Three days had passed since the devastating attack by Germa, ruthlessly crushed. The kingdom, its buildings in ruins and its castle riddled with holes, drifted on the edge of the sea, in full reconstruction. Eian no Sezai's invasion had ended in a bitter failure, leaving behind only a kingdom to rebuild.
Lying on a bed, a bandage wrapped around his head, Judge slept deeply, unconscious for three days. His usually severe face gradually contorted, as if tormented by a nightmare from which he could not escape. The pain seemed so real that it became palpable.
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In total darkness
He desperately searched for an exit. A light finally pierced the darkness, but what he discovered froze him in terror: two immense eyes, belonging to Gojo, stared at him with a chilling intensity. These eyes, infinite, seemed to engulf him, reviving a visceral fear.
"You are weak, so weak," a voice resonated through the darkness, as other pairs of eyes appeared, encircling him. "An insignificant waste." The words rained down relentlessly, and he clutched his head, helpless.
"Stop!" he cried out, but the voices persisted, relentless. "STOP!" he shouted again, as an invisible hand seized his neck. Looking up, he recognized Gojo, his icy gaze.
"Die," Gojo murmured, crushing his neck against the ground.
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"AHHH!" Judge's scream tore through the silence, startling his children present in the room.
"Why the scream, father?" asked Reiju, the sister with pink hair, sitting with crossed arms, a raised eyebrow.
He scanned the room, noting the perplexed faces of his children. His breathing was erratic, his forehead drenched in sweat. He placed a hand on his face, gritting his teeth, still haunted by the nightmare.
"It was just a dream..." he murmured, his voice hoarse, before resuming in a firmer tone: "How long have I been asleep?"
"Three days, father," Ichiji, the eldest brother with red hair, replied, his body still bearing the scars of battle, bandaged all over.
"And the kingdom? What has happened to it?" he inquired, a hint of worry in his voice, thinking of his ancestors' legacy.
"Father, calm down," Yonji, the youngest with green hair, intervened with a serious tone tinged with anger. "They are already rebuilding it. Gojo didn't destroy everything." He almost spat out the enemy's name, his resentment palpable.
"That damn blond... When I see him again..." Niji muttered, with blue hair, arms crossed and teeth clenched, reliving the humiliation suffered.
"It's useless," Reiju cut in, drawing all eyes to her. "They crushed us. They humiliated you," she added with a mocking smile, provoking Niji's fury.
"Rei..." he growled, ready to pounce, but Ichiji stopped him with a gesture.
"Stop, Niji," he ordered, cold and composed. "Reiju is right. We didn't stand a chance."
Judge, silent, gazed out the window at the castle. The yawning holes in the walls, remnants of Gojo's attack, reminded him of the extent of their defeat. He lowered his eyes, thoughtful, and an idea sprouted in his mind.
"If this is the power of an emperor, an ally of this caliber would make the reconquest of the North Blue easy," he thought, his face stern.
Reiju, closing her eyes with a smile, broke the silence. "Foolish brothers, foolish father. That's what happens when you attack one of the most dangerous territories in the New World." She opened her eyes, her smile widening. "Gojo with eternal eyes."
**************
At the same time, on the island of Libra, the economic hub of the infinite pirates, Mei Mei was signing documents with her usual calm, a slight smile on her lips. Sitting in a chair, Gojo, visibly bored, played with a pen, disrupting her work.
"Mei-chan~ Listen to me, I'm bored!" he exclaimed, his cheerful voice contrasting with the studious atmosphere.
"If you're so bored, go hunt a 100 million berry captain to reimburse me, Captain," she replied, dragging out the last words with a hint of seduction, without looking up from her papers.
"And what if I pay you with my body~?" he retorted, mischievous.
"Hmm..." She smiled. "If I turned you over to the Marines, that would fetch over three billion berries~"
"You wound your beloved captain, Mei-chan! Is that really what you want?" he joked, feigning exaggerated sadness.
A little boy, Ui Ui, entered the room, a newspaper in hand. He sighed at Gojo's nonchalant attitude. "Enough, Captain. Let Onee-sama work." He handed the newspaper. "Have you seen the news?"
Gojo grabbed the newspaper, and as he read, a growing smile illuminated his face. He burst into laughter, catching Mei Mei and Ui Ui's attention.
The Straw Hats declare war on the World Government to save their friend, the demon Nico Robin. They burn the flag and destroy Enies Lobby, one of the three strategic points of the Marines. THE STRAW HATS CLAIM THEIR FIRST VICTORY AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT!
"The world is getting more and more amusing, isn't it, Mei-chan~?" he said, tossing the newspaper towards her.
She caught it and skimmed through. "As long as it pays me," she replied with a smile. "So, this is the group that interests you... They still have a long way to go. When their bounties rise, we can deal with them."
Gojo lifted his bandana, revealing a sparkling eye. "It's only just beginning, as you say. Maybe one day, they will come to challenge us."
Mei Mei burst into a discreet laughter, which grew louder. "There's always a D. involved in world upheavals," she said, exchanging a knowing look with Gojo, as bird feathers piled up around them.
**************
Water Seven
After their resounding victory at Enies Lobby against CP9, the Straw Hats received an unexpected visit: Garp, Luffy's grandfather, Marine hero. Standing with crossed arms, he glared at Luffy, who sported a series of bumps from his grandfather's "love punches."
"Do you know what kind of pirate Shanks the Red is?" Garp thundered, his voice resonating in the room.
"Shanks? Is he doing well, him and the others?" Luffy replied, mixing doubt and enthusiasm.
"I don't care if they're doing well!" Garp retorted, his face stern. "Among hundreds of pirates, the Red rivals with Whitebeard as one of the five emperors, who reign over the second half of the Grand Line! The Marines and the Warlords exist to maintain balance against them. If that balance collapses, chaos will engulf the world!"
Perplexed, Luffy scratched his head. "I don't really understand, but if he's doing well, what's the problem? He smiled, stroking his straw hat, lost in memories of Shanks.
Garp sighed. "You know nothing, huh? Have you ever crossed paths with the right-hand man of an emperor, the Cursed King Yuta of the infinite pirates!"
The Straw Hats, more alert, reacted with astonishment. Sanji, wide-eyed, asked, "The guy who stood up to the admiral who can manipulate ice?"
Zoro, more composed but equally surprised, added, "This guy is the right-hand man of an emperor?"
Usopp, hiding behind a window with a giant frog, trembled in fear. "Thank God we managed to escape that day, or we would have been dead!"
Nami turned to Robin, furious. "Is that true, Robin? Why didn't you tell us?"
Robin, with her usual smile, replied calmly, "You never asked."
"You should still mention that kind of thing!" Nami roared, sharp teeth and bulging eyes.
Robin continued, "Gojo with eternal eyes, captain of the infinite pirates. It is said that once he unveils his eyes in battle, no one can defeat him."
"His eyes?" Nami murmured, puzzled.
"And the Cursed King Yuta, one of the three curses," added Robin. "The three most powerful pirates in his crew, each with a bounty exceeding one billion berries."
Nami paled. "One billion?!"
Zoro, gripping the hilt of his sword, intervened, "What kind of man must this captain be to have such subordinates?"
Luffy, still in his world, burst into laughter. "I don't understand all this stuff about curses or infinity, but they must be amazing, kishishishi!" A smoking punch from Nami brought him back to reality.
"How can you ignore something so important?!" she cried out.
Garp burst into laughter. "Bwahahaha! Relax, they're just pirates!"
"No, no, no, they are NOT normal pirates!" protested Zoro, Sanji, Nami, and Chopper in unison, comically synchronized.
Garp became serious again. "In summary, Luffy, you are still far from their level. What will you do if you meet one of them?"
Luffy stood up, arms crossed with determination. "No matter. I'll kick anyone's butt, because I will be the Pirate King!"
His contagious laughter spread to his companions, who smiled at the unwavering determination of their captain. That day, the Straw Hats realized the vastness of the pirate world and the journey that still lay ahead of them.
************
Somewhere on Grand Line
In the first half of Grand Line, near the Sabaody Archipelago, Maki observed a wanted poster with a smile. Sitting on the unconscious bodies of two Marines, he laughed, his naginata resting on his shoulder.
"Mugiwara no Luffy, I'm lucky to be in your generation," he said, looking up at the sky. Then, turning to a woman with pink hair on the ground, he added, "Isn't that right, Marine captain?"
Hina, covered in wounds after her battle against Maki, lay face down on the ground, her subordinates Jango and Fullbody unconscious beneath her. "Hina couldn't even defeat the youngest shaman..." she murmured, frustrated.
Maki stood up. "Don't blame yourself. It's normal to lose. There will always be someone stronger than you." He paused, a glint of respect in his eyes. "Except for one person." Referring to Gojo.
As he walked away, Hina, panting, struggled to sit up. "Wait... We're not done. Hina will go to the New World and defeat Gojo!"
Maki burst into laughter, placing a hand on his forehead. "Really? Hahaha! You can't beat him, but I admire your courage. My captain would like you, he loves fools like you!"
Hina blushed, then indignant. "Wait, did you just call me a fool?!"
Maki gave her a smile. "Come to the New World, one day. The man you want to challenge is waiting for you there. But to reach him, you'll have to get through me first."
She walked away for good. Exhausted, Hina collapsed, a trickle of blood running from her forehead. Lighting a cigarette, she gazed at the sky, a bitter smile on her lips. "Hina lost again... There are so many strong people in this world."
The disaster of Enies Lobby, caused by the Straw Hats, had shaken Paradise. Their new, exorbitant bounties made the seas tremble. By challenging one of the Marine's strategic bases, they had made a name for themselves in the first half of Grand Line.