Shitty Day

After orchestrating the fake war between Big Mom and Blackbeard, Gaku decided it was best to lay low for a while. His latest move had drawn more attention to him than he was comfortable with, and he figured exploring more of the New World might uncover something—or someone—that could make him even stronger.

Perched atop a rocky outcrop overlooking a vast jungle, Gaku took a sip from his flask while Lili stretched lazily next to him.

"You think we'll stumble onto something worthwhile?" Lili asked, his golden eyes glinting in the sunlight.

Gaku leaned back, looking up at the sky. "The New World's full of surprises. If we keep poking around, we're bound to find something—or someone—interesting."

Before Lili could reply, Gaku's relaxed expression shifted. His muscles tensed, and his red eyes darted toward the horizon.

"What is it?" Lili asked, immediately on alert.

Gaku didn't respond right away. Instead, he stood up, his gaze fixed on a ship slowly approaching the island. His senses screamed as he felt a powerful aura radiating from it—an aura that dwarfed anything he'd encountered before.

"That aura..." Gaku muttered, his voice low and uncharacteristically wary.

Lili followed his gaze and saw the distinctive red sails and a Jolly Roger bearing crossed swords and a three-scarred skull.

"Wait, is that—?" Lili's voice faltered.

Gaku nodded slowly, his tone grim. "Red-Haired Shanks."

The realization hit Lili like a freight train. "You're kidding, right? Tell me you're kidding!"

Gaku exhaled sharply, his usual bravado gone. "No. And we're not messing with him. That's for damn sure."

But just as he said it, the massive ship began to turn, its bow aiming directly at the island.

"Why is he coming here?!" Lili yelped, pacing nervously.

Gaku's fists clenched, his mind racing. "I don't know, but this isn't good."

As Shanks' ship drew closer, Gaku weighed his options. Fight? Not a chance. Even he wasn't arrogant enough to think he could take on an emperor and his crew.

Run? The open sea offered no guarantees. Shanks' ship was far faster than anything Gaku had access to.

Hide? It felt pathetic, but it was the only option left.

"We're hiding," Gaku said, pulling Lili toward a thick patch of trees.

"I can't believe this," Lili muttered, his tail flicking with irritation. "You, hiding? This is a first."

"Shut up," Gaku snapped, crouching low behind a boulder.

Minutes passed like hours as Shanks' ship docked, and the Red-Haired Pirates began to disembark. The island, previously silent, now echoed with the voices and laughter of the crew.

"Why here of all places, Captain?" Benn Beckman asked, lighting a cigarette as he surveyed the jungle.

"Just had a feeling," Shanks replied, his tone casual but his steps deliberate.

"Feeling? That's your excuse?" Lucky Roux joked, taking a bite out of a drumstick.

"Maybe he's finally losing it," Yasopp added with a laugh.

Shanks ignored them, walking with purpose into the jungle. His officers followed closely, their banter light but their eyes sharp.

Gaku's heart pounded as he felt Shanks getting closer. He crouched lower, trying to make himself invisible. But suddenly, Shanks stopped, just a few feet away from their hiding spot.

"You can come out now," Shanks said, his voice calm but commanding.

Gaku froze. Lili's ears flattened against his head.

"We've been found," Lili whispered.

With no other choice, Gaku stood slowly, his hands raised slightly in a gesture of surrender. Lili leapt onto his shoulder, glaring at the Red-Haired Pirates.

Shanks raised an eyebrow, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "So, it's you. I thought I recognized that presence."

The rest of Shanks' officers were equally surprised. Benn Beckman folded his arms, his sharp eyes studying Gaku.

"Didn't expect to find you here," Beckman said, his voice low and dangerous.

Lucky Roux chuckled. "And here I thought the island was empty."

"Relax, I'm not looking for trouble," Gaku said, his voice steady but cautious.

"Good," Shanks replied, tossing a bottle of sake toward Gaku, who caught it reflexively. "Then drink with us."

The tension eased slightly, though Gaku and Lili still felt the weight of the crew's stares. Reluctantly, they followed Shanks and his officers back to the ship.

Around a roaring fire near the ship, the Red-Haired Pirates drank and laughed, their boisterous energy filling the air. Gaku sat stiffly among them, Lili perched on his lap, his golden eyes scanning the room for any sign of hostility.

Shanks leaned back, his gaze fixed on Gaku. "You were at Marineford, weren't you? And Impel Down?"

Gaku nodded cautiously. "I was."

"And you helped Luffy."

"It wasn't a big deal," Gaku replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

Shanks' expression softened, but his tone grew serious. "Luffy's important to me. And anyone who helps him earns my thanks."

Before Gaku could respond, Shanks leaned forward, his gaze piercing. "But I don't trust you. You remind me of someone else—someone dangerous."

The crew fell silent, the atmosphere growing tense.

"You remind me of Teach," Shanks said bluntly. "And I can't predict what you'll do. That makes you a threat."

Lili bristled, but Gaku remained calm. "I'm not Teach. And I have no interest in being like him."

Shanks studied him for a long moment before smiling and sitting back. "Good. Because if you were, this conversation would've ended differently."

The tension eased as Shanks poured more sake, raising his cup. "Come on, let's drink! No need to ruin the night with heavy talk."

The crew erupted in laughter, and Gaku forced a smile, clinking his cup against Shanks'.

The night wore on, and eventually, Shanks and his crew prepared to set sail. Gaku and Lili stood on the shore, watching as the Red-Haired Pirates boarded their ship.

"Remember what I said," Shanks called out, his tone light but his words firm. "There won't be a next time."

Gaku nodded, a mix of relief and unease washing over him.

As the ship disappeared into the horizon, Lili sighed heavily. "Well, that was terrifying."

"Yeah," Gaku admitted, his usual bravado returning slightly. "But at least we're still alive."

"Barely," Lili muttered.

With that, the duo turned and walked back into the jungle, ready to continue their journey—but not without the lingering weight of Shanks' warning.

The forest was unnaturally quiet as Gaku and Lili trudged through the dense foliage, the encounter with Shanks still weighing heavily on Gaku's mind. The tension had lessened somewhat, and Lili, ever the chatterbox when nervous, was mid-complaint about how emperors seemed to be drawn to them like moths to a flame.

Suddenly, Gaku froze mid-step. His sharp red eyes darted around, his heightened senses picking up on something—no, someone—lurking nearby. Three distinct presences.

"Lili," he muttered under his breath, "stay behind me."

The cat-like companion instinctively took a step back, his ears twitching nervously as the air grew heavier. From the shadows, three figures emerged, cloaked in dark gear with their faces obscured by masks. One was a tall, muscular man whose bulk seemed to dwarf the trees around them. The second figure was smaller, frail even, but something in their stance spoke of cunning and precision. The third, a woman, stood with a blade in hand, her movements fluid and deliberate.

"Who sent you?" Gaku asked, his voice calm but with an unmistakable edge.

None of them answered. Instead, they shifted into combat stances, weapons gleaming faintly in the moonlight.

Gaku sighed. "Fine. I'll get the answers myself."

Without hesitation, he charged forward, his speed almost blinding. His first target was the frail figure, thinking it best to eliminate the weakest link. But as his attacks met theirs, Gaku found himself momentarily surprised—they were fast and calculated, evading his strikes with practiced precision.

Behind him, the tall man lunged with a massive blade, forcing Gaku to pivot and block the attack. The sheer force of the blow sent vibrations down his arm, but he held his ground, countering with a devastating kick to the man's midsection.

The woman darted in from his blind spot, her blade aiming for his throat, but Gaku spun, his weapon clashing against hers in a shower of sparks.

Their fighting styles felt eerily familiar to Gaku. Each movement, each strike, carried a precision that tugged at the edges of his memory. But there was no time to dwell on it.

"I don't have time for games," Gaku growled, his frustration growing as the fight dragged on.

With a decisive move, he feinted an attack toward the tall man but turned his momentum toward the frail one, his fist glowing with raw energy. The punch connected, breaking through the figure's defenses and piercing their chest. Blood sprayed into the air as the body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

The tall man roared in fury, his attacks becoming more erratic. Gaku capitalized on a poorly timed swing, sidestepping and slashing across his opponent's throat. The massive figure staggered, dropping his weapon before collapsing into the dirt.

That left the woman. Her stance was unwavering despite the odds, and without a word, she launched herself at Gaku with reckless abandon. Her movements were wild but filled with a desperation that momentarily threw him off. She was fast, but not fast enough.

With a single, clean motion, Gaku drew one of his smaller blades and slashed her throat. She fell to her knees, clutching at her neck as blood poured out. Her mask slipped off as she hit the ground.

And Gaku froze.

It was Lydia.

He quickly moved to the bodies of the other two, pulling off their masks. Granad. Ruki.

"No," he muttered, his voice barely audible. His hands trembled as he stared at the faces of his former companions, friends who had once shared laughter and battles with him in the sterile halls of Project Mirage.

Lili approached cautiously, sensing the change in Gaku's demeanor. "Are... are you okay?"

Gaku's hands curled into fists. His gaze remained fixed on their lifeless faces, his usually stoic expression twisting with regret. "Today's just a shitty day," he muttered bitterly.

Lili hesitated, then placed a hand on his arm. "You didn't know it was them."

"That's the point," Gaku snapped, though his anger wasn't directed at Lili. "I couldn't even recognize them... Not until it was too late."

He turned away, his shoulders tense. "I couldn't even apologize," he added, his voice softer now, filled with an emotion Lili rarely heard from him—guilt. "They're already long gone."

The forest seemed even quieter now, as if mourning the loss of those who had once been close to him. Gaku stood there for a long moment, his red eyes gazing into the distance. Lili stayed by his side, unsure of what to say.

For the first time in a long while, Gaku felt the weight of his past pressing heavily on his soul.

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A/N: Hey, hope you're doing great!

Just here to say that from the next chapter we probably will go back into the main story, it was fun doing all those side quests but now let's avance the plot.