Somewhere in the New World…
The Red-Haired Pirates were anchored near a small, uncharted island, their ship rocking gently against the calm waves. The air was unusually still for these seas, as if the world itself was holding its breath.
Shanks, the legendary captain and one of the Four Emperors of the Sea, leaned against the railing of his ship, his trademark grin absent. His sharp eyes were fixed on a strange object resting in his hand—a faintly glowing shard of corrupted System data recovered after the fall of the Rogue System.
A Message from the System
Benn Beckman, his right-hand man, approached cautiously. "It's not like you to brood, Captain. What's bothering you?"
Shanks tossed the shard in the air, catching it effortlessly. "This thing. It's not just a fragment of the System. It's a warning."
Beckman frowned. "A warning? From who?"
Shanks stared at the horizon, his gaze distant. "Not who. What."
He turned to Beckman, his expression grim. "The System was only one piece of something bigger. And its fall has left a void."
The Bigger Picture
The destruction of the Rogue System had freed the world from its control, but in doing so, it had broken the balance.
"Do you feel it?" Shanks asked, his voice low. "The seas are changing. The winds are shifting. Something… is coming."
Beckman lit a cigarette, exhaling slowly. "And you think it's worse than the System?"
Shanks nodded. "The System was predictable, even in its corruption. But chaos? Chaos is unpredictable. And it's not just the seas. It's the very fabric of this world."
A Meeting With Fate
Shanks clenched the shard tightly, its faint glow dimming as cracks formed across its surface. "This fragment—it's calling to someone."
Beckman raised an eyebrow. "You mean Luffy?"
Shanks' lips curled into a small, knowing smile. "Yeah. That kid's at the center of it all, whether he knows it or not. He always has been."
He glanced at the faint scar running across his face, a reminder of the weight of his promise to Luffy.
"I have to warn him. Before it's too late."
The Red-Haired Pirates Set Sail
Shanks turned sharply, his usual confident energy returning as he shouted orders to his crew.
"Raise the anchor! Full sail! We're heading for the Grand Line!"
The crew scrambled into action, energized by their captain's urgency. Beckman remained by his side, his cigarette glowing faintly in the dim light.
"You really think you can change what's coming?" Beckman asked.
Shanks grinned, his usual charm returning. "Probably not. But I can make sure that kid knows what's at stake."
A Warning for Luffy
As the Red-Haired Pirates disappeared into the horizon, the world continued to shift. Unseen forces stirred in the shadows, drawn by the power vacuum left behind by the System's fall.
And somewhere, across the endless seas, Luffy—free of the System—sailed toward his next adventure, unaware of the storm gathering on the horizon.
But soon, he would know.
Because Shanks was coming.
Side Story 3 Complete.