Flashback Before the Battle with the Roger Pirates
The sea was calm — too calm.
From the deck of his warship, Vice Admiral Tristan lowered his spyglass, his face pale beneath the sun.
The image burned into his mind:
The Oro Jackson, unmistakable even from miles away… and standing proudly on its deck — Nyx D. Ada, alive, armed, and talking beside Gol D. Roger himself.
She was alive.
Not a rumor, not a ghost. Flesh and blood, standing beside Gol D. Roger himself, talking with the crew as though the world hadn't once branded her the Crimson Shadow of Rocks.
"So it's true…" he muttered. "She survived God Valley but why did she join Roger of all people!"
A nearby officer hesitated. "Sir, should we engage?"
Tristan shot him a glare sharp enough to silence the deck and replied with a cold voice. "Of course, Justice does not falter against Pirates."
He turned back toward the horizon, watching the pirate ship cut through the waves with terrifying grace.
Roger's laughter echoed faintly over the sea.
Tristan exhaled, shaken but resolute. "Before we engage with them… we're sending this information straight to Marineford. Every detail. Every sighting. The Fleet Admiral needs to see this himself."
He grabbed the Den Den Mushi and barked, "This is Vice Admiral Tristan — urgent report! I've just confirmed visual contact with the Oro Jackson… and with Nyx D. Ada, formerly of the Rocks Pirates. I repeat — Nyx D. Ada is back and is with the Roger Pirates!"
The Den Den Mushi's eyes widened, mirroring the shock in the voice that answered.
"Understood, Vice Admiral. Forwarding to Headquarters immediately."
Tristan stared once more at the shrinking silhouette of the ship — and for a brief, chilling moment, he swore he saw Ada glance back.
"…What in the world are you planning now, girl?" he whispered.
He lowered the spyglass, his voice low but certain.
"The seas aren't ready for this."
End of Flashback
Marineford - Three Hours Later
The air inside Marine Headquarters was heavy with disbelief.
Stacks of reports and photos littered the table, each one more alarming than the last.
At the center lay a single black-and-white image — captured through a long-range Den Den Mushi.
It showed the Oro Jackson, cutting through Marine waters in defiance.
And there, beside Gol D. Roger himself, stood a young woman in crimson — pistols drawn, eyes burning like stormfire.
"Nyx D. Ada…" a junior officer whispered. "She's back and joined the Roger Pirates…"
The Fleet Admiral's office was deathly quiet.
Documents lay scattered, and the Den Den Mushi crackled with overlapping reports.
Sengoku stood beside Kong, both pale from what they'd just heard.
Garp was there too — sitting silently, eyes shadowed.
Kong slammed a fist on the table. "First Rocks, now Roger? And that woman— the Crimson Shadow — came back?!"
Sengoku frowned, adjusting his glasses. "There's no mistake. The intelligence confirms it from multiple sources. Ada Wong — or rather, Nyx D. Ada — was sighted aboard the Oro Jackson."
Vice Admiral Tsuru adjusted her glasses, eyes narrowing. "If she's truly back… then the remnants of Rocks have scattered further than we feared."
A hush followed.
Even the Den Den Mushi operator dared not breathe.
Garp finally exhaled. "Tch… so the kid survived after all."
Kong shot him a sharp look. "You knew her?"
"Of course I did," Garp muttered. "Everyone who stood on that island remembers her. The girl had the eyes of someone who'd seen hell and smiled back."
Sengoku scanned the report, expression dark. "She was the vice-captain of the Rocks Pirates — the strategist, the one who kept their chaos together. If she's joined Roger…"
He didn't need to finish. The weight of it spoke for itself.
A young marine swallowed hard. "Sir… what should we do? Her last bounty was over three billion. She's only sixteen—"
"Seventeen now," Tsuru corrected sharply. "And already more dangerous than most pirates twice her age."
Kong slammed a hand on the table. "Every available fleet is to increase patrols in the New World. Roger's crew just became a greater threat than ever before."
Sengoku's brow furrowed. "If she's with Roger, this could shift the balance of power. She's not just a survivor — she's a living disaster. The world thought she disappeared when Rocks died."
Kong nodded grimly. "Then the world will have to relearn fear."
He turned to the communications officer. "Make it public and broadcast it to every corner of the seas."
The Den Den Mushi's eyes opened wide as it repeated the message across the world:
"Breaking News! The Crimson Shadow, Nyx D. Ada is back! — and is now confirmed to be sailing under the banner of Gol D. Roger!"
Hachinosu — Former Rocks Territory
The island erupted in noise.
Pirates cheered, cursed, and laughed as the paper hit the taverns.
Shiki sat with his legs up, a cigar between his teeth.
"GYAHAHA! That brat survived after all! and now she returned, knew she wasn't the type to lay down easy!"
Across the room, Captain John smirked while pouring himself a drink. "Back and with Roger, huh? Can't tell if that's bravery or suicide."
Amazon Lily
High atop the cliffs, Gloriosa read the paper while a flock of birds circled above.
Her hands trembled slightly as she smiled.
"That foolish, brilliant girl…"
Gloriosa, reading quietly by the window, smiled faintly. "So she finally found her own path… good for her."
Shakky approached, a soft smile on her lips.
"Told you she would come back."
They watched the horizon, wind tugging at their cloaks.
For the first time in years, Gloriosa's eyes glimmered with something almost like hope.
"Maybe the age we feared… is finally beginning."
Sabaody Archipelago
From the shadows, Stussy crossed her legs, smiling faintly. "She always knew how to survive. I wonder… how long before she surpasses even them?"
Stussy, dressed elegantly, let out a low chuckle as she observed Ada's picture. "Alive, beautiful, and dangerous. Typical Ada."
Unknown Island
Silver Axe grinned. "Heh. The seas are getting lively again."
—————
Unknow Island
Linlin read the paper while devouring a mountain of sweets.
"MAMA MAMA MAMA! So the little vice-captain lives! That fiery girl always had guts!"
Her laughter shook the candy palace, but her eyes glimmered — half respect, half rivalry.
"Let's see how long she lasts beside Roger!"
————-
In the shadows of an abandoned country, Kaido looked down at the paper tossed at his feet.
He snorted, steam curling from his nostrils.
"So the Vice-Captain is back. Guess the world doesn't erase and kill monsters that easily."
He clenched his fist, remembering God Valley — and the dragon fire he first unleashed that day.
A rare grin spread across his face as he laughed.
"WORORORORO I'll drink to that, Ada. Next time we meet, I'll see who's stronger."
————
Somewhere in the Grand Line
The paper fluttered to the deck near Newgate's feet.
His crew members crowded around as he picked it up, eyes scanning the words.
Newgate himself sat silently, reading the news paper.
"Nyx D. Ada…" he said softly, his deep voice carrying like thunder.
After a long silence, he laughed — a deep, booming sound that shook the ship.
"Gurararara! So she's back! That little devil!"
He took a long swig from his sake bottle and smiled.
"That girl… she had the heart of a true pirate. Roger must've seen it too."
He looked up at the sky, remembering the battle that shook the world.
"Rocks may be gone… but his will still sails."
——-
Aboard the Oro Jackson
That night, under the calm of the stars, Ada stood at the railing of the Oro Jackson.
The sea glimmered like liquid glass beneath the moonlight.
Behind her, Roger approached, the latest newspaper in his hand.
He grinned. "Seems the world's talking about you again, Ada."
She gave him a sideways glance. "Let them talk. I'm not planning to die anytime soon."
Rayleigh joined them, lighting a cigarette. "You know, half the Marines are panicking right now."
"Good," Ada said simply, smirking. "They should be."
Roger laughed heartily. "You fit in just fine, Nyx D. Ada."
She turned back to the sea, wind playing with her hair.
The world was once again spinning around her name — a name the government tried to bury.
But she was done hiding.
Her fingers brushed the hilt of her weapon. "Let's give them a reason to panic."
The waves whispered around them, carrying her name to the corners of the sea —
not as a ghost, not as a remnant,
but as a living legend reborn.