After smiling, Shakky said, "Anyway, after retiring, I lived on Hachinosu Island for a while and even earned the title 'Pirate Jewel'."
"I thought life would continue peacefully like this, but then..."
"But then?"
Seeing the sudden change in Shakky's expression, Meiser instinctively sensed something was wrong.
"What happened then?"
"Then I was kidnapped," Shakky sighed.
"Kidnapped?!"
Meiser looked at Shakky in shock and said, "Wasn't Rocks the great pirate who dominated an era? How dare someone capture people from his territory?"
Who would have the nerve to do such a thing?
Were they asking for death?
"There was someone."
"Who?"
Hearing this, Shakky didn't answer immediately but instead recalled that person's shadow in her mind.
After a moment, she said, "The World Government!"
Upon hearing this, Meiser was rendered speechless.
Indeed, probably only the World Government would dare provoke such a powerhouse capable of dominating an era.
Then Meiser said, "So, did those so-called World Nobles take a fancy to you and... plan to take you back as a wife?"
"As a wife?" Shakky sneered. "People like them don't see us as human beings. Even if I was the world's most beautiful woman at the time."
The world's most beautiful woman?!
In the eyes of those so-called World Nobles, she was merely one of the more outstanding lower-class people.
Even... if her beauty could captivate an entire era!!
"Not as a wife then..."
After saying this, Meiser lowered his head in thought, then suddenly looked up at Shakky and said, "Could it be..."
"Yes, as a slave," Shakky nodded. "They made me a prize for the God Valley Hunting Game."
"Whoever won first place would obtain an incredibly powerful Devil Fruit, and... also get me."
Recalling that memory, veins bulged on Shakky's face.
Seeing Shakky's expression, Meiser immediately thought of Hancock's experience and said, "Sister Shakky, maybe we should drop it. I'm not that curious anymore."
Glancing at Meiser's expression, Shakky shook her head and said, "Don't worry, I wasn't mistreated, so there's nothing I can't talk about. After those guys captured me, they actually treated me very well for a long time."
"Then why..."
"I just feel humiliated," Shakky said. "Being treated like a jewel for so long, only to suddenly become someone else's prize... No one would be happy about that!!"
Shaking her head, Shakky continued, "Anyway... after the God Valley Hunting Game was confirmed, I became one of the prizes for that competition."
At this point, Shakky paused briefly before continuing, "Oh, right, you know about the God Valley Hunting Game, don't you?"
"Yeah, Granny Nyon told me about it."
"Gloriosa..." Shakky frowned. "What exactly did she tell you?"
"She explained the World Government's reason for initiating the Hunting Game," Meiser said. "They launched that extremely brutal competition to seize control of those islands."
He then added, "She also mentioned that Rocks went to God Valley to kill Celestial Dragons and steal Devil Fruits."
Here, Meiser hesitated momentarily before continuing, "As for you being treated as a prize... she didn't reveal a single word about that."
Now Meiser understood why Granny Nyon had been somewhat hesitant back then—she was probably considering Shakky's feelings.
After all... being treated as a prize was indeed quite humiliating.
"I see..."
A smile appeared on Shakky's face as she nodded. "It seems she's being a proper sister after all."
She knew what should be said and what should remain unsaid.
In that case... she would also keep her sister's embarrassing secrets buried in her heart.
Then Shakky continued, "Alright, since you know about the Hunting Game, this will be easier to explain."
"In any case... when Rocks learned that the Celestial Dragons' Hunting Game was taking place at God Valley, he immediately brought his pirate crew there."
"After that, the Rocks Pirates engaged in fierce combat with the World Government."
"Not long after, the Roger Pirates and the Marine Hero Garp joined the battle as well!!!"
"Wasn't that a complete free-for-all then?" Meiser showed interest. "Didn't the island get destroyed in the fighting?"
Granny Nyon had mentioned that three of the Four Emperors had once been part of the Rocks Pirates!
This meant that during that great battle, Rocks had at least four or five combatants at the level of the Four Emperors!
With such a lineup, destroying an island would have been no problem at all!
"After that battle, God Valley was indeed destroyed," Shakky confirmed with a nod.
Nearly everyone participating in that battle was at the peak of combat power, so it was perfectly normal for the island to be destroyed.
"The World Government must have suffered heavy casualties then," Meiser remarked.
Although he didn't know why Roger had teamed up with Garp against Rocks, even the other Emperors alone should have inflicted severe losses on the World Government!
"No, you're actually wrong about that," Shakky shook her head. "The World Government and the Marines didn't suffer significant casualties."
"Not significant?"
Meiser was taken aback, then seemed to realize something. "Could it be... that the God's Knights joined the battle?"
"You know about the God's Knights too?"
"Of course," Meiser nodded. "I encountered members of the God's Knights during my recent visit to Mary Geoise!"
"Those guys are not only incredibly strong but also possess some kind of undying body-like ability. They're extremely troublesome."
"And that man who looks similar to Shanks—his strength is monstrously powerful."
At this point, Meiser's expression turned serious as he said, "He can unleash slashes infused with Conqueror's Haki—he's at least at the level of an Admiral!"
At this moment, the slash of Saint Shamrock surfaced in Meiser's mind—that power was truly formidable!
"A Conqueror's Haki Infusion slash... resembling Shanks?"
After pondering for a while, Shakky looked up and said, "Could it be you saw Shanks' twin brother?"
"He really has a brother?" Meiser exclaimed in surprise. He had only suspected the other might be Shanks' twin, but without concrete evidence, he couldn't confirm it. Yet, from Shakky's tone... it seemed he wasn't mistaken!
"The probability is very high," Shakky nodded. "Because Shanks was the child Roger and the others brought out from God Valley."
"At the time, this child was hidden inside a treasure chest, taken away by Roger's crew as part of their loot."
Recalling the words Rayleigh had shared with her, Shakky felt a wave of emotion.
Shanks, a Celestial Dragon, was taken by Roger and raised to become a pirate... Fate truly works in mysterious ways. "That must be it," Meiser nodded.
With the current clues, it was enough to confirm Shanks' identity.
This guy was definitely a Celestial Dragon!
Then, Meiser added, "Those two might very well be descendants of some God's Knights member."
"Descendants, huh..."
Shakky thought back to the God's Knights members she had seen and nodded, "I think I know who it might be."
"Who?"
"A man with hair like the moon," Shakky described. "He also had red hair."
Recalling the man who had fought Whitebeard, Shakky nodded with certainty.
Yes, it had to be that guy!
"What's his name?"
"I don't know that," Shakky shook her head. "I only caught a distant glimpse of him at the time, and then I ran off with Rayleigh."
Meiser: ...
So that's how it is. Seems there's no way to get that man's information.
Shaking his head inwardly, Meiser asked, "So, it was Uncle Rayleigh who risked his life to save you?"
"Yes~"
Shakky rested her chin on her hand, adopting a dreamy expression as she said, "That man fought desperately to rescue me from hell."
"Is that why you fell for Uncle Rayleigh?"
"Pretty much," Shakky replied.
She had always been quite fond of Rayleigh before, but the event that made her wholeheartedly commit to him was that very incident.
"A hero saving a beauty, huh," Meiser mused, stroking his chin. "Seems that move packs quite a punch."
"No, no, it depends on the person," Shakky corrected.
The reason she made that decision was because it was Rayleigh who came to her rescue. If it had been someone else, she wouldn't have reacted the same way.
Meiser: ...
If you fancy the rescuer, you pledge yourself; if not, you promise to repay the debt in the next life?
Ignoring Meiser's reaction, Shakky continued, "Anyway, it was because of that incident that I decided to follow Rayleigh."
"After leaving God Valley, I came to Sabaody Archipelago, changed my name, and opened this bar."
"It wasn't until the Roger Pirates disbanded that Rayleigh came to find me here, and we started living together officially."
Come to think of it... it's been over twenty years now.
At this thought, a trace of nostalgia appeared in Shakky's eyes.
Meiser nodded upon hearing this and said, "It seems it wasn't easy for you two to end up together."
"That's just how the pirate world is."
On these seas, there are many things beyond one's control.
But no matter what, she got what she wanted in the end, so she was quite satisfied.
Meiser nodded and continued asking, "Then why did Roger clash with Rocks in that kind of place?"
"Aren't they both pirates?"
"Did Gloriosa tell you this?"
"Yes." Meiser nodded. "Granny Nyon said Rocks was defeated by the combined efforts of Garp and Roger."
"I see..."
"I don't know the specific reason either." Shakky shook her head. "They never mentioned it afterward."
"However... I do have a guess."
"What guess?"
"Maybe it's because both of them wanted to have me." Shakky said with a playful smile while looking at Meiser.
After all, one of the reasons Rocks went to God Valley was for her, so it wasn't entirely wrong for her to say that.
Meiser:...
Fighting over a love rivalry?
Doesn't that reason seem a bit far-fetched?
Would two men with kingly ambitions really fight over something like that?
But then Meiser recalled what Shakky had said earlier and felt it might actually be possible.
After all... she was the Pirate Jewel who had captivated Roger and numerous other powerful figures!
So it was indeed possible that these two fought over her.
Well, but in the end, it was Uncle Rayleigh who got the advantage.
Thinking this, Meiser couldn't help but feel amused.
"You who never lived in that era simply can't understand how charming your big sister really was." Shakky said with a light laugh.
This time Meiser didn't say much, simply nodding in acceptance of Shakky's explanation.
Then he looked up and asked, "What about that old man Garp?"
"He shouldn't have been charmed by you, right? I remember you said he was constantly trying to hunt you down."
Hunting down is definitely not pursuing - the difference between these words is like heaven and earth!
"Well, that guy definitely didn't like me."
When talking about Garp, the smile on Shakky's face noticeably faded as she continued, "That madman's first reaction upon seeing me was always to try to beat me to death, never any other thought."
Meiser:
Luffy's grandfather really is something else... a true sigma male!
"As for why he teamed up with Roger against Rocks..." Shakky spread her hands, "I don't know either."
"Why not?"
"Because I never asked." Shakky said.
For a man like Roger, teaming up with Garp to fight Rocks might have been extremely embarrassing, so she didn't pry.
Of course, it was mainly to give Rayleigh some face.
Seeing Meiser deep in thought, Shakky continued, "Of course, if you really want to know, you could always go ask Garp yourself."
Rayleigh might not know why Roger teamed up with Garp back then, but Garp definitely knows!
After all... this guy is the person involved!
As for whether Meiser would be beaten to death by Garp?
Don't joke about that. Leaving aside that this kid has an Undying Body, even if he didn't, Garp wouldn't kill Meiser out of consideration for Little Straw Hat.
So there's no problem with asking directly.
Hearing this, Meiser was momentarily stunned, then shook his head and said, "Forget it, that's not necessary."
Although he didn't know the reason these two powerhouses joined forces, it was probably something they didn't want others to know, so he wouldn't bother asking.
This time, Shakky didn't say anything more, simply nodding to end the topic.
At that moment, Meiser asked, "Sister Shakky, have you... ever had lovesickness?"
From what Sister Shakky implied, after being rescued, she lived alone on Sabaody Archipelago... During that time, did she ever suffer from lovesickness missing Uncle Rayleigh?
Shakky didn't answer immediately but raised an eyebrow and said, "Hancock... has had lovesickness?"
"Yes," Meiser nodded.
If not for this lovesickness, whether the two of them would have ended up together remained unknown.
Upon hearing this, Shakky recalled certain past events, then decisively shook her head and said, "No!"
As long as she didn't admit it, it didn't exist!
Meiser: ???
Why did he feel Sister Shakky wasn't telling the truth?
Was it just his imagination?
Seeing Meiser's expression of wanting to investigate further, Shakky decisively changed the subject, "Alright, just leave these things here. I'll have someone take care of them later."
"Oh, okay," Meiser nodded.
Since Sister Shakky had said so, Meiser didn't press further and went along with the topic change.
As friends, sometimes it's best to know when to stop, otherwise it would be impolite.
"Let's go, back to the bar first," Shakky said.
"Okay!"
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