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The fierce battle between three Warlords of the Sea on the former territory of the Four Emperors spread across the New World like wildfire. No one knew exactly what transpired on that resource-rich island, but the outcome was clear:
Doflamingo returned to his base in Dressrosa, silent and bearing the scars of battle, his feathered coat covered in sand.
Crocodile left the island with the heavily injured Daz Bones, their whereabouts unknown.
Meanwhile, the remaining Warlord, Gecko Moria, took control of the island along with his subordinates, Perona the Ghost Princess and Absalom the Invisible Man, becoming the new master of this prosperous pirate island.
Many New World pirates, hearing the news, flocked to Moria, expressing their willingness to serve him.
Moria was well aware that these opportunists were unreliable, but he also knew that having strong subordinates was essential to establish a foothold in the New World.
So, with the sinister intention of using them as necessary cannon fodder, he accepted all who came.
In just a few days, he had gathered hundreds of followers and renamed the island to Shadow Territory, becoming a focal point of attention for various forces in the New World, particularly Kaido of the Beasts.
Of course, Kaido wasn't afraid of Moria's growing strength.
On the contrary, as a battle maniac, he was genuinely pleased and excited about the return of his old rival.
Kaido openly declared to the world that Moria could come to Onigashima anytime to seek revenge!
At the same time, after a period of development, the new Emperor, Red-Haired Shanks, had consolidated all his resources and now ruled the New World with unstoppable force.
The underworld emperors of the dark world also began making significant moves, and the various forces in the New World stood on equal footing, with hidden currents stirring beneath the surface.
Before anyone realized it, this relatively peaceful era had suddenly become fraught with danger!
As for the news of Zyhark causing a commotion in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, it was tightly sealed by the Five Elders. Only the fact that a Conqueror's Haki storm had erupted in Mary Geoise was leaked.
Few knew the full details.
...
In the first half of the Grand Line, at Twin Cape.
Standing on the deck of the docked Endless Dream, the emaciated Ginny stood under the blazing sun, her face blank, her emotions in turmoil, and her heart unable to calm down.
"Really... truly... I can't believe it... I never thought I would ever stand in the sunlight again..."
The midday sun was scorching, but Ginny, overwhelmed with emotion, didn't care. She greedily inhaled the fresh air around her, tears streaming down her face.
"Thank you... thank you so much... I'm sorry, I don't know how to properly express my gratitude..." she said tearfully, looking at Zyhark, who stood beside her.
"No need to thank me. In fact, I still owe someone from the Revolutionary Army a favor."
Zyhark waved his hand nonchalantly.
Ginny's Jade Scale condition had been cured by Aqua. For Aqua, whose divine power had grown significantly, this was a simple task.
"But there's one very important thing you need to understand. Even Aqua on our ship can't completely cure your illness; you'll need to undergo treatment again every year."
Zyhark's expression turned serious as he warned Ginny, glancing at the deck below, where the silly goddess was running around with baby Bonnie in her arms.
"Your child is the same."
Of course, this was a lie.
The real reason for saying this was to prevent Aqua from becoming a focal point of the Five Elders' attention by revealing that she could cure terminal illnesses.
Zyhark didn't want to see such a situation arise.
It wasn't that he didn't trust Ginny, but he preferred to rely on a mother's determination rather than someone's integrity.
"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. Even if it were just a month, I would be eternally grateful," Ginny shook her head gently.
"I think you misunderstood. What I mean is, I hope you can keep this secret."
Zyhark looked her in the eye. "If Dragon, Ivankov, or Kuma finds out that it was Aqua who cured the Jade Scales, we won't provide further treatment for you or your child."
Ginny's pupils noticeably contracted.
She herself had no particular desires. In fact, after the humiliation she suffered at Mary Geoise, she had even considered ending her own life if not for the chance to see Kuma again and watch her child grow up!
But it was different for her child.
For Bonnie to grow up healthy, she was willing to do anything!
"I understand," Ginny nodded firmly, her expression resolute.
"Now that the serious matters are settled, do you want to head back now, or join us for tonight's banquet?" Zyhark asked.
Below deck, Aqua was carefully handing baby Bonnie to the curious Kanna.
"Kanna-chan, be careful. You can't just gobble this one up," Aqua warned solemnly.
The silly goddess only seemed somewhat reliable and serious in moments like this.
"I know! I'm not a child anymore!" Kanna puffed out her cheeks, dismissing Aqua's words.
As if she, an ancient dragon who had lived for over ten thousand years, wouldn't know if something was edible!
Above, Ginny's gaze never left the sight of Bonnie smiling brightly under the sunlight.
After a few moments of thought, she softly replied, "Thank you for the kind offer, but I would like to return to the Sorbet Kingdom as soon as possible."
No matter how fast, can it be faster than the speed of lightning?
Zyhark tilted his head slightly, immediately recognizing Ginny's desire not to trouble them further.
As a member of the Revolutionary Army, seeking to liberate the world, there were surely many secret bases throughout the Grand Line.
In the original story, Ginny had managed to return to the Sorbet Kingdom's cathedral despite her terminal illness, so Zyhark chose to respect her decision.
"I understand. Then, until we meet again."
"Until we meet again. I will never forget your great kindness."
With that, under the reluctant gazes of Aqua, Kanna, and the rest of the crew, Ginny and baby Bonnie boarded a small boat and slowly disappeared into the vast ocean.
After the farewell, the crew's mood was slightly dampened.
Aside from Ginny and Bonnie's departure, there was another matter weighing on their minds.
That was Brook, who, after reuniting with the whale Laboon, had decided to leave the ship.
This decision came after careful consideration on Brook's part.
After adventuring with Zyhark's crew, he had witnessed their incredible strength firsthand and realized that his own lack of power would eventually become a burden.
Moreover, after drifting at sea for decades, Brook felt genuinely tired and wanted to stay at Twin Cape to spend more time with Laboon.
As the captain of this crew, who hardly had any serious members, Zyhark naturally didn't mind having Brook on board.
Or to be more precise, compared to Aqua and the others, Brook was just a pervert who liked to see other people's panties, but when it was time to be serious, he didn't mess around.
However, unable to resist Brook's insistence, Zyhark agreed to his request to leave the ship.
As the sunset faded, like all good things that must come to an end, night gradually enveloped the entire Twin Cape region.
The Endless Dream was brightly lit, and together with Crocus, who lived at Twin Cape, the crew drank and celebrated on the spacious deck, kicking off a grand and joyous banquet.
To create the perfect atmosphere, Zyhark generously opened the wine cellar, allowing Aqua to drink to her heart's content.
Aqua, with a bottle in hand, drank wildly while showing off all her party tricks, seemingly determined to display all her banquet skills to Brook in one go.
Although she pretended to be extremely disdainful on the surface, she had already wholeheartedly accepted this partner with the appearance of the undead.
King was the same. Despite being very unwilling to hear everyone say that his diligent training was just for show, he still actively participated, lifting dumbbells and showing off various awkward poses to display his muscles.
Meowth, with a violin on his shoulder, sat on the piano Brook was playing, performing his most familiar tune.
Kanna, who had no party tricks, initially felt a bit lost. But after hearing Brook say he wanted to see her cute eating style again, she started devouring the delicate dishes on the table one after another.
Every member of the crew contributed in their own way, trying to make this farewell banquet last longer and be more memorable.
Whoooo! The loud whale song served as the perfect accompaniment to the beautiful music, and Laboon, too large to join the banquet, could only swim around the Endless Dream, slapping the sea with his thick tail.
The lively atmosphere permeated the entire sea.
In a corner of the deck, Crocus raised his glass to clink it with Zyhark, who was sitting beside him.
"Although I saw from the start that you and your crew were extraordinary, your growth and achievements have far exceeded my expectations."
He downed the fine wine in his glass and looked up at the starry night sky of the Grand Line.
As the ship doctor of the Roger Pirates, who had followed Roger in conquering the seas, Crocus had seen countless dazzling rookies.
But someone like Zyhark, who had only been in the Grand Line for a few months and had already become a Warlord of the Sea who intimidated the entire ocean, and who had the means to negotiate with the Five Elders of the World Government, was a first.
Even the likes of Rocks, Roger, and Red Earl in their prime had been no more than this!
Thinking of the various major events that had recently occurred in the New World, Crocus saw in Zyhark the "New Era" that Roger had spoken of—a new era that had arrived ahead of schedule!
"I have no choice. If I don't want to become someone else's prey, I have to do my best to climb higher," Zyhark said, not refuting Crocus's words.
"I imagine your ambitions go far beyond this, don't they?" Crocus asked meaningfully.
"Perhaps, but that's something to consider much later," Zyhark replied, setting down his empty glass.
Although their crew had grown stronger, with Aqua's divine power boosted by millions of followers, King gaining battle prowess on par with an emperor's right-hand man with the second-generation model, and Meowth mastering the Navy's Six Styles alongside his incredible resilience, they still had the basic means of self-preservation.
But after witnessing the Five Elders' methods during the trip to Mary Geoise, it was clear that, overall, this not-so-serious crew was still far from enough!
As the joyful pirate song "Binks' Sake" played in the center of the deck, Zyhark ended his brief conversation with Crocus and stood up first.
"So, are you going to join in the fun?" he asked Crocus.
"Forget it, I'm just a bag of old bones," Crocus replied, shaking his head in self-mockery.
Seeing this, Zyhark said no more and transformed into lightning, making a bold entrance into the party.
As soon as he appeared, he performed Luffy's signature move—chopsticks in the nose, causing the crew to burst into laughter and compete to imitate him.
The moonlight was bright, the sea breeze was cool, and the cheerful atmosphere reached its peak.
The banquet continued until late into the night.
The silly goddess, completely drunk, staggered around with an equally drunk Meowth, both of them wobbling as they walked.
They started bragging to each other about their past achievements: one claimed to have been a revered deity in the divine realm, worshipped by countless gods and goddesses, while the other boasted about capturing various legendary Pokémon to serve as his personal attendants, with even Pikachu volunteering to be his subordinate.
Not a single word of it was true!
Unable to handle his alcohol, King was the first to return to his room to rest, while Kanna continued to sweep through the remaining food and drinks on the table.
Far from the chaos, Zyhark and Brook leaned against the ship's railing, enjoying the refreshing sea breeze.
"Brook, are you sure you don't want to reconsider?" Zyhark asked in a deep voice, making one last attempt to persuade him.
"I'm truly grateful for you bringing me out of the Devil's Sea. To be honest, Mr. Zyhark, I've had an incredibly joyful time adventuring with you all."
Brook's voice choked up, and his expression turned serious for once. "But as I said before, I've decided to stay at Twin Cape with Laboon."
"It seems the only choice I have is to respect your decision."
Zyhark could see the determination in Brook's hollow eye sockets.
Brook took two steps back and gave a solemn gentleman's bow.
"Thank you so much."
As he spoke, the atmosphere around them suddenly became incredibly quiet.
After a few seconds of silence, Brook couldn't hold back anymore and carefully asked, "Mr. Zyhark, does this mean... I'm still considered part of your crew?"
"Of course! Even after leaving the ship, there will always be a room for you on the Endless Dream. Whenever you want to adventure again, you're always welcome." Zyhark replied without hesitation.
With the Wish Fountain constantly enhancing his abilities, Zyhark's path to becoming stronger was destined to be far ahead of others.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, within a few years, he would dominate the world and become the freest man in the pirate world.
So, the time for him and Brook to reunite wouldn't be too far off.
As soon as Zyhark said this, Brook, already at his emotional limit, burst into tears, with tears and snot flowing out of his bones.
"D-Damn it! Tears and snot are flowing out, but I'm a skeleton; I don't even have eyes or a nose, dammit!"
Zyhark, releasing his Kenbunshoku Haki to sense the surroundings, caught wind of the commotion and smiled brightly.
"That doesn't seem right, Brook. If I recall, your line is actually..."
At some point, the drunken Aqua and Meowth, the previously resting King, and the ever-eating Kanna had all gathered around, standing behind the two.
In unison, they finished the line Zyhark had left incomplete.
"Yohohohoho!"
[Brook's departure was arranged because it's hard to keep strengthening his character due to the large cast, making it easy for him to become a background character. But I really like his character, especially since he's as perverted as I am!]
(End of Chapter)