Rushing to the Rescue

New World.

Somewhere at sea.

A twin-masted pirate ship was cutting through the waves. It was the Red Force, belonging to one of the current Four Emperors, the Red-Hair Pirates.

On deck.

Red-Hair Shanks, one of the Four Emperors, studied the intelligence in his hand, his commanding face marked by three scars slightly grim.

First mate Benn Beckman stood nearby smoking, waiting for Red-Hair's decision.

"Does Yasopp know?"

After reading the intelligence, Red-Hair looked up at Benn Beckman. His red hair and long black cloak whipped wildly in the sea breeze.

Whoosh~

"Not yet."

Benn Beckman exhaled a ring of smoke and shook his head. Frowning, he asked, "Are we heading to Water 7?"

"Call Yasopp over first! His son is in danger too."

"All right."

Red-Hair's expression darkened as he lowered his gaze to the intelligence again.

There was only one line written on it: the Straw Hat Pirates had been captured in Water 7 by Saint Marcus Mars, one of the Five Elders, along with a Celestial Dragon named Saint Germain Sumer.

They were about to be escorted back to Mary Geoise.

Saint Marcus Mars, one of the Five Elders, had actually descended in person and set his sights on the Straw Hat Pirates.

Had they learned that Luffy had eaten that legendary Devil Fruit?

Or had they guessed that Luffy was the person they had been waiting for?

But that shouldn't have been possible!

And this Celestial Dragon named Saint Germain Sumer?

He had never heard of him, and Saint Germain was not among the surnames of the twenty Celestial Dragon families.

Was this a new Celestial Dragon family that "he" had elevated again?

Saint Germain...

What exactly was so special about him?

"Captain, I was maintaining my beloved rifle!"

Just as Red-Hair sank into thought, Benn Beckman arrived on deck with Yasopp.

"Take a look!"

Red-Hair snapped out of his thoughts and handed the intelligence to the puzzled Yasopp.

Both Red-Hair and Benn Beckman were acting strangely.

"What's with all the seriousness?"

Yasopp took the intelligence and glanced at it. The cheerful smile on his face gradually vanished, replaced by danger and gloom.

"Looks like I need to make a trip to Water 7!"

Yasopp did not doubt the intelligence. His first thought was to rush to Water 7.

Some time ago.

One of the Shichibukai, Crocodile, had been defeated by the Straw Hat Pirates, and Yasopp had read the newspaper report at the time.

He recognized Luffy at a glance, as well as the sniper who looked exactly like him when he was young.

The boy's nose looked just like his wife's.

Then he saw the name Usopp.

That was when Yasopp realized that this was the son he had abandoned along with his wife in pursuit of freedom, the son he had always owed.

Afterward.

He remembered to mobilize the forces under the Red-Hair Pirates and investigate his hometown, Syrup Village.

Just as he had thought, the Straw Hat Pirates' sniper Usopp was his biological son.

At the same time, he received news that left him despondent for a long time, filled with guilt and heartache.

Usopp's mother, his wife Banchina, had died of illness several years ago.

He had always believed Banchina and Usopp were living well in Syrup Village.

Who would have thought~

Elsewhere.

On the sea near the waters of Banaro Island.

A small vessel with a special device at its stern, capable of converting flames into propulsion, sped toward Banaro Island.

Meanwhile, several members of the Blackbeard Pirates had just landed on Banaro Island, intending to rest there for a while.

Night fell.

The moon shone brightly amid sparse stars.

It was already three in the morning, and all of Water 7 seemed to be asleep.

Suddenly.

A massive explosion erupted at the harbor, lighting up rows of coastal homes and shattering the silence of the night.

"Enemy attack, enemy attack~"

"Stay alert, stay alert!"

"Oh no, the warship was hit by cannon fire."

"There are enemies at sea, and at the harbor too—"

Inside the ship's cabin.

Doll, who had already gone to sleep, jolted awake. She threw on her coat and rushed onto the deck.

At that moment, many Marines on the warship's deck were firing at enemies on the sea and on land.

Quite a few people on deck were also fighting the fire.

"Vice Admiral Doll!"

"Who are the enemy?"

"Still unclear."

Doll's face sank. With a light leap, she landed atop the lookout tower and fixed her eyes on the dim sea.

Seven or eight bizarre assault ships modified with weapons were steadily closing in.

At the center, two enormous sea beasts pulled the largest warship forward at the head of the charge.

"Charge! Franky Family!"

"Those damned Marines nearly killed Boss Franky! We have to get revenge."

"Attack with the shells invented by Boss Franky!"

"Fire!!!"

"Boom, boom, boom—"

Rows of cannonballs were fired from the assault ships, far more powerful than ordinary shells.

"Geppo."

"Rankyaku~"

Facing the incoming barrage, Doll's expression did not change. She used Geppo to rise into the air, then lashed out with her right leg, creating a vacuum that formed a massive slashing wave aimed straight at the Franky Family ships.

"It's Vice Admiral Doll!"

"Get out of the way—"

"Attack from the sea! We have to hold her back."

The Franky Family thugs were terrified.

Two burly tough guys among them gripped their axes and tried to block it.

The moment they collided with the Rankyaku, their axes shattered and they died.

While the battle outside raged fiercely, the inside of the warship was no less restless.

During the day, Luffy had shouted and made a scene for a long time over Robin and Nami. Only after nightfall had he finally fallen into a deep sleep from exhaustion.

Usopp and Chopper, both light sleepers, were awakened by a series of creaking noises.

The man and the reindeer widened their eyes and looked together toward the bottom of the ship outside the iron cage.

A gear-shaped saw was steadily cutting through the deck beneath the ship, and before long it had carved out a hole.

Bang!

Franky suddenly jumped out through the sawn opening. After quickly scanning his surroundings, he immediately spotted Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper inside the iron cage.

"Monkey D. Luffy, Straw Hat, the man with a bounty of one hundred million Beli who defeated the Shichibukai Crocodile."

During the day.

After seeing the Straw Hat crew captured by that Celestial Dragon, Franky had investigated them and discovered that they were anything but ordinary.

They had actually defeated a Shichibukai.

That only made Franky more determined to risk everything to save them.

After all, the enemy of his enemy was his friend.

No matter what, he had to recover the item Iceburg had entrusted to him—the only relic left behind by that idiot master.

"Who are you?!"

Usopp and Chopper shook Luffy awake, and the two sides stared wide-eyed at each other.

"I'm here to save you."

Franky walked up to the iron cage and opened his right hand. A black iron tube emerged from his palm, and before the astonished eyes of Luffy's group, it suddenly spewed a high-temperature flame.

Less than a minute later.

The iron cage's heavy lock had melted through, and Franky motioned for the three to hurry out.

"That's so cool!"

"Are you a robot?"

"You can shoot fire from your palm!"

Franky's display completely won over Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper. All three had gleaming eyes.

"Robot, can you burn through Luffy's handcuffs..."

Usopp supported the limp Luffy and signaled for Franky to remove the Seastone cuffs. Otherwise, escaping would be difficult.

"These cuffs are made of Seastone. I can't burn through them. We'll have to find the key!"

Franky went behind Luffy and fiddled with the cuffs, discovering that they were made of Seastone.

"Then what do we do?"

"Let's get out first."

"Move!"

Franky reached out with one huge hand, grabbed Luffy directly, slung him over his shoulder, and headed toward the stairs to the floor above.

"Save this god, and this god can help you get revenge—"

The moment the four reached the stairs, a voice rang out without warning. It startled Usopp and Chopper, who immediately went on guard.

"W-Who was that~"

"Over there!"

Following the voice, Franky walked up to a wooden wall and threw a heavy punch, smashing a huge hole through it.

There was another space beyond the opening, containing another iron cage for prisoners.

Inside the cage was a man tied up tightly, bare-chested, wearing lantern pants, with long earlobes and a tomoe thunder drum mounted on his back.