Kaito stood with his arms folded, not moving from his spot. Just now, he too had been within the attack range of "Kirin", but he was the wielder of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. Lightning was part of his very being—it was impossible for him to be harmed by his own power.
In stark contrast, Shanks was in terrible shape—no, downright pitiful.
His once sleek red hair was now a tangled mess of red and black, scorched and curled from the lightning. His upper garments had been completely destroyed, and even one leg of his knee-length shorts had been blown off, exposing almost up to the top of his thigh.
But the most noticeable change…
…was the arm he had lost.
His left arm was gone, reduced to a charred stump at the shoulder. Now he was half-kneeling on the ground, using his remaining hand to support his sword, head bowed in silence, lost in thought.
Kaito had no intention of letting him sit there and play the brooding philosopher. Dropping his arms, he began walking toward Shanks, his body instantly cloaked in Destruction Armament, ready to deliver the final blow.
Sensing the incoming danger, Shanks abruptly raised his head. His eyes were glowing with a strange, ominous red light.
"…Hmm?"
Kaito stopped in his tracks. The aura radiating from Shanks now—it was disturbingly familiar. It was the same feeling he'd sensed back in Mary Geoise.
The red light in Shanks' eyes flickered for a moment before fading. Rising to his feet, he looked at Kaito with a cold, piercing gaze.
He was truly enraged.
He had nearly died from that Kirin attack. At the very last moment, he had poured all his power into his left arm to block it, and while he had managed to survive, he'd paid a heavy price—the loss of that very arm.
Kaito, of course, couldn't care less about Shanks' feelings. Honestly, he had always found Shanks' symmetrical, intact arms annoying. Now that one of them was gone… he found the sight much more pleasing.
Still, that strange feeling he'd just picked up from Shanks lingered in his mind. Casually, he asked,
"Red-Haired Shanks, what exactly is your relationship with the World Government?"
Shanks' pupils shrank in shock.
He did have a connection with the World Government, but that was supposed to be an extremely well-guarded secret. How the hell did Uchiha Kaito know about it?
This couldn't be allowed. It was too dangerous. Shanks immediately barked out,
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Oh? Looks like I was wrong, then. I was starting to think you were one of the Government's people. But if you're not... I guess that puts my mind at ease."
"Ease about what?"
"About killing you, of course."
The moment he finished speaking, Kaito vanished from Shanks' sight—then reappeared above him in the next instant.
Shanks' eyes widened as he reacted, sword already swinging up—but Kaito was faster. His right leg had already turned into a bolt of violet lightning and came crashing down, targeting Shanks' severed arm.
Boom!
A burst of purple lightning erupted beneath Kaito's foot, and the ground cratered under the force. Shanks finally couldn't hold out any longer—he collapsed to the ground.
With one foot planted firmly on Shanks' chest, Kaito said nothing. He simply raised a fist and brought it down toward Shanks' heart with brutal force.
But just then, a black hole opened beneath Shanks' body, swallowing him whole and ejecting Kaito.
Shanks vanished.
Kaito's punch hit nothing but empty air, slamming into the earth instead.
Staring down at the spot where Shanks had disappeared, Kaito's face remained unreadable. He murmured to himself as though talking to no one in particular,
"Yomotsu Hirasaka? Things are getting more interesting… Can't hold back any longer, huh?"
...
Mary Geoise – Room of Flowers
A lone figure sat atop the grand throne—the true ruler behind the World Government: Imu.
His body remained hidden in shadows, save for his crimson eyes etched with strange, hypnotic patterns. At this moment, those eyes were focused intently on the floor below.
Without warning, a black hole opened on the ground like a dark serving tray. It deposited Shanks' injured body before vanishing just as quickly.
Shanks struggled to rise from the floor. Though the black hole had saved him, there was no sign of surprise or relief on his face. The moment he stood up, his eyes locked on Imu with burning intensity.
Imu looked right back at him. His gaze was icy, detached—like someone staring down at an insect.
For a long moment, the two just stared at each other.
Then, Shanks let out a mocking smile and sneered,
"Well, well… The ever-mysterious Imu-sama finally makes a move to save a lowly pirate like me? What's the matter—couldn't bear to see me die?"
The moment those words left his mouth, Shanks' expression twisted in agony. He collapsed once again, kneeling on the floor—right before the high throne, forced into a position of utter submission.
The shame was unbearable. But more than that, it was the overwhelming sense of powerlessness that crushed him. He lowered his head, as though finally resigning himself to fate.
Seeing Shanks so compliant, Imu finally spoke—his voice low and commanding.
"I told you before—Uchiha Kaito is dangerous. Why did you ignore my warning and engage him anyway?"
"It was an accident. I didn't expect him to show up in a little place like Foosha Village."
"There are no accidents. He has powers similar to mine—he can warp space itself. Distance means nothing to him. The only reason you're in this state is because of your arrogance. You actually dared to go to the East Blue alone."
"I was just visiting a friend."
"A friend? Hmph. You think I don't know? That kid you went to see… he's the 'hope' you've been clinging to, isn't he? Roger really rubbed off on you."
At the mention of Roger, Shanks' body trembled. He replied in a low, strained voice,
"At least he taught me what freedom really means… He showed me…"
Shanks suddenly raised his head, his eyes burning with murderous intent.
"…He showed me there's hope… hope that you can be killed!"
Imu burst into laughter.
"Hahahahaha! How naive. But fine—hate me. The more you hate me, the more valuable you become. I'll leave that little brat alone for now… I want to see the look on your face when all hope is crushed."
Shanks' body trembled with rage, his hand clutching the stump where his left arm used to be. He didn't say a word.
Imu's laughter gradually faded. He glanced dismissively at Shanks' missing arm and sneered,
"Overestimating yourself… Let that arm serve as your lesson."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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