"An extra edition? Give me one."
Ren flicked out a hundred-Beli coin in mild surprise and received the freshly printed newspaper.
"Extra Edition! The Seven Warlords Turn Against the Marines!"
Ren's eyes narrowed.
Events happened across the world every minute of every day, yet only a few were significant enough to make it into the papers.Such news always meant something massive—something that would shake the world, or at least grab its attention.
Perhaps a Marine wiped out a notorious pirate crew.Perhaps a coup had erupted somewhere.Perhaps a new pirate had risen to power.
Even distant headlines could spell danger for ordinary people.One day, a pirate you read about might show up at your doorstep.If you recognized them, you might have a chance to flee.If you didn't... you'd be dead before you realized what happened.
That wasn't exaggeration—it was fact.
And since entertainment was scarce in this era, newspapers had become the common man's greatest pastime.
But not all papers carried the same weight.An extra edition—that was something else entirely.
Anything worthy of that title had to be printed and distributed immediately, the moment it happened.Because it was that important.
The issue in Ren's hands was one such case.There was only one photo on the front page.
On one side stood a massive warship with a dog-shaped figurehead, and atop it—a broad-shouldered man wearing a dog-head cap.
The caption beneath read in bold black letters: "Marine Vice Admiral—Hero of the Navy, Garp!"
On the opposite end of the image, upon a small black boat, stood a solitary figure—a black-clad swordsman, blade in hand, staring silently at the warship.
Above them, the clouds themselves had been split apart.
From the photo alone, the Marines appeared overwhelmingly dominant.The black boat, dwarfed by perspective, made the lone swordsman seem insignificant.
But no one in their right mind would believe that the black-clad swordsman was weak.After all—that was Dracule Mihawk, the current Warlord of the Sea, the man hailed as the World's Greatest Swordsman!
"Damn it... what's going on?"
Ren muttered, frowning as he examined the photo and accompanying article.The tension captured in that image was palpable.The journalist had gone on to write thousands of words describing the clash between the two legends.
But Ren couldn't focus on any of that.He didn't know why Mihawk was there, or why he was confronting Garp.
All he knew was that Mihawk's appearance would divert a huge portion of the East Blue Marines' attention.If Garp was occupied, he certainly wouldn't have the time to hunt down Ren and his crew anymore.
Mihawk's reputation wasn't hollow—Ren even suspected the man possessed Admiral-level strength.
Whatever Mihawk's intentions were, one thing was certain:as long as he and Garp were locked in a standoff, Loguetown would be safe from the Marine hero's pursuit.
That left only one question—
What kind of disaster would the imbalance of luck bring this time?
BOOM—!
As Ren pondered, a thunderous explosion erupted at the harbor.
He instinctively looked up, his Sharingan flaring to full power, capturing every motion in vivid clarity.
A towering plume of smoke rose from the port, and amid the haze, he could make out shattered fragments of ships—the aftermath of a massive flying slash still fading in the distance.
It wasn't Mihawk's signature green aura.This one burned with a dark crimson trail.
Thud!
Something red and white crashed down onto a nearby street, scattering civilians in panic.
One glance was all Ren needed—that was his bed.
"The Pipi Shrimp... is gone!?"
Ren's pupils contracted. The truth hit him instantly.
A shout roared from above."Who dares attack the harbor!?"
Smoker's furious voice echoed as his lower body turned to white smoke, propelling him toward the explosion like a comet.
"What happened?" Nami and Nojiko rushed over, arms full of shopping bags, both staring blankly at the distant smoke.
Zoro followed, brows furrowed, his gaze landing on the red-and-white bed that had fallen nearby.
That bed... he had slept in it before.
"No idea," Ren muttered, his brow tightening.
The paper showed Garp and Mihawk locked in confrontation—so it couldn't be Garp.And that flying slash... that meant a swordsman.Smoker's departure confirmed it wasn't another Marine like Bogard.
Which meant—it was a pirate.
But what pirate in the East Blue could unleash a slash like that?
While the others stood in confusion,a surge of white smoke suddenly blasted up from the harbor—and crashed straight into the massive clock tower of Loguetown!
Stones and bricks rained down as the spire collapsed.Smoker's unconscious body, covered in blood, was buried beneath the rubble—and then the great bronze bell fell.
DONG—!
The deep toll echoed through the town. Dark clouds rolled across the sky, dimming the daylight into leaden gray. A suffocating, invisible pressure swept across Loguetown like the wrath of heaven itself.
Civilians on the streets collapsed one after another. Nojiko, who had instinctively shielded Nami, shuddered violently—then went limp in her arms.
Before Nami could even react, that overwhelming force slammed into her heart like a thunderclap.
In her fading consciousness, she saw them—a pair of cold, crimson eyes,gazing down at her like a god staring at an ant.
She fell unconscious.
Even Zoro staggered, grimacing as he braced himself with his sheathed swords.
He turned his head—and saw behind Ren, the silhouette of a snarling demon manifest, its violent aura tearing through the oppressive storm.But only barely.
Ren held both women tightly, his gaze fixed on the far end of the street.
In the distance—he could feel it.A domineering man radiating raw power, staring back at him.
Every hair on Ren's body stood on end, as if a giant hand of fear had clutched his heart.
"Conqueror's Haki...! Goddamn it—Red-Hair!"
All his calculations... and it wasn't Garp who came.It was Red-Haired Shanks!
No wonder Mihawk had shown up in the East Blue. No wonder he'd clashed with Garp.
It all started here!
Everything Ren had prepared was for Garp—but now it all came crashing down.
Everything was calculated... What!? Red-Hair!?
Damn it!
"Zoro," Ren said coldly, eyes sharpening. "Can I trust you?"
Zoro frowned, then nodded.
"Do you trust me?"
"I do."
"Then remember—what happened with Mihawk wasn't a coincidence. I'll be fine. You take Nami and Nojiko and leave. No matter what happens next—don't intervene, don't speak, don't even show yourselves."
"If they act strange later, subdue them and get out of Loguetown.Go into hiding. I'll contact you through Den Den Mushi."
"I made a mistake back on Quint Island. Now the disaster's come knocking. If it's just me, I have a chance. If you stay... none of us make it out alive."
Ren's tone left no room for argument. He tossed the Eye Bone to Zoro, then reached into the Four-Dimensional Chrysanthemum, pulling out a small, blood-red totem effigy.
Totem of Undying · Steve's Tear – 1
The effigy expanded in his vision, its dark red glow flooding everything—and then, as if nothing had happened, vanished. Only the new line on his status panel proved it was real.
"Let's begin—my final act."
Ren drew the Cursed Blade Thousand Edge from the dimensional space. Qi poured into the blade, scattering its six hundred eighty-eight fragments, each hovering at ground level as he advanced.
As he walked, the Dimensional Roulette spun once. A flash of silver—a single skull coin appeared in his hand.
"Luck's turned a little... maybe because I chose to face death head-on."
Ren smiled faintly, flicking the Aztec Gold Coin into the air.
It spun, clinking down onto a café table beside an unconscious patron.
Ren picked up a bottle of liquor from the same table.
Its name—Fervor.
He bit out the cork and spat it aside, then drank deeply, half the bottle gone in one breath.
The liquor burned down his throat like a blazing fuse, igniting his blood until all fear was consumed.
Soon, he felt nothing at all.
The dead feel no pleasure—only anger.And that anger thundered in his chest like war drums.
The road ahead was cut off. Only death remained.
Ren walked forward. The Soul-Shattering Horn blared. Avatars from the First, Third, and Fifth Calabash Brother Templates appeared at his sides.
No words were exchanged. The Water Brother template merged silently into one of them.
Then, with the Potara Earrings, the remaining two fused into one body.
Magic Crystals crumbled into dust in his palm, crimson lightning crawling across his veins as the sky darkened.
Finally, Ren drew forth a triple-enchanted trident, gripping it tightly.
Footsteps echoed from the far end of the street.
Out of the shadows stepped a tall man with red hair and a scar across his eye, hand resting lightly on his sword's hilt.
Shanks.
His cold, blade-like gaze locked onto the young man standing before him, as if he had expected this meeting all along.
The chaos had gone on long enough.Someone wanted it ended.
The East Blue was vast, yes—but it was still their domain. And with countless Devil Fruit users serving them, finding one target was not difficult.
"Yonko... Shanks, right?" Ren's smile was faint, detached—as if facing just another enemy, not one of the Four Emperors.
"You know me?" Shanks asked, studying him closely. A young face, still bearing traces of youth—but the scar from nose to brow gave him a hardened edge beyond his years.
This boy was the one who had killed his old friend—Buggy.
"He told me," Ren replied simply.
The final Magic Crystal shattered in his hand, and a radiant light swirled around him, forming a suit of luminous armor.
Darkness retreated before him.
He stood like an angel bathed in light, wings of pale gold unfurling behind him as the sound of cracking crystal filled the air.
Layer upon layer of hardened energy drew blood essence into the gaps, solidifying the brilliance like bone.
The radiant "angel" stood tall once more upon the earth.
(End of Chapter)