Splash...
Beneath a clear blue sky, with waves rolling and crashing, a massive pirate ship appeared on the distant horizon, cutting through the sea. It resembled a queen's crown, adorned with a pink heart.
This was the pirate ship known as the Sakura Kingdom.
Despite its beautiful appearance and seemingly harmless look, most Marines and pirates on the Grand Line would rather never encounter it. Its owner was none other than the pirate ship of the Okama Kingdom, Kamabakka Kingdom, famed throughout the entire Grand Line.
On the deck, decorated in a dazzling, flamboyantly beautiful style, one okama after another busied themselves with work. They wore lovely women's clothing, yet had scruffy beards and long leg hair, their faces painted with striking makeup and their feet in slender high heels. Every so often, they cast flirtatious glances toward the mast at the bow, where a young woman wrapped from head to toe in white bandages sat with a cigar dangling from her mouth.
Just then, the cabin door was pushed open, and a burly "woman" stepped out. She wore an extremely low-cut bodysuit, purple lipstick painted across her face, and a deep purple afro. Moving as if dancing, she shouted excitedly toward the girl at the bow in an exaggerated tone.
"Yo... Croc Boy, it's time to change your bandages!"
On the mast at the bow, the girl whose name had been called visibly furrowed her brow.
She took a drag from the cigar at the corner of her mouth, exhaled a cloud of smoke, then turned back and said viciously, "No need. I can already feel that my injuries are completely healed. Ivankov, you bastard, when are you going to turn me back?"
"Hm? Why are you in such a hurry, Croc Boy? Don't you enjoy this feeling of being reborn?"
The girl clenched her teeth. Feeling the two irritating lumps of flesh on her chest, she glared at the "woman" with murder in her eyes.
"Do you really want to die?"
"So... so scary..."
Ivankov, the Okama King, instantly looked as if he had broken out in a cold sweat from fear, retreating again and again. Then, as though by accident, his feet tripped over each other, and he seemed about to fall backward. Unfortunately...
"I'm not scared at all."
Ivankov quickly steadied himself again, and his expression turned serious as he spoke with rare gravity.
"How heartless of you, Croc Boy. If I hadn't just happened to be in the waters near the Whitebeard Pirates that day, found you, and treated your wounds, you really would have ended up as fish food."
"Hmph."
Ivankov's words seemed to remind Crocodile, now transformed into a young girl, of his defeat. He snorted coldly, his face darkening as he said, "I'll repay the favor. But right now... undo your Devil Fruit power."
Ivankov sighed deeply at that, his gaze carrying a hint of warning.
"Looks like there's no hope, then. In that case, there's nothing to be done. Once we reach White-White Island, I'll undo it for you. For now, behave yourself and stay on the ship."
Even Ivankov was unwilling to lose his leverage over such a dangerous man.
Still, it really was a pity. He had originally wondered whether he might be able to pull him into the Revolutionary Army.
After all, as a Logia-type Suna Suna no Mi user, Crocodile might have failed in his challenge against Whitebeard, but his future potential was still limitless. If he joined the Revolutionary Army, their momentum would grow rapidly. But after nearly a month of contact, Ivankov had already understood that this boy was not one of them.
Just then, the scattered cries of seagulls came from the sky. Ivankov looked up.
"So many News Coos!? Looks like there's big news!"
Up above, row after row of nearly ten News Coos flew side by side. This kind of formation only appeared when there was so much news that a single newspaper could not possibly contain it all.
As the okama brought out gleaming coins, three of the News Coos broke away from the flock and landed on the ship.
Naturally, the okama were not stingy. They bought several copies of every paper.
Only then did Ivankov realize that the news had brought not only newspapers, but also five wanted posters.
"What is this..."
Ivankov immediately spotted a face that felt both familiar and unfamiliar. Crocodile beside him did the same.
Then, when the two of them saw the bounty amounts at the same time, both of them were left dumbstruck.
"Hey, hey, hey... this has to be a joke..."
As the five wanted posters were spread out across the deck, everyone finally saw the photos and bounty amounts clearly.
"Sky Pirates Captain: Fire Dragon Yemu. The Most Evil One, the world's most vicious criminal, user of an unknown Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit. Bounty: 2.86 billion Belly. Dead or alive."
"Sky Pirates First Mate: Enel. The Most Evil One, the world's most vicious criminal, user of the Goro Goro no Mi. Bounty: 1.92 billion Belly. Dead or alive."
"Sky Pirates: Ship's Doctor Killmonger Ayala. The Most Evil One, the world's most vicious criminal, user of the Raki Raki no Mi. Bounty: 1.08 billion Belly. Must be captured alive."
"Sky Pirates: Pet Lillilu. User of the Mythical Zoan Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Nekomata. Bounty: 660 million Belly. Must be captured alive."
"Sky Pirates: Dinosaur Kuromu. User of the Doa Doa no Mi. Bounty: 380 million Belly. Must be captured alive."
At that moment, whether it was Ivankov, Crocodile, or the okama aboard the ship, all of them stared at the numbers on the wanted posters in disbelief.
"What the hell happened... Why did the Sky Pirates' bounties suddenly rise so much?"
"A little girl like that is worth over a billion? Has the Navy lost its mind?"
"Even crazier is that fox. That is a fox, right? A pet actually has a 660 million Belly bounty..."
"Idiot, that's a Mythical Zoan, even rarer than a Logia-type Devil Fruit... The Sky Pirates are seriously extravagant. They actually let a pet eat such a precious Devil Fruit..."
"Raki Raki no Mi? You've got to be kidding. Does an unbelievable Devil Fruit like that really exist?"
While the okama were all discussing it wildly, Ivankov also sensed that something was wrong.
This sudden surge in bounties clearly proved that the Sky Pirates had done something huge again without anyone knowing. But what exactly had they done?
"Maybe these newspapers will give me the answer."
With that thought, she withdrew her gaze and began reading the papers.
Then the front-page headline left her stunned.
"World Government Order: Admiral Sengoku promoted to Fleet Admiral. Former Fleet Admiral Kong promoted to Commander-in-Chief of All Forces!"
The second headline shocked her even more.
"Demon Heir: Douglas Bullet arrested by Admiral Sengoku and Navy Hero Garp, then sent to Impel Down!"
Crocodile's expression also turned ugly when he saw that piece of news.
"That guy Bullet... got caught?"
If the first two articles were about the Marines, the following ones were all about pirates.
"One of the Silver Axe Pirates' Big Three: Captain John slain at sea by Sky Pirates Captain Fire Dragon Yemu!"
"According to reliable sources: The Sky Pirates and the Beasts Pirates have formed an alliance. Their target is Devil Fruit users!"
"The Fearsome Three-Masted Pirates suffered a crushing defeat in Wano Country! The entire crew was killed, and Captain Gecko Moria's whereabouts are unknown!"