Amid the astonished gazes of the Mink Tribe, a massive elephant trunk descended from the sky once more, gently lifting the small boat and carrying it away from Zou.
“Looking forward to seeing you all again!” Shaq called out, waving toward the figures growing smaller in the distance.
This time, Zunesha did not speak again.
It simply lowered the vessel back onto the sea with careful precision before continuing its endless march across the ocean, a journey that had lasted for centuries without pause.
Standing at the bow, Shaq watched the colossal silhouette gradually fade into the horizon.
His expression grew slightly heavy.
Though no words had been exchanged, it felt as if something significant had been left unsaid.
A large hand suddenly rested on his head.
“Gurararara!
Enough standing around, brat.
Time to keep moving!” Newgate’s booming voice broke the silence.
Shaq blinked, snapping out of his thoughts.
“Yeah… it’s time to continue.”
With that, he shook off the lingering weight in his chest and returned to his usual carefree demeanor.
Newgate observed this quietly, a faint smile forming as he turned away.
The following days passed peacefully.
Half a month into their voyage, the endless sea had begun to grow monotonous.
Both of them lay lazily on the deck, basking under the sun.
“Pops… how much longer?” Shaq asked, clearly bored.
“Soon.
We should be close,” Newgate replied without opening his eyes.
“You said that three days ago.”
“This time, I mean it.”
Three days later…
“Pops, you said we’d be there.”
“Cough… this time it’s really, really soon.”
Shaq puffed out his cheeks in frustration.
The old man’s sense of direction was as unreliable as ever.
Newgate scratched his head awkwardly, choosing to remain silent as he continued fishing, as if nothing had happened.
During these past few days, Shaq had temporarily stopped training.
Instead, he spent his time resting, eating, and talking with Newgate.
It wasn’t that he had grown lazy on the contrary, he had trained relentlessly before this but he had reached a clear bottleneck.
No matter how he refined his swordsmanship, he could not step into the realm of cutting steel.
Likewise, despite meeting the physical requirements, his Armament Haki refused to manifest.
According to Newgate, the issue wasn’t his body, but his state of mind.
Breaking through required more than effort it required understanding.
Sometimes, it could happen in an instant; other times, it might take far longer.
So for now, he had been told to simply live, observe, and experience.
At that moment, Shaq’s gaze drifted toward the horizon.
A small island had come into view.
Faint flames flickered along its edges, and thick smoke rose into the sky.
At first, he paid it little attention.
Scenes like this were far from uncommon on the seas.
“…Looks like that place got raided,” he muttered.
Newgate’s eyes snapped open instantly.
Following Shaq’s gaze, he saw the burning island and in that moment, his expression changed completely.
Without a word, he turned and drove his fist into the air behind the ship.
The very space cracked.
The shockwave exploded outward, propelling the boat forward at terrifying speed, skimming across the surface of the sea like a bullet.
Shaq staggered from the sudden acceleration before quickly regaining his footing.
Seeing Newgate’s expression, he immediately understood.
“Sphinx?”
“…Mm.”
The single response was enough.
Shaq’s expression hardened as well.
If that island truly was Newgate’s hometown, then those responsible had crossed a line they could never return from.
Under Newgate’s continuous bursts of power, the distance closed in an instant.
When they reached the shore, what awaited them was devastation.
Buildings lay in ruins.
Smoke still lingered in the air.
The once peaceful town had been reduced to wreckage.
Newgate’s breathing grew heavy, his chest rising and falling like a beast on the verge of eruption.
Without hesitation, his Observation Haki spread outward, covering the entire island.
“…Central plaza,” he said, his voice low.
“They’re there.”
He moved immediately.
Shaq followed closely behind, his sword already drawn.
When they arrived, the scene before them was suffocating.
Dozens of townspeople knelt on the ground, their faces filled with fear and despair.
Some trembled, others clenched their teeth, but none dared to move.
Above them, a group of pirates laughed loudly, their expressions twisted with cruelty.
At the center sat their captain, reclining arrogantly, gazing down at the kneeling crowd as though he ruled them.
He rose slowly, spreading his arms as if embracing the scene
And in the next instant, everything ended.
His vision spun.
Before he could react, his consciousness faded.
The last thing he perceived was his own body collapsing without a head.
Newgate had already lowered his blade.
Despite his fury, he had controlled his strength.
The attack had been precise only the pirates were cut down, their bodies collapsing almost simultaneously.
Silence followed.
The kneeling townspeople did not move.
Even as their captors fell, they remained frozen, too afraid to react.
“You’re free,” Newgate said, his voice steady.
“Go home.”
Still, no one moved.
Their bodies trembled slightly not from indifference, but from fear ingrained over days of suffering.
Seeing this, Newgate slowly exhaled, forcing himself to calm down.
At that moment, Shaq arrived.
Taking in the scene the fallen pirates, the unmoving crowd he quietly sheathed his blade.
“…Let’s go, Pops,” he said softly.
Newgate nodded.
Without another word, the two turned and left.
Only after their figures disappeared did the townspeople begin to stir.
One by one, they raised their heads, glancing around cautiously.
When they realized the pirates were truly gone, relief broke through.
Tears flowed as they embraced one another, grateful simply to have survived.
…
Back at the shore, the atmosphere was heavy.
Newgate stood silently for a long moment before finally speaking.
“Shaq… I’m staying here for a while.”
Shaq didn’t hesitate.
“Then I’ll stay too.”
Newgate gave a faint smile.
“Come on.
I’ll show you something.”
He led the way around to the other side of the island.
Soon, a hidden valley came into view.
Unlike the destruction they had just witnessed, this place was untouched a stretch of green meadow with a gentle stream winding through it, quiet and peaceful.
Standing there, Shaq couldn’t help but feel the contrast.
“This… is where I grew up,” Newgate said quietly.