Therefore, retrieving his sword became the first major challenge for Shanks. After all, his weapon, Gryphon, was right at Garp's feet.
Retrieving it inevitably meant getting into close combat with the opponent, where Shanks was at a disadvantage. This was a dilemma. He wished he had switched opponents with Alaudi earlier. He would rather deal with Sengoku than Garp.
But if he were to ask Alaudi to switch opponents in this situation, it might seem like he was admitting defeat to Garp.
Shanks shook his head and cast aside those conflicting thoughts as he took a deep breath and focused entirely on Garp. He then said, "Um... Vice Admiral Garp, how about giving my sword back before we continue?"
If Giotto were here, he would definitely give Shanks a thumbs-up. His negotiation ability was truly remarkable.
If it were anyone else, they probably wouldn't have given Shanks this opportunity. However, Garp was a fool. He thought that without his weapon, Shanks wouldn't be able to fight properly, and besides, Shanks was once Roger's crew. Giving him a slight chance was not a big deal.
But it was mainly because Garp wanted to beat Shanks while he was at his best and then told his grandson, "Pirates are all rubbish. They're powerless before my iron punch. Therefore, become an outstanding Marine soldier. That's your best future!"
"As expected of Vice Admiral Garp! Even though we're enemies, you still fight fairly!" Shanks praised Garp as he picked up Gryphon. "But you need to be a bit more careful. After all, this is the technique that Captain Roger taught me. Although I can't use it as well as Captain, its quite impressive, you know!"
As he spoke, Shanks' aura intensified. Both his Color of Supreme King Haki and Color of Arms Haki were so intense that its power seemed to seep out.
Garp's expression changed slightly upon hearing that it was Roger's technique. He had guessed it to some extent, but he didn't expect it to be that particular move. Nevertheless, back in the day, even Roger couldn't scare him, let alone this Red Haired young man.
That technique was one of Roger's signature moves, and it seemed that Shanks could barely exert half of its true power.
"Godly Avoidance!"
Shanks swung his sword at Garp fiercely, unleashing a dark red compressed air blade. The astonishing sound of it cutting through the air made it as if the very space in front of him was about to be completely cleaved open. This strike was more powerful than any attack he had thrown at Garp.
"Hahaha! You truly live up to your reputation as a former member of Roger's crew, Red-Haired!" Garp laughed heartily as he faced the incoming attack. He then further raised the power of his Color of Arms Haki as he enveloped his fist in it. "Fist Collision!"
Garp delivered a powerful Color of Arms Haki-imbued punch! The sheer force of this punch caused the ice beneath their feet to shatter. Fissures appeared even in the air itself. While it was common for Whitebeard to shatter the air with his Tremor-Tremor Fruit's ability, Garp's ability to do it with pure physical strength was nothing short of terrifying.
This Marine hero seemed unaffected by age. In fact, it seemed like he got stronger the older he got.
The deafening clash of their attacks echoed in the air, and he ice beneath them couldn't withstand the immense impact.
The destructive power of the impact was astonishing. Those who were closer to them were blown away.
"That's quite a Godly Avoidance, Red-Haired kid!" Garp commented as he advanced towards Shanks. He pushed through the tremendeous impact, displaying his incredible resilience. "It reminds me of Roger's style, but that move won't do much here. Back in the day, I could counter Roger's Godly Avoidance with a single punch. What good of you using it? Come here, let me give you a good beating, and then I'll throw you into Impel Down for the rest of your life!"
Garp steadily approached Shanks unimpended, proving how strong his physique and Color of Arms Haki were. Shanks, on the other hand, realized the clear difference between them. He had used his full strength in that last attack, yet Garp didn't even budge. However, Shanks believed that with his rapid growth recently, and he believed that he would be able to rival Garp's power soon.
But no one would show mercy to him just because of that, so he had no choice but to confront Garp head-on. Shanks took a deep breath and thought, "I'll have to brace myself. I don't think I can defeat him, but stalling should be possible. I hope Alaudi can finish his fight with Sengoku quickly. In this situation, he's probably the only one who has a chance against this old man."