New World, the second half in the Grand Line.

The place with the most powerful pirates, where the Marines have stationed themselves to battle against the Yonko.

In Smoker's Marine ship, he and Tashigi are talking to their new friend. A young, blond man with blue eyes, who wears a bright yellow suit. He has come from another world with one purpose, to stop a dark cult from invading.

"So, Smoker, I am surprised we are not getting help from the CP-0 against that evil!" the man says.

"Pan, I think you know why. The CP-0 are scum and only care about the Celestial Dragons. True Marines like us will give our lives to protect civilians. And please don't imply our Fleet Admiral represents us. Because you are still just a guest on the ship, and if you compare me to Akainu I will kick you out," Smoker tells him. "If I was the Admiral, I would send Lucci to Impel Down, he is clearly exploiting us to commit murders."

"That's actually not a bad idea. Lucci might be competent, but he is a terrible person!" Tashigi tells Smoker. "Then again, the Celestial Dragons, our nobles, actually like those who would kill innocents at their command. I wonder what will happen if we find a loophole and say that if Absolute Justice is so absolute, it should include the Nobles as well."

Pan chuckles. "If Akainu wakes up and does that, then the Nobles are toast."

"Anyway, Pan, tell me, since I want to stop crime everywhere, what kind of enemies do you usually fight in your world?" Smoker asks.

"They are various. The cultists you saw and beat up are what I would call routine. There are also terrorists, pirates of course, serial killers, vampires..." Pan starts explaining.

Tashigi interrupts him. "Vampires? They are real? That's so interesting!"

"Yes. They are. They are faster than the human eye can see, their skin is so hard it stops bullets, and they drink blood. Some of them have unique abilities they are born with, like the Fruits. These are called gifts, and they are usually specific but powerful. For example, a vampire can sense bonds, another can read minds, and someone can use wax like Galdino.

If you have fire or hard light, or a wooden stake, and some Haki of course because you need Observation to track their movements and Armament for a punch to do anything, the regular vampires should not be any problem.

Also, if we ever get to the cultist hideouts, they might summon minor demons to stop us. So, here are the two demonic species most likely to encounter. The Stygians, who are made of black ooze and have skin made by porcelain, are the main melee unit. They wield Razor Swords that deflect bullets, and are moderately skilled. I think you, Tashigi, can easily deal with them. The Imps, who are brown humanoids with red eyes, while they can fight up close with their claws, mostly rely on their fireballs from afar. They most likely can hurt even Smoker if they hit him. With that said, a round of bullets can take an Imp down.

If you see anything other than these two species, be careful, they won't be as likely to encounter, but also not as easy either."

~0~

In Broc Coli Island, with the fall of Germa, the two once warring sides were exhausted and weakened. However, a new side came and easily took over the island, promising peace if the Germa clones were given to them.

The natives wanted revenge because Germa was oppressive, so they accepted.

Now a man with red hood, leading a Germa clone in chains, knocks on the door.

"No password, no entry," a voice calls from the door.

"Book of Truth!"

"You may pass."

The hooded man approaches other people just like him. "This is the last of them. He will make a great sacrifice."

With the clone's emotions dead, he can't feel the horror he should be feeling right now. The hooded men lead him to an altar, where a tall woman with long, red hair is waiting.

"Is this the last of them?" the woman asks.

"Yes, Lady Jezebel. Now Germa is gone and we are the only rulers of the island!" a cultist is rubbing his hands.

"Shame. These clones have no fear, no emotion, no love for anything. They don't even miss each other. They are made to be so expendable, they are worth to be sacrifices! This one will make a fine Stygian!"

And Jezebel draws one of her swords, which she plunges deep into the heart of the clone, making blood fill the altar.

"Great One, hear our call,
We gave you blood, help us all!"

And a Stygian comes out from the altar.

"Excellent, Stygians are powerful, mistress!" a cultist comments.

"Yes, but I have heard they are not enough for this world. Any suggestions? I say we should sacrifice some of those World Nobles. They have pure blood and are supposedly gods, so..." Jezebel proposes.

One of the cultists, a Fishman who joined the cult because he found them better than the Nobles, objects. "With something as weak as them, I doubt you can summon a maggot, let alone an actual demon, Mistress."

"How about we get an Admiral?" a cultist proposes.

And the entire room bursts into laughter.

"Yeah, good luck actually catching an Admiral!"

"And if we do sacrifice him, do we really want an Archdemon? They never obey cultists, they only give us orders!"

"We really don't need something that strong."

Jezebel snorts. "Anyway, here is the plan. Brute force won't take out a Yonko, even one that's away on a campaign. Totto Land is still a powerful fortress, and we need to take all surrounding islands first."

"With many of them away, soon they will be crushed! Brilliant plan, mistress!"

Jezebel chuckles. "I know. I am brilliant."

~0~

One day later, Smoker's Transponder Snail gets a call. He raises it.

And a panicked man calls him. "Vice Admiral! I am from Broc Coli Island, and I need help! A cult has taken over the island and is making human sacrifices!"

Smoker smirks. "They are exactly what we are looking for. We are on our way. End the call quickly, you aren't safe!"

Then they all go for Broc Coli Island.

On their way, Pan and Smoker are talking about something else.

"I am glad you gave up on chasing Straw Hat, Smoker. You are a hero, and it's sad to see you being humiliated while chasing one of the few pirates who don't deserve arrest."

"Indeed. I need to get stronger, Pan. Strong enough to keep protecting people, the way I could in East Blue and Paradise. This is my chance. My chance to show I haven't gotten weak!" Smoker replies.

Pan nods. "You haven't. It's just that Dressrosa had some of the most powerful fighters in the world!"

Smoker chomps his cigar. "Tell me, how do you know all of these?"

"Again, in my world there is a very popular story about yours, mostly centered around the Straw Hats. Mostly. Though don't worry, we haven't learned any forbidden knowledge!" Pan tells him, smiling sheepishly.

"That's good, because while you are a good man, I would have to arrest you as a threat to the government."

Pan looks away and breathes a sigh of relief.

~0~

Three hours later, in Broc Coli Island, a family hears a knock on the door and opens.

And two men in red hooded robes step in.

One of them is holding a book. "We are bringing the truth in this home. Tired of the false gods that are the World Nobles? Who demand you to die for them but won't lift a finger to help you, and anyone can beat them in a fight? Well, here is your salvation. The one true god, the Great One! He rewards those loyal to him, and can destroy and remake entire islands with his power alone!"

"I mean, your god being better than the Celestial Dragons means nothing, anyone is better than those wastes of skin!"

The other robed man draws an axe and twirls it. "Don't think so little of the truth. The Great One came to save you from the tyranny of the Nobles, and those who join his noble campaign will gain power beyond normal humans!"

"I am not interested in power, thank you. Can you go to someone interested?" the lady of the house asks them.

"But we will be your salvation!" one of the men snaps. "We will destroy the sinful government and the plundering pirates, and we only ask you, regardless of age, to join our noble cause! You will spread the truth through our books, you will fight back against bad people, you will all be heroes!"

The other one goes to grab a child by the arm. "Come with us, and we will show you how to destroy the Great One's enemies!"

"Leave my son alone!" The enraged mother slaps the man hard in the face.

The man retaliates with his axe and cuts off her right hand. "Beware! Those who reject us will be punished when the judgement comes! Woe to you! Woe to you! The Darkness shall consume anyone who doesn't join us!"

The mother rolls on the floor, crying, while her entire family rushes to treat her wound and comfort her.

"Let's go. This house rejected the truth and is marked for destruction."

Suddenly, smoke comes from the chimney and surrounds them, choking one of them to unconsciousness before the other one finds himself pinned in a wall. The smoke morphs into Smoker's face.

"Tell me, knave, what the password for your hideout is."

"I will never tell you anything!"

"Do you know what happens when smoke enters a person's lungs? You might get cancer, and you will struggle to breathe.

It's a slow, painful death, which is well-deserved for those who forcibly convert people to their cause."

"Book of Truth!"

"Now your tongue rolls. Well, you know what I say. Those who terrorize innocent families always have the heart of a deer. And if you lied, I will find you, and my jitte is far harder than your head," Smoker tells him.

Then he handcuffs both cultists and informs the others.

So, not long after, they knock on the door of the hideout.

"No password, no entry."

"Book of Truth!" Smoker replies.

And so, everyone gets inside.

Jezebel is delighted. "Ooh, Smoker! Didn't know you were a member! I suppose at least one Marine would be disappointed in the corruption of the system they serve!"

Pan, Tashigi and the Marines enter the place.

And Smoker shows his insignia. "I am here to chomp some cigars and arrest some cultists. And I am all out of cigars." He throws his cigars away.

"Phew. We are not cultists! We are gathered to promote love and the truth!" Jezebel tells him.

Smoker points at the bloody altar, fresh from a sacrifice. "Yeah, I can see you promoting love, madame."

"So, this hideout has been breached! Men, kill the intruders!" Jezebel orders.

However, the Marines have already taken positions, and they mow down several cultists quickly.

As the two sides are trading bullets, a few Marines cut down some knife-wielding cultists with their swords. But the Stygians and Imps come out, and the former slay many sword wielding Marines, while the latter burn some Marine gunmen with their fireballs.

Pan throws a Lightning Bomb and eliminates ten cultists and a Stygian at once, then draws his assault rifle and shoots three Imps and a cultist dead. However, he needs to reload, and a Stygian approaches him dangerously. Tashigi slashes the Stygian and takes it out in a single strike, then dashes towards three cultists and, before they realize what happened, she cuts all three of them down.

Smoker sees three downed Marines about to be shot dead by cultists, so he dashes between them and infuses his jitte with Haki, blocking the bullets. Quickly, he flies towards them in smoke form. A barrage of bullets harmlessly passes through him, and when he reemerges he bashes all three of them with his jitte.

Then he dodges a fireball from an Imp, warned by Pan's words, and makes a fist of Haki and smoke, which punches the lesser demon out instantly. He spots a Stygian and a Marine crossing swords, with the former visibly overpowering the latter. As the Marine is disarmed and about to be decapitated, Smoker flies in and bashes the porcelain head of the Stygian in.

Pan sends a thunderbolt straight at two Stygians, frying them, before he knocks out a cultist with a flying kick. A few more cultists throw knives and axes at him, but Pan dodges all of them by jumping into a wall and then propelling himself towards the opposite direction. With a burst of his assault rifle he guns down most of his enemies. An axe grazes him, but a Marine fires her rifle and gets the cultist in the chest, allowing Pan to finish the rest off.

Three Imps rip three Marines apart and charge at Tashigi, who dodges their fireballs with Soru and appears right in front of them, cutting them all down quickly.

Two men with skythes charge at her as well, only for her to dodge with Soru once more. She appears again behind them and stabs one cultist in the back, but the other turns in time and blocks the strike.

"Do you think you can take down all of us, little girl?" he asks as he attacks her, making her barely dodge.

"I don't think. I know. Don't think that being a woman makes me a pushover!" Tashigi enhances her strike with Haki and cuts the cultist in half.

Jezebel laughs. "You are right, dear! Let's show them how strong women really are!" And she summons a few Sacks of Maggots, which are ordinary zombies. Yet once the Marines take them down, entire swarms of maggots emerge!

As Smoker beats up five cultists at once, Pan reaches Jezebel, who draws two swords. Pan points his golden blade at her. "Surrender, Jezebel! Surrender or die!"

"Never!" Jezebel lunges at him, both swords in a position to strike, but Pan raises his sword and effortlessly blocks the attack. Then both kick each other hard and are sent crashing to a wall each.

Then she raises her hands and makes a special monster appear. It's a Stygian with spiked armor and an electric sword. "Behold, Flyron the Violent! That will keep you at bay!"

Pan chuckles. "And you are planning to stop Big Mom with such monsters? You don't know how powerful this world is, Jezebel!"

Flyron stabs his sword in the ground and electrocutes ten Marines around himself, but Pan attacks him from afar. His left hand fills with electricity as he turns it into a long spear. Then he throws the Lightning Spear straight at the monster, wounding him.

As the two duel, Tashigi gets to Jezebel faster than the human eye can see and attacks her viciously. "Let's do this woman to woman, witch!"

Jezebel blocks all her attacks with ease and strikes her hard with an aerial spin attack. "Unfortunately, gender doesn't matter when it's a weak Marine against a strong follower of the Truth!" She quickly kicks Tashigi twice as she is recovering and finally stabs her in the left arm.

"And now you are finished!" Jezebel declares as she uses both of her swords to slash at Tashigi's neck.

"Tekkai!"

CLANG! Jezebel steps back as her swords bounce off. "Tekkai? Isn't this when you harden your muscles and make your body too strong for normal bullets or swords?"

A Haki-infused kick to the face makes Jezebel dizzy, and Tashigi lands several hard kicks on her entire body, drawing more and more blood. "I will be the greatest swordswoman in the world!" Tashigi yells. "I refuse to lose to someone who turns civilians into sacrifices!"

With a mighty sword slash she makes a deep cut at Jezebel's midriff.

At the same time, a cultist is about to shoot Tashigi in the back, but Smoker stabs him hard with his jitte.

And when Pan cuts down Flyron, the cultists start retreating.

But Jezebel is not done yet. As four Marines approach to apprehend her, she makes living small flames emerge and bounce towards them, burning all four of them.

Then she breathes fire straight at Tashigi.

"Tekkai!"

Alas. Tighetning your muscles for Iron Body might render most physical strikes useless, but it does not protect from heat at all, so Jezebel's fiery breath gets through Tashigi's defense.

Tashigi falls to the ground, rolling and screaming in pain. Smoker and Pan rush to her aid, but the living flames and a few Imps block their way.

And Jezebel has yet another magic trick. "When you are in an organization of love, you must know the best way to eliminate your enemies. And do you know how painful hot steel is?"

She heats her twin swords to the point she strikes a fallen sword on the ground to show off and it melts. "Now let's see how strong your Haki really is!"

Tashigi grabs a sword from a fallen Marine and attacks, but Jezebel cuts it quickly in half. Tashigi tries to land a surprise stab with the broken sword, but Jezebel breaks it completely with her own blades.

It's still a distraction, as Tashigi uses her own sword and stabs Jezebel's left breast, making blood come out.

"Not the breast! You know I need them to seduce people to the ways of the Great One, right? You will pay for your life!" Jezebel yells as she starts spinning around with her hot swords, forcing Tashigi to jump as far away as possible.

When Jezebel stops spinning, Tashigi uses Soru to catch up to her and, infusing her sword with Haki, goes for her head.

But Jezebel raises her swords at the right time and parries the blow. Due to the Haki, Tashigi's sword doesn't break at all. However, neither do Jezebel's blades. Jezebel holds Tashigi's blade with one of her own, and quickly stabs her in the gut.

The blazing sword can't be stopped with Iron Body, and Tashigi can feel her guts burning from inside. Her screams are heard all over the hideout.

"You lost, little girl. Your willpower cannot match my fire!" Jezebel gloats. "Haki does not mean instant victory. Even with this power, you cannot protect anyone!"

"TASHIGI!" Smoker yells as he rushes at the two with his jitte and attacks Jezebel, only for the small flames to block his way. Smoker snorts. "I don't have time for this." And he uses his smoke to drown out the oxygen around the small flames, extinquishing them.

Jezebel breathes fire at him, aware it will hurt him, but he moves out of the way, using his smoke to get faster, and tricks her into burning her own Imps.

Then he makes a Smoke Bomb and blinds Jezebel, but Tashigi as well. Normally, that would cause trouble for both of the women.

Except, as Tashigi barely recovers, she can sense her opponent's presence with Observation Haki. Quickly, she uses her remaning energy for one last Soru and catches Jezebel off-guard, cutting her head off.

"You underestimated my willpower, Jezebel. And how much I trust my friends. Sorry it had to end this way, but you understand, don't you? You know some people get sacrificed to accomplish your goals."

As Pan punches out the last cultist, the island is finally free.

But the natives do not want the Government.

"We won't work for the World Nobles! The cult was right about one thing, the World Nobles are not gods!"

"Thanks for saving us, but we do not need your evil surperiors!"

Smoker lowers his head. "We do not want to govern you. We came here to beat the cult and for nothing else."

Pan has something to say. "However, we would just let you govern yourselves if you didn't devour each other in a civil war. One warning. In case you don't want Doflamingo or Germa or cultists taking advantage of you, don't fight each other. Only if you are united can you stand up to such evils. Thank you."

"So, promise us there will be no more civil wars, and we won't govern you. Are you ready to reject us?" Smoker asks.

As one person, the citizens say no to the Government.

And so, Smoker's crew leaves the island, triumphant. "Pan, your idea was evil."

"A necessary evil."