The day after the battle.
A flock of News Coos took off from headquarters, wings beating toward every corner of the world.
"Extra, extra! Read all about it!"
Newsboys shouted on street corners across the Blues.
"Big news! The great pirate Shiki the Golden Lion, who escaped from Impel Down—"
"Has fallen in the East Blue!"
"Killed by an East Blue Marine lieutenant commander!"
"What?!"
"Give me a paper!"
"Fifty Berries, sir. Here's your chan—"
"Shut up and hand it over!"
The man snatched the paper and flipped it open.
"Nani…"
"He really did show up in the East Blue…"
"And that Marine…"
"Looks familiar…"
Across the seas, taverns and ships buzzed.
—
New World, Moby Dick.
"Oi, Oyaji! Check this out!"
On the deck of the Whitebeard Pirates' flagship, someone waved a newspaper.
The strongest man in the world, Edward Newgate, took it in his massive hands.
His eyes lingered on the headline.
Then drifted to the picture of Shiki.
"Shiki… huh."
"So you went ahead, old friend."
His gaze lost focus, memories surfacing—the days they'd sailed the same seas, crossing blades and cups. The day Shiki, wild-eyed fresh from Impel Down, had shown up to say he was disappearing for a while.
Said he was preparing a "big surprise."
"Gura ra ra…"
Whitebeard tilted back a massive cup, draining it.
"From the look on your face…"
"You had one hell of a last dance."
First division commander and acting vice-captain Marco the Phoenix glanced up from the page.
"What do you mean, Pops?"
Others crowded around, curious.
Whitebeard tapped one photo.
Two figures cloaked in black lightning clashed, splitting the sky.
Another shot captured Shiki lying on his back, laughing in death.
Opposite him, a young Marine with a greatsword used the blade itself as a crutch just to stay standing.
"Shiki died smiling," Whitebeard said.
"Same as Roger."
"You can tell…"
"That fight satisfied him."
He laughed.
"Gura ra ra ra—"
"The old lion went out with a roar."
"Our journey isn't done yet, brats."
"Drink."
The deck erupted in cheers.
—
Whole Cake Island.
"Mamamamamama—so that old fool Shiki died?"
"Died in the weakest sea, no less. Mamamamama… how pathetic."
Big Mom slapped her knees, shoulders sHaking with laughter.
"Start a banquet! Bring out the cakes!"
"Yes, Mama!"
Dozens of children scrambled to obey.
Charlotte Katakuri glanced down at the paper.
His eyes lingered on Jin's photo.
"You must be strong," he murmured.
"But if you ever hurt my brothers or sisters…"
"I'll kill you."
—
Wano Country, Onigashima.
"Uorah ha ha ha ha!"
"So Shiki's dead, is he?"
"Didn't even come looking for a fight…"
"Now who's going to kill me, huh?"
Kaido drank straight from a giant gourd, sake running down his chin.
In a shadowy corner of the skull dome, a small horned girl with a tattered mask hugged a bowl of rice, a newspaper spread beside her.
The picture of Jin's bleeding, grinning face burned in her eyes.
"I'll get strong too."
"Strong enough to beat Kaido…"
"Just like that Marine!"
—
Sabaody Archipelago, Area 13.
In Shakky's Rip-Off Bar, smoke curled lazily toward the ceiling.
An older man with silver hair and glasses sat at the counter, newspaper open.
A mature woman leaned in behind him, cigarette between her lips.
"Ara ara. So Shiki's gone too," Shakky said.
"But this Marine kid's pretty handsome."
Rayleigh smiled faintly.
"Shiki went out smiling," he said.
"That's enough for an old pirate."
—
Kuraigana Island.
Hawkeye Dracule Mihawk stood alone amid crumbling stone, golden eyes scanning the headline.
So that was the Marine Shanks had mentioned.
"A swordsman who can kill Shiki…"
He closed the paper and turned toward his ruined castle.
"Seems I'll have a new name to watch."
—
Deep under the sea, Fishman Island.
After listening to Hachi's halting account, Jinbe set his jaw and picked up the paper.
He'd been about to storm to the surface and demand answers from the man who'd massacred Arlong's crew.
He stared for a long moment.
"…I see."
Elsewhere, Gecko Moria glanced once at the front page, snorted, and tossed it aside.
Crocodile did the same, dropping the paper onto a sand-sprinkled map covered in notes about an ancient weapon.
Both men had bigger ghosts haunting them.
—
Marineford.
The conference room was thick with smoke; cigars and pipes burned on every side.
It looked like someone had set off a smokescreen inside the heart of "justice."
Kizaru finished his report and promptly sprawled back, filing his nails.
Sengoku rapped the table.
"Comments," he said.
"What do we make of this White Ghost?"
Tsuru exhaled slowly.
"Judging from Kizaru's account…"
"This boy's combat power is already approaching admiral level."
"The concerning part is his position."
She flicked another file open.
"From Tokikake's written report…"
"He only goes after pirates with 'reasons'."
"In Cocoyasi, he said it himself."
"Nicely put, he was 'serving the people'."
"Less nicely, he was interested in that little orange-haired girl and went to kill her tormentors."
Silence.
A lot of very strong Marines stared at the table.
In their heads, they were all thinking the same thing:
That's illegal, right? She's like… twelve?
"Hmm." Akainu grunted around his cigar, scarred face darker than usual.
"I'll say it again."
"Anyone without justice in their heart has no place in high command."
Aokiji slouched back in his chair.
"Ahh… no need to be that absolute," he said lazily.
"Whatever else, White's lived up to his uniform so far."
"Scary, scary…" Kizaru murmured.
"The youngsters these days."
Sengoku turned to the man still stuffing donuts into his mouth.
"Garp."
"Your thoughts?"
"He's basically your disciple, whether there's paperwork or not."
Garp waved a hand.
"What's there to say?"
"Told you already, didn't I?"
"He's an interesting brat."
He popped another donut in, then added:
"And does it really matter if he has 'justice' or not?"
"What matters…"
"Is that he does justice."
The room went quiet.
Even some of the hardliners frowned, but didn't immediately argue.
Sengoku closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again.
"Then it's decided."
"Arakaki 'White Ghost' will be promoted to commodore."
"Once he reports to Headquarters, he'll be assigned to Sabaody as his post."
The meeting broke up.
—
Mariejois, Hall of Authority.
The Five Elders sat around a low table, the paper Ryder out between them.
Saint Jaygarcia Saturn tapped Jin's photo with his cane.
"This boy grows quickly," he said.
"The last time we received a report, during that fight with Red-Hair, he hadn't mastered that power yet."
Saint Marcus Mars nodded.
"According to intelligence, he broke through to greatsword in the battle with Shiki."
"And awakened Conqueror's coating at the same time."
Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro's fingers drummed lightly.
"Shall we move?" he asked.
"Send CP0?"
Saint Topman Warcury shook his head.
"No need."
"He's not a D."
"Once he's stationed in Sabaody, we can suppress his spirit there."
Saint Shepherd Ju Peter smiled thinly.
"Perhaps we should recruit him instead."
"Beyond the Seven Warlords as tools against pirates…"
"A nail hammered into the Marines could be useful as well."
Saturn considered.
"That may work."
"He doesn't have that nauseating Marine 'justice' about him."
"Agreed," Warcury said.
"Give him what he wants."
"Money, rank, women."
"He's a commoner. That's all such trash is worth."
"Agreed," the others chimed.
"We'll have CP make contact when the time is right," Peter said.
"His file says he likes money."
"And what man doesn't like women?"
"Give him power, give him pay, give him playthings."
"He'll dance."
"Agreed ×4."
"Next topic," Saturn said.
"The Warlord invitation to the Kuja Pirates' captain, Boa Hancock."
"After Bartholomew Kuma, that would make five members."
—
East Blue, Foosha Village.
In Makino's tavern, Red-Haired Shanks leaned against the bar, newspaper spread out.
"So that's why a chunk of island came crashing down near us the other day," he chuckled.
"Turns out it was Shiki's secret base."
He grinned wider.
"You've gotten stronger too, White Ghost."
"The New World's gonna be lively."
Ben Beckman downed a drink and wiped his mouth.
"Not exactly comforting," he said.
"If he can go toe-to-toe with Shiki…"
"That puts him in the same class as you, Shanks."
Shanks laughed, unbothered.
"Oi, oi, don't compare me to a rookie Marine."
Yasopp frowned at the picture.
"This isn't exactly good news."
"If he decides to come for us, that's trouble."
"And I don't believe for a second he doesn't know where we are."
Shanks waved a hand.
"Relax, Yasopp."
"If it comes to it, we'll fight."
"I'm not exactly weak, you know?"
He burst out laughing again.
Beckman could only shake his head.
At the bar, the definitely-not-old tavern owner poured another drink.
"Shanks," Makino said, peering at the paper, "you know this Marine?"
"Yeah," Shanks said.
"Had a scrap with him in Loguetown."
Makino tilted her head.
"Is he really that strong?"
Shanks scratched his cheek.
"He's strong."
"Back then, he had the edge on me."
"Now? Who knows."
"Guess we'll find out if we bump into each other again."
"Oi, boys, drink!"
"Yeah, Captain's showing off again, hahahaha!"
"Damn brats, is that any way to talk about your captain?"
"Cheers!"
The door banged open.
"Shanks, I'm here!"
A small boy with a straw hat barreled in.
"Makino, can I get a glass of juice?!"
"Luffy's here," Makino smiled.
"Coming right up."
Luffy plopped down next to Shanks.
"Shanks! Take me out to sea!"
Shanks burst out laughing, slapping the bar.
"You, go to sea?"
"Hahahaha!"
The whole crew joined in.
"Don't look down on me!" Luffy yelled, standing on his stool, face red.
Makino set a glass on the bar, just about to warn him—
Shanks smoothly swapped it with his own mug of booze.
"Here, don't be mad, Luffy," he said.
"Have some juice."
"Thanks, Shanks!"
Luffy took a huge gulp.
His face went white.
"PTH—!!"
"What is that?!"
The bar exploded in laughter.
"You can't even drink sake and you wanna be a pirate?"
"Luffy, you're not ready yet, hahahaha!"
Shanks pounded the bar, tears in his eyes.
Luffy's cheeks flushed bright red.
"You jerk! You did that on purpose!"
"Yep," Shanks said cheerfully.
"Bleh!!"
Luffy stomped his feet as everyone roared.
"Damn it, all of you—!"
The door slammed open again.
A thug-faced mountain bandit stomped in, eyes sweeping the bar.
"Oi, oi…"
"What's with all the noise in here…?"
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