While the Emperors Alliance and the Revolutionary Army gathered their forces, Marco, Kaido, and Big Mom, along with their captains, All-Stars, and Sweet Commanders, had already tracked down the Red Hair Pirates.
After all, they had already entered the New World. No matter their purpose for coming here, Marco had no intention of allowing Red-Haired Shanks, an unpredictable variable, to move freely.
At that moment, on Glass Island in the New World, Marco and the others finally arrived.
However, when they reached the island, they discovered that only Shanks was there. The civilians in the nearby town had already been evacuated, leaving the island strangely quiet.
The unusual situation immediately drew everyone's attention.
"Red Hair, worororo! You brat really know how to hide. We've been searching for you for quite a while!" Kaido strode forward with his kanabo resting on his shoulder, powerful Haki radiating from his massive body.
Shanks looked at Marco, Big Mom, Kaido, and the surrounding members of the Emperors Alliance. Aside from Marco, blue flames burned faintly around everyone else, the regenerative flames of the Phoenix.
A smile appeared on Shanks's face.
"So the rumors were true after all. You all obtained the Phoenix's power."
Big Mom narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Red Hair, why are you alone? Where are Beckman and the others?"
Shanks calmly took a sip of wine before answering.
"Right now, I'm the only one left here. Yesterday, the Red Hair Pirates officially disbanded."
The statement stunned nearly everyone present.
A Yonko crew disbanding without warning was something nobody expected.
Even Marco's eyes sharpened slightly.
Shanks looked at them with a relaxed smile.
"How about it? Want to sit down and have a drink first?"
Marco studied him for a moment before sitting down across from him. Kaido and Big Mom followed soon after.
Shanks stared at the distant sea while swirling the wine in his cup.
"Yonko... it's a title that once shook the entire sea. Even Marineford treated the Four Emperors carefully. But before long, that title itself may disappear completely."
Kaido grabbed a barrel of liquor and drank directly from it before speaking coldly.
"Stop talking in circles, Red Hair. Why did you disband your crew? Don't tell me you've already lost the guts to fight us."
A bitter smile crossed Shanks's face.
"I just didn't want my crew to throw their lives away for my sake anymore."
Big Mom snorted mockingly.
"So what now? You're planning to quit being a pirate?"
Shanks leaned back slightly.
"Ever since the Roger Pirates disbanded, Captain Roger entrusted me with a mission, to change the world. At the same time, he also told me part of Laugh Tale's secret."
The mention of Laugh Tale immediately caught Kaido and Big Mom's interest.
Although the war against the World Government had become their main priority, they were still pirates. Nobody could ignore the mystery of One Piece.
Originally, both Kaido and Big Mom intended to obtain One Piece before going to war against the World Government. Unfortunately, the conflict between both sides escalated too quickly after the Emperors Alliance formed. Endless battles and heavy casualties gradually pushed them into abandoning the search for the treasure altogether.
Now, hearing Shanks suddenly mention Laugh Tale again naturally drew their full attention.
Shanks continued calmly.
"Do you believe in the Child of Destiny?"
Kaido frowned.
"The hell is that supposed to mean?"
Big Mom also looked confused.
Shanks slowly explained.
"Captain Roger believed One Piece belonged to a chosen individual, the true Child of Destiny. He admitted that he arrived too early and that the treasure was never meant for him. According to him, only the destined person could truly claim One Piece."
King's pupils contracted sharply.
"Joy Boy..." he muttered before instinctively glancing toward Marco.
Shanks nodded slightly.
"Roger believed that I might be that person. He told me how to reach One Piece, by finding a certain legendary Devil Fruit."
"The fruit itself was special. It possessed a will of its own. Only the true Child of Destiny could awaken it and uncover the truth hidden at Laugh Tale. Everyone else would merely become supporting figures in that story."
Kaido's gaze also shifted toward Marco.
He knew far more about Joy Boy than most people. In Kaido's eyes, only the one capable of defeating him could truly become Joy Boy.
And that person was Marco.
"Twelve years ago," Shanks continued, "I finally managed to obtain that legendary Devil Fruit through countless connections."
"However, after getting it, I still wasn't certain whether I was truly the chosen one. My fate was deeply tied to the Celestial Dragons."
As he spoke, Shanks unconsciously touched the empty sleeve where his left arm used to be.
That arm once carried a pentagram mark.
"Then, while I was still uncertain, a boy appeared and ate the fruit."
"The Nika Fruit, also known publicly as the Gum-Gum Fruit."
Ace immediately reacted.
"Wait... you're talking about Luffy?"
Shanks gave a small nod.
"For a long time, I truly believed Luffy was the Child of Destiny. That's why I bet my left arm on him and completely severed my ties to the Celestial Dragons."
Kaido frowned deeply.
"That still doesn't explain why losing an arm mattered."
Shanks laughed helplessly.
"Because before becoming a pirate captain, I was once a member of the God's Knights."
The revelation instantly shocked the entire battlefield.
Even several commanders changed expressions.
Kaido burst into loud laughter.
"Worororo! Now that's unexpected. No wonder your strength was always abnormal. So you had the immortality granted by Imu."
Shanks shook his head.
"I once possessed that power, but I abandoned it."
He touched the edge of his severed arm again.
"Imu carved the pentagram mark into my arm personally, granting me immortality. But that power also connected me directly to her control."
"The only way to sever that connection was to remove the arm completely."
The surrounding pirates finally understood.
Katakuri narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
"So the pentagram marks are connected to the God's Knights' immortality? If the mark is destroyed, their immortality disappears too?"
Shanks did not answer directly.
King instead spoke coldly.
"Whether that's true or not doesn't matter much. They're still Devil Fruit users. We'll follow the original plan."
Shanks continued speaking.
"You already know the rest. Luffy eventually awakened the Nika Fruit, but in the end, the Gorosei still killed him."
"For a while, I intended to become the Child of Destiny myself."
A faint smile appeared on his face as he looked directly at Marco.
"But things have changed."
"There is no longer any need for a so-called Child of Destiny to save this world."
"Or rather..."
Shanks's gaze sharpened slightly.
"The new Child of Destiny is you, Marco."
===
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