"Wow~"
"Ugh…"
"Hey——"
On the Red Force of the Red-Haired Pirates, a tense atmosphere spread.
Not because of anything major, but simply because of a little one.
"Oi, Shanks, are you sure you can handle this? If you don't know how to coax her, then stop trying."
Orin sat cross-legged nearby, watching as Shanks kept pulling funny faces and even sticking his fingers in his nose to make little Uta laugh. He mocked him mercilessly.
"Shut up!!! Orin, you're not any better than me at this! And besides… You were just secretly taking photos, weren't you?! I've got Observation Haki now, you know—delete it!!!"
Shanks clenched his fist, shouting sharply. If he could actually beat Orin, he would've snatched the camera already. To think Orin had the audacity to record him making a fool of himself in front of a baby!
"Ah… ahahaha, you really are sharp, Shanks."
Orin gave an awkward laugh, and the Den Den Mushi he'd been using to take pictures quietly disappeared. But it was obvious he had no intention of deleting anything.
Delete it? No way. This was a photo of a young Emperor Shanks picking his nose and clowning around—how could Orin ever throw away something so valuable?
He'd definitely show it to Buggy someday.
And when Shanks was in his prime at thirty or forty, if he ever tried to act all high and mighty, Orin could always pull out this photo to instantly shatter his aura and his image.
Watching Shanks' increasingly desperate antics fail to get a reaction from Uta, Orin finally pushed him aside and decided to take over himself.
He picked up the baby with the red-and-white hair and gently patted her.
Maybe it was because Orin was handsome, or maybe he really did know how to handle children—but little Uta slowly stopped crying. Her big, tear-filled eyes stared right at Orin's face… and then she burst into laughter.
"Eh!!!??"
Shanks was dumbstruck, his mouth gaping as if questioning his entire existence.
How could this be?!!!
She was his adopted daughter! Why did she seem closer to Orin?!
Of all things… did he have to lose even in coaxing children?!
Shanks turned to stone on the spot.
"What's with that expression?"
"Nothing… I just suddenly felt like maybe you'd make a better father for her than me."
Shanks sat down cross-legged, feeling a little defeated, his eyes locked on Uta, who was happily giggling. A faint smile of a doting father appeared on his face.
"After all, when it comes to strength, wealth, security… even coaxing children—you can give Uta so much more than I can. We're just a pirate crew, always facing danger and battles. Honestly…"
Shanks' eyes grew heavy.
"I don't even know if following us is really the right future for her."
But Orin only smiled calmly. Then he raised a finger—
Bop—
"Ow!!!"
"Ah? Oops, I used too much force."
A sharp flick to the forehead landed square on Shanks, leaving a bright red mark. Judging by the mischievous curl of Orin's lips, he'd clearly done it on purpose.
"Shanks, you're Uta's father. How can you say something so irresponsible…"
He glanced down at Uta in his arms, then casually pulled out a rattle made of gold and tiger skin, placing it in the baby's tiny hands.
"From the moment you decided to adopt her, she's been your daughter."
Holding his aching forehead, Shanks stared blankly at Uta as she happily shook the rattle. For a moment, he was lost in thought.
"Yeah…"
"Uta really is… my daughter…"
His eyes were filled with affection and determination.
"Of course, I wouldn't mind being her godfather."
The tender moment shattered instantly at Orin's words.
Shanks froze. Just a second ago, he had been ready to entrust Uta to Orin—but those words made that thought vanish instantly.
For some reason, Orin always managed to provoke him.
In a sudden surge of overprotective fatherly instinct, Shanks snapped, baring his teeth as he snatched Uta back from Orin's arms.
"Uta has only one father—and that's me!!!"
"Don't be so stingy, Shanks."
"No way!!!"
...
"I've never seen it before… the usually calm Shanks actually losing his cool."
Bonk Punch sat on a barrel, watching the two grown men squabble while holding a baby. He shook his head in disbelief.
Ever since he'd joined the crew, moved by the man's charisma, he had only ever seen Shanks as calm, childish, or unreliable. But to see him shouting in anger like this—it was a first.
This kind of expression was normally reserved for when Shanks was acting silly and his crewmates had to deal with it.
"Maybe… it's just that one thing restrains another."
"Shanks' friend is pretty interesting too."
Bonk Punch sipped from his drink, muttering to Yasopp beside him. But he got no response.
Puzzled, he turned to look.
Yasopp was polishing his sniper rifle, eyes dead serious, filled with battle intent. He was staring directly ahead…
Toward Orin, who was still playing with little Uta!
"Hey! Yasopp, what do you think you're doing?!"
Bonk Punch grabbed his arm quickly, his expression tense. Yasopp's aura wasn't normal—it was the same as when he was fully focused in battle, ready to pull the trigger.
"That's Shanks' close friend—the ruler of the seas, the Black Emperor! What the hell are you thinking, Yasopp?!"
As an information expert, Bonk Punch probably understood better than anyone in the Red-Haired Pirates—besides Shanks himself—just how terrifying Orin was.
That monstrous strength, and the overwhelming power behind him, capable of shaking the seas…
Even if he trusted his crewmates completely, he knew the Red-Haired Pirates were nowhere near Orin's level.
Even Shanks had admitted himself—he had always lost badly to Orin.
"No… Bonk Punch, I'm not trying to do anything stupid."
Yasopp, held back by Bonk Punch, slowly turned his head, locking eyes with him. His voice was calm but firm.
"I just want to challenge him for the sake of my dream. As fellow snipers… If I don't witness firsthand the strength of the man called the world's greatest sniper, I won't be able to rest in peace, even in death."
Bonk Punch was shaken, staring at Yasopp's trembling pupils and unwavering gaze. Slowly, he released his grip.
Yeah…
What could possibly stop a man from chasing his dream?
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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