Holy Land Mariejois – Estate of the World Nobles
In the heart of the Holy Land, a Celestial Dragon patriarch sat on a luxurious bench in the grand hall, a scowl on his face, his expression laced with irritation.
"Sir… the Five Elders have made their decision…"
Captain Haude of CP4 knelt respectfully before the patriarch, his voice cautious.
"The Navy will continue its pursuit of the assassin—but they have chosen not to issue a Buster Call."
"Those bastards! What do they think we are!?"
The patriarch slammed his hand down on the armrest, face twisted with rage.
To him, the Navy existed for one reason only: to protect the power and privilege of the Celestial Dragons.
"A Celestial Dragon was killed, and they won't even issue a Buster Call? What kind of dogs don't bark when their master's throat is slit!?"
He trembled with fury. The very institution that should serve them had, in his eyes, grown disobedient—worse, cowardly.
As the tension in the room thickened, Haude braced himself for the next part of his report.
"Sir… there is one more matter that needs to be addressed."
The room fell into an eerie silence, the only sound the patriarch's heavy, furious breathing.
"…Speak."
Taking a deep breath, the patriarch barely restrained the storm in his heart as he eyed Haude.
"My men returned from the investigation in the Goa Kingdom. According to our intelligence—and the Navy's own findings—the primary suspect in the assassination is… that boy."
The words struck like thunder. The patriarch froze, the fury in his eyes replaced by a dark, looming shadow.
"…What did you say?"
The anger began to rise again when the door burst open—slamming against the wall.
"Where's Iggy!?"
A man stormed in, paying no attention to the glares around him. It was Thorn—and from the frantic desperation in his eyes, the news about his missing son had reached him.
"Young Lord…" Haude stumbled, unsure whether to respond. His gaze instinctively turned to the patriarch, silently seeking guidance.
"You… still dare speak of that half-breed!?" the patriarch growled, his voice venomous, trembling with restrained wrath.
His anger wasn't just over the break-in or the assassination—it was over a deeper betrayal.
The ungrateful child Thorn had once fathered still lingered in his heart. A stain. A thorn.
"Father… I just want to say…"
Thorn flinched as his father's furious gaze bore into him. But despite the fear and guilt surging through him, memories of the past pushed him forward.
"Wasn't it us? Didn't we drive Iggy into this corner? We created the monster."
Thorn's voice cracked as he spoke—guilt and sorrow clashing inside him. He had always been caught between loyalty to the family and love for his son. But indecision had made him complicit in Iggy's fall.
All he'd ever done was waver—apologize, hope, and compromise. And now the consequences stood before them all.
"Enough of your pathetic whining!"
The patriarch's shout shook the chandelier overhead. His patience had finally snapped.
He stood and strode toward Thorn, towering over him with fire in his eyes.
"You have one child. One. The one you conceived with Riprest. Do you understand me!?"
He stopped just short of grabbing Thorn, his presence oppressive, suffocating.
Thorn stood frozen, nodding without resistance.
"Haude," the patriarch barked, turning away from his son, "You have one month. Find that child. Then eliminate him. No exceptions."
"Yes, sir!"
---
Meanwhile – Goa Kingdom
Atop a lonely sea cliff, Iggy stood silently over a grave marked only by a worn wooden cross.
It was the final resting place of Sabo.
Along with Sabo, Iggy buried every last remnant of compassion, empathy, and fear.
He left behind every feeling unrelated to revenge on that cliff—on that grave.
At just eleven years old, Iggy chose to leave the thieves' hideout on Mount Colubo, not wanting his presence to endanger anyone else.
He vanished from the Goa Kingdom entirely, moving from island to island across the East Blue under a false name.
During those years, he survived through the skills and training he had acquired: the Navy's Six Styles, Armament and Observation Haki, Life Return—abilities forged in blood and trauma.
He had escaped the Holy Land. Survived elite assassination squads. Witnessed Vice Admiral Garp's reluctant retreat. As time passed, he traveled to various islands in the East Blue, relying on hunting thieves, Bandits and pirates to obtain bounties and make ends meet.
Every time he hunted, Iggy was like a bloodthirsty and ruthless beast, making enemies fear.
Through it all, he had endured.
He scraped by, making a name for himself as a cold, relentless bounty hunter. Thieves and pirates alike feared the mere whisper of his name.
In time, he became infamous across the East Blue.
Six years passed.
And the once-lost child became a young man—sharp, disciplined, and fierce.
He had learned to survive on the edge of a blade, and each battle tempered his strength and sharpened his cunning.
He fought Marines. He fought pirates. He fought monsters—both literal and human.
He now possessed strength equal to a Vice Admiral—and a mind far more dangerous.
Yet his heart remained unchanged.
If anything, his thirst for vengeance had grown deeper.
He had seen firsthand the rot festering beneath the surface of the world—the corruption of the World Government, the cruelty of the Celestial Dragons, the lawless savagery of pirates, and the Navy's moral decay.
He realized that the true enemy wasn't just a few individuals—it was the entire system.
The broken, decaying system that allowed such evil to flourish.
Now, standing once more on that sea cliff, staring down at Sabo's grave, Iggy's eyes burned with resolve.
He turned to face the sea—the gateway to the Grand Line, to the World Government, and to the future.
It was time.
His first step toward vengeance was about to begin.