As the year 1504 of the Ocean Calendar was about to begin.
A massive piece of news shook the seas!
[The Red Hair Pirates challenge the world's strongest Whitebeard Pirates, suffering a crushing defeat!!]
Without even getting the chance to face Whitebeard directly, Red-Haired Shanks was forcefully repelled by the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division Commander, Flame Wolf, and fled in panic!
In this battle, both sides displayed extraordinary kingly qualities, with Flame Wolf Beria achieving an overwhelming victory!
...
According to the original course of events, Flame Wolf Beria's bounty should have skyrocketed rapidly, and the Whitebeard Pirates' threat level to the Marines would have escalated even further.
However...
The Marines did not update Flame Wolf's bounty.
Instead of the Red Hair Pirates' defeat, an even more shocking piece of news spread.
...
"Flame Wolf Beria"
This person did not exist, or rather... this was merely another identity of that man.
The once-renowned new hero of the Marines, known as the "Snowfall White Wolf," hailed as the man with the best looks in the Marines in 800 years, Uchiha Griffin...
Was Flame Wolf!!!
...
The Marine Headquarters made a grand announcement: Commodore Griffin had infiltrated the Whitebeard Pirates alone two years and seven months ago.
Maneuvering among vicious pirates, facing the world's most terrifying great pirate Whitebeard daily, walking on thin ice.
Over these two years, he fulfilled his duties as a Marine, leveraging opportunities to eliminate pirates causing chaos in the New World, doing his utmost to protect civilians, with outstanding achievements.
Now, having perfectly completed his mission, he returned to headquarters with top-secret intelligence on the Whitebeard Pirates!
Effective immediately, he was promoted to Rear Admiral of the Marine Headquarters, codename—White Wolf.
...
Setting aside the rank of Rear Admiral for now, the important part was the codename officially recognized by the Marines.
Since Sakazuki's generation, there had been an unwritten rule: only Marine officers with the potential to become Admirals would be given a codename combining a color and an animal.
The Marine Headquarters had a specialized department for codename assignments.
Even former officers like Sakazuki and Borsalino only received their official codenames a long time after serving as Vice Admirals.
This indicated the Marines' expectations and recognition of him.
...
Those who saw this news, especially the pirates who had been defeated by Flame Wolf Beria, realized a terrifying truth.
He was already that powerful, yet that wasn't even his full strength!
In all his previous battles, he hadn't even used his most proficient ice abilities or his unique blood-red eyes!
Having remained undetected within the Whitebeard Pirates for over two years further demonstrated his formidable stealth and disguise skills...
Whether in terms of cunning or strength, he was a truly terrifying existence!
What a fearsome man!!
...
——
"Is this for real..."
On the Red Dragon ship, Beckman stared wide-eyed at the contents of the newspaper.
It wasn't so much shock at the exposure of Griffin's identity, but rather astonishment at the manner of Griffin's departure.
He had actually revealed his disguise in front of the entire Whitebeard Pirates and left openly!!
How could such a thing happen!
What in the world was that old man Whitebeard doing!!
"Letting someone like this return to the Marines—does Whitebeard even understand what this means?!" Beckman growled under his breath.
They had already sent someone to deliver the message, but before their informant could even arrive, the spy had been allowed to leave!
...
Shanks gazed at the deep ocean surface. Normally, his intellect couldn't match Beckman's, but when it came to major decisions, Beckman lacked the vision and boldness he possessed.
That's why Beckman could only serve as the right-hand man to a king.
"It seems we were mistaken... Whitebeard has known his identity all along."
"What?! If he knew from the start, then..."
Shanks gave a faint smile: "Precisely because he knew, this is how things had to be."
"That's just the kind of man Whitebeard is!"
...
He turned and walked toward the ship's cabin, laughing: "That's a man who rivaled the Pirate King himself—how could he possibly not know?"
"Hahaha... How fascinating..."
"Regardless, we have a troublesome opponent now, Beckman."
When Shanks first read the newspaper's contents, his immediate thought was...
Of Captain Roger and Mr. Garp.
Ever since that encounter in Gru Town three years ago... What a strange twist of fate.
On the voyage to the final island, I'll enjoy our rivalry, Griffin!!
——
——
Wano Country, Onigashima.
This was the only place in Wano Country where News Coos were permitted to land.
Within the dimly lit palace, Kaido's thunderous laughter erupted.
"Wororororo!! How interesting! I was just regretting that brat's disappearance, but it turns out he was on that old fool Whitebeard's ship!!"
"Flame Wolf... White Wolf... My interest in this guy keeps growing!!"
"You feel the same, don't you, Kari!!"
He glanced toward the corner where a white-haired man sat cross-legged, eyes closed as if dozing.
...
Kari slowly opened his crimson eyes and spoke indifferently: "My desire to kill him has never diminished in the slightest."
"I've taught King my clan's secret techniques. Now give me what was promised."
...
Kaido leaned forward, grinning: "Really won't consider staying? We've had a pretty good six months together."
"I've told you—I'll come when you attack Mary Geoise."
"Only that continent is my homeland."
...
Hearing Kari's response, Kaido shook his head helplessly and tossed a long wooden box from beside his stone throne.
The box opened to reveal a dark red velvet lining, upon which lay a silent spear.
The shaft wasn't made of wood but rather a profound black metal that seemed to absorb all light, its color restrained and deep.
The spearhead and shaft were forged as one seamless piece, made of a material that resembled neither jade nor iron, covered in flowing ice-crack patterns as cold as frost.
At first glance, the spear appeared no different from an ordinary soldier's lance.
Only those with sufficiently sharp eyes could perceive its extraordinary nature.
...
Kaido propped his chin casually: "I recall you use a sword, so why commission a spear?"
Kari reached out and grasped the spear's hilt, a chill seeping into his fingertips.
The spear's material was excavated from three thousand meters beneath Kano Country's Jade Glacier—a special mineral sealed for ten thousand years, forged over six months by several master craftsmen from Wano Country.
Had it been a sword, it likely could have contended for a place among the Great Grade Sharp Blades of Twenty-One Craftsmen.
...
"A sword is sufficient for killing Celestial Dragons."
"That guy is special. This is the most suitable weapon."
Kari stood up with his gun and said calmly, "I never thought the last descendant of that clan would die so easily. This was specially made for them."
"The Uchiha... will only end by my hand!"
...
Only one sentence in the entire passage was true.
...
"Is this what they call fire and water being incompatible? How interesting." Kaido grinned, revealing his sharp teeth, looking even more ferocious under the dim light.
"Go and slaughter each other! Only the strong have the right to survive!!"
——
——
New World, Totto Land Kingdom.
The territory of the Pirate Emperor Charlotte Linlin, covering dozens of islands, commonly known as 'Totto Land'.
Unlike the loose governance of the Whitebeard Pirates and Kaido's oppressive policies, Totto Land has the most well-organized structure among the three major forces in the New World. Perhaps Charlotte Linlin is more suited for the title of 'Pirate Empress' than Hancock.
Of course, this doesn't refer to appearance, at least not the appearance of Linlin who has entered menopause.
...
Cake Island, inside the palace.
The 8.8-meter-tall Charlotte Linlin held a newspaper between two fingers, her amber eyes fixed intently on the contents.
"Mamamama..."
"The last descendant of the rarest race, and so powerful..."
"I really want him!!"