Are you looking for directions?

Identity issues weren't hard to solve. It might take quite a while for regular people to change their ID card, and even citizens of affiliated nations have to wait for some time. But Tesoro was different.

It is a piece of cake for him to obtain an ID card. As long as the World Government still recognizes the existence of Beast Fruits and doesn't want to fall out with them, Tesoro could obtain an ID card even for a wanted criminal in no time.

As long as the person wasn't a specially targeted individual by the World Government, Tesoro had ways to clear their identity.

Uta had lived with Shanks for seven years, yet Shanks never involved Uta in any battles. The leftover videos of Elegia were also taken care of under Stella's watchful eye, so Uta was just an ordinary girl.

In less than 20 minutes, they obtained Uta's ID card.

"Tesoro, it's about time, isn't it?"

"Yes, she seems to be feeling better. Let her learn about it first."

The two were referring to the accusation of destroying Elegia on Red Hair. This was something published in the newspapers. They could hide it for a while, but not forever. Unless Uta lives in an environment where she is cut off from the rest of the world, she would eventually find out.

Rather than letting her make random guesses, it was better to explain the current situation to her.

"Uta, come here for a moment. This is a newspaper from a few days ago. You should take a look."

[Destruction of Elegia]

[Red-Haired Demon, the atrocity of the former Pirate King's Crew Member]

The headlines were exaggerated, accompanied by photos of Elegia's destruction and the state of the remaining citizens. Morgans had mastered the art of sensationalism.

"Impossible, Shanks would never do such a thing..."

Uta's purple eyes widened in disbelief. She didn't believe that Shanks would do such a thing.

"Don't worry, he didn't do this. He's just shouldering some things, and that's why you two had to separate. It was for your protection. If you want to clear Shanks' name, you'll need to grow up. When that day comes, you'll naturally know the truth. Until then, no matter how much you ask, Shanks won't tell you the answer. Understand?"

During this time together, they learned one thing: Uta wasn't a stubborn girl who couldn't be reasoned with. After explaining the root of the problem to her, she mostly understood. At most, she would sulk for a few days.

"So... becoming a world-renowned singer is what Shanks wants from me?"

"Yes, but not entirely. It's just an inevitable experience on your journey of growth."

"I understand..."

After a long pause, Uta gave her response. Her dream was to change the world with her voice, to create a new era with her songs. Her dream and her becoming a singer wasn't contradictory; it's just that she now had another reason.

"I will become the world's number one singer in the shortest time possible! Then, I'll once again become the singer of the Red Hair Pirates!"

"That's the spirit. Go change your clothes first. Stella has arranged to meet Maria Napole today. She's the singer you like the most, but her personality is quite peculiar. Whether she decides to teach you will depend on your performance."

If you've made a decision, you must do it well. That was Tesoro's way of doing things. He had already decided to make Uta popular, so naturally, other preparations had to be made.

Elegia is the holy land for music, but singing wasn't limited to just that place. It was just that the environment there was conducive to overall improvement, which is why Tesoro organized the team-building there. With Uta's talent, Tesoro believed that even that picky lady wouldn't reject her.

---

Uta embarked on her new journey with the goal of becoming the world's top singer, aiming to change the world and create a new era. Some dreams were just beginning, while for others, their dreams had already ended.

In East Blue, Shimotsuki Village, a man with green algae-like hair was sitting blankly on a rock by a creek, looking as if he had lost his purpose in life.

This man was none other than Roronoa Zoro, who wants to become the world's greatest swordsman. Recently, a funeral was held here, and sadly, the person who passed away was his childhood friend, Kuina.

The cause of death was hard to accept. A girl who could defeat grown men at the age of 10 tragically died while looking for a whetstone at night. Zoro didn't know more details, but when he heard the news, all he saw was a black-and-white photo on a tombstone.

Regardless of the actual circumstances, for him, that small goal in his life was now dead, and he was engulfed in sorrow.

At that moment, a strange man walked by the creek on the other side, his entire body cloaked in a black robe, revealing only one blue eye.

"You've been standing there for quite a while. Are you looking for directions?"

"Young man, has your family ever told you about the legend of the underworld?"

The person searching for the underworld was none other than Darkrai. The black robe was his disguise, and the trailing robe obscures outsiders from discerning his true appearance.

This was his only flaw. Not using his legs could easily scare ordinary people, but the greatest purpose of his legs was to tone down his aura, so Darkrai chose this method.

As for why he appeared here, after leaving Tesoro's ship, he followed a faint aura, continuing his search until he arrived here.

What he sought was so elusive that there were no clues, only legends to rely on. He often inquired with children or the elderly about such legends. But this young man seemed different.

"The underworld...does it really exist?"

"Of course, I've been searching for it for a long time."

Instead of fear like most people, he responded with a question, piquing Darkrai's interest. So, without being direct, he elaborated a bit more.

"While I'd like to give you the directions, I don't know how to reach that place myself."

That statement had some flaws. Specifically, he didn't know how the living could reach the underworld, let alone return. Looking at the strange person before him, Zoro's intuition told him that this person seemed to know something.

"If that place truly exists, they should also be aware of what happens in the human world, right?"

"Perhaps, I haven't been there myself. Since you don't know anything, then farewell."

Darkrai's interest quickly waned. He had no intention of answering the young man's questions forever. He then vanished before Zoro's eyes like a ghost.

Watching Darkrai disappear, Zoro rubbed his eyes in disbelief, then pinched his own face, before rushing to his usual training spot to crazily practice...

****Please support on pat*eon for extra chapters; there is date to date subscription enabled on patreon. [There is a 7-day trial version availabe on patreon.]

https://www.pat*eon.com/dmtranslations

You can read ahead upto 75 chapters on my pa*reon.