Whoosh!
After dodging the Wrecker's attack and casually swiping his sword to eliminate several Contenders nearby, Shanks jumped back a dozen meters. He looked at the Wrecker, which he had hit in its vital spots countless times but was still as lively as ever, and pursed his lips. "What an incredible regeneration! It seems I have to completely atomize him in a single blow, or he'll just keep regenerating indefinitely."
As Shanks was pondering a way to take down the Wrecker, Benn Beckman, who had just defeated a Dominator behind him, shouted, "Shanks! We've already lost nearly a third of our crew! Do we retreat or stay?"
The "losses" weren't deaths, but many were seriously injured. The Red Hair Pirates only had a few dozen members, but they were all incredibly strong. They were immediately removed from the battle when they could no longer fight, which was how they managed to fight for hours without a single casualty. But no matter what, the Red Hair Pirates' fighting strength was dwindling. The enemy didn't fear death, and it was debatable whether they were even people.
What if Alucard had even more of these monsters hidden away?
"Just give me one more chance. If this move doesn't work, we retreat!" A sharp glint flashed in Shanks' eyes as he suddenly raised his saber high.
BOOM!
A flash of red lightning and a crimson aura erupted from the sword. "Hmm?"
Sitting on his throne, Alucard, who had been waiting for the Red Hair Pirates to retreat, changed his expression slightly. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was seeing Roger's shadow in that move.
"Take this! A strike from the New World!"
Shanks swung his sword, and a crimson lightning bolt and sword aura shot out simultaneously. The wind surged, splitting the bodies of the Wrecker and the other infected creatures in two. The sword aura continued into the city, slicing off the top two floors of a tall building.
CRACKLE!
Many of Alucard's subordinates below scattered as they saw the blade coming. The giant rooftop fell from the sky, destroying several of Dr. Indigo's custom-made pillars.
"Now!"
On the battlefield, Shanks gave the command. The others launched their attacks on the Dominators and Contenders, while Shanks began a blitz on the two halves of the Wrecker.
"I won't give you time to regenerate!" Shanks shouted. His saber and his remaining right arm became blurs, slashing the Wrecker countless times in just half a second. When he sheathed his sword, the once-massive Wrecker had been diced into what looked like tofu.
Shanks stood on a remaining piece of the Wrecker's body, turned to the dozens of Red Hair Pirates left, and raised his right hand. "We won!"
Everyone was caught up in Shanks' excitement and cheered with their hands in the air. "OHH!"
"Don't get too happy yet. The main force of the Alucard Pirates hasn't made a move yet," Benn Beckman said, pouring cold water on everyone's celebration.
Shanks gave him a look. "Beckman, you're such a buzzkill…"
"I'm just speaking the truth," Benn Beckman said, lighting a cigarette. He took a few puffs and said, "What now? Forward or back?"
"Forward, of course! Otherwise, I wouldn't have come in the first place." Shanks jumped off the Wrecker and strode toward the city.
"I knew that would be the answer," Beckman said, following him with the others. But he still cautioned Shanks, "If there's any danger, we'll retreat immediately, even if it's the same level as what we just fought."
"I know, don't worry. My crew comes first," Shanks said with a grin. Beckman smiled faintly. "That's good to hear."
Inside the castle, Alucard turned off the visual Den Den Mushi, then dialed a number. "The plan has changed slightly. Everyone, stand by and wait for my command."
"Understood." Viola's voice came from the Den Den Mushi.
Less than an hour later, the Red Hair Pirates arrived at the royal city of Arderay. Since Alucard had never given the order to repair it, the entire city was still in a state of ruin. The buildings and streets were dilapidated and deserted, like a ghost town, despite its vast size.
"The little brat behind Roger has become quite capable."
Urdaha led a hundred people to block the path of Shanks' group. Both sides were now in a standoff.
"Oh~ Urdaha, long time no see. I never thought you'd jump ship from Golden Lion to Alucard," Shanks said, obviously recognizing Urdaha from before the Battle of Edd War. Back then, Shanks was nowhere near as famous as Urdaha.
"But I'm just here for a visit. I'm not here to fight. Can you let us pass?" Shanks asked, putting on what he thought was a sincere smile.
"You think I'd just let you pass because you asked? That would be a huge blow to my pride, wouldn't it?" Urdaha said with a vicious laugh. Even if this kid was stronger than him now, he was still a great pirate with a bounty of over 300 million Beri, and a senior one at that. How could he listen to him?
"You're… making this difficult for me," Shanks said, squinting. He didn't want a repeat of what happened with Jack.
"Boss Urdaha."
Just then, a subordinate ran up and whispered something into Urdaha's ear, making his face relax significantly. He then waved his hand, signaling the hundred men behind him to make way. He turned to Shanks and said, "Go ahead. Alucard-sama wants to see you."
"Huh? We haven't seen each other in ten years, and you've become surprisingly easy to talk to?" Shanks was stunned for a moment, but he didn't slow down, quickly entering the castle ahead.
As they reached the entrance, Benn Beckman stopped and said to Lucky Roux and the others, "We'll stay here. Shanks is enough to go in alone."
After saying that, Beckman glanced at Urdaha and his crew.
"Hmph. Does he think we're going to ambush them from both sides? What a suspicious little kid," Urdaha scoffed disdainfully.
Meanwhile, Shanks, who was inwardly lamenting the cold and gloom of the castle, stepped onto the royal palace's main hall. He saw Alucard sitting on his throne, and the corner of his lightly bearded mouth curled into a smile. "It's been over a decade, hasn't it? Time flies."