The joys and sorrows of people were never shared.
While the members of the Dawn faction celebrated the New Year, Marine Headquarters at Marineford remained tense.
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku sat across from Vice Admiral Tsuru.
Three years had passed, yet after witnessing Ash's overwhelming power again, neither of them could remain at ease.
They had once believed their decision regarding the Seven Warlords of the Sea was justified. Now, they were no longer certain.
Three Warlords managing to fight the Beast Pirates to a standstill was something even the Gorosei had not anticipated.
Sengoku and Tsuru exchanged looks.
If Ash, Sali, and Wyper could contend with Kaido, then what did that imply about the others?
Doflamingo, Jinbe, and Hancock had already been defeated by those three. Did that mean they could also hold their own against an Emperor, even if only barely?
Whitebeard was an exception, too dangerous to measure casually.
But Charlotte Linlin?
That possibility could not be dismissed.
Then there was Dracule Mihawk, who frequently dueled Red-Haired Shanks.
If Mihawk's strength matched Shanks, then the Seven Warlords, if gathered, might be capable of confronting multiple Emperors at once.
The thought alone was unsettling.
Tsuru broke the silence.
"That assumption is flawed."
Her voice was steady.
"From previous encounters, it is clear that Sali and Wyper are significantly stronger than Doflamingo, Jinbe, and Hancock."
"Ash's group stands at the top among the Warlords. The three of them represent the highest level of combat power within that system."
"As for Mihawk, his duels with Shanks are unclear. We do not know if they fight seriously or simply spar. Using Shanks as a benchmark for Mihawk is unreliable."
Sengoku nodded.
"Exactly. And even if we speculate, it changes nothing."
He leaned back slightly.
"The Gorosei have not made their stance clear. Whether they will issue a summons, whether they will deploy the Warlords against an Emperor, and whether those pirates would even accept such an order… all of that remains uncertain."
Tsuru gave him a tired look.
There were too many problems, and none of them were within their control.
"Forget that," she said. "We should focus on cleaning up the aftermath."
Meanwhile, far from Marineford, life returned to normal.
After the New Year, Ash and his crew rested in Cathay Village for a month before setting sail again.
Sea Calendar 1519, February 2nd.
Ash referred to the day as Dragon Heads Up.
Sali and the others did not understand the meaning, but they found the name impressive and noted it down.
When they returned to their ships anchored in the Calm Belt, everything seemed fine at first.
Then they found Rayleigh and Scopper Gaban.
The two had been completely forgotten aboard the Dawn Ship and were on the verge of starving.
Ash felt a rare hint of embarrassment. He had left them behind as sparring partners and then completely overlooked their existence.
Kirk said nothing, only giving Ash a brief look before preparing food for the two men.
The former right and left hands of the Pirate King nearly burst into tears when they saw the meal.
Time passed quietly.
The New World had grown unusually quiet after the battle with Kaido.
Kaido remained inactive, Whitebeard continued expanding his crew, Big Mom focused on her own affairs, and Red-Haired Shanks had yet to appear.
It was only after seeing Rayleigh and Gaban that Ash remembered Shanks.
By all logic, Shanks should have been searching for his captured crewmates.
Yet nearly two months had passed without any sign of him.
Combined with what Rayleigh and Gaban had mentioned, Ash's interest shifted to another figure.
Prince Loki of Elbaf.
Someone capable of injuring Shanks badly enough to keep him recovering for months was not ordinary.
Ash had originally planned another large-scale confrontation, but with Shanks absent, the idea lost its appeal.
Instead, he allowed Sali and Wyper to proceed with their own plans.
Keeping three Warlords gathered in one place for too long would only provoke the World Government.
After several days at sea, the three ships separated.
Sali took command of the White Sage Beast ship and headed back to Paradise, continuing his mission at Reverse Mountain.
Reports indicated that Admiral Aokiji had been appearing near the Twin Capes recently.
Now that Sali possessed the strength to stand against Kaido, facing an Admiral was no longer out of reach. The only question was whether Aokiji would act.
Ash stood at the bow of the Dawn Ship, watching Sali depart.
After that, Wyper also set off with the Thunder Dragon Gaya.
His next target was Fish-Man Island, which meant Jinbe would soon have problems to deal with.
With both crews gone, the Dawn Ship sailed alone through the New World, mapping routes.
After half a month, with little of interest discovered, Ash decided to return to Paradise.
At that moment, Youki reminded him of something.
Gran Tesoro had already opened.
Ash paused, then realized he had completely overlooked it.
Without hesitation, he changed course.
Moments later, he shot into the sky, his lightning aura blazing as he flew ahead alone.
Far below, Youki shook his head and turned back toward Rayleigh and Gaban, clearly intending to continue their "training."
The world's largest entertainment city, Gran Tesoro, soon came into view.
Its massive golden structure resembled a floating island.
Unlike what one might expect, it flew no pirate flag.
Whether due to timing or caution toward figures like Ash and Sali, Tesoro had chosen to remain neutral.
Ash descended directly into the inner port.
Before he could properly take in the surroundings, the sound of approaching heels echoed through the area.
A woman with long red hair walked toward him with a confident stride.
"This is quite unexpected," she said with a smile. "I did not think the Heavenly Emperor Ash would visit."
"I am Baccarat, VIP Reception Specialist."
Ash glanced at her and smiled slightly.
"You know me."
Baccarat maintained her polite expression, though her thoughts were far less composed.
She opened a dark red notebook.
"All notable figures, Marines, government officials, and famous pirates are recorded here."
"Besides, your reputation speaks for itself."
Ash nodded.
"Not bad."
She gestured toward a luxurious turtle-drawn vehicle.
"Please, follow me."
Ash ignored the vehicle entirely.
Instead, his gaze fell on the notebook in her hand.
"Since you said I can ask for anything…"
Baccarat felt a subtle sense of unease.
Ash pointed directly at the notebook.
"I need that."
Her smile stiffened.
Ash snapped his fingers lightly and extended his hand.
"Hand it over."