Elegia.
Once known as the "Land of Music," this place had been a vibrant cultural jewel.
But after a catastrophic event, all that remained was ruin.
The Battle Pirates.
"Alright, boys! We've arrived!" Captain Beluster shouted, bold and brash. "Let's dig up whatever treasure's still left in Elegia!"
His voice rang with bravado, but underneath it was the truth—he was desperate.
With a bounty of just seven million beli, Beluster wasn't a big name. Even adding the rest of his crew, their combined bounty barely scraped into the tens of millions. A decent sum, but nothing impressive in the eyes of the world.
The real reason they came to Elegia? Rumors.
Lately, a powerful new bounty hunter had been making waves in the East Blue—someone capable of taking down some of the most notorious pirates in the region. This news had spread like wildfire and sent fear into the hearts of weaker pirate crews.
Fearful of being targeted, many of them went into hiding.
But hiding brought no profit. Raiding villages risked exposure. So, some pirates turned to another option: exploring abandoned or uninhabited islands, hoping to uncover hidden treasures long left behind.
That's what led the Battle Pirates to Elegia—a ruined land, destroyed more than a decade ago, that had once been a hub of music and culture.
Their ship soon dropped anchor, and the pirates disembarked, eagerly spreading out in search of loot.
Though Elegia had suffered immense destruction, not everyone had perished. A handful of survivors had rebuilt their lives here. Upon spotting the invading pirates, they rushed to notify the king.
King Gordon's Palace.
Despite the fall of Elegia, the Kingdom still had its ruler—King Gordon. He trembled as he received the report.
"Pirates?"
Yes, the pirates of the East Blue were weaker compared to those in other seas, but Elegia had no means to defend itself anymore.
They had been left alone for two reasons: one, the island had already been destroyed by one of the Four Emperors—Red-Haired Shanks. And two, there was nothing left to steal.
What little treasure remained had been taken long ago by Shanks' crew. The kingdom's remaining funds had been drained just to survive the past decade.
"Where is Uta?!" King Gordon asked in a panic.
"Princess Uta said she wanted some time alone. She should be near the beach," a maid answered hurriedly.
"Damn it!"
Without another word, Gordon rushed toward the coastline. He had been entrusted by Shanks himself to protect Uta. Over the years, he had grown to care for her like a daughter.
Now, hearing pirates were nearby, he was frantic with worry.
The Coastline.
Uta walked alone by the sea, unaware of the danger.
This spot was usually quiet—her sanctuary.
But today was different.
The Battle Pirates had landed and were combing through the area. Two of them stumbled across Uta on the beach. The moment they saw her, a wicked glint flashed in their eyes.
After weeks of hiding, they were starved—not just for food, but for everything. No money, no women, no pleasure.
Seeing a lone girl like Uta was like spotting prey in the wild.
They charged toward her with a hunger in their eyes.
Uta's instincts kicked in. She didn't wait. She ran.
She knew what would happen if she was caught. There was no need to imagine it.
"One-Sword Style: Spring Thunder!"
A sharp voice split the air.
A flash of movement.
Out of nowhere, Kairos Flint appeared, dashing forward with blinding speed. In a single strike, he sliced clean through both pirates.
Two heads flew skyward. Blood sprayed across the sand.
A clean, instant kill.
It wasn't surprising. These were bottom-feeders among pirates. If Kairos couldn't handle them with ease, then everything he had worked for up until now would've been pointless.
After dispatching them, Kairos turned to Uta.
"Hey, miss! You don't need to run anymore. I took care of them!"
But Uta didn't look back. She kept sprinting, long pink and white hair streaming behind her.
Kairos sighed.
He had recognized the girl immediately—her distinct two-toned hair had left an impression. Still, he couldn't blame her for running. She had no idea who he was.
Just moments earlier, Kairos and Nami had spotted the Battle Pirates' ship near the shore. Knowing what pirates were capable of—plunder, violence, destruction—they didn't hesitate to investigate.
Sure enough, Kairos had come across these two thugs chasing an innocent girl.
It was a textbook situation: scum harassing a woman, hero arrives in the nick of time.
Sure, the scenario was a little cliché, but Kairos thought he'd handled it pretty smoothly.
Too bad the woman he'd just saved didn't even glance back. She bolted with her head down, vanishing as quickly as he'd arrived.
All that effort to look cool… completely wasted.