The dusk in Dressrosa was always exceptionally lingering. Orange-red evening glow bathed the entire island in a warm golden hue.
Setsuna sat alone in the royal garden pavilion, carefully studying the Life Return manual in his hands.
Suddenly, a faint, unfamiliar aura made him look up. It belonged to a top-tier powerhouse, carrying a certain individual's unique sense of freedom and unruliness.
Although Setsuna's Observation Haki couldn't yet cover the entire island like Gaban's, it wasn't far off.
"It seems we have a guest," Setsuna closed the manual, lazily stretching his body.
At the same time, chaos had already erupted within the Donquixote Family's palace.
"The Red Hair Pirates' Red Force has docked at Pier 3!" Dellinger rushed into the palace in a panic. "Red-Haired Shanks has disembarked!"
Doflamingo's expression flickered uncertainly, his fingers constantly tapping the armrest of his throne.
An Emperor of the Sea landing on his island without any prior notice... by all indications, this was an uninvited guest with ill intentions.
"Don't panic. We currently have an ally on the island. If Red-Haired wants to cause trouble, I'll join forces with Setsuna to capture him!"
As Doflamingo said this, even he felt a surge of excitement. If they could defeat Red Hair, his power would surely expand to unimaginable heights.
…
While the Donquixote Family stood ready, Shanks was already strolling through the streets of Dressrosa with Beckman.
The setting sun stretched their shadows long. Passersby along the way had no idea that one of the most dangerous men in the New World had just brushed past them.
"This is the restaurant," Shanks stopped in front of an elegantly decorated seafood restaurant. Through the bright shop window, they could see Uta, wearing a white apron, bustling about in the kitchen.
She expertly flipped a frying pan, a golden fried egg tracing a graceful arc in the air.
Beckman blew a smoke ring. "Not going straight to that Warlord?"
"Gotta see my daughter first. I wanted to give her a surprise," Shanks's gaze softened. He gently pushed open the restaurant door.
Amidst the clear tinkling of the wind chime, Uta looked up. The silver platter in her hand fell onto the counter with a clang.
"Shanks... Dad..." Uta said softly, her voice laced with complex emotions. "...Thank you."
Shanks was slightly taken aback. "So you already know the truth?"
"I know everything now," Uta tucked a stray strand of pink hair behind her ear. "I will never agree with your decision back then… taking the blame for me without my consent. But... thank you for saving me."
"Haha," Shanks gave an awkward laugh. In truth, he later also felt his handling of the situation back then was somewhat improper.
He should have believed in Uta's ability to bear it, rather than letting her self-blame transform into resentment towards them.
For a moment, silence fell in the restaurant. Shanks's gaze fell on the dazzling array of cooking utensils on the counter, trying to change the subject. "Uta, have you... given up on your music dream?"
"Music is my life. Cooking is just a hobby," Uta deftly flipped the fried egg. "Want to try my new creation? [Golden Sun Omelet]."
"Of course," Shanks accepted the fork, feeling a mix of surprise and honor. The moment the tender egg melted on his tongue, his eyes lit up. "As expected of my daughter. This taste is simply..."
"That'll be 100 million Berry," Uta suddenly extended her hand, a sweet, charming smile on her face.
"Cough!" Red Hair Shanks, an Emperor who roamed the Grand Line, nearly met his end from a single omelet. He pounded his chest frantically, unable to believe it. "H-how much?"
"One hundred million Berry ~" Uta tilted her head. "A meal personally cooked by the daughter of the Red Hair Pirates' Captain... surely that's worth the price?"
"Of course it's worth it," Shanks said, looking rather embarrassed. "But... I don't have that much money."
Uta was shocked. "Aren't you an Emperor?"
Shanks gave an awkward laugh. "Every treasure we find gets spent on parties. How could we save any money?"
"You're such a failure as an Emperor," Uta sighed. Her Captain could casually pull out tens of trillions of Berry.
Shanks forcibly changed the topic. "What do you need that much money for?"
Uta's eyes suddenly shone with dazzling light. "Of course, to buy the rarest, most premium ingredients for Setsuna-sama!"
The old father felt as if an arrow had pierced his heart. Forcing a smile, he said, "Look, isn't he just spending money on food and drink too? Not much different from me throwing parties, right?"
"Of course it's different!" Uta stomped her foot angrily. "Setsuna-sama is currently preparing to establish the IGO (International Gourmet Organization). His goal is to ensure no one in the world goes hungry ever again. In the face of such a great undertaking, how could I let him settle for anything less than the best for his palate?!"
Shanks's smile froze on his face. His hand holding the sword unconsciously tightened, knuckles cracking.
Seeing this, Beckman quickly placed a hand on his shoulder, only to hear his Captain say with a twisted smile, "Haha... truly... a remarkable ideal."
"Alright, I need to prepare Captain's dinner now~" Uta hummed a cheerful tune and skipped away.
Watching his daughter's retreating back, Shanks's face turned dark.
Beckman, cigarette dangling from his mouth, with a glint of teasing amusement in his eyes, said, "You know, the kind of idealist who cares for the world and wants everyone to have enough to eat... isn't that exactly the type you admire most?"
Shanks heaved a heavy sigh, his right hand unconsciously resting on Gryphon's hilt. "Admiring is one thing. But right now, I'd rather give him a good whack on the head with my sword's hilt."
"Understandable," Beckman blew a smoke ring, narrowing his eyes as he looked in the direction Uta left. "But if you really beat Setsuna to a pulp, Uta would probably hate you."
Shanks irritably ruffled his red hair. "Let's find that brat first."
He first reunited with his crew. After learning Setsuna's exact whereabouts from them, he immediately headed for the Dressrosa's royal palace with his executives.
The Donquixote Family's executives naturally didn't dare stop this Emperor radiating killing intent. They all stepped aside, quickly rushing to inform Doflamingo of this sudden development.
When Shanks, emanating a low-pressure aura, found Setsuna, he was lounging leisurely on a deck chair in the garden, enjoying Hancock's attentive service.
The Empress today wore an elegant, casual dress, yet her beauty was still breathtaking.
"Aahh~ Setsuna-sama, try this one too~" Hancock delicately picked up a refined Japanese sweet with her slender fingers, her eyes full of expectation.
"Hey!" Shanks's roar scattered the birds from the trees. "You sure know how to enjoy yourself! Not only having the Pirate Empress personally serve you, but also tricking a young girl into cooking for you?"