"Why?!"
The sorrowful cry of a young girl echoed across the vast, blue ocean.
Shanks felt a sudden sting in his nose.
That was his daughter.
The girl he had raised since she was very, very small.
Shanks still rembered it clearly—it had already been seven years since that day.
When he opened a treasure chest seized from an enemy pirate crew, what he found inside wasn't just gold and jewels, but a tiny baby lying atop the treasure, giggling and reaching out her little hands toward him.
At that mont, Shanks recalled sothing his most respected Captain Roger had once said.
Captain Roger believed that every encounter in this world was guided by fate.
And the instant he laid eyes on Uta, Shanks genuinely felt the presence of fate.
She eting him... it felt just like when he had first t Captain Roger.
Countless unforgettable mories surged through his mind like waves crashing against the sea.
He rembered how, because there was no proper baby food on the ship, he'd tried feeding Uta grilled at—only to get a solid beating from Beckman.
It was Yasopp, who had experience with children, who ward up so milk and finally filled the baby's belly.
He rembered the first ti he carried Uta on his shoulders—only to have her pee down his back, causing an uproar of laughter from the whole crew.
He also rembered falling asleep with her at night, only to accidentally roll over and knock her to the floor.
Uta's forehead swelled with a bump, and her cries earned him another group beating from the crew.
And he would never forget the first ti Uta called him "Dad."
He froze for a second before gently correcting her, telling her he wasn't her father.
But that only made the little girl burst into tears again. Ever since that day, she'd always called him "Shanks."
Equally unforgettable was the first ti Uta sang in front of the whole crew. Her voice was young and tender, yet clear and lodious like a nightingale's. Everyone cheered for her, and she bead with joy.
So many mories.
Too many.
It wasn't just Shanks—every mber of the Red-Haired Pirates felt their eyes begin to sting.
The little princess, once adored and spoiled by all of them, now scread hoarsely, desperately questioning them.
Many of the pirates were on the verge of tears.
But—
"Hold it together."
Ben Beckman's face was stern, his tone cold and firm.
"Or all our efforts will be for nothing!"
Though he said this, the veins on his arms, crossed tightly over his chest, bulged visibly — clearly, his mind was far from calm.
"Shanks."
He urged sharply, "Since the decision has already been made, what are you hesitating for?"
Shanks took a deep breath, then shouted hoarsely, "Ian! Why are you here?"
On the Golden Dragon, Uta, who had been catching her breath monts before, suddenly lifted her head, eyes vacant.
Ignored.
Shanks acted as if she wasn't even there, speaking directly to Ian!
A slight smirk tugged at Ian's lips — everything was under control.
Ian, you may be handso, but right now, you're truly despicable.
"I'm really curious, Shanks," Ian lifted his right foot and placed it on the ship's rail, staring at Shanks.
"What exactly was it that drew you to destroy Elegia?"
His right hand pressed down on Uta's head beside him.
The little girl had gone completely stiff, staring blankly at the Red Force ship.
"To the point where you'd abandon your own daughter?"
"Didn't you hear the girl's voice? At least respond to her."
What a nuisance.
On the Red Force ship, Ben Beckman frowned deeply.
Things were already complicated enough, and now the Golden Dragon was involved!
Uta was sohow tangled up with Ian of all people.
Hearing Ian's words, Shanks fell silent for a mont.
His eyes involuntarily glanced toward Uta.
"Why, Shanks!!"
Completely unaware of Ian's hand pressing down on her head, Uta once again scread hoarsely, "Why did you do sothing like that!!"
"Elegia welcod us so warmly! Everyone was so kind to us! Why did you have to kill them?"
Because Elegia welcod you all so warmly, because the people there were so friendly to you, that's exactly why you can't be told the truth.
Ian thought to himself.
He spoke, "That's exactly why, Shanks. You're not the kind of person who would do sothing like that."
"What's the real story? Just satisfy my curiosity—it's a long trip I made after all. Could it be that Elegia really hides so incredible treasure?"
Shanks's cheek muscles twitched.
There really is sothing, a treasure of Elegia.
But Ian, it's sothing you probably wouldn't like.
After the previous generation's Sing-Sing Fruit user imprisoned countless people in a dream space, a monster was born out of that resentnt.
A demon king born solely to destroy all the beauty in the world.
An indiscriminate attacker of everything in front of it, an existence utterly opposed to all that is good, and the source of all tragedy.
But this is sothing Uta absolutely must not be told.
Shanks knew better than anyone—his daughter was an exceptionally kind child.
She would never be able to accept that so many people died because of her.
Hundreds of thousands of lives—her tender shoulders simply couldn't bear that weight.
Shanks glanced at Uta.
The little girl was still looking at him, a faint hope lingering in her eyes.
She was still hoping.
Still hoping for a way out.
Shanks closed his eyes.
I could only feel my heart aching in pain.
Forgive , Uta, this will be the last ti.
My hand was already resting on the sword hilt at my waist.
"…"
Beckman remained silent.
His captain was about to do sothing foolish again.
But as a comrade, the only thing he could do was to support him.
"Enough! So noisy!"
The fad sword Griffin instantly drew from its sheath.
A slash, black and red, tore through the air in the blink of an eye.
The violent strike ripped through the atmosphere, heading straight toward—Uta.
The nine-year-old girl's eyes widened in shock.
She hadn't even reacted yet when the massive slash was already upon her, seeming ready to tear her apart in the next mont.
But thankfully, a large hand pressed down on her head reached out just then.
Armant Haki and Conqueror's Haki surged simultaneously on that palm.
Dark haki crackled like lightning, and that hand grabbed the incoming slash.
The air trembled violently, letting out a thunderous crack under the strain.
Ian clenched his fist tightly.
The attack was instantly crushed in his grip.
Only when the fierce wind rushed forward, blowing Uta backward until she fell onto the deck, did she realize what had just happened.
Tears flooded out uncontrollably from her eyes in an instant.
Even though she had been completely disappointed with the Red Hair Pirates that very night, in this mont, the pain in her heart made the young girl cry like a fountain.
Shanks… he wanted to kill !
Law's lips twitched slightly.
Even a fool could see there was sothing wrong.
**********
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