"Huh?"
Before Aus could react, Buggy jumped up first, jaw dropping with the most exaggerated expression.
"Shanks, what the hell are you thinking? There's gotta be limits to showing off! How could you possibly match Aus?!"
Though harsh, even Shanks had to admit Buggy's point—the gap between his current strength and Aus's was way too massive.
Both thirteen, Aus was already touching the threshold of Conqueror's coating.
Meanwhile he could barely feel Haki at full effort, let alone actually use it.
But sometimes getting stronger meant having balls to challenge yourself.
"I see..."
Aus grinned knowingly. Shanks was treating him like an XP farm.
Made sense though—fastest way to power up was fighting someone one tier above you.
Not so easy it was like stomping noobs for zero gains, but not so hard the gap made you delusional.
"Since you've got that determination, bring it on."
Looking at Shanks who was way shorter than him, Aus suddenly got inspired, his trolling instincts kicking in.
He remembered their duel from years back.
The legendary:
"Sorry, I don't have a smaller sword than this."
But searching everywhere, Aus only had a rifle and long sword on him—zero small daggers anywhere.
"Hmm..."
After thinking forever, Aus put his tactical genius to work and finally found a substitute for a tiny blade on the ship's clothesline.
A pair of big-ass underwear.
"Aus!"
Shanks stepped forward, gripping his sword with both hands, voice packed with youthful fire. Worthy future Four Emperor—naturally had the guts to draw steel against stronger opponents.
"Accept my challenge!"
Aus ignored his passionate speech, casually strolling to the clothesline and grabbing a pair of his own freshly washed underwear.
Under Buggy and Shanks's "what the fuck" stares,
he shook it out, twisted it into rope form, then—
"Clang—"
Pitch-black Armament coated it! (Armament Haki: If I knew I'd be wrapping this thing, I'd rather rot inside the body...)
"Sorry, I don't have any smaller underwear than this."
Originally Shanks was pumped, lost in the upcoming fight, brain constantly working on how to find Aus's openings.
But seeing him coat underwear with Armament and prep to fight with it, he admitted he couldn't keep his shit together.
"You... you bastard!"
"Aus, you piece of shit!"
"There's gotta be limits to looking down on people!"
Last time a small knife, now straight to underwear—not even pretending anymore!
As someone who'd lived and fought alongside him for five years, he knew Aus's strength.
Marksmanship, martial arts, swordsmanship, Haki... everything combat-related, Aus mastered without exception, all at insane levels.
Facing different enemies, he could instantly pull out the perfect fighting style.
Even barehanded, he'd seen Aus coat his fists with Armament, smashing through encirclements with monster strength, constantly learning from the ship's martial arts masters.
But now dealing with him, he just grabbed random underwear and hardened it?
Shanks took 10,000 critical damage.
Was this Aus's sick sense of humor, or did he think underwear was the perfect counter for him?
What a fucking joke!
Fighting me—even if you don't use your precious marksmanship and monster strength, at least use the damn sword at your waist, asshole!
Shanks gripped his blade tight. Like he was fighting for his dignity, all the swordsmanship learned from Roger came pouring out, sharp gaze nothing like some kid should have.
After all, this was someone Roger called "the next generation's king." Even if not as freakish as Aus, still elite among peers. His blade faintly showed sword aura.
Sign of becoming a real swordsman soon.
"Nice sword work."
Aus didn't even move his feet, didn't activate Future Sight, just relied on battle instinct watching the charging Shanks.
This casual behavior gave Shanks an illusion:
I can hit him!
There's a shot at winning!
Even you, Aus, aren't totally invincible!
Clang—!
Metallic collision echoed everywhere. Under Buggy's watching eyes, Shanks's fierce full-power slash clearly struck Aus's...
Uh,
underwear.
Shanks's confident face suddenly showed pure confusion.
When the hell did he block that?
Even spectating Buggy hadn't seen this coming.
Shanks's mouth dropped, face serious as he looked up at Aus, only catching that wicked smirk and eyes like he was watching entertainment.
"Close one, almost didn't react in time."
Aus's trolling side activated as he grinned.
Shanks's eye twitched hard.
"Shanks, you really can't do it, huh. Totally outclassed." Buggy shouted from the sidelines at perfect timing. Who knew if this bastard was trying to make Shanks quit or stirring shit up.
Naturally, Shanks got even more fired up.
Veins bulging, even black Haki faintly appeared on his blade as he spun to slash at Aus again.
Clang—!
Another metallic crash. Aus blocked with underwear again.
Then came rapid-fire collision sounds. Aus fought while backing up, methodically wielding his "Supreme Grade Underwear."
With Armament coating, it counted as a "Black Blade."
One that had battled a Four Emperor, no less.
Compared to Aus's half-assed effort, Shanks was about to lose his damn mind.
Can't even cut through underwear—is the Armament on my sword fake?
Every sword technique he'd learned came out, insane blade flurries cutting air like a storm.
His already solid slashes seemed like jokes against that constantly moving underwear, completely unable to break defense.
Hell, his blade edge was getting chipped.
Yet the underwear stayed perfect as ever, seemingly tough enough to last until the heat death of the universe.
Gradually, anger turned to helplessness. Though Shanks had broken his original limits in rage, he still couldn't do jack shit against Aus.
Until Aus's stomach made noise:
Growl...
"Sorry, let's call it here for today."
Before Shanks could react, Aus vanished from sight, wind sounds coming from behind his head.
Oh no...
Don't...
"I don't wanna get knocked out by underwear..."
Shanks resisted with everything but was helpless. A black rod came straight for his skull with a crisp smack.
Too bad before he finished talking, Aus's black rod was already at his head.
Under Buggy's shocked stare,
Shanks got put to sleep by Aus again.
A huge red bump swelled up. Just watching made Buggy cringe.
That guy Shanks—
his power had grown under pressure, but the cost...
was a lifetime of blackmail material.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
The story isn't over...
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