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Shakky took a slow drag from her cigarette, leisurely tapping the ash into a tray. "Garp did a real number on Arthur, I hear the Thunder God Pirates are scouring the world for a doctor. You interested in taking a look, Crocus?"
"The reason I'm hiding here with Rayleigh is precisely because I don't want to get involved," Crocus said with a bitter laugh.
He'd heard whispers about Arthur's injury. Countless doctors were at a complete loss. He might be the world's greatest physician, but that didn't mean he could cure every ailment under the sun.
He also knew the Thunder God Pirates' reputation for being... unreasonable. That was why he'd fled the Twin Capes, seeking refuge with his old friend on Sabaody.
Arthur was notoriously tyrannical. And the pirate crew he had forged in his image had learned his lessons well.
"Hah... Who knows if they'd try to force me to stay?" Crocus sighed. "These old bones don't want to wander the seas anymore. And Laboon still needs someone to look after him."
"This new era is growing more and more ruthless," Rayleigh said, nodding in agreement, a hint of frustration in his voice.
He'd met Arthur more than once and had a clear grasp of his character—a man who acted entirely on his own whims. The seas were full of men like that.
But he was not the one Roger was waiting for.
In this new era, the one Roger was waiting for would surely appear. But with a mountain like Arthur looming over the world, how could any newcomer ever hope to reach the summit?
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New World.
The territory of the Whitebeard Pirates, aboard the Moby Dick.
An otherwise cheerful atmosphere had frozen solid with the arrival of a single man. Two terrifyingly powerful waves of Conqueror's Haki clashed, and the weaker rookies on deck collapsed on the spot, unconscious.
Whitebeard sat in his usual spot on the command throne, drinking deeply from a massive jug of sake.
But across from him stood another man. A ship's helm was still embedded in his skull, and his golden hair, like a lion's mane, was a tangled mess that fell to his waist. An unlit cigar was clenched in his teeth, and where his legs should have been, there were two famous swords.
It was the Golden Lion, Shiki.
"Gyahahahaha! After Roger died, Redfield was thrown into Impel Down too. I just saw him a few days ago... It seems that in the silence, this has become your era, hasn't it, Whitebeard? Oh, and that of that arrogant little brat who doesn't know his place—Thunder Emperor Arthur?"
Shiki ignored everyone else on the Moby Dick. In his eyes, there was only Whitebeard.
"Gulp, gulp, gulp..."
Whitebeard took a long, satisfying drink, only then casting a sidelong glance at Shiki.
"If you've only come here to spout useless nonsense, then I'll sink you to the bottom of the sea right now."
"Gyahahahaha! That tone of yours hasn't changed in decades. You truly are Whitebeard," Shiki laughed, leaning against the ship's rail. His tone suddenly shifted.
"Don't you think this era is a bit too... mild? Roger's death only brought a bunch of trash into the sea."
"What are you plotting now, Shiki?" Whitebeard's gourd stopped at his lips. He frowned. He knew the men who had been his rivals for decades—Roger and Shiki—all too well.
"I'm going to disappear for a while," Shiki said, slowly standing up, his expression turning cold. "And then... I'm going to show this cozy little era what a true pirate looks like."
"Just settle down. You're outdated," Whitebeard said with a hint of contempt. "Countless old-timers have been tripped up by rookie mistakes." He watched as Shiki launched himself into the air and disappeared over the horizon.
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Raijin Island.
The main hall of the Thunder God Palace.
All the commanders of the Thunder God Pirates had returned from their conquests:
The First Division Commander, Shiryu.
The Second Division Commander, Byrnndi World.
The Third, Naguri.
The Fourth, Don Chinjao.
The Fifth, Avalo Pizarro.
The Sixth, Catarina Devon.
The Seventh, Vasco Shot.
And Vegapunk.
Sanjuan Wolf, due to his immense size, remained on standby in the outer sea.
The vast hall was filled with people. It wasn't just the commanders; behind them stood their right-hand men.
They watched as Arthur slowly emerged from his resting chamber, and a wave of excitement passed through the room.
"Captain Arthur..."
"Are your injuries any better, boss?"
A chorus of concerned greetings echoed through the hall, a cacophony that made Arthur's head throb. He quickly raised a hand to silence them.
Though wounded, his authority had not diminished. The hall fell silent in an instant.
He took his seat on the towering golden throne, his eyes sweeping across the hall, taking in the faces of all present.
"Vegapunk... Has the Thor been brought back?"
"Boss, the Thor has been delivered to Punk Hazard. Myskina Acier is now in charge of it. We've already begun recruiting for the first phase of the Thor War Fortress... but we're short on funds," Vegapunk said calmly. They were all on the same side here; there was no need to mince words.
"Short on funds?" Arthur frowned.
The Thunder God Pirates should have been overflowing with wealth—the tribute from various island nations, the plunder from their subordinate crews... they had more money than they knew what to do with.
However, after a joint study by the scientific team led by Vegapunk, it had been determined that the Thor War Fortress was best constructed from gold.
Because Arthur was a user of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, manipulating electromagnetism was as natural to him as breathing. And he had his Thunder-Metallurgy technique.
Once the sky fortress was completed, it would be entirely under his command.
"Gahohahohahohaho! Benefactor—no, Captain!" Don Chinjao rubbed his sharp, conical pate.
"If it's treasure you need, the Happo Navy has accumulated a vast fortune from the plunder of our previous leaders. It's all hidden in the Jewel Ice Sheet. We have no use for it. You can have it all."
He had been defeated by Arthur in their first meeting, and Arthur had restored his drill-head. As the first to follow him, his contributions had not been as great as some of the other commanders.
Chinjao was now prepared to offer up the treasure that had been passed down through his family for generations.
"Excellent. Take Vegapunk with you and retrieve it... Cough, cough, cough!" Arthur began to give the order, but was suddenly seized by a heavy coughing fit.
"Captain!"
"Captain..."
Everyone shot up from their seats and rushed towards him.
"Captain, this is my subordinate, Nightin. She is also one of the best doctors on the seas..." Byrnndi World pushed through the crowd, leading a middle-aged woman with bright red lipstick and her hair tied in a gourd-shaped bun.
This was a member of World's original crew, the doctor of the World Pirates. She was a master of a unique form of martial arts based on traditional medicine and could even use medicine to make herself appear younger.
"Captain Arthur. Would you mind letting me see your hand?" Nightin's brow furrowed as she observed Arthur's pale face, her expression grave.
"Hmph." Arthur shook his dizzy head and extended his hand.
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