Chapter 155: Whitebeard and Shanks

In the New World, on Sphinx Island, a pirate ship shaped like a massive white whale lay anchored quietly at the shore. At the edge of a seaside cliff, a group of hundreds of pirates was in the midst of a lively banquet.

The atmosphere was filled with laughter, with robust and burly pirates enjoying drinks together in high spirits.

"Speaking of Red-Haired Shanks, that guy is truly remarkable. Who would have thought that a mere apprentice on the Roger Pirates would one day rise to stand on equal footing with Pops, becoming an Emperor of the Sea in the New World! Life sure is unpredictable," said Rakuyo, the captain of the 7th Division, holding a bottle of liquor with a face full of emotion.

Rakuyo was a veteran of the Whitebeard Pirates, with seniority even surpassing Marco, the captain of the 1st Division.

"Captain Rakuyo! Shanks may be strong, but if you're saying he can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Pops now, we can't agree with that," protested a drunken pirate.

"Exactly! Pops is the strongest! Be it Kaido, Big Mom, or Shanks, they're all just rookies compared to him! Pops is a living legend of the seas, standing toe-to-toe with Pirate King Roger!"

The pirates, intoxicated and indignant, chimed in agreement.

"Of course, I know Pops is the strongest! That's undeniable. I was just expressing my feelings. Speaking of which…" Rakuyo took a swig from his bottle and clinked it with a burly man sitting across from him. The man was dark-skinned, missing several front teeth, and exuded a rugged charm.

"Teach, back when our Whitebeard Pirates clashed with the Roger Pirates, Shanks and that red-nosed brat were your opponents. Now that one of them has become an Emperor, how does that make you feel?"

Teach grinned widely, taking a long swig of alcohol and shoving a piece of cherry pie into his mouth. "Zehahaha! Captain Rakuyo, you know me better than that after all these years. I have no ambitions. Just being on Pops' ship and with everyone here makes me more than happy."

"You should step up, though. The position of 2nd Division Captain has been vacant for years now. With your qualifications and strength, you're more than capable. How about I speak to Pops about it? I doubt anyone would object—right, guys?"

"That's right! Teach, if you became the 2nd Division Captain, none of us would have any complaints!"

"Absolutely! Teach has saved many lives, and he's both strong and hardworking, always training diligently every day."

Despite the encouragement from his crewmates, Teach just chuckled sheepishly, his cheeks bulging as he continued to chew on his cherry pie.

"Don't put me on the spot. I really don't have that kind of ambition, and I'm not strong enough either. The position of 2nd Division Captain isn't something just anyone can handle—you all know that."

Rakuyo watched Teach's reaction and shook his head in resignation. Teach was a good man but far too lacking in ambition. Despite being nominated for division captain many times over the years, he had always politely declined.

"Sea King BBQ is ready! Dig in, everyone! Leave the cooking to me!" announced Thatch, the 4th Division Captain, as he carried a mountain of roasted meat with a wide grin.

"Zehahaha! With Captain Thatch's cooking skills, it's impossible to go hungry. Thatch, I want a big piece!"

"No problem, eat up, Teach!"

The banquet continued. At the edge of the festivities, a pirate spotted a news-carrying gull in the sky and paid it with some Berries to retrieve the newspapers. Laughing, he handed them to Rakuyo and Thatch.

"Captain Rakuyo, Captain Thatch, here's the latest news. Read it to us illiterates. Anything interesting happening on the seas these days?"

"Not much. Shanks becoming an Emperor has stabilized the New World's balance," Rakuyo said absentmindedly as he took the newspaper.

"That's not necessarily true. This year saw several rookie pirates making waves. I heard one of them is particularly dangerous, something about an Avenger with a terrifying bounty. Marco even warned us to watch for him. If he enters the New World, we should seize the chance to recruit him…" Thatch said casually while distributing the meat.

Suddenly, the lively atmosphere quieted.

"What's wrong?" Thatch turned to see Rakuyo staring at the unfolded newspaper.

"Roger's Pirates have reappeared on the Sabaody Archipelago! Dark King Rayleigh has attacked the Celestial Dragons and now has a bounty of…"

"3.9 billion Berries?!"

Every pirate who saw the bold headline and the iconic Oro Jackson ship alongside Rayleigh's familiar face on the front page was stunned into silence.

Minutes later, on Sphinx Island…

"Pops! Pops! Something huge has happened!" Rakuyo, usually calm and composed, was now visibly shaken as he rushed into the island's interior, clutching the newspaper.

Hearing the urgency in his voice, Marco, who had been pouring Whitebeard a drink, looked surprised.

"Rakuyo, what's got you so worked up?"

The man with the crescent-shaped white mustache and imposing stature looked up from his giant bowl of sake.

"Calm down, Rakuyo," Whitebeard said, his deep voice steady.

"Sorry, Pops, but this is explosive news! Roger's Pirates are back!" Rakuyo exclaimed, sweat beading on his forehead yet excitement gleaming in his eyes.

"What did you say? Roger?" Whitebeard paused, setting his sake bowl aside to take the newspaper.

One glance, and his lips curved into a wide grin.

"Gurarararara! Gurararara! It's the Oro Jackson. How nostalgic. To think I'd see Roger's ship in the papers again."

"That's not the point, Pops!" Marco interjected, visibly shocked as he held the newspaper, his hands trembling slightly.

"After more than a decade of silence, Rayleigh suddenly attacks the Celestial Dragons? And now he has a bounty of 3.9 billion Berries? That bounty is insane!"

"Gurarara! Insane?" Whitebeard chuckled, shaking his head.

"Not at all. A single Celestial Dragon being killed would shake the world, let alone this public assault. It's no wonder the bounty is so high," Whitebeard said, but his brows furrowed slightly.

Still, it puzzled him. Based on his understanding of Rayleigh, the steady and reserved Dark King wouldn't make such a bold move unless something extraordinary had prompted it.

"Hey, there's also news about this year's supernova pirates," Thatch pointed out while scanning the paper.

"Let me see…"

"The Avengers Pirates have been wiped out. Their captain, Aristot, was killed by Marine Major Rorschach. Vice-captain Dafy Lance is dead. The Decalvan Brothers were captured by Major Rorschach. Giant Pirate Palmer was arrested by Lieutenant Trafalgar Law…"

Marco sighed after reading the news. "Pops, it seems we won't be adding any fresh blood to our ranks this year. All five of the Supernova pirates... wiped out."

"This Marine Major, Rorschach—where did he come from? A mere major capable of taking down four pirates with bounties exceeding 100 million? Is another monster emerging within the Marines?"

"Monster? Gurararara. To be called a monster, this level is far from enough."

Whitebeard downed a large bowl of sake in one gulp, though his mind wandered elsewhere.

The winds of change are blowing.

Such an event happening in Sabaody doesn't just affect this year's pirate rookies.

While the New World is vast, the first half of the Grand Line and the Four Seas are the primary sources of pirates.

"Marco, contact Red-Haired Shanks and ask if he knows what that old geezer Rayleigh is up to."

"I'll call him with the Den Den Mushi right away."

.....

Hundreds of pale lightning bolts pierced the heavens, tearing through the dark skies and engulfing the entire island.

On the sea, towering waves roared and churned as if an invisible hand were stirring the ominous waters.

This is Thunder Island in the New World—an island perpetually bathed in lightning.

"Seriously, why stop at such a cursed place? If I get struck by lightning, my life's over," grumbled Yasopp from the shoreline.

A massive red-hulled ship swayed with the waves, threatening to capsize at any moment.

"Ha ha ha, Yasopp, trust in our luck. By the way, have you found Shanks yet?"

Fat and round like a ball, Lucky Roux chuckled as he gnawed on a drumstick, glancing toward the lightning-filled center of the island.

Yasopp raised his sniper rifle and peered into the dark island.

"There he is... They're fighting on the most lightning-struck peak! They're insane."

Lowering his rifle, Yasopp shook his head and glanced at Benn Beckman, who sat nearby reading a newspaper.

"In this pitch-black storm, you're still in the mood for a newspaper, Beckman? Aren't you worried Shanks will lose? He's down an arm, after all."

The cigarette in Beckman's mouth glowed faintly in the darkness.

"He fought his way out of Kaido's territory. A duel with Mihawk is just a spar between old friends. Nothing to worry about. Besides, what's in the paper is much more intriguing. Shanks will definitely be interested."

.....

"Boom!"

Blinding bolts of lightning, like the branches of ancient towering trees, shot from the dark clouds, covering the mountaintop below.

At the illuminated peak stood two tall figures, each holding a long sword.

"Ha ha ha, Mihawk, why not join my crew? We have feasts every day—it's lively and fun!"

Shanks held his sword, Gryphon, in one hand, grinning brightly, utterly indifferent to the surrounding lightning. His eyes were focused solely on the figure a hundred meters away.

"I already told you—if you defeat me, I might consider it," came the sharp reply.

In the darkness, two hawk-like eyes glinted. Mihawk, wielding Yoru—one of the twelve Supreme Grade Blades—slowly raised his sword.

As the blade lifted, the night seemed to split. Even the descending lightning bolts were severed.

A radiant slash illuminated the peak, creating a dazzling halo in the island's sky, as if day had suddenly arrived.

"Great! You said it yourself! Ha ha, looks like I'm gaining a new crewmate today!"

Shanks laughed heartily, stepping forward in his sandals. His figure blurred into a phantom, leaping into the air. Gryphon crackled with black and red lightning, radiating an overwhelming aura of dominance.

"Boom!"

A black thunderclap louder than the lightning itself erupted in the sky above the island. Gryphon's slash tore through the storm, splitting the heavens and clashing with Mihawk's brilliant light.

"Divine Departure!"

"Clang!"

The deafening clash of sword and blade reverberated across thousands of kilometers of the sea.

.....

Hours later…

"Ha ha ha, I still couldn't take you down, Mihawk. Ah, forget it—let's go drink."

Shanks, his clothes tattered from battle, sheathed Gryphon and casually approached Mihawk, throwing an arm around his shoulder.

"Don't come near me. You stink of sweat," Mihawk retorted, trying to shrug off Shanks' arm but failing. Together, they walked toward the shore of Thunder Island.

"Start the feast, everyone!"

"Boss lost again, huh? How many times has it been now?"

"Who knows? Definitely not the last time!"

Later, as campfires burned along the dark shore, the scent of roasted meat and liquor filled the air.

"Silvers Rayleigh assassinated a Celestial Dragon and has been given a 3.9 billion Beli bounty by the World Government?"

Shanks stared at the newspaper in surprise. Memories surged back as he noticed the Oro Jackson beneath Rayleigh.

Mihawk, also reading the paper, looked intrigued.

"Dark King Rayleigh... A legendary swordsman. Seems like he's in the Grand Line. Perfect—I was planning a visit. Maybe I can have a duel with him."

"Something doesn't add up... The Oro Jackson..." Shanks murmured, frowning.

"Shanks, what's on your mind?" Yasopp asked.

"Nothing," Shanks replied, shaking his head. "I'm just a little worried about Rayleigh."

"That old man needs your worry? 3.9 billion Beli—higher than your bounty, Shanks! Truly worthy of being the Dark King," Yasopp and Lucky Roux chuckled dismissively.

Suddenly, Beckman took out a Den Den Mushi from his coat.

"It's Whitebeard."

"Whitebeard?" Shanks raised an eyebrow, then smiled. "Seems the news has shaken the world quite a bit."

(End of Chapter)

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