Kairo D. Arashi already knew that he probably wouldn't get a definite answer to that question.
But it didn't matter.
What he wanted was to create a hot topic. After all, in this era, there weren't many people left who even knew about Rocks!
After Rocks, Roger had appeared and ushered in the Great Pirate Era. With the entire world swept up in the magnificent age Roger had created, people's attention had naturally shifted elsewhere, gradually causing the former overlord of the seas, Rocks, to fade from memory!
Still, Kairo D. Arashi was genuinely curious.
After all, there had been plenty of clues in the original story suggesting that Shanks's identity was anything but simple. One of the most obvious was a bounty poster involving Shanks that Kairo D. Arashi had seen before transmigrating!
On that bounty poster, Shanks's full name had been written as SHANKS-LE-ROUX.
ROUX.
Translated differently, it could be interpreted as Rocks!
Then there was the time Shanks returned to the New World after losing an arm in the East Blue and went to meet Whitebeard. Whitebeard had once said something along the lines of, "Seeing your face reminds me of the wound that bastard left on me. It still aches even now."
Seeing Shanks's face reminded Whitebeard of someone who had wounded him?
That meant the person had either been extremely familiar with Shanks or looked very similar to him.
There weren't many people close to Shanks who were also capable of injuring Whitebeard. There were only a handful.
But someone who was both close to Shanks and resembled him?
That person was most likely one of Shanks's relatives, perhaps a brother or even an elder!
Of course, Kairo D. Arashi wasn't particularly interested in all those messy theories.
What he wanted was very simple: create enough buzz to increase the popularity of his footage and ensure that he received the maximum reward of 200,000 Travel Points!
The moment Kairo D. Arashi finished asking his question, the bar once again fell into silence!
Even Shanks's eyes narrowed slightly.
However, it lasted only an instant before he returned to normal. Then he burst out laughing.
"Brother Kairo D. Arashi really knows how to joke! Rocks was a pirate from two generations ago. He dominated the seas before I was even born. So how could I possibly have anything to do with him?"
"So it really was just a rumor."
Having already more or less expected that answer, Kairo D. Arashi nodded and didn't continue pressing the issue. Instead, he gracefully moved on to the second question.
The questions themselves sounded simple enough, but for Shanks, they were unbelievably difficult to answer.
Why had someone as powerful as him somehow lost an arm in the East Blue?
He and Mihawk had been dueling each other for so many years—had they secretly developed feelings for one another?
Why were all the members of his crew men?
How did they usually deal with their physiological needs while spending so much time at sea?
Question after question of that nature left Shanks with a splitting headache and sweat pouring down his entire body!
By the time the interview finally ended, Shanks looked as though a tremendous burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He nearly collapsed from exhaustion.
Now he finally understood why Mihawk always looked horrified and gnashed his teeth in anger whenever Kairo D. Arashi's name came up during their drinking sessions in the New World.
What kind of Traveler was this guy?
He was obviously a demon!
Although Shanks had nearly been drained dry by the interview, Kairo D. Arashi was in an excellent mood.
After putting away the Video Transponder Snail, he cheerfully grabbed another two bottles of alcohol and drank them before finally saying goodbye!
By now, he possessed interview footage of Garp, Akainu, Kizaru, and Shanks.
Once he broadcast all of these recordings on the giant screens of Sabaody Archipelago, even if they didn't cause a massive uproar, they would definitely become popular topics of conversation over meals and drinks.
At that point, even if he failed to obtain the maximum reward of 200,000 Travel Points, he certainly wouldn't fall short by much!
After all, whether it was Garp, Akainu, Kizaru, or Shanks—the youngest of the Four Emperors in the New World—they were all among the hottest figures in the world right now.
Hmm.
If only he had known earlier that a mission like this would appear.
He should have interviewed Mihawk and Dragon back then too.
If he added those two to the collection, the full 200,000 Travel Point reward would practically be guaranteed!
With Shang De's help, Kairo D. Arashi finally managed to locate the Seaview Hotel and successfully checked in.
Nothing happened throughout the night.
Even after he finished breakfast the following morning, no system mission had appeared.
Kairo D. Arashi decided not to wait any longer. He prepared to leave Mock Town and continue toward his next travel destination!
Although no system mission had appeared, meeting Shanks here and successfully obtaining his interview footage had already made the trip worthwhile.
Kairo D. Arashi had just finished breakfast and walked out of the hotel when Shanks and his crew happened to pass by the entrance!
Seeing Kairo D. Arashi emerge from the hotel, Shanks immediately stepped forward and greeted him.
"Brother Kairo D. Arashi, we've got something to take care of, so we'll be leaving first! If you ever travel to the New World, make sure you come find me!"
"You're leaving already?"
Kairo D. Arashi froze for a moment before nodding.
"All right. If I get the chance to visit the New World, I'll definitely come see you!"
"Hahaha! It's a deal!"
Shanks laughed heartily twice before turning around and leaving without hesitation.
As the members of the Red-Haired Pirates passed Kairo D. Arashi, they warmly greeted him and said their farewells as well.
Watching the members of the Red-Haired Pirates walk away carrying barrels of alcohol over their shoulders, Kairo D. Arashi couldn't help laughing.
These alcoholics weren't carrying anything except booze.
Did they seriously treat alcohol like food?
Mock Town Harbor.
Aboard the Red Force.
Lucky Roux, already on deck with a pork knuckle in his hand, glanced toward the Traveler docked nearby and asked Shanks beside him, "Boss, that should be Kairo D. Arashi's ship, right?"
"The Traveler? Yeah, that should be his."
Shanks casually turned his head to look.
Then his eyes suddenly sharpened.
Several men had rushed out of the Traveler's cabin. Each of them was carrying a box, and the moment they reached the deck, they jumped ashore and started running!
"Hey, hey, hey… Stop right there!"
Seeing this, Shanks immediately shouted toward them.
"You guys thieves?"
"None of your damn busi—"
The man leading the group turned around and immediately started cursing at whoever had called out to them.
"I'm a thief, so wha—what… what the…"
His voice abruptly died.
"Holy crap! Shanks!!"
Before he even finished speaking, the man dropped to his knees with a thud and said in a trembling voice, "I-I really am a thief, but I didn't… I haven't…"
Hearing the man stammer endlessly, Shanks immediately felt uncomfortable.
He waved his hand, cutting him off.
"Give me some face and put everything you stole back where it came from."
"What are you standing around for?"
Seeing that the thieves were still frozen in place, Lucky Roux stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Boss is saving your lives right now. If you anger that Traveler, forget about you little trash—even every pirate in Mock Town combined wouldn't be enough for him to cut down."
"Hurry up. Put everything you stole back on the ship. Don't leave a single thing missing!"
The moment Lucky Roux finished speaking, Yasopp, who was sitting nearby, couldn't help laughing.
"Roux, you're scaring the kids again! Mr. Kairo D. Arashi doesn't seem like someone with such a terrible temper, does he?"
"You never know. Didn't you see that Shang De guy beside him last night? If Boss hadn't recognized Mr. Kairo D. Arashi, that lunatic probably would've started fighting us right there!"
"Hahaha! I liked that reckless idiot!"
Taking advantage of the conversation, the thieves on shore hurriedly carried everything they had stolen back onto the Traveler.
Then they vanished as fast as their legs could carry them!
Although they had no idea who this Traveler, Mr. Kairo D. Arashi, actually was, they had clearly realized just how serious the situation had become.
Yeah.
Had they just kicked a hornet's nest?!
There's more to come…
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