"Celestial Dragon."
Morgans' smile froze on his face.
...
The next instant.
The receiver suddenly transmitted rapid, urgent breathing, mixed with the clatter of a chair being knocked over and the creak of a door slamming shut.
"Hello?"
After a long silence without response, Xiano raised an eyebrow.
"Ah, um... hello? Hello, hello, hello? Lord Xiano, can you hear me?"
Zzzzt~.
"The signal isn't very good, can't make out what you're saying... Hello? Hello? Lord Xiano, are you still there... How strange..."
Click.
The call disconnected.
Xiano glanced at the receiver, chuckled softly, and set it back down.
His expression remained calm, as if this outcome didn't surprise him. Crossing his legs, he sat at the table and continued waiting patiently.
...
World Economic Journal office.
Morgans was drenched in cold sweat, pacing rapidly back and forth across the room with his hands clasped behind his back.
What was this guy trying to do? Asking him for information on Celestial Dragons' movements, even saying he planned to... deal with them? How dare mere mortals entertain such delusions about the gods who ruled above all!
This madman!
A complete and utter lunatic!
But...
"Sea Emperor Seeks Revenge Against Celestial Dragons?"
If a headline like that could be printed on the front page... Just imagining it made Morgans tremble from head to toe.
The news record set during Pirate King Roger's execution might even be shattered!
But... was it worth the risk?
Morgans' expression shifted between dark and light as he paced. Passing by a bookshelf, his gaze suddenly fell upon a quill pen resting on the top shelf.
It was a journalist's symbol—the very first pen given to him by his mentor when he was just a green rookie entering the industry.
Morgans narrowed his eyes slightly, staring at that old pen.
After a long while, he licked his lower jaw, his lips slowly curling into a grin.
Hey!
What the hell are you hesitating for, you bastard!
So what if this makes you an accomplice in deicide? As a true journalist, a pure businessman, why would you fear stirring up trouble?
So what if that newly crowned Sea Emperor is insane?
You're a madman too!
Otherwise, you wouldn't have risked your life last time to infiltrate Mondor's Book-Book World, ending up unconscious for six full days before being rescued!
And those Celestial Dragons, with their lofty arrogance... He too had...
With a strange laugh, Morgans yanked open a cabinet and retrieved two Den Den Mushi he hadn't used in ages.
One was a large Den Den Mushi;
The other was smaller, its body pure white as if dredged from a flour sack.
After connecting them through a special pipeline to block all eavesdropping signals—and double-checking the setup multiple times—Morgans took a deep breath and dialed that number again...
...
Brrring-brrring~
The Den Den Mushi's ringtone finally sounded once more.
Hmm?
That was faster than expected.
Xiano leisurely set down his orange soda, admiring the harbor view below while picking up the receiver.
An unfamiliar, hoarse elderly voice spoke:
"This call is routed through our highest-grade encrypted Den Den Mushi, sir. Don't ask who I am—I won't answer any identity-related questions."
"In short, I can indeed provide the information you seek."
"Most of those esteemed individuals dislike leaving their homes, remaining year-round in their mountain estates."
"But there are always exceptions. According to our observations, a few younger members have shown increasing interest in travel in recent years."
Xiano narrowed his eyes slightly but remained silent, continuing to listen quietly.
"Two of them only visit the northern snowscapes, which are somewhat distant. It depends on whether you're willing to consider that distance."
"The others frequently visit that particular forest, as they can always find things they fancy there."
"As for their travel patterns, they're quite predictable. The next opportunity should come in about forty days or so..."
As the hoarse voice continued, Xiano lifted his gaze, peering thoughtfully through the porthole toward the distant horizon.
Forty-some days... so about a month and a half from now?
There's still some time then...
But this actually suits him perfectly.
The Wisteria Seven Islands—especially the two abandoned by Whitebeard and the Beast—have only recently come under his control. They require time for consolidation and reorganization.
Moreover, his newly acquired abilities—Solar Fist, Summoning Technique, and Land Reclamation—need dedicated practice until fully mastered and seamlessly integrated.
A period of quiet preparation it is then.
Xiano withdrew his gaze from the window, a faint smile curling his lips.
After all, isn't it true that the greatest storms always brew in silence before they arrive?
————
————
It's common knowledge that Sabaody Archipelago isn't truly an archipelago.
Freed from magnetic constraints, this place experiences distinct seasons like any other island across the four seas—spring, summer, autumn, and winter in orderly succession.
March passed in a flash.
Mid-April arrived, marking the transition from spring to summer.
Pop... pop... pop!
Amidst the constant birth, floating, and bursting of resin bubbles, sunlight filtered through the canopy gaps as the weather gradually turned warmer.
"Hey, you lot! Look over there—what's that?!"
At the docks, an elderly Coating Artisan—shirtless and drunk, lounging beneath a tree—suddenly pointed at the sea with bulging eyes.
His drinking companions turned in confusion just as a swirling vortex appeared near the pier, rapidly expanding...
Splash!
The next moment, a pale yellow submarine breached the surface like a colossal whale, sending spray soaring.
"Is that... a Pirate ship?"
The old Coating Artisan scratched his head at the sight of the grinning skull emblem, utterly baffled. "It can submerge by itself? Hey, do you think this thing still needs our coating services?"
How should we know...
The artisans exchanged bewildered glances.
Whoosh~
Amidst hissing hydraulics, the hatch slowly opened. A young man clutching a longsword stepped onto the dock, one hand adjusting his leopard-print cap as his boots met the wet planks.
"Captain, is this really the endpoint of the first half—Sabaody Archipelago? It's enormous!" Bepo followed closely behind, fluffy ears twitching with curiosity.
"Waaah! That white bear talks!"
"Scared the life outta me!"
The drunken Coating Artisans nearly jumped out of their skins, arms flailing wildly.
"Sorry." Bepo immediately lowered his head, clutching his clothes with a pitiful expression.
"You don't have to apologize to everyone!"
Law helplessly smacked the back of his head, then turned and snarled at the sharp-toothed man, "Hey! If you dare mock my crewmate again, I'll slice every last one of you in half!"
"Waaah! So scary!"
The group of coating artisans huddled together, trembling in fear at Law's threat.
The old man from earlier, however, had sharp eyes. Staring at Law's face, he found it increasingly familiar and couldn't help but exclaim, "Hey, young man! You're that guy, aren't you? The Captain of the Heart Pirates, with a 200 million Berry bounty—one of the Eleven Supernovas!"
"Supernova?"
Law paused slightly, frowning. "The Heart Pirates Captain and the bounty are correct, but this 'Supernova'... what's that?"
————
"Hey, kid, you really don't know you're one of this generation's Supernovas?"
Inside Shakky's Rip-off Bar.
The former Nine Snake Empress, who had once left Roger utterly smitten, now rested her chin on one hand, eyeing the moss-headed young man at the bar with amusement.
"Roronoa Zoro, Captain of the Two-Sword Style Pirates, with a bounty of 121 million Berries?"
"I said I don't know. Why would I lie to you, old lady?"
Zoro grumbled, oblivious to Shakky's darkening expression, as he grabbed his glass and downed the drink in one gulp. "Captain, cook, navigator, shipwright—everything falls on me in the Two-Sword Style Adventure Crew. I'm too busy to even read the newspapers!"
"All by yourself?"
Shakky blinked, genuinely surprised now. "A swordsman who only knows how to fight, yet managed to cross the Grand Line and reach the end of Paradise alone?"
"The end of Paradise?"
Zoro looked up blankly.
After a few seconds of staring at Shakky, he suddenly shot up, slamming the table in shock. "Huh?! This is the end of Paradise?!"
"You're way too slow on the uptake!"
"How was I supposed to know, lady? I was trying to get to Water 7 to fix my ship, got lost, and woke up here!"
Lost? And ended up here? Shakky's eye twitched.
Zoro slumped back into his seat, rubbing his temples in frustration.
"Ugh, what am I supposed to do now? My ship's completely wrecked. How am I supposed to get to the New World like this…"
"If you need repairs, there are plenty of shipyards on this island. Just head to the eastern district."
Shakky shook her head, lighting a cigarette and taking a slow drag before continuing, "But are you sure you want to go to the New World? The intensity there is worlds apart from Paradise. Even Supernovas with bounties over 100 million can die horribly if they're not careful."
Zoro grinned, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.
"Of course I'm going! I made a promise to a girl—to follow in Xiano's footsteps and compete for the title of World's Greatest Swordsman. I can't stop here!"
"Xiano…" Shakky's focus immediately shifted, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You know that guy?"
"Yeah, we've known each other since I was little. Pretty close."
Zoro chuckled, his eyes filled with nostalgia. "It's only been a little over a year, but so much has happened in that time. It feels like ages since I last saw him..."
"Enough talk. Time to find a shipyard. Thanks for the info, kind lady!"
Zoro stood up and fished a few coins from his pocket. "I only had two drinks to quench my thirst, nothing else. Let me settle the bill."
"No problem."
Shakky exhaled a smoke ring and glanced at the empty glasses on the counter. "Two glasses of seventy-year-old Romanote Special, totaling fifty million Berry. Thanks for your patronage."
"?"
Zoro froze mid-count, his fingers stiffening around the coins. He looked up in disbelief, eyes wide:
"How much?!"
Fifty million Berry?!
"That's right," Shakky said with a smile. "Did I not make it clear? This is a top-shelf vintage aged seventy years. A higher price is only natural, young man."
"You've got to be kidding me!" Zoro slammed his palm on the counter, face flushing red. "That was clearly the cheapest swill! I saw you grab it from under the counter just now!"
"Oh my, caught red-handed~" Shakky feigned surprise, covering her mouth, but a sly glint flashed in her eyes. "But what can you do? You called me that name, so consider this compensation for my emotional distress."
This woman...
Pure extortion! Wait, hold on—!
Shakky's Rip-off Bar—so that's what it meant!
Zoro gritted his teeth, his earlier gratitude vanishing without a trace.
If she were a pirate, he'd have already drawn his sword and cut her down. But she was just a civilian woman.
Creak~
Just as the tension grew palpable, the shutter door suddenly swung open.
"Boss! Ten plates of grilled meat! No, make it twenty! As fast as you can!"
A freckle-faced boy in a cowboy hat rushed in, panting, his eyes wild with hunger. The moment he sat down, he began pounding the table. "Hurry, hurry, hurry! I haven't eaten in three days!"
Zoro and Shakky both blinked, turning their attention to the unexpected intruder.
"Hey, kid," Shakky frowned, displeased. "This is a bar, not a restaurant. If you want food, go next door."
"Huh? Really?" The freckled boy scratched his head, disappointed. "But the restaurant owner next door said they're full. Some weirdly dressed guy and his crew booked every seat. He told me to try here, said you serve food too."
"Those are just bar snacks. There's no grilled meat here," Shakky sighed, massaging her temples. She tapped her cigarette ash and studied the boy for a few seconds. He looked oddly familiar. Unable to resist, she asked:
"Hey, kid. You're Ace, aren't you? Portgas D. Ace? The one with a 330 million Berry bounty—the highest among this year's Supernovas?"
Tch. Not just the name, but even his looks and loud, presumptuous attitude reminded her of Roger in his youth.
If Rayleigh hadn't told her Roger had no descendants, she might've mistaken him for Roger's son.
"Huh? You know me, lady?" Ace gaped.
"Three hundred and thirty million Berry?" Zoro was stunned.
Both of them heard the voice beside their ears and turned their heads almost simultaneously, locking eyes as they sized each other up.
"Tch, one next door was bad enough, and now another Mosshead shows up here?" Ace clicked his tongue in annoyance. "No wonder I can't get a decent meal. What terrible luck."
"Hey, hey, hey. That's pretty rude talk, freckle-face brat."
Zoro sneered, his right hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "You know, I've got this habit—when I can't pay the bill, I look for wanted guys nearby, beat them up, and turn them in for the bounty. You'd actually be perfect to cover my drinks tab..."
As he spoke, Zoro frowned, suddenly realizing something was off.
"Another"?
Why had this guy just said "another"?
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