Chapter 38: The Awakening That Starts a New Era

On the other side, Shanks wasn't asleep either. 

He got out of bed, feeling something stir deep inside him—was it fate? 

"Is it time for me to set sail? Has the story's timeline finally reached this point?" 

"No… it doesn't feel like that. It feels more like something happened to someone connected to me." 

Shanks stepped out of his room. Not far away, Madara was sitting by the lake. His sword, covered in cracks, was stabbed into the ground beside him as he stared at the still water. 

"You sensed something?" 

Madara's voice broke the silence. As his life force drained away uncontrollably, his sleep became shorter and shorter. 

But strangely, his mind felt sharper than ever. 

It was as if he were burning the last of his energy, but his sheer willpower was stretching that moment longer than it should last. 

"I think something happened to someone I'm connected to. But I couldn't see who. Even with my Observation Haki, I can't see what's coming." 

Shanks sat down beside him. There was a loneliness in Madara's presence, as if he were waiting for something at the water's edge. 

"When I was young, my brother and I used to come out here at night, just like this, watching the lake. The calm water always helped him find peace. He was nothing like me. I knew his pride and arrogance weren't really who he was—he just didn't want to embarrass me, his older brother. He didn't want to bring shame to our family." 

"People who can truly enjoy this kind of peace… they're different from me. He was a gentle person. And yet, he sacrificed so much for everyone else." 

Madara picked up a stone and skipped it across the lake, just like he used to when he was a child. 

With his brother. With Hashirama. 

"Peace is like a still lake. But a lake can't stay still forever. War comes out of nowhere, without reason, without warning. And then, one day… my brother died." 

"Not long after he died, the war ended. But that peace… he never got to see it." 

There was no doubt that Hashirama and Madara had been the closest of friends. 

And what Hashirama said was true—Madara loved his younger brother Izuna more than anything. 

Izuna was the most important person in Madara's life. 

He never cared about the Uchiha clan. 

The only person he cared about was his brother. 

But somewhere along the way, that familiar figure that had always chased after him was gone. 

And he was the only one left.

"I don't have much time left. I'm afraid I won't live to see the truth come out. So, this is my last request—if possible, find out what really happened to my brother." 

"As for the Divine Tree I promised you, I've already had someone send it to your friend. Not long ago, he showed up near the Capital of Land of Water. I believe by the time you set sail, your ship will be ready." 

Madara continued speaking. 

He didn't hide anything from Shanks, including what he had learned about the outside world. 

"The captain of the Blade-less Pirates?" 

Shanks asked. 

Madara nodded beside him. 

"Looks like it's that guy. My Observation Haki picked up something… He hasn't been captured, has he?" 

What Shanks sensed wasn't a good sign. If that guy had really been caught, then his own crew aboard the Pirate King's ship wouldn't be safe either. Things were about to get messy. 

So, this is what it means to be the main character? Just wanting to train in peace for a while, only to get dragged into all this for no reason. 

"You're overthinking it. That guy is a rising star among pirates right now—he pulled off something big." 

"But the government covered it up. If my people hadn't happened to find out, even I would've been left in the dark." 

Madara sighed. He wasn't talking about Zabuza—that small fry wasn't worth his attention. 

What really impressed him was Shanks. 

So, this guy isn't dumb—he just doesn't bother with minor details. 

Even though Madara hadn't gone out of his way to hide his identity, he was sure that Shanks still didn't know who he really was. 

This man's mind was focused on shaping the entire ninja world, not on people like him. 

To someone like Shanks, a single person wasn't that important. 

Just like with Zabuza—even if it hadn't been him, Shanks could've found someone else to get the job done. 

Madara had that much confidence in his judgment. 

And one thing was clear—Shanks was also targeting Black Zetsu. 

The Fourth Mizukage had been under Obito's control for years. Madara himself had been pulling the strings, but the real mastermind was Black Zetsu. 

And the timing of Zabuza's appearance was way too convenient. 

Just when Terumi Mei was preparing to stage a coup, Zabuza showed up and threw all their plans into chaos. 

It was a perfect example of cutting off the enemy's support at the root. 

I don't need to know your goal—I just need to stop you. 

At this point, the Mizukage was useless. Terumi Mei was only there to stabilize the situation, but with Zabuza's interference, everything spiraled out of control. 

Now, the Akatsuki would have no choice but to step in, and the more they acted, the higher the chances of Black Zetsu exposing himself. 

That was what Madara admired most—Shanks, one of the Four Emperors of the New World, had a brilliant mind. 

"It makes sense for the government to cover this up." 

Shanks nodded. He knew exactly how the World Government operated. 

If something major had happened in the City of Water, they would try to keep it under wraps as much as possible. Otherwise, the whole sea would be in chaos. 

At this point, the government had to block any and all information. 

Otherwise, how else could he explain why he hadn't seen a single news bird in so long?

Even though their words didn't match at all, Madara and Shanks had already built an understanding over time. Their conversations no longer felt out of place. 

They could follow along just fine, and both understood what the other meant. 

"So you don't need to worry too much about that guy." 

"Instead of worrying about him, you might as well care about this old man right here." 

As the sun rose— 

A cracking sound echoed. 

The samurai sword beside Madara had finally reached its limit. 

Already covered in cracks, the blade couldn't hold on any longer. As the morning sun shone on him, all that remained was a pile of broken pieces on the ground. 

Shanks stood beside Madara. The old man had no breath left in him. His dry white hair swayed in the wind, and his worn-out samurai robe fluttered slightly. 

As the sun climbed higher, Shanks felt an indescribable loneliness—the feeling of an old era coming to an end. 

Maybe… it really was time for him to set sail. 

The fall of the old era wasn't the end. And the beginning of the new one didn't start with Roger's execution. 

It started with him—Shanks, the youngest of the Four Emperors. 

The left hand of a Four Emperor would mark the dawn of a new era in Windmill Village, East Blue. 

With this very hand, Shanks would personally place the crown on the next Pirate King. 

At that moment, Shanks finally made up his mind. 

To set sail. 

To become… a true Four Emperor. 

"Let's see if the new era can take my left hand!" 

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