Compared to the Navy's reaction, Red-Haired Shanks learned of the situation even faster.
But the moment he laid eyes on the front page of the World Economic Journal…a Den Den Mushi call came through — from a number once belonging to a Revolutionary Army officer.
He answered it. The snail's features morphed into a familiar face.
"I believe you've already seen the paper, haven't you, Shanks?"
The familiar voice over the line made Shanks' breath hitch.
His tone deepened.
"So you're still alive, huh? Throwing out a provocation like this… are you that desperate to die?"
"No. I'm not your match right now — that's exactly why I did it. I know you want revenge. Coincidentally, so do I. That slash you gave me hurt like hell."
Ren's cold, emotionless voice continued:
"But I'm not an idiot. I won't do something meaningless. If you charge into Paradise right now to find me, I can guarantee you'd succeed in killing me. But believe me — there won't be a third time you get to do it.
I'll abandon all restraint and strike back without mercy. You know I have no family… but your crewmates do. For example — your sniper, Yasopp, right? I've met his son Usopp. And that little village called Windmill Village."
Shanks narrowed his eyes, his voice low with fury.
"You're threatening me!?"
Black arcs of lightning crackled around him, and outside the captain's quarters, crewmen dropped unconscious one by one.
Ben Beckman rushed in, saw the scene, and silently took position by the door.
Ren's voice droned on through the receiver:
"No. I'm just stating a fact — a fact I can make real. If you don't want that to happen, the solution is simple. Look at the words written under that photo."
Shanks instinctively glanced at the newspaper.The handwritten line stood out sharply:
"Red-Haired Shanks — within three years, I'll settle our East Blue feud. — Ren."
"As you can see," Ren continued, "I'll come for you within three years to end this grudge. Don't worry — I'll keep my word. Because by then, I'll be strong enough to defeat you.
Take it as a provocation… or as an invitation. If you're willing, make it public — declare it to the world."
Then the line went dead.
Before Shanks could react, another call came through — to a very special Den Den Mushi.
The World Government.
As the World Economic Journal spread worldwide, the Government, having received the same intelligence, initiated contact.
Shanks dismissed Beckman, then answered.
The voice belonged to Saturn — one of the Five Elders.
The message was brief. Saturn first explained that Ren's survival in East Blue — his escape from Navy capture —was due to World Government interference. A "favor," granted because of Ren's mysterious origins.
Now, Saturn asked that Shanks honor that favor —and refrain from invading Paradise again. In exchange, the Government would mobilize every force they could —Navy and beyond — to eliminate "Demon Ren,"and deliver his head to Shanks.
Of course, Saturn never said when that would happen, nor what they'd do if it didn't.
It wasn't a negotiation — more a courtesy call, out of respect for Shanks' bloodline.
But if he insisted on acting, war would break out for real. The World Government could not allow a second Yonko to leave the New Worldand descend into Paradise or the Four Seas.
Ten minutes later—
"Captain, what now? That guy was clearly provoking us!"
On the deck of the Red-Haired Pirates' ship, the officers had gathered, guessing that Ren's provocation had triggered Shanks' fury —his burst of Conqueror's Haki had already knocked them all out once.
Now, they waited for an answer.
They all knew roughly what had happened — even more than the public. Ren had come back from the dead. The captain had personally cut him into bloody mist.
And yet…he lived — and even stood over Crocodile's corpse to issue a challenge!
Shanks stayed silent for a long time,then turned toward the sea, eyes sharp enough to pierce the horizon.
"For now, we'll leave it at that. I'll be waiting right here for your arrival… Demon Ren."
Beckman frowned.
"This is about that call, isn't it?"
Shanks didn't answer. He just grabbed a bottle, bit off the cork, and drank deep.
"Drink!"
The next day
Ren's story once again dominated the World Economic Journal front page —this time alongside Marine-issued bounty posters.
Not just Ren's — others, too.
[DEAD OR ALIVE]
Demon Ren
Bounty: 270,000,000 Beli
Two photos split the poster in half —one of a warm, smiling youth…and the other, a four-winged angel seated on a throne, foot pressing upon Crocodile's headless corpse.
[DEAD OR ALIVE]
Pirate Hunter – Roronoa Zoro
Bounty: 80,000,000 Beli
The photo was taken on Darwin Island —a green-haired swordsman, cold-eyed, three blades at his waist,walking through rain past a field of corpses.
The dead man at his feet was unmistakable to seasoned eyes —Daz Bonez, the West Blue assassin, worth 75 million.
[DEAD OR ALIVE]
Flame Queen
Bounty: 30,000,000 Beli
No human figure in this photo —only a humanoid blaze walking through a sea of fire, while bounty hunters screamed within the inferno. The photographer had captured it perfectly.
No updates followed for the other members of the Demon Pirates.
Even so, the world erupted.
"Hey, 270 million Beli? That's nearly seventy times his old bounty!"
"That's supernova-level, isn't it?"
"Way stronger than that Cavendish guy!"
At a tavern somewhere in Paradise, pirates whispered over today's paper —mentioning the man who had recently passed through these waters.
Then—
Boom!
A slash tore through the tavern doors. Cavendish, face dark, strode in.
"Hey, what's your problem, Cavendish!? You want to start a war with our pirate alliance!?"
Three pirate crews leapt up, drawing swords and pistols. They had formed a temporary alliance to deal with stronger foes —Cavendish included.
"Betty Pirates — 30 million total.
Drumbeat Pirates — 42 million.
Red Ogre Pirates — 27 million."
Cavendish unsheathed his blade, cold eyes glinting.
"If I kill you all, my bounty should go up too, right? I'll borrow your heads for now — to surpass that bastard Ren!"
"This guy's insane!"
"Kill him!"
Gunfire erupted in the cramped tavern —but not a single shot hit its mark.
A sharp gust swept through, and in a blur of silver,blood sprayed beneath the sword's arc.
When silence returned, Cavendish stepped outside, spotless.
One of his men hurried up, trembling, newspaper in hand.
"C-Captain, your name's here! Look!"
Cavendish snatched the paper —his face twisting as he saw his tiny corner article, overshadowed by Ren's bounty photo.
"Ren… I'll never forgive you!"
He slashed the paper apart, cutting Ren's photo cleanly in two.
"Let's go. Next target!"
With a whirl of his cloak, he stormed off to vent his rage —just one of many across the seven routes of the Grand Line.
Understanding why Ren had earned 270 million was one thing; understanding one's own limits was another.
But either way—no one doubted Crocodile's death anymore.
Winner takes all. That's the pirate world's law. The strong stand tall — no matter who questions or denies it.
Across the world, civilians realized another infamous name had emerged, and panic spread once again. But truthfully, they'd grown numb.
Only those along the path of the Demon Pirates truly remembered their name —and feared it.
Meanwhile, other pirates were rising.
"Another shooting star…Wonder how long it'll shine."
On a massive, fortress-like ship cruising through Paradise, Capone "Gang" Bege — the mafia godfather —stared at Ren's bounty poster before tossing it aside.
"Speed up," he ordered his crew. "Tomorrow we crush that lot — I'm expanding fast."
At Reverse Mountain's Twin Cape—
"Two hundred seventy million…So this is the Grand Line, huh?"
Onboard the Kid Pirates' ship, Killer — wearing his blue-and-white striped mask —showed the paper to his captain.
"What do you think, Kid?"
"Don't sell ourselves short. We'll surpass him soon enough."
Eustass Kid, with his crimson spiked hair and black goggles, spread his arms to feel the ocean breeze.
"Nice weather today. Let's sail!"
Farther into Paradise, a double-masted submarine broke the waves.
On deck, a white-furred polar bear yelled,
"Captain, this guy's amazing! 270 million! All of us together aren't worth that much!"
"Beppo, you shouldn't say 'us'— you're worth 500."
Penguin muttered flatly.
Beppo deflated like a balloon.
"Sorry…"
"Hey! Don't bully Beppo, Penguin!"
"Shachi, I'm just stating facts."
"Huh!? Then I'll just tell everyone you're only ten centimeters!"
"What!? Screw you, you're ten centimeters!"
The deck erupted in chaos.
Their captain sighed helplessly,golden sunlight catching on his fur-lined spotted hatand the dark rings beneath his eyes.
Trafalgar Law — the Surgeon of Death.
He murmured softly,
"Ren, huh…?"
He memorized the man's face.
Reactions across the seas varied — most were hostile or dismissive. But in the East Blue, they were anything but.
"Look! Keya's bounty poster!"
At Cocoyasi Village's tavern, Genzo waved the paper excitedly,and the villagers crowded around.
"Two hundred seventy million!?"
"Holy crap, Arlong only had what — twenty million?"
"That's thirteen Arlongs!"
"Keya's that strong!?"
They gawked in awe.
"But wait — where's Nami? And who's that fire person?"
"No idea."
"No Nami, huh?"
"Don't say that! I'm sure she's fine!"
"Maybe we should go pay respects to Keya's parents —tell them how far their son's come."
"Is being a pirate really something to be proud of?"
"Being a Marine isn't glorious anymore,so why not pirates?"
"...Fair point."
After much chatter, they followed Genzo up the hill to the graveyard —stepping deliberately on the dirt road beneath which Arlong and his crew lay buried.
Nothing to fear.
Across the world, Ren's name stirred waves —but at the heart of it all,the man himself felt nothing.
He was only wondering if that phone call had worked. If not — how to restrain Shanks, and what his next move should be.
He wasn't worried about the Yonko coming straight for him. Even if Shanks could teleport to Alabasta, he wouldn't find him —because Ren was no longer there.
He rose, walked out to the balcony,and looked ahead.
The Enlightenment was encased in a shimmering bubble like a bear's paw,rocketing through the sky.
Before long, the white sea of clouds appeared below —they were now seven thousand meters above ground,sailing across the White Sea toward their next destination.
This was Ren's safeguard. If Shanks ignored the warning, or if the World Government acted differently than expected, then at least from the sky, the Yonko couldn't reach him.
And with his ties to the Revolutionary Army, he could rely on their vast intelligence network to monitor Shanks' movements.
In short—even if his plan failed, he had contingencies. No repeat of that sudden East Blue ambush.
All that was left was to wait for the results. The journey to the target location would take time anyway —Bartholomew Kuma's Paw-Paw propulsion couldn't teleport the Enlightenment instantly.
So Ren waited, quietly, as the ship soared toward the heavens.
(End of Chapter)