Elegia

A while back, Shanks had contacted Louis via Den Den Mushi, instructing the group on their return journey to head directly to the Music Kingdom, Elegia.

Louis, having roughly guessed Shanks' intentions, immediately changed their destination from Foosha Village to the Music Kingdom, Elegia.

The warship, flying the pirate flag, cruised along the course plotted by Louis, cutting through the wind and waves as it traveled alongside the seagulls.

A News Coo, wearing a military cap and a small satchel slung across its belly, circled the warship, letting out squawks to grab the attention of those on board.

"Hm? A News Coo?" Uta looked up, spotting the bird circling under the sunlight.

She waved, signaling for the News Coo to come down so she could buy a newspaper.

Soon, the News Coo landed on the warship's railing, plucked a newspaper out with its beak, and handed it to Uta.

After Uta fished out a Belly and tucked it into the bird's satchel, she took the paper.

She then sat down beside Louis and flipped it open.

The next moment, she let out an exclamation, "Louis, look at this! After leaving the Sabaody Archipelago, a Celestial Dragon went missing at sea! It's suspected they were killed!"

Ever since she met Louis, Uta had learned about the Celestial Dragons from Beckman and the others, so she generally understood that an attack on a Celestial Dragon was a massive incident.

Louis raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, thinking to himself, Is Akuldona really that lucky? Did he actually manage to ambush a Celestial Dragon?

He then took the newspaper from Uta and examined it closely.

"To think they'd even dare to report something like this—what's the background of this news agency?" Yelena walked over to the two of them carrying several cold drinks, asking with curiosity.

"Not sure. The mastermind behind this newspaper has always maintained a transformation using a Zoan Devil Fruit ability; no one knows their true identity."

Louis shook his head, indicating that he also knew very little about the World Economic News Agency.

He then continued reading the contents of the newspaper.

It stated that the ship carrying the Celestial Dragon had vanished, along with everyone on board, just hours after leaving the Sabaody Archipelago. The World Government had already dispatched several search fleets from the Navy.

This situation made Louis increasingly convinced that this was Akuldona's doing.

Just then, Uta leaned over, curiously watching Louis's indifferent expression.

"Louis, don't you feel happy?"

Louis ruffled her hair and said with a smile, "I find it quite satisfying."

"Satisfying..." Uta murmured, looking thoughtful.

Brrr-ring, brrr-ring, brrr-ring. Just then, the Den Den Mushi on Louis's person began to ring.

The sound of the Den Den Mushi drew the attention of Uta and Yelena, both of whom turned their gazes toward him.

"Click..." Louis took out a Den Den Mushi and connected the call.

The next second, a voice unfamiliar to them came through the Den Den Mushi.

"Louis, have you seen the newspaper?"

"I have," Louis replied.

"You weren't spotted by anyone when you took action, were you?"

Somewhere on a deserted island in the second half of the Grand Line.

A handsome man with white hair, brown skin, and black wings sprouting from his back grinned. "Of course not. I sank that World Government ship from thousands of meters away!"

In front of him, a campfire was burning, and several large, unidentified bone-in meat cuts were propped up, being roasted by the flames.

East Sea

Yelena and Uta froze upon hearing this. They instinctively looked at the newspaper placed on the table, strange expressions appearing on their faces.

Is this the person involved?

Then, they looked at Louis again. The two of them truly hadn't expected that this matter would actually have something to do with him.

Before Louis could respond, the man continued to vent his frustrations to him, "Louis, let me tell you, I managed to get in touch with King of the Beasts Pirates, but he refuses to believe my identity no matter what!"

He then explained that he had disclosed information about everything except for Louis and the two gathering spots, but King the Conflagration still wouldn't believe him.

He simply thought he was a liar and kept denying that he was a Lunarian.

However, as Akuldona collected more and more information about King the Conflagration from Shakky, he became increasingly convinced that King was undoubtedly his kin.

But since the other party wouldn't give him a chance, there was nothing he could do.

Akuldona was wary of Beast Kaido, so he couldn't go to his territory to communicate with King face-to-face.

For a moment, he felt this matter was extremely thorny.

Louis raised an eyebrow upon hearing this; he hadn't expected things to get this complicated. "In that case, while you're operating deep in the New World, just gather intel on the movements of the Beasts Pirates."

"If any of their high-ranking members appear, you just need to use them to verify your identity to King."

Louis's words made Akuldona's eyes light up, and he immediately praised, "You've still got the brains!"

Inadvertently, he glanced at the food he had propped up over the campfire, and his vision went black.

The tender food had somehow carbonized, turning pitch black.

"My dinner!!" he exclaimed instinctively.

Louis: "..."

On the warship, Louis pondered for a moment before speaking with some hesitation, "Akuldona."

"Hm?" A sound of confusion came from the Den Den Mushi.

"If it really doesn't work out, just eat it raw!" Louis advised, using a tactful tone to discourage the other party from cooking for himself.

Louis believed that compared to the dark cuisine Akuldona produced, eating it raw would actually be safer.

On the other end, upon hearing this, Akuldona's face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot, and he hung up the Den Den Mushi immediately.

On the deck, Yelena and Uta looked at each other in dismay.

After a long while, Uta recalled what Shanks had once said and asked Louis, "Is he that friend of Shanks? Has he come to the sea as well?"

"That's right."

Louis nodded, providing the answer.

Uta fell into deep thought upon hearing this.

Yelena was lost in thought as well. She remembered Louis mentioning that this name belonged to the strongest person in Bal, though two years ago, he was still a bit inferior to Shanks.

Subsequently, Yelena also threw a question at Louis, "Louis, is he already the strongest person in your tribe?"

Hearing this, a figure as massive as a small giant appeared in Louis's mind, and he shook his head.

"Not exactly. There is another old man on the other side who doesn't like to talk."

Akuldona had more potential, and that muscular old geezer in the Calm Belt was stronger, but Louis felt that he was still some distance away from those top-tier monsters.

He could put up a fight, but the probability of losing was very high.

Several days later, in the waters near the Kingdom of Elegia in the East Sea. The warship cruised with the wind, leaving a trail of white wake upon the azure sea.

The young girl's singing rose with the melody of the sea breeze, melodious and winding. Her voice was as clear as a spring, carrying very far on the breeze.

As time passed, the silhouette of the island gradually revealed itself before them.

The girl with two-toned hair stopped singing and leaned against the railing of the warship, her eyes filled with longing as she gazed at that land of music.

"This is it, Elegia!"