316-320

Chapter 316: Esdeath's Conqueror's Haki! 

A little while later... 

Ice spread out. 

Starting from the port where the "Blue Planet" was docked, the sea for tens of miles ahead was completely frozen in just half a minute, turning into a vast expanse of towering icebergs. This scene was practically a re-run of when they first encountered the Whitebeard Pirates not long ago. 

Aside from Shanks, who had already 'seen' it with his Observation Haki and thus didn't show any surprise, his other crew members, like his first mate Benn Beckman, all looked more or less astonished. They finally understood why their captain had suddenly mentioned Aokiji earlier. Honestly, when it comes to controlling ice and snow on such a massive and powerful scale, it's really hard to find anyone in the entire One Piece world other than Aokiji who could pull it off. 

"Alright then... let's get this started." 

After a brief standoff, Esdeath drew her sword, slashed through the air, and then, with a surge of milky-white aura, charged forward! 

It was a sonic boom right from the get-go! 

At the same time, Shanks drew his Gryphon from his waist and charged forward with equally fierce momentum! 

Shanks's swordsmanship was inherited from his adoptive father, Roger. Before losing his arm, he was a grand swordsman on par with Mihawk. Even though he's down an arm now, his swordsmanship hasn't really diminished much. 

As for Esdeath's swordsmanship, it's been honed through countless battles. While she hasn't had many chances to use these skills since she reached the peak in the Akame ga Kill! world, the moment she unleashed them, she still displayed impressive power. It forced Shanks to be on high alert, dealing with her very carefully. 

In just a few minutes, their swords clashed hundreds of times, sparks flying everywhere, creating a continuous blaze. The speed of their swordplay was so incredible that their blades, as they were swung, appeared curved like crescent moons, blurring in the air. Even the surrounding atmosphere began to twist and distort, like ripples in water, making it hard to see clearly. 

Below them, chunks of ice and rock were torn apart by their sword slashes, forming huge cracks that spread outwards. Icy seawater mixed with shattered ice erupted into water columns dozens of meters high, instantly shrouding the sky and land in a white mist. 

"...As expected of an opponent Whitebeard praised so highly, your strength is truly immense. Given time, you might just become the fifth Emperor of these seas." 

Shanks managed to squeeze in a comment amidst the intense battle. It was only after he spoke that a realization vaguely dawned on him: a person of Esdeath's caliber was merely a regular crew member in the "Dimensional Pirate Crew," not even a first mate. So... what kind of power did their blue-haired Captain, Bulma, possess? And what about the youngest, yet supremely kingly, First Mate, Uchiha Hikari? Why had such individuals been unknown in these seas until now, only to suddenly emerge today? 

On the other side, Esdeath smiled. "An Emperor of the Sea, you say? Sounds interesting. But if this is all the power you have, it hardly seems worthy of the 'Emperor' title." 

"You should have it too, that ability called 'Haki Infusion,' right? And your swordsmanship just now, that couldn't have been your limit, could it? Show me, just how strong is the most powerful Haki in these seas!" 

"...Alright." 

Shanks narrowed his eyes slightly. After a brief silence, he exhaled and then roared, "Then, as you wish!" 

No sooner had he spoken than an astonishing surge of power erupted from his body, shooting hundreds of meters into the sky! In an instant, the vast surrounding space began to bend and twist, as if an invisible, sharp blade had suddenly materialized, cleaving this part of the world in two! 

Conqueror's Haki! 

Such a highly condensed Conqueror's Haki seemed to make even Esdeath struggle slightly under its pressure. However, because she had been diligently training in the "Gravity Training Room" lately, her movements weren't slowed down too much, still appearing as swift as lightning. 

The next moment, Shanks exerted force in his wrist, violently shaking his longsword to push Esdeath away, then raised Gryphon high. With this motion, incredibly solidified Conqueror's Haki gathered on the blade, dyeing the sword a deep blackish-red, before Shanks swung it forward: 

"...Divine Departure!" 

In that instant, the shockwave formed by the Haki swept forward with devastating force, shattering everything in its path and then grinding it to dust in mid-air! 

Whoosh! 

It happened in a flash. 

From the perspective of Uchiha Hikari and the others, they saw only a mass of red light erupting from the sea, like a rising sun, filling their entire vision! 

"...That's got some punch." 

Uchiha Hikari closed and then opened her eyes, the black Mangekyo Sharingan already visible in her pupils, allowing her to clearly see every change in the field. The swordsmanship Shanks displayed earlier, while good, could only be rated as "not bad" in her eyes, having witnessed master swordsmen from various worlds. However, this technique, "Divine Departure," inherited from Roger, was an advanced application that combined swordsmanship with Haki, truly catching her eye. 

Within the ascending 'sun,' large amounts of ice and snow formed, were crushed, and then reformed again. Part of this ice and snow was created by Esdeath using "Demon's Extract," and another part was left over from when she froze the sea to create the battlefield earlier. She was now temporarily manipulating it to counter Shanks's Conqueror's Haki. In the process, fine snowflakes swirled outwards, instantly covering the entire port! 

It was like snow in June! 

Finally, "Divine Departure" reached Esdeath, engulfing her figure. 

"Hikari, Esdeath..." Bulma looked at Uchiha Hikari with a hint of worry. 

"Don't worry, she'll be fine," Uchiha Hikari smiled faintly. Shanks's attack was indeed powerful, but it was generally on par with Whitebeard's Gura Gura no Mi. It could probably break through Esdeath's ice armor and "aura" and harm her body, but killing her would be very difficult. Even if Esdeath were truly cut in half, with Senzu Beans, Uchiha Hikari was confident she could bring her back. 

And in fact... 

BOOM—!!! 

Just as Esdeath was about to be swallowed by the sword's aura, a subtle power suddenly pulsed from her location. In a matter of milliseconds, it erupted into an overwhelming wave of energy! 

—Conqueror's Haki! 

Chapter 317 "Cold Flame Form" 

"What is that..." 

Of everyone present, besides Uchiha Hikari, the first person to sense a change in Esdeath's chakra was Red-Haired Shanks. He thought that with his "Divine Departure" attack, the battle was already decided and was even starting to sheathe his sword. But in that instant, he felt something was wrong. His whole body jolted, and he opened his eyes wide, looking towards the area a hundred meters away. 

Conqueror's Haki?! 

Honestly, Conqueror's Haki itself isn't that rare. In the New World, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of people who possess it. They're usually high-level pirates who can shake the World Government to its core. In the days of the Rocks Pirates and Roger Pirates, it was pretty much a requirement for a main crew member. 

But... how could someone with the potential for Conqueror's Haki just awaken it now, when their strength is already on par with a Yonko? Doesn't that usually happen in childhood? 

And... the power of this Conqueror's Haki... isn't it a bit too much? 

With his Observation Haki, Shanks "saw" an indiscernible, ice-blue pillar of energy shoot up from his front, instantly tearing through the clouds a thousand meters high and soaring even higher! As its height rapidly increased, this energy column spread out in every direction, crushing everything in its path with the same overwhelming force as the "Divine Departure" attack from before! 

This level of Conqueror's Haki made Shanks feel a sense of inadequacy. With his mind racing, he drew his sword again and slashed at the oncoming shockwave! 

This scene was a perfect echo of the battle between Shanks and Whitebeard in the original story. But the force from both Shanks and Esdeath was even more astonishing than that classic clash. In a single moment, they shattered the clouds a thousand meters high and kicked up a massive storm, sending hurricane-force winds spreading for miles in every direction! 

"Gura Gura no Mi!" 

Standing on the dock, Whitebeard punched forward, activating the power of his Devil Fruit to create an invisible spatial barrier, holding the shoreline firm. 

Uchiha Hikari, with a thought, activated her Blood Jade Barrier, enveloping Bulma and the others to shield them from the chaos. This action made Whitebeard and the others glance over. The One Piece world doesn't have a concept of "mystical artifacts" like they do in the ninja world. The "Blood Jade Coral" didn't look like a Devil Fruit or some kind of scientific gadget. Even someone as worldly as Whitebeard could only connect it to the Sky Island Dials he'd seen before, thinking it was some kind of mysterious organism from the deep sea. Given the situation, he didn't ask any more questions. 

On the other side, any onlookers who had been curious enough to stay and watch the fight immediately turned and ran. It was cool to watch a battle between Yonko-level fighters, but it wasn't worth their lives. 

Several minutes passed. The typhoon on the sea gradually subsided. Although the ice and water were still churning, Esdeath and Shanks' figures became visible again. 

At this moment, Shanks held his sword, Gryphon, diagonally in front of him and breathed heavily. After the shockwave, his long black cloak was tattered by the winds, and even his white shirt showed signs of being ripped. On the other side, Esdeath was wrapped in a semi-transparent, ice-blue aura. Her military uniform also had a few tears, revealing the white silk vest she was wearing underneath. 

The "silk vest" was actually body armor Uchiha Hikari had woven from the hairs of the East Blue's cloud dragon. Because of the complex craftsmanship, she only made a handful of them, and Esdeath was wearing one. Thanks to that layer of protection, Esdeath's torso was unharmed, but she had a few thin scratches on her cheeks and arms, from which small beads of blood were oozing. 

"Tch!" Esdeath licked a drop of blood that was trickling from the corner of her mouth, spat it out, and then lifted her head, letting her long hair whip around without wind. A sharp intensity, impossible to describe, shone from her ice-blue eyes as her lips curved into a smile. 

"Can you still fight?" she challenged. 

"..." 

In response to the taunt, Shanks didn't say a word. He just tightened his grip on his sword hilt. The next moment, both of them leaped forward simultaneously, clashing together with even greater speed than before, and the fight began again! 

The gale-force winds returned! This time, a massive typhoon eye formed at the center of their battle, spreading outwards as they clashed. It looked like an impending natural disaster! 

This fight lasted for a while. You could tell Esdeath was having a great time. While she'd already encountered two Yonko-level fighters since arriving in this world and fought both of them, one was a leftover fight after Uchiha Hikari had already done most of the work, and the other was a friendly match with a sickly old man who couldn't fight for long. It wasn't until today that Esdeath finally got to experience a truly exhilarating battle. It wasn't as satisfying as fighting Uchiha Hikari, but it was still a high-quality duel. 

With their final clash, Esdeath's sword snapped in half with a loud crack, and one of the pieces flew off. Shanks's sword, Gryphon, was completely knocked from his hand, leaving his left hand, which had been holding the sword, bloody and trembling. 

"It's over," Esdeath said, nodding slightly, offering her appraisal of Shanks before sheathing her non-existent sword and turning to head back towards the Dimensional Pirate Crew. Specifically, she returned to where Uchiha Hikari was standing. 

As she got closer, the fierce aura she had been exuding began to recede, and the expression on her face softened a lot compared to when she was fighting. 

"So, what do you think?" she asked. 

"Not bad," Uchiha Hikari replied, nodding. She figured the general was just looking for some praise, so she gave her a bit of a compliment. 

"...I meant this," Esdeath said, pursing her lips and gesturing to herself with her chin. At this point, she hadn't dispelled her Conqueror's Haki yet, and the ice-blue aura still surrounded her like a flame in cold water, pulsing weirdly, giving her a feeling that was both hard and full of life. 

"This fiery aura around me... doesn't it look a lot like your Flame Form?" 

"Huh?" 

Chapter 318: Shanks: Captain Bulma's Strength Must Be Incredible, Right? 

Uchiha Hikari carefully looked over Esdeath. Indeed, the general looked a lot like she did the first time she used her "Fire and Thunder God" technique. That was also the first time Hikari had fought and defeated Esdeath in the Akame ga Kill! world, so it seemed there was a connection between the two events. 

"I see you remember that time..." 

"Well, in any case, congratulations, little Es. You're the first one on our ship to awaken Haoshoku Haki." 

Hikari said softly. 

To be precise, what Esdeath had just used wasn't true Haoshoku Haki. It was a technique that used the same principles but with the "ki" from the Dragon Ball world, creating a "ki burst." Because the two were so similar in principle and nature, even native One Piece residents like Shanks couldn't tell the difference. 

Or if they could, they wouldn't think of it. The idea of a group of "travelers from another world" was just too far-fetched. 

"Heh." 

"Don't tell me you haven't mastered that technique yet. I'm looking forward to seeing what your Haoshoku Haki looks like when you unleash it." 

Esdeath looked into Hikari's eyes, held her gaze for a few seconds, then gave a small smile and let out a breath. As she did, the fierce aura around her gradually receded, and the "ki" surrounding her disappeared back into her body, returning her to her normal state. 

Meanwhile, Bulma seemed to have just processed what happened. She looked at Esdeath with a bit of hesitation, then looked at Shanks in the distance, who had just picked up Gryphon and was walking towards the shore. She raised her hand and asked, "Um... just to be clear, did Miss Esdeath win just now?" 

"Yes." 

Hikari nodded. 

"Yay!" 

Bulma clapped her hands excitedly. "Now we'll definitely make a name for ourselves on the high seas! We defeated Red-Haired Shanks right in front of everyone, and we did it with his best skills, swordsmanship, and Haoshoku Haki... Miss Es is amazing! Our 'Dimensional Pirates' are so awesome!" 

"Cough, cough... I remember Shanks' bounty is 4.6 billion. Since we can beat him, our bounty should be at least 4 billion, right?" 

"...That's not how it works." 

Hikari laughed wryly. "Don't forget, after Luffy defeated Kaido, his bounty was only 3 billion... and we've only been in this world for a short time and have had no contact with the Marines. They might even think we're faking a fight with Shanks to boost our bounties." 

It wouldn't be hard to get their faces on a World Government wanted poster. One raid on the Heavenly Tribute would guarantee a bounty of several hundred million berries. 

But if they were to publicly beat up a Celestial Dragon in Mariejois or take out a few of them directly... that's when the name "Dimensional Pirates" would truly spread across the seas and become a force that makes the World Government tremble. 

"No rush. Let's play along." 

Meanwhile, Shanks finally returned to Beckman and the others and explained what happened. 

It was clear that, aside from Beckman, who was close to Shanks's level, the other members of the Red-Haired Pirates didn't believe he had actually lost. Even with Shanks's confirmation, they were still skeptical, thinking he was just being modest and letting the "juniors" win. 

In reality, the one being modest was Esdeath. She hadn't even used her ultimate move, Mahapadma. In theory, even if Shanks could use Observation Haki to predict the move, he wouldn't be able to dodge it. At best, he could use "Haki infusion" to cover his entire body so he wouldn't be instantly defeated when she freezes time, but a counter-attack would be impossible. 

And yet... Shanks calmly accepted his defeat. After reassuring his crew, he and Whitebeard walked towards Hikari and the others. 

"Miss Esdeath's strength is truly extraordinary. I can see why Whitebeard speaks so highly of you. I'm impressed." 

"Heh." 

Esdeath gave a cold smirk, very different from the one she showed Hikari. "Your strength is decent, but you're still far from Hikari. You're not strong enough for me to go all out. The next time we spar, I hope you'll be stronger." 

"Oh?" 

Shanks looked at Hikari. "Vice-Captain Uchiha, you must be a powerful fighter as well. I hope to have the chance to challenge you someday." 

"And Captain Bulma," he continued. "To have so many powerful crewmates gathered on one ship, your leadership and strength must be incredible. It might not be long before your crew becomes famous across the sea, a fifth Emperor, or even a crew that surpasses the Emperors, just like Roger did back in the day." 

"...Huh? Me?" 

Bulma was stunned, pointing at herself. 

Hikari glanced at the blue-haired girl's expression and found it amusing. 

It made sense. What Shanks said was typical of the One Piece world. Everyone in a high position, whether in the Marines or among the pirates, has impressive strength. The idea of a crewmate being stronger than their captain is unheard of. 

At this point, Bulma started to stammer, too embarrassed to admit that she couldn't use any form of Haki and that even a low-level Marine soldier could easily defeat her. 

"I originally came here to convince Whitebeard to stop Ace from chasing Blackbeard." 

"But it seems I was worrying for nothing. With you, Ace's friends, helping out, even if he were to be captured by the Marines, I'm sure he'll be rescued without any trouble." 

"If you need any help, you can contact me." 

Shanks continued. He didn't plan on getting involved any further. 

Hikari also had no intention of inviting him to Marineford. As a descendant of the Celestial Dragons, Shanks's role on the seas was more like a mediator. He would step in as a friend if the Whitebeard Pirates were about to be wiped out by the Marines, but you couldn't expect him to declare war on the World Government. 

"Right." 

Shanks seemed to remember something, suddenly stopping and turning back to Hikari. "You were just talking about the Heavenly Tribute, weren't you? I happen to know a little bit about it that I can share with you..." 

Chapter 319: The Next Course of Action 

"...So you're saying that the time and place the Marines send the 'Celestial Tribute' to Mary Geoise isn't fixed, but instead, it's randomly chosen from a few dozen large affiliate nations?" 

"And the sailing route also has multiple options, and no one knows which one will be used until they actually set sail?" 

"That's right." 

Shanks nodded. "Even though it's a 'random selection,' there's a pattern to these choices. I've spent some time studying it, and I can take a pretty good guess at where this year's Celestial Tribute fleet will depart from." 

"..." 

Uchiha Hikari squinted slightly. 

She didn't doubt Shanks' intelligence-gathering abilities. After all, Doflamingo, who was both a pirate and a Celestial Dragon, had managed to get information about the tribute and successfully hijack it with his crew. Shanks, whose influence and status were far superior to Doflamingo's—so much so that he could meet with the Five Elders directly—naturally had his own sources. But still... 

"Why are you telling us this?" 

Shanks seemed to think for a moment before bursting into a hearty laugh. "Maybe it's because I want to see something different happen on this sea. Just like with that kid I met in the East Blue, and now with you guys... If it's you, you might bring a different kind of scenery to this world." 

"...Is that so?" 

Uchiha Hikari smiled, no longer pressing the issue. 

Next, Shanks marked some locations on a map he had brought and handed it to Bulma. 

The map showed three possible departure points and three corresponding routes. 

"Based on my guess, the Celestial Tribute will likely depart from this spot, but it's not impossible for them to switch to one of the other starting points at the last minute. However, no matter which route they choose, the Marine fleet will definitely pass through this sea area. You can get to this meeting point ahead of time and ambush them there, then move to seize the tribute when the Marines pass through." 

Shanks explained. 

"Got it." 

Uchiha Hikari nodded. 

Honestly, for her, this whole thing wasn't an issue. Even if Shanks had given her thirty possible starting points, it would just be a matter of using the "Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu." Coupled with the Imperial Arm "Shangri-La," she could teleport Bulma and the others there instantly from anywhere, without wasting time on travel. 

But there was no need to tell Shanks any of that. 

"In any case, thank you for this information, Mr. Shanks." Uchiha Hikari gave a slight bow and thanked him. "In return, once the 'Oni-fication Serum 2.0' is improved, we'll send a few vials your way. It's a super-recovery medicine we're developing, and it should be able to regrow your lost arm." 

"...Huh?" 

Shanks was stunned. As a newcomer who had only heard a few things from Whitebeard, he naturally didn't know about the Oni-fication Serum. And since Tamayo and Kikyo's clinical trials were still ongoing, it was too early for Uchiha Hikari to boast about its effects, as it could come back to bite her. After exchanging contact information and leaving a "Yachiman" seal with Shanks, she watched him board his pirate ship and lead his crew away. 

"Alright," Uchiha Hikari said, watching the Red-Hair Pirates disappear into the distance. She stretched her arms out wide. "We've met everyone we needed to meet, and now it's time to figure out our next move." 

There was still some time before this year's Celestial Tribute delivery. 

So, Uchiha Hikari wasn't in a hurry to get to the location Shanks mentioned. After a small meeting within the "Dimensional Pirate Group," she and Bulma laid out their plans for the crew. 

Kikyo, Tamayo, and the Kamado siblings would stay here. With the Whitebeard Pirates' cooperation, they would continue the "Oni-fication Serum 2.0" experiments and Whitebeard's treatment. 

Bols, Akame, and Yamato would take a ship from one of the Whitebeard-affiliated pirate crews and, with "Flower Sword" Vista as their escort, head to Banaro Island to confirm Ace's current situation. They would also use the routes Shanks provided to investigate the Marines' movements. 

The first goal was actually a bit unnecessary. Uchiha Hikari's guess was that Ace had most likely already been captured by Blackbeard, and they'd probably read about him being handed over to the Marines in the newspaper in a few days. But Yamato was too worried, so she let her go. 

As for Uchiha Hikari herself, Bulma, Esdeath, and young Naruto... 

"The rest of us will go check out Sabaody Archipelago," Uchiha Hikari said. 

"At this point, Kizaru and Kuma should be there. Kuma is a Revolutionary Army cadre, so contacting the Revolutionaries through him should be easier than trying to get to Ivankov in Impel Down." 

She also had one unstated thought. If all went as expected, Luffy's crew should be arriving at Sabaody soon. Uchiha Hikari had no ill will towards Luffy and his crew. They were good people at heart and were the closest thing to Roger's crew, with little desire for fame or fortune and a greater goal of completing a journey around the world to reach the "Final Island." 

However, in the mission to rescue Ace, Luffy's actions could only be described as reckless. He unintentionally released a large number of prisoners from Impel Down, causing a lot of chaos for the nations of the Grand Line. 

So... 

"Since our 'Dimensional Pirate Group' is already involved, Luffy and his crew can go and take a break." 

"It won't be too late to find an opportunity to meet them after the 'Summit War' is over." 

At that point, taking a photo with Luffy's group would also satisfy her collector's habit. 

Three days passed quickly since Shanks' departure. 

By now, Kikyo and Tamayo had moved all the necessary medical equipment to a temporary lab on the island. 

With that, the crew of the "Dimensional Pirate Group" said their goodbyes at the harbor and split into three groups, heading toward their respective destinations. 

"This sailing speed feels a little slow..." 

After sailing in "water mode" for about ten miles, Bulma finally lost her patience. She walked over to the helm in the captain's room and pressed a button. 

"Activating flight mode!" 

With a buzzing sound, the Blue Planet lifted off from the water and soared into the sky. 

Chapter 320: Shakky's Bar 

That afternoon, they arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago. 

Even though Uchiha Hikari had seen this place countless times in the manga, actually being here in person was a first. Just as it was depicted, this entire island was built upon a cluster of mangrove trees, with the ground being the roots themselves. The largest among them, the "Yarchey Mangrove," was faintly visible from dozens of miles away. Plus, there were tons of bubbles floating above the island cluster, shaped into all sorts of creations, making for a spectacular sight. 

"According to the map, we should be right here." 

Inside the captain's cabin, Uchiha Hikari compared the monitor's display with the map hanging on the wall, confirming their location. The map she had now wasn't the one she'd brought from Onigashima; it was a brand-new one, a fusion of the maps given by Kaido, Shanks, and Whitebeard. 

While the One Piece world is vast, and even giants like the Whitebeard Pirates haven't fully explored it, the combined journeys of the three Emperors pretty much paint a detailed picture of most of the seas. And the Sabaody Archipelago, being right next to Marine Headquarters, was a crucial spot meticulously marked on all three of their maps. 

"Let's find a place to land, Bulma." 

"Got it." 

After scanning the surroundings with her radar, Bulma skillfully piloted the massive "Blue Planet" to a nearby landing spot. Then, she pressed a button, shrinking the destroyer and temporarily storing it inside a Capsule. 

"...Huh?!" 

Among those present, only Uchiha Hikari already knew about the "Blue Planet's" special ability. The rest of them, however, looked completely stunned. The youngest, Naruto, even grabbed Uchiha Hikari's arm, babbling "Sis Hikari!" while pointing at Bulma, clearly too shocked to speak coherently. 

"Pfft—" 

Uchiha Hikari couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, little Naruto. Don't be so surprised, it's just a bit of technology." 

"Esdeath, you too, try to calm down a little." 

"..." 

Esdeath glanced at her, her slight expression of surprise fading away. She calmly stated, "Technology that can shrink a hundred-meter battleship to this size is certainly interesting... But won't it affect the facilities on board, especially that 'Gravity Training Room'?" 

"Of course not! I've run countless tests on that, it's absolutely foolproof!" Bulma replied with confidence. 

Esdeath offered no comment. 

With Sabaody Archipelago reached, Uchiha Hikari planned to first seek out a former vice-captain of the Roger Pirates to confirm the current timeline. That's right, she meant Silvers Rayleigh. 

Since the Roger Pirates disbanded years ago, he'd been living incognito as a coating craftsman on Sabaody Archipelago. Besides a few old acquaintances from back in the day, most people would never connect him to the Pirate King. But for Uchiha Hikari and her crew, who knew the story, finding him wouldn't be hard at all. They just needed to find his old flame, Shakky. 

After a few inquiries, Uchiha Hikari's group made their way to "Shakky's Rip-Off Bar" on Grove 13. There, they finally met the woman who appeared young but had actually lived for over half a century as the former Empress of Amazon Lily. 

"Are you Ms. Shakky?" Uchiha Hikari decided to get straight to the point. "Nice to meet you. We're friends of Shanks, members of the 'Dimensional Pirate Crew.' We heard from him that you and Mr. Rayleigh are living in seclusion here, so we came to pay our respects." 

This wasn't entirely a lie, as Uchiha Hikari had indeed asked Shanks for information about Rayleigh, though it was part of a larger conversation about the rest of the Roger Pirates. Given Shanks's personality, even if he knew about this, he wouldn't go out of his way to correct Shakky. 

"...Oh?" Shakky stood behind the counter, seemingly recalling something. "'Dimensional Pirate Crew,' you say? I think I've heard your name before." 

"You're that new, rising power that suddenly appeared on these seas recently, aren't you? You defeated Emperor Kaido, along with his 'King the Wildfire' and 'Queen the Plague,' right after showing up. And not long ago, you encountered the Whitebeard Pirates for a small skirmish, after which both sides shook hands and made peace... But I haven't actually heard that you have connections with Shanks." 

"Could it be that you're just making this up to get information about my man?" 

At that, before Uchiha Hikari could say anything, Bulma couldn't help but interject, "Ms. Shakky actually knows about what we've done? Have we gotten that famous already?" 

"...No, this is just information I've gathered personally." Shakky denied it, then narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing them. "To be honest, I only recently learned of your existence, and I even doubted the authenticity of this information for a while... Because among your group, besides one who is confirmed to be Kaido's daughter, the origins and backgrounds of the others are unknown. It's like you all popped out of a rock." 

"Yet, such a group of people has consecutively faced two Emperors in such a short time. It's truly baffling. So... can you tell me where you're really from? Are you perhaps from that reclusive Land of Wano?" 

"Something like that," Uchiha Hikari smiled, giving an ambiguous answer. 

Shakky seemed to realize she wasn't going to be forthright. She didn't press further, instead moving directly to the next topic: "Alright, I'll tentatively believe you're friends with Whitebeard and Shanks. So, what's your purpose in seeking Rayleigh? He and I haven't been pirates for many years now." 

"Well, you must know about Ace, right?" 

"One of our crew members is a very close friend of his. They accidentally learned he's in danger, so they've pleaded with us to help rescue him. By lineage, he should be Rayleigh's nephew, and I imagine Mr. Rayleigh wouldn't want to see him die at the hands of the Marines, would he?" 

Uchiha Hikari paused. "Also, I'd like to ask you for a piece of information while I'm at it... Has Ace's brother, Monkey D. Luffy, been here recently?" 

A brief silence. 

Shakky pulled two slips of paper from a drawer and placed them on the counter. "Two pieces of information, ten thousand Berries each." 

"Deal." 

Uchiha Hikari casually laid out two strings of coins, then took the slips of paper and read: 

"Fire Fist Ace arrested by Marines yesterday" 

"Straw Hat Pirates defeated Gecko Moria"