CHAPTER 64

Dressrosa.

Trebol, the top lieutenant responsible for safeguarding and overseeing the underground port's arms trade, arrived at the palace.

"Hey, Dover, we can no longer sell weapons to a certain country in the West Sea."

"Oh? Why?" Doflamingo asked, his tone laced with suspicion.

"The Kingdom of Flowers, which had been at war with that country, suddenly raised the flag of the Beasts Pirates. It seems they've become one of Kaido's protected territories."

Doflamingo frowned, puzzled. Why would Kaido suddenly shield a nation in the West Sea? What was so special about that country?

"It likely has something to do with that Alastor who's been making waves recently," Trebol continued. "Our spies in the West Sea reported that he showed up there not long ago."

"I see..."

Doflamingo's gaze sharpened. He was genuinely intrigued by Alastor. That man always seemed capable of the unexpected.

"Fufufu~" Doflamingo's sinister laugh echoed through the room.

"What exactly is he scheming in the West Sea? The New World grows more chaotic because of him."

Trebol added, "There's also news of civil strife within the Whitebeard Pirates. Thatch, the captain of the fourth division, was killed. The man who did it, calling himself Blackbeard, seems to have issues with Red-Hair. Things are getting quite... interesting."

Doflamingo grinned wickedly. "I have a feeling a great war is brewing, and the tides of history are becoming more turbulent. Heh... I'm so thrilled I can't stop trembling!"

"Trebol, tell Caesar to accelerate the production of SMILE and continue supplying them to Kaido."

"But the money's running out. That damn Caesar is burning through it!" Trebol protested.

"Then take it from Totto Land in his name. Big Mom's giantification experiment has made some progress. We'll make it work."

This is why Doflamingo was known as Joker, the dark middleman. He had connections to both the underworld and the world above, with vast information networks at his disposal. He was the first to sense the winds of the coming war.

"Hey, kid with the deadpan face, does the legendary Sky Island really exist?"

Having entered the first half of the Grand Line, Sai—who had just joined the crew—asked Onimaru aboard the speeding warship of the Beasts Pirates.

"Lord Alastor says it exists," Onimaru replied, his expression unchanging. "Also, my name is Shimotsuki Onimaru."

"So you've never been there yourself, huh? The old man didn't either when he was younger. I'm looking forward to it—it must be a beautiful place."

Sai, a burly man with a rugged face, was significantly taller than the lean Onimaru. Yet, his tone held no arrogance—only a hint of respect. Onimaru's relentless fighting style during their previous battle had left a lasting impression.

Thinking of this, Sai couldn't help but ask:

"By the way, Onimaru, why are you so fearless in battle? You don't even seem to care about your own life. And you don't have the invincible body that Lord Alastor does."

Onimaru's response was blunt and straightforward.

"Because I have many lives."

"..."

Sai was speechless. He thought Onimaru was brushing him off, but Onimaru was telling the truth. His Snake-Snake Fruit, Model: Yamata no Orochi, granted him multiple lives, which allowed him to emulate Alastor's combat style—eschewing defense entirely and focusing solely on offense.

Onimaru's goal was clear: to become the sharpest spear in Alastor's arsenal.

As the two conversed, Alastor reclined on a sun chair, soaking in the warmth. He knew the importance of balancing work and rest in training. He opened his system panel.

[Host: Alastor]

[Age: 20]

[Defense Power: 4050]

After numerous battles—facing Ulti, Chinjao, and others—Alastor's defense had finally surpassed 4000. Yet, he felt the growth was too slow. This level of defense was insufficient for the top-tier conflicts to come.

At that moment, Batman returned from a scouting mission.

"Lord Alastor, I found it—the massive ocean current rushing into the sky!"

Batman's sonar abilities were invaluable for reconnaissance, and his strength made him a reliable companion on expeditions. Alastor nodded approvingly.

"Lead the way," he commanded, standing from his chair.

They had come to the first half of the Grand Line to find the Knock-Up Stream, aiming for Sky Island. Not just any Sky Island, but the one where Enel ruled—the location of the Golden City.

Thanks to recent newspapers, Alastor knew that Crocodile had been defeated by Straw Hat Luffy, whose bounty had risen to 100 million berries. If the story continued as in the original timeline, the Straw Hats would soon head for Sky Island to confront Enel.

"I hope you're still there, Enel. Depending on our encounter, I might gain crucial advantages for the coming war."

Alastor ordered the ship to approach the roaring current.

The crew gawked in awe at the towering surge of water.

"Prepare to ascend," Alastor said calmly.

As the ship was engulfed by the raging waters and propelled skyward, the crew screamed in panic.

Sai gripped his naginata tightly, planting it into the deck to stabilize himself. Despite his pale face, he stood tall, unwilling to lose face before Onimaru, who remained completely unfazed.

"I can't lose to a kid! This is about the honor of the Happo Navy and the Kingdom of Flowers!"

And so, an odd rivalry was born.

Meanwhile, in Mock Town on Gaya Island...

Blackbeard stepped out of the tavern, a toothy grin plastered on his face.

"Captain, what happened in there? It sounded pretty noisy," asked the Fighting Champion, Burgess.

In the short time since his departure from Whitebeard's crew, Blackbeard had gathered a formidable team of partners: Burgess, Lafitte, Doc Q, and Van Augur. But he wasn't satisfied yet—he needed more allies, stronger ones.

Blackbeard chuckled, his toothless grin widening. "I ran into an interesting kid in there. He said he was heading to Sky Island and got laughed at because people think Sky Island doesn't exist."

Burgess snorted. "Sky Island? Only fools believe in fairy tales like that."

Lafitte, the Devil Sheriff, tipped his black top hat, his voice smooth as silk. "But this sea is full of fools, isn't it? Our dear captain, for instance, could be called one."

"Thief hahaha!" Blackbeard's laugh boomed as he slapped his knee.

"Lafitte, don't underestimate me. I stayed on Whitebeard's ship for decades for a reason—it was the strongest crew, and my best chance of finding the Dark-Dark Fruit. And guess what? I found it! Fate always works in my favor."

Lafitte smirked slyly. "Fate? Captain, didn't you take the fruit from Thatch? I also heard that before that, Thatch's ship was attacked by the Beasts Pirates, and nearly everything was stolen."

Blackbeard's grin grew more sinister. "That's true. The one responsible is a guy named Alastor, with a bounty of 660 million berries. If I capture him and turn him over to the Navy, they'll have no choice but to make me a Warlord of the Sea!"

Van Augur, ever the pragmatist, interjected. "That man's been making waves lately. Even Whitebeard couldn't kill him. Catching him won't be easy, Captain."

Blackbeard's eyes darkened. "Of course I know that. Anyone who can stand up to Pops isn't ordinary. And with Kaido backing him, I'm not ready to pick that fight just yet."

"Come on, boys! No one can stop me. The future belongs to me! The age of Blackbeard is coming!"

The crew followed him to the coast, ready to leave Gaya Island. But as they boarded, they realized their captain wasn't with them. Turning back, they spotted Blackbeard sitting on the ground, facing three figures: a boy in a straw hat, a green-haired swordsman, and a woman with a fiery temper.

"Sky Island is real, and there's a reward of 30 million on that kid," Blackbeard muttered to himself.

Unaware that Monkey D. Luffy had recently defeated Crocodile and his bounty had risen to 100 million, Blackbeard stomped the ground with a bottle of rum in hand.

"The new era of pirates dreaming is over! It's nothing but bullshit! People's dreams will never end, you know?! Thief hahaha!"

After his outburst, Blackbeard strode away, leaving the Straw Hat crew behind. Luffy and Zoro, battered and bruised, watched him in silence.

Nami shouted at them, "What's wrong with you two? You got yourselves beaten up without fighting back! Stop listening to weirdos like him!" She dragged them away by the arms.

Meanwhile, at the coast, Lafitte was scanning the latest newspaper and chuckled.

"Captain, it seems you've been duped. That kid's bounty isn't 30 million—it's 100 million."

"What?!" Blackbeard's face froze.

"And he's the Straw Hat Luffy who defeated the Warlord Crocodile," Lafitte added, his voice calm but teasing.

Blackbeard's eyes widened, and he let out a frustrated growl. "Damn it! I was mocked! Hurry! Let's find him and turn him over to the Navy!"

"It's too late," Lafitte said with a shrug. "He's long gone."

The Knock-Up Stream carried the Beasts Pirates' ship skyward, through dense clouds, until they reached the White Sea, 7,000 meters above the ground.

Alastor stood at the bow, steady as a statue despite the violent shaking of the ship. In one hand, he held a video Transponder Snail, broadcasting the surreal scenery to Wano Country's Shogun's Mansion.

On the other end, Yamato stared at the image in awe. Her fatigue from dealing with endless paperwork evaporated, her eyes sparkling like stars.

"It's so beautiful! Is that heaven? I want to see it with my own eyes!" Yamato exclaimed excitedly.

"I want to go too! Take me next time!"

Alastor chuckled as he hung up, focusing on the task ahead. The journey to Sky Island was just beginning.

Visit patreon.com/shirokendama to read up to a 100 chapters