Evening, aboard a warship that had just left the island.
Bullet, his whole body wrapped in bandages, suddenly opened his eyes as he lay on the bed.
All he felt was searing, tearing pain coursing through his body as he stared at the familiar ceiling.
"I'm back, huh."
But it didn't stop his movements. He pressed down with one hand, got up, and stepped to the floor.
He twisted his neck, spread his arms, stretched his body, and let out a long yawn.
Bang, bang, bang...
The tight bandages split open one after another, pain continuously stabbing at his nerves.
The wounds across his body began tearing open and bleeding again from all this motion.
Bullet loosened up his muscles and let out a long breath.
"Hoo—"
"Feels good."
He casually grabbed the cloak of justice hanging on the wall, threw it over his shoulders, and walked out.
The moment he stepped outside, he was greeted by countless voices:
"Vice Admiral Bullet!" x N
Everyone kept calling out to him.
Bullet gave a light nod in response, then asked the adjutant walking toward him:
"Where's that guy's body."
The adjutant replied:
"Already frozen, sir. The spoils of war have been placed in your quarters."
"Also, Admiral Sakazuki asked you to return his call."
Bullet nodded.
"Got it. Go fetch me the Den Den Mushi and the sword."
"Yes, sir."
Moments later, the black blade Yoru and the Den Den Mushi were delivered into Bullet's hands.
Bullet hefted the blade and swung it once across the surface of the sea.
A deafening roar echoed out. The sea split into two halves where the blade passed, then reunited after a few seconds.
Compared to Mihawk's slash that could truly cleave the sea apart, it was still far weaker.
Bullet shook his head with a faint laugh.
"So this is what it means for a famed blade to be dulled."
"Put it back."
He handed it back to the adjutant, then dialed Sakazuki's number. A few seconds later, the call connected.
"Admiral Sakazuki."
Sakazuki's voice came through.
"How's your body holding up?"
Bullet chuckled.
"No problem. A few days of rest and I'll be fine."
Sakazuki's voice again:
"Good. Then head straight to Punk Hazard."
"Deliver that man's corpse to Dr. Vegapunk."
"And while you're at it, get some funds."
Bullet froze.
"Funds?"
Sakazuki's slightly helpless voice came through the line:
"That island where you two fought—it was a member nation of the World Government."
"You destroyed a third of the island."
"Granted, most of it was barren mountains, but the port was completely wiped out."
"Now all the complaint calls are coming to me."
"Take that corpse and exchange it with the research division for some money."
"I've already spoken with Dr. Vegapunk."
"A corpse of such a naturally talented swordsman—if it can be used to cultivate weapons, or modified in some way—"
"The Government will gladly pay."
"Hand that money over to the king of Lielga Island to rebuild a port."
Bullet let out a bitter laugh.
"Got it, got it."
"I got carried away in the heat of battle and didn't pay attention."
Sakazuki's voice responded:
"It's fine."
"Just get some proper rest."
They chatted a bit longer before hanging up.
Bullet wore an expression of helplessness. He really had overdone it... destroying a third of another nation's territory. Now he had to make reparations...
...
A few days later.
As the delayed reports spread, news of Bullet's battle with Mihawk gradually reached the world.
The faint hope of surpassing the title of "World's Greatest Swordsman," Dracule Mihawk the "Marine Hunter," was now gone—he had died in battle.
And after killing both "Dark King" Rayleigh and Mihawk, two of the most renowned swordsmen pirates in the world...
The Marine Vice Admiral Bullet was now branded with a new title—"Swordsman Destroyer."
...
East Blue, near the Goa Kingdom.
A nearly shattered warship drifted across the waves.
The ship had been stripped bare, corpses and severed limbs scattered everywhere.
Not long after, one of CP's strongest agents, Fūzu Fū, bloodied from head to toe, struggled to crawl upright.
"D-damn... damn pirates..."
He shakily pulled out a Den Den Mushi.
The consequences of failing a mission would be severe, but he didn't want to die here in the middle of the sea...
He dialed the Den Den Mushi...
Far away across the sea.
The Red-Haired Pirates.
The crew cheered joyously as they counted their treasure.
The ship's many chests were filled to the brim with gold, silver, and jewels—all freshly plundered from that warship.
Shanks carried a chest full of golden jewelry to the deck.
Bang—
He set it down, flipped the lid open, grabbed a few pieces, and looked toward the little girl sitting on the cannon at the bow.
"Uta."
Seeing the jewel-studded ornaments in Shanks's hand, Uta hopped down in just a few steps.
"So pretty!"
"Thank you, Shanks!"
Watching the adorable girl, Shanks smiled faintly.
Uta put on a few of the ornaments.
"Do I look good?"
At that moment, the nearby crewmates began to shout.
"Sing us a song, Uta!"
"The world's number one singer of friendship, Uta! Give us a performance!"
"Uta! Uta!!"
"Yeahhhh!!!"
The entire ship was instantly swept up into the joyous sea of music.
Shanks watched with a smile as the crew gathered around Uta.
He quietly observed for a while, then walked toward the pile of treasure.
Searching for that particular thing...
From within a large chest of treasure, he pulled out a small box with purple stripes.
He gently opened the lid, revealing a fruit with purple patterns.
Looking at the fruit, Shanks's expression turned unreadable, lost in thought.
Even those who had been with him since the very beginning found this expression unfamiliar on Shanks's face.
Unnoticed, Uta had come up behind him and startled him.
"Shanks~ what are you doing?"
He quickly adjusted his expression, smiled faintly, and turned.
"No, nothing."
Seeing the delicate box in Shanks's hands, Uta tilted her head curiously.
"Is that one for me too?"
Shanks gave an awkward laugh.
"Well... even though you're my daughter, this one I can't give you."
Uta pouted.
"Stingy!"
She turned away with a huff.
Shanks chuckled.
"Don't say that."
"Look."
He pointed toward the island ahead to distract her.
"That's the Goa Kingdom. I plan to use it as our temporary base."
Foosha Village, in the forest.
A boy in a white short-sleeved shirt sat on the highest branch of a tree.
Holding his forehead, he muttered in complaint.
"Why are Grandpa's punches so painful?"
"I don't want to be some Marine."
"I'm leaving this village to do great things!!!"
He then sprang to his feet, leaping from one tall tree to another in quick succession.
He headed toward the port—but suddenly stopped, staring out at the sea.
"That's... a pirate ship?"
In the distance, the island looked peaceful and picturesque, tranquil and serene.
Uta sighed in admiration.
"What a nice place... there's nothing here at all."
Shanks chuckled.
"After all, Foosha Village is at the border of the Goa Kingdom."
"Naturally, it's a bit quieter."
The enormous pirate ship slowly docked at the shore.
But the villagers washing clothes or selling fruit along the coast showed no fear. Instead, they looked on curiously.
After all... it had been a long time since Foosha Village had seen any pirates.
Being on the border, and with a Marine Vice Admiral frequently returning home here, no one worried much.
The boy in the white shirt also ran from the forest down to the shore.
He bit his lip, raised his fists, and stared at the pirates aboard the ship.
"You guys are pirates, huh."
Balancing on the ship's mast with arms spread wide like a tightrope walker, Uta sneered.
"That's right!"
"You got a problem with that?"
"If you do, then say it! Shanks's daughter—"
"I, Uta, will hear you out."
The boy in the white shirt swallowed hard, sweat dripping down his forehead, then shouted.
"If you're pirates, then get out!"
Uta's eyes widened as she glared at him.
"What, you wanna fight?"
At that moment—
Shanks stepped to the front of the deck.
"Don't be like that, Uta."
"We're not here to fight."
"This village has a rather tricky 'sheriff,' after all."
The boy hesitated, realizing these pirates weren't as scary as Grandpa's stories had said... he asked, a little dazed.
"You're... who?"
Shanks smiled.
"My name's Shanks. I'm the captain of this ship."
The boy in the white shirt clenched his fist and shouted.
"If you dare do anything bad, I won't let you get away with it!"
Uta, still perched on the mast, glanced at this strange boy, then turned her head away.
"Hmph."
Meanwhile, the crewmates who had already disembarked suddenly froze, their cheerful mood gone. They huddled around Lucky Roux, who was staring at a newspaper.
"No way..."
"Impossible!!!"
"That guy..."
The meat in Lucky Roux's hand even fell to the ground unnoticed, his round face full of disbelief.
He shouted toward Shanks, his voice breaking.
"Boss!!!"
"Mihawk, he..."
Whoosh—
In an instant, Shanks vanished from the deck and appeared before Lucky Roux, snatching the paper.
Staring at the massive headline, Shanks's pupils shrank, his hands trembling slightly.
Moments later—
His voice dry and full of disbelief:
"Mihawk..."
---
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