One Piece: The Cryo Doctor on the Straw Hat Ship

The navy's formation stood like a silent dam, watching the revolutionary army slowly disappear from their sight.

Those generals who would normally give orders to pursue without hesitation were now like puppets whose souls had been taken away, unable to even utter a word.

On the ruins of the high platform, the Warring States stood frozen in place.

The golden light of Buddha had dimmed, and he stood there, his body trembling slightly, as if he had aged considerably in an instant.

Garp stood beside him, saying nothing, simply gazing silently at the tattered sky.

But a smile, hard to suppress, curved at the corners of his mouth.

Even Akainu, who always wanted to sacrifice everything to kill pirates, fell silent at this moment.

Beside him, a young lieutenant finally couldn't help but speak, his voice trembling without him even realizing it:

"General, the revolutionary army is about to retreat. Shouldn't we... pursue them?"

Akainu remained silent.

A long silence.

Then--

He slowly turned around, leaving only a lonely silhouette.

"...order the troops to retreat."

His voice was as cold as ice:

"This war..."

"It's over."

The young lieutenant stood there, his mouth agape, but he couldn't utter a single word.

He looked at Akainu's back, at that back that was once as fiery as a volcano and as resolute as steel, now appearing somewhat hunched.

That is……

Despair?

The lieutenant dared not think about it, nor did he want to.

……

……

at the same time.

The sky directly above Marineford.

As the small island gradually disappeared into the clouds, a figure wearing a dark green cloak suddenly appeared.

His face was covered with mysterious runes, as if they had been etched by the soles of his shoes.

And this person is none other than Monkey D. Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, who is defined by the World Government as the most dangerous man in the world!

According to unreliable rumors, the runes on his face were likely from an argument he had with his father, Garp, when he left the Navy, and Garp's big foot stomped into his face.

"Luffy, and the Straw Hat crew... you've gone even further than I imagined." His voice was low and hoarse, carrying an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

Then, he looked up at the direction of the floating island that had turned into a black dot on the horizon, and a slight smile appeared on his lips: "It seems that the gears of this world have been completely turned by you."

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure slowly blended into the wind, disappearing as if he had never existed.

……

……

Near Marineford, in a mysterious sea area, the Red Fosse.

Red-haired Shanks stood at the bow of the ship, the sea breeze ruffling his deep red hair and jet-black cloak.

In the center of the deck, a projection Den Den Mushi (a type of electric scooter) is projecting snowflake waves onto the screen.

Shanks gazed at the sea in silence for a moment, recalling the news that had just come from Marineford. A slow smile crept onto his lips, revealing a smile he could hardly contain.

"It seems we... really went to unnecessary trouble!"

"Beckman!"

Shanks suddenly turned around and said to his first mate:

"Tell the brothers to return to base immediately!"

"Since we're no longer needed in Marineford, let's head to the New World and prepare!"

"It won't be long before Luffy reaches the top by standing on our shoulders!"

"I don't want to see you all defeated by his crew!"

Beckman, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, slowly exhaled a puff of smoke.

Although he appeared calm on the outside, his heart was actually in turmoil.

Who would have thought that the little guy who used to clamor to become a pirate in the small fishing village would one day grow up to a level that they have to take seriously?

"but……"

A glint flashed in Beckman's eyes.

"That level of power isn't just a matter of taking things seriously, is it!?"

……

……

New World: Oni Island.

A deafening roar echoed from the depths of Oni Island, causing the entire island to tremble.

"How is that possible!?"

Kaido's wine jug was crushed into pieces, and amber liquid mixed with the smell of alcohol dripped from between his fingers.

His bloodshot eyes widened in shock as he stared at the now-white screen.

King, one of the three great commanders of the Beasts Pirates, stood beside him.

Despite wearing a heavy mask, one could still sense the furrowed brow on his face.

"Lord Kaido, could that be... the legendary power of Joy Boy!?"

"The Straw Hat Pirates—the strength of this group is probably enough to shake up the New World."

Kaido snorted and casually tossed away the broken shards of the wine bottle.

"Hehehe... It seems some interesting creatures have finally arrived on this sea!"

He whirled around, his thick arm swinging out, the smell of alcohol and his domineering aura mingling and vibrating in the air:

"Pass down the order to strengthen security around Wano Country."

"With those two bastards, Shiki and Moria, around, they won't be able to enter the New World for long!"

"If they want to seize a piece of territory in the New World, their target is most likely us!"

Despite his confidence in his own strength, Kaido is no fool.

The Straw Hat crew's strength is undeniable.

If he continues to maintain his carefree and arrogant persona as before, he will probably be the one to suffer.

Don't let his naiveté fool you.

Actually, he's not stupid at all!

……

……

New World, World of Nations, Cake Island

Big Mom sat on a huge throne, surrounded by a variety of desserts, but she didn't touch a single one.

Her plump fingers tapped lightly on the armrest, her eyes gleaming with an ambiguous light.

"Wow... Straw Hat Boy, he actually managed to win over an old guy like Shiki..."

"Katakuri, choose someone from your family to arrange a marriage with the Straw Hat crew!"

"With the Straw Hat crew's help, my chances of becoming the Pirate King will greatly increase!"

Chapter 240 A Second Blossom

Sabaody Archipelago, GR-13.

An unassuming bar is hidden in the shadows of intertwined mangrove roots. The old neon lights outside emit a faint hum, mixed with the soft bubbling of soap bubbles drifting in the distance.

The shop was dimly lit, with a few old chandeliers swaying in the air and casting dappled light and shadow.

The bartender behind the counter was an elderly man with gray hair. He was hanging his head, his expression hidden by the brim of his hat, and he was as silent as a mountain.

The projection screen of the Den Den Mushi hanging on the wall had just gone out, showing the last image—

The floating island carrying the Straw Hat crew disappeared into the horizon, frozen in darkness.

dark.

Just like the emotions surging within the hearts of the several figures in this bar right now, so thick and intense that they couldn't be dissolved.

Several figures wearing canvas hoods stood silently in front of the bar for a long time.

No one speaks.

No one moved.

The bartender didn't urge them on, or even look up.

Occasionally, a faint clinking of glasses could be heard from inside the bar, but that was all.

They seemed frozen in that moment, even the dust in the air stopped moving.

The whole world—

The Straw Hat crew's appearance in the live stream had plunged everything into a deep silence.