Gordon looked at the resolute Shanks:
"I understand..."
"All the legacy of Elegia's music-loving residents will be passed on to Uta."
"I will definitely train Uta to be the best singer in the world."
He raised his right hand as if taking an oath, shouting to the departing Red Hair Pirates.
Those already on board cast a final glance at the island.
Unwillingness was evident in everyone's eyes. Shanks looked at the island in silence.
He turned around, facing the approaching warships.
A hint of red aura flowed around his long sword:
"Yarouda mou!"
"We're setting sail!!!!"
The next day.
Countless news birds flew in all directions. The genocidal massacre caused by the Red Hair Pirates shocked the world.
-----
East Blue, Shimotsuki Village.
Shimotsuki Kōshirō calmly drank his tea, watching the two figures sparring in the courtyard.
*Crack—*
With a crisp sound, a green-haired little boy was struck down by a slightly older girl, ending the fight.
The green-haired little boy was somewhat unwilling:
"Damn it!!!"
Shimotsuki Kōshirō smiled and took another sip of tea, then set down his cup.
He picked up the latest newspaper and began to flip through it, frowning slightly:
"Elegia, hmm..."
"All residents wiped out... This is quite something."
----
On the Baratie, the restaurant run by pirates, inside the kitchen.
Everyone, except for Sanji, the fourth son of Germa who had appeared out of nowhere, was shocked by that day's newspaper.
"They wiped out a whole country," said Patty, the stout chef, while chopping meat and cooking.
"What a lunatic."
The lean chef next to him, whose knife moved in a blur, casually remarked,
"What a hopeless villain."
"But then again, they are pirates."
The head chef and owner, Zeff, walked in.
He picked up the newspaper from the cutting board, turned to the page detailing the Elegia massacre, and said,
"That guy... used to be a crewmate of the Pirate King."
"It's not surprising he'd do something like this."
"Truly..."
----
The Grand Line, just out of the Calm Belt.
A news bird landed on a warship. An officer aboard Kuzan's ship bought a newspaper and skimmed through it.
He suddenly froze, utterly speechless with shock...
"This..."
"How barbaric..."
The words "genocide" were bolded on the headline.
Behind it was the fate of an entire nation, all dead.
He hurried towards Kuzan's deck chair:
"Vice Admiral Kuzan!"
"This is a major incident!!!"
The loud shout woke Kuzan before he even got close.
He peeled open one eye from under his eyepatch:
"Hmm?"
"What is it?"
The flustered officer ran over and handed him a newspaper.
Kuzan took the newspaper and, upon seeing the headline, ripped off his eyepatch and sat up.
After a long moment, he finally spoke:
"Ara rara..."
"How dreadful... to destroy a nation."
"Is this why the Sea Kings went berserk..."
Looking at the news, aside from shock,
Kuzan instantly recalled the reason for the rampaging Sea Kings, stimulated by the Conqueror's Haki of Red-Haired Shanks...
----
New World, Whole Cake Island.
Charlotte Linlin's figure had severely deteriorated.
But it didn't affect her eating.
As she ravenously devoured food in the grand hall, no one dared to disturb her.
Only after she was thoroughly satisfied did someone dare to approach.
When Perospero entered with a newspaper, Charlotte Linlin was somewhat curious:
"Is there something big happening, Perospero?"
Perospero respectfully replied,
"Yes, Mother."
"It's about the remnants of the Roger Pirates, Red-Haired Shanks."
Charlotte Linlin showed a flicker of interest:
"Oh?"
She took the newspaper and began to read:
"Mamamamama~"
"Has that brat from Roger's ship grown this much."
The wanted poster on the newspaper clearly read:
"Red-Haired Shanks."
"Bounty: 1,080,000,000"
----
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Sengoku sat in his office, while Garp sat on the sofa below, lost in thought.
Looking at the report on his desk, Sengoku said in a deep voice,
"Elegia has been destroyed."
"The battle was fierce."
Garp, not his usual eccentric self, said gravely,
"It seems Red-Haired did it."
Sengoku glanced at him:
"It was the Demon King of Song."
Garp closed his eyes:
"The Demon King of Song... He went too far."
Sengoku looked at the wanted poster on the desk:
"Indeed."
"He's finally shown his true colors."
"His recent inexplicable actions have been quite eye-catching."
"Roger would cry... Shanks."
----
On a warship that had just arrived at Sabaody Archipelago.
Carrot solemnly handed a newspaper to Sakazuki:
"Admiral Sakazuki."
Sakazuki took the newspaper with some confusion and read it.
His expression gradually turned cold:
"He's really no different from that trash Roger."
"Destroying a nation..."
He couldn't help but recall Roger, who had massacred thousands of soldiers on Krosia Island years ago.
Carrot sighed:
"According to internal investigation data, it's highly probable that the Demon King of Song did it."
Sakazuki sneered:
"What is that, have you heard of it?"
Carrot thought for a moment:
"It seems... it's a legend circulating in the first half of the Grand Line."
*Bang—*
The newspaper in Sakazuki's hand instantly turned into a fireball:
"Shifting the blame to a vague legend?"
"Who was in charge of this investigation?"
Carrot replied,
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
Sakazuki narrowed his eyes:
"That old man..."
----
The Grand Line, Borsalino's warship.
In a Vice Admiral's office, a gasp suddenly erupted:
"Oh~"
"Kowai ne~"
"As expected of the man called Red-Haired Shanks~"
Strawberry below looked exasperated:
"His nickname has nothing to do with him destroying a nation, does it?"
"Vice Admiral Borsalino."
Borsalino finally reacted:
"That's true~"
He casually placed the newspaper on the desk:
"Right, what were you reporting just now~"
Strawberry's brow twitched:
"It's the Sun Pirates."
"For some reason, they've suddenly turned back towards the first half of the Grand Line."
Borsalino seemed puzzled:
"Oh~"
"Then let's keep an eye on them~"
Strawberry was somewhat helpless:
"Vice Admiral Borsalino, we've been chasing them for three years."
"Those above are already quite dissatisfied..."
Borsalino scratched his cheek:
"Is that so~"
"It seems my pleasant vacation is coming to an end~"
"Then we'll arrest them at their destination~"
He stood up and stretched, sighing:
"After all, those fish-men are all strong as monsters~"
"They're quite troublesome~"
"Chasing them for three years is perfectly reasonable, isn't it~"
----
The Grand Line, Sun Pirates.
The fish-man navigator looked at the permanent pointer in his hand and sighed,
"We finally got it."
"The permanent pointer to Krar's hometown."