One piece: Establishing a Pirate Family

Chapter 490: Sea Circle Calendar Year 1503

The year was now Sea Circle Calendar 1503.

Three years had passed in a flash.

During those three years, the New World remained a constant battlefield.

Waves of pirates from all four seas continued to pour into the New World.

One after another, they challenged the three great pirate crews that dominated this sea.

But those three crews stood like emperors in their respective territories, crushing all provocations with thunderous force.

Yes—provocations, not challenges.

To those three pirate emperors, such so-called challenges were nothing more than petty taunts.

They didn't even need to act personally—their officers could easily deal with it.

As for Golden Lion Shiki, ever since his defeat three years ago, he had disappeared from the public eye.

People believed he had withdrawn from the battle for supremacy in the New World.

There were even rumors of the Flying Pirates appearing in the East Blue.

Whether the rumors were true was uncertain.

But what was known was this: Marine Hero Monkey D. Garp had been returning to the East Blue more and more frequently these past three years.

East Blue

"Blehhh!"

Garp wore a red floral shirt and held a baby in his arms, making funny faces.

"Hahahahaha!"

The baby giggled like a silver bell.

"Luffy, Grandpa is going to raise you into a fine Marine officer!"

Garp grinned as he spoke to his grandson.

A few years ago, his unreliable son had suddenly appeared, handing Garp a baby and announcing it was his grandson.

Garp had been stunned on the spot.

But once he recovered, he was overjoyed.

Without hesitation, he took Luffy back to Windmill Village to raise him.

---

North Blue

A massive fleet sailed across the sea.

The flags flying from the masts made their identity clear:

The Buggy Pirates, who had dominated the North Blue for two years.

"Gyahahahaha! Boys—charge!"

Buggy stood proudly at the bow, shouting toward a small town ahead.

"Captain Buggy!"

"Captain Buggy!"

The crew of the Buggy Pirates roared in support.

The Clown—Buggy—laughed wildly as he looked upon the screaming, panicked town.

Gone was the timid, lowly image of his past.

Now he radiated arrogance.

His hair was longer, draping over his chest. He wore a red-and-white clown hat, and used his Chop-Chop Fruit powers to suspend a massive red cloak behind him, making him appear several meters tall.

At his side stood Dracule Mihawk and Crocodile, watching the battle with indifferent expressions.

Just beyond the chaos—

A somewhat ragged pirate ship bobbed in the water.

A few people were sprawled around its deck, looking dejected.

Then, the booming of cannon fire echoed nearby.

Everyone jumped to their feet, instantly alert.

A young man with slicked-back hair grabbed a telescope and peered ahead.

"Captain, there's a town up ahead under attack from pirates!"

The man scanned the burning town with concern.

"Pirates? Excellent. Let's go take a look!"

The captain was a red-haired young man with a straw hat and a longsword at his waist. He looked ahead, full of excitement.

"But—"

Before the man could finish, the straw-hatted captain had already ordered the ship to sail toward the action.

"But the fight seems intense. Maybe we shouldn't get involved…" the slick-haired man said nervously.

"Hahahaha! Don't worry about it, Beckman! With our captain's skills, the North Blue will be ours in no time!"

A man with dreadlocks joined in with a hearty laugh.

"…Fine," Beckman muttered. Still, he couldn't shake a bad feeling.

As they drew closer—

They saw dozens of large pirate ships ahead.

The dreadlocked man instantly froze, jaw dropping.

The entire crew tensed up.

Surrounded by dozens of pirate ships—who wouldn't panic?

Everyone, that is… except the captain.

He looked toward the fleet with a wide grin.

"Captain, what's going on?" Beckman asked, confused by the strange expression.

"I see an old friend."

The red-haired captain walked calmly to the bow.

"Hey, Buggy! It's me—Shanks!"

He jumped onto the edge of the deck and shouted toward the fleet.

—

At that moment, Buggy was still enjoying the chaos he'd created.

Suddenly, one of his men rushed over.

"Captain! A pirate crew has appeared behind us! It's that Red-Haired crew you told us to keep an eye on!"

"What!? What did you say? Red-Haired Pirates? Shanks?!"

Buggy's face changed instantly. He turned toward the distant ship.

His forcibly-trained Observation Haki activated, and he scanned the area.

On a small, shabby boat not far away—

"Gyahahaha… it really is Shanks! Boys! Let's go greet the Red-Haired Pirates!"

Buggy's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Yes, Captain Buggy!"

Immediately, the Buggy Pirates ceased their bombardment and turned their fleet toward the newcomers.

Thus—

A strange scene unfolded on the sea:

On one side, a fleet of sixty to seventy large pirate ships.

On the other, a single shabby little boat.

The two forces faced off in a tense standoff.

Red-Haired Shanks finally realized something was off.

"Captain, your childhood friend sure turned out way better than you,"

a fat man munching on a drumstick muttered beside him.

Since joining the Red-Haired Pirates, they'd been living hand to mouth. Their captain even refused to rob civilians.

The crew was always broke.

"Heh. Don't worry about it. One day, we'll have a fleet that big too,"

Shanks replied with a carefree smile, still feeding his crew pipe dreams.

"Shanks!!!"

A sharp shout rang out.

A figure came flying toward him.

"Buggy!"

Shanks looked at the familiar figure, hand brushing his straw hat.

His childhood friend—he hadn't seen him since the day their captain was executed.

Five years had passed.

During that time, Shanks had read about Buggy's exploits in the papers almost every day.

Buggy had become a supernova among pirates, while he himself was still just an obscure small-timer…

Still struggling to recruit new crewmates.

"Shanks, long time no see,"

Buggy said as he reached the front of the fleet, staring at the now-mature Shanks.

"Yeah… long time. You've made it big."

Shanks looked around at the dozens of pirate ships surrounding him, eyes gleaming with admiration.

"Gyahahaha! Of course! But Shanks… how dare you show your face to me?! Don't forget—I hate you!"

Buggy's tone turned cold.

"Ah… yeah, about that… it was an accident?"

Shanks scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Bastard! I won't accept your apology!

Boys, get him! Kill Shanks!"

Buggy hurled a throwing knife at Shanks and roared the order.

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