3 Chapter 3: Akagami no Shanks

New World, One of the Islands Existing There.

The island is currently occupied by one of the strongest pirates who are still active today. The pirate group is the Akagami pirate group. Right now in the middle of the island, they had a very rare visitor. The guest is the World's Strongest Swordsman - Dracule Mihawk.

"Yo ~ Eagle Eyes, what made you come to see me? Have you changed your mind and want to join my group?"

"You drank too much, Akagami. I didn't come to join your group."

"Hahahah, Boss has finally been rejected again!"

"You suck Boss, how many times have you gotten rejection by Eagle Eyes"

"Should have done this dozens of times already"

"Boss is very persistent in inviting Eagle Eyes to join us"

"Hey, hey, hey, wouldn't it be more interesting for Eagle Eyes to join us? As long as he joins, our group should become even more interesting than before."

The atmosphere in that place was very lively and full of happiness. They didn't care about Mihawk's rejection of Shanks' invitation. As long as it wasn't something related to hurting their comrades or anything related to it, the members of the Akagami pirate group would not care and would only respond with casual responses.

"It's rare for you to be able to come to this sea area, Eagle Eyes" Benn Beckman as the Deputy Captain of the Akagami Pirate Group immediately asked in a casual tone.

Mihawk's power is very clear to him. However, he also showed no fear or caution since he also believed in his strength. Other than that, there was no animosity between them.

"Well, normally you're quite active in Paradise and it's rare for you to come to this region" Hongo as the Ship Doctor asked with great interest, "What made you come to this region? Do you want to fight the Boss again?"

"Oh? Fight? Incidentally, I haven't been active in sports for a long time. How about you accompany me to exercise, Eagle Eye?" Shanks immediately showed a lively smile.

"Boss is going to fight Eagle Eyes?"

"Oh? Who will win between the two? Is it possible that the results will be different compared to before?"

"Eagle Eyes should win. After all Boss hasn't fought well in a long time while Eagle Eyes usually do well"

"Let's open the bet! I will put all my money into Eagle Eye!"

"Me, too!"

"Quickly open the bet!"

"You guys! How could you prefer him over me?!", Shanks said sullenly while looking at his friends as if he had just been betrayed by them.

"Hahahah~ Boss, we believe you lose"

"That's right, Boss. We don't want to risk our money on you."

"Compared to you, I prefer my money to be given to Eagle Eyes"

"It's really your style" Mihawk sighed then replied, "There was someone who challenged me to a fight and I happened to have free time. I have come to accept the challenge."

"How is the result?" Limejuice as the person who manages the matter of spies from the Akagami Pirates Group immediately asked directly.

"Someone who is stupid even holds my sword wrong"

"If you came here it wasn't because you wanted to fight the Boss. What do you want to do here? Do you perhaps want to party with us?" Yasopp the sniper in the group asked excitedly.

"Oh no," Benn Beckman immediately held his head, "They finally got back the reason to have a party"

"Hahahah ~ Why do you feel pressured like that, Beck? Wouldn't it be great for us to have a party?"

"Roar!"

Bonk Punck and Monster immediately replied to Benn Beckman's words with enthusiasm while laughing. It can be seen that Bonk Punch has even issued a musical instrument that will be played by him to accompany the event.

"Party?" Shanks' eyes immediately lit up hearing this, "You came here to party?"

"Do you think I am someone like you?" Mihawk asked with a dark face and continued, "I only came here to ask for a drink. Coincidentally my drink is finished and I see you guys here. I want to get a drink to bring back"

"Ah ~ That's so boring" Shanks said in a sullen tone and immediately smiled again followed by standing up from his seat. Shanks then immediately embraced Mihawk in a friendly manner, "Eagle Eyes, since you have come here. How can we only serve drinks?"

All the crew members who heard this immediately smiled excitedly.

"I shouldn't have come here…"

Mihawk already knew what Shanks was going to do.

"Little children!" Shanks shouted excitedly, "Quickly take out all the food and drink we have! We're going to party!"

"What's the purpose of this party, Boss?" Lucky Roo as the main chef of the Akagami pirate group asked while looking at the meat he was currently holding.

"Dahahah~ You idiot, of course, to host our good friend Eagle Eyes and also celebrate the victory that has been achieved by him"

"I didn't ask for the victory to be celebrated. Even that fight isn't worth mentioning at all" Mihawk replied with a dark face.

"What's the problem? The point is you won the fight. That's what we need to know and we have to celebrate." Shanks' smile widened.

"I should have known that it was really wrong to come to you, Akagami…"

"Dahahahaha~"

Shanks just smiled and immediately pushed Mihawk to sit directly beside him. Mihawk didn't fight back and immediately sat beside Shanks quietly.

"Not once or twice you get this kind of treatment" Benn Beckman who was right beside Mihawk immediately spoke to him, "Just accept it. You should know, as long as Boss decides something, there's no way you can run away from that decision."

"…Well, this idiot can't possibly go back on what he's about to do unless there's something more important than this"

"Dahahaha~ You guys really understand me so much," Shanks said excitedly, "There's nothing more—"

"Ring!..."

"Ring!..."

"Ring!..."

Before Shanks could finish his sentence. Suddenly a ringing sound of den-den mushi was heard that spread in that location.

"Den-den mushi sound?"

"Whose?"

Everyone's gazes immediately turned towards Shanks.

"Mine?"

Shanks immediately responded and took out his personal den-den mushi from the pocket of the clothes he was currently wearing.

"Who is calling at a time like this?"

"Could it be from the spy side?" Building Snake asked with great interest.

"Has there been an incident that we need to pay attention to recently?" Hongou's gaze immediately glanced towards Limejuice who usually acted as the main organizer of information in their group.

"No information was received by me from our friends. These days the atmosphere of the ocean is also not in a state of chaos. Everyone take it easy even the people who usually get into trouble lately haven't done anything to catch our attention."

Shanks quickly picked up the communication line.

"Hello, Shanks here"

"Hahaha ~ Long time no hear your voice, Shanks"

"This sound…" Shanks' eyes widened at the sound that came from the den-den mushi. Simultaneously, the appearance of Shanks' den-den mushi also changed immediately following the appearance of the person who contacted him, "It's been a long time since I've heard your voice, Rayleigh-san."

"Rayleigh?!"

Everyone present there was slightly surprised that it was Rayleigh who called Shanks. But, they quickly calmed down because they knew the relationship between Shanks and Rayleigh.

"Rayleigh…"

Unlike the members of the Akagami pirates. Mihawk's gaze at this time showed more concern because he knew the person who contacted Shanks at this time.

"You seem to be having fun right now"

"Hahaha~ Does it look like that? Well, it just so happened that Eagle Eyes visited me at this time and we wanted to throw a welcoming party for him as well as a party regarding his previous victory"

"I didn't ask for that, you guys decided it unilaterally"

"Dahahaha ~ Don't be like that, Eagle Eyes. You also enjoy it, right? There will be plenty of drinks later for you to enjoy."

"Hmph!"

"Oh? Victory? Eagle Eye just did battle? Why didn't I see the news in the paper?"

"He said his opponent wasn't that strong and might lose quickly the next time they fought."

"So. Well, with his current strength, it's hard to find a matched opponent to fight with." Rayleigh said casually, "Maybe…Only in that place can he get one."

"That place?" Shanks asked with great interest.

Everyone's attention immediately focused on hearing Rayleigh's words.

"Shanks, there is something I want to discuss with you." The voice from Rayleigh suddenly turned very serious, "Can you guarantee that there are no spies around your place? Like the Marine group or the World Government Party?"

"Rayleigh-san, is this thing that you want to talk about very important?" Shanks' voice immediately turned serious and domineering.

"…At least something that can change the pattern of this world"

Everyone's pupils immediately turned to hear that. Shanks immediately released his Observation Haki ability and just in time found a number of spies in the area around the island.

"Buzz!..."

Shanks immediately released his Conqueror Haki ability by targeting all the spies on the island.

"Agh!..."

All the spies who were currently on the island immediately fainted when they received Conqueror Haki possessed by Shanks. Shanks is one of the strongest Conqueror Haki users and only those who are prepared can receive the power of his Conqueror Haki. Even if that person is prepared but his strength is weak, he will be instantly defeated by the power of Shanks' Conqueror Haki.

"Conqueror's Haki as frightening as ever…"

Mihawk is very familiar with the power of Shanks' Conqueror Haki since the two of them often fight and in those battles, Shanks usually uses this ability to keep up with Mihawk.

"I've finished all the spying, Rayleigh-san." Shanks' voice returned calmly, "Do I need to go to the private room to talk about this?"

"No, no, no, you don't have to. Sooner or later this information will become known to many parties and I just want to suppress this information so it doesn't spread too fast."

"I see," Shanks said, "So regarding the information you wish to convey…"

"....I found a way to revive Roger"

"..."

Immediately, everyone presents fell silent. Shanks's eyes even changed instantly upon hearing these words from Rayleigh.

"This…Rayleigh-san…You…You, you're not playing a joke with me, are you?" Shanks asked in a slightly skeptical tone, "Captain…Reviving the Captain again…"

"I'm not kidding, Shanks" Rayleigh's voice came back and it was more serious than before, "I did find a way. It's just, I'm not confident in my abilities. With my current abilities, it's really hard to get one. Therefore, I contacted you to ask for your help."

"…Boss, supposedly the way Rayleigh-san found might be related to the place he said earlier." Benn Beckman was the brains of the crew and it was very easy for him to analyze things.

"That place?" Shanks recalled Rayleigh's earlier words, "Rayleigh-san, the place you were referring to earlier..."

"Well, as you think," Rayleigh said back, "I found a way in that place. That place…It is a very interesting place"

"A very interesting place?" Shanks asked back.

"This place is an interesting place because I've never seen anything quite like it. There, everything is offered to us. Power, Strength, Wealth, Status, and also Dreams. Everything is in that place. We can get anything we want there as long as we want to search even…Those with the power to destroy an island can easily be found there."

"..."

Everyone was silenced again hearing the information.

"Could there be strong swordsmen there?" Mihawk was the first to wake up and with great enthusiasm, he immediately spoke to Rayleigh while holding Shanks' den-den mushi.

"This voice...Hahaha, it's you" Rayleigh who heard Mihawk's voice immediately knew that it was Mihawk, the two of them had never met each other but the question given by Mihawk immediately made Rayleigh know who the person was asking.

"Who knows. I'm not sure either. However, there should be a very strong swordsman in that place." Rayleigh replied, "There is a creature that can destroy an island easily. It would be very strange if there wasn't a swordsman who could defeat that thing."

Mihawk's eyes at this time showed signs of great excitement, "Where is it located?"

"Saboundy Island, in area 13"

"Saboundy Island?"

Everyone immediately became confused hearing this. Before anyone could even speak, Rayleigh interrupted him, "That place is indeed on Saboundy Island. More precisely in a building called the Guild"

"Guilds?"

"This is the first time I hear this word"

"This is quite an odd word…"

"Hahahaha ~" Rayleigh could hear clearly the words of the people who were there especially the last one, "Strange word? I also thought so before but, now, I don't think so at all. The name really fits the place. The place itself is an ordinary building. It's just that you can't judge the building from the outside. When I first discovered the place, I thought it was just a restaurant or bar. However, when I first checked using my Observation Haki ability. I couldn't see anything in that place…"

"..."

The atmosphere was immediately silent again listening to Rayleigh's words,

"…All I could see was darkness and nothing but that" Rayleigh continued, "The next time I come there go straight there. Everything that I had previously thought was wrong. That place is not an ordinary place…Say, that place…It is a place that can connect this world with other worlds."

******

Paradise, Marine Headquarters.

The Navy is one of the most powerful forces in this world. The Navy is a force that symbolizes justice. This was something that the civilians knew. However, for certain people, the Navy is a force that is under the control of the World Government and they are in fact not a force that was built to protect civilians but rather they were built to keep certain people from being too far from the power they currently have.

"Akagami made a move?"

Right now in the office room on the highest floor of Marine Headquarters. The office is an office owned by someone who serves as a Fleet Admiral. Admiral of the Fleet is the highest position that can be held by a Marine and he has full control over all troops in the ranks of the Navy.

Currently, in the office, there are two people who are there. The person currently sitting in the room's work chair, he is the current Fleet Admiral Sengoku. While the figure standing in front of him respectfully, he was Lieutenant Brannew.

"Based on the information we received from our troops who are currently monitoring him, they are informing that currently, Akagami has made a move," Brannew said respectfully and there was also a serious tone to his words, "In addition, there is additional information stating that currently, Akagami is with the Eagle Eye"

"Together with Eagle Eye?" Sengoku immediately asked back then waved his hand, "If indeed he is with Eagle Eyes, there is no need to make unnecessary movements. The two of them should just go find an island on which to fight."

Sengoku knows Shanks and Mihawk quite well. He also knew of the competition going on between the two of them. Therefore, knowing that Mihawk is currently with Shanks. Sengoku immediately concluded that the two of them would just do the battle that the two of them usually did.

"...There's no need for us to try to approach or anything that could annoy Akagami. That person was a figure that should not be messed with easily. As long as we do something about this guy, we will likely suffer a huge loss." Sengoku added back, "Notify our intelligence squad who are currently monitoring the movements of Akagami. Tell them to continue with their duties. Do monitoring and don't do anything that will only harm our side"

"I understand!"

Brannew immediately saluted and then left the office.

"Akagami and Eagle Eye?" Sengoku frowned "I haven't heard from these two fighting in a long time. Is this really just a fight they usually do? Or… Could there be another purpose?"

******

Saboundy Island, Area 13.

Right now in the area. A man with mohawk yellow hair appears. The man has wheat-colored skin and you can see that on his chest there is a blue tattoo that symbolizes something. The man is currently above the mangrove trees that grow to form the island.

That man was the First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates - Marko.

"That person…Isn't that Rayleigh?"

Marko, who is currently on Saboundy Island, is taking care of a business owned by his pirate group. He had previously been ordered by Whitebeard as his captain to come to this island to take care of some business. His business has been completed.

Since his business has been completed and has submitted a report to Shirohige. Marko didn't come back right away and preferred to find a bar to relax as well as eat to replenish his energy. Marko remembers that Rayleigh is currently in exile on Saboundy Island and tries to find his whereabouts.

Marko and Rayleigh themselves have a fairly close relationship. Although the two are enemies, they are not life-and-death enemies. They were enemies that could be said to be a friend.

Marko had tried looking for her before from area one to Area Twelve but couldn't locate her until he was in Area 13 and immediately saw her in person.

The expression of Marko who was looking at Rayleigh was a little strange because he could see that Rayleigh was carrying his sword followed by a woman with short black hair. The woman carried a scorching bow followed by a number of arrows carried by her which were located behind her back.

"He…What does he want to do? Is there an enemy he wants to fight?"

Marko asked confused seeing Rayleigh's actions. Marko's gaze fully saw all of Rayleigh's movements until he saw Rayleigh and the woman who was with him entering a building that was located not far from his current home position.

"This building…"

Instantly Marko's eyes immediately showed a very serious look. When Rayleigh entered the building, Marko immediately used his Observation Haki ability to see what Rayleigh would do inside the building. But when he will do it? Marko couldn't see anything. What he saw was a darkness that had no end at all.

"...Interesting" A smile immediately appeared on Marko's face, "This place doesn't seem like an ordinary place to attract Rayleigh's attention. It seems like the right decision for me not to come back and prefer to find Rayleigh's whereabouts. That person immediately helped me find a very interesting place"

Even though he already knew that the place in front of him was an interesting place. Marko prefers not to come right away. He would wait a few moments to see if Rayleigh would come out of that place or not.

Marko casually sat down on a mangrove tree and began to wait quietly there.