The Grand Line, first half.
Ligal Island, the port.
Nigel, captain of the Gale Pirate Group, directed his crew as they hauled supplies.
At that moment, a sarcastic voice sounded behind him:
"Disturbing you just a little~"
"Can you come over and put on your own handcuffs?"
"Wanted criminal with a bounty of 58 million, 'Gale' North Nigel~"
Hearing the voice behind him, Nigel's hand gently rested on his sword hilt.
A flash of ferocity crossed his eyes.
He drew his sword and slashed backward.
A rotating, cyclone-shaped blade of energy spun directly towards Borsalino.
The sharp energy blade pierced through his body.
It cut Borsalino's body into several pieces, scattering on the ground.
A troubled voice sounded:
"Kowai na~"
"Cut into pieces in an instant~"
"This is troublesome~"
Then, Borsalino's body dissolved into light particles and reassembled.
He extended his index finger, pointing in Nigel's direction.
Golden light, like a cross, gathered and flowed:
"So then~"
"Can you surrender now?"
"Mr. Wanted Criminal~"
Nigel's face darkened as he looked at the reassembled Borsalino. Damn it, a Logia...
He imbued his hands gripping the sword with his ability.
Sharp energy blades rotated on the sword, visible to the naked eye.
Taking a deep breath, he unleashed his full power and swung forward:
"Scythe: Dance of the Storm!!!"
A vortex of wind, nearly a hundred meters long, swept through the surroundings, slashing towards Borsalino.
The sharp energy blades shredded everything caught within the tornado.
At the same time, he rapidly retreated, heading for the pirate ship:
"Abandon the supplies!"
"Everyone evacuate!"
The rotating tornado grew larger as it advanced.
Borsalino glanced upwards at its height:
"So dangerous~"
"What if someone gets hurt~"
He raised a fingertip, and a laser beam radiating golden light shot towards the center of the tornado.
BOOM—
Blistering energy exploded at the tornado's core.
The violent heatwave directly dispersed the massive tornado.
The energy blades caught within it slashed outwards.
They shattered countless houses and buildings.
Borsalino looked at the surrounding shattered structures:
"This is troublesome~"
"It's really a bit much~"
"Mr. Wanted Criminal~"
The troubled Borsalino slowly raised his right foot.
He looked at the approaching figures about to reach the pirate ship.
Condensed golden light flowed around his right foot:
"Speed is power~"
The sound of a laser beam piercing the air echoed.
BOOM！！！！
A violent explosion erupted in front of the figures about to board.
The fireball that shot up was as large as, or even several times larger than, their pirate ship.
In an instant, the entire ship vanished.
Only the extreme heatwave scorched them.
Countless people collapsed on the ground in terror, forgetting to flee.
Drip, drip, drip...
The crisp sound of leather shoes echoed as Borsalino slowly walked from behind:
"Can you put on your own handcuffs now~"
"Wanted criminal~"
"North Nigel~"
Nigel snapped back to attention, a fierce look in his eyes.
His long sword was imbued with his ability, instantly growing a three-meter-long energy blade.
Several afterimages flashed.
A dense array of sharp energy blades surged towards Borsalino.
Borsalino exaggeratedly opened his mouth:
"Kowai na~"
He instantly condensed a three-meter-long light saber.
"Amaterasu Sword~"
A flurry of golden light flashed.
It precisely deflected every single slash.
Then, he brought it down directly towards Nigel, who was charging with his sword.
CLANG!
The light saber collided with the energy blade.
Borsalino looked at Nigel, who was being gradually pushed back:
"Your long journey ends here~"
"Mr. Wanted Criminal~"
The entire port was filled with the crisscrossing of wind blades and lasers...
------------------------
New World, Paya Island, the port.
A young man, clad in a black trench coat and with a slicked-back hairstyle.
Wearing gold earrings, he sat on a wooden crate beneath a ship.
He held the latest newspaper in his hand.
Rustle—
The sound of him turning pages echoed.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, something caught the man's attention.
He saw a report in the newspaper detailing a recent event.
A war had broken out between the territories of the New World's three powers, which had been allocated to the new generation of pirates.
"Interesting, so interesting."
"Hahahaha hahaha."
"Something like this."
"How can I be left out."
Crocodile stood up abruptly:
"Yare yare da ze (Little ones)!!!"
His subordinates, who were carrying supplies, looked at their boss:
"Ooooh!!!"
Crocodile, full of spirit, grinned:
"Set sail!!!!!"
-----------------------
North Blue, the island where the Kingdom of the Edge of the World is located, Pado Island.
At Brian's home.
Dragon looked at the white-haired old woman.
In the end, he did not tell her the news of Brian's death.
Instead, he took out some berries and gave them to the old woman.
He told her that this was money Brian had earned, and that he was simply too busy to return right now.
After secretly burying Brian's belongings under the ginkgo tree, he chatted with the old woman about many things on the island.
The more he knew, the more he wanted to change the world.
He sighed and glanced at the sky.
He said goodbye to the old woman, who was cooking, and walked out of the courtyard.
Looking at the setting sun, he transformed into a gentle breeze... and vanished.
What Dragon didn't know was...
The old woman cooking inside stopped her movements at some point.
Tears, drop by drop, fell and merged into the ground.
After a long while, they finally stopped.
This was because her tears had long since run dry...
She dragged her rocking chair to the tree and lay down, rocking.
Beside her was the spot where Dragon had buried Brian's belongings.
She inhaled the faint scent of the sachet she had made for Brian from the air.
She kept murmuring repeatedly:
"It's good that you came back."
"It's good that you came back..."
----------------------------
The Grand Line, first half, Ligal Island.
The sun was slowly setting.
Countless pirates, unconscious or dead, lay on the ground of the port.
At the feet of a figure with slightly dirty clothes.
Lay the wind-scythe Nigel.
Nigel was covered in blood, his eyes wide open and rolling back, his mouth agape.
His slightly heaving chest indicated he was still alive.
Borsalino took out a Den Den Mushi and made a call.
"Moshi~ moshi~"
"Moshi~ moshi~"
After a while, Borsalino sighed:
"So troublesome~"
"Why isn't it connecting~"
------------------
Several days later.
Marine Headquarters, Marie Geoise Conference Room.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku looked at the assembled officers, all present.
He took out a newspaper and a document:
"Alright, everyone is here."
"Let's discuss the purpose of today's meeting."
"Regarding the trial implementation of the Shichibukai system..."