The existence of twelve members within the Twelve Earthly Branches was evident, yet until now, neither Kong nor Sengoku had any knowledge of this mysterious organization.
It was only half a year ago…
The Jaya Island Incident.
The Loguetown sightings.
Aside from these events, there was virtually no intelligence available. The name "Edie," supposedly a scientist, didn't even appear in the Marine's intelligence database—no such person could be found.
"I questioned Crocodile about what happened half a year ago since he was directly involved," Sengoku began, his voice heavy with concern. "According to his account, he encountered a scientist named Edie in Mock Town. After being defeated and taken away, Edie merely asked him a few questions before quickly letting him go."
Sengoku paused, reflecting on the strangeness of the encounter. "As for what those questions were, Crocodile never divulged that information. He clearly had something to hide. After all, the Seven Warlords of the Sea aren't directly subordinate to the Marines, and there's no obligation to report every detail to us."
He continued, "Though the specifics are unclear, there was also a sighting in Loguetown that same night. Garp, who was on vacation in East Blue, was dispatched to investigate the next day. However, his report stated that nothing of significance occurred."
Sengoku then provided the only two useful pieces of information they had managed to gather:
The name "Edie" as the mysterious scientist.This individual possessed a space-type fruit ability, allowing him to disappear instantly, taking his companion along with him.
Kong furrowed his brow deeply, pondering the situation. "What was their purpose in killing the Celestial Dragons this time when they seemingly didn't care half a year ago?"
He speculated that Edie might have visited the Sabaody Archipelago before, but Edie merely flew over the Red Line without landing. If Edie had indeed visited earlier, the Celestial Dragons would have likely been slaughtered then as well.
"They took two items from the auction," Sengoku interjected. "A Devil Fruit and three young girls."
His tone turned sour as he spoke, though he didn't dwell on it. The human auction business was legal in the Sabaody Archipelago, and the Marines had no authority to interfere—especially given that the Celestial Dragons enjoyed such spectacles.
"Is the Devil Fruit their objective?" Kong wondered aloud, picking up a pen and jotting down notes on the situation.
Notes:
Scientist Edie: Suspected leader of the Twelve Earthly Branches, possesses space-related abilities.
Chenlong: Member of the Twelve Earthly Branches, can transform into a mythical Azure Dragon, similar to Kaido but not the same person.
Zishu: Member of the Twelve Earthly Branches, has swordsmanship reminiscent of the late Pirate King Roger but appears much younger. Kizaru suspects Zishu might be Roger's son.
Twelve Earthly Branches: An organization suspected to have twelve members. Apart from Chenlong and Zishu, the identities of the other ten remain unknown.
Kong looked up from his notes, fixing his gaze on Kizaru. "You fought Zishu. How strong is he?"
Kizaru, who had been mentally checked out throughout much of the meeting, snapped back to reality at the question. "That guy can even infuse Conqueror's Haki into his attacks. I'm no match for him… Oh, and he has a pair of black wings on his back. Although he wore a mask, part of his hair was visible, and it was white. I think he might be from the Lunarian clan."
Sengoku's eyes widened in shock. "Are you certain? Did he use the Lunarian divine fire during your battle?"
Kizaru hesitated, then admitted, "Well… no, he didn't. But that might be because he didn't need to. Zishu completely dominated me without it."
"Enough!" Kong's voice thundered, his expression darkening. "White hair, black wings—there's no other race like that except the Lunarians."
Abruptly, Kong stood up, his mind made up. "I'm going to the Holy Land. I must report this to the Five Elders immediately!"
The Lunarian race was a matter of grave concern for the World Government. Kong even suspected that the entire Twelve Earthly Branches organization could be composed of Lunarians, formed with the sole purpose of exacting revenge on the World Government.
Kong was acutely aware of the Lunarians' history—how they once lived in the Kingdom of Gods on the Red Line, the very land where the Holy Land of the Celestial Dragons now stood, built upon the ruins of their former home.
As Kong hurried to leave, Kizaru called after him, his voice tinged with a rare sense of urgency. "Uh… about my long vacation… remember to make sure it's paid, okay?"
Meanwhile, high above the skies, an azure dragon soared majestically, carrying its passengers thousands of meters above the earth.
Perched on the dragon's head, the three sisters had initially been gripped by panic, but their fear quickly gave way to exhilaration.
"Wow~~ so awesome," one of the younger sisters exclaimed, her voice filled with wonder.
"We're flying in the sky, onee-sama!" the other chimed in, her excitement echoing through the air.
The two younger sisters knelt in awe, their eyes wide with amazement. Though Hancock, the eldest, shared in their excitement, she maintained her composure, striving to uphold the dignity expected of an older sister.
"Is now the time to enjoy the scenery?" she scolded lightly, though her voice lacked its usual firmness. "You should express your gratitude to our benefactor."
With that, Hancock guided her sisters into a respectful bow toward Edie.
"Thank you for saving us, Princ... Master Edie," Hancock said, her voice faltering as she almost let slip "Prince Charming." A faint blush crept across her cheeks, embarrassed by the secret fairy tale fantasies she harbored.
Edie turned to face the three sisters, a subtle smile playing on his lips as he took in their earnest expressions. He had to stifle a laugh at the memory of the Pirate Empress Hancock would one day become—bold, beautiful, and unapologetically proud, declaring, "No matter what I do, I will be forgiven because I am so beautiful!"
In contrast, the young Hancock before him was adorable and endearingly polite.
"Keep your heads up," Edie said gently, offering them a warm, sunny smile.
"Yes!" the three sisters replied in unison, their hearts fluttering as they looked up at him.
Just a week ago, they had been cruelly taken from the safety of the Nine Snakes Pirates' ship, captured by human traffickers, and sold as slaves. The horror of that nightmare still lingered, but now, Master Edie's smile felt like a ray of sunshine, piercing through the darkness and filling them with hope.
Why does a man smile so beautifully? Hancock wondered, feeling her heart skip a beat. She shook her head furiously, trying to clear her thoughts. No, no, no. Since being captured, everyone else had been ugly, villainous—even monstrous. Only her Prince Charming shone as brightly as the sun.
Edie noticed the girl shaking her head and could only imagine what was running through her mind. It hadn't yet dawned on him that, in this moment, he had become the embodiment of Hancock's dreams—her Prince Charming, her white knight.
"Hancock, Sonia, Mary," Edie called their names softly.
"Yes?" they responded eagerly, snapping to attention.
"I'll take you back to Wanokuni first," Edie continued. "Then I'll notify your family so they can come to pick you up."
Rescuing the three Snake Sisters had been a mere act of convenience for him. He had little interest in personally escorting them back to Amazon Lily. That was a task better left to the captain of the Nine Snakes Pirates.
"Wanokuni?" Hancock's curiosity was piqued.
"A secluded country of warriors," Edie explained, "where my research institute is located."
He smiled at them reassuringly. "Before your family comes to fetch you, you'll stay at my research institute. But, of course," he added with a teasing glint in his eye, "the institute doesn't support idleness. It's not a good habit to live and eat for free."
Hancock's eyes sparkled with excitement. She had always been curious about the world beyond Amazon Lily, and the chance to explore a foreign land like Wanokuni was more thrilling than she could have ever imagined.
"Master Edie, I can hunt, wash clothes, and cook! We, the people of Amazon Lily, are also born warriors! Right, Sonia, Mary? We will work hard!" Hancock declared with enthusiasm, her voice full of determination.
Her two younger sisters nodded vigorously in agreement, their eagerness matching that of their elder sister.
Edie couldn't help but marvel at the contrast before him. Is this little girl really the future Empress? he wondered. The infamous Pirate Empress, who would one day be feared and revered, was now standing before him—polite, adorable, and eager to please.
He reached out, almost instinctively, and gently patted Hancock's hair.
Hancock, who would usually bristle when others treated her like a child—especially the members of the Nine Snakes Pirates, who she believed should recognize her as a capable warrior—found herself unexpectedly comforted by Edie's touch. Instead of annoyance, she felt a warmth and reassurance that she couldn't quite explain.
"Little Hancock," Edie said, his tone soft but serious, "you have the qualifications of a Conqueror."
Hancock's eyes widened slightly, her heart skipping a beat. The term "Conqueror" was one of great significance, and hearing it applied to her made her chest swell with a mix of pride and curiosity.
"I've been studying Haki recently," Edie continued, "and your appearance has been of great help to my research."
Hancock's heart fluttered at the idea of being helpful to her Prince Charming. But then, Edie's next words, though calmly spoken, were anything but ordinary.
"So, let's draw some blood first," he said, almost as if it were a casual suggestion.
Hancock, still feeling the warmth from Edie's hand on her head, blinked in surprise. The notion of drawing blood would normally have been unsettling, but coming from Edie, it seemed almost... fascinating. His calm demeanor and the gentle way he spoke made even such an unusual request feel like a natural part of his research.
While Edie and the Gang were Flying back to Wano, Big news was spreading like wildfire across the world. A shockwave of information that would soon rattle every corner of the globe: The Celestial Dragons have been killed!