The Figarland family, one of the nineteen founding families of the World Government, holds a special place in the hierarchy of power. Their influence ranks second only to Im-sama, the most enigmatic and imposing figure who has ruled the world for eight hundred years. This lineage has maintained its power and authority throughout the centuries, not only because of their historical position, but also because of their ability to balance and control power among the Tenryūbito, the so-called "descendants of the gods," ensuring that they do not cause problems that threaten the stability of the world.
The Figarland family's mission is clear: to preserve the established order and maintain the balance between the forces of the world. They are the guarantors of harmony and the only family that possesses the authority to execute Tenryūbito who stray from their path and endanger the fragile peace that sustains the government. This authority is not just symbolic; It is tangible proof of their power, a power so absolute that not even the five elders of the Gorosei, the other highest authorities within the World Government, can contradict or challenge it.
Not all Tenryūbito accepted this situation easily. Many saw the decision to grant so much power to the Figarland family as a blasphemy, an insult to their self-proclaimed divinity. These arrogant nobles, who considered themselves the true heirs of the gods, rebelled against the idea of being controlled by a family that, while powerful, was but one among the nineteen that founded the World Government. Resentment grew, and tensions reached their peak when the Donquixote family, one of the most influential and problematic among the Tenryūbito, decided to openly challenge the Figarland's authority.
It was at that moment that Garling Figarland, the patriarch of the family, made a decision that would forever change the power dynamics among the Tenryūbito. With unrelenting coldness and unwavering determination, Garling decided to eliminate the Donquixotes, not only as punishment for their insubordination, but as a public and undeniable display of the power that the Figarland family held. The elimination of the Donquixotes was total; not only were they stripped of their status and power, but their name was erased from the list of the nineteen founding families. The few descendants who survived that purge were condemned to a life of disgrace and humiliation, remembered only as a warning to any who dared challenge the authority of the Figarlands.
This act of calculated brutality sent a clear message to all of the Tenryūbito: the Figarland family was not only a force to be feared, but an absolute authority that would tolerate no form of defiance. From then on, respect and fear of family became an integral part of the world order, ensuring that the Tenryūbito, despite their arrogance and sense of superiority, remained within established boundaries.
Garling Figarland, however, was not complacent about his success. Over the years, he kept a tight rein on his family and the Tenryūbito, always watching to ensure that no one overstepped the boundaries of his authority. He knew that his power, though immense, was not eternal. Over time, even the greatest fell, and he was aware that his influence and control would eventually wane. It was not a sudden or dramatic decline, but a slow erosion that would, over the years, weaken his position. Thus, he decided that the only way to preserve his family legacy was to produce an heir who could carry on his work and ensure that the Figarland name remained at the top of the world hierarchy.
His first bid for an heir, a son who had been raised to carry the weight of the Figarland legacy on his shoulders, ended in tragedy. During the God Valley Incident, an event involving a pirate band of monstrous power, his son disappeared, and though the Gorosei and the higher-ups of the World Government attempted to conceal and hush up what had happened, the loss was devastating to Garling. The body was not found, and though his son's name was erased from official records, the wound remained. For five long years, Garling made no attempt to father another heir, caught between the pain of loss and the need to protect his family.
Finally, after that long period of mourning and reflection, Garling made the decision to try again. This time, he fathered a daughter, a child who, from birth, was protected with all the power and resources of the Figarland family. This time, Garling was not willing to take any chances. He would not allow the tragedy to repeat itself. The child was raised in a maximum-security environment, surrounded by elite guards, expert advisors, and all the knowledge the family had accumulated over the centuries. Garling made sure that his daughter was not only able to survive in a world filled with enemies, but that she was also prepared to take over the family when the time came.
Over time, the girl grew up, becoming a strong and determined young woman, aware of the weight of her legacy and the role she was destined to play. Garling, though aged, watched with pride as his daughter prepared to assume her place in the world, confident that she would be able to keep the authority and power of the Figarland family intact. He knew that his time was nearing its end, but he also knew that he had done everything he could to ensure the future of his family.
The Figarland family, under Garling's guidance, established itself as one of the most feared and respected forces within the World Government. Their authority was not only a product of their lineage, but of Garling's ability to navigate and control the complex web of power that held the world together. Now, the future of the family was in the hands of his daughter, the last hope of a bloodline that had stood the test of time and, under his leadership, would remain a vital part of the world order.
Garling Figarland had spent much of his life ensuring that his family remained at the pinnacle of power. As patriarch, his responsibility was not only to preserve the status they had achieved, but also to groom his heir so that she could take his place when the time came. For years, he kept a close eye on his daughter, Kushina, watching as she grew into a young woman who, in his eyes, was as precious as a ruby. Her blood-red hair, inherited from him, made her stand out even more, an indisputable mark of the bloodline she belonged to.
However, Garling couldn't help but feel frustrated by his daughter's personality. While he had forged his life with a cold mind and an unrelenting fist, Kushina seemed to be his opposite. She was kind, sentimental, and treated those around her with great consideration, especially the servants and guards who protected her. To Garling, this was a sign of weakness, a trait he couldn't afford in the Figarland heiress. He wanted Kushina to be like him: strong, resolute, and ruthless when necessary.
Despite his attempts to mold her to his expectations, Garling found his daughter to be stubborn. Kushina didn't change her ways easily, and though this irritated him, he couldn't help but feel a deep affection for her. He often found himself giving in to her wishes, unable to deny his only living heir. However, there were lines Garling wasn't willing to cross, and one of them was his daughter's choice of partner.
It all began when Garling learned that Kushina was spending time outside of his watch, in the company of a rookie marine. For someone like Garling, whose life had been a continuous battle to maintain the power and purity of his lineage, the idea of his daughter getting involved with a commoner was unacceptable. He considered the relationship a stain on his family, an insult to everything he had worked to preserve. He tried to separate them, using his influence to separate the marine from his daughter, but Kushina, with the same stubbornness she had shown throughout her life, challenged his authority.
The conflict between father and daughter intensified when Garling discovered that Kushina was pregnant by the marine. That was the breaking point. Garling, unable to accept that a mere commoner could sully his daughter and his lineage, made the decision to eliminate the marine. He ordered his personal guard to kill him, ensuring that no trace of the one who had dared to dishonor his family would remain.
But he didn't stop there. Garling, determined to right what he considered a grave wrong, went in search of his daughter. Kushina, aware of what her father planned to do, fled her home, attempting to protect her unborn child from Garling's wrath. However, her escape was in vain. Garling, with all the resources of the Figarland family at his disposal, was quick to find her.
When he finally found her, Kushina was barely alive. The strain of giving birth while on the run had taken a heavy toll on her body. Garling watched her with a mix of fury and sadness, aware that his daughter, his only remaining heir, was about to die. In those final moments, the two exchanged a few words. Kushina, in a weak but firm voice, revealed to her father that she had given birth to a son, but fearing for his safety, had had him taken far away, out of Garling's reach.
The revelation struck Garling like a dagger to the heart. For years, he had fought to protect his family, to ensure that their legacy remained intact. And now, despite all his efforts, he was losing his daughter, and with her, the only grandson who could carry on the Figarland lineage. As Kushina breathed her last, Garling made a silent oath: he would not allow this child, his daughter's last legacy, to slip through his fingers.
With Kushina's death, Garling was left alone, with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Even though he considered his daughter to have sullied the family name, he could not allow Kushina's son, his grandson, to be lost. This child was now the last link to his daughter, the last trace of their lineage. Garling decided that he would do whatever it took to find him, using all the power and influence of the Figarland family to track him down and bring him back.
Thus, with an iron fist, Garling ordered his men to search for the boy in every corner of the world. He would stop at nothing to ensure that the Figarland legacy continued. Although his daughter had disobeyed his wishes, the boy was innocent and, in Garling's eyes, represented a second chance. In his hardened heart, Garling still held out hope that, by finding his grandson, he could right the wrongs of the past and groom a new heir to take his place when the time came.
The fate of the Figarland family once again hung in the balance, and Garling, as always, was willing to do whatever it took to ensure that his name and bloodline would live on at the pinnacle of world power.
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The disappearance of the grandson of Garling Figarland, one of the most powerful and feared men in the world, did not go unnoticed by the Gorosei, the council of five elders who ruled the world from the shadows. When the news reached their ears, concern quickly spread among them. Although the event had to be kept in the strictest confidence, they understood the gravity of the situation. The child, being the last descendant of the Figarland family, represented a potential threat if he fell into the wrong hands. It was not only a question of power, but of prestige and stability for the World Government.
With the situation in mind, the Gorosei was quick to execute a search order, mobilizing some of the most powerful marines under their command. Admirals and vice admirals were secretly called, and given the mission of finding Garling Figarland's grandson as discreetly as possible. They knew that if word of the news leaked out and reached the ears of the pirates of the New World, the hunt for the boy would turn into a brutal competition. A child belonging to one of the nineteen founding families, and even more so to the Figarland family, would be considered a living treasure, a priceless jewel that any ambitious pirate would want to possess.
But while the higher-ups of the World Government carried out their search, in the distant and chaotic New World, the crew of the Akagami Pirates calmly sailed through the vast ocean. Led by their charismatic captain, Shanks, the pirates celebrated a recent success: they had obtained a treasure chest that promised to be a valuable addition to their loot. The atmosphere on the ship was festive; laughter, chanting, and the sound of clinking glasses echoed as the sun set on the horizon, dyeing the sky in orange and purple hues.
However, in the midst of the celebration, Shanks, known for his keen perception and ability to pick up on even the smallest details, began to hear soft crying. Initially, he thought that one of his crew members might be joking or perhaps had been hurt. But as he looked around, he realized that none of the men showed any signs of discomfort or pain. Intrigued, Shanks began to search for the source of the sound, his eyes scanning the surroundings as his instincts told him that something unusual was going on.
The crying continued, faint but persistent, until Shanks reached the newly acquired treasure chest. His curiosity intensified when he realized that the sound seemed to be coming from within the chest. Could there be something alive inside? With a mix of caution and anticipation, Shanks leaned toward the chest and carefully opened it.
What he found inside left Shanks and several of his companions who approached, completely astonished. Inside the chest, lying on gold and jewels on a blanket, were two small babies. One of them, a girl with mixed hair that was one side white and the other red, had stopped crying upon seeing the light and was now looking at Shanks with a curious expression, before letting out a joyful laugh at the other baby, a boy with scarlet reddish hair. While the girl laughed, the boy slept soundly, oblivious to the bustle around him.
The sight of those two babies brought a torrent of memories to Shanks. At that moment, he vividly recalled how he himself had been found in a similar way, inside a treasure chest, by his former captain, Gol D. Roger. The similarity of the situation could not help but bring a smile to his face. Shanks, being a man who valued the bonds of fate and the signs that life showed him, could not help but feel a connection to the two babies. It was as if fate was presenting him with an opportunity, a change in his life, just as he had experienced years ago.
As he watched the two babies, Shanks pondered the meaning of this meeting. He didn't know where the children came from or why they had been placed in a chest. The only thing that was clear to him was that these little ones were innocents in a cruel world and that they were now in his hands. Shanks was aware of the kind of life he led and the dangerous waters he navigated, but he also knew that, just like Roger had done for him, he must protect these children.
Silently making a decision, Shanks gently stroked the head of the still sleeping child and then took the little girl into his arms, who began to laugh again as she felt safe. "This is a change too," Shanks murmured to himself, almost as if he were accepting a new destiny presented to him. The two children, in their innocence, reminded him of the continuing cycle of life, where endings give way to new beginnings.
Determined, Shanks ordered his crew to care for the babies. The Akagami Pirates, though rough and fearsome in combat, were a close-knit family, and under the guidance of their captain, they accepted the children as part of themselves. Shanks, with a slight smile, took it upon himself to protect the little ones, knowing that his fate was now intertwined with theirs, just as his once was with Roger.
Thus, the Akagami Pirates' ship continued its journey, but now with a new purpose. Unbeknownst to them, Shanks had taken under his wing the last descendant of the Figarland family and another mysterious child, both destined to play a crucial role in the future of the world. What had started as a simple celebration of a found treasure, had turned into an encounter with destiny that would change their lives forever.
And end of the chapter