Totto Land Sea Area, Thunder God Island, Tenshukaku Terrace.
The warm sunlight spilled into the meticulously maintained Japanese-style garden, and the sea breeze brought a slightly salty and moist scent.
Charlotte Linlin rested comfortably on Gerd's muscular yet surprisingly soft lap. Desserts meticulously prepared by Ripley were continuously fed into her mouth by Homies.
The petite Gloriosa sat on Charlotte Linlin's flat, firm abdomen, holding the latest World Economic News, reading the headlines aloud in a crisp voice.
"Wow... so fast?"
Gerd, who was twirling a strand of Charlotte Linlin's long pink hair with her fingers, looked up in surprise after hearing the newspaper content.
"Linlin, hasn't it only been a few days since your victory banquet on Hachinosu Island? Has this news already spread all over the world? Doesn't the World Government block such news? Or does this newly risen World Economic News agency have some incredible backer behind it?"
"Hehe~" Charlotte Linlin let out an ambiguous cold laugh and swallowed a piece of cake.
"Isn't it obvious? It's clearly those guys at the World Government trying to 'kill with praise'." She extended her tongue to lick the cream from the corner of her mouth, her eyes sharp.
"Although this will indeed make some pirates think about joining the Rocks Pirates, there are even more guys who want to replace Rocks. After all, aren't pirates just a bunch of lawless ruffians?"
"So that's how it is, 'killing with praise'... I understand now." Gerd nodded in sudden realization, then remembered another matter.
"By the way, Linlin, do you know what those ghost-like symbols on 'Mr. Crab' are? Why did you specifically tell him to keep those symbols hidden usually?"
Although that red stone tablet from Fish-Man Island had been given the formal name "Red Crab" after she injected it with a soul using her Soul-Soul Fruit ability, they were already used to calling him by his nickname, following Charlotte Linlin.
And Mr. Crab was indeed a boss now, having opened a restaurant on an island in Totto Land with Yellow Sponge and Blue Octopus.
"Oh, those words~" Charlotte Linlin nonchalantly picked up another cream puff.
"This lady doesn't know either. But I do know that what is recorded on it is one of the four 'Road Poneglyphs' needed to reach a certain final destination."
"Road Poneglyphs? Leading to where? Why use such indestructible stone to record it?"
Gerd was even more curious; she had personally tested it, and even with her full-force attack, she couldn't leave a single mark on Mr. Crab's body.
"You'll know in the future." Charlotte Linlin kept it a secret without going into detail, as she didn't know either.
Gloriosa, lying on her, continued to flip through the newspaper, when suddenly, she let out a low gasp:
[Shocking! The Hypocritical Mask of Elbaf's Giant King Harald Revealed! Ruthlessly Sinks Innocent Government Goodwill Visit Warship!]
The accompanying picture showed Burning fragments of a Marine warship and a blurry long-distance view of Giant Race warships departing.
"That guy Harald... actually took the initiative to attack the Marines?" Gloriosa felt very surprised.
As an officer of Rocks, in the past few years, Rocks had basically gone to Elbaf once a year to invite Harald.
She had also followed Linlin a few times. Because Linlin would go, and in Linlin's words, she was taking Ripley and Gerd back to their mother's home, and since she didn't want to be separated from Linlin, she naturally followed along a few times.
In her impression, Harald had put a lot of effort into getting Elbaf to join the Affiliated Nations; basically, he spent the whole year on expeditions, trying to establish good relationships with some Affiliated Nations. How could he possibly attack the Marines?
Just as she frowned and pondered the deep meaning that might be hidden behind this unusual behavior, her finger unconsciously flipped to the next page of the newspaper.
A familiar figure and headline that took up the entire page instantly caught her eyes, making her jump almost off Charlotte Linlin in shock!
"Linlin! It's bad! Something big has happened!" Gloriosa held up the newspaper, her voice filled with urgency and disbelief.
"Hmm? What's wrong?" Charlotte Linlin replied lazily.
"It's Shakky! The newspaper says... she isn't the Captain of the Kuja Pirates anymore!"
...
Meanwhile, New World, Hachinosu Island.
On the azure sea, a pirate ship with a distinct style, featuring a sea snake emblem carved on the bow, was slowly approaching this notorious pirate paradise.
On the shore, the current Captain of the Kuja Pirates, Toritoma, was saying her final goodbyes to Shakky.
Toritoma's eyes were slightly red as she waved forcefully: "Please take care, Captain!!"
Shakky, carrying a light suitcase, stood by the gangway and returned a calm smile: "Thanks, Toritoma. You can stop here."
She turned around and stepped lightly onto the land of the pirate island. Her gaze swept over the noisy, chaotic, yet primitive and vibrant scene before her, and a meaningful arc curled at the corner of her mouth.
"So this is... the ultimate stronghold of pirates, Hachinosu Island... ♡"
As soon as she went ashore, her mature and beautiful appearance, combined with an intellectual yet dangerously seductive aura, instantly attracted the gaze of all the pirates at the port like a magnet.
"A... A goddess has descended!!"
"Ahhhh! I can die without regrets now ♡!"
"Why... why would such a beauty come to a broken and dirty place like ours...!!"
"Please don't go any further inside! It's too dangerous inside!"
"Too dazzling... my eyes! Tears just won't stop!"
"Is this the real person? Or am I still dreaming?"
Some pirates suddenly realized and shouted excitedly: "Could it be! Are you here to join the 'Rocks Pirates'?! Just like Lady Gloriosa before!!"
Upon hearing this, Shakky shook her head slightly, revealing a smile that could make a hundred flowers pale in comparison to the pirates looking at her with eager eyes:
"No. I just want to live here for a while. After all, I used to be a 'pirate' too ♡."
She helplessly spread her hands, "Although I've already retired, the Marines are still constantly watching me. So I wanted to find a quiet and safe place to live in seclusion. You guys... can you keep this secret for me?"
As she spoke, she winked playfully at the surrounding pirates (Wink ~ ♡).
"Of... of course! We will guard your secret with our lives! ♡"
Thump! Thump!
Under the impact of her powerful charm, many pirates clutched their noses, which were spraying blood, and fainted happily on the ground.
Shakky frowned slightly and fanned the air in front of her nose with her hand: "However... it's a little... smelly here."
"We'll clean it up right now! Immediately! At once! ♡" The surviving pirates acted as if they had been injected with adrenaline, instantly springing into action.
"I also want a small shop that I can run myself..."
"We'll build it right away! Guaranteed to be the best location on the island! ♡"
"We'll plant it full of fresh flowers too! ♡"
Because of Shakky's arrival, the entire port area of Hachinosu Island fell into a strange, pink, busy, and restless state.
This unusual commotion finally alarmed the "big shots" in the center of the island.
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