The Thousand Sunny sailed through calm, peaceful waters on its way to Egghead Island. The Straw Hat Pirates were in high spirits, fresh off their victory against Kaido, and now enjoying some downtime before their next adventure. Above them, a flock of News Coo circled, dropping newspapers that carried the world's latest headlines.
Zoro lazily caught one of the newspapers, flicking it open. "Let's see what the world thinks of us now," he muttered.
The crew gathered around him, eager to see the news. As they read the front page, their expressions shifted to excitement, shock, and amusement.
"Luffy," Zoro said with a smirk, pointing at the bold print. "Your bounty is ridiculous now."
Luffy grinned as he saw the number beside his name.
Luffy: 5,000,000,000 berries.
"That's crazy!" Nami gasped. "Five billion…!"
"Shishishi! Guess they finally recognize me as the guy who's gonna be Pirate King!" Luffy boasted.
Sora, leaning against the railing, chuckled. "Seems like they're starting to take us more seriously." She glanced down at her own bounty.
Sora: 1,245,000,000 berries.
Zoro's bounty wasn't far behind either.
Zoro: 1,250,000,000 berries.
The rest of the crew was stunned to see their own massive increases:
Jinbei: 1,125,000,000 berries.Nico Robin: 1,000,000,000 berries.Nami: 550,000,000 berries.Chopper: 575,000,000 berries.Franky: 500,000,000 berries.Brook: 500,000,000 berries.Usopp: 500,000,000 berries.
The ship erupted into cheers, laughs, and a full-blown celebration as they reveled in their new bounties, sharing drinks and planning their next move.
As the Straw Hats partied aboard the Thousand Sunny, another being stirred within the ancient, mysterious island they were sailing towards—Egghead Island. Deep inside the recesses of the island, dormant for centuries, lay a giant named EMET, also known by the epithet Iron Giant.
EMET's mechanical body remained still, but within its core, something was awakening. A consciousness that had been dormant for 700 years. Slowly, memories returned to him, fragments of the past filled with joy, loss, and sorrow.
EMET had once been a creation from the Void Century, a time long forgotten by most. He had been more than just a weapon or a machine—he had been a companion, a friend to Joy Boy, the legendary figure who once held the hopes of the world on his shoulders. Together, they had traveled the seas, laughed, fought, and shared dreams of freedom.
But then Joy Boy had fallen.
EMET remembered the dark day when Joy Boy's voice went silent, the day when the oppressive rule of the 20 Kings, led by Imu, solidified. The world had plunged into tyranny and despair, and EMET had been left behind—alone.
He thought of Queen Lili, the Nefertari monarch and the only one of the 20 Kings who had resisted the World Government. She had been a kind soul, a woman of the "D," much like Joy Boy, but even she could not stand against the tide of fate. The bond EMET shared with the "D" family, with Lili, was something that brought him comfort in his long years of loneliness.
For centuries, EMET had wandered aimlessly, without purpose, watching as the world descended into chaos. When the burden of living without those he loved became too much, he had rampaged, attacking the Holy Land of Mary Geoise in a final act of defiance against Imu and the corrupt government. But it had been futile—he was overwhelmed, outnumbered, and left in this dormant state.
In the darkness of Egghead Island, EMET's sensors suddenly sparked. His once-lifeless eyes flickered with a red light, slowly glowing brighter. His thoughts raced as a familiar sensation washed over him—something he hadn't felt in centuries.
Joy Boy…
Joy Boy had returned. Not in body, but in spirit. A new force, a new incarnation of that will was coming. He could feel it, and for the first time in hundreds of years, EMET felt hope.
Inside his dormant mind, EMET danced with joy. He was still trapped, still waiting for his body to awaken, but something inside him stirred to life once again.
A flicker of light appeared in EMET's eyes, and though its body couldn't move, deep within, it felt a surge of emotion. Joy Boy was back. A silly, happy sensation filled its circuits, and if anyone had been watching, they might have imagined EMET doing a little happy dance in its mind. This was what it had been waiting for all this time. The one person who could end Imu's reign was on his way.
On the Thousand Sunny, Luffy stared into the distance, his thoughts far away. He felt a strange pull, as if something was waiting for him on Egghead Island—something important, something tied to his destiny. He smiled to himself, the excitement of another adventure coursing through his veins.
Joy Boy had returned. And soon, so would the Iron Giant.
Back aboard the Thousand Sunny, the crew's celebration continued, unaware of the ancient force awaiting them on Egghead Island. As they laughed and joked, the shadow of the Void Century loomed closer, and with it, the promise of new allies, ancient enemies, and battles yet to be fought.
For now, though, they reveled in the joy of their accomplishments, unaware of the part they were about to play in awakening history itself.
In his lab, Vegapunk stared at the monitors tracking EMET, the dormant Iron Giant of Egghead Island. A faint, nearly imperceptible signal blinked on his screen.
"Strange... it's been centuries," he muttered, adjusting his glasses. He couldn't ignore the correlation between EMET's sudden stirrings and the news from Wano—the rise of Joy Boy's heir, Luffy.
Pondering recent events, Vegapunk realized the world was on the brink of change. "If EMET awakens now, the balance of power... it will never be the same."
To be continued…
AN: Do you like this story? If yes please share it to friends and drop some Powerstones, I dream of making it into the top 50. And the only people capable of helping me achieve it, are you all.