Crocodile won't be in danger for now. Maybe she actually likes the atmosphere in Impel Down?
Orin didn't know,
But he was certain that under his protection, as long as Crocodile agreed to join the [Seven Warlords of the Sea], she would never face a life-threatening risk at the hands of the Marines.
Maybe she's just stubborn. In time, she'll come around.
Right after that, he accepted Mihawk's invitation for a sword duel.
As expected, in a pure sword duel, Orin was no match for Mihawk.
So after exchanging a few symbolic blows, Orin quit.
He hadn't used Conqueror's Haki Infusion, since what was being contested was the title of [World's Greatest Swordsman], not [World's Strongest Man].
Otherwise, with Mihawk's level of Conqueror's Haki, he'd probably end up losing ground again.
"Alright, alright, you're the world's greatest swordsman. Happy now? Let's end the duel here."
Orin slid Ace back into its sheath, signaling that he was done, time to go home for dinner.
Mihawk's face immediately darkened, so much so that it looked like it might drip water.
"Hey!!! Orin, you bastard!!!"
He was very displeased. In fact, he hadn't intended for Orin to hold back. After all, Haki was also part of one's strength.
But Orin simply found it troublesome.
The whole "world's greatest swordsman" thing—he had never cared about such ambitions or dreams, not from the moment he first picked up a blade.
Whether it was learning swordsmanship or mastering Divine Departure, his goals were convenience in cutting people down and looking cool.
Because at heart, he was a marksman.
Besides, if he actually claimed the title, swordsmen from all over the world would come swarming like fish crossing a river, challenging him to defeat him and become the next legend.
That kind of glory was better left to Mihawk.
There were simply too many swordsmen in the world. Being the world's greatest sniper was more cost-effective.
But seeing Mihawk's defiant eyes, full of eagerness to keep fighting, Orin sighed in the end.
"Alright then. I'll find you another opponent. You can cross blades with him instead. He and I share the same lineage of swordsmanship. In terms of raw sword talent, I'm not much stronger than him. Beat him, and it's as good as beating me."
At that, Hawk Eyes looked at Orin suspiciously. But seeing that Orin's face was serious and not joking, he finally asked:
"This person, who shares the same sword lineage as you, is…"
"He was once my crewmate on the Roger Pirates—
Red-Haired Shanks!"
"By the way, his name should've spread across the seas by now, right? He's been sailing solo for years."
Mihawk frowned and stroked his chin, recalling the newcomers who had risen to prominence in recent years.
Red hair?
Red hair…
"I don't pay much attention to newcomers at sea. But I think there was one, nicknamed Red-Hair."
Since Shanks first set out to sea, he had mostly wandered around the world, searching for his own crewmates.
He did make appearances on the seas, but the headlines had always been dominated and manipulated by Orin and others, so while Shanks had some fame, it wasn't particularly great.
In the original story,
It wasn't until recent years, after his crew was fully assembled and matured, that the Red-Haired Pirates' name began to spread.
Especially after the Foosha Village incident where he lost his arm, he entered the New World and carved his way forward, eventually claiming the title of Emperor of the Sea.
Later, the crew grew even larger, commanding several ships.
"So that newcomer has such strength? To have earned your recognition… Red-Haired Shanks. Interesting~"
From that moment on, Mihawk remembered Shanks's name, especially with the double endorsement from Rayleigh.
"Shanks, huh? Yeah, it's been a long time since I've seen him."
"That's right. Shanks's talent in swordsmanship is very high. Back then, the only reason Orin could suppress him was because of his Haki and physique. Compared to other monsters on the seas, there are very few whose talent can match Shanks."
Thinking back on those little brats from the past, Rayleigh's eyes were full of nostalgia.
"And Buggy too. I wonder how he's doing."
"I think I saw both their names on recent wanted posters."
Orin and Mihawk were gathered at Shakky's bar, which Sammi had already booked in advance.
Shakky was more than happy about it—after all, the money they paid was ridiculously generous. She pulled out several wanted posters from under the bar counter and finally picked out two.
Rayleigh took the posters, with Orin and Mihawk peeking over his shoulder.
[Red-Haired] Shanks
Bounty: 330,000,000 Belly
[Clown] Buggy
Bounty: 9,000,000 Belly
"These bounties don't match their real strength…"
"Shanks should already have power on par with a Rear Admiral candidate at the very least. But since he's still roaming the Four Seas, no wonder the bounty isn't that high."
It was understandable. After all, Shanks's time to shine was right around the corner. He'd been laying low for so long.
In just a few years, he would rob the World Government for the Nika Fruit, then take Uta under his wing, and even defeat the initial form of the [Demon King of Songs] single-handedly.
His strength was about to skyrocket.
Within five or six years, he would surely stabilize as one of the Emperors.
Orin didn't feel much pressure. But if he wanted to keep suppressing Shanks in terms of strength, he would need to step up another level in the coming years.
Maybe not as far as Joy Boy's level, but at least as high as Rocks—that way, he'd always have the upper hand.
Not just Orin,
Mihawk and Rayleigh also examined the wanted posters. Shanks's bounty was understandable, though a little low compared to his strength. It was probably only temporary.
But Buggy…
"Orin's old comrade sure is… low-profile."
Mihawk picked up Buggy's poster, staring at the clown's smug grin. For some reason, he immediately felt irritated.
"Buggy, huh…"
A drop of sweat slid down Rayleigh's temple. He wasn't sure what to say. From what he knew of Buggy, maybe that bounty wasn't wrong after all.
"Looks like he's doing fine. Buggy always was like that!"
Orin didn't think too much of it. He threw his arms around the two of them, grinning at Buggy's exaggerated laugh on the poster, as if it were saying, "Bow down before the great Buggy!" He looked genuinely happy.
"Then let's go visit them later. Come to think of it…"
"It's been five or six years since we last met."
Orin had already planned to check in on Shanks, see how the Red-Haired Pirates were coming together, and take a look at little Uta.
In that case, why not find Buggy too?
Seriously, one by one, all the characters from the story were appearing…
Throwing his arm around Mihawk's confused neck, Orin smiled.
"I really can't wait, for Shanks and the others. This new generation of brats!"
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
+100 chapters and support me on Patreon(.)com/Jixo