Overturn the World
The night was deep, and the sea breeze was strong.
"Return to the Holy Land."
Roy's four words fell like a hammer blow to Shanks' heart.
Shanks froze on the spot, his breath caught in his throat, and his chest suddenly tightened.
--Should I go back to the Holy Land?
Isn't that just going back to that decaying, filthy cage filled with blood and shadows?
How is this any different from releasing a tiger back into the mountains?
His eyes were sharp as he stared intently at Roy, his voice seemingly forced out through clenched teeth. "Roy... what exactly are you planning?"
Roy stood with his hands behind his back, his indifferent gaze as cold as a deathly still night sky, devoid of joy or sorrow.
"Return to the Holy Land and rejoin the Holy Knights."
"With your qualifications and your Haki, even taking the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Knights wouldn't be difficult for you."
Shanks frowned, a profound sense of absurdity welling up within him. He sneered, "Ha. Even if you really let me go, those people in the Holy Land won't believe it."
"'Red-Haired Shanks' escaped from you? They'll just think it's a joke... a conspiracy!"
"You don't need to worry about that."
Roy's indifferent voice cut him off.
"As for your father... how to deal with him is your business."
He paused, his gaze sharp as a sword, piercing straight into Shanks' heart.
"If you want revenge, if you want to protect everything you care about—you know better than anyone how to break through your own limitations."
As soon as he finished speaking, Roy turned and left, the night wind carrying his figure as if swallowing everything.
Before he vanished into the darkness, a final, low echo resounded in the wind:
"By the way, you don't need to contact the 'Flame' group anymore... someone will handle it."
"!!!"
Shanks' pupils constricted sharply, and his chest heaved violently.
Even the 'Flame'... were part of his plan?!
He clenched his fist so tightly that his knuckles turned white from the force.
Roy's words, and the truth that shattered his heart, kept echoing in his mind.
--The bloody shadow of his mother being killed by his father;
--The older brother who was kidnapped by the Celestial Dragons;
--Uta's tearful cry;
--Laughter from the crew on deck.
Scenes intertwined, transforming into raging flames that burned his soul.
"Roy..."
He slowly closed his eyes, his chest heaving violently, a long-lost fighting spirit quietly igniting in his heart.
"No matter what makes you think you can challenge the whole world... I will not back down again."
Even if you use me, I will become stronger.
--On the other side.
As the night deepened, Roy's figure stood silently in the shadows.
Bathed in moonlight, his profile was stern. He pulled a Den Den Mushi from his pocket, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"Hey, hey-Brother Long."
The Den Den Mushi slowly opened its eyelids, seemingly connecting with the being on the other end.
Roy's voice was lazy and teasing. "I went to great lengths for you... to release that Red-Hair little tiger back into the mountains."
The night was deep, and the sea breeze was as black as ink.
A deep, husky voice came from the Den Den Mushi: "... Sorry, Roy."
"Because of me, Shanks— "
"Mmm~"
Roy interrupted softly, his tone languid, as if in casual conversation. "You don't need to blame yourself. I never intended for him to leave so early anyway."
He looked up at the night sky, starlight reflected in the depths of his pupils, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
"After all, I'm not 100% sure yet."
He paused for a moment, then casually uttered two words:
"--Turning the Overturn the World."
Those two short words were like a thunderclap, and the air suddenly froze.
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Monkey D. Dragon's breath hitched slightly.
That overwhelming confidence made him feel as if a thousand-pound boulder was pressing on his chest, causing his mind to tremble.
After a long pause, he finally spoke in a deep voice, "... Roy, do you need my help?"
"After all, the 'Immortal Body' you speak of cannot be broken without extremely powerful Haki."
"Ara ara~" Roy drawled, his tone carrying a hint of flirtatious laughter. "Well, you don't need to worry about that."
"You haven't forgotten, have you—these days, those old men in the Navy have a better 'mentality' than anyone else!"
"...!!"
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Ryu was startled, his pupils shrinking slightly.
He subconsciously recalled what he had "seen and heard" during this period --
--According to intelligence reports, during the Paramount War, Fleet Admiral Sengoku actually used his Buddha-like Haki to blast one of the Five Elders into a "Beef Ball," nearly causing the entire Marineford to collapse!
--And then there's my old man Garp... who recently made a surprise "visit" to the Revolutionary Army base with Zephyr and even Roy's parents.
They called it "tourism for senior citizens," and I originally planned to refuse on the grounds of official business, but before I could even open my mouth, the old man came to my door.
Those slipper-clad feet almost added another "slipper tattoo" to his face... That Haki still sends chills down his spine.
--Zephyr is even more unusual. That man known as "Black Arm" seems to have recently gained some kind of extraordinary power.
His brief sparring match with Garp, though separated by dozens of miles, terrified the scouts so much that their legs trembled, they knelt on the ground, and dared not raise their heads.
His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, and cold sweat trickled down his temples.
Although he is now among the world's top fighters, the thought of putting himself alongside these old monsters and Roy...
The image itself is enough to take one's breath away.
"Call..."
He exhaled a deep breath, his brows furrowed tightly, and muttered to himself:
"Honestly... if we really brought all these old men along, they could probably turn the Holy Land upside down..."
Roy's laughter drifted through the Den Den Mushi, tinged with a hint of chill:
"Well, that's why, Brother Long."
"With the assurance that I can protect everyone—I'm planning to completely turn the world upside down."
The next day.
When that Red-Hair figure stepped onto Mary Geoise once more, unscathed, the entire Holy Land seemed to be cleaved in two by lightning.
Whether they were Celestial Dragons or heavily guarded Guards, everyone instinctively held their breath.
"Red-Haired Shanks has escaped from Roy's clutches."
The news spread throughout the Holy Land with astonishing speed.
Soon, he was summoned directly to the highest hall— the Room of Authority.
In the dimly lit hall, the Five Elders sat high on their thrones, their gazes sharp as blades as they fell upon him.
The silence was so oppressive that it felt as if the air itself had frozen.
Shanks's gaze was calm, yet it exuded an invisible pressure.
At this moment, the Five Elders' Warrior God of Science and Defense has been replaced— Figarland Saint Garling.
His brow furrowed deeply when his gaze fell upon the Red-Hair in front of him.
In that instant, shock and confusion flashed deep in his eyes.
He knew it very well.
Roy had tried to kill Shanks completely more than once.
And he himself... risked his life to save Shanks from certain death.
But now, he's standing here "completely unharmed"?
Why is that?
Why do I feel such intense unease?
The silence in the hall grew even more intense.
The candlelight flickered, the light and shadow whispering like the devil, reflecting on Saint Garling's somber face.
His eyes were fixed on Shanks, as if he wanted to tear the truth out of him.