Below Wano Country, Gern stood on a massive ice floe drifting with the current.
Before him, Wano Country's iconic waterfall thundered around the island like an immense curtain hanging from the heavens.
Raging water crashed down from hundreds of meters above, churning the sea below into endless white foam and mist.
This wondrous natural barrier isolated the entire country from the world, making it almost impossibly easy to defend and difficult to attack.
"What a fine place," Gern murmured, his gaze sweeping across the towering wall of water.
"A natural fortress, endless resources, legendary weapons and history..."
After that remark, Gern turned away from the waterfall.
Instead, he looked toward the two barely breathing figures lying in the middle of the ice floe.
Revolutionary Army Leader Monkey D. Dragon still had his eyes tightly shut, doing his best to look completely unconscious.
Only the tension in his brow betrayed that he was merely playing dead.
By contrast, Shanks, "Red Hair" of the Four Emperors, was far more straightforward. He simply lay on his back without a word, staring blankly at the sky.
"Heh." Gern crouched halfway down, his gaze moving between them as a faintly regretful smile suddenly appeared on his face.
There was no triumph in that smile, only the teasing air of someone who had nothing at stake.
"What a shame." He clicked his tongue as though complaining about the weather. "You two got in my way and cost me quite a bit of time."
"Now..." He raised a hand and pointed toward Wano Country, faintly visible above the waterfall and seemingly much quieter than usual.
"I'm afraid I won't even make it in time for a hot bowl of soup."
The moment those words left his mouth,
Shanks's pupils abruptly contracted!
Gern's meaning could not have been