Three days had passed in Alabasta since Crocodile's downfall. The Straw Hat Pirates had left the country shortly after their captain's awakening, three days after their confrontation with the Warlord. In just three months of sailing, they had achieved the remarkable feat of defeating one of the Seven Warlords. And the Marines, despite their efforts, had not managed to capture them.
At the Alabasta post, Smoker, recently promoted to Marine commodore, stood surrounded by his allies. He had tried to refuse this promotion, but the Marines had practically forced him to accept it, fearing that the institution's honor would be tarnished if it was revealed that a pirate had saved the country. By his side stood a pink-haired woman, a renowned captain who had come to lend a hand in tracking down the Straw Hat Pirates.
Pulling on his cigarette and exhaling smoke, Smoker observed. "I don't understand why you're so angry, Smoker-kun," Hina asked curiously.
Smoker, with a stern gaze, replied in a voice mixing contained anger and calm. "I was promoted on a lie. A pirate saved my life and liberated this country. How could I be satisfied, Hina?" His words made the captain sigh.
Tashigi, the woman with black hair and glasses, Smoker's loyal second-in-command, interjected into the conversation. Frustrated at letting the pirates escape, she nevertheless received comforting words from her superior. Then, with a worried look, she asked, "Captain, what happened to Portgas D. Ace and Kento Nanami?"
Smoker lowered his eyes to the ground, his face neutral. "They slipped through our fingers. We have no trace of them anymore," he replied. He knew that speaking of escape was almost insulting; Ace and Nanami had left the country calmly, without fleeing anyone.
Hina, taking her cigarette out of her mouth, fixed Smoker seriously. "You know he's the strongest shaman among the infinite pirates," she declared.
Smoker raised an eyebrow. "I heard you crossed paths with Gojo D. Satoru in the New World. Is that true?" he asked, causing surprise among the Marines around them.
Jango and Fullbody, Hina's two subordinates, still emotional at the thought of her leaving for the New World, were left speechless upon learning that she had faced a legend. Jango, with heart-shaped eyes, exclaimed, "Luckily, your beautiful face is unharmed, Hina-taichou!"
Fullbody, blushing, added, "We wouldn't survive if anything happened to you, Hina-joi!"
With a precise kick, Hina sent them flying into crates. They muttered absurdities like "Hina-joi's blows are so charming" under the exasperated gaze of Tashigi, a bead of sweat sliding down her forehead.
Hina, with a slight smile, confirmed. "Yes, Smoker-kun, I met him while I was on Tsuru-san's ship."
"An Emperor," murmured Tashigi. "Is he as powerful as they say?" she asked, her eyes shining.
Smoker interrupted her with a sharp tone. "Calm down, Tashigi." His remark made her blush with disappointment.
Hina, putting her cigarette between her lips, intervened. "Let me explain, Smoker-kun. They are worlds apart."
Perplexed, Tashigi insisted. "What do you mean, Hina-san?"
Hina opened her eyes, her gaze piercing. "He landed on Tsuru-san's ship and, in a minute, everyone was on the ground," she explained, observing the incredulous faces of the Marines. "Of course, I tried to confront him."
Smoker, with a tense face, murmured, "And you lost."
Hina shook her head, her tone tinged with bitterness. "No, I didn't just lose. I was humiliated." She placed a hand on her stomach, reliving the pain. "I still see it all. He lifted me with one arm until our eyes met. His grip was so strong that I couldn't move," she explained. "And..." But she didn't finish her sentence as a blush appeared on her face.
Captivated, Tashigi asked, "And then?"
Hina continued, her voice heavier. "A knee to the stomach, and I blacked out." She paused. "When I woke up, Tsuru told me he was just toying with me." The image of Gojo in her mind made her boil inside.
Smoker, impassive, commented, "It makes sense. The Emperors are monsters who defy all reason. They are the ones who dominate the New World."
Jango, a former pirate from East Blue, timidly asked, "But how powerful is an Emperor?"
Fullbody, annoyed, retorted, "Idiot! Even an admiral would risk his life to stop one!" Jango, sweating, realized the extent of the threat.
Lost in his thoughts, Smoker thought back to Kento Nanami. He doubted he could defeat him, and knowing that even more formidable pirates existed before reaching the level of a captain like Gojo gave him an idea of their power.
Determined, Hina declared, "I will return to the New World one day." Smoker looked at her. "And you, Smoker-kun, one day we will sail together in the sea of the most powerful pirates," she added with an enthusiastic smile.
Smoker gave a smile and turned his gaze to the sea. In Alabasta, he had encountered exceptional pirates, but it was only the beginning. The New World awaited them, and they would have to become strong enough to survive there. Hina, on the other hand, had a score to settle. It had taken her two days to overcome her weakness, but she faced her humiliation without hiding it, showing strength of character.
***
On that same day, in the territory of Eian no Sezai, under Gojo's control, a previously unknown island emerged: the Scorpion Island. Known for being the place where aspiring pirates of the Mugen crew were trained to become shamans, it hosted rigorous training for several years. Recruits could then set sail, protect a territory under a shaman's orders, or choose to remain on the island after their training.
Utahime crossed a rocky training ground, observing young recruits hitting rocks to master Observation Haki. Their determination brought a tender smile to her face. She sat on a cushion placed on a rock, but a gurgling sound made her sigh.
"If you keep drinking like that at your age, you won't last long, Naobito-san," she called out to the man who stopped to look at her.
Naobito, bursting into laughter, replied, "Sake is what keeps me alive, wahahahaha!" His characteristic smile illuminated his face.
Naobito Zenin, nicknamed the demon of the seas, was the elder shaman of the infinite crew. A legendary pirate from the New World, aged 71 and standing at 2.88 meters, he had sailed during Gol D. Roger's era. Grandfather of Maki Zenin, he liked to tease her by saying she was still weak, although they respected each other. A heavy drinker, he supervised the training of recruits and the management of Scorpion Island. In his youth, he would have rivaled Shiki the Golden Lion, mastering an exceptional Armament and Observation Haki. His bounty was 813,090,000 berries.
Utahime sighed. "I don't even know why I bother talking. If you had taken care of yourself, you would be the strongest shaman."
Naobito, with a mocking smile, retorted, "Don't take this old man for dead, girl! You still have a lot to learn."
"Yes, yes," Utahime conceded, aware of his past strength, even though he had lost in endurance. "By the way, any news of Maki?" she asked, interrupting Naobito in his sake sip.
"Maki? She's been gone for five months," he replied, smiling, as Utahime handed him a piece of paper. "What's this?" He took the paper, a wanted poster, and his smile widened.
Utahime, serious, explained, "Your granddaughter has become a supernova. She's making a name for herself on the Grand Line. Does this crew have a single normal member?"
Naobito, laughing, replied, "It's not enough yet. She's still a weak kid." But his smile betrayed his pride. "She needs to get stronger to follow a D.," he added, taking a drink.
Intrigued, Utahime asked, "Why do you always say she needs to be stronger to follow a D.?"
Naobito looked at her, a smirk on his face. "You know Gojo has a D. in his name, right?" She nodded. "The D's always shake the world, it's in their genes. To stay by their side, you have to be strong enough to follow! Wahahahaha!" He placed his bottle on the rock, laughing loudly.
Utahime murmured, "The will of the D... Gol D. Roger, the man who discovered everything... He must know what he's talking about." She watched the recruits.
Naobito, with a smile on his face, watched the young ones train. Mentally, he thought, "The D's have always marked turning points in history. With their resurgence, the World Government will tremble at the upcoming change. This old man might still see fascinating things, wahahahaha."