[Year 1507, Mad Hat Island]
The sky over Mad Hat was shrouded in heavy ash clouds hanging low above the city. The wind from the southern harbor carried the salty scent of the sea mixed with the smell of blood and rusted iron—scents familiar in this city full of crime.
Inside Gerald Lazhar's weapons workshop, Bastien sat cross-legged on the worn wooden floor, his hands busy assembling the trigger mechanism for a long rifle. Across from him, Arthur wiped dust from between the racks of weapons. The workshop was warm, despite the cold and wild world outside.
The creak of the old door broke their concentration. Several figures entered the room—a tall man with fiery red hair leading, followed by three men with fierce appearances. Their faces were not unfamiliar to anyone who had ever heard the name of the Grand Line.
Shanks. Not yet a Yonko. But he was talked about as the most promising young pirate, and a former crew member of the legendary Gol D. Roger's ship. Now, he had docked at the southern harbor of Mad Hat Island—a place rarely visited by famous pirates due to its reputation as a slaughterhouse city.
Shanks smiled brightly, casually as if unaware of the city's trap-filled atmosphere. "Excuse me," he said cheerfully. "We need some repairs on our weapons. Our ship is docked to the south. Do you have time to help?"
From the back room, Gerald Lazhar slowly emerged. His expression seemed neutral at first, but Bastien could see his jaw tighten. He looked at Shanks as though he were seeing a ghost from the past.
"Of course," Lazhar said flatly. "But we don't serve guests who like to linger."
Shanks chuckled lightly. "We won't be here long. Trust me."
One of the three crew members stayed behind, while the others waited outside. The man carried a different aura—calm, yet menacing. Gray hair, a cigarette hanging from his lips, and eyes sharp as knives.
Benn Beckman.
He stepped toward Bastien. "What's your name?"
"Bastien," the boy replied without hesitation. "Bastien de Vill."
Beckman observed him in silence, then said, "You have sharp eyes. And your steps when I entered... too calm. You knew I was dangerous even before I spoke."
Bastien raised an eyebrow. "I thought that was normal in a city like this."
Beckman gave a thin smile. "No. That's the start of something else. Haki, perhaps. You're sensitive to intentions and presence. Train it."
Bastien swallowed. That word—Haki—wasn't unfamiliar to him, but hearing it directly from Benn Beckman made his heart race.
Meanwhile, Lazhar handed over two repaired weapons. "Finished. Now, please leave."
His tone was colder than usual.
Shanks, still standing near the door, looked at Lazhar with a faint smile. It was as if he knew something but chose to remain silent.
"Alright. Thank you for your help," he said briefly before walking out.
As soon as the workshop door closed, Lazhar glared at Bastien. "Never get too close to them again."
"They seemed nice. Friendly, even," Bastien replied carefully.
"Friendly doesn't mean safe," Lazhar quickly retorted. "Shanks is no ordinary man. And more importantly... he's a reminder of a past that should stay buried."
Bastien frowned. "Because you were... a member of Roger's crew?"
Lazhar looked at him, sharply but not denying. "If Shanks is seen with someone here in Mad Hat, and someone recognizes him, my identity will be exposed. And if that happens, Mad Hat will turn into a battlefield."
Bastien fell silent. For the first time, he felt like his existence and those around him were like pawns in a giant chessboard that he didn't fully understand.
Meanwhile, in a filthy alley near the southern harbor, two men in black cloaks watched the workshop from a distance. One of them pulled out a small denden mushi from beneath his cloak.
"Headquarters, this is Shadow Unit-7. Confirmed: Pirate Shanks has been seen entering Gerald Lazhar's weapons workshop."
The denden mushi nodded slowly, recording every word.
"Repeat: Shanks, former crew member of Roger, and Gerald Lazhar, most likely Black Death, a former crew member of Roger who disappeared after the execution of the Pirate King."
The voice from the denden mushi responded coldly. "Keep monitoring. If true, we're not only targeting Shanks. We've found the remnants of Roger's crew still alive."