The largest tavern in Black Rock City.
In the dim night, the shutter door was suddenly pushed open.
"Hey! Boss! Bring out all the wine in your cellar. I'm entertaining guests tonight. Remember, I said all of it!"
Shanks walked up to the bar like it was his own home, pulled out a huge wad of Baileys, and slapped it down on the bar counter, startling the owner.
It also shocked all the customers in the tavern. They all turned their heads to look.
"It's Lord Shanks! Didn't you and your crew say you were leaving today? Why are you back?"
The boss asked boldly while quickly collecting the money with a grin.
"Well..."
Shanks scratched his head. "I met an important guest. Originally planned to host the banquet on my ship, but with this heavy rain, I figured I'd come here instead..."
Important guest?
The pirates in the tavern looked at each other. Who could be important enough to make Red-Haired Shanks, one of the Four Emperors, treat them so seriously?
At that moment, the shutter door opened again.
Cold wind and rain rushed in. A tall black silhouette stepped through the door. His black hair, soaked by rain, stuck to his forehead. But that did nothing to hide his sharp, focused eyes.
As he scanned the tavern with a calm gaze, the entire room went silent.
"Hey, Shano!" Shanks waved excitedly. "Over here!"
Shano nodded slightly and walked over in long strides. Behind him, the crew of the Fall entered one after another, followed by the senior members of the Red Hair Pirates.
Taking advantage of the chaos, the surrounding pirates began whispering.
"It's really the world's number one swordsman, Shano!"
"Damn it, how are these two in the same place... and they seem friendly..."
"Are they going to team up against the other Four Emperors?"
"Is the New World about to change?!"
This is how the world works.
An accidental meeting or action from powerful figures—once seen—gets endlessly exaggerated, interpreted, and speculated upon.
"Don't overthink it!"
Some more experienced pirates warned in a low voice, "The Red Hair Pirates are one thing, but don't you know how the Fall crew behaves?"
"This isn't a place for us. Let's get out of here!"
The rest quickly understood.
The world's number one swordsman doesn't even like being called a pirate. His attitude toward fellow pirates is... not friendly.
So it's best not to stick around and become collateral.
Very soon, many pirates quietly slipped away. Meanwhile, Shanks and Shano didn't spare them a glance. The two sat at the bar. Shanks popped open a barrel and filled two mugs to the brim.
"To our meeting!"
Shanks grinned, raised his glass, and clinked it with Shano's. Golden liquor sloshed out at the rim from the impact.
"To our meeting."
Shano smiled and downed the drink in one gulp.
After three rounds, the atmosphere warmed up.
The senior Red Hair Pirates and the male crew of the Fall had hit it off, exchanging tales of their voyages.
The girls avoided them—saying the Red Hair ship was full of old men—and sat at their own table. Nami slammed the table, yelling she wanted beer too, but was punched by Nojiko and passed out, face-down on the table.
But no matter which group they belonged to, everyone instinctively left the bar area clear, giving space to the two captains.
"Hey, Shano."
Shanks was already a little tipsy. He leaned in and whispered, "You probably feel it too—even though we just met, I've been wanting to talk to you for a long time..."
"What a coincidence."
Shano set down his mug. "Red Hair, I have a few things I want to ask you too."
"I'll go first!"
"I'll go first!"
The two spoke at the same time.
"You go first!"
"You go first!"
"Ugh, enough!" Shanks rubbed his temples. "Fine, I'm the host—let me go first..."
He paused to think, then said:
"Unlike the other old Four Emperors who underestimate you, I've actually gathered intel on you. What you told Rayleigh in Sabaody, and what the World Government buried in Loguetown..."
"Technically, I shouldn't bring this up right after meeting you. I should keep it buried."
"But after feeling your Conqueror's Haki for myself today... I can't hold back anymore. I need to know."
Shano calmly refilled his mug.
"Shano, what are you planning to do? What is your end goal?"
Shanks looked directly into his eyes. "You said you want to end the Great Pirate Era. But you and I both know where this chaos really comes from... Judging by your path so far, Shano, what you're really aiming to destroy is the so-called Holy Land—Heaven itself—the true gate to hell, right?"
Shano took another drink.
"Good wine..."
He savored the taste and chuckled. "Tch, so I've been seen through?"
As expected!
Shanks kept a calm face, but deep inside, he felt a weight lift.
This guy... might be an ally in the future!
But—
So young, so proud, so reckless. Just like he once was.
Right now, Shano must be stopped!
"Then I need to explain." Shanks took a deep breath.
"We're the same in essence. But the cruelty and madness of this world... is more than you imagine. Many things aren't as simple as they look."
"I know you're full of fight. But the timing's not right! At least not yet!"
"In the next few years, you'll have lots to do in the New World. I won't interfere in that. But don't disturb the fragile balance we've maintained. Don't challenge an enemy you can't beat. Don't!"
"If you do... you'll burn yourself like a moth flying into flame."
His voice grew agitated near the end. But he tried hard to keep calm. It was clear he didn't want to say too much, but also didn't want Shano to misinterpret him.
But—unexpectedly—Shano's expression remained calm. He even laughed.
"Why are you so nervous?"
Shano grinned and poured more wine into Shanks's mug:
"Your reaction actually made me trust you more. I don't believe the rumors about your dark side anymore... though I was curious before."
"Curious about what?"
Shanks froze.
"Why someone like you would be a guardian of order."
"You clearly have top-tier Haki and the power to shake the world. But instead, you've been preventing others from toppling this rotten age. You even became a symbol of it..."
"Are you waiting for someone? Someone who also comes from the East Blue... but isn't named Shano?"
He tilted his head slightly and said half-jokingly, "Hey, Red Hair—was Roger thinking the same thing when he was in Raftel?"
Shanks's pupils shrank. His wine glass nearly slipped from his fingers.
He stared at Shano, and the alcohol haze in his eyes vanished completely.
"..." His voice was dry. "How do you know all this?"
"Oh, that's a long story. I have a younger brother in the East Blue. Name's Monkey D. Luffy."
Shano shrugged. "The guy's a total idiot, but convinced he'll become Pirate King. He once told me about a man who saved his life and lost an arm doing it. All to fulfill a promise, he said."
"A former Roger pirate. A man at the top of the world. Lost his arm to a little sea king—even my sister Nami could swat it aside."
Shano sighed. "So tell me, Shanks. Isn't that story ridiculous? ...Shanks? Shanks?!"
No answer.
The noise in the tavern faded like it was from a different world. Only the sound of rain hitting the window remained.
"..."
Shanks gripped his mug tightly. His breathing grew rapid, and sweat beaded on his forehead.
"So you think it sounds fake too, huh?"
Shano laughed and patted his stiff shoulder:
"I told you to relax. But you're getting more nervous... Here's something crazier. Before I met Luffy, I actually met that sea king. Of course, I was just a kid, so it looked massive to me—but that's not the point."
"The point is, it spit something out in front of me. I picked it up—it was an arm. With a symbol that looked like a pentagram."
"I didn't know what it meant back then."
Shano paused. "Until not long ago, a guy claiming to be a vice-captain of the Holy Knights came to see me. The symbol on his arm—exactly the same. And the Celestial Dragon looked... just like you."
"I've seen a lot since then."
Leaning back against the bar, Shano sighed. "So... should I still call you Red Hair? Or kneel and greet you as Saint Figarland Shanks, the one waiting for Nika?"
"..."
Shanks was silent for a long time. Then suddenly, he raised his head and downed the entire mug. Wine ran down his chin.
He licked the remaining drops on the rim and finally set the mug down slowly. He stared at Shano.
"You." His voice was raspy. "Shamrock. Luffy. Nika... So you know everything."
"Yeah, I know everything. Don't you?"
Shano grinned. "You said we're the same kind of person. But I don't think so. Want to know why?"
"You're hesitating. Scared. Afraid. You only wait and prepare. You bet it all on the future."
He laughed madly, the wine in his glass trembling with each word.
"But I never believe in that bullshit called fate!!!"
Boom!
He slammed the mug on the bar, stood up, and strode outside. The crew of the Fall followed instantly.
"The wine's good."
At the door, Shano paused and turned back to say one last thing:
"Thanks for the hospitality, Red Hair. I hope next time we meet, we won't be in this kind of relationship anymore."
"When it comes to belief—you and I should walk our own paths. If you still want to play your long game, fine. But don't try to stop me."
"Otherwise... I don't mind taking your other arm."
Bang!
The shutter door slammed shut.
By the time Shanks raised his head with a complicated expression, outside in the storm—Shano and his crew were long gone.
...
Marine Headquarters — Marineford.
Under the sign "Justice Reigning Over the World," Sengoku's face was gloomy.
"What did you say? Red-Haired Shanks and Shano met in Black Rock City?"
"Y-yes, Marshal!"
The officer stammered, "It's from a surveillance ship at G-14. This afternoon, the two ships had a head-on encounter near the port. There was a brief fight!"
"What happened?"
"According to witnesses, both unleashed red sword energy that disturbed the weather. But they didn't truly fight. They stopped and talked..."
"Red sword energy?" Tsuru frowned. "Roger's move—'Divine Evasion'... Shano knows it too?"
That part had never come up in earlier intel.
Did he just master it recently?
It was worth investigating.
But there were even bigger concerns.
"One of the Four Emperors, and one person infinitely close to that level, met and shook hands in the New World..."
Tsuru sighed. "No matter what they talked about—it's not good for us."
"I agree. Red Hair has always been mysterious. And Shano's ambitions are clear..."
Sengoku tapped the table with a frown. "They're young, unlike the other emperors..."
Could they join forces?
Even temporarily?
Wouldn't that trigger a massive reshuffling of the New World?
"Damn it!"
Sengoku slammed the desk. Irritated. Uneasy. There was too little intel!
Their grip on the New World was too weak.
"Tell G-1 to coordinate. Send out more surveillance ships!"
He gave the order in a deep voice. "Send every ship we can. In the coming days, monitor Red Hair's forces closely. Report anything!"
"Yes, Marshal!"
...
Late night in Black Rock City.
"Boss."
Beckman walked up to the rooftop and sat next to Shanks, cigarette in hand.
"Beckman..."
Shanks glanced at him. His mood seemed low. "You know my plans best. Do you think I made the wrong choice?"
Beckman didn't answer right away. He exhaled smoke into the dark sky.
"Honestly? At first—I thought it was unreliable."
"Handing the future of the world to a child... seemed insane. But Luffy's different. I think he's worth the wait."
Shanks fell quiet for a moment, then smiled and patted Beckman on the shoulder. "...Thanks, old friend."
He changed the subject.
"Forget Shano. His strength is enough to walk his own path. What about his crew? You spent time with them today. What's your intel say?"
"Very strong."
Beckman didn't hesitate. Then repeated, word by word:
"Very strong."