...
While Law and Luffy were urgently discussing countermeasures in the corner of the ruins, a streak of purple musical note trails cut through the night sky, speeding toward them from the direction of the main concert stage!
Uta rode the musical notes and lightly landed in front of the trio and the bear.
She tilted her head slightly, her short hair fluttering in the wind, wearing that mischievous, playful smile on her face as if the earlier cold standoff had never happened.
"Found you~"
Uta's voice was crisp, like wind chimes: "Luffy, don't run away anymore. All the pirates are over here~"
Luffy gritted his teeth, his rubber fists clenching and unclenching.
He looked at the familiar face before him. Memories of playing together in childhood surged into his mind, but the current Uta had a near-mad obsession flickering in her eyes that he couldn't understand.
"If we fight now, innocents will get hurt."
Law lowered his voice, his hand already resting on the hilt of Kikoku: "Retreat first, Straw Hat captain."
Luffy took a deep breath, gave Uta one last look, and turned…
"Gomu Gomu no… Rocket!"
He stretched his arm to grab the eaves of a distant building and launched himself forward!
Law and Bartolomeo followed closely behind, with Bepo desperately chasing after them.
Uta did not pursue. She simply stood in place, watching their retreating backs, the corners of her mouth curving into a meaningful arc.
"Run… Run as far as you can."
She murmured to herself, with not a trace of embarrassment in her eyes: "Once everything is ready… there will be nowhere left for you to escape."
At the same time, in the shadows at the edge of the concert venue, another secret meeting was taking place.
Coby and Helmeppo were hiding behind a broken wall, warily observing the stage direction.
As members of a Marine covert unit sent to infiltrate and investigate, their mission was to observe Uta's threat level and gather intelligence on Elegia.
And at that moment, they spotted a familiar man.
"Blueno…"
Coby's pupils contracted as he recognized the other party: a high-ranking CP0 agent and user of the Doa Doa no Mi.
Though the three belonged to different organizations—Marines and CP0—with varying roles and duties, they shared the same ultimate superior: the World Government.
Blueno's voice was low and emotionless: "The Marines sent you? What's the mission?"
"To investigate the true intentions of the songstress Uta!"
Coby remained on guard, not revealing too much: "Has CP0 mobilized as well?"
Just as Blueno was about to reply, a sudden commotion came from the distance.
The view shifted to the trapped Straw Hat crew.
Nami, Zoro, Sanji… the seven of them were firmly bound by musical note ropes and suspended in midair, turned into "special decorations" for the concert.
"Damn it… this stuff is so tough!"
Zoro tried to break the ropes with brute force, but the musical note bindings were extraordinarily resilient—the harder he pulled, the tighter they constricted.
Sanji attempted a high-temperature Diable Jambe kick, only to find the notes glowed even brighter in the flames: "No good! These ropes seem to absorb energy!"
"Yohohohoho~ As long as you're okay!"
Brook suddenly let out his signature laugh. Nami asked if he had found a way to break free, but it turned out Brook was just peeking at her!
Although Brook could be unreliable, he later truly found a solution—using simple musical notation to nullify Uta's musical notes!
After escaping Uta's pursuit, Luffy's group, guided by Law, slipped into a half-collapsed ancient castle building.
Far from the concert's clamor, the air was thick with dust and the musty smell of old paper.
Ancient musical instruments hung on the walls, and bookshelves were piled high with yellowed sheet music.
In the depths, they encountered the man: Gordon.
"You came."
Gordon did not turn around, his voice hoarse: "I knew you would come… Straw Hat Luffy, Trafalgar Law."
"Who are you?"
"I am Gordon… Elegia's last survivor, and also… the one who raised Uta."
These words struck like thunder!
Gordon nodded, then began recounting Uta's life.
Uta's growth, the first time she held a microphone, her first public performance, the first time she was seen by the outside world through a Den Den Mushi video…
"She had great talent. Her singing could soothe people's hearts. I taught her music, taught her knowledge, and also… deliberately hid from her just how cruel the outside world is."
The scene on the light curtain switched to the moments Gordon described: a young Uta curiously watching images played through a Den Den Mushi.
It was a microcosm of the Great Pirate Era.
The atrocities of the Beasts Pirates, Big Mom's rule over Totto Land, the rampaging Blackbeard Pirates, the voyages of the Red Hair Pirates… the horrors of war, civilians' cries, pirates' mad laughter.
Her expression shifted from curiosity to shock, then to pain.
"From that day on, she changed."
Gordon's voice was filled with regret. "She saw the truth of this era—endless war, bloodshed, plunder. Her singing began to carry the meaning of 'savior.' The wounded forgot their pain listening to her songs; the despairing found hope in her voice…
"You talk too much, Gordon!"
A cold voice came from the doorway.
Uta stood there, her eyes burning with anger.
With a wave of her hand, Bepo was suddenly wrapped in musical notes and instantly shrunk into a miniature bear!
Uta ignored him and stepped toward Gordon, her voice trembling:
"Why… why are you with pirates? Why are you telling them those things?"
Gordon opened his mouth to explain, but Uta was no longer listening.
Musical note ropes shot up from the ground, tightly binding Gordon and hoisting him into the air!
"Gordon!!"
Uta turned to Luffy, her expression complex: "Luffy… if you're willing to abandon your pirate identity and create a new era with me, I'll let him go—let everyone go…"
"Uta,"
Luffy looked straight into her eyes, "What exactly happened between you and Shanks? If you want to know the truth, why don't you just go ask him directly!
"Don't mention that name again!!!"
Uta's scream tore through the air!
A violent sound wave erupted from her as the center, blasting Luffy backward and slamming him hard against the wall!
In the next instant, musical note ropes bound his limbs, and even the straw hat on his head was shaken off, landing at Uta's feet.
Uta picked up the straw hat and held it in her hands.
Her fingers trembled slightly. Pain, nostalgia, and anger intertwined in the light flashing through her eyes.
"Hey, Luffy…"
Her voice suddenly became gentle, yet it sent chills down the spine: "The One Piece, Shanks, Pirate King, this straw hat… throw all these boring things aside."
She walked up to the bound Luffy and looked down at him: "Wouldn't it be better to live here with me… happily forever?"
Luffy struggled, his rubber body deforming but unable to break free: "Uta… give me back my hat!"
That was the promise Shanks had entrusted to him! It was his vow to become the Pirate King!
Uta stood up, stepped back a few paces, holding the straw hat. Her expression returned to calm.
"Damn it, we can't fight here yet."
"ROOM!"
Law's ability activated once more! The spherical space enveloped Luffy and Bartolomeo!
Uta moved to stop them, but it was already too late.
"Whoosh!"
The three vanished on the spot, leaving behind only the bound Gordon, the mini Bepo, and the straw hat in Uta's hand.
Uta stood motionless, gazing down at the straw hat for a long time.
Then she turned and left the room. Her voice echoed down the corridor: "Prepare the final phase… It's time to bring the new era."
Behind her, Gordon hung in midair, watching her departing figure. Tears silently slid down his cheeks.
...