-Real World - Alabasta Kingdom-
Both the Straw Hat Pirates and Blackbeard Pirates lived cautiously in Alabasta's capital region, rarely daring to show their faces in public. Every excursion required elaborate disguises. Getting discovered by hostile forces—whether rebels, Marines, or rival pirates—would be catastrophic for crews in their current weakened states.
Two pirate crews, hiding in the same desert kingdom, both waiting for circumstances to change, observers might have noted. One built on friendship, the other on ambition. Both equally trapped by forces beyond their control.
King Cobra controlled perhaps ten thousand loyal soldiers—the remains of his royal army after years of careful conspiracy had eroded his military strength. Against one hundred thousand rebels armed and coordinated by Baroque Works, that number was laughably inadequate.
Better to not fight at all than commit his forces to a battle they'd inevitably lose, Cobra had concluded grimly. One decisive defeat would end the Nefertari dynasty after centuries of rule. Better to wait. Hope for diplomatic solution. Pray for miracles.
Meanwhile, Baroque Works—the organization orchestrating Alabasta's destruction—found itself in an unusual situation. Their boss had been summoned to Mary Geoise for meetings about Sky Screen revelations. Most executives were engaged in their assigned tasks, maintaining the conspiracy's momentum even in Crocodile's absence.
But one executive was experiencing something entirely unexpected: happiness.
-Real World - Rainbase, Baroque Works Safe House-
Galdino—Mr. 3 of Baroque Works, wielder of the Doru Doru no Mi (Wax-Wax Fruit)—sat in a café sipping coffee with an expression of bemused contentment.
This is surreal, he thought, watching Zala refill his cup with attentive care. Absolutely surreal.
Since the Sky Screen had positioned him alongside Admiral Akainu in power tier discussions—classifying both as "Admiral-class" fighters five years in the future—Galdino's life had transformed completely.
Initially, he'd been terrified. Admiral Akainu is going to hunt me down. He saw the classification. He'll want to eliminate future competition before I become a threat. I'm dead. I'm absolutely dead.
He'd barely slept for days, jumping at every shadow, convinced Sakazuki would appear and feed him magma.
But days passed. No Admiral appeared. No assassination attempts materialized. Just... nothing.
Maybe he has bigger concerns, Galdino had rationalized. Maybe hunting one mid-level Baroque Works operative isn't worth his time when the Sky Screen showed him dozens of more important problems.
The relief had been overwhelming. And once terror faded, Galdino began noticing the benefits of his elevated status.
His colleagues at Baroque Works treated him completely differently now. Mr. 1—Crocodile's most loyal subordinate, a man who'd previously regarded Galdino with barely concealed contempt—now greeted him with smiles. Horrifying, uncomfortable smiles that looked more like grimaces on the assassin's normally stoic face, but smiles nonetheless.
Female colleagues showered him with attention. Offered to assist with tasks. Brought him coffee and pastries. Laughed at jokes that weren't funny. Touched his arm during conversations.
This must be what being important feels like, Galdino mused. People wanting your favor. Trying to curry goodwill. Positioning themselves for when you rise to power.
His direct subordinates had been particularly shameless. They brought him gifts daily. Expensive wine they couldn't afford. Books on Haki training they'd somehow acquired. Information about rival organizations "in case it's useful, Mr. 3 sir."
The motivation was transparent: establish connection with the future bigwig now, reap rewards later.
And honestly? Galdino was enjoying it.
"What did I do to deserve being discussed alongside Admiral Akainu?" he murmured aloud, taking another sip of the excellent coffee Sara had prepared. "It still feels unreal. Like I'm going to wake up and discover this was all a dream."
Zala—the blue-haired woman partnered with Mr. 1, codename Miss Doublefinger—smiled with practiced warmth. "You're being too modest, Mr. 3. Clearly you possess potential that hasn't fully manifested yet. The Sky Screen recognized what others couldn't see."
She's laying it on thick, Galdino observed. But I don't particularly mind.
He knew exactly what was happening. Mr. 1 and Zala had been assigned to keep him happy. Make him feel valued. Ensure he remained loyal to Baroque Works—or more specifically, remained loyal to Crocodile—rather than defecting to other organizations that might offer better opportunities.
They're terrified I'll join Buggy the Clown, Galdino realized. The Sky Screen showed me as "Third Brother" of the Joker Pirates. That's incredibly high status in what's going to become a Yonko crew.
The implication was obvious: if Galdino left Baroque Works for the Buggy Pirates, he'd achieve far greater prominence than staying with Crocodile. Third-in-command of a Yonko organization versus... what? Mid-level executive in a conspiracy that might not even succeed?
But they're trying to make staying attractive. Give me status here. Make me feel important. Convince me I don't need to leave.
It was working, too. Galdino wasn't naturally ambitious. He'd joined Baroque Works for steady income and relative safety, not dreams of conquest. Being treated like he mattered—receiving respect and attention he'd never experienced before—felt good enough that he wasn't seriously considering defection.
Unless Buggy offers something even better, a small voice whispered. Unless the Joker Pirates approach with promises I can't refuse.
But for now, he was content. Enjoying coffee. Accepting gifts. Basking in unearned respect.
"Tell me if you need anything," Zala continued, her hand resting lightly on his arm. "Anything at all. The boss values you tremendously. We want to ensure you're satisfied with your position here."
Her touch lingered perhaps a moment longer than strictly professional.
She's flirting with me, Galdino realized with surprise. Actually flirting. Or at least pretending to flirt convincingly enough that I can't tell the difference.
He reached over and touched her hand deliberately. Testing. Seeing how far this performance would go.
Zala smiled and didn't pull away. Just endured the contact with expression that suggested she found it perfectly natural and welcome.
She's committed to the role, Galdino thought with dark amusement. Willing to tolerate harassment if it keeps me loyal. That's... actually kind of sad when I think about it too hard.
But he didn't think about it too hard. Just enjoyed the moment. The attention. The feeling of importance.
This must be what powerful people experience constantly. No wonder they become corrupted by it.
The Sky Screen had revealed numerous Buggy Pirates members participating in the Mary Geoise Incident.
External forces were desperately investigating these individuals. Trying to identify their current locations. Discover their backgrounds and capabilities. Recruit them before Buggy could, or eliminate them before they became threats.
I'm being investigated, Galdino understood. Intelligence networks across the world are building files on me. Trying to figure out how a mid-level wax-manipulator becomes Admiral-class in five years.
The thought was simultaneously thrilling and terrifying.
-Real World - Wano Country, Onigashima-
Queen the Plague—the Beasts Pirates' lead scientist and one of the Three All-Stars—sat surrounded by paperwork and intelligence reports, looking deeply stressed.
With Kaido absent—currently in the Devil's Triangle meeting with Gecko Moria—Queen had been left in charge of protecting the organization's territories. It was exhausting work that he absolutely hated.
I'm a scientist, he thought bitterly. I should be in my laboratory developing new weapons and viruses. Not managing administrative details and coordinating defenses.
But Jack was utterly useless for leadership. The man had the strategic sophistication of a brick. Pointed him at an enemy, he'd fight until he or they were dead. Asked him to coordinate complex operations? Complete disaster.
So it falls to me. As always.
Queen reviewed the latest intelligence reports with growing frustration. Multiple organizations were searching for information about future Buggy Pirates members. The Beasts Pirates needed to compete in that recruitment race—identify and claim promising fighters before rivals snatched them up.
But Queen had additional responsibilities that other organizations didn't: managing Wano Country's internal situation.
The Sky Screen had exposed the Kozuki clan's survival. Revealed Kozuki Momonosuke training under Buggy the Clown. Showed the boy transforming from weak pink dragon into powerful red dragon capable of rivaling Kaido himself.
Future threat, Queen categorized clinically. Eliminate before it manifests.
Finding Momonosuke was impossible. But other Kozuki clan members remained in Wano. If they could be found and eliminated, the threat would be reduced.
"Kozuki Hiyori," Queen muttered, reviewing reports. "The princess. Orochi's people have been searching for months without success. How hard can it be to find one teenage girl in a country we control?"
The answer, apparently, was "extremely hard." Hiyori had vanished after her father's death, spirited away by loyalists who'd hidden her effectively enough that neither the Beasts Pirates nor Orochi's ninja forces could locate her.
She could be dead, Queen considered. Died during the chaos and nobody reported it. That would solve one problem.
But the Sky Screen implied she survived. Showed future interactions that suggested she remained alive and active. So she was out there somewhere—hidden, protected, waiting.
At least we have faces for the Nine Red Scabbards now, Queen thought, shifting to more productive considerations. The Sky Screen exposed their identities. We can launch systematic manhunts.
The Red Scabbards—Kozuki Oden's most loyal retainers—had scattered after their lord's execution. Some were probably dead. Others had gone into deep hiding. But with confirmed identities and detailed descriptions from Sky Screen broadcasts, hunting them became feasible.
Queen drafted orders for deployment of search teams. Offered bounties through underground networks. Coordinated with Orochi's forces to maximize coverage.
Even if we only catch one or two, that's still reducing future opposition. Every Scabbard we eliminate is one less warrior supporting a Kozuki restoration.
It was slow, grinding work. Not the exciting combat or scientific research Queen preferred. But necessary. The kind of unsexy organizational maintenance that kept empires functioning.
Someone has to do it, he reminded himself. And Kaido trusts me to handle these details while he focuses on bigger picture concerns.
That trust was valuable. Proved Queen's importance beyond just combat strength. But it didn't make the paperwork any less tedious.
-Real World - Devil's Triangle, Thriller Bark-
Kaido of the Beasts sat with Gecko Moria in what had become an unlikely alliance of convenience. The two Shichibukai-level powers drinking together, analyzing Sky Screen revelations, discussing futures that neither fully understood.
"Do you think," Kaido said, his voice slightly slurred from the massive quantities of sake he'd consumed, "that in five years I'll have changed my crew structure? Expanded the 'Disaster' positions beyond the traditional three?"
He gestured broadly with his sake jug, alcohol sloshing.
"The Beasts Pirates have always had Three All-Stars. King, Queen, Jack. The Three Disasters. It's tradition. Structure. But the Sky Screen showed unfamiliar faces wearing our colors. New officers with power that suggested Disaster-level authority."
King the Wildfire—standing silently nearby as always—studied the preview image with his usual inscrutable expression. His mask hid most of his face, but his body language suggested intense interest.
Among the future Beasts Pirates officers shown in the Mary Geoise preview was a figure with green skin and insect-like features. The biological adaptation suggested Zoan fruit or artificial modification. The expression visible in the image was cruel, cold, calculating—traits Kaido valued in subordinates.
Another potential Disaster, King thought. If Boss is expanding the positions, this individual seems qualified.
There was also a woman in the formation. Her stance and positioning suggested combat capability rather than support role. Something about her captured image—a frozen moment of laughter that looked genuinely unhinged—implied significant power alongside psychological instability.
Another madwoman, King categorized. We seem to attract those.
"Maybe you recruit exceptionally talented individuals," Moria suggested, his tone carrying underlying bitterness. "People who deserve Disaster-level authority but don't fit the traditional three-position structure. So you create new ranks."
Kaido nodded thoughtfully. "Possible. I've never been rigid about structure. If someone proves they deserve authority, I give it to them. Tradition serves the organization, not the other way around."
He took another massive drink of sake, then focused bleary eyes on Moria.
"You're ranked Captain-class in the Sky Screen's power tier system. That bothers you, doesn't it?"
Moria's expression darkened. "Of course it bothers me! I'm a Shichibukai! I fought you nearly evenly years ago! And the Sky Screen ranks me the same as Foxfire Kin'emon? A nobody samurai from Wano? That's insulting!"
"You lost that fight," Kaido reminded him bluntly. "Decisively. Your entire crew was slaughtered. You barely escaped with your life. That was decades ago, yes, but have you actually gotten stronger since then? Or just more bitter?"
The words were harsh but accurate. Moria had essentially frozen in time after his devastating defeat. Built a strategy around avoiding direct combat—using zombies as proxies instead of developing his own capabilities.
"I could reach Vice-Admiral class if I trained properly," Moria protested. "Maybe even Admiral-class eventually. The Sky Screen's classification isn't permanent destiny—it's just one possible future!"
"Then prove it," Kaido said simply. "Stop relying on corpses to fight your battles. Develop your Devil Fruit properly. Train your Haki. Push your physical limits. Become the warrior you used to be before defeat broke your spirit."
Moria was silent. They both knew he wouldn't do those things. The psychological damage from losing everything to Kaido had fundamentally changed him. Made him risk-averse, paranoid, dependent on proxies rather than personal strength.
Captain-class is probably generous, King thought privately. Current Moria would struggle against serious Captain-level opponents. The ranking assumes he maintains his abilities rather than deteriorating further.
Kaido's thoughts drifted to another topic the Sky Screen had revealed: Kozuki Momonosuke's red dragon transformation.
"Vegapunk created a replica of my Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu," he said, voice carrying dangerous undertones. "Made an artificial version and that brat manage to eat it. And somehow, through training with Buggy the Clown, that replica evolved into something that might actually rival the original."
His massive hand clenched around the sake jug hard enough to crack the ceramic.
"I despise replicas. Hate the idea that my unique power can be duplicated by a scientist in a laboratory. And worse, that a child can take that replica and transform it into something genuinely threatening."
King understood his captain's rage. Kaido's identity was intimately tied to his dragon form. The Azure Dragon wasn't just power—it was symbol. Proof of his exceptional status. Having that uniqueness undermined by successful replication felt like personal violation.
"The red dragon versus the blue dragon," Moria mused. "That would be quite a spectacle. Original versus evolved copy. Master versus student inheriting the teacher's techniques. The symbolic weight is almost poetic."
"It's an insult," Kaido corrected flatly. "And I will absolutely destroy that fake dragon when we meet. Prove conclusively that Vegapunk's imitation cannot match the genuine article. Show the world that originals are inherently superior to copies."
He paused, a darker thought emerging.
"But what if Vegapunk didn't stop at one replica? What if he created multiple dragon fruits? Different models, different variations. The Sky Screen showed Momonosuke, but what if there are others? Other dragon-type users waiting to emerge?"
The possibility was genuinely unsettling. Kaido's power had always been unique—the only eastern dragon in existence. If Vegapunk had mass-produced dragon fruits, that uniqueness evaporated.
How many replicas are out there? Kaido wondered. How many potential rivals did that scientist create before the World Government shut down his research?
The questions had no answers. Only speculation and growing paranoia.
"We should find Vegapunk," King suggested quietly. "Question him directly about his dragon fruit research. Discover exactly what he created and whether other replicas exist."
"The World Government protects him," Kaido countered. "Getting to Vegapunk means fighting through Marine Headquarters and probably all three Admirals. Not impossible, but expensive in terms of casualties."
"Then we wait," King said. "Monitor for other dragon-type users. If they appear, we eliminate them before they become threats. Maintain your unique status through proactive removal of competition."
It was pragmatic. Brutal. Exactly the kind of solution Kaido appreciated.
"Agreed," the Yonko said. "Any dragon that isn't mine is a target. Replica or otherwise. I'll tolerate many things, but I will not accept challenges to my identity as the world's only dragon."
The conversation continued, covering logistics and speculation and planning. But the essential conclusions were clear:
The world was entering a transitional period. Old certainties were dissolving. New powers were emerging. The Sky Screen had exposed futures that motivated desperate action in the present.
And everyone—from mid-level Baroque Works executives to Yonko themselves—was scrambling to adapt. Trying to position themselves advantageously for conflicts they knew were coming but couldn't fully prevent.
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