[Saboady Archipelago]
Down on the surface, the Thousand Sunny bobbed gently against the docks of Grove 41.
"We made it!" Monkey D. Luffy stretched his arms wide, a massive grin stretching across his face. "Sabaody Archipelago! The bubbles are awesome!"
Beside him, Camie the mermaid clapped her hands in excitement, while Pappag the starfish adjusted his sunglasses.
"It's been a while since I was here," Hachi the octopus fish-man said, looking around nervously and pulling his heavy coat tighter over his extra arms.
But as the Straw Hat crew stepped off their ship and walked into the commercial groves, the excitement slowly died down. Nami frowned, gripping her Clima-Tact tightly. "Guys... is it supposed to be this quiet?"
She was entirely right. The island was a ghost town. The usual bustling tourist traps were boarded up tight, and the vibrant markets were utterly empty. Instead of laughing tourists and loud merchants, heavily armed Marine patrols marched through the mangrove roots, their rifles loaded and ready. The air itself felt incredibly heavy.
"Something happened here," Zoro muttered, his hand resting naturally on the hilt of Wado Ichimonji. His newly awakened Observation Haki swept the area, picking up massive spikes of fear from the civilians hiding in their homes.
"Look over there," Sanji said, pointing a lit cigarette toward the distant horizon.
Through the gaps in the massive trees, they could see Grove 1. Or rather, what was left of it. The towering Yarukiman Mangroves in that sector were snapped in half, the ground scorched black. A massive crater dominated the landscape, as if a meteor had struck the island and a tsunami had washed the remains away.
Hachi swallowed hard, sweating profusely. "Two weeks ago... the news said a Marine went crazy. He killed a Celestial Dragon right in the street."
Usopp's jaw hit the floor. "HE DID WHAT?!"
"Yeah," Pappag shivered. "They call him the False Deity now. The whole island has been under martial law ever since."
⬛ ⬛ ⬛
Deep in the lawless zones, inside a dimly lit, boarded-up tavern, Eustass "Captain" Kid sat with his boots kicked up on a table. He swirled a mug of cheap ale, his mechanical arm whirring softly.
"This is ridiculous," Kid sneered, glaring at the wall. "We finally make it to the halfway point, and the Navy has the whole island locked down because of one rogue Marine."
Killer leaned against the bar, his face hidden behind his mask. "Don't underestimate him, Kid. A billion and a half Beli for his first bounty. He took Akainu's ear."
Kid clicked his tongue, a flash of annoyance in his eyes. Across the room, sitting quietly in a dark booth, Trafalgar Law adjusted his spotted hat. Law didn't say a word; he just stared at the wanted poster nailed to the tavern wall. Light Yagami's pleasant, calculated smile stared back at him. None of the Supernovas dared to make a move. The Navy's presence was simply too overwhelming. They were all waiting for the storm to pass.
⬛ ⬛ ⬛
Unfortunately, the Straw Hat Pirates did not know the meaning of a low profile. Wandering into Grove 24, they stumbled directly into the worst possible luck.
The sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the empty street as a massive man, walking on all fours like a dog, was ridden like a horse. Sitting on the slave's back was Saint Charlos. The Celestial Dragon picked his nose, looking around the empty grove with extreme boredom. Behind him marched a dozen CP0 agents in black suits; ever since Saint Valerius had been butchered, the World Nobles refused to walk anywhere on Sabaody without absolute, overwhelming protection.
"Boring. Everything is closed," Charlos whined, wiping his finger on his slave's back. Then, his eyes landed on the Straw Hat group. Specifically, they landed on Camie. A greedy, disgusting smile split his face. "A mermaid! A real mermaid! Right out in the open!"
Charlos pointed a fat finger directly at Camie. "You! Catch her! I want her in my fish tank by tonight!"
The CP0 agents immediately drew their weapons and rushed forward.
"Camie!" Hachi yelled, jumping in front of the mermaid and throwing off his heavy coat, exposing his six arms.
"A fish-man?!" Charlos gasped, thoroughly disgusted. "Ew! Shoot it! Shoot the fish!"
A CP0 agent fired, and the bullet tore straight through Hachi's shoulder. Blood splattered onto the cobblestone as Hachi collapsed, clutching his wound but still trying to shield Camie with his body.
"Hachi!" Luffy screamed.
The world stopped. The goofy, carefree smile on Luffy's face vanished, replaced by a dark, terrifying shadow over his eyes. He didn't say a word. He just started walking forward, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were white.
"Luffy, wait!" Nami cried out.