"You—!!"
"You b*****d!"
"Attacking our comrade directly?!"
"Do you want to start a war with us pirates?!"
The members of the Red Hair Pirates shouted angrily as they witnessed Bai Ye's sudden attack. Their expressions darkened, and they drew their weapons, glaring furiously at Bai Ye for daring to harm one of their own.
The tension thickened, and it seemed a battle was inevitable.
"Stop!"
A commanding voice rang out.
It was Shanks, the red-haired captain of the Red Hair Pirates. He stepped forward, placing his sword, Griffin, in front of his injured crew member.
"That's enough!"
Shanks' sharp gaze shifted to Rocks, who had been blasted away by Bai Ye. Speaking in a deep, measured tone, Shanks addressed the situation.
"This time, Rocks made a mistake. As a rookie who just joined the ship, he's lucky to escape with his life after this lesson."
Shanks' voice carried authority, silencing his crew. He understood the reality before him—the man standing before them didn't care about their plans or their reputation.
For someone as powerful as Bai Ye, this confrontation could have ended far more tragically for Rocks.
"But, Shanks—!"
The protest came from Benn Beckman, the ship's navigator. He was visibly furious, his hands tightening around his weapon.
"This guy dared to attack one of us, and he did it right in front of our faces! Does he take us for fools?!"
The Red Hair Pirates were notoriously close-knit. To harm one of their crew in front of them was nothing short of an insult. Among the pirate crews of the New World, honor and reputation meant everything.
Touching their flag or their people was akin to declaring war.
Shanks, however, raised his hand, silencing Benn.
"What happened to Rocks was his own fault. He was reckless and brought this upon himself. But..."
Shanks' tone hardened, and his Conqueror's Haki began to leak out, subtly pressuring the area.
"If we can't resolve this peacefully, we'll settle it by the rules of the sea."
He took a step forward, staring Bai Ye down.
"We'll decide this with a duel. Three moves. No more, no less. This isn't a declaration of war, but remember—Kaido's life and yours are both part of the balance in the New World. Upsetting it now will only lead to chaos."
Shanks' words carried weight. Even in his calmness, there was a clear edge to his voice—a warning.
He then bowed his head slightly.
"My apologies for this inconvenience."
Despite his apology, Shanks had no intention of backing down.
With that, he drew Griffin and prepared for battle.
"Captain!"
The crew behind him cheered, their faces lighting up with excitement.
"Finally, Shanks is making a move again!"
"Teach that guy a lesson!"
Benn smirked, the earlier tension on his face replaced by a look of satisfaction.
"That's more like it," he muttered under his breath.
Meanwhile, Bai Ye stood atop the stone pillar created by his Hadō Ninety-Nine: Goryūtenmetsu.
Watching Shanks approach, a faint smirk appeared on his face.
"Strength determines everything in this world," Bai Ye murmured to himself.
As Shanks dashed forward, Bai Ye released a surge of Reiatsu.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them cracked and fissured, creating a shockwave that swept across the area.
Their weapons hadn't even clashed yet, but the sheer force of their auras was overwhelming.
"What... what is this?!"
Rocks, who had just climbed out of a pile of rubble, stared in disbelief at the scene unfolding before him.
"That... That's Conqueror's Haki! Their weapons haven't even touched, but their wills are clashing!"
Yasopp, another of Shanks' crew, stepped forward, his expression grave.
"Kid, you're witnessing something special," Yasopp said to Rocks. "Conqueror's Haki is a skill only the strongest can wield. It's a clash of wills."
"But... can Shanks really win against this guy?" Rocks muttered, watching Bai Ye stand completely unshaken.
Yasopp didn't answer. Instead, he observed the battlefield, his hand resting on his weapon.
On the battlefield, Shanks was focused entirely on Bai Ye.
He tightened his grip on Griffin, his eyes narrowing.
"Strong," he admitted under his breath.
Bai Ye's power was undeniable. The devastation around them, caused by the earlier skirmish, seemed to have no effect on him.
"But I haven't shown my full strength yet," Shanks muttered, preparing for his next move.
"This is the second strike!"
Pouring both Armament and Conqueror's Haki into his blade, Shanks unleashed one of his most powerful techniques—Kamusari, the divine escape.
A soaring wave of energy shot toward Bai Ye, powerful enough to split the sky itself.
However, Bai Ye remained unfazed.
"Full of flaws," he said coldly.
In an instant, Bai Ye vanished from his position.
Shanks' eyes widened in shock as Bai Ye reappeared in front of him, faster than he could react.
Slash!
Blood splattered in the air as a deep cut appeared on Shanks' chest.
"Shanks!"
The Red Hair Pirates cried out in alarm as their captain staggered backward, blood staining his shirt.
Bai Ye, holding Ryūjin Jakka, calmly shook the blood off his blade.
"One more move," he said, his voice devoid of emotion.
His piercing gaze locked onto Shanks, who stood with a dignified expression despite the injury.
In that moment, the Red Hair Pirates truly understood the strength of the man before them.
This was no ordinary swordsman.
This was a monster.