The Approaching Future

Explosive news spreads across the seas. "THE WAR IS OVER!!!" reads one headline as Marineford's massive domed fortress appears amid crashing waves. "BREAKING NEWS..." Another panel shows a chaotic crowd reacting wildly. "THE LEGENDARY PIRATE WHITEBEARD WAS DEFEATED!!!" "THE MARINES HAVE WON!!!" A narration box states this is a message from Marine Headquarters to the entire world. At Marineford's bay, a bearded man in ornate robes stands with a fishman-like figure as voices call out "CAPTAIN DRAKE!!" and "WE'RE ANNOUNCING... ZAZA... FROM MARINEFORD BAY..." One speaker notes there are seven ships on the waters of Marineford's bay.

A fleet of pirate ships sails the open sea. A caption declares "These men who will carry the new pirate age would not have missed this juncture in history for anything." Close-ups show intense faces: an eyepatch-wearing man growls "THE MARINES HAVE WON OUT... AND THINGS WILL CHANGE!!" A woman with curly hair and a tall figure in heavy armor stand among others. Narration continues: "as proof of the establishment of a new age. They see the signs of war rising from Marineford upon their skin." A cloaked man with a large hat states "WHITEBEARD'S TERRITORIES... WILL BECOME SEAS OF BLOOD." Another voice adds "IN A LITTLE WHILE, And they feel the age's frenzied flow."

Blackbeard grins widely on a ship deck, declaring "MAKE NO MISTAKE, HE'S GOING TO BECOME THE EYE OF THE STORM!!!" while crewmates stand behind him. A voice notes "BLACKBEARD WAS THE KEY." Trafalgar Law appears with a fierce expression as voices shout "TRAFALGAR LAW!!" "ISN'T HE SUPPOSED TO BE KNOWN FOR HIS BRUTALITY!I" "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!I" "HE SAVED SOMEONE WHO'LL BECOME AN ENEMY ONE DAY!!!" A woman with a striped headscarf yells "WE HAVE TO FIND HIM!! LET'S GO!! TO THE NEW WORLD!!!" while another figure cries "EVERYTHING IS HIS FAULT!!!" Elsewhere, a long-haired man and a figure in a wide hat discuss "STRAWHAT LUFFY'S CHANCES OF SURVIVAL..." "WHAT'S WRONG, CAPTAIN HAWKINSI" "NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I CHECK... IT NEVER COMES OUT TO BE ZERO!!" "STRANGE..."

Pirates react in shock and relief after the war. "NOW IT'S ALL OVER..." one mutters while another bursts out laughing, "HAHAHA!! WHAT'S OVER!I" Voices overlap with confessions: "HONESTLY, I WAS SCARED WHEN THE WAR BROKE OUT..." and "BUT NOW, WHITEBEARD IS DEAD!!" In the next panel a flamboyantly dressed figure declares the shifting powers: "RED HAIR, KAIDO, BIG MOM!!!" "BLACKBEARD HAS BEEN BORN AS A GREAT POWER!!!" "NOW THAT THE BALANCE HAS BEEN BROKEN, WHO KNOWS WHAT'LL HAPPEN!I" "THE NEW WORLD IS RULED BY THE FOUR EMPERORS:" A close-up reveals a grinning marine officer with square goggles, proclaiming "THE LIKES OF WHICH WE'VE NEVER SEEN!!!" as bold text announces "A NEW AGE IS DAWNING!!!"

News spreads across the four seas. Banners label "South Blue, North Blue and the Grand Line" and "East Blue, West Blue" while News Coo birds fly. Pirates cheer wildly: "ONE PIECE IS REAL!!! LET'S GO FIND IT!!!" "WHITEBEARD SAID IT!!!" "THE SEA STILL HOLDS UNSEEN DREAMS!!!" A massive panel shows the crowd raising weapons and fists beneath a waving Jolly Roger. Narration notes "As if it had already been written in history, the news was whittled down as it spread." Smaller panels depict frantic newspaper sellers shouting "WHITEBEARD IS DEAD!!" "EXTRA!!!" "EXTRA!" and marines celebrating their reported victory across the oceans.

Marines celebrate victory: "THE MARINES HAVE WON!!! THANK GOD!!!" while narration states "The world grows restless at this news." Recruits train under a G-3 base, shouting "UWOO-OHHH!!" "SOMEDAY..." "I'LL BECOME STRONG ENOUGH TO GET CALLED TO HEADQUARTERS!!" "THE MARINES ARE INVINCIBLE!!!" "SALUTE THE HEROES!!!" On the island of FOODVALTEN a Straw Hat Jolly Roger flies. Locals question the news: "YEAH, IT WAS! BUT WHAT IS IT NOWI" "WHITE-BEARD'S TERRITORYI THIS ISLAND IS... WHATI" A massive bearded pirate looms, warning "YOU'VE HEARD THE NEWS, RIGHTI" as panicked townspeople yell "UWAAAAHH!!! DON'T COME CLOSER! DON'T COME INTO THE TOWN!!!" "TH-THIS ISLAND IS...!!!" Narration adds "The people didn't notice..."

Panic erupts as Brownbeard smashes the Straw Hat flag. Townspeople scream "KYAAA-AAHHH!!!" "HE'S DEAD!!!" while Brownbeard roars "WITH WHITE-BEARD GONE, THE WORLD IS OURS FOR THE TAKING!!!" "THAT FLAG DOESN'T MEAN A DAMN THING NOW!!!" In a sweeping panel the giant pirate declares "THIS ISLAND IS NOW OURS!!!" "BURN THIS IMAGE INTO YOUR EYES!!!" His crew of bizarre fighters stands ready. A final close-up shows Brownbeard laughing "I'M THE GREAT PIRATE BROWN-BEARD!!!" "UWOOHOHO!!!" Narration boxes read: "The marines have won, but that outcome doesn't necessarily bring peace. With the threat of Whitebeard's wrath gone, chaos has begun to reign."

A massive crowd of prisoners and strange hybrid creatures cheers wildly on the deck as a huge submarine surfaces beside a Marine battleship, the impact marked by a loud "ガチン!!". Bubbles rise and the vessel's periscope and hatches are visible. Voices from the sub remark, "YOU DID WELL TO FIGURE OUT WE WERE SURFACING HERE." and "WE THOUGHT THE MARINES WERE FREAKED OUT FOR A MOMENT." Someone asks, "HOW IS LUFFY DOING!I" On the Marine ship deck, Trafalgar Law stands with his signature spotted hat, a small bear-like figure holding a sign reading "CAPTAIN!!" beside him. A suited crew member bows and says, "Sorry..." while another voice yells, "SO PATHETIC!!" Boa Hancock appears with her snake Salome coiled around her, glaring as she snaps, "AND DON'T CHANGE THE SUBJECT, YOU DUMB BEAST!!" and "SALOME WAS FOLLOWING YOU ON THE SEA FLOOR."

Inside the submarine, crew members report grimly: "HE'S TAKEN AN IMPOSSIBLE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE." and "I CAN'T GUARANTEE HE'LL SURVIVE." The effectiveness of treatment is tied to the patient's condition. On the Marine battleship deck, a massive figure with wild hair and a stitched body roars "HIIHAAA!!" while others shout "THAT'S RIGHT!!! STRAWHAT TRIED HIS HARDEST!!" and "WE WERE ABLE TO ESCAPE IMPRISONMENT THANKS TO HIM!!" A close-up shows Hancock's serious face as she wonders, "WHO ARE THEY!!I" The view widens to reveal a cheering crowd of Newkama Land escapees waving weapons and flags, declaring they are heading to the Kingdom of Kamabakka, their true home. Voices explain, "PRISONERS FROM IMPEL DOWN... IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE LUFFY'S ALLIES." and "THEY SNUCK ONTO THE BATTLESHIP."

Crew members on the deck continue, "WE KNOW!!" "HE REALLY TRIED!!" "THAT'S RIGHT!!" and "THE STRAWHAT BOY WAS ALREADY INJURED SO BADLY HE COULDN'T STAND AT IMPEL DOWN!!" They add that it is amazing he managed anything and that he only wanted to rescue his brother Ace. A close-up shows Luffy's bloodied, tear-streaked face twisted in anguish as he screams, "NO GOD OR BUDDHA WOULD HAVE CAUSED THAT!!" and "IT WOULDN'T BE SURPRISING IF HIS SPIRIT WAS BROKEN!!!" Nearby, Trafalgar Law stands with arms crossed while a voice asks, "BY THE WAY, ARE YOU STRAWHAT BOY'S FRIENDI" Law replies, "No..." Other voices express sympathy: "I'D SUFFER IN HIS PLACE... I FEEL SO BAD FOR YOU, LUFFY..." and "HOW TRAGIC... IF I COULD..." One figure yells, "DAMN IT, HANG IN THERE, STRAWHAT!!!" while another notes, "I-IT MUST BE NICE, HAVING THAT PIRATE EMPRESS THINK OF YOU THAT WAY..."

Trafalgar Law shouts, "WAIT!!" while arguing with a massive bandaged figure who roars back, "THERE ARE TIMES WHEN INSTINCT MOVES YOUR BODY." and "BUT IF YOU'RE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH MY KINDNESS, SHALL I MAKE SOMETHING UPI" The giant adds, "I HAD NO OBLIGATION TO HELP HIM." Law questions, "YOU'RE TRAFALGAR LAW, FROM NORTH BLUE, RIGHTI" and receives thanks: "YOU HAVE MY THANKS FOR SAVING MY LIFE...!!!" The giant, revealed as Jimbei, clutches his chest and says, "HAA... HAA..." while reflecting, "MY HEART WON'T CALM DOWN... IT'S FUTILE..." and "WHAT I'VE LOST THIS TIME... WAS TOO IMPORTANT TO ME!!!" A warning comes: "IF YOU DON'T SLEEP, YOU'LL DIE." The scene shows the deck of the ship with the group gathered as the emotional confrontation continues.

Inside the submarine, crew members discuss Luffy's condition. "It must have been a defense mechanism... To prevent him from losing his life... I'm more worried... about what happens when he awakes..." another adds, "And compared to that, Luffy's loss was even deeper... When he lost consciousness." On the surface near a docked ship, the crew debates their next move. "If we call the Kuja pirate ship, we can pull this submarine across the Calm Belt!!" A bear-like crew member in a hooded coat says, "Ah! Yes, we do... sorry..." and "It must be nice, being like the Empress's slave..." A woman with long dark hair questions, "You, beast! Do you have a Den Den MushiI" In a close-up, Boa Hancock declares, "And if I'm still one of the Shichibukai, he can safely recover there. If the government learns that Luffy is alive, they'll definitely come after him. We'll hide him on the Isle of Women."

At Marine Headquarters, a report arrives: "We've been able to confirm the situation at Impel Down! So here's where you are!! Fleet Admiral Sengoku!!!" Officers discuss the aftermath. "He's a very straightforward man... He's already taken responsibility for everything. He's being treated at intensive care right now. He was badly injured, and just barely alive!! Is Magellan all rightI If he could move, he might try to commit suicide..." Another marine notes, "Level 6 was where the most tragic incident happened. Judging by the aftermath, just what happened inside the prison!I Don't let him do anything that stupid!!!" A bandaged figure sits in rubble while a headband-wearing marine reacts with shock.

In the ruined prison corridors, a prisoner yells, "To waste their lives in these cages!!" Another voice calls out, "Good day, prisoners who are cursed." A marine reacts, "Tragic!I" Blackbeard bursts in laughing, "ZEHAHAHA!! You're all just waiting for death to come anyway, so how does this sound!I I'll take the survivors to the surface as part of my crew!!! Go ahead and kill the others in your cell!!!" Prisoners react in shock. "Yes. He brought prisoners out with him!! So he chose his crew from the worst prisoners in the world!!! But there are many more prisoners from Level 6 missing." A close-up shows a long-haired prisoner and another with wild hair reacting with "...!!!...!! Hey, really!!I"

Panic spreads among the Marines. "And send out wanted posters immediately!!!! Confirm the number and names of the escapees. So there were other prisoners from Level 6 who escaped!!! Even a single Level 6 Class prisoner could be a huge danger to a country out there!" An officer clutches his head: "...!!! Be covered up... any further failures could cause the government to fail... The government has ordered... that the Level 6 incident..." Another marine stammers, "But... What's wrong...I" A close-up shows a sweating marine with glasses shouting in disbelief, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!I" as impact lines and debris fill the panel.

In the backstreets of Marineford, a massive structure looms as a heavy impact sound echoes: ズズーン!!! A voice grunts, "KU...!!!" The scene shifts to Gecko Moria facing Donquixote Doflamingo. Moria growls, "MORIA... YOU'RE NO LONGER STRONG ENOUGH TO BEAR THE SHICHIBUKAI NAME..." Doflamingo laughs, "FUFUFU-FUFU!!!" and retorts, "DOFLA-MINGO, YOU BASTARD...!!!" Moria continues, "DOESN'T 'DIED IN BATTLE IN THE WAR AT THE SUMMIT' SOUND NICE...I BETTER THAN 'DISPOSED OF BY THE GOVERNMENT' ANYWAY!!" Doflamingo's threads swirl around him. A close-up shows a masked figure shouting, "SOMEONE HIGHER UP!!!" Another replies, "No..." The masked figure pants, "WHO ORDERED YOU TO DO THIS.I HAA... HAA... SENGOKU...!!!"

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