...
"Everyone!! Quiet down! Next up is the absolute heavyweight segment of this Pirate World Expo—the Ultimate Treasure Hunt Competition… begins NOW!!!"
The host's hoarse, frenzied shout drowned out the island-wide clamor.
The rules were announced: Participants must board specially designed small airships propelled by upward sea currents, riding the flow to break through the cloud layer…
Heading toward the "Sky Floating Island"—also known as Treasure Island—suspended at an altitude of ten thousand meters and wrapped in special bubbles!
And the ultimate prize made every pirate—and every viewer in God Valley—instantly hold their breath, hearts pounding!
"The winner will receive a legendary clue left behind by the Pirate King Gol D. Roger regarding that ultimate treasure—
'The Guide to the One Piece'!!!"
"WHOOOOOOAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!"
The entire carnival island—and God Valley—erupted in deafening exclamations at the same time!
A clue left by Roger?! A guide to "ONE PIECE"?!
Although previous light screen scenes—Roger's deathbed flashbacks, Whitebeard's dying words—had already indirectly confirmed the existence and weight of the "One Piece,"
When this name was thrown out so directly, so temptingly, as the prize of a "competition," the impact was still nuclear-level!
To pirates, it was the ultimate coordinate of their dreams—the final goal countless people threw themselves into the sea for, betting their lives!
Even for those already accomplished great pirates, even Yonko-level figures—
"Roger's clue" held an irresistible allure!
"Ohhh!!! It's treasure!!"
Chopper was the first to leap up, eyes blazing with unprecedented fighting spirit.
The other Supernovas, hearing such an enticing reward, instantly had fiery looks in their eyes, rubbing their hands in anticipation.
The previous relaxed, enjoyable atmosphere vanished in an instant, replaced by naked ambition and battle intent!
The entire Expo's mood shifted in a heartbeat—from joyful carnival to the tense prelude before a brutal contest!
"Roger…"
In God Valley, Golden Lion Shiki abruptly turned his head toward Roger, flashing a "we're buddies" kind of grin: "You brat… just how many good things did you hide all over the world?
Now that we're at least sort of on friendly terms, got any 'inside info' or 'backup treasure' you can share with me? Hm?"
Roger, facing Shiki's blatant greed and forced familiarity, just calmly dug in his ear with a finger, looking completely innocent:
"Don't talk nonsense, Shiki. Right now I'm even more curious than you about what kind of messy clues the future me left behind."
Roger paused, then the corner of his mouth curved up slightly in a sly smile: "And besides—even if I really did have treasure… I've still got a crew to feed!"
"Hahahaha!" At Roger's words, his pirate crew burst into uproarious laughter.
Shiki wasn't angry; he just chuckled, as if he had some special filter when it came to Roger.
After regaining his composure a bit, Shiki turned his gaze back to the light screen, eyes glinting with calculation and excitement: "A clue about that 'ONE PIECE,' huh… Interesting, very interesting!
Looks like this Frenzy Operation is going to be even more worth watching than I thought!"
Rocks folded his arms, staring at the restless Supernovas on the screen and the words "Roger's Treasure Clue," his gaze deep and unreadable.
Though his Beehive Island could also be considered a "paradise" for pirates, Rocks had a strange, inexplicable feeling—as if it were pure instinct.
This so-called "Expo" and "treasure hunt" probably weren't just entertainment at their core.
That said, anything tied to Roger's name in the future always seemed to stir up the biggest storms.
Unlike the pirates' side, the Five Elders' expressions grew even darker.
A pirate carnival, a scramble for Roger's legacy…
The "future" shown by the light screen relentlessly highlighted the activity of pirate forces and their potential threat to world order.
Especially that clue to the "One Piece"—a long-standing "taboo" they had tried to cover up and erase.
When Roger's deathbed flashback merely lightly mentioned "Joy Boy," Saint Satan's face had looked worse than if he'd eaten shit.
No matter what thoughts swirled in each side, the "Frenzy Operation" in the light screen had already begun in earnest.
"Alright! Since it's treasure, we can't back down either!"
Though Luffy had no particular interest in Roger's legacy, adventure was another story entirely. The entire Straw Hat crew was fired up by Luffy, determined to take first place!
Though plenty of powerful pirates were present, when it came to who looked the coolest and had the most swagger—it really had to be Luffy!
While the entire island's pirates boiled over with excitement about the treasure hunt rules and ultimate prize, the light screen quietly switched to a dim, secluded back alley.
A tall figure wearing a spotted fur cap, draped in a black feathered coat, clutching a long sword, staggered forward while pressing a hand to a constantly bleeding wound.
It was Trafalgar Law!
His face was pale, breathing unsteady—clearly seriously injured.
"Hee hee hee hee! You can't run away, Trafalgar!"
A familiar, ridiculous voice came from behind.
There was Buggy the Clown—user of the Bara Bara no Mi—leading a few subordinates, swaggering after him.
Buggy wore a cap labeled "SECURITY" on his head, looking smug.
"This great me is now the special security personnel for this grand event! Specially tasked with cleaning up shady, suspicious, troublemaking elements like you! Surrender quietly!"
"ROOM!"
Law wasted no words. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he expanded a pale blue hemispherical space—his ability activated!
"Shambles!"
In the next instant, his figure vanished from in front of Buggy. With a faint shimmer of spatial swap, he suddenly appeared directly on the deck of the Thousand Sunny, which was in the middle of final resupply!
"Whoa! Who is it?!"
Brook, sunbathing on deck, jumped in fright.
"It's… Trafalgar?!"
Chopper, coming out of the cabin, saw Law covered in blood and barely able to stand, and immediately cried out: "You're hurt! Really badly!"
Out of pure doctor instinct, Chopper didn't even ask what happened—he just spun around and rushed back to the infirmary for the first-aid kit and medicine.
The rest of the Straw Hat crew heard the commotion and gathered quickly. Seeing Law in such a wretched state, they showed surprise and concern.
From their reactions, though Law's position had been ambiguous during the Summit War and he later became a Warlord of the Sea,
The Straw Hats didn't harbor much hostility toward him—there was even a subtle camaraderie, somewhere between rival and acquaintance.
"Straw Hat captain…"
Law leaned against the railing, breathing weakly but eyes still sharp. Looking at Luffy who had rushed over, he said gravely: "This Pirate World Expo… is a massive conspiracy! The organizer, Buena Festa—his goal isn't to hold some celebration at all!"
While Chopper fumbled busily yet professionally to treat Law's wounds, Law intermittently revealed the terrifying intelligence he had uncovered: the true purpose of the ever-smiling, highly charismatic host Buena Festa…
Was to exploit this grand gathering of countless powerful pirates to create unprecedented chaos, thereby "surpassing" the Great Pirate Era opened by Pirate King Roger—
Pushing forward an even crazier, more uncontrollable, and inevitably bloodier and darker "New Era"!
"Roger," "era," "conspiracy"…
Nami, Zoro, Sanji, and the others' faces grew solemn upon hearing these keywords.
They instantly realized that beneath this seemingly joyful festival lurked deadly undercurrents.
Luffy scratched his head with an expression that said "I didn't quite follow but it sounds like trouble," then clenched his fist:
"Whatever conspiracy it is! I'm still getting that treasure anyway! But…"
He glanced at the gravely injured Law, then at his crew: "…we can't let the bad guys' scheme succeed and hurt everyone!"
"The pompadour guys are on this island too!"
Finally, on Law's and the crew's advice, Luffy made the decision: split into two teams!
Team One: Luffy, Zoro, Usopp forming the "Treasure Hunt Squad," charging straight for the sky to seize the treasure!
Team Two: Sanji, Nami, Chopper, Brook… forming the "Investigation Squad," tasked with secretly probing Buena Festa's conspiracy.
Tactics set, the countdown to the rising sea current began. The entire harbor's pirates surged like sharks smelling blood!
They piloted all kinds of ships, madly rushing toward that sky-piercing current!
Luffy and his group charged ahead; the aerial battle was fiercely intense! Not only did they have to contend with violent currents and complex weather—they also had to watch for other pirates' open attacks, hidden strikes, and constant tripping over each other.
Kid used magnetism to hurl metal attacks, Hawkins used cursed straw dolls to create obstacles, Apoo disrupted with sound waves…
The Supernovas showed off their powers in a dazzling chaotic dogfight in the sky.
Luffy's team, relying on seamless coordination, the Sunny's powerful maneuverability, and sheer guts—though they encountered danger several times, were shot down or forced back—
Always stubbornly recharged into the current, clinging tightly to the front pack.
Amid the chaotic chase, open rivalry, and underhanded tricks, ultimately a small number of teams—including the Straw Hat Treasure Hunt Squad—successfully broke through all obstacles!
Riding the final powerful push of the current like cannonballs, they plunged into that wondrous island suspended at ten thousand meters, wrapped in a massive, tough bubble!
Inside the bubble island was a whole other world, seemingly hiding even more secrets and dangers.
Meanwhile, on the island below, Sanji's Investigation Squad began their covert probe and confrontation against the organizer's conspiracy.
The viewers in God Valley rode the sudden shift in rhythm, emotions rising and falling.
From Zephyr's tragic end, to the noisy pirate feast, to the tension of a conspiracy surfacing…
The "future" shown by the light screen was always full of unexpected twists.
The lure of Roger's "legacy," the Supernovas' chaotic battle, the dark plan hidden beneath celebration…
All of it signaled that this "Frenzy Operation" was absolutely not just a simple treasure hunt game.
Everyone's eyes remained glued to Luffy charging onto the bubble island, and to Sanji's group conducting their investigation on the ground—
Eagerly awaiting the even fiercer, more unpredictable developments to come.
...
[100-chapter milestone!]