-style clothes. "I'm Borodo. From Alabasta. I was glad that you helped liberate the Alabasta Kingdom from the Baroque Work and Crocodile...Sir Crocodile! You are here?!"
Crocodile simply scoffed and looked away.
Borodo also saw the rest of ex-baroque agents there, and exclaimed in shock. "Baroque Agents?"
The ex-agents glanced at him, some with smirk, some with frown, and some didn't care at all.
Meanwhile, more of the Phantom Mirage crew introduced themselves—some from the East Blue, others from lesser-known islands the Orcas had touched. Some had lost homes to Marines, others had found hope in the stories of Zino's defiance.
After they finished, Griz looked at Zino with determination and bowed. "Please. Let us join your ship."
"We'll do our part. No freeloaders," another added.
"Let us join your ship!" the rest echoed, bowing lightly in unison.
Zino crossed his arms, smiling faintly at the show of respect.
Then he said, without hesitation, "No."
"EHHHH???"
The Phantom Mirage Pirates stood frozen, their jaws collectively dropping after Zino's flat-out rejection. For a moment, the only sound was the crackling of the fire and the faint clinking of utensils.
Griz finally spoke, trying to keep his enthusiasm from deflating. "Why? Did we do something wrong?"
Zino shook his head with a casual smile. "Not at all. In fact, it's the opposite."
He stood and faced them properly. "You already have your own ship, your own crew, and your own way of doing things. I don't want to take that away. So instead, I'd like to recruit your ship as the Second Vessel of the Orca Pirates. You'll be part of the Orca Grand Fleet, under my flag. What do you say? Will you agree to sail with us?"
A brief silence followed.
Griz looked back at his crew. They exchanged glances—some surprised, others excited. Then, together, they smiled and responded with a unified, "We agree!"
Griz bowed again, he spoke up with pride. "This... this means a lot! To be part of something bigger, to follow the captain we admired, it's more than we hoped for!"
Then, a thought crossed his mind. "Wait… if we're the Second Vessel Ship, then who's the First?"
"That would be my ship," a calm voice answered.
The Phantom Mirage Pirates glanced to the edge of the group, and saw the stoic Daz Bones. Daz Bones spoke up in a calm voice, "Pleasure meeting you, Second Commander Griz. I'm Daz Bones, First Commander of the Orca Grand Fleet."
Griz's eyes widened in shock. "You're the First Commander?! And I'm... the Second? That's... wow! I didn't expect to be given such a high rank."
He looked humbled, but honored. "I won't let it go to waste."
However, not everyone shared the same cheer.
Several members of the original Orca crew began frowning.
"Oi, Zino," Alvida called out, arms crossed. "They're getting titles now? What about us?"
Zino who just sat back, and munching on a grilled skewer, glanced up. "Huh? You guys want ranks too? Fine, I guess it's time I explain how this works."
He stood up and wiped his hands on a cloth.
"In the Orca Grand Fleet," he began, addressing the crew, "the title of Commander is reserved for those who lead their own Vessel Ships. Griz commands his own ship—so he gets the title. Daz Bones too. As for all of you..."
He paused and smiled at his original crew. "You're the core members of my main ship. The foundation of everything. You're not under anyone else's command. You answer only to me."
The crew exchanged glances. The clarification made sense—and soothed their concerns.
"Well," Gin said, scratching his head, "maybe someday I'll have my own ship and crew."
"Being a commander sounds cool," Galdino added, "but I'm not in a hurry to leave this ship just yet."
Several others nodded in agreement. They were proud to be part of the core, and the bond they shared with Zino ran deeper than any title.
"Alright then," Zino said with a grin, "now that it's settled—let's welcome our new allies properly."
With that, the party resumed with renewed energy. Sanji let out a sigh as he returned to his endless task of keeping up with everyone's appetite, flipping fish and roasting meats with flair.
The Orcas raised their cups. The Phantom Mirage Pirates returned the gesture. Toasts were made, names were exchanged, laughter echoed across the icy shore.
Even among the newcomers, the tension melted away as they mingled with the Orcas like they had always been part of the crew.
On the edge of the platform, Kuzan sat quietly, sipping tea from a warm wooden cup Kaya had handed him earlier. He watched the festivities with a soft, unreadable expression.
There was something peculiar, yet undeniably soothing, about this crew.
Zino's leadership didn't rely on the cold authority of the Marines or the raw hunger of typical pirates. It was built on belief that could bind outcasts, former enemies, and even an ex-Admiral like him under his banner.
As the echoes of laughter cut through the winter chill, Kuzan leaned back and exhaled a long, misty breath. "Maybe…" he murmured to himself, "this was the right choice after all."
The celebration roared on into the night, turning the frozen wasteland into a sanctuary where enemies became allies and strangers became family under the same flag.
Somewhere else in Punk Hazard, Monet held a Den Den Mushi, her wings tucked tightly against the cold as she nodded to the receiver.
"Yes, Young Master," she said softly. "The Orca Pirates arrived on Punk Hazard. But there is a complication—Kuzan is with them."
The line went silent, the only sound the rhythmic ga-cha of the snail's breathing. Finally, a familiar, melodic laugh crackled through the speaker.
"Kuzan... the man who lost to Sakazuki," the voice mused. "Stay out of sight for now. I'm on my way. Tell Caesar to keep his head down as well."
"Understood, Young Master."
The call clicked shut.
Caesar Clown stepped out from the shadows, his gaseous form flickering with nerves. "So? We just keep hiding like rats?"
Monet didn't look at him.
"Yes. We wait."