The island, where Siren, Marco, Luffy, and the others had taken refuge, had become a quiet sanctuary. It was a place untouched by the violence of the world, a haven amid the chaos that had unfolded. Siren sat by the water's edge, her eyes closed, her fingers lightly tracing patterns on her belly, feeling the life within her move with each passing day. Yet, despite the serenity around her, the air was thick with unspoken tension.
Each breath she took filled her with the pulse of the island—every tree, every gust of wind seemed to be alive, speaking to her. But beneath that rhythm was something darker. The Voice of All Things had never been so clear to her. Siren could hear the voices of those who suffered, the cries of the dead. Most recently, the tsunami had left behind a wake of devastation, but the consequences were far greater than the waves that had shattered Marineford. In the aftermath, the world had been reshaped, and not all of it was for the better.
"Do you think the world can ever return to what it was?" Marco asked, his voice carrying the weariness of someone who had seen too much.
Siren shook her head softly. "No. It's been broken, Marco. The pieces have already fallen."
...
In the days following Marineford's destruction, a new tide began to rise in the heart of the World Government. They could no longer maintain the illusion of control. The Marines were in disarray. In their desperation to reassert dominance, they enacted measures that were both ruthless and calculated. The nobles—once above the law, now trembled in their ivory towers and looked for someone to lead them through the chaos.
A new decree was issued:
Impel Down was to be destroyed.
The infamous prison, which had once held the most dangerous criminals in the world, was no longer a symbol of the government's power—it had become a liability. With the fear of the escapees and the inability to maintain its security, the World Government had no choice but to destroy it. The vast underground complex, home to countless criminals, was reduced to rubble by carefully calculated explosions. The marines executed the prisoners deemed too dangerous to leave alive, wiping out most of the remaining population of Impel Down.
But there was no victory in this destruction—only fear.
The prisoners were eradicated in the final blast. For the Marines, the death of these notorious criminals was a victory. But for the world, it was just a reminder that their enemies had become shadows, and shadows are always harder to chase.
...
Spandam, once a mid-level operative with dreams far greater than his capabilities, was now promoted to the top leadership of the Marines. His elevation was not due to any form of competence but purely due to his willingness to carry out the World Government's most brutal orders without hesitation. Under his new command, he turned the Marines into an even more dangerous entity, willing to cross any line in the name of order, claiming that only ruthless strength could ensure peace.
In his twisted mind, the old concept of "justice" was a fool's dream. He believed in absolute power and control, and he would stop at nothing to cement the World Government's domination over the seas. The notion of "the greater good" was far from his mind; instead, he was fixated on crushing anyone who stood against the World Government, most notably pirates, who now became his personal obsession.
...
Though Tsuru had once held great influence, she was now relegated to a subordinate position under Spandam's iron-fisted rule. She had always been an advocate for justice, but under Spandam's leadership, her idealism was slowly eroded. Her role was now to act as a "shield" for the more brutal actions that Spandam and the World Government needed to carry out, overseeing operations in a way that ensured compliance with their ruthless agenda.
She still fought for what she believed to be right, but with every passing day, she could feel the weight of her conscience bearing down on her. Tsuru was a woman who had devoted her life to the ideals of fairness and protecting the innocent, but under Spandam's leadership, she was forced into a position where she had to turn a blind eye to atrocities.
Spandam, sensing Tsuru's reluctance, did not hesitate to manipulate her into submission, using her loyalty to the World Government against her. He knew that Tsuru could be the moral compass of the Marines, but he had no use for moral compasses—only weapons.
"Tsuru," he'd say with a venomous sneer, "you've always been a protector, haven't you? But now, you're nothing but a tool in this system. You can either do your duty or I'll make sure you regret it. You know as well as I do that there's no place for weakness anymore. The World Government will crush any that stand in its way."
Tsuru could only swallow her frustration and comply, knowing that there was no one left to challenge Spandam's reign.
...
As the world shifted, those who had once been pawns found new ways to assert their power. Vegapunk, the greatest scientific mind of his age, was caught in the whirlwind of the government's new demands. Forced to abandon his earlier work on the original pacifistas, he found himself being coerced into creating even more dangerous robots. But in the solitude of his lab, his mind began to wander. He had always known that the government was corrupt, but now it was clear that they were only using him as a tool for their own ambition.
Though he continued to fulfill his duty, a quiet resistance grew in him. He began to covertly work with Aokiji, Garp, and Kizaru, feeding them information and resources. It was a risk, but the stakes had never been higher.
...
While the world shifted, life on the island took on a quieter rhythm. Siren's pregnancy was now well into its second trimester. Her belly had grown, and with it, the presence of Ace's soul. Siren could feel him with her always—like a soft whisper in the back of her mind. She would often place her hand over her heart and speak softly to him.
"I know you're still here, Ace. I feel you. And we're okay. I promise you."
Marco remained by her side, the weight of their shared grief still heavy between them. His connection to Ace had always been one of deep love and brotherhood, and while Ace was gone, Marco had never truly let go of him. Siren had been the one to carry Ace's final breath, but Marco had carried Ace's spirit in his heart.
...
Luffy, ever the energetic one, was focused on his training. Under Rayleigh's watchful eye, he pushed himself harder than ever before, his goal always clear in his mind: to protect Siren, to protect the baby, and to honor Ace's memory. He knew that the world was changing, and in his heart, he knew that his journey was far from over.
"I'll be the one to protect them," Luffy muttered to himself during one of his grueling training sessions. "I'll keep everyone safe."
Rayleigh watched him, his expression unreadable. "That's the spirit, Luffy. But you can't protect anyone if you're not strong enough."
Luffy nodded, his resolve hardening like steel.
...
With the destruction of Impel Down and the rise of a new order, the seas began to change. The World Government's new decrees sent waves of fear through the East, West, North, and South Blues. Small-time pirates—those who had once fought for a place in the world—now found themselves hunted like animals.
Under Spandam's leadership, the Marines transformed into something darker. The previously held ideals of justice were abandoned in favor of unrelenting cruelty. The Navy started to use far more extreme tactics, calling for the complete eradication of pirates and those who stood against them. The World Government no longer wanted to merely capture pirates; they wanted to erase them from existence.
For the civilians caught in the crossfire, the seas became a more dangerous place than ever. Spandam ordered public executions of pirates without trial, and the most brutal means of control were employed. As long as a pirate was suspected of being a threat, their execution was guaranteed, no matter the circumstances.
To strengthen the ranks, Spandam relied heavily on the creation of even more advanced Pacifista models, but under his orders, they were altered to be even more ruthless and harder to control. The Warships and Marine Bases became fortified, with extensive surveillance to monitor the movements of anyone suspected of being a pirate. The Marines were no longer an organization of enforcement—they were an authoritarian regime.
...
As the Whitebeard Pirates returned to their territories, they knew that the safety of their islands was no longer guaranteed. Big Mom and Kaido, two of the Four Emperors, seized the opportunity, quietly moving to expand their territories in the wake of the World Government's instability. Pirates, once seen as outlaws, now saw an opportunity to grab power. With the Marine Headquarters fractured, the seas were becoming more chaotic.
...
Siren, Marco, Luffy, and the rest of the group on the island could feel the tremors of change as the world moved on without them. The World Government was no longer just an oppressive force—it was a threat to the very fabric of what the pirates stood for.
But now, the greatest danger was not just the Marines or the Celestial Dragons—it was the shifting allegiances in every corner of the globe. The world had become a battlefield for power, and it was only a matter of time before everything exploded.
But as of yet, their small world was safe, their love for each other and for the new life growing within Siren a beacon of hope amid the chaos.
...