On an island in the latter half of the Grand Line.
The temporary base of the Red-Haired Pirates.
"Captain, we need to leave this place."
"Otherwise, the World Government will come looking for trouble again."
Ben Beckman said earnestly, tidying his gun.
These past few days, the World Government had been sending Artificial Devils to attack them, leaving them in a rather sorry state.
If it were just a few, they could still manage.
But when the numbers reached over ten, it became exceedingly difficult.
As he spoke, Ben Beckman’s gaze fell upon Uta, the little girl singing not far away.
Having survived several invasions by Artificial Devils, the little girl's abilities were extremely important.
More accurately, they were abilities the World Government desired.
To be precise, they wanted to summon the devil latent within the little girl.
If they had abandoned Uta, things would have been much easier, and they might not have even been pursued by Artificial Devils.
But clearly, that was not their way.
Shanks would never agree to such a thing.
And that was why they had been in such a predicament lately.
Watching Uta sing and seeing Lucky Roo and the others cheering and having fun nearby, Shanks enjoyed the atmosphere. He also felt a touch of nostalgia for his time in the Roger Pirates.
Ben Beckman's words shattered Shanks's moment of recollection. Hearing him, Shanks grabbed his straw hat, placed it on his head, and said, "Yes, it's time we left."
As he said this, he looked at the setting sun. The twilight painted the sea in a fiery red. Though the scenery was beautiful and the singing sweet, a hint of melancholy filled his heart. "Moving in the darkness, I'm still not quite used to it."
Ben Beckman fell silent for a moment upon hearing Shanks’s words but didn't speak.
Moving in the darkness made it easy to lose one's way.
Furthermore, the attacks of the Artificial Devils were not significantly hindered.
In the dark, they were more like wandering bats.
"Uta, it's time for us to go," Shanks called out to Uta.
Uta stopped singing upon hearing him. Then, with a tinkling laugh, she ran towards Shanks on her short legs.
"Shanks!"
Her voice was clear and crisp, and it made Shanks hesitate.
Uta was still very young, only five years old.
However, at such a tender age, Uta had experienced various dangers while adventuring at sea with him for several months.
But if they had left Uta, the child might have already been sold off by human traffickers to who knows where.
Shanks bent down, smiling, and picked Uta up.
"Shanks, where are we going?" Uta asked curiously, looking at Shanks with her adorable little eyes.
Shanks replied, "I don't know. Wherever we go, that's where we'll be."
"We are pirates. The four seas are our home."
"Oh," Uta replied. Then, she wrapped her arms around Shanks's neck and said warmly, "Wherever Shanks goes, Uta will go."
"Uta wants to be with Shanks forever."
"Shanks, don't leave Uta behind."
Touched by Uta's words, Shanks stroked her forehead and smiled, "Okay, Shanks won't leave Uta behind."
"Shanks, let's pinky promise?" Uta extended her little finger, looking expectantly at Shanks.
Shanks smiled. Although he found it childish, he still extended his little finger.
"Pinky promise, never to change for a hundred years."
"Those who break their promise are little puppies… not little puppies…"
"If Shanks breaks his promise to Uta, you must make sure I'm taken care of."
As Uta spoke, her voice grew softer, the last words buzzing like a mosquito.
Shanks looked at Uta, who had lowered her head with a noticeable change in her mood, and felt an indescribable pang in his heart.
However, he couldn't immediately reassure her regarding her words.
There were many crises facing him now.
Those from the World Government, from the Blackbeard Pirates, and the Xuanwu Navy they would likely encounter.
Everyone boarded the ship. Shanks put Uta down, letting her return to the cabin to rest.
The sails were lowered, and the pirate ship was about to leave the island.
"Danger is approaching."
Just then, a crew member stared intently into the distance, his expression grave as he spoke in a low voice.
Upon hearing this, all the crew members immediately became vigilant.
"It's the devils." In the next moment, that crew member shouted, "They're here again."
As the words fell, all members disembarked to prepare to face the devils.
Meanwhile, the helmsman maneuvered the pirate ship to hide.
Without their pirate ship, they would be trapped on this island, facing a food crisis and the risk of continuous attacks.
Uta heard the commotion and ran out of the cabin, returning to the deck.
Seeing Uta, the helmsman shouted, "Uta, quickly return to the cabin! It's dangerous out here."
"No, I don't want to hide in the cabin." Uta completely ignored the helmsman, trotting over and leaping over the railing.
"Captain, save Uta!" the helmsman yelled urgently.
Uta was a Devil Fruit user, and below was the sea.
If the young child fell into the sea and wasn't rescued promptly, she would die.
But Uta was brave, covering her mouth and nose with her hands.
Uta believed that Shanks would never abandon her.
They had just pinky promised.
As expected, the fall into the sea that she imagined didn't happen.
Uta, who had her eyes closed, immediately cheered with joy. She opened her hands and hugged a pair of large hands, saying happily, "Shanks, I knew you wouldn't leave Uta behind."
Sakata Gintoki looked at the little girl in his hands and smiled. "You are Uta?"
"I didn't expect my luck to be so good."
"To find you so easily."
Uta, who had been excitedly jumping upon hearing Sakata Gintoki's words, widened her eyes and looked up at him, a hint of astonishment on her face. But it was quickly replaced by fear.
The person before her was not someone she knew, nor was it Shanks.
"Shanks!"
"Shanks!"
As Sakata Gintoki held her, Uta started crying and shouting, calling for Shanks.
As Sakata Gintoki's voice rang out, Saitama, Yasuo, and Kamikaze also appeared one after another.
Dozens of Artificial Devils were approaching. Sakata Gintoki and the other three had already arrived and had captured Uta, the user of the Uta Uta no Mi. In an instant, the expressions of Shanks and his crew on the island turned extremely grim.
Setting aside the threat of the Artificial Devils, Sakata Gintoki, Saitama, and Yasuo alone posed a greater, more terrifying threat than the Artificial Devils.
And Kamikaze, who appeared alongside them, was undoubtedly no ordinary individual.
In an instant, Shanks and his crew faced a grave crisis and a difficult choice.