A deal in Rainbase · Tyrant Kuma's visit

Tyrant Kuma's appearance instantly chilled the atmosphere in the square.

This member of the Shichibukai was known for his immense strength and cold disposition. Legend had it that he had once wiped out an entire country's army alone, earning him the name "Tyrant." But what made him even more unnerving was that he almost never spoke, and his actions were completely unpredictable.

And now, he stood here, asking for Lin Yan by name.

"Kuma, what is the meaning of this?" Hina stepped forward, placing herself between Lin Yan and Kuma. "The Flame Emperor faces multiple charges, and the Marines are preparing to arrest him. If the World Government wants to see him, it needs to follow proper procedure-"

"The procedure has already been followed." Kuma took a document from inside his coat and handed it to Hina.

Hina took it and skimmed through it. The document was a "Special Summons Order" issued directly by the highest authorities of the World Government. Its contents were simple: bring Monkey D. Yan to Mary Geoise immediately to discuss "important matters." It had been signed by... the Five Elders.

The Five Elders, the highest authorities of the World Government, answered directly to the Celestial Dragons. Not even the Fleet Admiral could disobey their orders.

"This..." Hina's expression darkened. She looked at Lin Yan. "When did you get involved with the World Government?"

Lin Yan was just as baffled. He was certain he had never had contact with the World Government's upper ranks, let alone the Five Elders.

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "But I don't intend to go."

Kuma looked at him, his voice still mechanical. "Refusing means making an enemy of the World Government. Are you certain?"

"Certain." Lin Yan did not back down. "I have my own path to follow. I'm not interested in playing political games with the Celestial Dragons."

Kuma fell silent for a few seconds, then said:

"What if it concerns news of your mother?"

Lin Yan's pupils contracted.

"What did you say?"

"Your mother, Gol D. Roger's wife, was actually the last descendant of the Guardian D Clan, a survivor of the God Valley Incident," Kuma said slowly. "She disappeared twenty years ago, but the World Government has information on her last known whereabouts. If you want to know where she is, come with us."

Those words exploded like thunder in Lin Yan's mind.

Mother's whereabouts... the World Government knows?

He clenched his fists, struggling fiercely within. On the one hand, he desperately wanted news of his mother; on the other, this was clearly a trap-the World Government was using his mother as bait to lure him to Mary Geoise. Once he went, he feared he would never return.

"Don't believe him!" Ace grabbed Lin Yan's arm. "They're lying to you! Mother already..."

He wanted to say that their mother was already dead, but remembering the sight of her turning into motes of light in the altar hall, he could not get the words out. Had that been death, or some other state of existence?

Robin walked to Lin Yan's side and said quietly, "Captain, the World Government's archives really do contain top-secret records of the God Valley Incident. But those records are sealed in the deepest reaches of Mary Geoise. No one except the Five Elders and the Celestial Dragons can access them. They may really know something."

Lin Yan looked at Kuma. "How do I know whether you're telling the truth?"

Kuma took a pendant from inside his coat-it was almost identical to the one Lin Yan had, except that it was silvery white rather than gold.

"This is another keepsake your mother left behind," Kuma said. "She gave it to me at God Valley and asked me to give it to her son twenty years later. She said... once you saw this pendant, you would believe me."

Lin Yan took the pendant. The instant it touched his hand, it shone with a soft silver light, and a line of words appeared within the glow:

[To my dear Yan: if one day you meet a man named Bartholomew Kuma, please trust him. He is a friend of your mother's.-Mother, who will always love you]

The handwriting, the aura, and that feeling of a shared bloodline... they were all real.

Lin Yan closed his eyes and drew a deep breath.

"All right. I'll go with you."

"Brother!" Ace grew anxious.

"But I have conditions." Lin Yan looked at Kuma. "First, I'll only stay for three days. After three days, whatever the outcome, I must leave. Second, during that time, the Marines must not cause trouble for my crew or Alabasta. Third... I'm bringing two people with me."

"Who?"

"Nico Robin and Portgas D. Ace."

Kuma was silent for a moment, then nodded:

"Agreed. But only you may enter Pangaea Castle. They must wait outside."

"Deal."

Lin Yan turned to his crew. "Ace, Robin, get ready. You're coming with me. Everyone else, stay in Alabasta and follow Vice Admiral Hina's arrangements-I trust her to handle the aftermath fairly."

Hina snorted but did not argue.

"Captain, this is too dangerous," Isuka said worriedly. "What if they..."

"There are no what-ifs," Lin Yan interrupted him. "If I haven't returned after three days, leave Alabasta immediately and wait for me on Sky Island. That's an order."

"...Yes." Isuka gritted her teeth and accepted the order.

Chopper's eyes brimmed with tears. "Captain, you have to come back..."

"Don't worry." Lin Yan rubbed his hat. "I promise I'll come back."

He looked at Tashigi. "Tashigi, while I'm away, you and Isuka will share responsibility for matters aboard the ship. If the Marines make any suspicious moves... you know what to do."

Tashigi nodded solemnly. "Understood. I'll protect everyone."

All the arrangements were settled.

Lin Yan, Ace, and Robin boarded Kuma's enormous black ship.

The ship slowly rose into the air, passed through the clouds, and vanished into the sky.

In the square, everyone gazed up at the sky, their hearts filled with worry.

Hina sighed and told her adjutant, "Inform Headquarters that Kuma has taken the Flame Emperor away. Also... drop all charges against Alabasta and restore all of King Cobra's authority."

"Yes, Vice Admiral!"

Hina then looked at Tashigi. "You, come with me. I need a detailed report of everything that happened over the past few months."

Tashigi hesitated, then finally nodded. "...All right."

She knew it was time to clear certain things up.

The interior of the black ship was unexpectedly spacious and luxurious.

Rather than a ship, it was more like a moving palace. Expensive oil paintings hung along both sides of the corridors, soft carpets covered the floors, and a faint scent of incense filled the air.

Kuma brought the three of them to a sitting room, then said:

"The journey will take twelve hours. You may rest or move about freely. But please do not attempt to enter the bridge or the lower hold-there are automated defense systems there."

With that, he left, leaving the three of them in the room.

"Brother, do you really trust him?" Ace asked at once.

"Halfway." Lin Yan sat on the sofa, toying with the silver pendant. "The pendant is real, and so are Mother's words. But the World Government's intentions... definitely aren't straightforward."

Robin walked to the window and watched the clouds race past outside. "Mary Geoise, the headquarters of the World Government and the holy land of the Celestial Dragons. I've spent twenty years studying the Void Century, but I never imagined I would approach that place like this."

There was anticipation in her voice, but also fear.

"Robin, are you afraid?" Lin Yan asked.

"Yes," Robin admitted frankly. "But more than that... I'm excited. Mary Geoise holds far too many secrets. If I can see it with my own eyes, even just the outskirts, it will be worth it."

She turned to Lin Yan. "Captain, do you really intend to go in alone? Pangaea Castle is where the Celestial Dragons live. It's heavily guarded, and the Holy Knights are stationed there too. Once you enter, you might never come out."

"That's why I brought you and Ace," Lin Yan said. "You'll support me from outside. If anything goes wrong, I'll signal you with the Vivre Card. Leave immediately and forget about me."

"No way!" Ace objected at once. "If we die, we die together!"

"Don't be ridiculous." Lin Yan glared at him. "Our goal isn't to get ourselves killed. It's to gather information. If I really am trapped inside, you need to survive and carry on Mother's mission and the D Clan's."

Ace wanted to argue, but seeing Lin Yan's stern gaze, he finally gritted his teeth and nodded. "...I understand."

"Robin," Lin Yan said, looking at her, "once we enter Mary Geoise, your task is to use your Flower-Flower Fruit ability to gather as many leads on historical documents as possible. There must be crucial records of the Void Century there."

"Understood." A light flashed in Robin's eyes. "I'll do my best."

For the rest of the journey, the three discussed various contingency plans. Lin Yan told the other two everything he knew about the World Government, the Celestial Dragons, and the Holy Knights-most of it came from Garp's accounts, with a small portion coming from fragments of his mother's memories.

Twelve hours later, the black ship began to descend.

Through the windows, they could see the scene below-a magnificent city built atop the Red Line, its white buildings standing like ivory, its golden roofs glittering in the sunlight. At the center of the city stood an enormous castle: Pangaea Castle.

At the edge of the city, a stretch of ruins was faintly visible-the former "God Valley," the site of that great battle twenty years ago.

The ship landed at a designated harbor on the outskirts of Mary Geoise.

Kuma was already waiting by the hatch:

"Monkey D. Yan, please follow me. The other two will wait here."

Lin Yan took one last look at Ace and Robin, nodded, and followed Kuma off the ship.

The harbor guards were all CP0 agents wearing white suits and masks. When they saw Kuma and Lin Yan, they gave no reaction, merely opening the gate leading inside in silence.

Lin Yan followed Kuma into Mary Geoise.

The streets were impossibly clean, without so much as a fallen leaf. Exquisite sculptures and fountains lined both sides. Occasionally, lavishly dressed Celestial Dragons rode past on slaves, revealing expressions of disgust when they saw Lin Yan, but none approached-with Kuma beside him, they did not dare.

After walking for about twenty minutes, the two reached the gates of Pangaea Castle.

Two towering guards stood before the gates, wearing golden armor and carrying spears, their presence imposing. Lin Yan could sense that both of them possessed at least Admiral-level strength.

"Members of the Holy Knights," Kuma said quietly. "Don't meet their eyes."

Lin Yan nodded.

The guards checked Kuma's credentials, looked Lin Yan over, then opened the gates.

Beyond the gates lay a long corridor. Tall stone pillars lined both sides, their surfaces carved with intricate patterns. At the end of the corridor stood an enormous golden door.

"The Five Elders are waiting inside." Kuma stopped. "This is as far as I can take you. Remember, whatever they say, remain calm."

"You're not coming in?"

"I'm not qualified to." With that, Kuma turned and left.

Standing alone before the golden door, Lin Yan drew a deep breath and pushed it open.

The room beyond was even larger than he had imagined.

It was a circular council chamber, with a map of the world painted across its towering dome. At the center stood an enormous round table, with five old men seated around it-the Five Elders, the highest authorities of the World Government.

They wore matching white suits, their expressions solemn and their presence powerful. The moment Lin Yan entered, all five gazes fell on him at once, pressing down like five mountains.

"Monkey D. Yan." The bald elder seated in the middle spoke, his voice aged but full of authority. "You've finally arrived."

Lin Yan walked to the round table, neither servile nor overbearing. "Honored Five Elders, what do you want with me?"

"It concerns your mother, Gol D. Roger's wife, the last bloodline of the Guardian D Clan," said another elder with a long beard. "We know where she is. But before we tell you, we need you to... do something."

"What?"

"Join the Shichibukai."

The words stunned Lin Yan.

"What?"

"Join the Shichibukai and become a legal pirate under the World Government," the bald elder repeated. "We've already seen your strength. You're qualified to fill the vacancy left by Crocodile. As long as you agree, we'll not only tell you your mother's whereabouts, but also grant you privileges-for example, the right to legally study the Poneglyphs."

Very tempting terms.

But Lin Yan immediately realized that this was a trap. The World Government wanted to bind him with the position of Shichibukai and turn him into their pawn.

"What if I refuse?" he asked.

The Five Elders' gazes turned cold in unison.

"Then we cannot guarantee your mother's safety," the long-bearded elder said indifferently. "She is currently in a very 'special' place. Only we know its exact location. If you refuse to cooperate... she may remain there forever."

A naked threat.

Lin Yan clenched his fists, but remained outwardly calm:

"I need time to consider."

"Very well." The bald elder nodded. "You have three days. In three days, if you agree, come here to sign the agreement. If you don't..."

He did not finish, but his meaning was clear.

Lin Yan turned and left.

When he emerged from Pangaea Castle, his expression was frighteningly dark.

The World Government really is a pack of despicable scoundrels. Using Mother to threaten me and force me to submit.

But I, Lin Yan, have never bowed to threats.

When he returned to the harbor, Ace and Robin immediately gathered around him:

"Brother, how did it go?"

"Captain, what did they say?"

Lin Yan briefly explained the situation.

"Those bastards!" Ace said furiously. "Brother, let's fight our way straight in and rescue Mother!"

"Calm down." Lin Yan held him back. "We don't even know where Mother is. How would we rescue her? Besides, this is Mary Geoise. The Holy Knights, CP0, and Admirals from Marine Headquarters are stationed here. Forcing our way in would be suicide."

"Then what do we do? Are we really going to agree to their demands?"

"Of course not." A cold gleam flashed in Lin Yan's eyes. "They gave me three days. Then I'll use those three days... to do something else."

He looked at Robin:

"You said earlier that Mary Geoise holds crucial records of the Poneglyphs, right?"

"Yes. They should be in the secret library beneath the 'Empty Throne.'"

"Good." Lin Yan nodded. "Then that's where we'll go."

Robin and Ace both froze.

"Captain, you mean..."

"Infiltrate the Empty Throne and steal the Poneglyphs," Lin Yan said. "Since we're here, we can't leave empty-handed. Besides... I suspect my mother's whereabouts may very well be connected to that place too."

This decision was far too bold.

The Empty Throne was the symbol of the Celestial Dragons, the throne where the "King of the World" sat, according to legend. Its security was undoubtedly the highest in the world.

"It's too dangerous." Robin shook her head. "Our chance of success might be less than one percent."

"Then one percent it is," Lin Yan said firmly. "Some things have to be done, even if there's only a one-in-ten-thousand chance."

He looked at them both:

"Are you willing to take this gamble with me?"

Ace did not hesitate. "Of course!"

Robin fell silent for a few seconds, then finally nodded too. "...All right. I've been gambling with my life all along, anyway. One more time won't make a difference."

The three exchanged smiles.

Night fell.

The lights of Mary Geoise lit up like stars.