The bustling marketplace of Sabaody Archipelago was alive with its usual chaos. Pirates from every corner of the world, bounty hunters chasing their next mark, and civilians hoping to scrape a living among them all filled the air with noise and excitement. The voices mingled with the steady sound of waves crashing against the mangrove roots. Ships lined the docks, waiting to be coated for their dangerous journeys into the New World or toward Fish-Man Island. This was the gateway to adventure, and every street corner seemed to hold the promise of something new.
Lupin moved through the crowd, his dark red hood pulled low over his face. Beneath the hood, he was no longer Rosinante. That name, that identity — gone. In its place was something else. A new mask, a new legend in the making. His blond hair had been dyed black, now tied back into a neat ponytail. A white shirt, patterned with faint pink hearts, peeked from beneath a dark purple feathered mantle. The Marine uniform he once wore was a distant memory. Now, he walked the world as Black Rose, a name soon to be whispered across the seas.
As he weaved through the crowds, Lupin's sharp gaze scanned the marketplace. Pirates traded stories, bounty hunters passed rumors, and merchants shouted over each other to sell their wares. His recent bounty sat at a measly 40 million berries. Not bad, but not enough. Not for the future he planned. Not for the eyes he wanted on him. His goal was simple: catch the attention of the Whitebeard Pirates, the strongest crew in the world.
To do that, he needed a reputation.
He ducked into a quiet corner near the docks, away from the buzz of the main streets. From beneath his cloak, he pulled out a device — a small, odd contraption known only to him. The Wanted Poster Editing System. The thing that let him rewrite his fate one poster at a time.
[Wanted Poster Editing System]
Available Edit Points: 10
Current Bounty: 40,000,000 Berries
Editable Range: (Max 500,000,000 Berries)
He stared at the numbers, his heart pounding in his chest. It was tempting to push his bounty to the limit, but too much, too fast, and he'd have the Marines breathing down his neck. Too low, and no one would care. He needed just the right number — dangerous, but believable.
His thumb hovered for a moment, then pressed down.
New Bounty: 200,000,000 Berries
New Title:Black Rose
Notorious For: Sinking 3 Marine Ships, Eliminating a Cipher Pol Team, and Rumored Ties to Revolutionary Movements
[Edit Successful]
Updated Posters Will Circulate Within 24 Hours
A quiet breath left his lips. That would do it. Two hundred million was enough to turn heads. Not just pirates, but the kind of pirates he wanted to notice him. The Whitebeard Pirates didn't take in just anybody. A name like Black Rose and a bounty like that? It would spark conversation.
And that was all he needed.
Later that day
The docks of Sabaody were as crowded as ever, but a new energy was rippling through the streets. Fresh wanted posters were being slapped onto walls, hung from poles, and passed between informants. Word spread fast in a place like this. And wherever the posters went, murmurs followed.
A group of pirates huddled around one such poster.
"Black Rose? Two hundred million? Never heard of him," one muttered, scratching his unshaven chin.
"Doesn't matter," another replied, eyes flicking across the poster's details. "Guy wiped out Cipher Pol agents, sank Marine ships… and they say he's connected to the Revolutionaries."
The first pirate grunted. "We don't need that kind of heat around here. But he might be worth keeping an eye on. Could be an ally. Or a problem."
From a distance, Lupin watched their reactions, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. It was working. The name Black Rose was taking root.
Then, he spotted him. Thatch.
The 4th division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates stood amidst a crowd, laughing, drinking, and drawing attention without even trying. Lupin had been keeping tabs on him since he arrived, waiting for the right moment. This was it. No more waiting.
He approached confidently, weaving through the crowd toward Thatch's group. The commander noticed him right away, raising a curious eyebrow and flashing a grin.
"You the new face making waves around here?" Thatch called, his voice easy, but with an edge of interest.
"I am," Lupin answered evenly, stopping a few paces away. "Name's Black Rose. And I'm here to be remembered."
Thatch chuckled, giving him a once-over. "Two hundred million berries. Not bad. You look a little young for that kind of bounty. Think you can back it up?"
Lupin's smirk deepened, his dark eyes steady. "A number's just a number. It's skill that matters. And I've got plenty."
His hand rested on the grip of the pistol strapped to his side — sleek, black, and deadly. A weapon wasn't just a tool to him; it was an extension of his will. And Lupin's aim was as sharp as his ambition.
Thatch's gaze dropped to the pistol, then back to Lupin's face. Something flickered in the commander's eyes — intrigue, maybe. Or a challenge.
"I've heard the name Black Rose floating around. Seems you're not just talk after all," Thatch said, lips curving into a crooked grin. "Alright. Show me."
Without a word, Lupin drew the pistol. In a single, fluid motion, he aimed at a distant crate stacked high near the dock's edge. His finger squeezed the trigger.
The crack of the shot rang out, cutting through the marketplace noise. The bullet struck dead center, the crate shattering into splinters.
Lupin holstered the weapon just as smoothly, his gaze locked on Thatch, expression calm and unreadable.
For a moment, Thatch just blinked. Then he grinned wide, clearly impressed.
"Not bad, kid. But shooting a crate's one thing. Holding your own alongside us — that's another. It's not just about strength with the Whitebeard Pirates. It's loyalty. Heart. Family."
Lupin's jaw tightened, his resolve sharpening like a drawn blade. "I've fought alone long enough. It's time I found people worth standing beside. I'll prove myself to you — and to them."
Thatch studied him for a long moment, then nodded, satisfied. "Alright, Black Rose. We've got a ship heading to Fish-Man Island soon. You want to run with us? That's your chance. Show us what you've got."
A slow, determined grin spread across Lupin's face. "I won't disappoint you."
And just like that, the first step toward the future he wanted had been taken.