"You've come… Luffy."
Shanks held the poster for a second longer, eyes gleaming with pride.
Then he lowered it slightly.
"Well then, Hawkeyes…"
A grin spread across his face.
"I can't let you leave just like that."
Before anyone could react—
He slammed a drinking glass onto the table.
The scene shifted in an instant.
Now—
Shanks and Dracule Mihawk sat across from each other.
A bottle in hand—
Shanks poured generously.
"Hahaha! Come on, Hawkeyes!"
"Drink! Drink!"
"We're celebrating today!"
Mihawk held the glass, expression flat.
"You seem to have started without me."
Shanks waved him off.
"Don't mind the details!"
"This is a celebration!"
"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!"
Mihawk sighed internally—
But took a sip anyway.
Then—
He reached into his coat.
"There's another… interesting one."
He placed a second poster forward.
Shanks picked it up.
The crew leaned in.
A tall young man.
Sword in hand.
Blood-stained.
Cold eyes glancing back.
Sharp.
Commanding.
Imposing.
"Damn…"
"Now that's a presence…"
Even the veterans murmured.
Then—
Shanks' eyes dropped to the number.
His brow lifted.
"Oh?"
"That's impressive for a kid."
He glanced at Mihawk.
"Where'd you find him?"
"In the Grand Line?"
Mihawk's lips curved faintly.
"Grand Line?"
"I found him in the East Blue."
Silence.
Then—
"WHAT?!"
Even Ben Beckman leaned forward slightly.
Lucky Roux stopped chewing.
Yasopp narrowed his eyes.
Shanks blinked once.
Then laughed lightly.
"You serious?"
Mihawk met his gaze.
"I tested him myself."
The laughter faded.
Shanks leaned forward.
"…You did what?"
"He arrived shortly after the straw hat boy."
"I sensed something… unusual."
"So I had a spar with him."
Shanks' expression shifted.
"That's overkill, Hawkeyes."
"Since when do you bully kids?"
Mihawk's eyes gleamed faintly.
"Bully?"
"He walked away unscathed."
Silence.
"WHAT?"
Shanks stared at him.
"You're serious?"
Mihawk nodded.
"The only injury…"
"…was from his own grip."
"He held his blade so tightly his hands bled."
A pause.
"He's highly skilled."
"And he possesses Haki."
Shanks exhaled slowly.
"…Impressive."
Then Mihawk added—
"There's more."
"I couldn't sense it."
Everything went still.
Shanks frowned.
"…What?"
"I couldn't detect his Haki."
"Not until he revealed it himself."
Even the wind seemed to pause.
For a brief moment—
No one spoke.
Not even the ever-relaxed crew of the Red Hair Pirates.
The waves crashed faintly against the shore, filling the silence Mihawk's words had carved.
Ben Beckman lit a cigarette slowly, his sharp eyes narrowing as he exhaled a thin trail of smoke.
"…That's not normal."
His voice was low, thoughtful.
Lucky Roux scratched his head, unusually serious.
"So either the kid's hiding it with something…"
"Or we're dealing with something we haven't seen before."
Yasopp crossed his arms, gaze fixed on the poster.
"East Blue producing monsters now, huh…"
"That sea's supposed to be the weakest."
Mihawk said nothing.
But his silence itself confirmed it—
This wasn't exaggeration.
This was fact.
Shanks tapped the poster lightly against the table.
Once.
Twice.
Then stopped.
His grin slowly returned—
But this time—
It carried weight.
Excitement.
Curiosity.
And something deeper.
"…Interesting."
Very interesting.
Then—
Shanks leaned back.
A slow grin forming again.
"…Now you've got my attention."
He chuckled.
"I want to meet this kid."
"Both Luffy and him."
His eyes gleamed.
"Tell me everything."
A beat passed.
Then suddenly—
Shanks lifted his glass and shoved it toward Mihawk's face.
"BUT FIRST—"
"CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!"
"Hahaha! Party time!"
Behind him—
Lucky Roux spoke carefully.
"Boss… didn't you just say earlier that you had a hangover?"
Shanks didn't even turn.
"Idiot! Don't ruin the mood!"
"Hahaha!"
The island erupted into laughter—
As the name Kael Sylvarion quietly began spreading among monsters.
Back with our crew—
The Sovereign Gale sailed smoothly across the vast waters, its course firmly set toward Whiskey Peak.
The earlier tension had long faded.
Now—
The ship felt… strangely peaceful.
Kaya sat quietly on one side of the deck, a book resting in her hands. Her eyes moved steadily across the pages, completely absorbed in her medical studies, occasionally adjusting her posture as the sea breeze brushed past her.
Not far from her—
Tashigi stood with her sword in hand.
Her expression focused.
Serious.
She raised her blade—
Then swung.
Again.
And again.
Each movement deliberate.
Carefully mimicking the same effortless motion Kael had used earlier.
Vertical.
Horizontal.
Clean.
"…Not enough…"
She muttered under her breath, adjusting her stance.
"I need to be faster… sharper…"
Nearby—
Chaos.
"Oi, Nami—"
Kael's voice carried amusement.
"You were blushing earlier, weren't you?"
Silence.
For half a second.
Then—
"YOU IDIOT!!!"
Nami exploded.
"I WAS NOT!"
She lunged at him.
Kael sidestepped easily.
Laughing.
"Oh? Then what was that face?"
"SHUT UP!!"
She chased him across the deck, fists ready, clearly intent on landing at least one hit.
Kael moved just out of reach every time.
Relaxed.
Unbothered.
Enjoying it.
"You're too slow—"
"STAND STILL AND SAY THAT!!"
"I value my life, thank you."
"KAEL!!!"
The chase continued.
Loud.
Ridiculous.
Completely unserious.
Meanwhile—
Kaya glanced up briefly.
Smiled softly.
Then returned to her book.
Tashigi didn't even turn.
Used to it.
Focused entirely on her training.
But at the edge of the deck—
Two figures stood frozen.
Vivi and Mr. 9.
Watching.
Processing.
Failing.
"M-Miss Wednesday…"
Mr. 9 whispered, eyes wide.
"…isn't the atmosphere here too casual?"
Vivi didn't answer immediately.
Her gaze remained on the scene—
The teasing.
The laughter.
The complete lack of tension.
Even after everything they had witnessed.
"…Yeah…"
She finally muttered.
Conflicted.
Confused.
"…It doesn't feel like a pirate crew at all…"
Her eyes shifted toward Kael—
Still effortlessly dodging Nami.
Still smiling.
This man…
Who destroyed a ship so easily…
Who saw through us instantly…
Who could kill without hesitation…
And yet—
This…?
Her thoughts tangled.
What kind of crew did we just get involved with…?
"Alright, Nami… calm down, okay?"
Kael raised both hands slightly.
"My fault."
"I won't!!"
Nami snapped instantly.
Kael sighed.
Then—
He casually tossed a pouch.
Nami caught it on instinct.
The weight hit her palm—
Her expression shifted.
A faint blush crept in.
"Hmph!! Don't think this is enough…"
She turned away—
Opened it—
And froze.
"…So much…"
Her eyes turned into stars.
"Hehehe…"
Kael smiled faintly.
"Now—how long till Whiskey Peak?"
Nami snapped back quickly.
"…At this speed?"
She thought for a second.
"About an hour."
Kael nodded.
"Good."
Then—
He turned.
Toward the two standing at the edge.
Both flinched instantly.
Kael walked over calmly—
And sat beside Vivi.
They stiffened.
Sweat forming.
He shook his head lightly.
"You don't have to be this scared."
"I didn't even hurt you, right?"
Before Vivi could respond—
Mr. 9 muttered.
"…Not yet, you monster."
Silence.
Vivi's breath hitched.
Kael smiled.
"I heard that."
"W-What?!"
Vivi closed her eyes briefly.
Why this idiot…
Kael leaned back slightly.
"Let's talk about something important."
Both straightened instantly.
"Excited to meet your friends at Whiskey Peak?"
A pause.
"You must be worried."
"No!"
Vivi answered too quickly.
"They're not our friends."
"There's no 'friends' rule in Baroque Works."
"And they're… bad people anyway."
"Y-Yeah!" Mr. 9 nodded.
"We don't care about those bastards!"
Kael chuckled softly.
"Bold."
"To call others evil…"
"…when you were threatening to kill us earlier."
Both flinched.
Vivi looked down.
"…We didn't mean it…"
Kael's tone softened.
"I believe you."
She blinked.
"…Why?"
"No reason."
A pause.
Then—
(Why wouldn't I trust someone who joined just to uncover the truth behind her kingdom's suffering?)
Everything froze.
Nami. Tashigi. Kaya—
All stilled.
"…She's a spy?"
"…What suffering?"
"…What mastermind?"
Nami groaned.
"He seriously needs to stop thinking like this in riddles…"
Kaya chuckled.
"He doesn't know we can hear him."
Nami looked away.
"…Still annoying."
Meanwhile—
Vivi trembled.
He knows.
Everything…
My identity… my mission… Alabasta…
Why?
How?!
Behind—
The three exchanged knowing looks.
Yeah… she definitely hears it too.
"Miss Wednesday?"
Mr. 9 whispered.
"What's wrong?"
Kael frowned slightly.
"…Are you okay?"
He offered a bottle.
"Here."
Vivi took it with shaking hands.
"T-Thank you…"
She drank slowly.
No, I need to be calm.
The most important question right now is—
What is he…?
Friend… or enemy?
If he's a friend…
I'll ask for help… even if it costs everything.
But if he's not…
No…
I can't think about that.
Kael leaned slightly.
"Are you alright, Prin—"
He stopped.
"…Miss Wednesday?"
Behind him—
Nami frowned.
"…Did he just…?"
Vivi's eyes widened for a split second.
Then softened.
So not only my spy identity but…
He knows that too…
She clenched her fists briefly.
Then looked at him.
Who are you…?
How do you know everything…?
Realizing the silence—
She smiled.
Gentle.
"I'm fine now."
"Thank you, Mr. Kael."
He studied her for a moment.
Then relaxed.
(Good… no one noticed.)
(Almost slipped.)
(I'll tell them eventually…)
His gaze shifted.
Toward Mr. 9.
Who instantly hid behind Vivi.
(But first…)
(I need to know where his loyalty lies.)
Vivi froze.
Then—
She felt it.
Not threat.
Not calculation.
Concern.
Genuine.
Her fists slowly loosened.
And for the first time—
She smiled without fear.