Early Ocean Calendar 1514.
New World.
Hachinosu Island, known as the "Pirate Paradise".
A rowdy tavern.
The air was thick with the stench of cheap rum, sweat, and gunpowder all mixed together. A group of fierce-looking pirates covered in scars sat gathered around.
They had just returned from plundering other islands and were boasting about their exploits.
As they talked, the conversation inevitably turned to the one topic they all loathed... the Marines.
Bang—
A burly, overweight man gulped down his drink and slammed the cup heavily on the table, spitting: "Damn it! Sailing out to sea is getting more and more frustrating these days. Before, when we encountered the Marines, we could at least have a good fight. Now? We have to hide like rats running from a cat!"
A lean man next to him, cutting meat with a dagger, coldly added: "You think it's still the old days? The three Admirals in the Marines now are each as strong as monsters."
"Akainu isn't even human—he's practically a walking natural disaster!"
"I saw him with my own eyes, using his Magma Fist to blast several pirate ships to pieces, not even ashes remained!!"
...
"At least you saw Akainu and escaped. My brother and his crew ran into Kizaru—none of them made it out."
A one-eyed pirate sighed: "Can't fight them, can't run from them—that's the most hopeless feeling."
...
"Kuzan is the scariest, isn't he? Just last week, if I hadn't been lucky enough to land on Dressrosa, I would have..."
He shuddered, his eyes filled with terror: "A whole pirate fleet! Dozens of ships, thousands of people!"
"One second! Just one second! All turned into ice sculptures!! The ice spread all the way to the port of Dressrosa!!"
"Tsk tsk... If it weren't for Doflamingo stepping in and forbidding him from entering World Government Member Nations, none of us would have made it back!"
...
After a long round of sighs, a pirate with burn scars covering half his face spoke up from the corner.
"Whether it's Akainu, Kuzan, or even Kizaru—they're troublesome, sure, but at least my inside source in the Marines can give me information, at least I know their general movements."
"The real problem now... is that guy!"
"My informant told me that guy has high-level freedom of action at Marine Headquarters. He doesn't even need to report his movements to HQ, just like Garp used to."
"Even when he was a pirate, he loved causing trouble for us. Now that he's back in the Marines... I have a strong feeling he's going to target us!"
...
The tavern fell silent for a moment. Another pirate missing an ear lowered his voice, as if afraid someone might hear: "You mean... Flame Wolf Beria!"
"Who else could it be?"
The burned man snorted coldly: "Every time we came back from raiding merchant ships before, that bastard would swoop in like a shark smelling blood!"
"Every single time! I started suspecting there was a mole on our ship, even after changing crews again and again!"
...
"Hahaha, changing groups several times hasn't helped, maybe it's because you're the mole! Hahahaha!!" A burly pirate laughed heartily, then turned to find the tavern deathly silent with no one joining his laughter.
The burned man stared coldly at him, baring his sharp teeth in a grin: "Kid, new here?"
The burly pirate finally sensed something wrong and quickly apologized with a smile: "I'm Osman from the Plum Blossom Pirates, from the South Sea, here to join Lord Wang Zhi's ranks!"
"And you are, sir?"
Swish————
A sharp blade flash, and the burly pirate's head rolled to the ground.
This bloody scene caused no alarm among those present, treated as nothing more than normal entertainment.
"I'm the captain of the seventh ship under Governor Wang Zhi, Blood Blade Keel! Learn to be smarter in your next life!"
Keel spat toward the head on the ground, then turned to the bar: "Boss, clean up!"
"Right away!"
——
Hachinosu Island, famous for gathering large numbers of ruthless pirates, was the birthplace of the pirate game.
Once the master of this 'Pirate Island' was the Rocks Pirates that dominated the pirate world.
After the God Valley incident, this place was taken over by the former Rocks Pirates member, the great pirate Wang Zhi, known as the 'Pirate Godfather'.
The island was infested with numerous pirates, and like Red-Haired Shanks, Wang Zhi was considered one of the great pirates closest to the Pirate Emperor throne.
...
...
After the brief interlude, the conversation continued.
The pirate missing an ear went on: "Boss Keel, they're all saying the Flame Wolf has a special tracking method, can smell the scent of treasure, specifically targeting pirate ships returning fully loaded."
"Could the rumors be true, after all..."
He glanced carefully at Keel: "That Flame Wolf guy always appears at just the right time, you've encountered him several times already..."
Keel glared at him, but since he was a familiar face, didn't immediately resort to violence despite his displeasure.
He snorted coldly: "Nothing that mysterious about it. He's a Zoan-type ability user, not some messy Paramecia-type."
He gently touched the burn marks on his face, a hint of indescribable fear flashing in his eyes.
"I've seen Akainu, and fought against Marco too, but no flame has ever given me that feeling..."
"Those Marine fools keep talking about the ice-type Snowfall White Wolf Fruit... what a joke, that's definitely the Flame Wolf's disguise!"
...
"But..."
Keel grinned coldly: "Originally he was the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, and the Governor held back due to Whitebeard's reputation."
"But if it's the Marines... heh, after all the treasure he stole from us before, we'll settle accounts with him properly!"
...
"Really? The Godfather plans to move against him? Excellent!"
"I heard he's still in the New World. I haven't gone out recently, I'm practically broke!"
——
——
Sixty nautical miles outside Hachinosu Island.
The sea breeze carrying a slightly salty, fishy scent swept across the bow of the Red Force.
The usual cheerful atmosphere was absent from the ship, all members of the Red Hair Pirates wore grave expressions, even Lucky Roux's meat-eating pace had slowed down.
Yasopp repeatedly cleaned his sniper rifle, sharp eyes fixed on the horizon behind them.
Beckman walked over to Shanks at the stern, took a deep drag of his cigarette, brows tightly furrowed.
"How many times is this now?"
Beckman's voice was low and calm, only those familiar with him could detect the turmoil beneath the calm.
"Third time." Shanks' gaze fixed on the empty sea behind them.
"Ever since we left Emion Island, he's been pouncing on us as if he knows exactly where we are."
...
Yasopp approached and whispered, "This isn't normal, Captain."
"We've shaken him off twice—once by crossing the Screaming Strait during a storm, and once by riding an underwater waterfall. Even we didn't know our next destination, yet he always tracks us with pinpoint accuracy."
"It's not a guess—he's certain!"
"It's like... he's planted 'eyes' on us!"
...
"Impossible." Shanks shook his head. "We've inspected the ship thoroughly—nothing unusual. No Marine vessels in sight either."
Even the strongest Observation Haki couldn't locate us across half a sea. Under normal circumstances...
There's only one logical explanation.
A traitor aboard, feeding information to that guy!
But that's impossible!
The Red Hair Pirates' cohesion is unmatched by ordinary crews—everyone onboard is family.
Then, is it some new Marine technology? Or an unknown Devil Fruit ability?
...
Soon after, Yasopp called out while holding his sniper rifle: "He's appeared! Forty-five nautical miles to the west!"
First the mast, then the flag.
Then...
Through his scope, Yasopp saw the man standing atop a giant wolf's head, his Justice Coat billowing in the wind.
He even caught the slight curve lifting the man's lips, and...
"Whoa—"
Yasopp jerked back, instinctively covering his scope.
"He saw me! He definitely saw me!"
...
Shanks took a deep breath and said grimly, "So after resuming your Marine identity, you're freely using those proud eyes of yours without restraint..."
"Change course!"
A flash of resolve crossed his eyes: "We're heading for Hachinosu!"