Lodestar Island  

After parting ways with Roger and his crew at Hachinosu, Kanata and her crew continued their journey for several months.

Across the New World, activity against the Golden Lion Pirates had intensified. It seemed that Shiki's dominance had weakened after their clash with Kanata.

With Shiki preoccupied, Kanata and her crew were free to explore the New World at their own pace by island-hopping towards the edge of the sea.

On an island where lava constantly erupted, Kanata encased the molten rock in ice.

On an island where lightning storms raged endlessly, they purchased a strange umbrella from an old woman to weather the tempest.

They traversed islands, seas, and weather unlike anything they had ever seen before – and finally, their Log Pose pointed towards the final island.

– But the island was… empty.

They braved violent storms, towering waves, and torrential rain – some of the worst weather imaginable – to reach the relatively small island.

Few in the world knew of its existence, and even fewer had ever set foot on its shores.

Its name was Lodestar Island.

The turbulent weather that had plagued their journey vanished as they approached the island, replaced by clear skies. They disembarked, eager to explore.

"There's nothing here," Scotch remarked.

"It's not very large. We won't know until we explore, but it seems uninhabited," George added.

The island was covered in lush vegetation, but there were no signs of animal life. Only a few insects buzzed in the air.

It wasn't a large island, and their exploration was completed within half a day.

They found a single stone monument. Nothing else of note.

"…I thought it might be a Road Poneglyph, but it seems it's not," George said, examining the monument with Scotch.

"The characters aren't ancient glyphs. We can read them," Scotch replied.

They had encountered similar monuments before, but this was the first one that didn't use the ancient language.

"…The stone is different from the ones used for the Road Poneglyphs. This must have been placed here later," Kanata remarked.

Perhaps someone, intending to destroy all knowledge of the ancient civilization, had eradicated the culture that could read the Road Poneglyphs.

This monument was likely a countermeasure, a way to guide those seeking the truth, a beacon of information.

One of the scholarly crew members was scribbling furiously in his notebook, excitedly taking notes. He wasn't an archaeologist, but the monument seemed to have piqued his academic curiosity.

Kanata finished reading the inscription and sighed.

"It's mostly information we already know. That there's another island, beyond this one. That we need to gather four Road History Poneglyphs to reach it."

This was information that was supposed to be revealed only after reaching Lodestar Island. And to reach the final island, they would have to sail the seas, searching for the Road Poneglyphs, uncovering the secrets of history.

Kanata's goal wasn't to reach the final island. She had come to Lodestar Island simply to mark a milestone in their journey.

Of course, she was curious, so she would continue gathering information, but it wouldn't be her top priority anymore.

"…We'll set up camp here. Let's prepare."

Whether they decided on their next course of action now or later, they would be camping on this island for the night. They could take their time and think things through.

***

They had arrived early in the morning, but even after half a day had passed, their Log Pose didn't point towards another island.

It seemed that this was truly the last island they could reach by following the Log Pose.

Aside from the stone monument, it was just an ordinary island, its natural beauty its only defining feature. Perhaps whoever placed the monument here believed that its isolation would protect it from destruction.

They set up camp on the coast, enjoying their meal and drinks as they discussed their future plans. Dragon sat down next to Kanata.

"What are we going to do now? We've reached Lodestar Island. Are we going to search for the Road History Poneglyphs and head for the final island?"

"…No, we're not going to the final island. We'll continue gathering information, but it's not a priority anymore," Kanata replied.

"I see."

They couldn't simply disband once the journey was over. This was just the beginning. They needed to establish themselves as an organization, to secure their future.

They could continue their lives as pirates, plundering and pillaging, but that path had no future. If they kept taking without giving back, they would eventually run out of places to plunder.

Their options were clear.

"We're going to use Hachinosu as our base and focus on shipping and pirate hunting. It might give us a bad reputation, but it could be useful."

Kanata's fame had spread throughout the world. Many pirates, seeking to make a name for themselves, challenged her.

Fools who thought they could defeat her were surprisingly common. Of course, every single one had been defeated.

Dragon listened to her plans and was deep in thought.

"…What about you?" Kanata asked, knowing the answer already.

"I'm leaving the ship. I only joined to gain your trust. I was also personally interested in this island, but… Now that we've reached it, I want to move on."

He had joined Kanata's crew in the Drum Kingdom to gain her trust. They had fought alongside each other against Marines and pirates, sharing drinks and stories.

He had to leave. If he stayed any longer, he might forget his true purpose. Kanata chuckled. "So you've gained my trust?"

"I wouldn't have entrusted my back to you otherwise," Dragon replied with a smile. "I'm going to start a revolution. Will you help me?"

"That's a silly question. Call me if you need help."

She acknowledged Dragon's goals. They had spent enough time together for her to understand his ideals.

She would help him.

The world ruled by the Celestial Dragons was a broken system. She wouldn't mourn its destruction.

"I'll call you if I need help. For now, I need to build a foundation for my organization."

"We both have a lot of work ahead of us… Where are you disembarking?"

"The East Blue."

Dragon's homeland was in the East Blue. He intended to start his revolution from there.

He had already been active before meeting Kanata. Emporio Ivankov, who had spent some time on their ship, was one of those who supported Dragon's ideals.

He had been mostly inactive while traveling with Kanata, so he intended to reconnect with those he had contacted before.

He now had a bounty on his head. Being a pirate while advocating for revolution would be a challenge, but Kanata was confident he could handle it.

"We need to plan our route."

They would have to sail through the Calm Belt to reach the West Blue, then enter the Grand Line again, and sail through the Calm Belt once more to reach the East Blue.

They could return to Paradise via Fish-Man Island, but they hadn't found a reliable coating specialist in the New World yet. To ensure a safe journey, it was better to take the longer route through the Calm Belt.

…Of course, whether sailing through a sea infested with giant sea kings was truly "safe" was another question.

"Give my regards to Ivankov."

"I will."

Ivankov had been their comrade, even for a short time. Kanata was sure he would help if they needed it.

She took a sip of her sake. "We need to decide on a name for our pirate crew," she said.

"You actually going to call yourselves pirates?" Dragon asked, surprised.

"What other choice do we have? I didn't intend to become a pirate, but… At this point, it's more convenient to be known as one."

It was better to have a unified name than be called various nicknames. And if they were going to engage in shipping, they needed a name for their organization.

She had abandoned her former name. This was simply about establishing an identity as a pirate crew.

However, she couldn't think of a suitable name. She sighed.

"Do you have any suggestions?"

"Hmm… I've never thought about it before…"

He stroked his chin, looking up at the sky. As darkness fell and the sun sank behind the horizon, Dragon spoke:

"A pirate crew that seeks to end the rule of the Celestial Dragons. A force that will change the world at twilight – how about the Twilight Pirates?"

"The Twilight Pirates… Not bad."

They could have someone design a flag later. All they needed was a name. The rest would follow.

"Then, let's celebrate the birth of our new pirate crew – the Twilight Pirates!"

Kanata and Dragon clinked their glasses, sharing a toast.

– On this day, a new pirate crew was born on the final island of the New World.

***

Let's fast forward.

They sailed through the Calm Belt to the West Blue, entered the Grand Line, then crossed the Calm Belt again to reach the East Blue.

They took a longer route to escort Dragon to his homeland, occasionally clashing with pirates and Marines along the way.

They picked up a few children, prevented Olivia from leaving her island, and avoided any major incidents.

They reunited with Crocus at the Twin Capes, informing him that they had seen a ship resembling the Rumbar Pirates' vessel in the Florian Triangle. Kanata and Sukura spent an entire night discussing medical practices with Crocus.

They sailed through Paradise, taking a different route than before, and returned to the New World after about a year.

They stopped by Fish-Man Island, but Tiger was away on a journey. They spent a few days training Jinbe, who had grown considerably stronger.

The New World had changed while they were away.

Linlin had expanded her influence. Shiki, having dealt with the unrest in his territories, was reorganizing his forces. Roger had spent a long time in Wano Country. And Whitebeard had returned to the New World from the West Blue.

– Six years before the beginning of the Great Pirate Era.

The Twilight Pirates, now recognized as a major force by the World Government, were expanding their influence, using Hachinosu as their base.