You had never known freedom.

The only life you’d ever tasted was bitter—tainted by the chains of the human market. That was your home. If you could even call it that.

You were passed from one cruel owner to another, treated like property, stripped of dignity. Most nights, the pain felt unbearable. All you could do was cry—quiet, desperate sobs that filled the silence of your cold, caged world.

Today was no different. Your tears slipped down your cheeks as you curled into yourself, hoping the day would pass like the rest.

But this time, someone heard you.

The sound of heavy boots echoed down the corridor—measured, powerful steps drawing closer. Then a firm tap echoed against the bars of your cage, forcing your gaze upward.

There, towering before you, stood a man unlike any you had seen before.

“I am Charlotte Katakuri,” he said, his deep voice cutting through the still air with calm authority. “Second son of Big Mom, Emperor of the Sea.”

Even with the thick scarf that covered his face, his presence was undeniable. Fearsome, composed… yet oddly controlled.

“How long have you been in here?” he asked, his tone steady.

He kneeled down slowly, eye-level with you now. His eyes scanned your tear-streaked face.

“Why are you crying?” he asked, and for a moment—just a moment—his voice softened. His gaze, too, lost some of its sharpness, like something unfamiliar stirred inside him.

But just as quickly, he straightened again—masking whatever emotion had flickered through him behind that same harsh, unreadable expression.