Red-Haired Shanks, the most unique among the current Four Emperors.
He is not only the youngest of the Four Emperors but was also once Roger’s apprentice. Additionally, he has the privilege of communicating directly with the Five Elders.
【He is not someone who disrupts the world’s balance for personal gain.】
This was the Five Elders’ previous assessment of Shanks. However, at this point, they were beginning to question whether that judgment was flawed.
Their suspicions first arose when Shanks met with Kaido.
When they questioned Shanks about what he and Kaido had talked about, he actually claimed that Kaido had deliberately sought him out just to drink together.
The Five Elders did not believe this explanation at all. They felt that Shanks was merely brushing them off. If it were really just about drinking, there would have been no need for Kaido to go through all that effort. Besides, if Shanks was unwilling, could Kaido really have forced him to drink?
From that moment on, the Five Elders began to suspect that Shanks was hiding something.
Shanks may not appear to be a ruthless pirate, but that only applies to his own forces. To protect the pirates under his command, he would not hesitate to wipe out his enemies—something that Kid in the original timeline experienced firsthand.
As for Kaido, he may seem like a brute, but in reality, he was extremely cunning. The Five Elders did not believe that Kaido would seek out Shanks for something as meaningless as drinking. If they had fought, that would have been more believable.
“So everything he has shown us before… was it all fake?”
“Probably not. If it were all fake, there would have been no need for Red-Hair to expose himself like this. It’s just that his true motives are impossible to decipher.”
“It was also Red-Hair who destroyed that fleet. His strength seems to have grown even more.”
“Don’t forget—Kaido, Whitebeard, and Big Mom are all remnants of the Rocks Pirates. In contrast, Red-Hair is an outsider. If Kaido were really planning something big, he should have gone to Big Mom instead, right?”
Kaido’s inexplicable actions completely threw the Five Elders’ thought process into disarray. In their view, Kaido was not someone who acted without thinking.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been doing business with the World Government. The problem was that they simply couldn’t comprehend Kaido’s way of thinking, causing their discussion to become increasingly derailed.
“At least they haven’t taken any further action yet. For now, let’s just observe. If the current situation can be maintained… that might be the best outcome.”
“Let’s hope so. By the way, regarding the report from CP9—Rob Lucci died during the mission, and the blueprints were destroyed.”
The blond-haired member of the Five Elders seemed to recall something and brought up Rob Lucci’s name in front of the other four.
“It’s a bit of a shame, but if he’s dead, he’s dead. Compared to the current situation, this loss is insignificant. As for Pluton’s location, we all already know—those blueprints are of no use.”
“Exactly. Rather than dwelling on this, shouldn’t we discuss Blackbeard’s proposal? Are we really going to let that guy fill the vacant Shichibukai position?”
The sword-wielding member of the Five Elders tapped his sword against the ground, skipping over the topic of Rob Lucci. To them, the dead held no value.
The Shichibukai system was originally established to maintain balance, and Crocodile’s defeat was not good news for them.
As for Blackbeard, who had actively sought to become a Shichibukai, they viewed him as an anomaly.
“He holds a grudge against Whitebeard. If he can prove his strength, then it’s not out of the question.”
“Alright, then. Make sure to dispatch a new surveillance ship. We must find out the details of Red-Hair and Whitebeard’s meeting.”
The conversation among these five people would determine the future direction of the world. Meanwhile, on the sea, another conversation was unfolding—one that would also greatly affect the future.
The meeting between Shanks and Whitebeard had put several Marine bases on high alert.
“I heard the fleet was crushed. Is that true?”
“It’s true. Red-Hair and Whitebeard… they’re about to make contact.”
“Attention!”
The commanding officer’s reprimand interrupted the soldiers’ hushed discussions. The officer was addressing his subordinates with a stern briefing.
“Listen up, everyone! We have no idea what will happen next, so maintain the highest level of vigilance. If anything unusual occurs, we will be on the front lines immediately! For justice!”
“Yes, sir!”
At the same time, at the border between Red-Hair and Whitebeard’s territories, the Moby Dick had already lowered its sails, and the Red Force followed suit.
Thud, thud, thud.
One by one, the people on Whitebeard’s ship collapsed. Pirates with weak wills simply could not withstand Shanks’ Conqueror’s Haki. Under the scoldings of Marco and the others, those who deemed themselves too weak had already left the deck and retreated into the cabins.
Amidst the steady sound of footsteps, Shanks arrived before Whitebeard.
“Gurararara… The little brat from Roger’s ship has grown up. What about that red-nose who was always with you? Is he dead?”
“Buggy? Last I heard, he’s still a pirate. We went our separate ways after Captain Roger died. But Whitebeard, I’m not here to talk about the past.”
“I’ve been through countless battles, suffered countless injuries, but only this scar… this one continues to ache.”
Pointing at the scar across his face, Shanks brought up Blackbeard.
“That guy bided his time—not seeking fame, not vying for the position of commander. He had been waiting for the right moment. And when he finally gained power, he took action. Sooner or later, he’s going to set his sights on you.”
“And what do you expect me to do about it?”
“Stop Ace. Don’t let him go after Blackbeard.”
“Gurararara… The snotty brat from back then sure knows how to talk now. Are you really trying to tell me what to do?”
“The era is in turmoil, Whitebeard. You’re getting old. One day, you will die. But others… others are still young. Take Kaido, for example. His mind is consumed by war. Though he hasn’t made any major moves in recent years, he has been quietly amassing power.”
“Once he sets the Beasts Pirates, that war machine, into motion… without you, will the Whitebeard Pirates even have a way to stop him?!”
The Whitebeard Pirates faced a critical predicament: they lacked a successor capable of carrying their banner once Whitebeard was gone.
Or rather, among the Four Emperors, only the Red Hair Pirates and the Beasts Pirates had individuals who could lead their crews even after their captains were gone.
Katakuri and Marco—they were still quite lackjng.
Shanks’ words struck at the heart of Whitebeard’s concerns. But Whitebeard was not one to admit such a thing out loud.
The sky seemed to be influenced by the two of them. As their conversation reached an impasse, the sky grew darker. Thick clouds gathered, blocking the once bright sunlight.
“Getting old? Gurararara… I am Whitebeard!”
Murakumogiri spun in Whitebeard’s grip. He would prove—through force—that he was still the same Whitebeard as before.
Thanks to the treatment from Beasts Fruits’ medicines, Whitebeard remained in relatively good health. His massive sword was swung with great force, wrapped in his Conqueror’s Haki.
Without using the power of the Quake-Quake Fruit, Whitebeard relied solely on Haki and brute strength as he swung his sword at Shanks.
Clang!
Gryphon was unsheathed, and an equally powerful, if not more formidable, Conqueror’s Haki wrapped around it. With a swift upward motion, it blocked Whitebeard’s slash.
The sky became a victim of the clash of Conqueror’s Haki. The thick clouds were dispersed by the impact of their auras, leaving a deep trench in the Sea Clouds, much like the parting of the Red Sea by Moses.
Shanks understood—Whitebeard ultimately did not take his words to heart. The turmoil of the era had already become an unstoppable force.
During the period of heightened Marine vigilance, neither Whitebeard nor Shanks engaged in any overly aggressive actions.
Instead, Marine Headquarters received an order from the World Government, ultimately forming a task force led by Gion, with Yamakaji and Strawberry as her supporting officers.
A small fleet, consisting of three Vice Admirals and three warships, set off toward the destination designated by the World Government. Their mission: to take custody of a prisoner of paramount importance.
A few days later, the Blackbeard Pirates waited at an abandoned dock for the arrival of the Marines. This island was once prosperous, but under the ravages of the Great Pirate Era, it had long since fallen into ruin.
Aside from Blackbeard and his crew, the island was completely deserted.
To be precise, there was one other person—Ace.
The Flame-Flame Fruit had ultimately been no match for the Dark-Dark Fruit, and now, Ace had become a bargaining chip in Blackbeard’s hands.
“Zehahaha! Captain Ace, the Marines will be here soon. If you change your mind now, there may still be a chance. Are you really not considering becoming my comrade?”
“Once I hand you over to the Marines, there will be no turning back.”
“Heh! Keep dreaming, Teach.”
“Humans have dreams—that’s why they have a future. But, Captain Ace, I’m afraid you won’t be seeing that future. Burgess, keep a close eye on Captain Ace. These Seastone handcuffs weren’t easy to obtain. If he manages to break free, we’ll have trouble on our hands.”
Just then, a flaming figure streaked across the sky.
King’s pupils reflected the figures of Blackbeard and his men.
“I’ve finally… found you.”
Following Blackbeard’s traces, King had pursued him relentlessly. Two days ago, he had come across a town that had been completely obliterated by the Dark-Dark Fruit. After askjng the surviving townspeople, he had finally pinpointed Blackbeard’s location.
Standing below, Blackbeard only felt a shadow flash overhead. Almost instantly, a deadly premonition appeared in his heart.
Frantically scrambling, Blackbeard rolled to the side, dragging Van Augur along with him.
Boom!
The dock shattered. A devastating slash had descended from the sky, splitting the dock in half and leaving a horrifying gash along the shore.
As Blackbeard stared at the seawater flooding into the crevice, a wave of lingering fear washed over him. If that attack had landed on him…
“Who’s there?!”
Before his voice had even faded, King had already landed in front of him.
The towering figure radiated immense pressure. Flames burned furiously on his back, making him look like a demon from the depths of hell.
“King the Conflagration.”
Blackbeard swallowed nervously.
He had expected the Whitebeard Pirates to send reinforcements—but to his surprise, it was one of the All-Stars of the Beasts Pirates who had appeared instead.
“Blackbeard… Marshall D. Teach.”
“Zehahaha! Even someone like you knows my name? What an honor! I don’t believe I’ve ever offended you, though.”
“You haven’t. But my subordinate is indebted to you for taking care of her. I’m here to pay off the debt on her behalf!”
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