The Straw Hat Pirates faced the Red Hair Pirates. The two crews finally met on Lodestar.
The last time Luffy and Shanks saw each other was twelve years ago. Now, fulfilling the promise made long ago, they met for the final confrontation.
"Shanks!!!"
Seeing the Red Hair Pirates on the shore, Luffy raised both hands high and cheered.
It didn't look at all like they were about to be opponents; it seemed more like long-lost friends reuniting.
"Haha, Luffy!!!" Shanks waved back with a grin.
Unlike Luffy's warm greeting, the other members of the Straw Hat Pirates were extremely tense, especially Usopp. Though he tried to appear calm, his legs trembled uncontrollably.
"Usopp, what's wrong?" Chopper noticed and asked curiously.
"Already scared before the fight even started?" Franky laughed, walking over to stand beside him.
"Not at all! I'm a brave warrior of the sea! How could I be scared? It's just..." Usopp looked towards the curly-haired man beside Shanks. The resemblance was uncanny, the only difference being the nose.
Usopp's nose was inherited from his mother, while the other man didn't have a long nose. But in terms of appearance, Usopp recognized him at a glance; it was his heartless, good-for-nothing father, no doubt about it.
Nami looked over. It was her first time seeing the Red Hair Pirates. Her gaze quickly locked onto Yasopp next to Shanks.
"Usopp, that's your father, right?" Nami said.
"Father?!" Chopper, Yamato, and the others exclaimed in surprise.
Usopp was the fourth member of the Straw Hat Pirates. Only Luffy, Zoro, and Nami knew about Usopp's past; the others were hearing about this for the first time.
"Yoh! They really do look alike. Usopp's father is actually an officer of the Red Hair Pirates?" Brook said, shocked.
"Yasopp, the sniper of the Red Hair Pirates, one of their top officer," Sanji added.
"Shanks!" Luffy continued waving.
The Thousand Sunny finally docked at the shore. The two crews faced each other, smiles on their faces.
"Shanks, I'm here!!" Luffy said with a grin.
"I've been waiting for you for a long time," Shanks raised his head, his eyes and expression revealing a presence that reminded Luffy of someone else.
Shamrock!
The guy he'd fought before. The two were just too similar. Seeing Shanks like this, Luffy knew the final battle was about to begin.
"I've waited a long time, too. Finally, I get to see you again," Luffy smiled.
Thud!
A sound of impact came from behind. A red Poneglyph was carried up and slammed heavily onto the ground.
Seeing this red Poneglyph, everyone in the Straw Hat Pirates took a deep breath.
The most excited was Robin, who wanted to step forward to examine it.
"The last Poneglyph," Sanji said.
"Yeah… once we have that, Luffy can become Pirate King," Zoro grinned widely.
"The final step," Nami said.
"Pirate King!!"
Shanks took a step forward. Luffy also stepped forward. The two looked at each other.
"You win, you take this stone. You lose, I take Nico Robin," Shanks said.
"I won't let you take my crewmate," Luffy replied.
"Let me see how much you've grown over the years."
Shanks placed his hand on his sword hilt. The moment he drew his blade, Conqueror's Haki swept across the area. His subordinates fell one after another. Except for the officers, no one could remain conscious under his Haki.
Clearly, this fight didn't need the others. Victory or defeat would be decided among the officers themselves.
The people standing behind Luffy, Zoro, and the others stepped forward one by one, facing their respective opponents.
Usopp kept looking at Yasopp, and Yasopp was also looking at him. Father and son stared at each other, but Usopp didn't dare step forward.
"Hey!"
Yasopp grinned. Usopp took a deep breath. Looking at his companions' backs, he stepped forward. They stood together, facing all the members of the Red Hair Pirates.
"You've found a good crew," Shanks smiled.
"Shishishi, my crew won't lose to yours," Luffy laughed happily towards all the Red Hair Pirates. These were all people he had known since he was a child. Seeing them now, he felt so fondly familiar.
"Luffy, be careful now. Don't start crying later," Lucky Roux said, laughing while eating meat.
"That crybaby kid from back then has finally grown up," Benn Beckman said with a smile, smoking a cigarette.
"Lucky Roux, Head Chef of the Red Hair Pirates," Sanji stared at Lucky Roux. Before coming, they had gathered information on the Red Hair Pirates in Wano. Sanji already knew who his opponent would be.
"First Mate, Benn Beckman..." Zoro, meanwhile, fixed his gaze on Beckman.
Yasopp, one of the three senior officers, was left for Usopp.
Usopp, always part of the Straw Hat's "Cowardly Trio," now had to face his own father, the world's greatest sniper, Yasopp.
"Everyone!"
Luffy called out. He placed a hand on his heart. Instantly, his heartbeat thundered like drums, the sound echoing to the skies. Hearing the vibrating drumbeat, everyone in the Red Hair Pirates became serious.
A huge grin spread across Luffy's face. The drumbeats shook the heavens. White spread from his heart, eventually reaching his hair. The cloud-like ribbons of an awakened Zoan-type user floated behind him.
Seeing Luffy like this, everyone thought of the image of Nika.
It seemed they hadn't waited in vain. Luffy was the one they had been waiting for.
"Ready?"
Luffy, now in his Nika form, asked excitedly.
"Yeah!"
Zoro and Sanji responded in unison. Sanji had a cigarette in his mouth, and he lit it with a lighter.
"This cigarette should last until the fight's over."
"Don't hold us back, cook," Zoro said, drawing Wado Ichimonji and gripping it in his mouth, then pulling out Enma and Sandai Kitetsu.
"Two cursed swords..."
Benn Beckman, seeing the two cursed swords in Zoro's hands, couldn't help but look at him more closely.
Swordsmen who could wield cursed blades were exceptional. In the hands of the strong, a cursed sword was merely a tool.
The fact that Zoro could wield cursed swords meant his strength was fully competent, and he possessed the qualities of a king.
Everyone had found their respective opponents. Luffy took a deep breath.
"Let's go!"
...
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