Chapter Text
Chapter 1: The Darkness of Elbaf (Prologue)
The sea changed long before Elbaf appeared. The Thousand Sunny cut through waters that had gone from playful blue to a deep, iron shadowed green, as if the ocean itself had learned to hold its breath. The wind still filled the lion headed sails, but it carried a colder edge now, sharp and old, smelling faintly of pine resin, salt, and something ancient; like stone that had never known sunlight.
Usopp stood at the bow, gripping the rail so tightly his knuckles had gone pale. His eyes were wide, reflecting the horizon. "I—I knew it," he whispered, voice trembling between awe and terror. "I knew it was big, but this is… this is illegal. Islands aren't allowed to be this big."
Luffy had climbed onto the figurehead, standing barefoot atop the Sunny's lion mane like a conquering hero. His straw hat flapped wildly as he laughed, arms thrown wide. "ELBAAAAAAF!" he shouted, voice echoing back from somewhere impossibly far away. "IT'S HUGE! USOPP! IT'S HUGER THAN HUGE!"
Usopp choked. "That's not a word!"
"IT IS NOW!"
The island rose from the sea like a continent pretending to be land. Cliffs the size of mountains plunged straight into the ocean, their surfaces carved by time into the shapes of snarling faces, broken shields, and half-erased runes. Waterfalls thundered down in endless white ribbons, crashing into the sea with enough force to shake the Sunny's hull even at a distance.
Above it all loomed trees. No, not trees; titans. Their trunks were wider than city blocks, bark ridged and dark like the backs of ancient beasts. Branches stretched into the clouds, canopies blotting out the sky in places, leaves the size of sails shifting slowly as if the forest itself breathed.
Usopp sank to his knees."…I'm home," he whispered reverently.
Gaban stood near the helm, arms crossed, the wind tugging at his cloak. His sharp eyes traced the shoreline, the cliffs, the runes half-swallowed by moss. "Still showing off," he muttered fondly. "Some things never change."
Robin joined him, her expression calm, but intent. "The carvings are older than I expected," she said. "Some predate the Void Century."
Gaban nodded. "Elbaf remembers things the world tried to forget."
The Sunny drifted closer. As they did, the light subtly dimmed, not because of clouds, but because the trees leaned inward, casting long shadows that stretched across the water like reaching fingers.
Luffy's grin didn't fade, but something behind it shifted. The laughter in his mind paused though, just a heartbeat. A warmth stirred deep within him. Light. Familiar. Laughing. Endless.
The world tilted, causing Luffy to bunk in confusion. As the wind's howl softened, stretching into a low, rhythmic drumbeat. The creak of the Sunny faded, replaced by the sound of distant waves hitting something hollow. His chest felt… fuller. Brighter.
And then…
Luffy. The voice was laughter wrapped around thunder. It wasn't spoken. It rang in his mind. Luffy sucked in a breath, hand pressing unconsciously to his chest.
"…Huh?"
The world split, not physically, but in feeling. The joy inside him surged, and from it rose a presence that felt like a sun breaking through clouds.
Listen, Luffy, the voice said, still laughing, still warm. This land sings… but not all its songs are kind.
Luffy's eyes narrowed slightly, the excitement in them sharpening into focus. "Nika?" he whispered, barely moving his lips.
The presence pulsed, amused but serious now, like a grin that hadn't vanished, only hardened. There is a shadow here, Nika said. Old and hungry. It curls beneath laughter and feasts on pride. I can feel it… but it hides well. The joy flickered, like firelight disturbed by a passing shape. It is not the giants, Nika continued. Nor the trees. It is something that learned to sleep very deeply. The sound of distant thunder rolled across the island—though the sky was clear.
Luffy swallowed. "…Is it dangerous?"
The answer came slower. Everything that fears the sun is dangerous, Nika replied gently. But not everything that is dangerous must be feared. The presence softened, laughter returning like bells. You will find it, Nika assured him. Or it will find you. Either way… keep laughing.
The warmth receded, settling back into Luffy's heartbeat. The world rushed back all at once. "Luffy!" He blinked as Nami's voice cut through the air. She was at the rail now, staring ahead with a frown. "Why did you suddenly go quiet? That's creepy, you know."
Luffy rubbed the back of his head, forcing a grin. "Heh. Just… felt something weird."
Usopp spun around instantly. "WEIRD HOW?! LIKE 'CURSED GIANT GHOST WEIRD' OR 'ANCIENT DOOM WEIRD' OR—"
Robin's eyes flicked to Luffy. "You felt it too, didn't you?"
Gaban looked at him sharply now. "Boy."
Luffy nodded once, more serious than usual. "There's something here. Something hiding."
The wind shifted again, carrying a low horn-call from somewhere deep within the island. It wasn't threatening, but it wasn't welcoming either. It echoed between the cliffs like a challenge unanswered. Gaban exhaled slowly. "…Then Elbaf truly hasn't changed."
As the Sunny reached the massive harbor, more a carved bay than a port, the scale of Elbaf became overwhelming. Giant longships were anchored along stone piers wide enough for fortresses, their hulls etched with battle sagas, prows shaped like wolves, dragons, and gods long forgotten.
Giants moved along the docks, each one a walking legend. Their laughter boomed like rolling thunder, their footsteps sending tremors through the stone. Some paused when they saw the Sunny, a tiny thing by comparison, but when they spotted the straw hat at the bow, murmurs spread.
"The Sun-Boy…"
"The Laughing One…"
Gaban stepped forward as the gangplank lowered. The moment his boot touched Elbaf stone, he stopped. The wind caught his hair. As the smell of pine and iron filled his lungs. For the first time since they'd met him, Gaban smiled without restraint."It's good to be home. Took me long enough," he murmured to the land itself.
Usopp burst off the plank, arms raised, screaming incoherently. "GIANTS! I'M BACK! DID YOU MISS ME?! I'M A GREAT WARRIOR OF THE SEA NOW! ASK ANYONE!"
A giant leaned down, squinting. "Is… is that the small loud one from the sea stories?"
Another laughed. "The one who lies like a skald on fire?"
Usopp puffed up. "I PREFER EMBELLISHES HEROICALLY!"
Luffy hopped down beside him, laughing, until his foot hit the stone—and for just a second, the ground felt… wrong. Too cold. Too still. This caused him to look up towards the forest. The trees at the edge of the harbor swayed slowly, but one patch of forest remained utterly motionless, leaves frozen despite the wind.
Dark. Watching.
Luffy grinned anyway. "Alright," he said, rolling his shoulders. "Let's eat, party and figure out what's creeping around in the shadows!"
Gaban laughed, deep and approving. "That's the spirit."
High above them, far beyond giant sight, clouds gathered around a mountain whose peak had been split long ago. Beneath that mountain, something ancient stirred, drawn by drums it had hoped hear again. The sun climbed higher over Elbaf and somewhere deep in its roots, in the darkness, listened.
The seas around Wano did not welcome strangers; instead they tested them. The Whitebeard Pirates' escort ship cut through the fog like a blade through silk, its hull groaning as if the water itself resented being parted. The mist clung low and heavy, curling around the ship in pale coils, muffling sound and warping distance. Even seasoned pirates found themselves speaking more quietly here, voices swallowed by the breath of the land.
Davy Jones stood at the bow, unmoving even as the wind tugged at her dark coat, but she barely noticed. Her eyes were no longer glowing with abyssal fury, no longer hollow, tracked the towering cliffs ahead with something close to reverence. Wano rose from the sea like a sleeping dragon, its walls sheer and ancient, carved by hands that had known war long before the World Government learned the word control.
Behind her, Izou adjusted the strap of his rifle and studied her carefully. He had seen many monsters in his life. Very few who chose not to be one. "You're certain," Izou said quietly, "that you want to meet the Shogun directly?"
Davy did not turn. "He is Luffy's friend," she replied. Her voice carried the echo of deep waters, but it no longer drowned itself in bitterness. "That makes him relevant."
Izou smiled faintly. "That sounds like Straw Hat logic."
A shadow of a smile touched her lips. "I am learning."
The ship passed through the hidden current, and Wano revealed itself fully, tiered cliffs crowned with forests aflame in autumn color, waterfalls cascading like silver veils into the rivers below. Lanterns flickered along distant bridges. The capital lay nestled beyond the cliffs, peaceful in a way that felt… guarded.
The ship docked without ceremony as samurai waited on the pier, spears grounded, faces stern but not hostile. Their eyes lingered on Davy Jones longer than was polite. They felt something from her, like an echo of storms, of chains dragged across the ocean floor.
Izou stepped forward first. "I am Izou of the Whitebeard Pirates," he announced calmly. "I bring a guest under our protection."
Murmurs rippled through the samurai ranks.
One stepped forward, eyes sharp. "The Shogun has been informed of your arrival. He awaits you in the Flower Capital."
Davy inclined her head. "Then I will not keep him waiting."
The journey through Wano was quieter than the sea, but no less heavy. The roads were lined with banners bearing the Kozuki crest, snapping gently in the breeze. Citizens bowed to Izou, whispered his name with respect. When their eyes fell upon Davy, their reactions varied from fear, curiosity, a strange, to instinctive unease. She did not blame them.
The capital emerged like a painting brought to life—bright roofs, curved bridges, laughter drifting from distant streets. Yet beneath it all, Davy felt the hum. Ancient stone of old contracts. Spirits that had never fully gone to sleep.
The palace gates opened revealing Kozuki Momonosuke as he burst through them at a run. "Izou!" His voice echoed across the courtyard as he sprinted forward, guards scrambling behind him in a vain attempt to maintain decorum. Momo skidded to a halt before Izou, eyes shining with barely contained excitement.
"You're back! Is Luffy with you? Is he okay? Did he eat enough? Is he—"
Izou laughed softly. "Slow down, young lord."
Momo grabbed Izou's sleeves anyway. "Tell me everything."
Izou's expression softened. "Straw Hat is very much alive. Louder than ever. He's… changed."
Momo beamed. "I knew it! He always does!" Then Momo noticed her. His words died in his throat.
Davy Jones stood a few paces back, hands folded calmly, posture composed, but the air around her felt deep. Heavy. Like standing at the edge of a bottomless well. Momo straightened, instinctively placing himself between her and Izou, though his knees wobbled slightly. "I—Izou…?"
Izou rested a hand on Momo's shoulder. "This is Davy Jones." The name struck like thunder.
Momo's breath hitched. "D… Davy Jones?" His eyes widened. "As in— the Flying Dutchman?"
Davy inclined her head. "Formerly."
Momo swallowed hard. "The cursed hand of darkness… the one the World Government erased from history…"
Izou nodded gravely. "Davy D. Jones." The courtyard fell silent.
Momo's voice trembled. "But, that name, it's…Luffy told me once, about the 'D'… about people who defy the gods…"
Davy met his gaze evenly. "I was their weapon," she said. "Until I broke."
Momo took a step back, then another, heart racing. "Y-you're supposed to be a myth. A warning. A—"
"A chain," Davy finished quietly. "Yes."
Momo looked at Izou desperately. "Why is she here?"
Izou's eyes hardened. "Because Straw Hat saved her." The words echoed.
Momo stared at Davy again, truly looking this time—not at a monster, not at a legend, but at a woman whose eyes carried centuries of storm and something fragile beneath it. "…Luffy did that?" Momo whispered.
Davy nodded. "He broke my curse. He did not ask who I had been. Only who I wished to be."
Momo's hands clenched into fists. "That idiot…" He laughed suddenly, breathless and shaky. "Of course he would."
The laughter faded as Davy stepped forward. "I did not come only to thank you," she said, her tone darkening, the courtyard seeming to dim with it. "I came because the one who bound me still lives."
Momo stiffened. "You mean… the World Government?"
"No," Davy said. "I mean Imu."
The name was not spoken often in Wano, but when it was, it carried weight like a funeral bell. Momo's blood ran cold. "You know about Imu?"
"I served their shadow," Davy replied. "I carried out their will beneath the waves. I erased islands. Silenced bloodlines. Dragged truth into the dark where it could not scream." Izou's jaw tightened as Davy's hands curled slowly. "They are afraid now. Not of me. Of him."
Momo's voice was barely audible. "…Luffy?"
"Yes." The wind picked up, banners snapping violently. "The drums of liberation have begun to echo," Davy said. "Imu feels it. The world feels it and Wano—" her gaze swept the palace, the land beyond "—Wano will not be ignored when the final chains break."
Momo swallowed. "What are you saying?"
"I am saying," Davy replied, voice low and steady, "that war is coming. Not the kind fought with fleets alone. But with history. With gods who refuse to die." She stepped closer to Momo, lowering herself slightly so her eyes met his. "Luffy will need allies who remember how to stand when the world tells them to kneel."
Momo trembled, but he did not look away. "…What do you need from us?"
Davy straightened. "Preparation, silence and when the time comes, defiance."
Izou smiled grimly. "Sounds like Wano."
Momo inhaled deeply, then nodded. "If Luffy needs us," he said firmly, "then Wano will answer."
Davy studied him for a long moment, then bowed, not as a subject, not as a weapon, but as an equal. "Then the world has already begun to lose."
Far away, beyond seas and storms, the sun rose over Elbaf, over drums and laughter and ancient shadows stirring uneasily in their sleep and somewhere even farther, on a throne not meant to exist, something felt the first true fear it had known in centuries.
AN: Welcome back everyone! Yes, the sequel to Brother's Found is here! I'm hoping that this one becomes as much of a success as the last one. I'm going to be revealing some myths and legends in the story along with a few battle scenes and probably a few character deaths as well. The war is coming!
Also, Rating is currently Teen and up, but may be changed to Mature later.