One Piece: Kaido's adopted son, starts with the Eight Gates Formation.

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

The day before the Marineford War.

Within the crescent-shaped harbor, hundreds of warships stood in a menacing array like steel behemoths, their cannons black and pointing straight to the sky.

One hundred thousand elite naval troops, gleaming in their armor, stood solemnly in the vast square, their killing intent soaring to the heavens.

The atmosphere was so heavy it felt almost tangible.

The somber tranquility was instantly shattered when the "Fragrant Foot Snake," pulled by two enormous sea serpents, slowly entered the harbor.

Countless gazes were cast upon the ship, which exuded an exotic charm.

"It's...it's the 'Pirate Empress'!"

"Boa Hancock, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea... She's really here!"

"My God! She's a million times more beautiful in person than the rumors say!"

The naval soldiers let out an uncontrollable gasp of amazement, many of them staring wide-eyed, their mouths practically watering.

Below the execution platform, the other Shichibukai, who were already in place, also turned their gazes towards the execution platform.

"Fufufufufu... What an amazing woman."

Doflamingo pushed up his sunglasses, a wide grin spreading across his face, his eyes filled with undisguised aggression.

Moonlight Moria let out his signature snarl: "Hehehehe, if only I could get my hands on her shadow..."

Hawkeye Mihawk merely glanced at it briefly before looking away, continuing to polish his black sword, Night, as if nothing in the world was more worthy of his attention than the blade in his hand.

Behind them, a pirate crew that had recently joined the Seven Warlords of the Sea, yet acted with unusual arrogance, was observing the legendary Empress with great interest.

The Blackbeard Pirates.

"Hahaha! Is that the Pirate Empress? She truly lives up to her name!"

Blackbeard Teach let out a hearty laugh.

"Hahaha! What a stunning beauty, boss!"

"Champion" Zishas Basas waved his thick arms, his face full of excitement.

Only the sniper standing on the ship's side, "Sound Over" Van Oka, had his usually calm eyes slightly narrowed behind his scope.

His gaze lingered on Hancock's prominent chest.

There……

It appears somewhat unnaturally swollen.

Moreover, just now, he caught an extremely subtle, fleeting... movement.

Is it just my imagination?

……

Marshal's office.

The atmosphere was oppressive.

Zhan Guo sat in the main seat, his face ashen.

Garp sat to the side, oblivious to everyone else, munching on a rice cracker and making a crunching sound.

All three admirals of the navy were on the list.

"Ugh, this is really a headache!"

With his hands in his pockets, Kizaru reported to his superior in a lazy tone.

"Empress Hancock has arrived. Now, of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, all but Jinbe, the 'Knight of the Sea' who refused to be summoned, are in place."

"snort."

A dark cloud hung over Sakazuki's face.

"These mere fish-men dare to defy the World Government's orders! Once this war is over, they must pay the price!"

Kuzan Aokiji yawned, leaned back in his chair, and mumbled half-asleep, "Well... don't be so impatient, Sakazuki. Maybe he just doesn't like fighting..."

Ignoring his subordinates' argument, Sengoku rubbed his aching temples and asked the question that made the temperature in the entire room drop suddenly.

"Where's that brat?"

"Lynn the Demon Child".

"Is there any trace of him?"

The words fell.

The office fell into a deathly silence.

The laziness on Kizaru's face disappeared.

Aokiji half-opened his eyes and sat up straight.

Akainu's already gloomy face became even more unsightly.

Even Garp, who had been munching on a senbei (rice cracker), paused for a moment.

Everyone knows very well what this name means.

That was the biggest uncertainty factor, capable of single-handedly overturning the entire battle!

He has already turned a tyrant bear to his side.

Who can guarantee that he won't suddenly appear at the most critical moment of the Marineford War and deliver a devastating blow to the Navy?

"Currently... there is no information."

For the first time, Kizaru's tone carried a hint of seriousness.

"He has completely disappeared since he appeared on Daughter Island."

Zhan Guo's fist clenched unconsciously under the table.

No news is the worst news.

That monster was like a Damocles' sword hanging over the heads of the navy.

You never know when he will fall.

Whose head will it fall on next?

……

Inside the temporary rest room prepared for the Seven Warlords of the Sea at the Marine Headquarters.

Hancock dismissed all the navy and locked the door behind her.

After confirming that no one was around, she breathed a sigh of relief and carefully reached into the large bodice of her dress.

next second.

A tiny figure was "pushed" out from that breathtakingly soft expanse.

"Phew... I was suffocating!"

As soon as Lynn landed, she took deep breaths of fresh air, her little face turning bright red.

Although the process was very exciting, the experience was excellent.

But being stuck in the air the whole way was really tough.

"Lord Lynn, you've worked hard."

Hancock's face instantly lit up with a gentle smile. She knelt down on one knee and carefully wiped the sweat from Lynn's face with a handkerchief.

"Quick! Get me something to eat!"

Lynn rubbed his rumbling stomach and gave the command.

"We need banquet-level equipment! The more, the better!"

"Yes, Lord Lynn!"

Hancock immediately stood up, walked to the door, and gave orders to the navy outside in her unquestionable imperial tone.

"I'm hungry."

"At once, prepare the most sumptuous feast and bring it to my room!"

Although the naval soldiers outside the door were inwardly complaining, they dared not be negligent in the slightest and immediately ran to relay the order.

soon.

A food cart piled high with delicacies was respectfully pushed over by a naval officer.

"Lady Hancock, here is your food."

"Put it down, then get out."

"yes!"

The officer felt as if he had been granted a pardon, put down the food cart, and turned to leave.

Just as the door was about to be completely closed.

A burly figure walked over from the other end of the corridor, laughing loudly.

It was none other than the "champion" Zisas Basas.

He just glanced casually through the crack in the door.

Then, the smile on his face froze instantly.

He saw...

Behind the proud empress, there was a small figure wolfing down its food.

Although it was just a fleeting glimpse, merely a blurry outline.

But he was certain!

That was definitely a man!

And... it's a child!

Bashas stopped and rubbed his eyes hard, his mind going blank.

"Am I...am I seeing things?"

……

Inside the Blackbeard Pirates' lounge.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"Barcas, how much have you been drinking? You saw a man in the Empress's room? And a brat at that?"

"She hates men the most! How could that be!"

The crew burst into laughter, thinking it was utterly unbelievable.

"It's true! I saw it with my own eyes!"

Bashas was so anxious that his face turned red, and he swore to the heavens.

"It's just a little brat's shadow!"

Just when everyone was skeptical.

Van Augur, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke.

What he said might be true.

He recounted the unusual things he had seen on the ship.

"There was an unnatural movement coming from the woman's chest."

The room fell silent instantly.

"Oh?"

The smile on the black-bearded man's face faded slightly, and a calculating glint appeared in his eyes.

"This is getting interesting..."

"Even if it's true, so what?"

He quickly regained his carefree and unrestrained demeanor and downed the wine in his glass in one gulp.

"Hahaha! Who cares who he is! Even if it's that 'Demon Child' Lynn himself hiding there, it has nothing to do with our plan!"

"even……"

His lips curled into an incredibly ferocious grin.

"If that brat really gets involved and stirs things up even more, it'll actually be better for us!"

"Let the Navy and Whitebeard fight! Let them turn the world upside down!"

"The future of this sea belongs to us!"

……

The next day, at dawn.

As the sun rose, it stained Marineford with a blood-red hue.

The solemn tolling of the bells heralded the start of the war.

The giant video Den Den Mushi buzzed, broadcasting live footage of Marineford to every corner of the world.

Around the world, countless people have already been waiting in front of their screens.

Whether it's a tavern, a square, or a simple hut in a remote village.

All eyes were focused on the same place.

"It's starting! It's really starting!"

"The Whitebeard Pirates versus the Marine Headquarters... This is a battle unlike any we've seen in eight hundred years!"

"My God, look at those warships! They're so densely packed, you can't see the end of them!"

"One hundred thousand elite naval troops, plus three admirals and seven warlords of the sea... who can withstand this force?"

"And the Seven Warlords of the Sea!"

"Hawkeye! Doflamingo! Boa Hancock!"

"They're here too! What a star-studded lineup!"

"Huh? Where's Bartholomew Kuma? Shouldn't he be one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea? I didn't hear about him being removed from the list, so why isn't he here?"

Excitement, fear, anticipation, and doubt.

Various emotions spread among the crowd.

"Look! It's the three admirals of the Navy!"

As the camera zooms in, the figures of the three generals become clearly visible on the screen.

"Akainu! His expression... seems a little off?"

"Aokiji too. I heard he's always been so lazy, why is he so serious today?"

"Kizaru seems a bit off too... Is one of the three admirals intimidated by Whitebeard's reputation?"

The audience was abuzz with discussion. They noticed that even in the face of such a grand occasion, the expressions of the three generals were far from the triumphant spirit they had imagined.

Instead, it exuded an unusual solemnity.

People began to observe closely, and gradually, an eerie atmosphere was transmitted to the hearts of every viewer through the video Den Den Mushi.

Although the naval officers and soldiers stood ramrod straight, many of them had cold sweat beading on their foreheads.

Their eyes didn't hold the excitement of about to engage in battle; rather, they seemed to be waiting for some unknown, even more terrifying being to descend.

This unusual tension has left audiences around the world puzzled.

"Why? Why is the entire navy so tense?"

"Even the Seven Warlords of the Sea!"

"Is it because of the white beard?"

"Even if it's a white-bearded man, he shouldn't be able to make the Navy this serious, right?"

"Could it be... that Whitebeard has some other trump card up his sleeve?"

Sabaody Archipelago.

Xiaqi's Bamboo Bar.

Rayleigh held his wine glass, looking at the familiar faces on the screen, his brows furrowed slightly.

He saw the Warring States period.

The once composed and steadfast admiral now wore an indescribable solemnity on his weathered face.

It wasn't the tension of facing a powerful enemy; it was more like a deep-seated fear of some unpredictable and uncontrollable force.

It wasn't just him.

Including that old acquaintance beside him... Garp.

"strangeness."

"Why does Garp look like he's facing a formidable enemy?"

He knows Karp too well.

Even if the opponent is Whitebeard, this shouldn't be the reaction... On the contrary, it should be a slight excitement.

Xia Qi, who was standing to the side, took a drag of her cigarette and slowly exhaled a smoke ring. The swirling smoke blurred her face.

Her eyes, which seemed to have seen through the ways of the world, held a hint of understanding.

"What else could it be?"

Her voice carried a calmness that seemed to see through everything.

"Of course I'm worried that the little guy might come and join in the fun too."

Rayleigh's hand, which was holding the wine glass, suddenly stopped.

He looked at the screen, at the solemn-looking admiral sitting in the center.

Then I thought of that lawless brat who dared to publicly torture and kill even a Celestial Dragon.

That thing that's giving world governments a major headache...

Lynn the Demon Child.

In an instant, it dawned on me.

It turned out to be the case.

The real threat in this impending war may not be the Whitebeard.

But the one whose whereabouts are still unknown...

Demon Child.