"Are you certain that's Drum Island on the Sky Screen?" Luffy asked, squinting at the ethereal display above them.
The skeptical voices of the Straw Hat Pirates made Igaram bristle with professional indignation. These young pirates were questioning his expertise—him, the captain of the Arabasta royal guard of Arabasta Kingdom, whose knowledge of Grand Line geography was part of his very job description.
"I am absolutely certain," Igaram replied stiffly, adjusting his distinctive curled hair. "As someone who has attended multiple World Conferences, I am quite familiar with the member nations and their territories."
Usopp scratched his head, still staring at the snowy landscape displayed on the Sky Screen. "But you said most people there are just ordinary citizens, right? What could they possibly have to do with someone called the 'Zoan God'?"
Igaram's expression darkened as he recalled his experiences with Drum Island's leadership. "The current ruler, King Wapol, is a user of the Baku Baku no Mi (Munch-Munch Fruit). He can consume and transform any material into weapons or tools. Under his command is a man with the Ushi Ushi no Mi, Model: Bison (Ox-Ox Fruit, Bison Model)."
The captain of the Arabasta royal guard voice grew bitter as he continued. "Neither of these individuals has any connection to someone who might be called a 'Zoan God.' If anything, Wapol is more like a demon—he's destroyed his kingdom's greatest resource by exiling nearly all the doctors who once made Drum Island famous. And the other is an ordinary Zoan user, and there are many of that in the Grand Line"
Princess Vivi's face clouded with an unpleasant memory. "I remember him from the last World Conference. He... he hit me when I tried to speak up about the suffering of small nations."
The temperature around the Going Merry seemed to drop several degrees, and it wasn't just from the approaching winter island. Luffy's usually cheerful expression hardened into something dangerous.
"He hit Vivi?" The captain's voice carried a promise of retribution that made even Zoro glance over from his training.
"Don't worry about ancient history," Vivi said quickly, though she couldn't hide the slight tremor in her voice. "What matters now is getting Nami and Sanji the medical help they need."
Zoro paused in his sword practice, wiping sweat from his brow despite the cold air. "The Baku Baku no Mi, huh? There really are Devil Fruit users everywhere on the Grand Line."
The swordsman resumed his kata, each movement precise despite the ship's gentle rocking. During his time as a bounty hunter in East Blue, Devil Fruit users had been rare, almost mythical creatures. Now it seemed like every enemy they faced possessed some supernatural ability.
"Back in East Blue, I could rely purely on swordsmanship," Zoro muttered, executing a perfect "Oni Giri" (Demon Slash) against an imaginary opponent. "But here, against people like Mr. 3 and his wax powers, pure technique isn't always enough."
"In the first half of the Grand Line, most people haven't mastered Haki yet," Igaram observed, watching Zoro's dedicated training. "But in the New World, where Armament and Observation Haki are common, swordsmen like yourself become truly formidable."
Zoro's grip tightened on Wado Ichimonji. "I won't be a burden to my captain. Whatever it takes to get stronger, I'll do it."
From his perch on the Going Merry's figurehead, Luffy announced his decision with characteristic determination. "I'm going to recruit a doctor on Drum Island! Then no one will have to suffer like Nami and Sanji again!"
His declaration carried across the increasingly cold waters as snowflakes began to fall from the gray sky above. The Grand Line's notorious weather patterns were asserting themselves once again—what had been a pleasant, sunny day just hours ago was rapidly transforming into a winter storm.
"Good thing you manage to bought those winter clothes in Loguetown," Usopp said gratefully to Nami, who despite her fever had insisted they all change into warmer clothing. The navigator's foresight was keeping them from freezing as they approached Drum Island's perpetually winter climate.
As they sailed deeper into the island's frigid influence, Luffy suddenly looked thoughtful—a rare and somewhat alarming expression on the rubber man's face.
"Hey, do you think Shanks will be mad at me for beating up Buggy?" he asked innocently.
The entire crew turned to stare at their captain in collective disbelief.
"Luffy," Usopp said slowly, "that was Buggy hiding his true strength and using us to break into Impel Down. A pirate with a 3 billion berry bounty isn't someone a 30 million berry rookie can just 'beat up.'"
"Your bounty isn't even a fraction of his," Zoro added bluntly. "If Buggy the Clown wanted you dead, you'd be fish food by now."
Meanwhile, in the New World...
The Red Hair Pirates' ship cut through the treacherous waters of the New World, leaving behind the floating fortress that served as Whitebeard's mobile base. The meeting had ended exactly as Shanks had feared it would—in frustration and disappointment.
"That stubborn old fool," Shanks muttered, staring at the bandage wrapped around the stump of his left arm. "I underestimated Whitebeard's pride. Even when I warned him about Teach, he won't recall Ace."
The conversation replayed in his mind like a bitter mantra. Whitebeard's confidence in his "son" was admirable but misguided. The old man believed that facing adversity would help Ace grow stronger, but some storms were too powerful for even the strongest trees to weather.
"Whitebeard thinks Ace needs to experience his own battles to become truly strong," Shanks had argued during their meeting. "But Blackbeard isn't just any storm—he's a hurricane that will destroy everything in its path."
Whitebeard's response had been predictably stubborn: "My son needs to forge his own path. I won't coddle him by sending backup every time he faces danger."
But Marshall D. Teach wasn't just danger—he was calculated destruction, a man who had murdered his own crewmate for power and would kill anyone who stood between him and his goals. Ace's noble heart and fierce loyalty made him the perfect target for such a predator.
Shanks consoled himself with one thought: at least his other gamble was showing promise. According to the Sky Screen's glimpses of the future, Luffy was destined to grow stronger with each challenge, eventually inheriting Roger's will and perhaps even surpassing the former Pirate King.
"Captain!" Lucky Roux called from the crow's nest. "Small boat approaching off the starboard bow!"
Shanks's Observation Haki had already detected the familiar presence. There was only one man in the world who traveled the Grand Line in such a distinctive ship—a tiny boat shaped like a coffin, powered by nothing but its occupant's incredible will.
"What brings the world's greatest swordsman to our humble ship?" Shanks called out as Dracule Mihawk smoothly maneuvered his boat alongside the Red Force.
Mihawk's golden eyes reflected no emotion as he stepped aboard, his massive black blade "Yoru" strapped to his back. "I'm not here to fight, Red Hair. Your... condition makes such contests pointless now."
The reminder of his lost arm stung, but Shanks had made peace with that sacrifice long ago. "Then what can I do for you, old friend?"
"I want information about Artoria Pendragon."
Shanks raised an eyebrow. The newly Admiral candidate had certainly made an impression on the world. Her ability to destroy an entire island with a single sword stroke had earned her comparisons to the ancient weapons, and more importantly, it had earned Mihawk's professional interest.
"You want to challenge her," Shanks observed. It wasn't a question.
"A true swordsman must test themselves against all worthy opponents," Mihawk replied simply. "If she truly possesses the skill to be called a Great Swordsman, then our blades must meet."
Shanks pulled out a Den Den Mushi and retreated to his cabin for a private conversation. His connections within the World Government ran deeper than most pirates knew.
When he returned ten minutes later, he had an answer. "Admiral candidate Artoria is currently stationed at Marine Headquarters, Marineford. But I can't guarantee she'll remain there for long—the Marines are likely planning to deploy such a powerful asset soon."
Mihawk nodded curtly and turned to leave, but Shanks caught his arm.
"Stay a while," the red-haired captain urged. "The Sky Screen is about to show us more of the future. Wouldn't you want to see if there are other strong swordsmen destined to emerge?"
The world's greatest swordsman paused, his hawklike gaze turning toward the ethereal display above. The promise of discovering new challenges, new opponents to test his blade against, was too tempting to ignore.
"Very well. But only until the broadcast ends."
Meanwhile, atop Drum Peak...
In the highest tower of the castle that crowned Drum Island's tallest mountain, an ancient woman watched the Sky Screen with growing unease. Dr. Kureha, at 139 years old, had seen enough of the world to recognize the signs of approaching change—and change, in her experience, rarely came without pain.
"Doctorine," a small voice called from beside her. "What's this about a 'Zoan God'? Is there really someone like that on our island?"
The speaker stood barely three feet tall, a strange creature that walked upright on two legs despite clearly being a reindeer. A pink hat sat atop his head, doing little to hide the small antlers beneath, and his bright blue nose twitched nervously as he spoke.
Kureha took a long swig from her bottle of plum wine, her eyes never leaving the Sky Screen. The same feeling that had gripped her on the day Dr. Hiriluk died was returning—that sense of inevitable change rushing toward them like an avalanche.
"I don't know, Chopper," she said finally, using the name she'd given the little reindeer who had become her closest companion. "But something tells me we're about to find out."
The old doctor's weathered hands tightened around her bottle as the Sky Screen began to shift and focus, preparing to reveal whatever future awaited their isolated kingdom. After years of quiet exile in this frozen castle, the world was about to come calling again—and Kureha could only hope they were ready for what it would bring.
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