Mary Geoise, Pangaea Castle.
Inside a vast conference room, a soldier knelt before the Five Elders.
"Reporting! Red-Haired Shanks has appeared in Peach Spring!"
"What!!??"
Jupiter's expression was grim. "What is Shanks doing in Peach Spring?"
"Come on, come on! Have another drink!"
At that moment, in a large park with camping grounds in Peach Spring, Lott's Crew and the Red-Hair Pirates were holding a grand banquet.
Zoro clinked his cup against Limejuice's. "Hey! What are you doing? Take a big gulp! Are you keeping fish in there?"
Limejuice looked thoroughly drunk. "Zoro, my boy, I never thought someone so young could hold his liquor so well."
Zoro tipped his head back and took a drink, liquor trickling from the corner of his mouth.
"Ah! That's the stuff."
Shanks draped an arm over Lott's shoulders and marveled into his ear, "Hey, Lott, how do you brew this stuff?"
Lott chuckled. Brewing techniques from great China were naturally second to none. Showing off even a little could cause quite a stir in the pirate world.
"If you want some, just say so. I'll give you a few cases when you leave."
"Hahahaha! That's what I was waiting to hear." Shanks was very pleased that Lott knew just what to do.
Lott pursed his lips. What he could be sure of now was that Shanks counted as one of the good guys.
Among the Four Emperors, Whitebeard and Shanks could both be considered Lott's allies.
But he still wasn't sure where Kaido and BIG MOM stood.
For now, he had no time to concern himself with those two.
Eight months later.
On the coast of Foosha Village in the East Blue.
A boy wearing a straw hat stood aboard a small boat.
Many of Foosha Village's residents had gathered on