"Brother, brother, brother, brother, brother..."
Nami rushed over, panting, her hands on her knees, breathing heavily.
"Is the hen laying eggs?"
Shano grabbed a towel hanging on the wall, tossed her water bottle over, and concentrated on wiping the sweat off her face. "Just tell me if you have something to say."
"I'm exhausted from running!"
She gulped down the water, took a deep breath, and said,
"Brother, why didn't you bring the Den Den Mushi into the training room... Oh, right, it would die. Well, regardless of that, something big has happened! Sister Robin just sent back word that there's some trouble on Morning Star Island. The Beasts..."
"The Beasts refuse to retreat?"
"Huh? Uh... I guess that's the way it is."
Nami was stunned for a moment, then said with a bitter face, "What's worse is that the hundreds of pirates Kaido left garrisoning that island are all dead! Completely dead!"
"Huh?"
Shano finally looked up, a look of surprise on his face.
All dead?
...
Three hours later.
At the northwesternmost point of the Zitengluo Sea, Morning Star Island.
Under the moonlight, the entire southern coastline glowed a faint bloody hue, and the air was thick with the scent of blood.
Hundreds of pirate corpses lay scattered here and there.
It was a strange sight.
The reason for this was that each of these bodies had their eyes closed, their expressions relaxed and serene, and smiles on their lips, as if they were still lost in a sweet dream.
Shano slowly paced the beach, scanning the bodies as he went.
"Captain, everyone's here. I haven't seen any signs of resistance."
Robin followed closely behind Shano, brow furrowed slightly, chin in hand, as she reported her findings:
"Morning Star Island isn't small. While not as prosperous as the Mist Star Island Whitebeard gave us, it still has a town of over a thousand people and seven or eight scattered villages."
"These pirates were originally stationed across the island, and wouldn't have gathered unless there were urgent orders from above."
"But tonight, for some unknown reason, they all came to this beach, lay down here and slept soundly. In their sleep, they inexplicably lost their lives, including their leader, Azizi."
Shano looked towards a spot on the beach.
There lay a sturdy woman, about four meters tall, wearing a kimono and a yukata, with curved horns on her head.
She was the Azizi Robin had mentioned.
A veteran "real fighter" of the Beasts Pirates, a user of the Yak form of the Bull-Bull Fruit, with a bounty of 340 million berries, she was once a renowned supernova in Paradise.
Just as the Whitebeard Pirates deployed the Ice Witch Wildie to garrison Mist Star Island, she was qualified to represent the Beasts Pirates on Morning Star Island, and her strength was naturally no less.
A figure of this caliber... was eliminated without anyone noticing?
Shano pondered for a moment, glancing at the dimly lit town in the distance. "Have the island residents checked on them? Is everything alright?"
This mattered more to him than the pirates, whose deaths were unworthy of regret.
"There weren't any civilian casualties, Boss," Jack said dejectedly, scratching his head. "But I asked around, and they all looked bewildered. They didn't notice anything, didn't see anything. It was as if, as if..."
"It's as if these pirates, leaving the towns and villages and heading to the beach, fell asleep en masse," Robin added softly.
"Yes, yes, that's exactly what it feels like!" Jack's eyes lit up, and he pounded his fist into his palm.
"This is putting the entire island into a dream, freezing the civilians in place, temporarily cutting off their perception of the outside world. And for the pirates, it's causing them to sleepwalk to this remote beach, where they'll be executed together."
Robin analyzed gloomily.
"This must be the work of a person with special abilities. Their abilities are somewhat similar to those of the Dreamweed, but their range is far greater. Such a powerful being shouldn't be unknown on the seas, yet I've never heard of them."
At this point, her eyes shifted to Shano. "Captain, do you have any clues?"
Shano grinned.
"I do."
An ability similar to the Dreamweed, and a name completely unheard of on the seas... these two characteristics were enough to identify him!
— The Knights of God, the user of the Kirin Fruit, that Saint!
This small-time scoundrel who only appeared late in the game, though he couldn't quite recall his name, was a sure bet.
In terms of motivation, this guy, as a subordinate of Stinker, can also match.
"Shamrock..."
Shano looked up at the night sky in the direction of Mary Geoise, his eyes slightly narrowed.
He still remembered the meeting a few months ago. Shamrock, the deputy leader of the Divine Knights, showed a strong interest in recruiting him.
Even though he was rejected and ridiculed on the spot, he did not give up the idea. Before leaving, he also threatened to meet again in the future.
Now, taking advantage of this sensitive juncture when the Fallen are about to control the entire Wisteria Sea... are they finally starting to take action?
——————
Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
On the wing of Pangu City, in the courtyard of the residence of the leader of the Knights of God.
"Don't worry, no one will guess what happened to us! Vice Captain!"
Kiringom, the user of the Kirin Fruit, was waving his hands triumphantly:
"I did it at night and did it very cleanly, without leaving any traces. Besides, no one in the lower world has heard of me at all. That guy probably just arrived at Morning Star Island and is completely confused and at a loss!"
"Well, not bad."
Shamrock crossed his legs and slowly cut his nails, "I asked you to imitate the Beast King and send a distress signal to Kaido. Did you send it too?"
"Of course!"
Kiringom grinned, "More than a hundred people died in one go, including a real fighter who was about to be promoted to the Flying Six. This is a slap in the face for the Beasts Pirates. Kaido has a very bad temper and will definitely hold him responsible for this!"
"That Shano never kills civilians, so in order to avoid any suspicion, even though I wanted to kill all the lowly people on the island, in the end I didn't touch any of them. I killed all the pirates. What do you think, Vice Captain, am I thorough enough?"
"When the two sides go to war in full swing, the overall strength of the Fallen will be several levels lower than that of the Beasts. They will basically be defeated. If that Shano dies on the spot, it means that this kid is just like that and is not destined to become a god."
"But if he escapes alive and becomes a stray dog, we will then come forward to recruit him, grant him favors, and promise to help him avenge Kaido. With nowhere else to go, won't he have to join our Knights of God?"
"Even if I listen to it again, it's indeed a good plan."
Shamrock nodded with satisfaction, raised his eyes and looked at Kiringom, "I really succeeded in recruiting him this time. I will report this to my father and credit you for your contribution."
"Thank you for your cultivation, Deputy Captain!"
Kiringom hurriedly bent down and saluted, but ended up plopped down on the grass, his buttocks facing the sky, bubbles coming out of his nostrils, and he actually fell asleep on the spot.
"If you want to sleep, show me the right time, you bastard!"
Shamrock's forehead veins bulged, and he kicked him in anger.
————
Morning Star Island.
"...To sum it up, it's about sowing discord and then going to win them over later. If I'm not mistaken, that's about it."
Shano withdrew his gaze from Mary Geoise and turned back.
Robin and Jack, listening to his analysis, were slightly taken aback.
"A frame-up by the Knights of God..."
After a pause, Robin frowned and said, "Over a hundred people died in a flash. If the Beasts have received the news, they've probably already started mobilizing for war. Captain, are we going to war with the Beasts now?"
Shano grinned and laughed.
If a battle is truly unavoidable, then let it begin. There's nothing to fear!
The Fallen are indeed vastly inferior to the Beasts in terms of military size and the number of mid- and lower-level cadres, but their top-level combat power is no match!
He versus Kaido, the Three Evils versus the Three Calamities!
Furthermore, the Beasts' crossing the sea requires a large number of troops to remain behind, preventing them from sending out their entire brood. The outcome remains uncertain!
But he was never a hot-blooded idiot.
Even if war with the Beasts were to begin, it should have been him or Kaido who took the initiative, declared war, and fought openly.
He shouldn't have been framed by the Celestial Dragons and foolishly allowed misunderstandings to fester, becoming a pawn in their arsenal!
So, he pulled out his Den Den Mushi from his pocket, and under the bewildered gazes of Robin and Jack...
he called Kaido directly:
"Hello, Kaido?"
When had the boss exchanged contact information with Kaido? Jack was stunned.
"Uh-huh..."
The Den Den Mushi quickly connected, mimicking Kaido's dark sneer. "I was just about to come to you in person to get to the bottom of this, Shano, kid. I didn't expect you to call first."
"Stop talking nonsense, Kaido, and listen to me first. I hate when people don't listen carefully and lead to misunderstandings."
Shano snorted, repeating his analysis to Kaido.
After a brief silence, Kaido's voice deepened.
"The Knights of God, huh? The last time I dealt with them was back in the Valley of God... If they're trying to recruit you, it sounds like something those bastards would do."
"It seems you've seen a lot firsthand. Even you want to call them bastards?"
"Stop your sarcasm, kid. I can hear it," Kaido said coldly. "But this time, I'll consider it a favor. In return, I'll give you Morning Star Island! Don't think I'm any less stingy than Whitebeard! I'll send a ship to retrieve the bodies later. Just have your men cooperate... Quinn! Where are they? Pass on my orders. Halt preparations for war. Have Jin continue his mission and don't rush back!"
So this guy, while saying he was about to call to ask, was actually mobilizing his entire army, preparing for an all-out attack?
Shano hung up the phone speechlessly and tucked the Den Den Mushi back into his arms.
Honestly.
The Knights of God's plan was flawless, and executed flawlessly.
Unfortunately, they completely underestimated how well a time traveler like him knew them.
They also underestimated the closeness between him and Kaido.
If both were so desperate to defeat or even kill the other, exchanging phone numbers just to facilitate a fight... well, that could be considered a friendship.
"What should we do, Captain?" Robin asked softly.
Shano narrowed his eyes, gazing at the corpse-strewn beach nearby, and sneered,
"The Celestial Dragons have presented me with such a generous gift in my own territory. How can I live up to the motto of reciprocity if I don't return the favor?"
He'd already refused.
And yet, they're still here, relentless.
Do they really think they're gods, free to command the world?
"What do you mean, sir?"
Jack was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up.
"..." Robin's breath hitched.
Of course she understood.
Their captain, Shano, the leader of the Fallen, was not one to simply swallow his pride after a loss.
What's more, the captain now stands at the pinnacle of the world, on par with the Four Emperors.
Anyone who dares to provoke him will inevitably bear the wrath of the Emperor of the Sea!
But, is it so soon...
The Celestial Dragons... are going to attack the Celestial Dragons?
Robin's body, for some reason, couldn't help but tremble slightly.
————
World Economic News Agency Headquarters.
Morgans was reviewing the latest press release with his legs crossed, smoking a cigar.
Suddenly, the office door was thrown open, and a subordinate rushed in in a panic.
"President, President!" the subordinate shouted breathlessly, "Shano... Lord Shano wants to see you!"
"Don't be anxious, it's so embarrassing... huh?"
Morgans didn't react at first, and was still browsing the manuscript slowly, then suddenly his eyes widened, and the cigar almost fell out of his mouth, "Who are you talking about?"
"Who else, of course it's the world's number one swordsman, Lord Shano, the Emperor of the Sea!"
The subordinate swallowed his saliva, his voice trembling, "Lord Dufeld acted as the middleman to contact us for him, now the call is connected, Lord Shano is waiting for you next to the microphone!"
"Quick! Answer it!"
He slammed the table and grabbed the microphone on the table.
Bulu Bulu\~
The Den Den Mushi was quickly connected, and Shano's low and calm voice came:
"Morgans, it's been a while since we last contacted each other."
"Sir Shano!"
Morgans rubbed his wings, his tone flattering and eager, "What are you talking about? It's only been a short time since we last met at the Cake Island tea party. The way you fought Kaido for five days and five nights without losing is still in my heart... I'm really flattered that a big shot like you took the initiative to contact me personally! I wonder if there's anything I can do for you?"
Shano chuckled on the other end of the phone:
"There is indeed something I need your help with."
"Just tell me!"
Morgans' eyes lit up, his ears perked up with excitement. "Do you want us to publish an exclusive interview with you? Or do you have another enemy to deal with?"
It's all good news!
The name Shano is so synonymous with popularity. Not to mention the past, the battle between him and Sengoku a few days ago caused their sales to soar.
"I do want to deal with someone, but the other party's identity may be a bit special and a bit difficult to find, so I want you to help me find it."
"Hahaha, you are really joking!"
Morgans laughed. "No matter how special the identity is, can it be as special as a Navy Admiral? What does it mean to you? Tell me, who is it?"
"A Celestial Dragon."