In the Grand Line, within a tavern on the Sabaody Archipelago, two men who made the World Government and the Marines uneasy were gathered, drinking and chatting leisurely.
One of them was Silvers Rayleigh, the former first mate of the Pirate King Roger, known as the "Dark King." The other was a former crew member of Roger's ship and now a world-renowned pirate, "Red-Haired" Shanks.
"The Grand Line is filled with countless great pirates and Marines, yet none of them could harm you. And yet, after just one trip to the East Blue, you lost an arm," Rayleigh said, glancing at Shanks' empty left sleeve.
Shanks was momentarily taken aback before smiling and touching his left arm. "I merely paid a small price for the next era, just like Captain Roger did."
"A small price..." Rayleigh swirled his wine glass. "And this 'next era' you speak of—is it in the East Blue?"
"Yes," Shanks replied with a nod. "Can you believe it? In the East Blue, there's a kid who said the exact same thing as Captain Roger. I was truly shocked at the time," Shanks said, his excitement evident as he spoke about Luffy. "I believe he'll become an extraordinary pirate. That's why I entrusted the captain's straw hat—and even my arm—to him."
Shanks animatedly recounted to Rayleigh the events of that year when he docked at Windmill Village in the East Blue, especially the moments he shared with Luffy.
After listening to Shanks' story, Rayleigh poured himself another drink and, with a hint of nostalgia, imitated Roger's tone, angrily declaring that he would catch the fish that bit off Shanks' arm and roast it.
Both men burst into laughter at Rayleigh's impression.
"That's just how the captain was," Shanks said with a smile. "Whenever an idea came to his mind, he would pursue it relentlessly, no matter the consequences."
Rayleigh paused mid-drink, his gaze fixed on Shanks, whose tone had become enigmatic. Shanks continued, "After Captain Roger passed away, I traveled the world. Few people understand better than I do the impact of his final words on this world."
"And what impact did they have?"
"A surge of heroes—and an endless stream of scoundrels," Shanks said, taking a sip of his drink. "What Captain Roger did wasn't wrong. With his final words, he opened the door to a new era. But the cost was heavy—not just his life, but also the peaceful lives of countless civilians. Along the way, I've personally defeated more scoundrels who took to the seas because of his words than I can count. And the stories I've heard are even more numerous."
Rayleigh grinned. "Only some insignificant scoundrels?"
"Not exactly," Shanks replied. "In the East Blue, I encountered a rather interesting pirate. He drove out the troublemakers among his ranks, protected the civilians within his territory, and even helped them rebuild their homes. In him, I saw something different from other pirates."
"He does sound interesting. You should've invited him to join your crew," Rayleigh said.
"I did, but he flatly refused," Shanks said with a bitter smile.
Rayleigh burst into hearty laughter at this.
"The Great Pirate Era has been going on for so many years. Things aren't as chaotic as they were at the beginning; they're gradually stabilizing. The people of the previous era, like Captain Roger, were responsible for planting the seeds. For people like us in this era, I think our duty is to protect the young saplings that are beginning to grow—and to mitigate the damage, so that when the next generation rises, they won't inherit a broken world."
"Mitigate the damage?"
"Because the Great Pirate Era has already destroyed too many lives and homes," Shanks said solemnly. "In this world, it's our generation's responsibility to prevent further deterioration."
"Shanks..." Rayleigh stared at him for a moment, then exhaled deeply. Raising his glass, he clinked it against Shanks'. "Roger wasn't wrong about you. You've become as remarkable a man as he was."
To someone like Rayleigh, the measure of a great pirate wasn't just their strength, but also their vision for the world.
In this world of Devil Fruits, even a nobody could gain immense power by eating a Logia Fruit. But to truly influence or change an era, one needed a grand vision and a heart for the greater good.
Rayleigh poured Shanks another drink. "What's the name of that pirate you mentioned?"
"Luffy?"
Rayleigh chuckled. "Not the kid."
"William," Shanks replied.
"It seems his actions left quite an impression on you," Rayleigh remarked.
"I saw another possibility in him—that pirates don't necessarily have to bring destruction and chaos," Shanks admitted openly.
"I wonder if I'll have the chance to meet him," Rayleigh said.
"He's not someone who'll settle for an ordinary life. He'll definitely come to the Grand Line, and when he does, it won't be in obscurity," Shanks said, downing his drink in one gulp and placing the glass on the table. "So I think you'll have a very good chance of meeting him."
"Let's hope so," Rayleigh said.
...
Life's opportunities are always unpredictable.
Gesetta, once an editor for the East Blue Daily, now found both his position and the newspaper itself consigned to history.
The East Blue Daily had once capitalized on the controversy surrounding the Prohibition Act, using it as an opportunity to slander and ridicule King Norton I, portraying him as a clownish figure. Because the newspaper operated outside the Navia Kingdom, Norton I had no jurisdiction over them, allowing them to act with impunity.
What they didn't account for, however, was the concept of "collateral damage."
Half a year ago, the king of the Faraise Kingdom, angered by the newspaper's disrespectful attacks on a fellow monarch, decided to take action. Overnight, the once-prominent East Blue Daily vanished without a trace, and most of its senior staff were arrested.
Gesetta, being well-informed as a journalist, knew that reasoning with kings was futile in such circumstances. Upon catching wind of the crackdown, he disguised himself and fled, narrowly escaping capture. He eventually found himself stranded in a foreign land, struggling to make ends meet.
In the end, he was recruited by Sherlock, acting under William's orders via the Four Seas Trading Company. Recognized as a talent in journalism, Gesetta was kept on retainer by William, much like the client-retainers of ancient times, to be used when needed.
When William decided to establish his own newspaper as a mouthpiece, Gesetta naturally came to mind. Ironically, Gesetta never imagined that his current employer was the very "Young Godfather" he had once written about so extensively.
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