Chapter 153: Red-Haired Emperor & Water 7
Marine Headquarters - Roy's Office
Time flowed quietly. The year was now 1516 of the Sea Circle Calendar.
The seas remained turbulent, and the chessboard of the New World was quietly being reset.
In the administration building of Marine Headquarters, in a simply furnished but imposing office located in the breeziest corner, sunlight streamed through the blinds. It fell onto the heavy mahogany desk and the newspaper spread across it.
The front page of the World Economic Journal bore two shocking headlines in bold black text:
[THE FOURTH EMPEROR OF THE SEA: RED-HAIRED SHANKS!]
[NEW WORLD IN TURMOIL: THE ERA OF THE FOUR EMPERORS!]
Roy sat quietly in his chair, tapping his finger lightly on the desk. His gaze was calm, but hidden depths churned beneath the surface.
On the sofa, Garp sat with his legs crossed, carelessly crunching on a bag of rice crackers. "So Shanks became an Emperor... knew he would eventually, but didn't expect it this fast."
He jutted his chin out, a complex tone in his voice. "Looks like Roger's brat... really plans to muddy the waters."
Zephyr stood by the window, hands behind his back, staring out at the horizon with a heavy expression.
"The era is starting to spiral out of control."
His voice was low, carrying the calm judgment of a seasoned veteran. "What's more surprising is Kaido. He was heavily injured and comatose for days, yet there hasn't been a single ripple of instability in the Beast Pirates' territory."
Roy's gaze sharpened slightly. "According to Intelligence reports—Charlotte Linlin sent Katakuri, the strongest of her Sweet Commanders, to the western border of Wano. Officially, it's a joint defense line. In reality, she's garrisoning it for him."
"Heh..." He smiled faintly, a cold glint in his eyes. "Such touching 'friendship'."
Garp huffed loudly. "That crazy hag? She wouldn't give away candy for free, let alone help!"
"It's an encirclement strategy. With Red-Haired becoming an Emperor, she needs to secure her position. With Kaido asleep, she's making her move under the guise of an alliance."
Zephyr nodded, his gaze cold as a knife. "If they reach a private consensus, even a temporary alliance... the order of the New World will completely collapse."
The atmosphere in the room grew heavy, as if sinking to the ocean floor.
After a long silence, Roy closed the newspaper, his tone indifferent but cutting to the heart of the matter. "What is Fleet Admiral Sengoku's stance?"
Zephyr turned from the window. "Sakazuki has already departed for the G-1 Base to oversee the New World defense line and prevent pirate expansion."
"Kuzan and Borsalino will also be executing 'Deep Dive Operations' and 'Border Intervention Missions' soon."
He paused here, changing the subject and looking meaningfully at Roy.
"As for you—Sengoku's exact words were: 'Roy is the guide and spark for the New Generation. He should not move lightly at this time.'"
Garp immediately grinned, munching on a cracker and teasing, "But... can you really sit still in an office, brat? I get the feeling you're gonna sneak the kids out to find some excitement."
He laughed slyly. "Think I don't know that restless streak in your bones?"
Roy smiled silently. He stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, pulling back the curtains.
On the training ground below, sweat glistened in the sunlight, and the shouts of young men and women rang out powerfully:
Luffy leaped into a spinning kick; Ace blasted a stream of fire; Zoro's Three-Sword Style cut the wind; Kuina moved like a blood-red swallow.
A group of future flames, burning bright.
He watched quietly, his gaze warm and distant.
"I know the responsibility on my shoulders."
His tone was gentle but resolute. "But fledglings who never face the storm will never soar into the sky!"
He turned with a smile, his voice soft as dawn but carrying the sharp edge of the new era's military spirit.
"If they want to fly higher... I must let them pass through the storm."
Grand Line - Paradise - Water 7
Galley-La Company - President's Office
The sunset slanted from the top of the high tower, passing through the massive windows to illuminate the large desk covered in blueprints and charts.
The heavy oak door creaked open. A steel prosthetic leg stomped heavily onto the floor with a dull metallic thud.
THUD.
A man with a cyborg body walked in. The cola-powered core in his chest hummed softly, vibrating with heat.
"Iceburg."
The man stopped, his voice low and impatient. He crossed his arms, frowning deeply.
"I heard you're working for the World Government now?"
He snorted, steam venting from his chest, gritting his teeth. "That's SUPER—annoying!!"
Behind the desk, Iceburg slowly looked up. The gaze behind his gold-rimmed glasses was complex and heavy.
After a long silence, he took a sealed roll of blueprints from a drawer—slightly yellowed, corners worn.
He pushed it gently across the desk.
"These are... the blueprints for Pluton."
—In that instant, time seemed to freeze.
Cutty Flam's pupils shook violently. He stepped forward, slamming his hand on the desk. "What do you mean?! This is what Tom-san left behind!!"
"The World Government's surveillance on me is getting stricter," Iceburg said slowly. He paused, a rare look of exhaustion appearing on his face. "I... can only entrust them to you."
"Take them and leave Water 7."
"Don't use the name 'Cutty Flam' anymore."
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!"
"Do you know how much pain I suffered, how much blood I shed for this iron shell—all to protect this place!!"
"I will never leave Tom-san's 'Water City'!"
He slammed his fist onto the desk again. With a dull boom, the steel fist embedded itself into the wood.
Iceburg closed his eyes, a single tear sliding down his cheek.
"You're alive... that's... really good."
Cutty Flam stiffened, a complex expression crossing his face.
Seconds later, he grabbed the blueprints, turning his back on Iceburg. "Stop acting all high and mighty."
"I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it to protect Tom-san's dream."
"I'll protect this city in my own way."
"—That's what makes it SUPER!!!"
Half a Month Later - Water 7 - Backstreet - Abandoned Shipyard
Night fell, mist rose, and the neon lights of the harbor dyed the waterways in a kaleidoscope of colors.
In a forgotten corner of Water 7, inside an abandoned shipyard, it was lively.
A bonfire roared, a pot of fragrant Sea King soup bubbling over it. Several people sat around, dressed differently and with varying temperaments, but all laughing heartily, as if the world's noise and war had never touched this corner.
"Hah—today's loot is fat!"
A burly man with a beard held up a whole roasted fish, taking a huge bite.
"Of course!"
Beside him, a two-meter giant with bright blue hair, an iron nose, wearing an open aloha shirt and speedos, laughed with hands on his hips. The firelight reflected on his three-pointed chin. "We wiped out that small-fry pirate crew with a 60 million berry bounty in one go!"
—Cutty Flam. Now known as: Franky.
He roared loudly, "Oi! Don't just eat! Have some order when dining!!!"
"SUPER—line up properly!!!"
The thunderous roar startled everyone into sitting up straight.
Franky had taken in many starving vagrants and hooligans in the backstreets, establishing the "Franky Family." Their profession was ship dismantling, their side job bounty hunting. Through fighting pirates, they atoned for their pasts and protected the Water City Tom loved.
They weren't just street ruffians; they were the underground guardians of Water 7.
Beside him, the Square Sisters, Kiwi and Mozu, dressed in flashy bikinis, were giggling and throwing spices into the pot while tapping on the rim.
"Bro, Bro! We worked super hard on this stew tonight!"
"Is it fragrant? Is it awesome?!"
"SUPER fragrant!!" Franky laughed, giving a thumbs up.
Zambai, holding iron tongs, lifted the pot lid, his muscles twitching with seriousness. "Not pressurized enough. Best flavor in three minutes and fifty-seven seconds...!"
In the back, the King Bull twins, Sodom and Gomorrah, soaked leisurely in a pool, balancing a freshly dismantled pirate ship propeller on their heads.
The massive Destroyers were converting a cannon barrel into a BBQ grill, muttering while tightening screws. "Dimensions are off, need a turbo..."
In the corner, quietly hammering parts, were Kop with his graffiti face and the quirky Tamagon, one sharpening a knife, the other mixing drinks.
Beside them, the sunglasses-wearing Kieh was breakdancing while eating. "Wahahaha, tonight is too HIGH!"
Schollzo was seriously bookkeeping and counting the bounty, his abacus clicking. Suddenly, he looked up and roared, "How did we go over budget again this week?! Who bought so much perfume?!"
Everyone looked at Kiwi and Mozu. The sisters blinked innocently. "For Bro's stew~!"
"Perfume... in stew?" Schollzo's veins popped. "...Forget it. We can just dismantle a few more ships to make up for it."
Franky laughed, raising his arms. A jet of cola steam shot from his chest, his expression full of heroic spirit.
"Listen up!!! We, the Franky Family—"
"Are Water 7's strongest, most SUPER dismantlers, shipwrights, bounty hunters, pot lid technicians, breakdance crew, backstreet junk food gourmets, hot pot research society, bounty fleet—"
"And most importantly,"
"We are this city's 'Shadow Guardians'!"
The wind blew through the dilapidated workshop, fluttering a flag hanging on the steel frame—
It bore a crest of screws, chains, and flames, snapping proudly in the wind.
♧♧♧
-> SUPPORT ME WITH POWER STONE
-> FOR EVERY 200 PS = BOUNS CHAPTER
♧♧♧
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.patreon.com/c/Segais
(Just remove the hyphen to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you