"Cough, cough..."
The gold-rimmed-glasses merchant coughed violently several times before finally being able to speak. He trembled and said:
"Lord Hanfuda! You've misunderstood—it's not that the royal family is slow in response, it's just that this country's territory... it's way too vast!"
His merchant caravan had traveled far and wide, and among all the lands he'd seen, Alabasta's territory was among the largest in the world.
From the capital, Alubarna, to the mouth of the Sandora River—even riding the fastest Spot-Billed Duck at full speed day and night, it would still take at least a full day!
Not to mention, throughout that journey, messages had to be relayed multiple times, and the royal family's decision-making also took time.
"Oh, I see now!"
Hanfuda gave a knowing "tsk" and twirled his scythe in his palm. "Damn, I've stayed in the New World too long these past few years. I almost forgot... there are still countries this big back in Paradise."
He narrowed his eyes and looked toward the distant horizon of blowing sand, a sinister grin forming on his lips.
"...Since it's that far, then I guess it makes sense that the royal guards are taking a while."
"Yes, Lord Hanfuda." The merchant let out a relieved sigh, only to freeze as Hanfuda suddenly leaned forward—his scythe's tip pressing right up against the merchant's throat.
"But I don't have that kind of patience!!!"
"L-Lord..." The merchant trembled all over. "You've already waited almost a full day... there's not much time left, I estimate they'll be here in... three—no, two more hours!"
Hanfuda turned his gaze toward the end of the river. The desert's heat waves distorted the scenery, and still, there wasn't a shadow of the royal escort.
Two to three more hours?
"Tch, guess I'll have to spice things up."
Hanfuda licked his lips and suddenly shouted, "Jack!"
"Here!"
The muscular blond youth stood at attention. Shockingly, his full height exceeded eight meters.
"Go grab a few merchants. Slit open their bellies and hang them from the mast to bleed out. For every extra ten minutes I wait, throw up another one."
Hanfuda grinned. "If they think distance is the issue, then let's make the scent of blood drift a little farther. See if we can smoke those cowardly turtles out of their shells."
Bleed... people?
Jack scratched his head. He'd only ever bled chickens and ducks before—never a person.
He hesitated, but since it was the boss's order...
He finally pulled out his weapon—also a massive scythe like Hanfuda's—and strode toward the bound merchants.
The merchants instantly panicked and struggled desperately, but the ropes were too tight—it was no use.
"Lord Hanfuda!"
Someone shouted in grief and fury, "This will kill a lot of people! We've done nothing to you—why do this?!"
"Yeah! What did the royal family even do to you, that you'd go this far?!"
The royal family?
Hanfuda sneered. Just as he was about to reply, a beautiful and graceful figure rushed over, hands offering a Den Den Mushi.
"Lord Hanfuda, a call—from the Alabasta royal family!"
"Oh?"
Hanfuda raised an eyebrow, taking the snail phone. The murderous glint on his face faded slightly, replaced by a playful smirk.
"Hello?" he said lazily, his tone mocking. "Finally decided to call, huh? King Cobra?"
The other end of the line went silent for a moment before a deep, stern voice came through:
"Mr. Hanfuda, I am Igaram, captain of the Alabasta Royal Guard."
Hanfuda's smile immediately vanished.
"A mere guard captain thinks he's qualified to talk to me?"
He scoffed. "What, Cobra that old fart too scared to speak to me himself?"
"His Majesty the King has been gravely ill and is unable to come personally."
Igaram's voice remained calm, though a hint of tension could be heard. "But to show our sincerity, Princess Vivi herself is leading a diplomatic envoy toward the river mouth at full speed."
"They'll arrive within two hours at most. Regarding your sudden appearance and blockade of the Sandora River—the royal family doesn't know the reason behind it, but regardless, we wish to do everything we can to resolve this peacefully."
"Peacefully?"
Hanfuda laughed like he'd heard a joke.
The next second, his grin disappeared. He tapped his scythe's tip against the deck with a dull clink and said coldly:
"Fine, then. Hand over the two Zoan-type Devil Fruits that Crocodile owed me, and I'll leave immediately. Won't interfere with your business or your merchants."
"Devil Fruits?"
Igaram was caught off guard. When he spoke again, his voice clearly carried surprise:
"We don't have any Devil Fruits on hand... So, you mean, you had an unfinished deal with Lord Crocodile? But because of his untimely death, the deal fell through? Then why come after us?"
"Why?"
Hanfuda's forehead veins popped, and he roared:
"Don't play dumb! Everyone on this sea knows how close Crocodile was to your royal family—close enough to be wearing the same damn pants!"
"Besides!"
Hanfuda shouted angrily, "When Crocodile first came to buy weapons from me, he did it under your royal name! That guy had no troops—what'd he need so many weapons for? He was obviously buying for your kingdom's military!"
"These past months, I delivered every batch of weapons on time. And what happened? Huh? What happened?!"
"In return, the two Zoan-type Devil Fruits I was promised were never delivered! Now Crocodile's dead! If I don't come collect from you, who the hell do I collect from?! Huh?! Answer me!!"
The line fell silent again.
Igaram seemed like he wanted to say something, but someone snatched the receiver from his hand.
"...It's alright, Igaram. Let me speak to him personally."
"Hello?"
A young girl's voice came through the Den Den Mushi:
"I'm Princess Vivi of the Alabasta Kingdom. Greetings, Lord Hanfuda. Regarding what you just mentioned—I believe there may be some misunderstanding."
Hanfuda narrowed his eyes.
Princess Vivi?
Wasn't she just a girl around the same age as his daughter, Runti?
A little brat like her—what could she possibly know?
Still, he spoke coldly: "Oh? Go on then, little girl. What misunderstanding?"
"First, the royal family never authorized Crocodile to purchase any weapons. Second, we have no knowledge of any Devil Fruit transaction he made with you."
Vivi's voice was youthful but unwavering.
"I can swear on the Nefertari family's 800-year legacy and my father's name—those claims are completely false!"
"If anything, we should thank you. The information you've revealed casts doubt on Crocodile's real motives during his time in Alabasta. The royal family has already begun a formal investigation, and once we have the full truth—"
"Enough with the pointless chatter!"
Hanfuda impatiently dug in his ear with his finger. "Truth, motives... I don't give a damn! I only care about those Zoan Devil Fruits... No, forget that. After wasting so much of my time, I'm upping the price to three."
"Three fruits, or three Zoan-type ability users. One word—can your royal family deliver, or not?!"
He suddenly swung his scythe. A massive gust of energy slashed out.
BOOM!
A nearby merchant ship was instantly cleaved in half and exploded. Sailors and merchants screamed as they plunged into the river.
"Did you hear those lovely screams? Princess Know-It-All?"
Hanfuda grinned.
"My patience is thin. Whether your team makes it to the river mouth in time or not—until I get what I'm owed, I'll destroy one ship every ten minutes!"
Clack.
Without waiting for Vivi's response, Hanfuda expressionlessly hung up the call.
He turned toward the stunned Jack and snapped:
"What are you standing there for? My earlier orders are still in effect. Get moving!"
Jack jolted to attention.
"Yes, Boss Hanfuda!"
Just as Jack reached for the first unfortunate merchant—
Swish!
A vine of smoke whipped toward him and coiled tightly around his wrist—then yanked hard!
BOOM—!
Jack's massive body was flung into the side of the ship. The wooden railing shattered instantly.
Dust and debris flew as he rolled clumsily along the deck's edge before catching himself—barely avoiding falling into the sea.
"Who's there?!"
Jack jumped to his feet and snarled, scanning the area. "Who?! Which bastard dared sneak attack me?!"
"..."
Hanfuda narrowed his eyes. Sensing something, he turned toward the mouth of the river.
And when he saw the scene ahead—his brow arched, a trace of surprise flashing across his face.
"That ability... looks a bit like that Navy guy Aokiji. What is this?"
—On the broad Sandora River, at some unknown point, a glistening path of ice had formed.
Shrouded in misty cold, seven figures walked across it, striding purposefully forward.
The surrounding merchant ships that had been fleeing in panic now froze in place, all turning to look.
"I was just following the captain's orders. Got a problem with that?"
A deep voice echoed—from the white-haired man on the far right. He held a cigar in his mouth, tilted his head slightly, and stared at Jack with apathy.
To his left, the crew members stood in a straight line.
Red-Leg Zeff crossed his arms, eyes sharp as an eagle's.
Robin, with flowing black hair, lowered her gaze, a faint smile at her lips.
Kuina gripped her sword Wado Ichimonji, her eyes as sharp as blades.
Two girls stood at the flanks—one with blue hair exuding icy cold, the other with flaming orange hair burning bright.
And at the center walked a black-haired boy, hands in his pockets, expression calm.
Shano.
He strolled across the frozen surface, unfazed by the massive pirate ship looming overhead like a mountain.
The merchants watching from nearby vessels burst into hushed chaos.
"No way... it's them?!"
"No doubt—it's that crew!"
"What are they doing here...?! We gotta move!"
"With monsters like this clashing, we'll be doomed if we get caught in the crossfire!"
As terrified murmurs echoed around them—
Shano looked up slightly, gaze cutting past Jack and landing squarely on Hanfuda.
"Hey, Mr. Warlord."
"You've been yapping a lot—threatening merchants, threatening royalty. What a pain. But you know... I feel like there's a much simpler way to resolve this."
"A simpler way?" Hanfuda narrowed his eyes, spinning his scythe, a ferocious grin spreading across his face.
"Speak, brat. What way?"
Shano stepped forward on the ice, his crew following behind, their aura steadily growing heavier and sharper.
"It's simple."
He lifted his head, those pitch-black eyes staring straight at Hanafuda as he grinned:
"—Why not just come straight for me?"
"...?"
Hanafuda's expression froze for a second, then burst out laughing. "Hahahahahaha! Come for you? A little brat who hasn't even grown all his hair yet? What the hell do you think you are?!"
With a sudden swing, he pointed his scythe straight at Shano! "Who the hell are you?! Crocodile owed me a debt—what the hell does that have to do with you?!"
Those words—
A deathly silence fell over the entire massive pirate ship, broken only by the sound of the sea breeze.
Everyone on the icy surface—Shano and his crew—froze in place.
As for the Hanafuda Pirates, both officers and crewmates, they looked like they'd been turned to stone.
Only Jack still stood there dumbfounded, holding his scythe with a puzzled expression.
—That tough guy line from the boss was pretty standard, right? So why's everyone reacting like this?
"Uh… Boss Hanafuda, you don't… recognize him?"
The slender female officer who had earlier fetched the Den Den Mushi gulped nervously, edged closer to Hanafuda, and whispered softly in his ear:
"Um… that newspaper I gave you last time—did you just throw it away without reading it?"
"Newspaper?"
Hanafuda frowned. "What're you trying to say? You've been with me long enough to know I'm illiterate, right? When have I ever read that crap?"
"But you can at least read the wanted posters, right…"
Sweat began to bead on her forehead. "It was in the headline special from the World Economic News last month… the one with those extra sheets…"
"I'm face-blind too!"
Hanafuda spun his scythe impatiently. "Even if I did look, I wouldn't remember! Damn it, stop rambling—if you've got something to say, spit it out!"
"Yes sir…"
The female officer flinched, then shot a fearful glance at the black-haired boy on the ice. She lowered her voice even more:
"Boss, that guy… that's Shano, the one who killed Crocodile. The super rookie with a 540 million bounty…"
Huh? Hanafuda's face froze.
The spinning of the scythe in his hand stopped abruptly.
"…"
His pupils shrank as he stared deathly still at the black-haired youth on the ice.
"Shano… You're that swordsman captain of the 'Fallen Ones' Pirates, Shano the Blade Master?"
"Correction. It's the Fallen Ones Adventure Group," Shano sighed, rubbing his brow. "A dumb, face-blind illiterate... Do I really have to fight someone this stupid? Feels like bullying the mentally challenged..."
"Don't get cocky!!!"
Sweat appeared on Hanafuda's brow, but he quickly puffed himself up again, sneering coldly: "So what if you killed Crocodile? You think that means you can challenge every Warlord just because of that?"
"I'm Hanafuda! A man with a 500 million bounty five years ago! I'm not some clown who lost his fighting spirit and played hero in the desert!"
He gripped his scythe tighter, his eyes growing colder by the second:
"But you're right about one thing. Because you killed Crocodile, he couldn't deliver the goods. So this debt? Yeah, maybe it should be settled with you."
"So what's it gonna be? You give me the three Zoan Fruits willingly… or I slice off both your arms and a leg to blow off some steam?"
"And what if I don't want to do either?" Shano smiled faintly.
"You arrogant little brat…"
Hanafuda's face twisted into a feral grin. "Looks like you really are set on fighting. Fine! I'll give you a taste of my power!!"
Swish! With a stomp, he launched himself into the air, swinging his massive scythe down at the black-haired youth on the ice—
"A challenge?"
Shano looked up slightly, eyes fixed on the descending blade, and a smirk slowly spread across his face.
Pak.
Just as the scythe was about to slice into his skin—he finally moved. In Hanafuda's stunned eyes, Shano casually reached up with one hand and grabbed the blade with ease.
"You've got it all wrong…"
The deadly blade stopped just an inch from his forehead—it couldn't move a millimeter more. That slender but strong hand gripped it so tightly it didn't even need Haki.
This kid… is that strong?!
Hanafuda's eyes bulged. Then he noticed—the other hand was clenched into a fist.
Boom!
In the next instant, that fist wrapped in Armament Haki slammed into Hanafuda's gut— A shockwave exploded outward like ripples in a pond!
Hanafuda's eyes bulged even more, blood spraying from his mouth—
"Gwahhh!!!"
His body shot backward like a cannonball, smashing through several merchant ship sails before crashing into the desert on the riverbank with a thunderous boom, sending sand and dust everywhere.
Shano's calm voice followed:
"—Aren't you the one issuing a challenge?"
The entire estuary of the Sandora River went dead silent.
Jack and the pirate officers were dumbstruck. The civilians on the merchant ships stared in disbelief.
—A Warlord of the Sea… with a former bounty of 500 million… just got blown away by one punch?!
"Oh my, is he dead?"
Robin didn't look surprised at all as she turned her head with a soft smile.
"Doubt it."
Smoker replied with a cigar in his mouth. "If that punch came from anyone else, maybe. But this guy used to be one of Kaido's top officers. He's tough—he won't go down that easily."
And as if to prove Smoker's point—
BOOOOM—!!! The right side of the desert suddenly began to quake violently, like some ancient monster stirring from its slumber.
"Hey!"
"What's going on?! What is that sound?!"
The sailors on the merchant ships near the riverbank widened their eyes in horror.
The once calm sands suddenly churned like boiling oil—yellow sand rolling and rising like waves!
"ROOAAARRR!!!"
A deafening roar split the hot air, sending visible shockwaves through the sky!
From beneath the sand, a colossal beast erupted, kicking up a storm of dust and sand that blocked out half the sky.
—It was a massive Tyrannosaurus Rex, over twenty meters long.
Its body was covered in pitch-black scales, its thick tail whipped through the air, snapping trees in half. Razor-sharp teeth glistened in its blood-red maw.
When its eyes locked onto the black-haired boy on the riverbank, pure rage and savagery filled its gaze:
"You little bastard… you've pissed me off! Get your ass over here!!!"
"No wonder his nickname is 'Lizard King.'" Smoker muttered, narrowing his eyes. "Turns out it's the Ancient Zoan Tyrannosaurus Fruit… That's one hell of a rare Devil Fruit."
Back in HQ, he'd seen someone named Drake with an Allosaurus Fruit—and even that guy could overpower him. Drake was a Rear Admiral now.
Compared to a T-Rex, an Allosaurus was practically a pet lizard.
"Okay, that does look a little scary."
Shano tilted his head, eyeing the massive dinosaur with mild curiosity.
That transformation was so loud he almost thought he'd wandered onto the set of Ultraman.
"Wanna just ignore him?"
Nojiko chuckled. "My ice isn't that thick—if he charges over here, he's gonna fall straight into the ocean. Looks scary, sure, but over on the coast, he's no threat at all."
Yeah.
The Yuki Yuki no Mi that Big Bro brought back… Kuina didn't eat it out of pride, saying a true swordsman didn't rely on powers. Chef Zeff claimed a cook on the sea shouldn't be a landlubber. Gin and Mochi looked down on it too…
So in the end, Nojiko was the one who ate it.
She loved the cool effects and had been training with it every day.
By now, she'd gotten the hang of it and even fused it with her martial arts, creating several effective moves.
"Nah, I still want to deal with him."
Shano grinned. "It's been a while since I saw such a thick-skinned punching bag. Would be a waste not to stretch my limbs a little."
Oh right—there was another thick-skinned guy too.
He glanced at Jack, who was still dazed on the pirate ship.
That guy still seemed like a rookie—nothing like the wild beast who'd charged a ship full of Admirals before. Probably not worth worrying about for now.
"The officers of the Hanafuda Pirates are yours. Let Gin help too. Just don't damage the merchant ships."
"Got it, Captain. Leave it to us."
Kuina nodded, then glanced toward the ships. "As for the merchants—they've already pulled away. We won't need to worry about them."
"Good. Then I've got no more distractions. Time to go have some fun with our Warlord friend."
Shano turned his gaze toward the giant T-Rex.
"Hey, brat! You still not coming over here?!"
The dinosaur growled, its grin vicious. "What, did seeing your great lord Hanafuda's true power scare you stiff?!"
"Everyone from the Beasts Pirates really is brain-dead, huh…"
Shano sighed.
He tilted his neck slightly, and a loud crack-crack-crack of popping joints rang out like firecrackers.
CRACK!
In the next instant, the ice beneath his feet shattered—
The black-haired boy's figure vanished without a trace