Chapter 680: Sun God, Music Deity
Chapter 680: Sun God, Music Deity
Elbaf.
Having just resolved the trap set by Rod of the New Gigantic Pirate Crew, Luffy suddenly froze as he landed in Alabasta, his gaze shifting toward a direction behind him.
"What's wrong, Luffy?" Nami asked.
"Nothing", Luffy mumbled, then shook his head, grinning widely with a toothy smile.
"I just thought of Shanks. He often comes to Alabasta. I can't wait to finally meet him this time."
As he spoke, he took off his straw hat, gazing at it for a moment before laughing. "This is something he entrusted to me. I can finally return it!"
"Red-Haired Shanks..."
Sanji walked over, holding a cigarette between his fingers and exhaling a puff of smoke. "More than two years ago, when we heard that name, it felt so distant. After all, he's one of the Yonko. But things are different now. We're not that far from him anymore."
Although they haven't yet achieved the status of Yonko, they don't really care about the title. What matters more is the substance.
Luffy can engage in a fierce battle with the strongest man in the sea and has even been described as 'tough' by him. He also proved himself in Egghead.
They've grown more than a hundred times stronger on their journey!
All the events they've experienced are enough to make them equals to anyone on this sea.
"Red-Haired Shanks..."
Usopp rubbed his long nose and chuckled. "My dad might be there. I have to give him a hit first! After all these years, he hasn't even sent a single letter! I want to show him that I've grown into a real seafarer!"
"A real seafarer? Your reaction when we encountered that giant creature wasn't exactly that of a seafarer."
Nami leaned in, nudging his side with her elbow. "Next time we face danger, you should stand in front of me. That's what a real seafarer does."
"Cut it out! I'm a seafarer, not a sea monster!" Usopp exclaimed.
"Me! Me! Me!"
Chopper stretched out his little hooves, bouncing up and down. "I want to be a brave seafarer too! Next time, I'll protect you all!"
Nami hugged Chopper and rubbed him affectionately. "You're always so thoughtful, Chopper. I love you the most!"
The trio of cowards remained the same as ever.
"Speaking of which..."
Not far from them, Zoro glanced at Robin, who was still smiling. "That Calamity guy is really stirring up a big storm with the Yonko War."
Alabasta, being a place where news travels slowly due to its lack of affiliation with the World Government, doesn't receive news birds. They get their information from newspapers and messages they find while sailing the sea, or from fellow sailors who return from their voyages.
For example, Heldin and his crew.
When they arrived in Alabasta, they brought new information about the war initiated by Calamity.
This war is on a grand scale, involving three of the Emperors of the Sea, and is referred to as the Yonko War. Many people are following the war closely, and there are daily updates from the outside world. Heldin and his crew always carry Den Den Mushi with them to stay updated on the progress of Calamity's Pirate Crew.
According to them, Sagel allowed them to return but, as subordinates, they must be ready to leave Alabasta at a moment's notice if called.
"That's true", Robin agreed after a moment's thought. "Blackbeard and Shanks attacked Sagel's base and took the Poneglyph imprints. So, the newspapers Sagel issued contain information about the Poneglyphs, which gives us an additional piece."
The information hadn't reached Alabasta yet, but Heldin and his crew brought a copy, originally meant for distribution in Alabasta. They, too, obtained this information.
Especially the Poneglyph, of which they only had two imprints. Now, they have seen an additional one.
Big Mom and Kaido left Poneglyphs that they had imprinted, and among the four Poneglyphs, one is still with the mysterious Burned Man, but one was still missing.
Robin had always suspected that Sagel had it, but given his immense strength, they had no way to confirm it. So, after leaving Egghead, they continued their journey, planning to find the Burned Man first before dealing with Sagel.
But now, they've unexpectedly obtained it.
"On the path to our dreams, we might have to thank him as well", Robin said matter-of-factly.
"Eh? But isn't he our enemy?"
Lily, who had followed them, asked curiously, "I heard you had a big fight in Wano. Although you and Robin are related, you're pirates now, so you shouldn't care about such things, right?"
"It's fine."
Luffy grinned, "He's an enemy, but I don't hate him. I just lost that time. Pirates, when you lose, you lose. But I'll definitely beat him in the future, and then I'll challenge Sagel again!"
"That's our captain's boldness."
Robin chuckled, "Speaking of which, Lily, since Big Mom is still alive, aren't you going to return?"
Lily shook her head, "I've cut ties with Aghored. When the main body offered me a new life, everyone's path is different. I've decided to sail a bit longer and see more of this ocean, this world."
"That's a good idea. This world won't disappoint you."
Robin glanced at Luffy and said, "No matter how tragic your life, as long as you can persevere, you'll definitely see the light of day."
"Shanks! Shanks!"
Luffy stretched out his arms and grinned, "I've come to a place you often visit. Maybe I'll run into you here! If we have to fight, that's fine too. I want to settle things with you!"
"Hey, Luffy! If you win, you'll become one of the Yonko!" Franky laughed.
"I'm not interested in that yet. I want to... become the Pirate King!"
...
"The new 'Yonko,' Straw Hat Luffy!"
At Marine Headquarters, in the meeting room.
Captain Braney slammed a wanted poster on the whiteboard, facing the gathered Marines with a serious expression. "Everyone has received the news. There's no need for assessment this time. Currently, he is the only one who qualifies."
The Marines in attendance were solemn, not because of the new Yonko, but because they hadn't had time to process the recent intelligence.
In the ruins of Elegia, not only did the ancient demon Totmusica appear, but Shanks as well. Most importantly, both of these threats to the world were eradicated by Sagel in a single battle.
Especially the Red Hair Pirates
They were completely annihilated!
While the death of a powerful pirate is cause for celebration, the strengthening of an even more dangerous pirate is a cause for sorrow.
Sagel was not only alive and unharmed but also becoming increasingly formidable, even to the point of instilling despair.
This was the reason for their solemn expressions.
Braney looked at their faces and sighed deeply, then waved to remove the wanted poster of Straw Hat Luffy, who had a bounty of 3 billion, and said solemnly:
"The balance of pirates has always been our strategic goal. The purpose of bounties is to create internal conflicts among pirates. After all, they are all driven by profit. Even the former Yonko, while we treated them seriously, we didn't go to such extremes."
"Because they are pirates, and they will eventually fall. No matter how powerful they become, they only occupy a corner of the New World. Before the term 'Yonko' was coined, they were still the same people."
The term "Yonko"
only came into use after Shanks returned to the New World, just a few years ago, less than a decade.
Before that, the former 'Yonko' were just well-known, but they didn't have a unified title.
This wasn't just a title of respect for the pinnacle of piracy. The Marines also tacitly approved and actively promoted this title to create trouble for the Yonko.
After all, with this title, ambitious pirates would inevitably head to the New World. Some might not be interested in the Pirate King's treasure, but they would certainly be drawn to the power of the Yonko and want to prove themselves.
The so-called silver medalists of the sea were born this way.
In the past, there were no silver medalists, just a group of powerful pirates occupying various territories and causing trouble.
With a title, there came new conflicts.
But now, everything is back to square one, no, it's even more terrifying.
The Worldslider has taken control of the first half of the New World, sweeping away those silver medalists and forcing them to the second half, too afraid to fight him.
Now, he has even initiated a war and already defeated Shanks!
"Worldslider killed Shanks. The next target will definitely be Blackbeard. As Marines, seeing pirates weaken each other is a good thing. But the current situation is different. If Worldslider wins, the entire New World will be under his command, which is a significant challenge for us."
Especially after the news about Red-Haired Shanks spread, the phones at Marine Headquarters were ringing off the hook. The core message from the important citizens was clear: they wanted Worldslider eliminated at all costs, and they were willing to increase the Marine budget to make it happen.
These people weren’t fools; they were genuinely afraid. Even if it meant increasing the Marine budget, they had to get rid of Sagel.
After all, reputation was everything.
If Sagel managed to unify the New World, he wouldn’t just settle there. Even if he didn’t come in person, his influence would reach other parts of the world, and the important citizens would suffer.
But now, they couldn’t make that decision.
Not even Admiral Akainu could make that call.
They could only discuss it, and even the emergence of a new Yonko couldn’t truly capture their attention.
...
Night fell over Ohara.
The entire city was adorned with lights and plunged into a sea of revelry.
In every street and alley, vendors rolled out barrels of wine they had prepared long ago, offering them for people to enjoy freely.
Everywhere, there was food—perfectly grilled skewers, and dishes on hot iron plates, all available for the taking.
There was no other reason: their lord had invited them to a feast!
Everyone wore smiles of joy, not just because of the free food and drink, but because their lord had won again!
And not just any victory—Sagel had defeated another Yonko and completely erased them from the seas!
The memory of the attack on Ohara was still fresh in their minds, and now they had finally taken their revenge.
They had participated in the resistance, and now, with their lord’s victory, they felt a sense of pride and honor.
In the grand hall of the palace, the music and dancing were in full swing.
"Ha-ha-ha! Ichiwarai, it’s a real shame you couldn’t join us. Otherwise, this would have been a great addition to your Marine record, participating in the takedown of a Yonko."
Sagel raised his wine glass and laughed, addressing Ichiwarai nearby.
Ichiwarai, also holding a glass, took a sip before responding, "I am blind and cannot see the battle, but compared to the vast ocean, I prefer the company of people. I can feel the genuine happiness of the people of Ohara for you, Sagel."
As the Security Chief of Ohara, Ichiwarai had finally found his place.
There was no denying that evil still existed in Ohara, but Sagel had given him a great deal of freedom.
Ohara had no formal laws, only Sagel’s rules. Under these rules, there were always some borderline foolish acts.
But these acts would be judged by the Security Chief, and Ichiwarai found his work very satisfying.
He could act according to his own will, unlike in the Marines, where he was often constrained by regulations and unable to do what he wanted.
During this time, Ichiwarai had been very content.
Though he was no longer a pirate, he was dedicated to Ohara’s well-being.
He genuinely hoped that Sagel would remain safe and that the Ohara model would spread throughout the world.
Compared to the World Government,
Ohara was much more in line with his ideals.
"Sagel."
Lily approached from outside and leaned in to whisper, "After the banquet, Big Mom has invited you to visit. There’s a new development regarding Totmusica."
"Such a joyful party, and he’s still thinking about research? It’s late, and he’s still doing research. I’ll go over now and bring him back!"
Sagel laughed, finished his drink, and stepped out of the palace, heading to the giant research facility near the towering Pluton.
Big Mom and a few clones were there, studying the footage of Totmusica.
As Sagel and Lily entered, Big Mom turned around and said without preamble:
"Totmusica, in classical terms, represents a 'Music Totem.' It is a figure of worship, much like how some people worship the Sun God.
"It is indeed a product of human wishes, but not all wishes are noble. Dark and sordid desires are also part of it. Combined with the musical scores we know, we can confirm that this ancient demon is the ultimate embodiment of music. In modern terms, one could say it is a god of music."
(End of Chapter)
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