"A banquet?"
"YAY!"
Storm's suggestion immediately elicited enthusiastic cheers from the Shandian warriors.
After four hundred years of wandering and bleeding in the sky, they had finally reclaimed their homeland. Regardless of how they reclaimed it, the Island of God was once again theirs. This was personally certified by Lord Vongola Storm.
Even a god could not object, mostly because the old one was currently dead in a crater.
Such a momentous occasion deserved a magnificent feast. The very idea ignited the hearts of every Shandian warrior like wildfire. They didn't even care to explore the ruins right now; they just wanted to return to the Hidden Cloud Village, gather the elders and the children, and bring everyone home.
Led by Wiper, the Shandian guerrillas hurriedly bowed to Storm and departed.
Even little Aisa, who had been crying moments before, held back her tears. As she walked away, she turned around and waved her right hand at Storm. The clay Nine-Tailed Fox doll swayed back and forth in her grip.
Although she still felt deep regret over losing the "winged white lizard," Storm had given them their island back. Wasn't the fox doll a fair trade?
'This brat!' Storm thought, his lips twitching as he watched her forced smile. 'Whether it's Jewelry Bonney or Aisa, kids in this world are annoying! The ancients were right: even dogs dislike five-year-olds.'
Storm watched the Shandians disappear into the jungle, shaking his head.
With the banquet preparations underway, he decided not to linger. He had someone to pick up. He hopped onto the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, flew to the edge of the island cloud, and plunged directly into the boundless White Sea.
The thick "sea clouds" parted easily for the dragon. With the Rumble-Rumble Ring enhancing his Observation Haki, Storm's perception range was dramatically amplified. Even from thousands of meters in the sky, he could clearly sense Jaya Island below.
He could even hear the pirates in Mock Town laughing raucously in their taverns. He could unleash a "Divine Judgment" (El Thor) right now and wipe them off the map.
'I'll ignore these small-time pirates for now...'
The massive shadow of the white dragon swept over Jaya and sped across the Blue Sea toward Banaro Island.
Not long after, Banaro Island appeared on the horizon. From miles away, Storm could see the 100-meter-tall clay Godzilla standing silently as a guardian.
The dragon slowed its flight. Storm looked at the clay clone standing silently beside him like a statue—the muscular, towering figure with the crescent-moon mustache.
Storm pulled the Rumble-Rumble Ring from his own finger and placed it onto the clone's hand.
The moment the clone—named "Whitebeard III, Edward Teach"—wore the ring, boundless lightning erupted from its clay body. The demonic power of the Logia fruit animated the golem, giving it a spark of terrifying, electric life.
CRACK-BOOM!
A deafening thunderbolt tore across the sky above Banaro Island.
Inside her sturdy clay hut, Robin was reading a book. Hearing the sudden thunder, she instinctively looked out the window.
She saw the Blue-Eyes White Dragon descending, but her eyes were drawn to the figure leaping from its back. A man wreathed in silvery-white arcs of electricity plummeted toward the ground.
"The boss's dragon..." Robin stood up, leaning against the window. "But what's with the lightning?"
BOOM!
The figure landed, creating a crater. Lightning danced across the ground, forcing Robin to shield her eyes. When the dust settled, a figure both strange and terrifyingly familiar stood before her.
Strange, because Robin had never met him in person. Familiar, because his face was legendary across the seas.
Just looking at that iconic, crescent-shaped white mustache... it was the face that haunted the nightmares of Marines and pirates alike.
'Whitebeard?!'
Robin was instantly stunned. The intense mental shock left her rooted to the spot, unable to breathe.
'Why is Whitebeard in Paradise? Why does he look so young? And why isn't he using the Tremor-Tremor Fruit? That's the power of lightning!'
Robin barely regained her senses. She glanced up at the sky.
'Blue-Eyes White Dragon, why are you just watching?! Wait... why are you flying away?!'
The lightning enveloping the man gradually dissipated.
"Nico Robin?"
The clone spoke. The voice was deep, resonant, and carried a hint of thunderous magnetism.
Robin jolted as if struck by the lightning itself. "Y-Yes!"
"Edward Teach," the clone gave a brief, deadpan introduction. "Let's go. The Vongola is waiting."
'Vongola?' Robin's mind raced. 'That's the boss's surname! The boss knows Whitebeard? And who is Edward Teach? Isn't Whitebeard's real name Edward Newgate?!'
Questions flooded her mind, but survival instinct took over. The human-sized clay Godzilla acting as her bodyguard dutifully followed the clone. Robin quickly grabbed her hand-drawn island blueprints and hurried after them.
When they reached the center of the island, Storm was waiting. The 100-meter Godzilla sank smoothly into the earth, vanishing from sight.
Storm looked at Robin, while "Edward Teach" stood silently to the side, his arms crossed.
"You're here," Storm smiled. "No one caused trouble, right?"
'Who would dare cause trouble with a 100-meter monster outside?' Robin silently shook her head and handed over the papers. "Boss, this is the island planning map you requested."
"Hmm, not bad." Storm glanced at it. It was surprisingly normal—no dark, bizarre, or morbid aesthetics. "Keep it for now. Ready to go to the Sky Island?"
"Yes..." Robin hesitated, glancing nervously at the towering, white-mustached man. She quietly moved closer to Storm. "Boss... who is this?"
"Teach. My first crew member," Storm replied smoothly. "Didn't I tell you about him?"
'Absolutely not!!!' The usually calm archaeologist roared inwardly. 'Why is a man who looks exactly like Whitebeard taking orders from you?! Has the world gone mad?!'
But on the surface, she maintained a flawless, charming smile. "I must have forgotten."
"Don't think I can't hear the sarcasm in your tone," Storm raised an eyebrow, mimicking Kizaru's lazy drawl. "Anyone can talk like that~"
Robin's smile stiffened.
"Alright, enough joking," Storm pointed at the clone. "His full name is Edward Teach. He's a 'Lightning Man' who possesses the Logia-type Rumble-Rumble Fruit."
As Storm spoke, the clone opened its eyes, glanced indifferently at Robin, and gave a stiff nod.
'It really is the power of lightning.' A cold sweat broke out on Robin's back. She bowed slightly. "Hello, I'm Nico Robin."
"No need to be so cautious," Storm chuckled, wrapping an arm around the clone's massive shoulder. "Teach has a very good personality—"
BZZZT!
Before Storm could finish, the clone transformed into a dazzling bolt of lightning, zipping into the sky and vanishing onto the dragon's back.
'This personality... is it really that good?' Robin looked at Storm, highly skeptical.
"Oh, right, one more thing," Storm clapped his hands. "If you don't mind, you can call him 'Whitebeard III.' However, although his surname is Edward, he has absolutely no relation to Edward Newgate."
Robin blinked.
'Yeah, right. I don't believe that for a second.'
With that signature crescent-shaped white mustache and the overwhelming presence, how could he not be related? A dark, conspiratorial thought surfaced in Robin's brilliant mind:
'Could this "Edward Teach" be... Whitebeard's illegitimate son?!'
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