The second half of the Grand Line.
A certain island.
The Flying Pirates' flag flew high overhead.
"Tsar Crocodile!"
"Queen Form!"
A hoarse roar shook the sky. The ground around them quickly turned into jelly, twisting and coalescing into a colossal, brightly colored woman with a translucent sheen. She held a jelly shield in her left hand and a spear in her right, glaring menacingly at the crime boss in midair.
"Jelly Queen Annie."
Crocodile's slicked-back hair was immaculate, and his black leather coat billowed behind him. He ignored the enormous jelly giant and instead fixed his gaze on Annie below.
Captain of the Flying Pirates' Ninth Fleet.
Paramecia-type Jelly-Jelly Fruit user, with a bounty of 1.26 billion.
The two had clashed several times before.
Crocodile had come here to deliver an invitation to Golden Lion.
The Flying Pirates' headquarters was always up in the sky, appearing and disappearing without a trace.
So, as a second-best option, Crocodile had decided to deliver the invitation to one of the fleet captains, who could pass it along.
As it happened, this island, guarded by Jelly Queen Annie, was the nearest one.
"One month from now, our boss, Gild Tesoro, is holding a gathering of the strongest. He cordially invites Golden Lion to attend."
"Here's your invitation."
Crocodile had no desire to fight Annie.
There was simply no need.
She wasn't a match for him, so he had little interest in fighting her.
The golden invitation shot through the air. Without giving Annie a chance to respond, Crocodile turned into a cloud of flying sand and swiftly vanished over the horizon.
Mushroom Island.
The Explosion Pirates' headquarters.
It was also in the second half of the Grand Line.
The Pure Gold incident had left the Explosion Pirates and the Richest Group with a