The news of Kaguya's upcoming execution in Marineford in one month sent shockwaves through the Grand Line.
The person hailed as the world's strongest had not only been captured but was scheduled for execution?
What kind of international joke was this?
Her power was undeniable—a terrifying force that inspired dread and hopelessness. Since her appearance, she had never lost, nor had she even been injured.
She had once beaten a Marine Admiral senseless, fought and killed powerful foes, and even Kaido of the current Four Emperors had fled in defeat before her. Red-Haired Shanks had even received swordsmanship guidance from her. Only Whitebeard was said to be able to rival her, and many believed she hadn't even gone all out back then.
Could someone like that really be captured by Marine Headquarters?
It seemed impossible.
But the World Government's official statement didn't seem fake. Was there more to this story?
Then, the Marines released another shocking announcement: Portgas D. Ace, Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, had also been captured. He would be executed alongside Kaguya one month from now.
Although this news wasn't as earth-shattering as Kaguya's, it still stirred great unrest. With Whitebeard's personality, there was no way he would let this slide. A battle between Whitebeard and the Marines was now inevitable.
When Kaguya heard the news, she was both amused and exasperated. So it really was because her reputation was so poor that she couldn't attract any pirates to save her? Too proud and intimidating for her own good. Was that why they added Ace to the execution, to make things more dramatic?
Regardless, the Grand Line was now buzzing. It wouldn't be long before a grand spectacle unfolded.
At the same time, a terrifying rumor spread across the seas. Devil Fruit users throughout the Grand Line were being ambushed one after another. Many were slain, and the survivors discovered that their Devil Fruit powers had vanished.
This caused widespread panic, especially among Devil Fruit users, who began hiding and lying low, terrified of becoming the next victim. Even those unfortunate enough to run into the attacker didn't dare fight back. Resisting meant certain death.
The brutality of the attacks left no doubt.
A rough profile of the assailant began to circulate: a girl wearing a fox mask, dressed in a black dress, with golden hair. All signs pointed to one individual—the long-missing fugitive Artoria. The resemblance was uncanny.
Could it really be her?
Unfortunately, the Marines showed little concern. They were too busy preparing for Whitebeard's potential assault to investigate. Besides, most of the victims were pirates. For the Marines, this was practically a blessing.
"Please! Take the Devil Fruit, just don't kill me!" a red-nosed man begged, collapsed on the ground in fear.
The fox-masked girl approached, raising her pale arm high.
But just then, a glint of cunning flashed in the red-nosed man's eyes. He pointed and shouted, "Slowness Beam!"
A red beam shot from his fingertip like lightning, striking the masked girl in an instant.
"Hahahaha!" The red-nosed man laughed as he got to his feet. "Got you now! You thought you could steal my Devil Fruit? Too naive."
With that, he drew a long sword and advanced toward Kaguya.
But just as he stepped up beside her, Kaguya suddenly reached out and gripped his neck.
The red-nosed man's face twisted in terror. "Y-you... how are you still okay?!"
"Sorry to disappoint you," Kaguya said coolly. Then, her pale arm transformed into a knife-hand strike and pierced his abdomen like lightning.
Blood spurted.
"Gah..."
His eyes widened, and he vomited blood. After a brief struggle, his head slumped and he went limp, lifeless.
Kaguya casually flung the corpse aside like a broken doll and wiped her hands with a white handkerchief before tossing it away.
He never knew that his Slowness Beam hadn't even reached Kaguya. It had been stopped by the translucent Wind King's Barrier. In other words, the attack had no effect on her whatsoever. At most, it had slightly slowed the rotation of the barrier—completely meaningless.
"P-please don't kill me..." the woman nearby cried out, her eyes wide in terror. Tears streamed down her face, and her expression was full of panic.
Kaguya gave her a cold glance but said nothing, turning to leave.
The woman let out a breath of relief. She hadn't even realized her whole body was soaked in cold sweat.
Another ten or so Devil Fruits were added to the haul. A pretty decent yield. Easier than expected, actually. These low-level opponents weren't even a challenge.
The only trouble would be the ones who had gone into hiding. After all, the world was a big place, and trying to find them all would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.
[Ding! Congratulations! Your Devil Fruit collection progress has reached 90%. To reward your great achievement, you have received a new Ability Card. Please enjoy using it!]
Ability card?
Kaguya blinked. What was this? Some kind of power-up?
Unlike the previous cards she had obtained, this one was golden, engraved with intricate and ornate designs that exuded a noble, luxurious aura. But it wasn't the gaudy kind—this had an elegant refinement.
When Kaguya flipped it over, what she saw made her pause.
A beautiful woman clad in golden armor.
What the heck?
Female Gilgamesh?
You've got to be kidding. Wasn't this the airhead who popped youth-restoring pills like candy?
Thankfully, she only gained the powers this time. If she had transformed into Female Gilgamesh herself, who knew what might've happened.
Kaguya had already resolved not to mess lightly with the contents of the Gate of Babylon. Who knew what weird stuff might pop out next?
Teddy bears, rubber duckies, and limited edition... "beeps"? That would be seriously awkward...
In a dimly lit room—
"You all actually believe the Navy managed to capture her? That kind of false news? This is nothing but a scheme by the Marines. If you can't even see through that, no wonder things have come to this."
The speaker sat on a couch, her brown hair framing a clear and refined face. She had a tall, graceful figure, and her manner was that of the girl next door—though her words were far from gentle.
She was none other than Charlotte Pudding.
"Don't think that just because you were Mama's favorite daughter, you can say whatever you want. We're not your subordinates, girl."
The woman who spoke was Charlotte Smoothie, the tall and striking Juice Minister. Her expression was clearly displeased.
"That wasn't my intention. We're all in this together, as you well know," Pudding said coldly. "If we want to restore Big Mom's former glory, we need to avoid unnecessary trouble. The Navy is busy with Whitebeard. This is the perfect time to expand our territory in the New World."
"Don't you want to see the one who killed your mother executed?" said Charlotte Katakuri, seated on the couch, his voice low and serious.
"This is just a distraction tactic from the Marines," Pudding replied icily. "I'm on the inside. If something had happened, don't you think I'd know?"
"You think the Navy would share secrets with someone brought in by her?" Smoothie scoffed.
"Even if it's true, even if she was captured, what difference does it make?" Pudding said through clenched teeth, trying to contain her anger.
"No matter what, I have to see it with my own eyes to be sure," Katakuri said, eyes burning with hatred. "The humiliation she once gave me, I will return a hundredfold."
He stood and walked away without another word.
Pudding stared at their retreating backs, her fists clenched, lips tightly pressed.
One day, I will make you both kneel.
Meanwhile, on Amazon Lily—
"Bad news, Elder Nyon!" Gloriosa came rushing in, panicked.
"What is it now? What happened?" Elder Nyon's face darkened when she saw Gloriosa's anxious expression. "Is it about the Empress?"
"Yes!" Gloriosa panted. "She just took her medicine, but she hadn't even slept long when her condition flared up again. It looks worse than ever."
"Worse?"
Elder Nyon's face grew grim. It had already been severe before. The medicine had at least helped her sleep, but now even that didn't seem to work.
"You should come right away," Gloriosa urged.
"Yes, I'm on my way."
When they arrived at the Empress's chambers, several people were already inside. Hancock's sisters, Sandersonia and Marigold, sat on the bed, watching her with worried expressions.
Boa Hancock lay on the bed, her cheeks flushed unnaturally red. Her forehead was dotted with sweat, her body burned with fever, and her elegant hands clutched her chest. Her lips were slightly parted, and her serpentine body twisted in agony, letting out pained moans.
"Elder Nyon, thank goodness you're here!" Sandersonia said urgently. "She's been like this for days, worse than ever before."
Elder Nyon's expression turned grave.
Ever since that person disappeared without a word, Hancock's condition had worsened. Just mentioning that name would trigger an attack. On Amazon Lily, that name had become forbidden.
Even so, Hancock's condition had continued to deteriorate, to the point where she could no longer sleep. At first, sedatives had helped relieve her symptoms somewhat, but over time, even the strongest doses began to lose their effectiveness. Increasing the dosage offered only temporary relief.
In an effort to cure the Empress's broken heart, Amazon Lily had sent out several search parties to find that person. But it was as if she had vanished from the face of the earth. No trace could be found.
Over the years, Hancock had visibly wasted away. Her body was no longer what it used to be. If this continued, the consequences could be dire.
Elder Nyon took a deep breath, stepped forward, and said, "Snake Princess, that person's whereabouts have been discovered."
Hancock bolted upright from the bed, her beautiful eyes wide. "Where is she, Elder Nyon? Tell me—where is she?!"
Elder Nyon was stunned. Hancock had looked so weak moments ago, yet the mere mention of that person had brought her back to full energy.
Just how powerful... is love?
To think such overwhelming passion could thaw the coldest of hearts.
"Elder Nyon, please tell me! Where is she now?!" Hancock pressed urgently.
Snapping out of it, Elder Nyon coughed lightly and said sternly, "Don't ask that right now. What you need to do is recover your strength first. Only then can—Snake Princess, what are you doing?!"
Before she could finish, Hancock had grabbed her by the collar and started shaking her frantically.
"Tell me! Where is she?! Hurry and tell me!"
"W-wait, Snake Princess! Stop it, do you want to kill me?!" Elder Nyon cried, her head spinning.
Marigold and Sandersonia rushed forward to restrain their sister.
"Big Sister! Stop shaking her! How can Elder Nyon talk if you don't stop?!"
Realizing the truth in that, Hancock let go. Elder Nyon promptly dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes.
"Owww... Snake Princess, are you trying to murder me?" Elder Nyon groaned, clutching her chest.
Hancock turned away with a snort. "Serves you right. If you keep stalling, I'll throw you into the sea."
"You're too old to be this childish," Elder Nyon muttered, rubbing her forehead. "Fine, fine. But you have to promise to rest and recover your strength before going after her, understand?"
"Got it, got it," Hancock said impatiently, waving her hand.
Elder Nyon cleared her throat. "It's said she appeared recently on Sabaody Archipelago. You—wait, where is she?!"
Just moments ago, Hancock had been right there.
"She already ran out," Sandersonia said helplessly.
"Sigh..." Elder Nyon exhaled deeply.
"That's wonderful, Elder Nyon!" Marigold said joyfully. "Since she's been found, Big Sister's illness can be cured, right?"
Elder Nyon sighed again, even more heavily. "If only it were that simple."
"What do you mean? Didn't you say you found her?" Sandersonia asked, puzzled by Elder Nyon's serious expression.
Elder Nyon looked up and said quietly, "I lied."
"What?!"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven