Boom!
A burly figure, wreathed in black smoke, was sent flying like he had been hit by a train. With a thunderous crash, he smashed into a wall, blowing a massive hole through it.
Amid the rising dust and debris, a slender figure calmly walked forward, stopping before Blackbeard.
"Blackbeard, you overestimated yourself," Kaguya said coldly. "You're still far from what it means to be truly powerful."
"You... how could you..." Blackbeard stammered in confusion. He was certain he had grabbed her just now. Normally, touching a Devil Fruit user should cancel their powers and absorb their abilities.
"You mean why your Dark Vortex had no effect on me?" Kaguya looked down at him, her gaze cold and aloof. "When did I ever say I was a Devil Fruit user?"
Blackbeard's eyes shrank. His face filled with disbelief.
These kinds of supernatural powers were always thought to come from Devil Fruits. Without one, a human couldn't possibly possess such abilities.
Yet the golden-haired girl before him didn't seem like she was lying.
Could someone really possess abilities similar to a Devil Fruit's, without actually having one?
How was that possible?
"Blackbeard, the world is far bigger and far more complex than you think," Kaguya said icily. "Your understanding is barely a drop in the ocean. Trying to judge the whole world with such limited knowledge—don't you find that arrogant?"
"You're speaking too soon," Blackbeard muttered, staggering to his feet with a grin. "Then let me show you the true power of the Dark-Dark Fruit."
But just then, Kaguya paused, then suddenly sheathed her sword and turned away.
"I have other matters to attend to. If you want to challenge me again, come to Marineford." She halted for a moment and glanced back at him with a meaningful look. "Besides, haven't you always wanted the Tremor-Tremor Fruit?"
Blackbeard's pupils shrank. The black energy swirling around his hand surged for a moment—but he didn't move.
Kaguya smiled playfully, then turned and vanished into the swirling dust.
"Captain, why didn't we stop her? She was clearly scared. We should've captured her while we had the chance," Burgess said as he dusted himself off.
"Idiot. Do you really think she's that easy to beat?" Blackbeard snapped, his eyes sharpening. "She's not someone we can take lightly."
"Seriously?" Burgess said. "She's just some rookie who reappeared recently, right? Barely any record to speak of."
"What do you know?" Blackbeard barked. "She's no ordinary person. Didn't you notice it?"
Nearby, Lafitte seemed to realize something. His eyes widened as he said urgently, "Could it be that she's—"
"Exactly." Blackbeard's expression turned grave.
"What are you talking about?" Burgess asked, confused by the cryptic exchange.
"Don't you think..." Blackbeard stared into the distance where Kaguya had disappeared. "Her way of speaking reminded you of someone?"
Of someone...
Everyone fell silent for a moment, then shivered.
On the battered, broken street...
"Hey, where did you go just now?" Bonney asked bluntly.
"Nothing much, just had a little errand to run," Kaguya replied casually.
"Really?" Bonney said suspiciously. "That tremor from earlier—don't tell me you were behind that again?"
"Relax, nothing to worry about," Kaguya waved it off. "Weren't you saying you were hungry? Let's go."
Bonney looked at Kaguya's back and sighed. Being around her always seemed to bring trouble. Was she really just a magnet for chaos?
The two of them strolled through the streets. After passing through a few districts, they arrived at a modest-looking building.
"Shakky's Rip-off Bar," Bonney read the sign aloud and tilted her head. "That's a weird name for a bar. Doesn't the owner worry it'll scare customers away?"
"Anyone scared off by a name wouldn't be coming here anyway," Kaguya replied, pushing the door open. "Still, the drinks here are pretty good."
"You come here often?" Bonney asked curiously.
"No, I'm here because someone owes me something," Kaguya said, turning to face the pale-haired man sitting at the bar. "Isn't that right, Rayleigh?"
"Rayleigh?" Bonney's eyes widened. "Wait, you mean the Dark King Rayleigh?"
"That's probably the one," the white-haired man turned with a faint smile. "I knew you'd come back eventually. Didn't expect it to take this long, though."
"There were just a few delays along the way," Kaguya replied, taking a seat at the bar. She smiled slightly. "So, are you ready to tell me now?"
"Are you sure you want to know?" Rayleigh asked seriously. "The truth might not be what you imagine."
"Whether I believe it or not is my business," Kaguya said calmly. "You just need to tell me."
Rayleigh thought for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. I'll tell you."
...
When they left Shakky's bar, Bonney still looked utterly dumbfounded, while Kaguya appeared completely unfazed.
In truth, Kaguya had already suspected much of what she heard. She'd seen plenty of theories and speculation on internet forums. Rayleigh's explanation didn't come as a surprise.
The truth matched Kaguya's expectations. "One Piece" was real, and so was a great treasure. But that wasn't what truly mattered. After all, for those with real power, treasure was trivial.
The true treasure lay in the secrets of the Celestial Dragons and the D Clan.
Long ago, it was the Kingdom of D that ruled, possessing technology far beyond modern reach. But after the discovery of Devil Fruits and their mysterious powers, greed and ambition stirred.
Wars over Devil Fruits erupted, leading to a century of conflict. In the end, the D Kingdom was destroyed. The rebels—today's Celestial Dragons—emerged victorious.
Knowing the shame of their past, the Celestial Dragons formed the World Government to erase that history. They wiped out all records of that century and instituted oppressive rule, shaping the world as it is today.
After hearing it all, Kaguya had just two words for the story:
Utter nonsense.
The story Rayleigh had told initially seemed reasonable, but the more Kaguya thought about it, the more flaws she found.
If the World Government's goal was merely to cover up history and legitimize their rule, they wouldn't need to go to such great lengths. History is full of power grabs and regime changes—it wouldn't make much of a difference to add one more.
The truth is, regime changes are always accompanied by war and turmoil. That's a natural part of the process. In a world where power reigns supreme, suppressing opposition with force is par for the course.
That's why Kaguya believed there had to be more to it—some hidden scheme not yet revealed. Perhaps it involved the true secret of the Devil Fruits, a force strong enough to destroy the world, or something even deeper hidden by the Five Elders.
More importantly, Kaguya thought the whole thing was likely a scam—a way to use hot-blooded fools to go searching for some so-called treasure. Some pirates probably weren't even after treasure at all, but were using the "One Piece" as an excuse to seize power.
Everyone had their own agenda. Only someone like Luffy would charge ahead with stars in his eyes, dreaming of becoming Pirate King.
In the end, it was just a game for the strong.
Still, there was one question that lingered in Kaguya's mind: If Ace was the son of the Pirate King, why didn't Rayleigh, Roger's right-hand man, go to Marineford to save him? That didn't make sense.
When Kaguya asked, Rayleigh's answer took her by surprise.
Rayleigh was silent for a while, then said, "This is the era of the young. They must walk their own path. It has nothing to do with the old generation."
In other words, he was a retired old man who didn't want to get involved. If even Whitebeard couldn't save Ace, what could a retired man like him do?
That actually fit Rayleigh's personality well. People at their level usually had a broad perspective. They believed in letting the younger generation follow their own destinies, and didn't want to interfere.
He likely also understood Whitebeard's thinking. Realistically, the Whitebeard Pirates stood no chance against the Navy. Even ignoring the disparity in strength, Whitebeard's deteriorating health alone meant he wouldn't be able to sustain a full-scale war.
Even though the battle between Whitebeard and the Navy hadn't yet begun, its outcome was already set in stone.
"What were you two whispering about just now?" Bonney asked, turning her head with curiosity.
"It's a man's conversation. Women shouldn't butt in," Kaguya said offhandedly.
"A man?" Bonney snorted, poking Kaguya's chest. "When did you become a man? And what is this, anyway?"
Kaguya grabbed her mischievous hand, wrapped an arm around Bonney's waist, and whispered by her ear, "Didn't you test that last night?"
"Test your head!" Bonney shoved her away and grumbled, cheeks turning red. "Can't you be a little more proper?"
Kaguya blinked innocently. "Actually, I can be even more improper. Want to find out?"
Seeing the teasing glint in Kaguya's eyes, Bonney's cheeks flushed even more. She turned away and huffed, "You're getting more and more like a sleazy pervert."
"Really? I'm as pure as a lotus flower."
"Gross. Don't even try it."
...
Sabaody Archipelago had suffered massive damage. Much of the forest and several towns were destroyed, but fortunately, the shipyard, being in a remote area, was left untouched.
Although still operational, business at the shipyard was sluggish. Ever since the Navy withdrew its forces, Sabaody had turned into a haven for criminals. With violence on the rise, the number of tourists and merchants visiting the island had plummeted.
Kaguya and Bonney arrived at the nearest shipyard, and to Bonney's astonishment, Kaguya pulled out a massive amount of money and purchased an expensive warship.
The previously lethargic shipwrights instantly snapped to attention. Their attitudes did a full 180—serving tea and falling over themselves with enthusiasm. Big spenders like this were rare now.
"Hey," Bonney whispered, nudging Kaguya in the ribs. "Where did you get so much money? That was two hundred million Berries! And you just spent it?"
"So what?" Kaguya replied nonchalantly. "This ship is great—beautiful design, and made from Adam wood. Totally worth the price."
"That's not the point! It's too expensive!" Bonney said, flustered.
Kaguya turned and grinned. "I'm rich."
Ever since using the Gilgamesh ability card, it seemed she had inherited his passive skill: Golden Rule. That meant she was destined to have excellent fortune and wealth throughout her life, never troubled by money and living like a tycoon.
Kaguya couldn't help but sigh—being rich really was great. If only she had that ability in real life, she'd never worry about money again.
Bonney gave her a speechless look. How could someone so elegant act so much like a nouveau riche?
Of course, having a ship was one thing, but without a crew, it was useless. Bonney could steer, but only just. Sailing required lookouts, navigators, map readers, and more—especially in an era with no radar or GPS.
There was still over half a month until Ace's public execution. Kaguya didn't intend to arrive too early. She wanted to visit Dressrosa first. According to Monet, Doflamingo's artificial Devil Fruit production plan was already on track, and the first batch would be completed soon.
That was exactly why Kaguya wanted to go to Dressrosa.
"Hey! Hurry up! Are you pigs or something? Why so slow?!"
"The food and water go in the cargo hold! Move it!"
"Idiot! Fold the sails properly!"
"Get moving! Want a beating?!"
Kaguya watched with a smile as Bonney barked orders at the sailors. She might seem gentle around Kaguya, but when it came to others, she didn't hold back.
Just as they were about to set sail, a girl suddenly rushed over, breathless. "Excuse me! Are you heading to Dressrosa?"
The girl was adorably cute, with orange-yellow hair and amber eyes. Her features were delicate and her fair skin flushed from exertion. She wore a flowing dress that made her look even more charming.
She was none other than Charlotte Pudding.
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