Demons have a peculiar concept of time.
A single conversation had been pushed to next year.
Shanks felt a bit helpless, but it was also a relief. Since demons lacked a proper sense of time, they wouldn't be in too much of a rush to summon the Dark Lord. This meant they could first focus on the demon threat in Wano Country.
Saiji's power was indeed terrifying. Even without killing intent, his freezing ability took three days to melt completely, and it took a few more days for the crew to recover after thawing fully.
After his crew recovered, Shanks returned to the New World, awaiting the next meeting with Saiji. The duel between Shanks and Mihawk spread worldwide, enhancing their reputations. People knew the world had gained two more formidable pirates.
Time flew by. While various characters either lay low or expanded their influence, a year had passed.
Now, it was 1506 of the Sea Calendar. Shanks returned to the North Blue.
As he headed towards the sea where he was to meet Saiji, Shanks passed by a place that caught his attention.
"This is... Flevance, right?"
Hearing the distant sounds of explosions, gunfire, and cannon fire, Shanks frowned. "Is this prosperous town at war too?"
"This place is famously known as the White Town. I remember it's quite wealthy," commented Ben Beckman, Shanks' right-hand man, as he smoked.
Though called a town, the White Town, Flevance was actually a country. Its citizens were very wealthy, and every town looked like a fairytale snow country, with everything from the ground to the plants covered in white. It seemed otherworldly.
Shanks might have thought Saiji's presence caused the whiteness if this country hadn't been white for centuries. But that was impossible.
Saiji had been summoned during the Jaltsburg incident, whereas Flevance had been white for at least a few hundred years.
The country's whiteness came from a particular material called Amber Lead found in its soil. This material was used in tableware, paints, sweeteners, cosmetics, and weapons.
Once weapons were involved, people went mad for it, seeing it as a path to enormous profits.
This led to the extensive mining of Amber Lead, making the country famous and wealthy and attracting even the world government and fortune seekers.
Shanks had visited three years ago, finding a peaceful place. But now...
Though they hadn't arrived, they could already hear the war.
"I heard a deadly plague broke out there, and the World Government sealed off the place," said Lucky Roo, munching on a drumstick.
Shanks was intrigued. "A plague? And the World Government got involved?"
Anything involving the World Government made Shanks suspicious. Was it a plague?
Without the World Government, he'd believe it. But their involvement meant there were likely other motives.
"Should we check it out?"
Beckman, understanding Shanks' thoughts, asked.
Shanks was about to agree when his eyes widened, and he frowned. "Forget it, let's observe first."
Beckman noticed Shanks' expression and asked, "What's wrong?"
Shanks replied, "A troublesome person is here."
A troublesome person...?
Indeed, a very troublesome person.
At the border of the sealed-off White Town, Makima was advancing, surrounded by officials.
"Marshal Makima, please don't enter Flevance! It's cursed, and entering means contracting the terrifying Amber Lead disease!" a fat official said, sweating profusely.
Makima's direction was indeed towards relevance. Once a paradise of gold and women, it was now a hell filled with disease and death. Even the air reeked of despair.
These high-ranking officials had no desire to step into such a land. But Makima remained unmoved, saying calmly, "Since it's hell, it's the demon hunters' duty to enter. You, not being part of the Black Order, don't need to follow me."
"But..."
The fat official wanted to protest, but Makima's Black Order members pushed him aside, continuing towards the White Town.
"Fools, disease doesn't care about your status. If they want to die, let them," the official sneered as they moved away.
He then instructed a nearby soldier, "Don't let anyone from White Town escape! Shoot on sight!"
He suddenly noticed blood flowing from his nose, mouth, and ears as he spoke. Growing weaker, his vision blurred, and blood filled his throat, cutting off his speech. Darkness consumed him as he collapsed, his fate unknown.
"Sir!"
The surrounding guards panicked, but his fall was just another minor incident in a world where countless people die every moment... in horrible ways.