The wind howled a mournful song across the frozen, industrial wasteland of Punk Hazard. Snow, stained grey by the soot of a forgotten disaster, fell in a lazy, endless curtain. Inside a makeshift camp, huddled around a crackling fire, the Straw Hat pirates and their newfound, somewhat reluctant, companion, Trafalgar Law, sought refuge from the biting cold.
"So," Law began, his voice a low, serious drawl that cut through the cheerful chatter of the crew. He leaned forward, his cursed sword, Kikoku, resting against his shoulder. "Now that we've dealt with the immediate problem of Caesar..." He trailed off, his sharp eyes pinning Luffy with a gaze of intense purpose. "Straw Hat-ya. I have a proposal for you."
Luffy, who had been trying to toast a giant snowball over the fire, looked up, his cheeks puffed out. "A proposal? Like, are you gonna join my crew?!"
"NO," Law said flatly, a vein throbbing on his temple. "An alliance."
The word hung in the air.
"Alliance?" Nami echoed, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. "What kind of alliance? And what's in it for us? It sounds expensive."
"Shishishi! Sounds fun!" Luffy declared, the toasted snowball now dripping all over his hand.
Usopp, shivering dramatically despite his thick coat, pointed a quivering finger at Law. "Wait a minute! You're one of the Seven Warlords! Alliances with guys like you always end with us being betrayed and fighting a giant lizard or something!"
"There's a chance of survival," Law stated, ignoring Usopp completely. "A small one. But if we succeed, we will turn the world on its head. I have a plan to take down one of the Four Emperors."
The crew went silent. The crackling of the fire seemed deafening.
"An... Emperor?" Chopper squeaked, his fur standing on end.
"Whoa, whoa, hold on a second, Tra-guy!" Franky exclaimed, striking a pose. "Taking on an Emperor is a SUPER big deal! We're strong, but that's a whole other league!"
Luffy, however, was practically vibrating with excitement. His eyes were wide, sparkling with the thrill of a new adventure. "An Emperor?! Which one?! Which one?!"
Robin, ever the calm voice of reason, pushed her glasses up her nose. "Let's be clear about the current situation. For the past two years, the balance of the Four Emperors has been... unstable. Since the death of Whitebeard, Emperors have been on rise and fall continuously, one of the thrones has remain vacant."
Luffy tilted his head. "So there's only three?"
"Yes, Captain-san," Robin corrected gently. "There should be four, but are only three pillars holding up the New World. It's just that one of them is new, and another has... shifted." She took a breath. "The Emperors of the Sea are: 'Red-Haired' Shanks..."
Luffy's grin widened. "Shanks!"
"...The 'Strongest Creature,' Kaido of the Beasts Pirates..."
A picture of a monstrous, horned beast flashed through the minds of the more informed crew members.
"...And the 'The king of the Seas,' Edward Gunnar of the Bloodline Pirates."
"Bloodline Pirates?" Sanji asked, lighting a cigarette. "I've heard of them. The crew that took in all of Whitebeard's old commanders and Big Mom's leftovers. They're a monster crew, a family of freaks."
Law nodded grimly. "That's the one. His bounty is 4,048,900,000 Berries. The same as Red-Hair's. He's considered a true Emperor, equal in power and influence."
"Wait, wait!" Usopp yelped, pulling out an abacus and starting to count frantically. "Shanks, Kaido, Gunnar... that's only three! Who's the fourth?!"
"There isn't one," Robin said softly. "The fourth throne, the one that once belonged to Big Mom then Blackbeard... is now empty. Two years ago, in a war that shook the New World to its core, the Bloodline Pirates and the Blackbeard Pirates annihilated each other. Blackbeard was killed, and Gunnar's forces grew. He holds his territory, but the world is waiting to see who will claim that fourth, empty spot."
Luffy absorbed all of this with the seriousness of a child picking a flavor of ice cream. He looked at Law, his eyes shining. "Okay! So which one are we going after?" He held up a finger. "As long as it's not Shanks! I'm saving him for last! I have to return his hat, after all."
Law's lips curled into a thin, predatory smile. "Of course not." He leaned forward, the firelight glinting in his eyes. "Our target is the one they call the strongest. The most powerful pirate of this generation."
He let the words hang, pregnant with doom.
"We are going to take down Kaido of the Hundred Beasts."
A gust of icy wind swept through the camp, making the fire sputter. The weight of that name settled over them. Kaido. The unkillable.
Zoro, who had been silently polishing his swords, finally spoke, a slow, bloodthirsty grin spreading across his face. "The Strongest Creature, huh?"
Luffy's grin matched his.
"Alright!" Luffy declared, punching his fist into his palm with a decisive smack. "Sounds good! I'm in!"
Law nodded, the first phase of his plan complete. "Good. Then our alliance is formed."
"YOSH!" Luffy cheered. "Let's go kick Kaido's butt! Then we'll have a big party!"
Law sighed, a deep, weary sound. He had just allied himself with the straw hat. This was either the most brilliant or the most foolish decision of his entire life. Probably both.
Luffy's eyes, which had been sparkling with the thrill of a new fight, suddenly widened with a different kind of light. A memory, buried under two years of intense training.
"Wait a minute... Gunnar?" he repeated, tapping his chin. He snapped his fingers. "I know him! Shishishi!"
The crew stared at him, dumbfounded. "You KNOW an Emperor?!" Usopp shrieked, his eyes bugging out.
"Yeah! At Marineford!" Luffy declared, a big, goofy grin spreading across his face. "He was awesome! He had this cool red and white hair, and he punched the ground and everything went all... kaboom! He was about ace's age then, but he saved me and Ace!"
Robin adjusted her glasses, a thoughtful frown on her face. "Captain-san, you are correct. You are thinking of 'Whitebeard' Edward Newgate. 'Bloodline' Edward Gunnar is his son."
"His son?!" Luffy's jaw dropped. "The angry mustache guy had a son?! Wow!"
"That's not even the most shocking part, Luffy," Sanji said, blowing a stream of smoke. He pulled a slightly crumpled bounty poster from his jacket—one he kept for... research purposes. It showed a smirking, handsome man with black hair. "You know who the Vice-Captain of the Bloodline Pirates is?"
Luffy peered at the poster, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Hmm... he looks kinda familiar..."
"Of course he looks familiar, you idiot!" Sanji snapped, whacking him on the head. "That's your brother!"
"MY BROTHER?!" Luffy yelled, his head swiveling back and forth between the poster and his crewmates.
"Portgas D. Ace," Law stated, his voice a grim confirmation. "After the war, he didn't strike out on his own. He joined Gunnar's crew. He's the second-in-command of an Emperor's fleet."
"A-A-Ace is the Vice-Captain of an Emperor?!" Chopper stammered, his little hooves clattering together in shock.
"His current bounty is 2,300,000,000 Berries," Robin added calmly, as if reading a grocery list. "And he got that after defeating Akoji,"
Usopp fainted dead away, foam frothing at his lips.
"T-Two... point... three... BILLION?!" Nami screeched, her eyes turning into giant Berry symbols before she grabbed Usopp and started shaking him. "WAKE UP! THINK OF ALL THE TREASURE A GUY LIKE THAT MUST HAVE!"
"It gets worse," Law continued, a sadistic glint in his eye as he enjoyed the crew's collective meltdown. "The Bloodline Pirates aren't just a crew. They're a coalition of monsters. They might be the most absurdly-packed pirate crew in history."
Robin picked up the thread, her encyclopedic knowledge coming to the forefront. "Indeed. Their command structure is unique. They have what's known as 'Division Zero,' a first-strike unit comprised of their most powerful and volatile combatants. It is led by three captains."
She held up one finger. "Division Zero Captain, Portgas D. Ace."
Two fingers. "Division Zero Captain, 'Thousand Arms' Charlotte Katakuri."
Three fingers. "And Division Zero Captain... Empress of the New World, Charlotee Smoothie."
"The structure continues," Robin said, undeterred by the chaos. "The 1st Division Commander is 'The Phoenix' Marco."
"And Division Second Commander... former Admiral Aokiji, Kuzan,"
A dead, heavy silence fell over the camp, broken only by Usopp's renewed, more frantic fainting.
Franky's jaw unhinged. "A-A-AN ADMIRAL?! They have an Admiral as a commander?!"
She paused. "Furthermore, they absorbed a significant portion of the Big Mom pirates. Their Head of Intelligence is Charlotee Prespero. And their Head of Security is Sword Saint, an unknown origins Samurai, named Isshin Ashina."
"Samurai?!" Zoro's head shot up, his interest piqued for the first time. "A Sword Saint, you say?"
"So let me get this straight," Nami said, holding her head as she tried to process the information. "Their top officers are Ace, the guy who is luffy's brother, a former Admiral, a mythical phoenix, Strongest Son of Big-Mom, and Sword Saint... ALL ON THE SAME TEAM?, and... There are more?!"
"Basically, yes," Law confirmed. "They are a 'family' of individuals who could each lead their own powerful crews. That is why no one, not even Kaido, is eager to pick a fight with them. An attack on Gunnar isn't just a war with an Emperor; it's a war with the remnants of three Emperor crews, plus an Admiral."
Luffy stared into the fire, the information finally sinking in. His expression was a bizarre mix of awe, confusion, and excitement.
"Whoa..." he breathed. "So... Ace is super-duper strong now! Shishishishi! That's so cool!" He then looked at Law, his face beaming. "Alright! Let's definitely go after Kaido, then! I don't wanna fight Ace now!"
Law let out a long, suffering sigh. He had just laid out the political and military landscape of the most dangerous sea in the world, and all his new ally had taken from it was that his brother was cool and that they should stick to the original plan. This was going to be a very, very long alliance.
An immense, palpable pressure descended upon the camp, silencing the crackling fire and choking the idle chatter. It wasn't just a presence; it was an aura, a weight so profound that even those without Kenbunshoku Haki felt their instincts scream.
Nami gasped, clutching her chest. "What... what is this pressure?!"
"It's... huge," Zoro grunted, his hand instinctively gripping the hilt of Wado Ichimonji. He was already on his feet, his body coiled like a spring.
Law's eyes widened, his head snapping upwards. His own Observation Haki was screaming a single, frantic word: KING.
A shadow fell over them, blocking out the faint, grey light of the sun. High above, perched impossibly on the peak of a ruined smokestack, a figure stood, his silhouette haloed by the bleak light. He wore a familiar orange hat with two beaded necklaces, his bare back showcasing a proud, defiant tattoo.
"Yo."
The voice was casual, laced with an easy confidence that seemed to mock the crushing pressure of his own presence. He leaped down, landing silently in the snow a few yards from their fire, not a single snowflake disturbed.
Luffy, who had been trying to re-toast his dripping snowball, froze. His eyes went wide. His jaw dropped to the snowy ground. He recognized that voice. He recognized that hat. He recognized that face, now leaner, sharper, and etched with a maturity born of countless battles.
"A... A... ACE!" Luffy shrieked, his voice cracking with pure, unadulterated joy. He shot forward like a rubber cannonball, his arms stretching. "ACEEEEEE!"
He wrapped himself around his brother in a messy, tearful, rubbery hug. "ACE! IT'S REALLY YOU! YOU'RE ALIVE! I MISSED YOU!"
Ace laughed, a warm, familiar sound that instantly melted the tension in the air. He ruffled Luffy's hair. "Yeah, yeah, I'm alive, crybaby. It's good to see you too, Lu."
The Straw Hats stared, speechless. The man whose very presence had felt like a physical weight was now tangled up in a tearful reunion with their idiotic captain.
"I heard you guys talking," Ace said, effortlessly peeling a still-blubbering Luffy off of him. "And you forgot a few important details about my captain." He held up a finger, a wisp of flame dancing playfully on its tip. "Gunnar has the Titan fruit, yeah. But that's just one part." He held up a second finger. "He also has the Gura Gura no Mi. The Old Man's power."
A collective gasp went through the crew. "Whitebeard's... fruit?" Brook stammered, his skeletal jaw clattering.
"And," Ace continued, a grim look crossing his face, "after he... dealt with Blackbeard, he ended up with two more." His voice dropped. "The Yami Yami no Mi... and the Soru Soru no Mi."
"The Dark Dark fruit... and the Soul Soul fruit?!" Robin breathed, her usual composure finally cracking. "He possesses the powers of three Emperors?"
"Chubby Chubby fruit?" Luffy asked, finally calming down, his face a mask of confusion.
"It's SOUL SOUL!" half the crew yelled in unison.
Law, who had been silent and observing, finally spoke, his eyes narrowed and dangerous. "That's all very informative, Fire Fist-ya. But it doesn't answer the most important question." He stood, his hand resting on Kikoku. "Why is the Vice-Captain of the Bloodline Pirates all the way out here on a forgotten island in the New World? This isn't just a family reunion."
Ace's playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a cold, hard seriousness. He looked at Law, acknowledging him as an equal. "You're right. It's not. Years ago, Kaido killed a man named Kozuki Oden. Oden... was family to my old man. A debt is owed." His gaze swept over the crew, finally landing on Luffy. "I heard you were planning on picking a fight with him. So, I came to join you."
"Join us?!" Usopp squeaked, before fainting for a third time.
"An Emperor's Vice-Captain... wants to join our alliance?" Law asked, genuinely surprised.
"Don't get it twisted," Ace said, a grim smile on his face. "You're not prepared for Kaido. None of you are." He held up his hand, the flames burning brighter. "The power of a true Emperor is on another level. And Kaido's power is... unique. It gets complimented by Gunnar. And Gunnar never compliments anyone, so Kaido must be one of a kind."
He let that sink in.
"If the 'Strongest Creature' can stand as an equal to the man who holds the power of three emperors," Ace stated, his voice now a deadly whisper, "then beating him is damn near impossible for anyone else. You'll need more than a plan. You'll need a wildfire."
He looked at Luffy, a flicker of pride in his eyes. "So, I'm joining. Whether you like it or not. You're my little brother, and I'm not letting you run headfirst into a meat grinder alone."Ace added, "Also, My captains orders to form an alliance with you all and do that, I am not here on my own whim,"
Law considered this for a long moment. Having a man of Ace's power and influence would drastically increase their chances. It was an unexpected, but incredibly valuable, piece on the board.
"Fine," Law said with a curt nod. "The help is welcome."
Luffy just grinned, his joy returning full-force. "Shishishi! Awesome! Ace is joining us! Now we'll definitely win! Let's have a party to celebrate!"
Ace sighed, a mirror of Law's earlier exasperation, but he couldn't hide the fond smile on his face. Some things, it seemed, never changed.
***
The air in the master cabin was a warm, sleepy hum, thick with the scent of sea salt and clean linen. Sunlight, filtered through the grand windows of the Moby Dick, laid long, golden stripes across the polished floorboards. Outside, the distant, rhythmic shouts of the crew at work were a gentle, reassuring percussion.
Six-year-old Iris padded into the room, her bare feet silent on the wood. She moved with the grave purpose of a general inspecting her troops, her gaze first falling on the massive bed. There, her mother lay, a queen at rest. Smoothie's towering frame was curled under a cascade of soft blankets, one long, elegant arm thrown over her head. Her face, usually a mask of regal calm or warrior's fury, was softened by sleep, peaceful and unguarded.
Beside the bed, slumped in a large, worn armchair, was her father. Gunnar was shirtless, the faint, silvery lines of old scars a stark road map across the powerful muscles of his chest and arms. He looked up as Iris entered, the weariness in his golden eyes melting away. He brought a single, thick finger to his lips.
Iris gave a solemn, conspiratorial nod. She tiptoed to the bedside, stretching onto her toes to peer at her mother's sleeping face. A small hand reached out, hesitating for a moment before gently touching Smoothie's cheek, a feather-light caress.
Her inspection complete, Iris's attention shifted. Beside her father's chair sat a beautifully carved wooden bassinet. She approached it with the reverence of a scholar approaching a sacred text. Inside, nestled in a swaddle of soft, cream-colored fleece, was a tiny, sleeping bundle.
A wisp of hair, no thicker than spun silk, was already a swirl of fiery red and stark, icy white.
Gunnar watched, his massive chest rising and falling in a slow, steady rhythm. He didn't speak.
Iris reached into the bassinet. Her movements were not the clumsy fumblings of a child, but were imbued with a careful, practiced grace. She slid one hand under the baby's neck, the other under his small body, and lifted him with a surprising, gentle strength. She cradled him against her chest, her own small frame a protective shield.
The baby stirred at the movement, a tiny, almost inaudible sigh escaping his lips. His little fists, no bigger than walnuts, clenched and unclenched. Then, his eyes fluttered open. They weren't the unfocused, milky blue of a newborn. They were a clear, startling gold, a perfect mirror of the man in the chair and the girl who held him.
His gaze locked onto hers. A silent, profound understanding seemed to pass between them in the sun-drenched quiet.
"You are a big sister now."
Gunnar's voice was a low, gentle rumble, a sound like stones shifting deep underground.
Iris didn't look away from the baby. Her brow furrowed in deep, serious thought. "He needs a name, Papa."
"He does."
Her expression cleared, replaced by the unshakeable certainty that only a child can possess. She looked from the baby's face to her father's, and then back again.
"Ragnar."
Gunnar's tired face broke into a slow, wide grin. A deep, warm chuckle escaped him, a sound, a rumble of pure, unadulterated joy.
Seeing her father's approval, Iris beamed, her own bright, tinkling laugh joining his, a melody of silver bells against his rumbling bass.
In Iris's arms, the baby, Ragnar, watched them. His golden eyes, so new to the world, shifted from his laughing father to his beaming sister. His tiny, perfect mouth stretched into a wide, toothless grin. A gurgle of pure, happy sound bubbled up from his little chest, his own small voice joining the family's chorus.
On the bed, Smoothie's eyes were open, and they shone with a light brighter than any Haki. She watched the scene, her heart, the heart of a warrior queen, feeling so full it might burst.
This, she thought,' This is my kingdom. Not the islands, not the fleets, not the power. This. This room. This man, her husband, whose laughter could shake the foundations of the world, now laughing with such gentle abandon.'
This fierce, wonderful little girl, her daughter, already a protector, a sister, a queen in the making. And this tiny new life, their son, born into a world of peace his father had carved out with his own blood and will.
They had waded through fire and darkness, faced monsters, and emperors, and had come out the other side.
But here, in the golden light of a new day, surrounded by the laughter of her children and the love of her king, Smoothie knew they had won more than just a war.
She closed her eyes, letting the sound of her family's happiness wash over her, a perfect, final note in a long and brutal song.
And in the quiet cabin, aboard a great white whale of a ship sailing on a peaceful sea, the world was, for a precious moment, perfectly whole.
THE-END
[A/N: The First Fanfic I ever finished. I though of finsihing it in different arcs, but I never felt satisfied, so I kept adding Arcs. And build it up to this point.
Now, I am Satisfied. Hope you Enjoyed the Fic.
All of your comments and support, made me go UpTo this point and not abandon the Fic. So, How could I just leave you all hanging, That's why I wrote UpTo this point.
At the end, One piece was the readers I got along the way! Thanks Guys!
If you have anything to say, Please comment. I will be reading those and replying.]