One Piece: The True Codex

When Shanks heard William's words, he fell silent. The Red-Haired Pirates, whether actively or passively, had heard many tales of William's exploits. They knew that William had risen to power by killing his former captain.

Shanks wasn't a fool. He understood the implication behind William's words: it was a rejection, and also a declaration that William was not someone who would serve under another.

When Shanks returned to his crew on the first floor, his companions immediately crowded around him, eager to know the outcome.

"Rejected?" Benn Beckman asked, as though he had already anticipated the result.

"Flatly rejected," Shanks said, slumping into his chair with a self-deprecating smile.

Instead of offering him comfort, his crewmates burst into laughter, clearly enjoying his misfortune.

"So, what do you think?" Benn Beckman asked, referring to Shanks' impression of William after their meeting.

Shanks thought for a moment, then said meaningfully, "I think the East Blue is about to produce another remarkable pirate."

The rotund Lucky Roux, who had been busy stuffing his face with food, didn't quite catch on and asked in confusion, "You mean Luffy?"

Shanks froze for a moment before slapping the table and laughing heartily. "Of course, Luffy too!"

...

When William and his group finished their dinner and were preparing to leave, Shanks and his crew were still drinking in the tavern. By this point, most of them were visibly intoxicated. As they descended the stairs, Shanks, ever the friendly sort, waved at William and greeted him casually.

William responded with a faint smile and turned to the tavern owner, who had come to see him off. "Put the tab for those two tables of drinkers on my account."

The tavern owner glanced at the pile of empty barrels stacked around Shanks' table and nodded.

The next morning, as William was preparing to visit the shipyard, he spotted Shanks and his crew supporting each other as they walked, their faces pale and haggard—a clear sign of a hangover.

"Are you leaving?" William asked as he approached Shanks.

"Yeah," Shanks replied, stifling a yawn and forcing himself to perk up. "We're heading north."

"North? To the Grand Line?" William asked. When Shanks nodded, William gestured toward the unsteady Red-Haired Pirates. "Why not stay a little longer?"

"We've stayed in the East Blue for too long already," Shanks said with a shrug. "It's time to start a new adventure."

"Where's your ship? From the direction you're heading, it doesn't look like you're going to the dock."

Shanks pointed to Benn Beckman, who was helping two of their drunken crewmates. "My first mate suggested we not sail directly to this village, so our ship is docked at the neighboring Frost Moon Village."

William glanced at Benn Beckman, who had a cigarette dangling from his lips. Beckman gave him a slight nod of acknowledgment.

In truth, William had already ordered an investigation into Shanks and his crew the previous night and knew that their ship was docked in Frost Moon Village. He was merely asking to confirm what he already knew.

After a moment's thought, William turned to one of his crew members and instructed, "Go with them to the dock in Frost Moon Village. Let the people stationed there know to waive their resupply fees."

Shanks had been listening quietly. When he heard William's offer to cover their resupply costs, he didn't refuse. Instead, he smiled and said, "We've shared a drink, so we're friends now. Since this is a friend's kind gesture, I won't turn it down. If we ever meet again, it'll be my turn to treat you to a drink."

William smiled back. "I'm sure we'll meet again."

Shanks was a carefree man, and William was a pragmatic and mature individual. Their parting was straightforward and without unnecessary sentiment. As for the future, they would leave it to fate.

Edmond, however, was still bitter about Shanks' earlier attempt to recruit William. He saw it as an insult. Watching the Red-Haired Pirates leave, he grumbled, "Why are you being so polite to them?"

"Their captain is an interesting man and a highly capable one," William replied with a casual smile. "Besides, they're heading to the Grand Line, so they won't interfere with us."

Edmond muttered a few more complaints but said nothing further.

When they arrived at the shipyard, William warmly greeted the shipyard leaders and shipwrights. He made a point of demonstrating his approachable demeanor and gave a few instructions.

While discussing further modifications to the clipper ship with the shipwrights, the Den Den Mushi in William's pocket suddenly rang.

Excusing himself from the meeting room, William answered the call. Ajin's voice came through immediately: "William, there's news from headquarters. Nezumi has successfully assumed the position of commander for the 16th Marine Branch."

"That's good news. What about Zeff?" William asked.

"Zeff's bounty has increased by 15 million Belly," Ajin reported.

...

Near the entrance to the Grand Line, in a small town.

Chares, the boatswain of the Cook Pirates, was wandering through the marketplace with two other crew members, browsing the stalls.

"The Grand Line doesn't seem as terrifying as the legends say," one of the pirates remarked, taking in the bustling surroundings.

"Who was it that kept yelling 'We're doomed!' when we were crossing Reverse Mountain?" Chares retorted, rolling his eyes. "And who broke the captain's cookware? Without a proper pot, how are we supposed to eat the captain's cooking?"

The Red Line and the Grand Line intersect at two points: one is the Holy Land Mariejois, and the other is Reverse Mountain. The geography of Reverse Mountain is bizarre even by this world's standards. Each of the four seas—East, West, North, and South—has a waterway that flows up to the mountain's summit. Yes, up the mountain. The four waterways converge at the peak, forming the entrance to the Grand Line.

For the Cook Pirates, it was their first time crossing Reverse Mountain. The experience was like riding a roller coaster, and many of them were terrified. The rough journey, combined with their inexperience, caused damage to their ship, and many tools were broken or lost.

As Chares continued berating his crewmates, he caught sight of a shop selling cookware out of the corner of his eye. His face lit up, and he rushed over eagerly.

...

At a private dock in the same town, Zeff was leaning against the railing of his ship, reading a newspaper. Suddenly, a wanted poster slipped out from between the pages.

Zeff's reflexes were quick, and he caught it mid-air. But when he saw the content of the poster, he froze.

The photo on the poster was one he recognized—it was of himself. However, the bounty amount beneath it had changed, suddenly increasing by 15 million Belly.

Hurriedly flipping through the newspaper, Zeff finally found an article related to him.

"Colonel Roy of the 16th Marine Branch has died in the line of duty. Pirate Zeff is suspected of fleeing to avoid justice," the article read.

Zeff was utterly confused.

"Captain! Captain!" A distant shout broke the silence. Chares came running toward him, clutching a shiny new pot. "I spent ages picking this one out—it's both black and shiny! With this, you'll be able to cook delicious meals again! Uh..."

Before Chares could finish, something fell from the sky and struck him square on the head. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the ground.

The two pirates following behind him were startled, and Zeff himself was taken aback. He quickly jumped down from the ship and rushed to Chares' side.

By the time he arrived, the two crewmates had already picked up the offending object. It turned out to be a peach, smashed beyond recognition.

The terrain around the private dock was flat, with no tall buildings nearby. Zeff looked at the peach, which appeared to have been bitten into, then at the unconscious Chares on the ground. Finally, he raised his head to the sky, utterly bewildered.

~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~

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