"What's that?" Dagmar looked up, his jaw dropping at the sight of the giant sword in the sky.
"That's the sword that will bring you to justice," Shirakawa said cryptically. He didn't know how to explain it himself.
He charged at Dagmar with blinding speed, leaving only afterimages in his wake.
"So fast!" Dagmar was momentarily stunned, then felt a tremendous force from Shirakawa's sword, pushing him back several meters.
"And so strong!" Dagmar's expression turned serious as his bloodlust intensified, his skin becoming even redder.
"This is getting interesting! Hahaha!" He burst into a maniacal laughter. "I haven't had such a thrilling fight since I left the front lines! Come on, let's see what you've got!"
"He's gone mad," Buggy said, covering his face with his hands.
"Don't worry. Trust Shirakawa. He's invincible," Shanks reassured him, remaining calm.
Watching the intense battle, Shanks felt a surge of motivation. 'I need to train harder,' he vowed, clenching his fists.
"Shanks," Buggy called out.
"Hmm?" Shanks turned to him.
"You'll definitely become stronger," Buggy said sincerely.
Shanks was taken aback, then smiled confidently. "Of course I will. I'll be as strong as the Captain."
Despite his goofy and cowardly exterior, Buggy was perceptive. He had spent a lot of time with Shanks and understood his aspirations. In fact, they knew each other better than anyone else.
The battle raged on, with Shirakawa clearly gaining the upper hand. He was unscathed, his wounds healing instantly, while Dagmar's chest and back were marred with deep cuts.
"Damn it!" Dagmar finally calmed down after losing a significant amount of blood. His eyes were still red, but the frenzy had subsided.
"Are you immortal?" he asked, gritting his teeth.
"Oh? You're quite perceptive. That's right, I am immortal," Shirakawa said, finally revealing his secret.
"You're lying!" Dagmar refused to believe him. Shirakawa's casual tone made it sound like a joke.
'Why doesn't he believe me?' Shirakawa thought, feeling a sense of liberation now that he had spoken the truth.
"There's no such thing as immortality! There must be a limit. Once you reach it, you'll die!" Dagmar insisted.
"Really? Then I'd like to see where my limit lies," Shirakawa said, genuinely curious. Even at full strength, Dagmar didn't seem to pose a real threat.
They clashed again, their swords screeching against each other. Dagmar's roars filled the air.
"Is he crazy? He's still fighting even though he's clearly losing," Buggy said, bewildered.
"Maybe he's lost his mind," Shanks agreed.
They had only seen two types of people fight with such fervor despite being severely injured: those filled with unwavering determination, believing they couldn't lose, and those who were simply fools. To them, Dagmar seemed to fall into the latter category.
After receiving more wounds, Dagmar retreated, putting some distance between himself and Shirakawa.
"Why are you backing away? Come on! I'm not done yet!" Shirakawa taunted.
Dagmar didn't respond, just stared at Shirakawa warily.
"Fine, I'll come to you then."
"Wait!" Dagmar suddenly said.
"What is it?" Shirakawa stopped, curious about what Dagmar had to say.
"Let me go. Just pretend we never met," Dagmar pleaded.
Shirakawa burst into laughter.
Dagmar forced a smile, though it looked more like a grimace.
"If we were the ones begging for mercy, would you let us go?" Shirakawa asked.
Dagmar hesitated, and Shirakawa knew the answer.
"No. And neither will I. The stench of blood on you is too strong. Killing you would be doing the world a favor."
"If you insist on fighting, then I'll drag you to hell with me!" Dagmar roared, unleashing all his power in a final desperate attack. He aimed for Shirakawa's head, intending to decapitate him in one strike.
"Such a straightforward attack. Have you lost your mind because you know you can't win?" Shirakawa scoffed, disappointed.
He took to the air. "Have you ever seen a sword technique that falls from the sky?"
Dagmar didn't answer.
"Then let me show you."
Shirakawa extended his left hand towards Dagmar. A heavy pressure suddenly weighed down on Dagmar, immobilizing him.
"I had to do this because this move is too easy to dodge otherwise," Shirakawa explained.
"Damn it! You can control gravity?" Dagmar grunted, struggling against the invisible force.
"There's a lot you don't know about me."
Shirakawa raised his sword and descended rapidly, bringing it down on Dagmar's head.
He glanced at Dagmar's bisected body, then shook the blood off his blade. "Not bad at all," he said with a hint of arrogance.
The Sword of Damocles vanished.
"Looks like the battle's over," Rayleigh said from the city, having witnessed the sword disappear.
"Yes. But did you notice a crack on the sword?" Roger asked.
"No, I didn't."
"I must have been mistaken then," Roger said, though he didn't believe it.
'Something's not right,' he thought, a sense of unease settling in his heart.