While laughing heartily, Whitebeard gave Ron's shoulder a firm pat with his massive hand.
The force behind it was immense, nearly knocking the young man off balance.
Ron's body swayed slightly, but he managed to steady himself.
"If he hadn't captured Ace, we wouldn't have had such a justified reason to launch a full-scale assault!"
Rubbing his numb shoulder, Ron curled his lips into a confident smile.
"Exactly. Kaido has given us a legitimate cause for this campaign!"
He continued analyzing the situation. "If we were to attack a Yonko's territory without any reason… the World Government and other factions would surely grow suspicious. By then, we'd find ourselves surrounded by enemies on all sides."
Whitebeard's gaze slowly swept across the sky, where a few dark specks could be seen fluttering in the distance.
They might have been News Coos, busily delivering information, or perhaps scouts from other forces, secretly observing their every move.
Whitebeard nodded in understanding, then planted Murakumogiri firmly on the deck.
The impact sent a slight tremor through the ship, accompanied by a dull thud.
"Now… saving my son is only natural!" A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, like a meteor streaking through the night sky.
"By the time Kaido realizes what's happening, Pluton will already bear the name 'Eternal'!"
…
The New World.
A certain stretch of sea seemed shrouded in an eerie gloom.
The water's surface rippled with a blood-red hue, as though countless streams of blood were flowing freely through the waves.
At the center of these crimson ripples, Shanks' Red Force floated silently.
Shanks steadied his single arm on the hilt of Gryphon, the blade emitting a chilling gleam.
His red hair whipped wildly in the fierce sea breeze, appearing somewhat disheveled.
His eyes, sharp as arrows, were fixed intently on the figure gradually receding into the distance.
His expression revealed a complex mix of emotions—shock, confusion, and a deep-seated concern.
Pinkish-white hair billowed like a flag in the howling wind, fluttering noisily.
The long locks danced in the breeze, while a blood-red cloak spread open dramatically, rustling loudly.
Most striking of all was the vivid blue rose pinned to the figure's chest.
The blue bloom was radiantly beautiful, yet carried an unsettling, eerie allure.
Even amid the sea winds, one could faintly catch a whiff of its peculiar, decaying fragrance, sending a chill down the spine.
"Patrick Redfield…" Shanks' voice sounded unusually hoarse at that moment.
With this murmur, memories from his time as a rookie on the Roger Pirates surged uncontrollably into his mind like a tidal wave.
They were recollections filled with passion and fervor, yet tinged with awe.
That monster who, alone, could stand toe-to-toe with the entire Roger Pirates crew.
That legendary figure celebrated throughout the pirate world as "Red the Aloof."
His power was so immense that even Shanks was deeply shaken.
However, what sent chills down Shanks' spine at this moment was the fact that the old man, who should have been imprisoned in the most secure depths of Impel Down, had now reappeared in the world!
Moreover, he had been locked in a stalemate with Shanks for several days, causing him to miss the Eternal Divine Kingdom campaign entirely!
'Ron has truly stirred up an enormous mess!'
Shanks cursed inwardly
How many more hidden secrets did this madman still possess?
What fresh calamity would his actions bring to these already turbulent seas?
Though Red-Haired Shanks' heart burned with fiery rage, he felt utterly powerless in the face of what had already transpired.
Anger couldn't solve the current predicament—he needed to find a way to save these gradually descending chaotic waters quickly.
"Why did you stop us?" Shanks shouted at the retreating figure, his voice torn into countless fragments by the sea breeze, scattering across this eerily charged ocean surface.
"Do you know what it means that Newgate killed Akainu?!"
Redfield's lace umbrella paused slightly, as if contemplating something.
But he never turned back, only responding coldly, "A new era is coming... Red-Haired brat."
As he spoke, the petals of the blue rose on his chest began to fall eerily, one after another, like a silent funeral procession.
"Your growth is decent, but insufficient. And the Eternal Divine Kingdom... is the key."
Shanks' fists clenched until his knuckles turned white, his body trembling slightly—not from fear, but from the fury and helplessness burning within him.
The balance had been completely shattered—the Marines had lost an Admiral-level combatant, dealing a heavy blow to the delicately maintained equilibrium of the sea.
Not only had Newgate awakened the Bird-Bird Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Model: Phoenix, granting him that despair-inducing immortal body, but he had previously awakened his Tremor-Tremor Fruit ability as well.
The combination of these two formidable powers made the already mighty Newgate even more difficult to handle—even Shanks found himself hard-pressed to contend.
And now, even this monster hidden for years had reappeared in the world!
All these changes pressed upon Shanks with unprecedented weight.
And Luffy, upon whom he pinned his hopes, was currently missing...
Worry and anxiety surged in Shanks' heart.
Luffy was the inheritor prophesied by Captain Roger, the key figure destined to change these seas in the future.
Now, in these rapidly shifting times, Luffy's whereabouts filled him with unease.
"Captain Roger's plans have completely fallen apart..."
Shanks threw back his head and downed an entire bottle of strong liquor.
The alcohol burned down his throat with a fiery sting, the potent brew seemingly unable to quell the rage and anxiety within him.
"That madman Newgate has pushed the entire sea to the brink!"
Benn Beckman silently lit a cigarette.
The smoke slowly rose before him, partially obscuring his face and hiding his current expression, yet his steady presence still conveyed an intangible pressure.
"Shall we pursue?" Benn Beckman asked softly, his quiet voice piercingly clear in the still atmosphere.
Shanks gazed toward the direction where Redfield had disappeared, dangerous glints flashing in his eyes.
His expression revealed a resolute determination—in this moment, he had made an important decision.
"No... First, we find Luffy."
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