Ebisu Town, Submerged Port.
A massive pirate ship raised its sails, its prow specially fitted with a crimson beast's head and its hull adorned with silver-white steel spikes, exuding an air of overwhelming Conqueror Haki.
The Groudon Gura Gura Ship.
As the newly appointed All-Star, Gurd now commanded his own dedicated warship, its customized components prepared well in advance.
On the shore, Yamato's eyes were red and swollen.
She had spent the entire previous night crying into her pillow.
"Gurd, I want to sail with you too."
"Stay home and behave. If you have any questions, go ask Yasuie. If you're bored, travel around Wano Country—and don't forget to visit Kintouka Shrine."
Gurd chided her impatiently.
Being the shogun didn't mean house arrest. The girl didn't seem to grasp how to wield her authority. She could just learn from Orochi.
"I'm leaving."
Without looking back, Gurd boarded the ship.
"Set sail!"
"Ooooh!"
The Groudon Ship departed Wano Country, greeted by roaring waves and sea winds.
Standing on the deck, Gurd gazed at the turbulent ocean, feeling uneasy. His mind began to wander.
With waves this big, would the ship capsize?
Or get swallowed by a Sea King?
Page One noticed Gurd's discomfort.
"Brother-in-law, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. I'm going to my cabin for a while."
Shaking his head, Gurd retreated below deck.
He had realized why he felt so unsettled.
He wasn't standing on solid ground!
As the Earth God Groudon, being disconnected from the land slightly weakened his stamina, though the effect was minor.
Mostly, it was psychological.
He hated the sea!
"Once I grow powerful enough to evolve into Primal Groudon Form, I swear I'll fill this damn ocean in!"
Gurd silently vowed.
To reclaim land from the sea, he'd need at least his complete form. To redraw the world map, he'd likely require his ultimate Primal Groudon Form.
Keh keh keh—it was decided.
He would create a world without oceans!
Gurd glanced at Ulti nearby.
For this trip to Hachinosu Island, aside from the usual crew, he had specifically brought the siblings along as his assistants.
"Ulti, bring me the nautical chart!"
"Yes, Gu Jiang-sama!"
"Get me some coffee."
"Right away."
"The newspaper."
"Ugh, get it yourself, idiot!"
Meanwhile, at Hachinosu Island.
As a pirate paradise, Hachinosu had always been a coveted stronghold, with only the strongest claiming it over the decades.
Its previous ruler was named Rocks.
After the God Valley War, the Rocks Pirates disbanded, and Hachinosu became the territory of the Whitebeard Pirates—where it remained to this day.
Near the port, the Moby Dick.
"Wooooo! Ace just scored another amazing victory!"
"Ace subdued Thatch's crew!"
"He's incredible!"
A feast was underway on deck, celebrating Ace's triumph.
The pirates wholeheartedly accepted their newest crewmate—not just for his formidable strength, but for the trust he had quickly earned.
The Whitebeard Pirates hadn't welcomed newcomers in a long time. Most pirates were unscrupulous scoundrels, making it hard to distinguish the good from the bad.
But once someone joined, they were trusted unconditionally—treated as family.
Ace hadn't disappointed them!
"Ace, great news!"
The Fourth Division Commander, Doma, wrapped his arm around Ace's neck and happily raised his glass to the pirates on the deck.
"Pops just said he wants Ace to be the Second Division Commander!"
"What?!"
The pirates were stunned.
Since Oden's departure, the position of Second Division Commander had been vacant for a full 21 years. No one expected Pops to let someone inherit that role.
After a brief silence, the pirates excitedly raised their glasses and cheered.
"That's amazing!"
"If it's Ace, no problem!"
"I have no objections either!"
"Hahaha, we'll have to call Ace 'Commander' from now on!"
The news of Ace joining the Whitebeard Pirates hadn't spread yet, but once he became a commander, it would surely be known worldwide.
This was important to them!
Over the past decade or so, Pops had rarely taken action due to his need to recuperate, leaving most enemies to be handled by his sons.
But this led other pirate crews to believe Pops had truly grown old. More and more pirates dared to challenge them, like the Thatch crew Ace had just defeated.
With Ace joining and taking up such an important commander position, it would undoubtedly boost the Whitebeard Pirates' deterrent power!
"Me? A commander?"
Ace was dumbfounded.
By all accounts, he had been on the ship for less than three months, and for most of that time, he had been challenging Whitebeard.
A full hundred challenges!
And a hundred beatdowns in return.
Night raids, assassinations, head-on confrontations.
He had tried almost every trick, yet each time Whitebeard crushed him instantly, leaving him to grudgingly call out "Pops" in tears.
Ace still remembered the bold declaration he had made to his crew when they first entered Whitebeard's territory, pointing at the sea ahead.
"You think we can snag 1 billion Berries after defeating Whitebeard?"
"Huh?"
The past was too embarrassing to recall.
"Ace! Ace!"
His crewmates' shouts snapped him out of his miserable thoughts.
Marco gave Ace a firm slap on the back.
"Ace, don't just stand there dazed! Everyone's celebrating for you!"
"Ah, oh!"
Ace snapped back to reality and quickly raised his glass, taking a big gulp.
His heart swelled with joy.
Though becoming a commander wasn't exactly his original goal, at least half of his dream when setting sail had been achieved.
He wanted to make a name for himself!
First, become a commander. Then, push Whitebeard Pops onto the throne of Pirate King. Finally, continue his own path to becoming the strongest.
That was his roadmap forward!
"Bad news!"
Suddenly, chaos erupted on the deck.
"We just got word—a Beasts Pirates warship has been spotted to the southwest! Judging by its course, it's heading for Hachinosu Island!"
"The Beasts Pirates?!"
The pirates paled in shock.
"What are they doing at Hachinosu?"
"Are they here to fight us?!"
"Bastards, don't underestimate us!"
Not long ago, the Beasts Pirates had just returned from an expedition, their brutal methods still sending waves of fear through the New World.
They were a bunch of war-crazed lunatics.
Where the Beasts tread, only ruins remained!
A clash between two of the Four Emperors was no small matter!
Marco barked out a question.
"How many ships do they have?"
"Just one!"
One ship?
The tense commanders relaxed slightly.
If the Beasts only had one ship, they probably weren't here to fight. Even recklessness had its limits.
Wait—those maniacs didn't operate by normal logic.
Who knew if one of them had a death wish!
"Go inform Pops immediately!"
"Yes!"
After giving the order, Marco turned to look at Ace beside him and froze in surprise.
Why was he sweating so much?
"Ace, what's wrong?"
"I-I'm f-fine."
Ace trembled as he raised his glass, spilling the alcohol everywhere.
Only one ship!
It had to be that devil!
That guy must be here to collect his debt!
If that bastard found out he had become one of Whitebeard's division commanders and tracked him down to the ship, how could he ever show his face again?
He couldn't let that guy find out!
His plan was to save up enough money to repay the debt, retrieve the IOU and the photos—then there'd be no evidence left.
At the very least, he had to avoid this confrontation first!
Ace stiffly turned his head toward Marco, forcing a smile that looked worse than crying.
"Marco."
"What is it?"
"C-Can I not be a commander?"
"Huh???"
(End of chapter)