Chapter 118

Any information regarding the Gum Gum fruit is and should be the top confidential information for the Five Elders to conceal. In accordance to it, the information regarding Gum Gum fruit was something that even Dragon's Revolutionary Army was unable to gain. Yet, here was Red Hair Shanks, who managed to attain this piece of information as the status of a pirate. Before all else, Smoker couldn't help but sharpen his eyes,

"...Who are you, Red Hair Shanks."

Smoker did have a thought of it in the past. if Shanks steals Gum Gum fruit as he does it in the canon, and if Luffy is no longer in Foosha village, then what will be the fate of the fruit? With such a thought, he always looked for any evidence that could tell him when the Gum Gum fruit would be discovered by the World Government. However, all his attempts ended in failure, just for Shanks to resolve all his inquiries in one instance.

"Dahaha... I knew you'd ask that." Shanks made a bittersweet smile. He then looked up at the sky and said, "Let's just say... that I have a connection with a Celestial Dragon a tad more humane than the others."

'Celestial Dragon?' Smoker's eyes narrowed, but he didn't say anymore. Instead, he processed his thoughts,

'If Kaidou stole the fruit instead of Shanks, to whom will he use it to—

...Yamato.'

Smoker recalled that Kaidou held a curiosity over Joy Boy. Though he wondered where Kaidou managed to hear the name Joy Boy from, what mattered was the fact that Kaidou probably figured out the connection between Gum Gum fruit and Joy Boy. This brought two possibilities:

1. Kaidou managed to attain a way to 'read' Poneglyphs.

2. Kaidou heard this information from someone aware of this—very few in this world.

Either way, this meant...

'Big Mom and Kaidou aren't in a war against each other, proving Dragon's hunch to be true.'

And in addition, there was one more thing that irked Smoker.

"You said that there are three original fruits with each representing freedom, peace, or order," Said Smoker to Shanks, "God of freedom, Nika, is also known as the god of the sun. There are four gods that the civilizations of this world worship upon: sun, rain, forest, and earth. If there are four elements yet three domains..."

As Maynard formed an O-shape with his mouth, shocked by the fact that Smoker pointed out, Smoker asked,

"Between the chance of there being a hidden fourth fruit or one of the elements being based on nothing but people's imagination, which one is more likely?"

Shanks gave a slow nod with a complicated expression, "...I am well aware of this. The entire Pirate King's crew questioned this. However, in our journey, there never came the information regarding this mismatch... and the Vice Captain of the crew, Rayleigh, concluded based on this,

that the fourth fruit must have been something so unusual and dangerous that even the Ancient Kingdom tried to hide it."

It was a hunch from Smoker. But the moment he heard this from Shanks, a particular word from the One Piece canon came up in his mind,

<Behold... the most evil power of all!!>

Dark Dark fruit of 'Blackbeard' Marshall D. Teach.

Slowly but surely, Smoker's expression was getting more and more stoic.

'Kaidou, Big Mom, and Blackbeard... all of them...'

Currently, how far away are they from One Piece? Beyond that, what exactly is One Piece in the first place? If One Piece is something dangerous enough to threaten the entire world...

"Tch," Smoker stared at Shanks and said, "You must be telling me this because..."

Shanks nodded, "So you also understand... how dire the current situation is." Looking Smoker directly in the eye, Shanks spoke with confidence, "Though I've only seen you for a brief moment, your feats don't lie about who you are. I know—I am certain, that you are someone whom I can trust in this aspect. So please, White Hunter...

...let's save this world together."

Without responding to Shanks, Smoker turned around and tapped the dazed Maynard on the shoulder.

"Maynard, we're going back now. Get ready."

Ahead of them stood Den, who seemed to have finished the coating process of the boat.

__________

Watching as Smoker and Maynard left the island, Shanks grimaced.

"...You haven't told them everything, have you." Coming out from the back was Ben Beckman, who was biting onto an unlit cigarette.

"...No. He already has the World Government to deal with, and now, Kaidou to consider also because of me. If I were to add any more burden on top of that... I would feel like someone useless you know, dahahaha..."

Shanks lowered his gaze and stared at the grassy plain.

'The truth is...'

It was written that the ones who carved those messages on Poneglyphs were the Kozuki clan members of Wano. However... they simply were 'messengers' of already compiled texts. The true authors of those Poneglyphs were none other than...

'...A mysterious man named... Rocks D. Zachs.'

Rocks D. Zachs. Rocks D. Zebec. The mystery involving Dark Dark fruit—one that Marshall D. Teach ate. And Marshall D. Teach...

"If I remember correctly, Beckman, what was the name of Blackbeard's ship again?"

Beckman, closing his eyes and thinking for a brief moment, immediately replied, "...Saber of Xebec."

It may have been that Shanks was being paranoid. However, those connections suggested to him that Blackbeard...

'He may know what One Piece is.'

...was perhaps someone more dangerous than the World Government.

__________

TSSSSSS!

Water Seven was flooded with a vast volume of steam as the ice and magma endlessly clashed against one another. Sakazuki seemed to be in urgency, knowing that the critical supply lines heading to Mariejois were receiving an attack of their own. However, Kuzan's ability simply was the polar opposite of Sakazuki's, and he knew that this way of fighting may extend their fight up to a week even.

"..."

Absolute Justice crumbled under the order of his leash owners. The best solution that Sakazuki drew out of this was,

"Do you wish this entire island to turn into an unlivable place, Kuzan?" The extent of boiling magma around Sakazuki began to intensity. Kuzan noticed that the ground around Sakazuki began to wriggle,

"Don't tell me that you...!"

"You know very well what the awakened ability of mine does, don't you..."

The awakened ability of a Logia-type changes its environment to its most optimal state. For instance, the awakening of Swamp Swamp fruit turns the entire surroundings into a large, muddy swamp. If so, Magma Magma fruit...

...turns the environment into volcanos—ones that consistently blast a flood of magma over and over until the entire civilization has been eradicated.

"...Are you using the lives of the people here as hostages? The Fleet Admiral himself?" Kuzan said in his coldest tone.

"For the greater good—"

"Don't make excuses, red dog...!!" Unable to hold it back any longer, Kuzan stated with a rage-filled expression.

"..." Sakazuki closed his eyes, and on his face, a pang of guilt was present for a split second. However, as he opened his eyes back again, there was nothing but a cold gleam, "My suggestion still stands, Kuzan. What will you do?"

Kuzan breathed out the icy breath as he glared at Sakazuki. After a while, he said, "...Go."

__________

[One Week After, New World]

In one span of a day, the Revolutionary and Past Marines—those who were rarely seen for the past four years—simultaneously revealed themselves. The casualties on the World Government and Marines were vast, ranging from numerous Cipher Pols to marines lost while trying to guard the supply lines.

By 'Big News' Morgans who refused to listen to the orders of Five Elders, the news regarding this event was spread far and wide, and the entire newspaper had nothing but the specifics of all the events that happened within a day.

*The clash between White Hunter and Two Admirals!*

*The obliteration of Cipher Pol agents by the sudden appearance of Demon Heir!*

*The defect of former Vice Admiral Maynard!*

*The head-front clash between the combined forces of Revolutionary and Former Marines versus the Marines led by Admiral Tokikake, followed by an utter defeat!*

*The defeat of Demon Heir by White Hunter... as evidenced by King Neptune of the Ryugu kingdom!*

The world was busy talking about this shocking information, and people came to wonder if the tide was about to shift once more—by the same man who changed the state of the world four years ago from now.

"Hmm..."

Currently reading all these from a newspaper was Vice Admiral Doll—currently the Commander of the Marine Base G-14 of New World. She, having been away four years ago during Smoker's fight in the Impel Down, has come to decide that remaining in Marine for a time being and collecting the information would be more helpful than leaving and aimlessly looking for Smoker and others—ones whom she had no idea where they've gone to.

'...Heh, seems like you've been busy as always, Smoker.'

Forming a light smile, Doll stood up and walked out of her office room,

'But if possible... some attention to here, New World, would be nice. I mean, you didn't forget me, did you?'

for a New World, the outside view of the base was quiet and peaceful—by far too much.

'You see, something is happening,' thought Doll as she gazed at the outside through the window, 'We have come to deduce that there is a high chance that Big Mom and Kaidou are simply putting up the show. In addition, our information network is slowly being cut off; it took us three days to find that Whitebeard and Blackbeard have begun engaging themselves in a war against each other.'

World Government and Marine were deteriorating, and the world was slowly falling into chaos.

'World Government has gone many wrong feats, but... these pirates come first,' Doll thought, with a slight desperation in it, 'So please, come.'

__________

__________

"Home sweet home-dara!" Exclaimed Bastille as he jumped out of the ship and landed on top of a soft cloud. Bouncing around in joy, he turned around and motioned others to take off also, "Come on!"

"A fresh air... Hina elevated." Landing next to Bastille was Hina, without any foolishness in her reserved movement.

"L-Let me go, you bastards—ughh—do you know who my father is?! Huhh?!!" Tied in a rope and held by the lazy-looking Kuzan was Spandam, on the verge of urinating out of fear. Frowning in despise at Spandam, Aramaki, Robin, and Senor Pink bypassed Kuzan and landed on the cloudy platform.

Kuzan took a glance at Spandam before saying, "Arara... why don't you try to stay quiet for one second at the very least?"

"And when I return, I will make sure to kill—mmm, mmmm!!!" As Spandam continued spitting, Kuzan, out of annoyance, formed an ice-made muzzle that effectively shut Spandam up.

As Kuzan hopped down, there only were three individuals left on the ship.

"Hehe, time to see what Ace and Luffy are up to this time!" Koala, who yelped in joy before running out.

"Welcome, I guess?" Smoker, who stared at the final one on the ship, Maynard.

"What the..." Maynard, completely dumbfounded, then yelled in disbelief, "You folks were hiding in a Sky island?!"

Smoker snickered before landing on the cloudy platform. Then, he said,

"In a sky island named Skypiea, there is a punishment called Cloud Drifting. This punishment is about placing a criminal on a small island cloud that will drift into the sky indefinitely..." Smoker then pointed at himself, "I located one, and grew the island cloud up to this size through the use of my fruit ability."

"Cloud Drifting..." Maynard's eyes twitched, "So it randomly travels to who-knows-where!"

"Exactly," Agreed Smoker, "And the only way to know the way back is," He took out a slip of paper from his pocket, which Maynard recognized right away,

"...A Vivre Card."

"Yep. And you also gotta be able to fly."

"...I can't believe this. Forget the sky island; we've been looking at Calm Belts for YEARS!!!"

Maynard felt like an idiot.

"But nonetheless," Smoker motioned Maynard to follow with a grin, "Come. I'll show you how nice our place is."

Discarding this hollow feeling in him, Maynard put on an appreciative smile and began following Smoker.