The arrival of Red-Haired Shanks marked the inevitable end of the battle.
Kaido, the Beast Emperor, immediately realized that the war was over. With a string of curses, he shifted into his azure dragon form, grabbed King the Wildfire, and flew away from the island in frustration.
"Gahahaha! What a disappointment, folks!" Morgans, the ever-excitable king of the news, shouted into his broadcast mic. "The long-awaited clash between Souta Kiryuu and the Four Emperors didn't happen!
"The last of the Yonko, Red-Haired Shanks, has just arrived on the island — stopping the battle between Whitebeard and Kaido before it could escalate!
"So, with Kaido's retreat, this monumental war officially comes to an end!
"But wait — it seems we've stumbled upon another fascinating secret! Take a look, everyone — that red dragon soaring beside the Red-Haired Pirates? That's one of Shanks' key aerial beasts, a crucial member of his fleet!"
Even though Souta Kiryuu, the Golden Lion, Big Mom, and Kaido had already departed, Morgans had no intention of cutting the live broadcast.
"Viewers! Look at this — Fire Fist Ace has become the center of attention for both the Whitebeard and Red-Haired Pirates!
"Red-Haired Shanks' Conqueror's Haki is incredible! He just crushed Ace's seastone handcuffs with his bare hands!
"This man — rumored to be the son of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger — has now received help from one of Roger's former crewmates, Red-Haired Shanks!
"So, what do you all think? Will Fire Fist Ace become the true heir of the Pirate King? Or the next captain of the Whitebeard Pirates?"
Morgans grinned, stirring the world into chaos with his words.
Whitebeard had just waged war against the Five Elders to rescue a young division commander who had only been part of his crew for two years. The World Government would not take this humiliation lightly.
Given how much Whitebeard valued Ace, it was only a matter of time before the question arose — when the great pirate finally fell, would he choose Marco the Phoenix, his loyal old comrade, or Ace, the fiery newcomer, to inherit the Moby Dick and the Whitebeard flag?
The Ruins of Demon-God Island
After driving Kaido away, the Red-Haired Pirates and Whitebeard's men shared a small, impromptu banquet among the ruins.
"Ace, I didn't expect you to be Captain Roger's son!" Shanks said in genuine surprise, slapping his knee. "You told me you were Luffy's brother — don't tell me that kid's Roger's son too?"
For a split second, Shanks' mind raced.
If that were true, then passing on the straw hat and the Gum-Gum Fruit to Luffy had been destiny itself!
That wild idea made him laugh, momentarily forgetting about Souta Kiryuu and his destruction of Garling.
"Luffy is my sworn brother!" Ace quickly shouted, shaking his head as his strength returned with the removal of the seastone cuffs. "He's not part of that cursed bloodline! If I had a choice, I'd never acknowledge Roger as my father!"
Shanks blinked, scratching his head. "Ah, I see! For a second, I thought…"
He let out an awkward laugh as Ben Beckman rolled his eyes in silence.
To be fair, it wasn't a wild assumption. When Ace first visited the Red-Haired Pirates, he'd never clarified whether Luffy was his biological brother or not. Even in the original tales, when Emporio Ivankov heard that Luffy and Ace were brothers, he too had assumed Ace was Dragon's son.
"Still," Shanks continued, leaning closer, "since you're Roger's son… have you ever thought about—"
"That's enough, Red-Hair brat!" Whitebeard's thunderous voice boomed across the shore, cutting him off. "Ace is my son now — my second division commander!"
Shanks froze, realizing he'd touched a nerve.
Back in the day, Roger had stolen away Whitebeard's second commander, Kozuki Oden. Now, in a twist of fate, Roger's own son filled that same seat — repaying the balance of destiny.
What goes around, comes around.
The old sea titan couldn't be happier. Roger's flesh and blood now called him "old man."
And truthfully, Whitebeard already had plans for Ace.
The young man had awakened the Conqueror's Haki — something Marco lacked. Ace had the potential to inherit his will, his power, and his throne.
"Captain Shanks," Ace said seriously, meeting his gaze. "I'll never acknowledge that bastard Roger as my father. My only old man is Whitebeard! I'll help him become the new Pirate King!"
Once, Ace had shared Luffy's dream — to become Pirate King himself.
But after two years under Whitebeard's care, feeling a father's love for the first time, that dream had changed.
Now, he wanted to see Whitebeard surpass Roger's legend — to make his father the King of the Seas, and free himself from the cursed shadow of Roger's name.
Shanks' expression softened. "…Ace, you…"
He let out a long sigh.
In Ace, he saw a reflection of himself — a man who denied his own bloodline.
He too had rejected his father, the Celestial Dragon Figarland Garling, and the cruelty of the world's so-called gods.
Just as Ace had grown up hearing the world curse Roger, Shanks had grown up hearing tales of the Celestial Dragons' arrogance and evil.
They were the same in spirit.
But there was one key difference — Ace's conviction wavered, while Shanks' resolve had long since turned to steel.
"Whitebeard," Shanks said finally, after a long silence. "Don't waste that boy's talent."
He didn't press Ace any further. Deep down, he believed another would inherit Roger's will — the boy named Luffy.
Whitebeard grunted, drawing his bisento, Murakumogiri, and glaring at the red-haired pirate. "You little brat — don't tell me how to raise my sons!"
He snorted in disdain. Shanks might have grown into a Yonko now, but to Whitebeard, he'd always be the reckless kid from Roger's ship.
Even so, he was already training Ace to be a true captain — a man worthy of command. Otherwise, he'd never have allowed Ace to chase after Teach on his own.
Shanks chuckled and raised his hands in surrender. "Fair enough… then we'll take our leave."
With that, he and his crew mounted the red dragon and flew off toward their main ship.
"Hmph. That brat," Whitebeard muttered, watching the Red-Haired Pirates disappear into the distance. Yet a faint smile tugged at his lips.
He respected the boy.
If only some of his own sons were as strong-willed and capable as Shanks…
He turned to his men. "Let's go, lads!"
"Yes, old man!!"
The division commanders roared in unison.
They had succeeded — Ace was safe. Though they had failed to capture the traitor Teach and had lost brothers in battle, the mission was still a victory.
The mighty Moby Dick soon set sail, leaving the scarred island behind.
Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Army remained behind, aiding the surviving civilians before preparing to withdraw as well.
"Gahahaha! Dear viewers, this concludes our live broadcast!" Morgans' voice rang out again, bursting with excitement. "Thank you all for tuning in!
"For those who missed the live event, don't worry — tomorrow's papers will have every detail, and more insider scoops will follow in the coming days! Stay tuned!"
With that, the image on the transponder screen faded to white.
The war of Demon-God Island had come to an end.