The bubble-coated ship drifted gently down through the quiet, glassy surface of the ocean. The vast expanse of water loomed above them like a second sky, refracting light from the surface in eerie patterns that danced along the hull. Inside the transparent bubble, Lupin leaned against the railing, one gloved hand resting on his holstered pistol, the other gripping a length of rigging to steady himself.
The sea was vast, endless, and utterly unforgiving to a Devil Fruit user like him.
He kept his gaze forward, the outline of Fish-Man Island beginning to shimmer in the distance. A massive, colorful city trapped within its own air bubble deep beneath the surface, alive with lights and movement even at this depth. It was a sight most men would never see — unless they braved the Grand Line and its treacherous paths.
Lupin swallowed hard.
'I didn't come this far to drown like a fool.'
At his side, Thatch, Fourth Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, let out a hearty laugh.
"Heh, you're looking kinda stiff there, Black Rose. Don't tell me you're scared of a little water?"
Lupin shot him a glance, the lower half of his face hidden beneath a black mask, a few strands of now-black hair hanging loosely around his sharp, narrowed eyes.
"I'm a Devil Fruit user, Thatch. Drowning's not on my bucket list."
"Relax! These coating bubbles never pop. Been doing this for years, and we haven't lost a man yet." Thatch clapped him on the back. "Besides, you've got a bounty worth two hundred million on your head — you're too valuable to feed to the Sea Kings."
Lupin allowed himself a small smirk beneath the mask.
Yes — 200 million Berri.
He'd built it carefully over the last month, orchestrating incidents, taking down a few bounty hunters who underestimated him, and letting word spread while carefully tweaking the image of his identity. His new name, Black Rose Lupin, now floated across the seas, pinned to wanted posters that marked him as a rising menace.
Not a marine commander. Not Rosinante.
A pirate. A sniper. A killer.
And soon, a member of the most feared pirate crew in the world.
Fish-Man Island
The ship slipped gracefully into the massive chamber of Fish-Man Island's docking bay. Coral structures towered around them, bizarre sea creatures swam lazily past the bubble, and the city itself sparkled with blues and golds in the artificial sunlight.
Thatch's men disembarked for supplies and trading. The coated ship would need a fresh bubble before setting off for the New World.
Lupin stepped onto the docks, boots clicking against the wet stone, eyes wary of every passing face. He'd read enough about Fish-Man Island's tensions, its history of piracy and oppression, and its sanctuary status under Whitebeard.
No one made a move toward him, but they noticed. The mask. The bounty. The air of violence and experience he carried. A sniper's aura.
'Good. Let them look.'
Later That Night
They sailed again. Beneath the sea, up through the tunnels, until the ship finally crested the surface of the New World. The skies were wilder here, the clouds darker, lightning striking the water without warning.
Lupin stood alone on the deck, his pistol disassembled and cleaned in front of him, muscles aching from weeks of training and his constant daily system quests. He hadn't slacked once. Every morning, every evening — body training, agility drills, sharpshooting, reaction exercises. No swimming, of course — the system wasn't that stupid — but everything else pushed him harder than his Marine days.
He flexed his fingers, watching them steady the weapon.
'I'm faster. Stronger. Better.'
The sound of a lookout's bell broke the silence.
"Ship spotted! Whitebeard's flag!"
Lupin's head snapped up. He moved to the bow, heart pounding.
There it was.
The Moby Dick.
A colossal white whale of a ship, larger than anything he'd seen, its figurehead proud and weather-beaten. The flag of the Whitebeard Pirates fluttered at its mast, a promise and a threat to the world alike.
Thatch grinned beside him.
"You ready, Black Rose?"
"Always."
"Just remember, joining Pops' crew ain't about strength alone. It's about family. Loyalty. If you've got that, you're one of us."
Lupin's eyes hardened.
'Family, huh… I lost mine once. I won't lose another.'
The Moby Dick loomed closer, its sheer size dwarfing their coated vessel. Lupin stood at the railing, posture straight, pistol secured at his hip. The ocean air here was different — heavy with salt and the electric charge of countless battles fought and stories made.
As they approached, Whitebeard's crew lined the decks, a colorful, fearsome collection of pirates. Some of them Lupin recognized from memory and his knowledge of the future. Marco the Phoenix, standing tall with arms crossed, pale blonde hair and sharp blue eyes gleaming. Jozu, the diamond-bodied powerhouse. Vista with his twin swords.
And at the center of them all — a giant of a man, sitting on an elaborate chair with tubes hooked to his body, an air of undeniable authority surrounding him.
Edward Newgate. Whitebeard.
The most powerful man in the world.
Even seeing him now, fifteen years before the events that would reshape history, he looked every bit the legend Lupin remembered.
Thatch gestured to Lupin. "Come on. Time to meet Pops."
The gangplank lowered, and they crossed over.
Lupin felt every pair of eyes on him. Not hostility — but curiosity, caution, and assessment. He was a stranger here, a pirate with a high bounty but no name among them.
They stopped before the towering Whitebeard.
The old pirate opened one eye, taking in Lupin's lean build, the mask covering his mouth, and the dark cloak hanging from his shoulders.
"So this is the one you brought, Thatch?" Whitebeard's voice was deep, like a landslide.
Thatch grinned. "Yeah, Pops. This is Black Rose Lupin. A sniper, with a bounty of 200 million. Good with a gun and hasn't missed a day's training since we picked him up. Claims he wants to join our family."
Whitebeard let out a short chuckle. "Hah. 200 million, eh? Not bad for a rookie."
He gestured for Lupin to speak.
Lupin stepped forward, removing the mask from his face. His sharp features, now framed by black hair, met Whitebeard's gaze unflinchingly.
"I have no crew, no flag. I left everything behind. All I want is a place I can fight for, where my back's protected by people I can trust."
A ripple of murmurs moved through the crew.
Whitebeard's sharp gaze pinned him. "You think you're worthy of being my son, boy?"
Lupin held his ground. "I'll prove it with action. Put me to the test, and if I fail, toss me to the sea."
A moment of silence passed.
Then Whitebeard grinned. "Good. I like your spirit."
He raised a massive hand and clapped it down on Lupin's shoulder, nearly buckling his knees.
"Welcome to the family, Black Rose!"
The crew erupted into cheers, some laughing, others clapping him on the back.
Thatch leaned in. "Told you it'd be fine."
Lupin allowed a rare, genuine smile to cross his face.
'Family, huh? Maybe this time… I won't lose it.'
And so, beneath the ever-churning skies of the New World, Lupin — the Black Rose — officially became a pirate of Whitebeard's crew.