Somewhere across the vast expanse of the Grand Line.
An elegant, blood-red skiff sliced smoothly through the waves.
A solitary figure stood tall at the bow. He possessed a tall, slender build, his snow-white hair neatly woven into two long braids resting on his shoulders.
He wore a plum-red shirt paired with blood-red trousers, black leather shoes trimmed with gold, and a sweeping blood-red cape lined with a checkered pattern.
A vibrant blue rose rested against his collar, while his hand held a slender umbrella with a bat-shaped handle.
His eyebrows were a striking crimson, and a fine gold chain hung across his mouth, framing a sharp, sinister smile. This was the legendary grand pirate—Patrick Redfield!
Though he had yet to consume the Bat-Bat Fruit (Vampire Model), he already exuded a creepy, overwhelmingly sinister aura.
As a grand pirate whose standing in the New World rivaled Roger, Golden Lion Shiki, and Whitebeard, Redfield was notoriously volatile and unpredictable.
On his journey back to the East Blue, he had effortlessly demolished several Marine bases and wiped out a handful of pirate crews—all treated as mere warm-up acts.
To him, the main event was the group of rookie brats in his East Blue hometown who had dared to execute his nephew Chaikaf.
Suddenly, his Den Den Mushi rang out. Redfield answered in a low, resonant tone: "What is it?"
"Jahahaha! I heard you left the New World and headed back to the East Blue to avenge your nephew?"
The booming voice of Golden Lion Shiki over the line caused Redfield's expression to cool instantly: "I wouldn't call it 'revenge.' I am merely going to teach a few provocative brats a lesson, so they realize being a pirate isn't some child's game."
"Jahahaha! That's exactly how I see it! But I actually have a joint plan this time, and I want you to join me."
Redfield held zero interest in Shiki's grand schemes: "Apologies, but I am not interested."
"You didn't even hear me out before turning me down?!"
"Because you are not someone I wish to partner with!"
Click!
An enraged Shiki slammed down the receiver on the other end. He hadn't expected Redfield to remain so insufferably arrogant and impossible to deal with.
"Captain..."
"Since he refused, we'll reach out to Roger instead! With the two of us allied, we can dominate these seas and rule the entire world! Jahahaha!"
After severing contact with Shiki, the Red Count shifted his gaze back toward Reverse Mountain looming in the distance...
"Brats... don't you dare disappoint me."
At the exact same time, aboard the Shukaku...
"Hee-ha-ha! Shiraishi-boy, you've completely infuriated the Marines this time! They've dispatched two veteran Vice Admirals—Doberman and Stainless—to join forces with Garp and crush you at Loguetown!"
Over the Den Den Mushi, Ivankov expressed genuine concern for their situation. Shiraishi, however, merely shook his head: "Don't worry, I'll find a way to handle it."
"Even though your core group is exceptionally strong, Doberman and Stainless are seasoned Vice Admirals. While they might be a step below Garp, they are far from weak—certainly not dead weight!"
Having treated both Shiraishi and Uchiha Madara with his hormone abilities, Ivankov shared a close relationship with the Sunagakure Pirates. Coupled with the various errands Shiraishi had entrusted to him recently, Shiraishi was more than willing to heed his advice.
"Wait a second, Shiraishi-boy... you don't sound worried at all. Don't tell me you're actually expecting this?!"
Realizing Shiraishi had no intention of avoiding a scene, Ivankov gasped: "Hee-ha-ha! Boy, your ambition is absurd! Are you seriously planning to wipe out all the Marines stationed at Loguetown in one fell swoop?!"
"With Garp present, that goal would be a bit too unrealistic."
"Hee-ha-ha! Well, I'll be heading to the Grand Line in a while anyway. We'll catch up when we have time—and I'll give you two boys a proper follow-up checkup!"
Ending the call with Ivankov, Shiraishi leaned back against the deck, entering a comfortable state of napping.
The ocean breeze drifting across his face felt remarkably pleasant...
Back during the Shinobi World era, as the Kazekage, he had to manage endless administrative duties every single day, rarely ever finding a moment to rest and unwind.
Since arriving in the One Piece world, although Shiraishi knew better than to grow completely slack, enjoying the gentle sea breeze during rare moments of downtime was a genuinely cozy way to live.
It's a pity Maki is still back in our original world...
Although time in the Naruto world remained frozen, Shiraishi's three split clones were able to act freely, safeguarding everything so he didn't have to worry about the Sage of Six Paths pulling any tricks.
Dressed in a classic pirate captain's coat and wearing a tilted tricorn hat, Shiraishi looked entirely nonchalant.
"Ivankov is right. Your body was just reconfigured; you must undergo regular examinations."
Serving as the ship's doctor, Unohana Retsu was currently compounding essential remedies from the supplies harvested from Cartier Island, primarily assisting Madara and Shiraishi with their physical conditioning.
It had to be said that when Unohana laid down her blade, she exuded a gentle, extraordinarily soothing aura.
Most of the ordinary crewmates on board adored the gentle Unohana, while keeping a respectful distance from the intimidating figures of Madara and Kikyo.
Little did they know that the person on this ship who enjoyed slaughter the most... was actually Unohana Retsu herself.
Meanwhile, Kikyo maintained her routine as a shrine maiden, meditating daily. Though her spiritual power remained faint in this realm, she persistently trained. Shiraishi had taken the time to modify her standard arrows, outfitting a portion of them with explosive capabilities.
At the moment, Kikyo was preparing specialized divinations and wind predictions, frequently discussing the unique meteorological patterns of this world with Moyard.
As an heir to the Shinto Onmyodo traditions, observing weather and atmospheric shifts was an ancient skill Kikyo had mastered long ago.
As for the crew's training fanatic, Uchiha Madara, he utilized heavy weights, giant dumbbells, and various conditioning gear to continuously hone his strength. As the legendary Shinobi Ghost, Madara held himself to an uncompromising standard.
Having nearly been caught off guard by the Transfer-Transfer Fruit earlier, Madara had dedicated this recent stretch entirely to honing his Observation Haki.
As a genius among geniuses, Madara had picked up both Armament and Observation Haki at an astonishing speed. However, compared to his focused cultivation of Observation Haki, he had paused his Armament training after mastering basic coating and hardening.
Observation Haki—with its elite perception capabilities—was naturally Madara's highest priority, perfectly aligning with the Uchiha clan's innate, high-speed combat style.
The chaos of the One Piece world had reignited the thrill of battle Madara hadn't felt since the Warring States period. He was subtly coming to love this era.
Glancing over at the hard-at-work Madara, Shiraishi suddenly recalled something: "Is Menma's consciousness still dormant?"
"The Nine-Tails brat's consciousness is still in a deep slumber."
Madara was somewhat puzzled himself. Logically, even though he was controlling Menma's physical vessel, the original consciousness should have put up a fight to reclaim control. Yet Menma's consciousness had accepted the situation with strange serenity.
Shiraishi slowly stood up, grabbing a glass of his custom-blended beverage and chugging it down: "What about the Dark Nine-Tails?"
"After being transformed into a Devil Fruit, that Nine-Tails' consciousness also fell dormant, sealed away alongside Menma's mind."
Madara had always maintained a disdainful attitude toward the Nine-Tails—whether it was the native version or the one from the alternate timeline. Even though he was currently borrowing its power, he still looked down on it.
That's rather odd... It seems Menma's failure to awaken has little to do with Madara, and more to do with some other unknown factor.
"Well then, Madara..."
Shiraishi handed over a fresh glass: "You should relax once in a while. Having a drink and enjoying the sea breeze isn't a bad way to pass the time."
"We've been at sea for nearly a month, and you're still relaxing?"
Madara offered a cold retort before turning around and walking off, ignoring him completely. Shiraishi didn't mind in the slightest, handing the remaining blended drinks to the other crewmates on deck.
"Haha! Thank you, Captain! Your drinks and pastries are the most delicious desserts we've ever tasted!"
"Yeah! Whichever woman gets to marry our Captain is going to be so lucky—getting to eat the Captain's delicious treats every day!"
Hearing their praise, Shiraishi burst into a warm laugh: "I'm already married. But funnily enough, practicing my pastry skills was originally meant for that exact goal."
Compared to the Naruto world, the pastry-making concepts in the One Piece world were fairly primitive. Shiraishi's refined gel and batter techniques easily blew the taste buds of these rough pirates wide open.
Of course, deep down, the pirates still preferred meat, but treating themselves to high-end desserts once in a while was a welcome luxury.
In secret, many crewmates had even begun referring to Shiraishi as the "Pastry Captain"...
For some reason, Shiraishi's culinary talents feel strangely compatible with a certain Big Mom Pirates crew...
At present, aside from Shiraishi's core group of five, the Shukaku had recruited roughly forty crew members along the way, including Moyard.
In terms of complement size, forty was quite small for a heavy warship, as a large-tonnage sailing vessel could easily accommodate up to a thousand men.
However, Shiraishi didn't have the interest or funds to maintain a massive army. The forty members on board were primarily skilled shipwrights and navigators. When it came to actual combat, the core five handled everything personally.
In the waters surrounding Loguetown, the Marines were guaranteed to deploy massive forces. Joined by warships from various East Blue divisions, the total force numbered at least ten heavy sailing warships.
Beyond the Marines, there was also the potential arrival of the Red Count. The upcoming battle at Loguetown was a bone that had to be gnawed clean. Shiraishi had zero intention of evading the Marine blockade; instead, he planned to confront it head-on, utterly shattering Marine Headquarters' containment attempt.
Only by doing so could they establish overwhelming prestige, allowing them to stand toe-to-toe with major pirate factions upon entering the Grand Line.
To reach the ultimate destination, one had to become a super pirate of this era—and Shiraishi's benchmark wasn't a standard Warlord of the Sea, but rather the level of a Four Emperors (Yonko) caliber powerhouse.
And to become a Yonko, every clash against the Marines demanded an absolute, dominant display of strength.
Only such overwhelming dominance could generate the prestige necessary to recruit top-tier subordinates...
Meanwhile, in the outer waters of Loguetown, several Marine warships were actively patrolling. According to Marine calculations, the Sunagakure Pirates were expected to arrive shortly, putting the entire East Blue Marine division on high alert.
"According to my estimates, Aoki Shiraishi of the Sunagakure Pirates should delay his arrival at Loguetown for a while."
Unlike the razor-sharp Doberman, Vice Admiral Stainless exuded a mild, relaxed demeanor. However, the twin swords resting at his waist made it abundantly clear that he was an elite swordsman.
"To avoid the Marine fleet?"
"Since the Sunagakure Pirates intend to enter the Grand Line, they will naturally want to preserve their strength and avoid heavy casualties. Therefore, it's unlikely they'll choose a direct, frontal collision with us at Loguetown... Unless..."
"Unless what?"
"Unless they possess absolute confidence—or an ambition large enough to swallow the sea. In that case, the upcoming battle will become exceptionally brutal."
Pirates who chose to dodge direct clashes with the Marines were not terrifying. What truly alarmed Stainless was the possibility that the Sunagakure Pirates would act just as recklessly as before, charging straight into Loguetown without a second thought.
Stainless's smile vanished. As his hands gripped his twin hilts, his aura surged to full power: "In fact... they truly are ridiculously arrogant..."
It wasn't just Vice Admiral Stainless; several other Vice Admirals and their warships in surrounding sectors noticed it at the exact same time—
Far across the horizon, the flag of the Sunagakure Pirates was fluttering proudly in the sea wind...
"Vice Admiral, sir...!"
"Prepare for battle."
Doberman and Garp were positioned in other sectors surrounding Loguetown. All three Vice Admirals had assumed the Sunagakure Pirates wouldn't arrive so quickly, but Shiraishi had caught them completely off guard.
"As expected, the Marines' arrogant miscalculation led them to scatter their forces. Now, let's concentrate our advantage and break through this sector first."
Holding his silver blade, Shiraishi leaped into the air. As the pair of silver wings manifested behind his back, glittering frost and snow scattered across the sky, turning into a vast white curtain that descended directly over the waters of Loguetown!
Blizzard!
The Articuno Blizzard was capable of instantly transforming the surrounding environment into a sub-zero winter wasteland. Amidst the cascading snow, the weather across Loguetown altered violently.
This sudden atmospheric shift signaled a significant leap in Shiraishi's Fruit mastery—he had never executed Articuno's power on such a massive scale before.
"Now... let's begin."
The moment the words left his lips, Shiraishi executed a high-speed descent toward the ocean surface. The exact second his toes touched the water, a massive Ice Lotus rapidly spun open beneath him!
As petal after petal of ice and snow bloomed across the sea, the temperature of the ocean plunged instantly.
The silver-white ice lotus opened across the water in a breathtakingly gorgeous display. The freezing air currents radiating from its petals rapidly froze the surrounding sea in every direction.
Even the harbor docks and shorelines of Loguetown were locked tight in solid ice!
Gripping his silver blade, Shiraishi condensed countless freezing rays along the edge, swinging a radiant silver slash straight toward Stainless's warship!
"What a monster of a rookie... This sheer momentum truly justifies deploying three Vice Admirals to meet him."
As Stainless spoke, his twin blades crossed. Coating his weapons in Haki, he successfully blocked Shiraishi's freezing slash. Yet in that brief moment, Shiraishi's frigid aura had already completely frozen the sea surrounding Loguetown into a solid sheet of ice.
"Freezing the water merely restricts warship movement. Don't you realize that?"
Standing firmly on the ice, Stainless swung his twin blades, unleashing a brilliant flying slash that was promptly blocked by a mirror of ice created by Shiraishi.
"I froze the sea purely because I didn't want my own ship getting damaged in the crossfire."
"I hope you can maintain that arrogance in the moments to come!"
With an instantaneous burst of speed, Stainless flashed forward with his twin blades. Shiraishi, however, drifted backward effortlessly. The icy wings behind his back split and multiplied into two distinct pairs of wings, and a moment later, a massive greatsword made of pure ice condensed in his left hand.
"Dual-Blade Style... I know a thing or two about that as well."
During his time at the Isshin Dojo, Shiraishi had studied Dual-Blade techniques. Simply using the ice blade to simulate a second sword, he paired it with his silver blade, unleashing a sharp, oppressive edge.
In an instant, Vice Admiral Stainless felt a heavy weight settle on his chest. Observing the young pirate in the tricorn hat wielding dual blades before him, Stainless couldn't spot a single flaw in his stance...
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