An Oni in God's Valley

As the new bounties and news of the Koa Pirates were distributed across the world, they were met with a wide range of reactions from various individuals and factions. Many powerful figures took particular interest in Koa and his crew. One of them was Golden Lion Shiki, the man who inherited Rocks D. Xebec's ambitions and values more than anyone else. However, there was one key difference between them: Shiki valued quantity over quality. Despite commanding more than seven fleets, only a handful of his men were truly capable of surviving in the New World on their own. Most relied heavily on the air superiority granted by Shiki's Devil Fruit.

While scanning the latest world news, Shiki came across an article about the Koa Pirates. What intrigued him most was the fact that Koa had multiple Logia users in his crew—and that Koa himself, despite his youth, had managed to fight Garp on equal footing.

"Oi, navigator, think you can figure out where this crew is heading next?" Shiki asked, prompting the group of navigators around him to huddle together and consult their maps. After several minutes of discussion, they reached two conclusions and presented them to Shiki.

"Captain, based on our analysis, we believe Koa and his crew will likely head to one of two places. First, Banaro Island—it's the closest island to Water 7 and an ideal pit stop. Second, the Sabaody Archipelago—if they plan to enter the New World, they'll need to coat their ship there," the navigators explained.

Shiki grinned. Even as he prepared for war, he saw no shame in recruiting capable individuals. If Koa refused, then fine—he would crush him. But if he could win Koa over, he might gain the force he needed to surpass Roger finally.

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Meanwhile, aboard the Moby Dick, Whitebeard sat with Oden and Toki as they read the newspaper together. When Oden came across the article about Koa, his eyes lit up with excitement, and a wide grin spread across his face.

"This one looks strong. Want to face him, Shirohige?" Oden said, turning to Newgate. Toki, holding Momonosuke carefully in her arms, smiled softly, but her attention remained focused on keeping her son safe from the energetic samurai's antics.

When Newgate saw the picture of Koa, his expression shifted. He was surprised by how young Koa looked—and more importantly, he recognized the face. Koa had once boarded the Oro Jackson alongside the Roger Pirates, a remarkably capable fighter even back then despite his age.

"Hmmm… a new player," Whitebeard muttered to himself. When he first laid eyes on Koa, he had sensed that the boy would become powerful. But he hadn't expected Koa's rise to be this fast—or this loud.

"What's wrong, Shirohige? Getting scared now?" Oden teased, grinning as he leaned closer to provoke Whitebeard. It was a tactic he often used to challenge the old man—though Oden's heart was full of adventure, the soul of a samurai still craved worthy opponents.

Whitebeard narrowed his eyes and frowned. "Huh? Who do you think I am? I'm Whitebeard," he declared, releasing a wave of Conqueror's Haki across the deck as he swung his bisento toward Oden. The attack didn't faze Oden—he had already braced himself.

Toki, ever watchful, stepped away with Momonosuke in her arms to move out of range. The rest of the Whitebeard crew looked on, unconcerned. They were used to this kind of clash between the two, knowing neither would take it too far.

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On the island of Whole Cake, Charlotte Linlin was reading the newspaper when her eyes fell on a familiar face—one she hadn't forgotten. It was the face of someone she had once battled, someone who, despite being so young at the time, had nearly killed her. A warrior so powerful, his sheer strength made her own monstrous might feel insignificant. And now, he was out in the world forging his own legend.

"Huh?!!!" Big Mom let out a shriek—a confused, furious wail that echoed like the roar of an enraged old crone. She was a deeply vindictive woman, and seeing the image of someone who had once humiliated her ignited a storm of rage within her.

Without another word, she began devouring the mountain of sweets that had been prepared for her. It was a typical response, one that struck fear into the hearts of every chef and servant around. They scrambled in panic, rushing to make more desserts, their hands trembling as they tried to appease her before her fury became uncontrollable.

Outside the castle, her children had already sensed something was wrong. Katakuri, standing among his siblings, closed his eyes as he extended his Observation Haki. The shift in his mother's aura was unmistakable.

"Be prepared," Katakuri warned. "It looks like Mama's in a bad mood. It might lead to one of her episodes."

"What do you think set her off this time, Katakuri?" Oven asked, concern on his face as he glanced toward the castle.

"I don't know. And frankly, I don't care," Katakuri replied, his voice calm but heavy with worry. "I just want our siblings to stay safe and for the damage to be minimal."

His words, spoken with quiet authority, stirred a deep sense of urgency—and respect—among his siblings. They knew how much Katakuri cared for them. Without another word, they scattered, each rushing to their respective stations, preparing for whatever destruction their mother's rage might unleash.

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Aboard the Oro Jackson, the ship of the Roger Pirates, the crew was deep in celebration—drinking, laughing, and dancing beneath the open sky. At a table near the heart of the party sat three legendary figures: Gol D. Roger, Silvers Rayleigh, and Scopper Gaban. Each held a drink in hand, the newspaper containing the latest news about the Koa Pirates spread out before them.

Not far from them, among the merrymakers, three familiar faces were also enjoying the moment—Bartholomew Kuma, Ginny, and Emporio Ivankov. The three were clearly overjoyed by the rise of their old friend, and among them, a subtle yet undeniable shift had occurred—Ginny and Kuma were noticeably closer now, sharing quiet glances and soft laughter between drinks.

"It seems that Koa is starting to forge his legend," Roger said with a grin, his voice warm with pride as he turned toward Rayleigh and Gaban. The memory of Koa, once a young warrior aboard their ship, filled the moment with nostalgia.

"Yeah," Gaban replied, puffing out his chest a little. "Looks like all of my teachings didn't go to waste."

Rayleigh burst into laughter at that, raising an eyebrow. "Your teachings? Please. If anything, the boy picked up more from me."

That set off a light-hearted argument between the two, and before long, Gaban and Rayleigh were up on their feet, sparring playfully amidst the cheers of the crew—clashing wooden mugs and mock blows, as though they were young again.

Roger, now momentarily alone at the table, stared out at the vast horizon. The laughter of his crew faded slightly in his ears as his thoughts wandered.

So you're finally out there, carving your path... he thought, smiling to himself as the wind tugged gently at his cape.

"I can't wait to meet you and your crew, Koa," he murmured under his breath, his eyes gleaming with excitement—not as a Pirate King, but as a man looking forward to the next generation.