Somewhere in the New World, a thick, rolling mist clung to the surface of the water, hiding the horizon from view. The Red Force, the flagship of the Red Hair Pirates, cut through the fog as the crew made their return from the first half of the Grand Line.
Benn Beckman, the crew's first mate, walked across the deck to find Captain Shanks standing at the bow. He lowered his voice, glancing back at the crew before speaking. "We're back in the New World now," Beckman said quietly. "What's our next move? Whitebeard's old territories took the hardest hit, but several islands flying our flag have been seized as well."
"By whom?" Shanks asked, his gaze fixed on the mist.
"Mainly Kaido and Charlotte Linlin," Beckman reported. "Wang Zhi is also out there scavenging what he can. Plus, that man Teach—Blackbeard—has been making a lot of noise since he entered the New World. He's openly hunting down Devil Fruit users."
Shanks frowned deeply at the news. "Do you have a recommendation?"
Beckman considered the chaotic state of the sea. "Emotionally, we should go and wipe out anyone who dares offend the Red Hair Pirates. But rationally, I can't recommend that—at least, you shouldn't be the one to move, Shanks." He explained that while their pride was inviolable, he had a bad premonition about the current atmosphere.
"I can't shake the feeling that Kaido and Charlotte Linlin might have actually teamed up," Beckman revealed, causing Shanks's pupils to constrict in shock.
A Dangerous Alliance
Beckman explained his theory, noting that while the two Yonko were fighting for territory, they were being unnaturally disciplined. Their borders were perfectly delineated with zero conflict—a feat nearly impossible given the aggressive personalities of Kaido and Big Mom. "It's too smooth," Beckman argued. "It looks like the Beasts Pirates and the BIGMOM Pirates have already divided the world between them."
Shanks understood the gravity immediately. In the New World, the meeting of two Emperors was a world-shaking event that the Marines and the World Government went to extreme lengths to prevent. When Shanks had merely visited Whitebeard, the Navy had dispatched five warships just to watch them.
"If they have truly allied, things will be troublesome," Shanks said solemnly.
"Exactly," Beckman agreed. "One Emperor is nearly unstoppable; an alliance of two... No wonder Kaido claimed he was going after the Great Treasure."
Shanks wasn't worried about the treasure itself yet. He knew that to reach Laugh Tale, one needed the four Road Poneglyphs. Kaido and Big Mom only held two between them. Of the remaining two, one was in the possession of the Red Hair Pirates, and the other was in Elbaf, a place Kaido could not easily reach.
"That's what bothers me," Beckman interjected. "The last time we crossed paths with Kaido, he seemed to know there was a Road Poneglyph on Zou. If he knows, why hasn't he tried to seize it?"
Shanks reacted to the realization. Kaido wasn't the type to ignore such a vital piece of the puzzle. He looked out over the water as a massive shadow began to loom through the fog. "It seems we'll only get our answers by seeing Zou for ourselves."
The Phantom Island
Through the dark sea, a giant elephant—Zunesha—towered into the heavens, its massive legs stepping slowly through the deep water. The Red Hair Pirates stared in disbelief at the creature, which acted as the foundation for an entire civilization.
"Is that really a living creature?" one crew member whispered in awe.
A long vine ladder dropped from the elephant's back as it continued its steady march. Shanks turned to his top officers. "Beckman, Roux, you're with me. Yasopp, take command of the ship and follow closely."
The three pirates leapt from the deck and scaled the ladder, passing through the high clouds in under a minute. At the top, they found a lush island of green forests and an ancient city made of stone and wood—the legendary city of the Mink Tribe, Zou.
Three figures emerged from the woods to greet them. Two were burly, powerful Minks, and the third was a human woman.
"Long time no see, Shanks," the Minks said, their eyes full of nostalgia. "To think that after all these years, you've actually become a Yonko."
For a moment, Shanks felt transported back twenty years to the deck of his Captain's ship. "You too, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi," Shanks replied with a smile. "I heard you've both become the Kings of the Minks." He then turned his gaze to the woman standing with them. "And you, Princess Kozuki Hiyori... the daughter of Mr. Oden."
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