"Ian?"
Shanks, seeing Ian lost in thought, looked a bit surprised.
"What are you daydreaming about?"
"I think you should forget it," Ian said casually. "I'm going to flip the ship over Reverse Mountain and return to the New World. Mihawk can come along, but your Red Force is a bit too big."
"Oh! You're going to fly the whole ship?" Shanks laughed in surprise. "That's interesting!"
However, he seemed a bit regretful as he said, "Looks like we won't be able to cross paths then. I'm planning to cross the Calm Belt."
"That works," Ian chuckled. "Mihawk can hitch a ride on the wind-powered ship. In that case, Mihawk will owe you two favors. You'd better work hard, Shanks. He already owes me four favors."
Mihawk gritted his teeth. "When did it become four?"
Ian replied with certainty, "Of course, Law's treatment wasn't free."
That bastard! Mihawk clenched his fists.
"Hahahaha!"
Shanks laughed heartily.
Then, it was time to part ways.
Mihawk boarded the Red Force with his coffin-shaped small boat. The two large ships separated and sailed in different directions.
Ian stood by the ship's railing, watching the ship gradually fade into the distance.
Shanks... truly an interesting man.
Generous and carefree, straightforward and unrestrained.
It's hard to feel annoyed by him—he's a great candidate for a good friend.
Though I wonder, the next time we meet, will we be toasting with drinks or crossing blades?
It's really something to look forward to.
However, Shanks, you bastard.
Not only did you not give the straw hat to Luffy, but you didn't even give it to Ace?
You didn't even ask if Ace wanted it?
Isn't that like hoarding an orphan's inheritance?
Of course, this was just a passing thought.
In this world, the inheritance of will is far more important than the inheritance of blood.
Just like the Monkey family, three generations, three different ambitions.
Ace is indeed Roger's son, but for Shanks, perhaps the moment Ace agreed to board with Ian, he no longer had the right to inherit this straw hat.
It would be more appropriate to just give it to himself.
After watching the Red Force ship sail away, Ian found a quiet corner and pulled out a transponder snail, making a call.
It didn't take long before the other side picked up.
"Ian! Hahaha! I heard about it! What happened in the Goa Kingdom!"
Morgan's voice immediately came through, filled with excitement. "Hahahaha! Amazing! You even took down Shiki!"
This guy sure seems well-informed, huh?
Only a few people witnessed Ian taking down Shiki, but this guy knew right away.
"It's just a shame, though. I missed such an exciting battle!"
Ian could hear the regret in his voice loud and clear, even through the transponder snails.
It was almost like he was grinding his teeth.
"Ian, how did you know Shiki was going to attack the Goa Kingdom? Missing out on a battle of strong men—I'd regret even if I died and came back to life!"
No need to be so bloodthirsty.
Ian casually replied, "It was just a coincidence."
"I have a task for you."
"A task?"
Morgan's heart skipped a beat.
Then, out of habit, he touched his chest.
Oh, that's right. His heart was in Ian's hands, so there was no need for him to worry.
"Help me keep an eye on two people."
Ian said.
"Lord Ian," Morgan replied somewhat hesitantly, "My subordinates are all journalists."
"Isn't that just perfect?"
Ian said casually, "It's a perfect match for the job; paparazzi are meant for this kind of thing, right?"
"The first target is the Windmill Village in the Goa Kingdom, a kid named Luffy. He's the grandson of the Navy hero, Garp."
"Ah?"
Morgan's voice instantly became sharp, "Lord Ian, are you planning to take action against the grandson of that Navy hero?"
"Just watch him. That's enough, no need to do anything."
Ian said, "Unless he gets his hands on a Devil Fruit, purple, round in shape, called the Gum-Gum Fruit."
"Gum-Gum Fruit?"
Morgan seemed a bit confused.
What's so special about this fruit?
Compared to those Logia types, or even Ian's own Mythical Zoan types, it doesn't even compare!
"Then, the second target is a CP9 agent, Who's-Who"
Ian said, "Keep an eye on him. If he's heading to the East Blue for a mission, report to me immediately."
"Ah?"
Morgan's reaction was even more intense this time, "Lord Ian! Are you joking? That's CP9! Although it doesn't have the secrecy level of CP0, it's still a high-level government spy agency!"
"How am I supposed to infiltrate that?"
Ian frowned slightly.
Morgan wasn't wrong.
Getting a news agency to infiltrate the second-highest government intelligence agency and monitor their senior officers seems a bit much.
It looks like this path is closed.
Troublesome.
However, Ian thought about it a bit more carefully.
Actually, does it matter?
As long as Luffy doesn't get his hands on the Gum-Gum Fruit, could there really be someone else who could make it awaken?
"Then, let's leave it at that. Just keep an eye on Luffy," Ian said.
"Understood."
Morgan nodded repeatedly, "But..."
He added, "Can I first write up your battle with Shiki and publish it as news?"
Ian's lips twitched.
You really can't forget your original intentions, huh?
"Do as you please."
He hung up the phone.
Ian let out a sigh of relief.
The East Blue situation was pretty much resolved; time to head back.
But, the Beast Pirates' situation wasn't looking too good.
Without Shiki to help divert attention, and with his own strength now too overwhelming, it was easy to guess what the World Government might do next.
He'd probably have to work with Kaido-sensei to make their act even more convincing.
A few more years, and things would be different, once the kids had grown.
Almost at the same time, on the other side of the Goa Kingdom, a regular ship was slowly making its way across the sea.
"Ha!!"
The golden-haired boy suddenly woke up and sat up from the bed.
His face was pale, and his memory still lingered on the massive wave that had surged towards him.
He instinctively searched his body, but strangely, he didn't feel any pain.
Wait, wasn't he slammed against the ship's railing by the giant wave, then thrown into the sea?
Why didn't it hurt?
"Are you awake?"
A gentle voice came from beside him.
The boy turned his head, and his pupils suddenly shrank. "W-Wow, that's huge!"
Sitting on the floor beside him was a massive man, quietly flipping through a book.
"Where... am I?"
He quickly asked.
"On a ship."
The huge man closed the book in his hand. "Kid, the entire Goa Kingdom has been destroyed. Very few of the nobles who fled to the sea survived. Is there anywhere else you want to go?"
"..."
The boy's pupils trembled.
Dead?
Are they all dead?
"I want to go back!"
He hurriedly jumped out of bed, speaking excitedly. "I need to find Ace!"
His family must have been buried at the bottom of the sea, along with the ship that was shattered by the North Sea waves.
But Ace is different!
"Ace?"
The door to the room opened, and a man wrapped in a dark green cloak walked in. "Is he a black-haired kid with freckles, about the same age as you?"
The boy's face immediately lit up with excitement. "You... you've seen him?"
The newcomer, Dragon, nodded lightly. "If you want to find him, going back to the Goa Kingdom won't help."
The boy froze.
"He left with Ian the Skyfire. He is now a member of the Beasts Pirates."
"Eh?"
The boy blinked in confusion.
Perhaps...
Dragon looked at the boy.
Maybe he really could join the Beasts Pirates.
As Zoro had said, they had already become a huge nation, and Ian had managed the country quite well.
And more importantly, everyone in the underworld knows that the Beast Pirates are the world's largest weapons supplier.
The Revolutionary Army also needs weapons.
Goa Kingdom.
Hero Garp carefully lifted a huge stone.
With anticipation, he looked down, but in the next moment, his gaze darkened.
Underneath the stone was only broken ruins and twisted human bodies.
Too few.
Even though Dragon had done everything to stop it, the number of people who survived the disaster was still too few.
This country had been completely destroyed.
Although it hadn't sunk into the deep sea like the other countries attacked by Shiki.
The island had been shattered into pieces, and not one in a hundred of the island's residents survived.
Garp knew very well that even those who had survived by luck would have to leave their homes and migrate.
Otherwise, should he take Luffy to the Navy headquarters?
**********
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