Meanwhile, on the other side of Jaya Island…
Luffy and Robin, separated from the rest of the crew, passed through a dense, shadowed grove.
A blinding flash of white light shimmered across the trees.
A low coastline facing the sea suddenly appeared before them.
Having just left the thick forest, the two stepped forward cautiously.
Robin carefully consulted the intelligence map she had obtained in the town.
Raising her delicate hand and pointing toward a tall, ornate structure resembling a maiden's castle, she said:
"If the intelligence is correct…"
"This should be it, Luffy!"
Luffy thought for a moment:
"Hmm…"
He calmly watched the waves crash against the low rocks, the sea breeze brushing his clothes.
"Let's go. Let's see what secrets await on that island, floating ten thousand meters above the sea…"
Sky Island—an island far above the clouds, and the next target on their navigational chart.
Of course, Luffy wasn't just leading his friends to admire the view.
Their main goal this time was the historical inscription located on Sky Island.
Luffy knew that whether it was the native Angel Islanders or the Shandia washed into the White Sea by the upward currents, they were essentially Moon People who had come to the Blue Planet due to lack of energy.
Did they have any connection to the demons in the old diary…?
All these mysteries would now be unraveled by the Starry Sky crew.…
In the suburban outskirts of Jaya Island's west coast town, at the former Bellamy Pirates' mansion:
Zoro stood on the shattered floor, a cruel and arrogant smile on his face. He slowly sheathed both swords, leaving only the phantom spirit in hand.
Bellamy, who had been celebrating their joining of the Donquixote Family, now slumped helplessly backward.
Hands trembling, bracing on the floor, teeth clenched tightly, he couldn't even make a sound.
Seeing Zoro's devilish expression, fear overtook him, and his body instinctively crawled backward.
After a long moment, Bellamy finally mustered the courage to speak, voice trembling:
"Y-You… who are you people!?"
Just moments ago!
His vice-captain, that naive pink-coated man, had charged at this suddenly appearing demon with a drawn sword.
Bellamy only saw a flash of blood, and then… nothing!
In an instant, it felt as if the entire mansion had changed dimension.
One by one, his comrades fell, the building collapsing around them.
Drinking wine, singing, and then suddenly… attacked!
The sheer shock of it was unimaginable to anyone who hadn't experienced it firsthand.
Zoro advanced steadily, giving Bellamy no response.
He continued stepping forward, inspecting the corpses, while confirming with Chopper:
"Satchis, bounty 38 million Berries."
Chopper, Zoro's little assistant, checked the body lying among the wood splinters, pierced through the heart, and marked it in his notebook:
"Confirmed dead."
Zoro pressed on, using the tip of his blade to lift another pirate, speaking to Chopper:
"Tattooed Hewitt, bounty 13 million Berries."
Chopper pulled out a bounty sheet, compared it with the body, confirmed a match, nodded, and recorded:
"Confirmed dead."
"Whitehat Bass, bounty 8 million Berries."
"Confirmed dead."
"Strongman Ross, bounty…"
…
Bellamy sat dazed on the floor, staring at the two figures who had suddenly stormed in like demons, stealing the lives of his comrades.
He still didn't understand what had happened.
Comrades suddenly falling…
Two strange people recording everything…
What is happening? Did I cross into another world? Why is my memory… missing!?
No one could answer him.
All that awaited were the black polished shoes advancing toward him and the gleaming blades they held.
"Including sideburned Bellamy, bounty 60 million Berries…"
Zoro drew Shura from its sheath and stepped toward Bellamy, asking Chopper:
"Chopper, is our mission complete?"
Chopper, meticulously checking the bounty scrolls on his waist against his notebook, finally looked up, smiling:
"Yes! Only him remains—our mission will be complete!"
Being entrusted with a mission for the first time, Chopper treated the task with utmost seriousness, executing each step like a programmed robot.
Zoro, wielding his blood-stained blade, slowly approached Bellamy.
His blood-tinged eyes swept over him like the very proclamation of death.
Strangely…
Bellamy suddenly stopped struggling, as if realizing all resistance was pointless, laughable.
Seeing this, Zoro decided not to torture him further.
Raising his sharp blade…
He prepared to strike with his true power!
A red gleam gathered around the blade, a thin line of red radiance slashing toward Bellamy's neck.
However!
Suddenly, an anomaly occurred!!!
CRASH~
The bloodline formed by the blade hit something hard.
Shura emitted a strange humming vibration.
The sunlight streaming in trembled violently.
Through the distorted light, Zoro noticed a thin, nearly invisible white thread moving with the blade.
BOOM!!!
Instantly, Zoro unleashed a massive surge of Conqueror's Haki, forming a protective dome around him.
The already-destroyed building crumbled further under the sudden pressure, reduced to rubble.
At the same time, fully activating his Observation Haki, Zoro leapt upward.
His scarlet eyes scanned the sky above.
High above, Doflamingo stood with arms outstretched like a performer, pink flamingo feathers fluttering in the wind.
His sinister dark-pink sunglasses were fixed on Zoro below, greeting him as if meeting a new friend:
"Hello! Roronoa Zoro!"
Yet his peculiar, unnerving laugh gave nothing away—his intentions were impossible to guess.
Zoro's gaze sharpened; he calmly called out:
"Shichibukai Doflamingo!"
In midair, black streaks of lightning-like energy shot between their eyes.
The clash of Conqueror's Haki transformed the space into complete silence.
"Chopper!"
Zoro, sword raised, noticed Chopper's pained expression and called anxiously.
Grimacing, Chopper replied strongly:
"I… I'm fine…"
He was no burden to the Starry Sky crew!!!
A dazzling light suddenly flashed!
Chopper's body swelled rapidly!
When the light faded, the once small and adorable Chopper had become a massive beast, wielding twin axes and covered in white fur!
Seeing Chopper's new form, Zoro grinned, slipping Phantom Spirit into his mouth, murmuring:
"Looks like… that works too…"