One Piece: The Avengers

"Wow, how sentimental!" Shanks burst through the door at the worst possible moment, dramatically feigning exaggeration.

"Get out!" Shanter roared furiously, completely forgetting that this was Shanks' ship. Even Robin glared at him in frustration.

Shanks, startled by the overwhelming aura that erupted from the two of them—a force far surpassing even Roger's Conqueror's Haki—scrambled away with his tail between his legs.

The moment was completely ruined by Shanks' interruption. Shanter looked at Robin awkwardly, but she, ever graceful, merely blushed slightly.

The romantic atmosphere evaporated. Any hope of deepening the mood with Robin was gone. Left with no other choice, Shanter began stretching and moving his limbs to regain his physical strength, distracting himself from his earlier thoughts.

"May I come in?" Shanks reappeared shamelessly at the doorway.

"Suit yourself. It's your ship, after all," Shanter replied testily. By then, Robin had already retreated to the ship's small library to read.

Unperturbed by Shanter's tone, Shanks found a spot to sit and asked, "Shanter, now that your injuries are healed, what are your plans?"

"What? Are you trying to recruit me into your pirate crew?" Shanter saw through Shanks' intentions immediately.

"Heh, busted," Shanks admitted with a laugh.

"No way. I still have to help Robin find the Poneglyphs," Shanter refused flatly. "But I'm curious—are you really a pirate?"

"Why, don't I look like one?" Shanks grinned as usual.

"The pirates I've met were all wicked. When I was five, my country was destroyed by a pirate crew—the Twister Pirates. From that day on, I've despised pirates."

"Then why not join the Marines?"

"I planned to, originally. But I'm a wanted man, and so is Robin," Shanter said indifferently. "You must know about the Ohara Incident. Robin is its sole survivor and the only living archaeologist from Ohara. After witnessing what Akainu did that day, I stopped believing in justice or ideals altogether."

For once, Shanks fell silent.

"Now, tell me about yourself. To me, pirates are nothing but scum."

"Me?" Shanks asked, smiling. "You want to know why I became a pirate?"

Shanter nodded, showing mild interest.

"I was born on an island in the West Blue known for its fine wine. From a young age, I dreamed of setting out to sea," Shanks began, his tone softening as he reminisced. "About ten years ago, a group of pirates came to my hometown."

"These pirates neither stole nor pillaged. They were bold and generous, so naturally, I was curious and asked them about their way of life. They told me that being a pirate meant living freely on the open sea, where treasures left behind by those before us were enough to sustain everything."

"When I told my father about my dreams, he didn't oppose them. So, I joined that crew and set sail."

"Like you and Robin, our captain discovered many Poneglyphs across the world. Although I couldn't read the ancient script, our captain could. He could even communicate with all things. Oh, and this straw hat of mine—it was a gift from him. He's the person I respect most in my life."

"We traveled everywhere: the Four Seas, Paradise, the New World. Our footprints are scattered across the world."

"Of course, we faced countless battles—fighting legendary figures like Whitebeard the Sea Emperor, Golden Lion Shiki, Fist Garp, and the strategist Sengoku. The list goes on."

"Wait a second—who was your captain?" Shanter asked curiously. A pirate who had clashed with such legendary figures couldn't possibly be unknown.

"Gol D. Roger!"

"The Pirate King?!" Shanter was stunned, instinctively raising his opinion of Shanks.

"Yes, he was our captain. The Pirate King."

"Later, our captain contracted an incurable illness. After circling the Grand Line, he disbanded the Roger Pirates and surrendered to the Marines. At Raftel, he uncovered a massive secret. To fulfill his dream, he sacrificed himself to usher in a new era—a time when everyone could chase their dreams."

"The Great Pirate Era!"

"In our captain's eyes, true pirates are free spirits chasing their dreams across the sea. Those who only plunder without ambition don't deserve to be called pirates."

"During a battle, our captain entrusted me with his most cherished straw hat. On the eve of our disbandment, he said something I'll never forget." At this point, Shanks' usual carefree demeanor vanished, replaced by solemnity.

"'The Pirate King is not the strongest person on this vast ocean. The freest person is the true Pirate King.'" Shanks placed his hand on his straw hat, tears streaming down his face.

"Is that so? That's what makes the Pirate King so remarkable," Shanter murmured, nodding slightly as a newfound respect for Gol D. Roger swelled in his heart.

"Now you understand what it means to be a true pirate," Shanks said.

"I do. Pirates like Roger command respect, even from their enemies," Shanter admitted. Then, abruptly, he changed the subject. "But I still won't join your crew."

"That's fine," Shanks said, waving dismissively.

"Still, I need your help with something," Shanter said. "Can you mark on a map all the locations where you found Poneglyphs back then?"

"Sure, no problem," Shanks agreed readily. "But what are you and Robin planning to do with them? Awaken the ancient weapons?"

"No," Shanter cut off his speculation decisively. "Robin simply wants to uncover the true history."

"Haha! So, you're taking on the entire World Government for that girl's dream? Kid, you've got guts!" Shanks laughed heartily.

"So what? Besides, I plan to storm Marineford one day and kill Sengoku and Akainu," Shanter said coldly.

"Oh?" This time, Shanks was genuinely shocked. "Why? Marineford isn't a place you can just walk into. You'd die for sure!"

"Maybe. But failing and not trying are two entirely different things. I've never forgotten what happened at Ohara."

"I hope you succeed."

"Enough about me," Shanter said, steering the conversation away. "For a pirate, you don't even have your own Jolly Roger!"

"Haha, I only just got this ship. I don't even have a full crew yet. Why bother with a flag?" Shanks replied with a bitter laugh. "Even the ship's doctor is just an old friend of my father's who doesn't want to be a pirate. Look over there—that's my real boat."

Shanter followed his gaze and froze. "That's...a dinghy? You were going to drag us onto that? Good thing I didn't agree!"

The image of himself, Robin, and Shanks crammed onto a tiny dinghy sent a chill down Shanter's spine.

"That's why I want you to be my first crewmate," Shanks said, sounding slightly deflated.

"Don't worry. In this Great Pirate Era, you won't lack for crewmates," Shanter said, patting Shanks on the shoulder. "One day, I'll have my own ship too. Let's meet again on the open sea."

---

Enjoying the story? Want to read ahead?

Get early access to 70+ Chapters and faster updates by

joining the Pirate King Membership tier for just $5! You can choose to support me on :

Patreon : https://www.patreon.com/KZ478

Your support helps keep this story alive, and I deeply appreciate every contribution

Thank you for reading and supporting my work.