The next day, the sky was bright and clear.
Amidst the roaring anticipation of countless people, the third World Martial Arts Tournament officially began. The entire island of Ambry was transformed into a sea of excitement and celebration. From early in the morning, the streets were so packed with visitors from around the world that it was impossible to move. The air was filled with a constant clamor of voices, colorful flags fluttered everywhere, and the endless stream of people completely submerged the already bustling island.
Patrolling the streets were teams of the Saiyan Guard. They wore special combat suits marked with the word "Saiyan" and carried long staffs that glowed with energy. Each guard moved with disciplined steps, radiating a powerful aura that was far beyond that of any ordinary soldier.
With great wealth and large crowds, trouble was bound to follow. A few petty thieves tried to take advantage of the chaos, and some rookie pirates, new to the Grand Line, tried to show off their "might" on what they thought was an unguarded island. However, their attempts were short-lived. The moment they caused trouble, members of the Saiyan Guard would appear as if from nowhere and swiftly subdue them.
On Commercial Avenue, a group of rowdy pirates was easily taken down and dragged away like helpless chickens. As the brief disturbance ended, the surrounding crowd didn't show any fear. Instead, they burst into a round of heartfelt applause and cheers.
"Nice work, Saiyan Guard!"
"Those lawless pirates got what they deserved!"
As the crowd began to disperse, a cute little girl with distinctive red-and-white hair watched the scene unfold, her large amethyst eyes sparkling with excitement. "Wow! Ambry Island is just as amazing as they say!"
After her exclamation, she looked up at the man beside her. He was tall, with red hair, and wore a straw hat and a black cloak that covered him completely. "Hey, Shanks," she asked curiously. "Don't you have anything to say about that? What's your opinion?"
"Shhh!" The man called Shanks reacted with sudden panic. He immediately put a finger to his lips, giving the girl a nervous warning. "Uta, little ancestor, keep your voice down!" He scanned his surroundings like a thief, and only after confirming that no one was paying attention did he let out a long sigh of relief.
"Why?" the little girl named Uta pouted, completely confused. "We haven't done anything wrong. Why are we being so sneaky?"
Shanks lowered his voice, his tone serious and almost fearful. "Because there's someone on this island that I absolutely cannot provoke. We can't let him find us, no matter what!"
"Oh?" Uta's curiosity was instantly sparked. "Who is it? Who could possibly make 'Red-Haired' Shanks so scared?"
"...Takero," Shanks managed to force the name out, as if it pained him to say it. It was a name that sent a shiver down his spine whenever he thought about it.
"It's him?!" Uta's eyes lit up. "You mean the 'Emperor of the North Blue' the newspapers are always talking about? The one who defeated a Marine Admiral and destroyed a Buster Call all by himself?!" She leaned in closer, her eyes twinkling with gossip. "What did you do to him? Why are you hiding from him like this?"
"Well..." Shanks awkwardly scratched his head. He had no idea how to explain their complicated history—the part about him being the "scapegoat former Captain" and Takero being the "unbearable abandoned crew member." He decided it was best to change the subject. He pointed to a nearby stall selling sweets. "Look, Uta! They have your favorite candied apples! Let's go get some!"
"Hmph! You're making such a big deal out of nothing!" Uta pouted. "And you call yourself a great pirate! I think you're just a coward!" Despite her complaints, the thought of candied apples was too tempting to resist, and she happily ran off toward the stall.
Shanks watched her go, then let out another long sigh of relief.
Behind him, several other heavily cloaked members of the Red Hair Pirates watched their captain's cowardly behavior with amusement. Benn Beckman slowly exhaled a perfect ring of smoke and quipped in his deep voice, "Our captain's courage is really something else. I never thought he'd actually dare to set foot on this island again."
"What are you talking about?!" Shanks immediately put on his "captain's face" and said stubbornly, "I'm 'Red-Haired' Shanks! There's nowhere in this sea that I'm afraid to go!"
Beckman gave him a sideways glance. "Oh? So you're not afraid of that kid Takero anymore?"
Hearing the name, Shanks couldn't help but shiver again, but he forced a chuckle. "Afraid? Why would I be afraid of him? Don't forget, I was his former captain! What kind of captain is afraid of his own crewmate?"
"Just trying to save face," Beckman said with a helpless sigh, offering his final judgment.
"Sigh..." Shanks dropped the act, his whole body slumping like a deflated balloon. "I can't help it... I didn't want to come. But Uta saw the news in the paper and insisted on coming to hear the Golden Emperor Tesoro's concert at the opening ceremony."
Shanks's tone became more reflective. Who would have thought that the scrawny, green-haired kid from all those years ago would now be the "Golden Emperor," a major player in the world's economy and a famous singer with countless fans? And just as he'd expected, his "former crew member" Takero had become a true monster, powerful enough to shake the entire world. As for himself, he had made a name for himself, but that was because he had been careful.
He couldn't help but sigh again. Thank goodness I got away when I did!
Considering all the chaos Takero had caused over the years, if that kid were still on his crew... the thought was too terrifying to even imagine. It would have been one giant headache after another. Shanks was perfectly happy with his current life—sailing the seas with his friends and having parties.
Beckman didn't say anything more, but he did offer a final piece of advice. "Just be careful. If Takero finds you... we're not helping you."
"Don't worry! There's no way!" Shanks patted his chest confidently. "I'm just going to take Uta to see Tesoro's concert, and then we're leaving this island immediately! He will absolutely, positively not find out we were here!"
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