The news of the public execution of Shanks' daughter was hidden extremely well. After all, the fact that Uta had been captured was known only to Sakazuki and Carlo, as well as Vegapunk and his satellites on Egghead Island.
After Uta's mysterious disappearance, a heavy shadow fell over the entire Red Hair Pirates. Everyone was gloomy. Uta was not only Shanks' daughter. She was their daughter too.
Until one day, two months later…
* * *
The New World, Secon Island.
Beneath the massive volcanic crater, inside a special cavern carved out below the super bomb, Katakuri and Shanks stood watching as Brûlée activated her ability, preparing to swallow the bomb.
Brûlée could not complete this task on her own. She needed a powerful individual to push the bomb into the Mirro-World at the exact moment her Mirror-Mirror Fruit ability expanded to its maximum size.
There was a slight delay before the bomb detonated. It was not enough time for someone to lift the deeply buried bomb from the heart of the volcano and throw it into the sky, but placing the Mirro-World directly against the bomb was possible.
A trace of worry showed on Katakuri's face, while Brûlée looked full of confidence.
"It'll be fine, Big Brother Katakuri," she said. "I'm very strong now."
Katakuri frowned slightly. "Even so, but…"
Suddenly, several powerful auras erupted across the island. They all belonged to officers of the Red Hair Pirates. Everyone tensed instantly. Something was wrong.
Just then, Lucky Roux rushed in like a gust of wind, his face pale as he held up a newspaper.
"Boss, this is bad! Uta! Uta, she—!"
Boom!
Shanks' expression changed as his aura burst out of control. In an instant, he appeared in front of Lucky Roux and snatched the newspaper away.
"Extremely Heinous Criminal. Kingdom Destroyer. Daughter of the Emperor Shanks, Uta. Public Execution. Countdown: 6 hours!"
Below the headline was Uta's profile, along with a renewed account of the Elegia Kingdom destruction incident.
Shanks stared at the massive bold title, his eyes bloodshot.
"Sakazuki!!!"
The newspaper turned to dust in his hand as crimson lightning raged outward, tearing through everything around him. On the shredded paper had been a photo of Uta, her body pierced by several iron spikes and nailed to the execution platform.
The Marines' secrecy had been flawless. The announcement was far too sudden. From the moment the news broke to the execution, there were only six hours. The newspaper had been printed at six in the morning, which meant the execution was at noon.
Now there was only one hour left until noon.
There was no time.
* * *
South Blue, Kingdom of Sorbet.
Inside the Revolutionary Army's headquarters, everyone was in motion, scrambling to obtain the latest intelligence through every possible channel. No one knew when Red-Haired Shanks had a daughter, but her public execution at Marine Headquarters was an event of enormous significance.
Several screens displayed live footage of Marine Headquarters. Reporters had already arrived. Dragon stared at the figure on the execution platform.
This was an opportunity.
If this execution became the fuse, the Marines, already tied down by pirates, would be unable to care for the Four Blues.
"Send the order. All bases are to enter pre-war status immediately."
Watching the execution time draw closer, he spoke calmly.
"Await further orders…"
* * *
Across the world, on countless islands, civilians gathered before large screens in town centers, watching the live broadcast with tense expressions.
"Less than half an hour left…"
"Is the final battle between the Marines and pirates about to begin?"
"Who knows…"
"But it's too sudden, isn't it? Even an Emperor wouldn't make it in time."
"That's true…"
"But that's an Emperor. A pirate who rules the seas…"
"So what! Fleet Admiral Sakazuki will definitely win! Pirates should have disappeared long ago!"
"And look at Marine Headquarters. There isn't even heavy defense. They must be completely confident."
"Even someone like Red-Haired Shanks isn't worth worrying about. How could Marine Headquarters possibly lose?"
"Fleet Admiral Sakazuki will win!"
* * *
East Blue, Foosha Village.
Numerous villagers gathered inside the bar, staring at the image of Uta nailed to the execution platform. Many could not bear to watch and turned their heads away.
"Isn't this a bit much, doing this to a young girl… the Marines…"
"Where's Garp? Why isn't he there? Can't he save her?"
"Idiot! She's not that little girl from back then anymore! She's a pirate!"
"She must have done something unforgivable. Otherwise, the Marines wouldn't do this."
"But…"
Creak.
The old wooden door was pushed open as Luffy walked in.
"Makino, give me a—"
His voice stopped abruptly as he stared at the screen in shock.
Makino snapped back to her senses and quickly turned the screen off.
"Luffy, you…"
Luffy stood there, staring at the dark screen, his voice trembling.
"That… that's Uta, right! That's Uta, isn't it! Where is she! Why is there so much blood! Where is Shanks!"
* * *
New World, New Marineford.
Reporters from all over the world were trying every possible way to get there. Even if time was against them, they rushed forward anyway. This might be the spark that reshaped the world.
Those who were closer, or directly assigned by the government, were already there. Cameras clicked nonstop as they exchanged comments.
"This is unbelievable. The soldiers don't look tense at all."
"So even one of the Four Emperors, Red-Haired Shanks, isn't worth the Marines' full strength?"
"No. It's more likely he can't make it in time."
"This was too sudden. We barely made it ourselves. There's no way someone deep in the New World could arrive."
"Fleet Admiral Sakazuki is coming out!"
At the shout, reporters surged toward the direction Sakazuki emerged from, snapping photos from afar.
* * *
Two minutes remained until the execution. The eyes of the world were fixed on this place.
Sakazuki's figure slowly approached the execution platform. The crisp sound of his shoes echoed. Uta regained a bit of consciousness and weakly turned her head toward the man.
A soldier stepped forward behind Sakazuki, holding a syringe, and injected it directly into Uta's body. She instantly became lucid as a surge of power flooded her senses.
She knew it was an illusion.
The drug existed only to keep her conscious and ensure she felt the pain of the iron spikes piercing her body.
Tap. Tap.
Sakazuki stopped beside Uta.
The time reached noon.
His cold voice rang out. "I believe everyone already knows the identity of the person to be executed beside me.
"One of the Four Emperors of the New World, the wicked inheritor of Roger's will, the kingdom destroyer Red Hair, daughter of the pirate Shanks, Uta.
"She will die here today. This holds great significance for the world.
"Because her death not only closes a bloody case involving tens of thousands of lives. It will also show the world that these lawless pirates, after losing those dear to them… will go mad. Will go insane. Yet remain powerless.
"Just like the millions upon millions who were slaughtered by pirates…"
Uta struggled and shouted, "No! My father is Gordon! Not Shanks! Not that man!"
She tried to rise, but the iron spikes pinned her to the platform. As she strained, agony surged through her body. She collapsed, convulsing.
Sakazuki glanced at her indifferently and continued, "Eight years ago, Red-Haired Shanks committed an act that shocked the world. The destruction of the Elegia Kingdom.
"Tens of thousands of civilians were slaughtered. Only King Gordon survived. This marked Red Hair's entry into the New World and the beginning of his legend.
"On the night Elegia was destroyed, Red Hair attacked several marine warships and escaped. What no one knew was that someone was missing from his ship. That person was Uta. The daughter Red Hair left behind in the ruins of Elegia, entrusted to King Gordon.
"Through continued investigation, the Marines discovered something different. And only recently, after conclusive evidence was obtained, did we truly understand this shocking case. The reason Red Hair gave for leaving his daughter with King Gordon was to let his beloved child inherit the music of that nation.
"As king, after his people were slaughtered, he did not seek revenge. Instead, he followed Red Hair's request and swore to raise her into the greatest singer in the world.
"They worked together to conceal everything. All so the daughter of a pirate could grow up happily. How utterly… ridiculous. The self-indulgence of a few people came at the cost of tens of thousands of lives."
The soldiers behind him hauled Uta up as she sobbed uncontrollably.
Sakazuki looked at her and spoke coldly. "Tell me, daughter of Red Hair. Have you heard the wails of those tens of thousands in the dead of night, questioning you?
"Asking you why you… killed them."
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