The New World, located in the second half of the Grand Line, is the most dangerous and chaotic sea in the world.
The weather here is unpredictable—one second it could be blazing hot, the next, violent storms and heavy snowfall strike. The magnetic field disturbances are several times more severe than in the first half of the Grand Line.
After exiting Fish-Man Island, there are three known starting islands to choose from: Lischiled, Mystria, and Thunder God Island.
Although Punk Hazard—where Vegapunk once conducted experimental research—is nearby, it's an unrecorded island, and Asa has no interest in going there.
He took out a permanent log pose gifted from Fish-Man Island. His destination: the perilous Thunder God Island!
The island's name matched his own title too closely to ignore, and its stormy weather aligned perfectly with his fruit abilities. There was no reason to pass up the opportunity.
Asa planned to capture the island and use it as a base to launch offensives into the territories of other sea emperors.
…
The entire Thunder God Island was cloaked in lightning, thunder, and storms. An umbrella was required just to make landfall.
The rain, charged with electrical currents, formed a curtain-like barrier around the island.
From within the storm, several tall and composed figures—each between four to five meters tall—emerged holding umbrellas, walking toward a docked ship at the edge of the island.
The ship bore a massive grinning figurehead that actually sang aloud. The Jolly Roger flew high: a skull wearing a top hat, with fluffy collars and lipstick—unmistakably the flag of the Big Mom Pirates, led by Charlotte Linlin.
The group emerging from the storm was certainly a sight.
Leading them was a sly-looking man in a top hat adorned with lollipops. He was thin, with a long nose and tongue, and held a red-and-white striped candy cane. This was the Lick-Lick Fruit user—Charlotte Perospero, the eldest son of Big Mom!
Beside him stood a young man over five meters tall, with short dark red hair, a muscular build, and long legs—Charlotte Katakuri, Big Mom's second son.
Katakuri had pink tattoos across his left arm and upper body, and a skull tattoo on his left shoulder. A scarf covered the lower half of his face. His outfit was aggressively black-metal styled: black gloves, a spiked ring on his arm, black jeans, white kneepads, and boots adorned with spurs.
His gaze held the same proud, disdainful intensity as Asa's.
Another young man with jet-black hair, styled in a distinctive three-blade shape, stood nearby—Charlotte Oven. Shirtless under a black cape, he wore black gloves and pants, looking every bit the seasoned fighter.
Of the five individuals, three were men. The remaining two were women. One was Charlotte Compote, Big Mom's eldest daughter, sporting a fruit-shaped crown and a regal bearing.
The final woman was not one of Big Mom's daughters. She had a long neck, pale blue attire, blue hair, a wide yellow hat, and accessories adorning her ears and neck. A cigarette hung from her lips, and beneath the brim of her hat, her sharp eyes gleamed with cold indifference.
She was Armande of the snake-necked tribe, her expression reminiscent of Tsuru's. A famous slender sword—White Fish—hung at her waist.
Together, the five of them stepped onto the singing ship in perfect formation.
"Who are we sending invitations to next?"
"The Gibsons? Big News Morgans?"
"I heard the 'Thunder God'—Hippolyte D. Asa—caught Mother's attention. He's already set off from Fish-Man Island. Based on the timing, he should be surfacing soon. Should we send him an invitation to the tea party?"
Perospero rattled off questions like a machine gun, as usual.
"I heard Mother wants to recruit Hippolyte D. Asa into the Big Mom Pirates. Is she planning to marry Compote to him? Or maybe Brûlée? Or even Little Smoothie?"
The others weren't surprised by Perospero's chatter. Katakuri, muffled by his scarf, replied calmly, "Send the invitation to Asa… I might even be interested in the man who intends to marry my sister."
Katakuri deeply valued family. As the group's strategist, he had been devastated by the recent upheavals in the world that cost the lives of several siblings. Now, he cherished the surviving members even more.
Oven and Compote remained nonchalant and didn't voice opinions. Armande, on the other hand, was more interested in plotting efficient methods of killing.
Though still young—some even younger than Asa—all five of them were powerful enough to stand on their own in the New World.
Say what you will about Charlotte Linlin—she might seem like a foolish, gluttonous brute—but she had birthed exceptionally gifted children. Among them, Katakuri was the undisputed prodigy. He had been extraordinary since birth, a monster even in childhood.
Currently, Totto Land had just recovered from Golden Lion Shiki's attack. Rejuvenated, it was undergoing massive reconstruction.
Having experienced destruction, the territory was reborn. Using Cake Island as its core, Big Mom had somehow relocated thirty-four other islands to form a vast domain.
Rather than seek vengeance, Charlotte Linlin had returned to her roots—marrying, baking cakes, and throwing tea parties.
"I am a ship!"
"I am a ship!"
The singing vessel repeated its jingle as it headed toward the waters where ships from Fish-Man Island surfaced from the deep.
…
Deep beneath the sea…
After leaving Fish-Man Island, Asa's pirate ship sailed through the massive cave within the Red Line—whether man-made or a natural miracle was anyone's guess.
Gradually, the pitch-black surroundings began to brighten as the ship, under Asa's control, rose steadily through the ocean.
"The New World…" Asa sat at the ship's bow, sipping from his wine gourd.
His eyes shone with excitement, and a reckless grin spread across his lips.
"Fighting monsters like Whitebeard and Golden Lion—that's the most thrilling thing on the sea! Hahahaha!"
Just thinking about it made his entire body tremble. His grip on the wine gourd tightened. Perhaps this was the true reason he'd entered the New World.
If he waited a few more years, these sea emperors would begin to decline. Once they passed their prime, battling them wouldn't carry the same heat or passion.
…
Out on the sea, a dilapidated ship drifted aimlessly through the New World's turbulent weather.
"Boss, stay strong!"
"Yeah, Boss! You can't go down before avenging your brothers and killing Roger!"
"Why not head to Whitebeard's territory for help?"
Tears welled in the pirates' eyes as they tried to comfort their captain.
Their leader was in his twenties, with long hair, a spider tattoo on his forehead, and a black bandana. His mouth bore fangs, and his tongue often lolled out. Two blades hung at his waist—one large, one small. His aura was dark and cunning.
This was none other than the Great Vortex Spider—Skuyard.
(End Of Chapter)
Gimme Powerstones :)))
Also Check out my Patreon at [Patreon.com/GGFanfiction]