The gambling table in the New World didn't require chips. In fact, the only thing you could bet was yourself.
For the longest time, people thought the so-called New World, the so-called Four Emperors Shanks, were nothing more than rumors—just another tall tale.
Even after most people heard about the Blade-less Pirates, even after news spread that the Land of Water's tribute to Kirigakure was stolen, they didn't pay much attention.
After all, Zabuza was a ninja, and ordinary people didn't concern themselves with ninja affairs.
To them, ninjas were on a whole different level, not someone they could even dream of challenging.
In the ninja world, status didn't matter much. What truly mattered was power. Strength decided everything.
So even when the Blade-less Pirates looted the Land of Water, it was still considered a ninja problem. When merchants started forming pirate crews, it wasn't because they learned about the New World or Shanks from the Blade-less Pirates—it was simply because piracy was an easy way to make money.
But now, with Dark's appearance, everything changed. His arrival ignited ambition in ordinary people, fueling the fire in gamblers' hearts.
At the edge of the Land of Water's waters, Dark stood tall at the bow of his ship.
He turned to look behind him, where over a thousand ships followed in his wake.
A surge of excitement rose within him.
Kidomaru and the others stared in shock at the endless number of ships covering the sea. The ships came in all shapes and sizes, carrying all kinds of people.
Some ships were incredibly luxurious, towering several stories high, with dozens of cannons mounted on them.
Some had their hulls reinforced with iron plates, making them look like floating fortresses, their engines rumbling loudly.
Others looked no different from ordinary fishing boats—old, worn-out, and carrying only a handful of people.
Some people didn't even have proper boats; they just sat on wooden planks tied to larger ships, hitching a ride out to sea.
And there were those even more ridiculous—strapping empty barrels to themselves and setting off just like that.
Kidomaru and the others saw all sorts of people—strong young men, shrewd and calculating merchants, half-dead addicts, disgraced samurai, frail drunkards barely clothed, starving beggars, and desperate gamblers who had spent too much time in casinos.
"Captain Dark!!" Kidomaru couldn't help but shout. This was just too crazy.
"You've never fought Shanks head-on, so you don't understand how terrifying he is. With just our two ships, we don't stand a chance."
"That man is a powerhouse leading a new era. You haven't faced the Four Emperors, yet you actually think you can take him on?"
Dark explained calmly.
He wasn't reckless. In fact, out of all the pirates back then, he was one of the few who managed to escape the chaos in the Land of Water and the Land of Waves. That alone proved he had a sharp mind.
And he wasn't just smart. As someone who climbed from being a mere enforcer to the captain of three ships, he had both the skills and the ambition.
But that still wasn't enough. Not even close.
Right now, the "Dark Pirates" weren't even strong enough to challenge the Blade-less Pirates, let alone stand against Four Emperors Shanks.
That's why Dark never intended to rely on himself alone.
"But… how did you gather so many people?"
"This is insane. All these ships—Captain Dark, is this your doing?"
At that moment, Kidomaru and the others no longer had even a shred of contempt for Dark.
They all knew his Devil Fruit had weaknesses. They all knew he was just a washed-up pirate not long ago, someone they wouldn't have even looked at twice.
Yet now, Kidomaru and his group finally saw him in a new light.
And as for the rest of the crew, there was no need to say anything. Their gazes toward Dark were filled with pure admiration.
This was Dark's way of doing things. This was the presence of a true pirate captain.
"Me? No way. Even the Blade-less Pirates couldn't pull this off. What makes you think I could?"
"There's only one man in this world who can make something like this happen."
"Who?"
"The Four Emperors—Shanks."
Dark's voice was deep and firm.
At most, he had only lit the beacon guiding people toward the New World. But the real path to the New World—Shanks was the one who carved it out.
He wasn't able to gather so many people in such a short time because he was strong or because he was smart. It wasn't even because of some Devil Fruit power.
The real reason was… that man.
"Let's go. It's time to meet them."
Dark's ship turned, and behind it, countless pirate ships made way, clearing a path for him.
Eventually, several massive ships appeared before Dark and his crew.
Click. Click. Click.
Mechanical sounds echoed from the large ships, and soon, ladders extended down to Dark's vessel.
A few figures, each surrounded by their own men, slowly descended from the ships.
These were people Dark once had to look up to—nearly all of them were among the most powerful figures in the underground black market.
When these men saw Dark, a look of shock appeared in their eyes. His massive size and towering height surprised them, but that shock quickly turned into excitement.
"So this is the power of a Devil Fruit?"
"Who would've thought that the little thug from the black market, Dark, could now stand on the same level as us?"
"I'm just as surprised that you guys know my name. But I have no idea who you are."
Dark smirked, his face full of mockery.
"Not that I care to know. Maybe one day, I'll hear your names if they're worth remembering."
"Dark, are you looking down on us?"
One of them snapped in anger, raising his weapon and aiming it at Dark. Behind Dark, Kidomaru and the others quietly placed their hands on their swords.
They weren't skilled swordsmen, but with their strength, they could easily cut off this guy's hand before he even swinging their sword.
"Don't get me wrong. I'm not looking down on you. I just never considered you worth my attention in the first place."
"You—!"
"Enough. Whatever this is about, deal with it later."
Another man sat down, ignoring the tension around him. His eyes, however, were locked onto Dark, filled with unhidden ambition—an ambition for power, an ambition for this entire world.
"You're interesting. Maybe one day, your name will be known across the seas."
Dark grinned. Ambition, strength, conviction… That was what made a pirate. If someone couldn't leave behind everything from their past, then even if they set sail, they'd never truly become one.
This guy in front of him was far stronger than the others.
"My name will only appear on this."
The man reached into his coat and pulled out a bounty poster, placing it on the table.
The sea breeze blew past, carrying the scent of salt and adventure. Nearly a thousand ships of various sizes filled the waters, their mismatched sails painted with colorful, rough-looking skull flags.
The wind didn't slow down against the sails. Instead, it seemed to be drawn toward Dark's ship at the center, rustling the bounty poster on the deck.
A once-empty piece of paper now bore the image of a man.
It was a picture Dark had personally added after returning—Shanks.
Red hair, three scars across his left eye, an unshaven face. He didn't look much different from the gamblers in a casino.
The only difference was—on this table, he was the dealer.
"Let's talk about how we're going to deal with Shanks."
"There's no way to deal with him. The only option is to throw bodies at him. In front of that man, it doesn't matter if it's you, me, or those fools who set sail with nothing but an empty barrel—we're all the same."
Dark's words were blunt and direct. He scanned the faces around him.
"We're all gambling with the same thing—our lives. Do you think yours are worth more?"
His words weren't meant as an insult. They were just the truth.
He thought back to Shanks' sword strike that day. Against an attack like that, they wouldn't even have the chance to fight back.
Now, the others could feel the sharp aura coming from Dark. He was serious.
"We're up against one of the Four Emperors. A true legend of the seas—Four Emperors!"
"Out here, everyone's life is equal. And in front of Shanks, it's no different.
If you don't have the resolve to face one of the Four Emperors, you should turn back now."
"If you want to challenge the Four Emperors, you need the will to conquer the sea itself."
"So what you're saying is… they have to be willing to throw their lives away?"
The others looked at the people on the sea. Their status was different, so charging forward was not something they would do.
"This is up to you now. The only thing I can tell you is that when facing Shanks, whether it's me or you, we could all die."
"If we were afraid of death, we wouldn't be here, kid.
We were once the big players in the underworld. Don't look down on us, kid."
"If you don't have the resolve to risk your life, you won't survive in a place like that."
"Since we set sail, going back was never an option."
Hearing Dark's words, the others spoke up. They weren't cowards.
They had put everything on the line—their decades of hard work, even the efforts of several generations. The moment they made their decision, there was no turning back.
They carried the ambition of their youth, the hopes of their families, and the expectations of countless people under them.
They weren't ninjas. They didn't have great strength. To reach their positions, they relied on their intelligence, their strategies, and most importantly, the support of many people.
As Kidomaru and the others looked at the fire burning in the eyes of these ordinary people, their own hearts were set ablaze.
Now they finally understood.
So this is the "New World" Orochimaru-sama spoke of?
Even these ordinary people—even these bloated, greasy merchants, or the frail old men well past their prime—their will was no weaker than that of a ninja. No, it was even stronger.
This was the New World. A new era.
As the group returned to the ship, Dark's pirate crew set sail once more, still leading the way ahead of everyone else.
Like many others, Dark had his own beliefs deep in his heart.
But his feelings toward Shanks were more complicated than most.
Though they were enemies, if not for Shanks, he would have spent his whole life as a mere thug, perhaps dying one day as a cold, lifeless corpse in some filthy alley.
At the same time, he couldn't help but respect Shanks—the power, the presence of a pirate who had ushered in a new era. Even as an enemy, Dark held deep admiration for that man.
"So, as a man who created a new era, you better not die, Shanks!"
"You have to win, Shanks. Let me see if you, as one of the Four Emperors, can break the chains of the old era—if you have the strength to stand against ninjas."
"I've already staked my life on this gamble, and even if it costs me everything…"
"I hope you win!!"
Dark sat at the bow of the ship, staring in the direction where Shanks was. His mind was filled with countless thoughts.
He had the courage to face Shanks again, but not because he was fearless.
It was because of Shanks' overwhelming presence—the kind of presence that could cut through an old era—that gave him this courage.
Even if it cost him his life, he wouldn't hesitate.
The spirit of a Four Emperors… he, a mere enforcer, would experience it firsthand.
Dark lifted his gaze to the sea, his sharp eyes narrowing. His pupils contracted as he focused on the horizon.
A small black dot appeared at the edge of his vision.
The island was in sight.
At the same time, Shanks, still drunk, staggered to his feet, sword in hand, and walked toward the shore.
Everyone by the lake was completely drunk. Even Yukie, who had tried to stay composed at first, had turned into a drunken mess.
As Shanks reached the beach, he had sobered up a little.
"Haah…"
Letting out a long yawn, he stepped onto his ship.
Over the past twenty days, he had learned how to sail. After all, if he was going to be a pirate, he couldn't be like Luffy, knowing nothing.
"So many people… When did I end up making this many enemies?"
"To gather this many people… that's pretty impressive."
Shanks sighed. If he remembered correctly, the Krieg Pirates that appeared earlier had around five thousand men.
But now, as he focused on sensing the situation in the distance, it felt like there were at least thirty thousand.
"What a hassle. But just having numbers alone is useless."
Shanks lowered the ship's sail, then leaped to the bow.
Beside him, an ordinary-looking sword lay still. A gust of wind blew, filling the sail as the ship slowly moved forward across the sea.
Shanks closed his eyes. The wind in the sky was getting stronger, the clouds were twisting, and the waves were growing fierce.
The roar of the ocean was both beautiful and terrifying.
Then, after a few crashing waves—
"Boom!!"
"Rumble!!"
The waves shattered, the sky darkened, and lightning split the heavens.
Shanks, sitting at the front of the ship, opened his eyes. A black and red aura rippled outward, and in the depths of his pupils, he saw an endless fleet of ships and a sky filled with cannon fire.
The air trembled as the sound of cannon blasts mixed with the roaring thunder.
"They're here!!"
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