"How did you know about the Gum-Gum Fruit?"
"Naturally, I saw it in Mary Geoise, in the legends about Nika. Some fruits are named for their abilities, while others have their names changed by their users. Perhaps the Sun God Nika was originally a person's name and epithet, just like mine 'Red-Haired Shanks,' where the first part is a epithet and the latter is the name. Or maybe the fruit's true name really is the Gum-Gum Fruit, but the name 'Sun God Nika' became so famous that it came to be called the Nika Fruit instead."
Shanks' explanation was quite interesting. If Nika was Joy Boy, perhaps Nika was the name of the fruit.
However, the two destroyed worlds indicated one thing: Joy Boy was a pirate from nine hundred years ago, born in a massive country.
And in the world before Joy Boy, a great war also occurred, a battle between the earth and the moon. The Sun God emerged during this time.
The first Sun God was likely named Nika, and the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika, appeared then as well.
The heartbeat emitted joyful drumbeats, leading people toward hope and light, inspiring generations and guiding them to a hopeful future.
This heartbeat was called the drum of liberation, the sound of freedom.
Perhaps it truly was the Gum-Gum Fruit at first, but through the hopes and desires of ancient slaves, it was transformed. The legendary warrior Nika, who once freed those slaves, became the symbol of that transformation, ultimately giving rise to the fruit's true name
When Nika returns to unite everyone and launched the battle for liberation once again, the world would follow him into battle.
Shanks' theory was fascinating and held a certain truth.
"You went to the East Blue searching for the Gum-Gum Fruit," Roy said.
"Yes. I heard the Gum-Gum Fruit had appeared in the East Blue. I searched there for a year, but the World Government got to it first," Shanks said.
"Fortunately, you obtained the Gum-Gum Fruit. If anyone else had gotten it, they would have been hunted to the ends of the sea," Roy laughed.
Who's-Who was unlucky. As a CP9 genius second only to Rob Lucci, he encountered the Red Hair Pirates and had the Gum-Gum Fruit stolen from him.
He thought the World Government would retrieve the fruit from Shanks, but instead, they punished him, imprisoning him in Impel Down, while Shanks faced no consequences.
Even if Shanks denied his Celestial Dragon heritage, he was still one of them.
When Shamrock went to discuss with the Five Elders, the pirate crew he referred to wasn't any other, it was the Red Hair Pirates.
Because Nika had appeared, the Red Hair Pirates, who had once possessed the Gum-Gum Fruit, would now face the wrath of the Celestial Dragons.
In other words, Shanks had become an enemy of the Celestial Dragons.
"Luffy's dream is the same as Captain Roger's, and the Nika Fruit chose him," Shanks said.
"So that's why you wanted Luffy to become a pirate, trading your arm for a chance," Roy smiled.
"Yes. Now it seems it's time to test the final result. I believe he will come here. I'll wait for him here. If he can't do it, then I'll have to step in," Shanks laughed.
"Interesting. But you probably can't defeat him," Roy laughed.
"That's not necessarily true," Shanks regained his aloofness, exuding an overbearing aura.
"We'll see. Thanks for the explanation. Perhaps my fruit isn't so problematic after all. Hahaha."
Roy laughed heartily, and a pair of black wings, similar to King's, sprouted from his back.
With two beats of his wings, wind and thunder clashed, and Roy vanished from Lodestar Island.
"That annoying drumbeat..." Shanks looked up in the direction Roy had disappeared.
Roy was like a plague god. The foul weather around Lodestar Island seemed to despise him. The clouds didn't want to be touched by him, unleashing lightning attacks. The wind changed direction, blowing against him, trying to push him into the sea.
Volcanoes erupted from the seabed, spewing magma thousands of meters high, as if trying to consume him.
It felt as if the entire world wa rejecting him, loathing him, trying to erase this person who didn't belong.
This time, seeing Roy, Shanks clearly sensed the change in him. To gain power, Roy had paid a price.
The people of the world couldn't just rely on Nika's appearance; they needed people like him, working together.
Behind the Nika of the second world gathered countless people, nearly overturning the world.
"You, who are scorned by the world, what will be your final outcome?" Shanks murmured, watching Roy's retreating figure.
Having burst out of Lodestar Island, Roy bore no injuries. The world's increasing hatred and rejection of him indicated his time was limited. Perhaps he never should have existed, as if someone held an eraser, trying to remove this inexplicable figure who had appeared on the draft.
His presence had chaoticized the world's storyline, completely deviating from the intended draft.
It was more like someone had scribbled on his canvas, a detestable person.
Since he was so annoying, he should be removed from the upcoming plot.
Perhaps he had hidden well before, but his appearance had altered the timeline. The world's will, upon looking back, had discovered this flaw and sought to erase him from this world.
purupuru puru!!!
The Den Den Mushi in his pocket rang. Roy halted mid-air and answered it.
"Old Man, where are you?"
"I'm heading back. Is something wrong?" Roy asked.
"We're preparing a banquet. Aren't you coming?" Loxus asked.
"No, I have things to do. Remember to return early," Roy said.
"Okay."
Hanging up, Roy couldn't help but shake his head. How amusing, inviting him back for drinks.
Perhaps this was what it meant to be a pirate: one moment, it's life or death; the next, you can sit down and share a drink.
Roy chose not to return to Lodestar Island. He had matters to attend to first.
On an island near Wano, a group was gathered around a fire.
"What should we do now?" Gecko Moria asked.
Their defeat was known worldwide, an entire crew defeated by one man.
This kind of thing often happened to them, but usually, they were the ones defeating others, not the other way around.
Even when Gecko Moria faced Kaido twenty years ago, he hadn't suffered such a crushing defeat. Though he lost, he still managed to fight Kaido.
Against Roy, there was no chance to resist before being struck down from the sky.
Fortunately, they were still alive, though many had died.
Mihawk, Crocodile, and Kuzan remained silent.
"Does this mean our alliance is dissolved?" Buggy suddenly stepped forward and asked.
"What do you want to do?"
"I'm going after the great treasure. The Whitebeard Pirates were never my target. My goal is to become the Pirate King. You all just want to protect yourselves. If the alliance is dissolved, I'll continue forward, keep pursuing my goal..."
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu