Marine Headquarters – New World
Vice Admiral Smoker exhaled a long plume of smoke as he stood on the balcony of Marineford's New World base, scanning the latest reports with narrowed eyes. His usual scowl deepened when he saw a name that was beginning to appear far too frequently.
"Monkey D. Hiro… Night Terror of the New World."
Smoker clicked his tongue in irritation. "Another damn Monkey D. causing trouble." He crushed the report in his hand and turned back toward the command room, where Tashigi stood waiting.
"Sir," she spoke hesitantly, pushing her glasses up. "It looks like the Night Guild Pirates engaged and destroyed the Bloody Tide."
Smoker grunted. "That bastard Red Vane was a menace, but Hiro's no better. He's got a damn army on that ship. If he keeps going at this rate, we'll have another Emperor-level pirate on our hands."
Tashigi nodded. "The problem is his unpredictability. Unlike Luffy, Hiro doesn't openly challenge the Marines or the World Government. He operates in the shadows, eliminating rivals and growing stronger without drawing too much attention."
Smoker turned his head toward her, his sharp eyes studying the reports again. "That's exactly what makes him dangerous. Luffy's reckless, but Hiro—he's calculated. If he's anything like his little brother, this could become a real problem."
A moment of silence hung between them before Smoker turned back to the sea. "Send a message to Admiral Kizaru. If Hiro's on the move, we can't sit around and wait for him to come knocking."
---
On the Grand Line – Thousand Sunny
"Luffy! Luffy!"
Nami's voice rang through the deck of the Thousand Sunny as she held up a newspaper. "Your bounty just got updated again!"
Luffy, who had been stuffing his face with meat, turned his head, mouth still full. "Mmh?"
Zoro, leaning against the mast with his arms crossed, smirked. "Not surprising. We did just take down another major threat."
Nami slapped the newspaper onto the table. "And that's not all! Your name isn't the only one making headlines!"
Sanji, peering over her shoulder, frowned. "Monkey D. Hiro? That name's been popping up more and more lately."
Robin, who had been quietly sipping her tea, hummed in thought. "He's certainly making a name for himself. 'Night Terror'—that's quite the title."
Franky adjusted his sunglasses. "Yeah, but what's his deal? I've never seen him before, and I doubt he's been hanging around with Luffy."
Luffy grabbed the newspaper and squinted at Hiro's wanted poster. His usual carefree expression faltered slightly as he studied the face on the paper.
"Monkey D. Hiro…" Luffy muttered.
The crew turned toward him, their curiosity piqued by his uncharacteristically serious tone.
Chopper tilted his head. "Luffy, do you know him?"
Luffy stared at the poster for a moment longer before grinning. "Nope!"
Everyone face-faulted.
"Oi, Luffy! Don't just act like it's nothing!" Nami yelled, smacking him over the head.
"But he has a 'D' in his name," Zoro pointed out, arms still crossed. "If he's your brother, how come we've never heard of him before?"
Luffy scratched his head. "Dunno. Gramps never mentioned him."
Sanji took a drag of his cigarette. "Another Monkey D. running around, and we're just now hearing about him? That's fishy."
Robin nodded. "The World Government has always been secretive about the D. family. If Hiro has been operating in the New World for this long without us noticing, he must be good at staying hidden."
Brook chuckled. "Yohoho~ A hidden brother, how mysterious!"
Usopp, looking nervous, waved his hands. "Wait! But if he's that strong, does that mean he'll come after us?"
Luffy shook his head. "Nah. If he wanted to fight, he'd already be here."
Zoro smirked. "Well, if he does show up, that just means more fun for us."
Sanji blew smoke. "Tch. You and your battle junkie mindset."
Luffy grinned as he looked back at the poster. He didn't know who this Hiro was, but something about the name, about the way people were talking about him, felt strangely familiar.
"Guess we'll just have to meet him and find out," Luffy said, stuffing another piece of meat in his mouth.
---
Back at the Night Guild Ship
Hiro sat at his desk, flipping through the same newspaper. His smirk widened as he read the headline.
"Straw Hat Luffy's Bounty Surges Again – Another Emperor in the Making?"
"So, you're still making waves, little brother," Hiro muttered.
A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in," he said without looking up.
Hikari stepped inside, her silver eyes gleaming. "I just got word. The Marines are starting to take you more seriously. Smoker's already moving, and there's talk that Kizaru might be sent after us."
Hiro closed the newspaper and leaned back in his chair. "Good. Let them come."
Hikari tilted her head. "You're not worried?"
Hiro chuckled. "If the Marines are paying attention, that just means we're doing something right."
She sighed. "You really are reckless sometimes, Captain."
Hiro stood up, stretching. "Reckless? Maybe. But tell me, Hikari, aren't you excited?"
A small smile tugged at her lips. "Always."
As the ship continued to sail through the New World, Hiro gazed out at the endless horizon. The world was finally starting to notice him.
And soon, even Luffy would know his name.