470 millio bellies. Yes the fishman infrastructure of Shanks had a bounty of 470 million that far surpassed the bounty of many supernova.
Even worse, although the seas were busy because of the Great Pirate Era, it was yet to reach the busy level of insane bounties like 16 years from then.
The battlefield still smoked with ash and blood. Splintered wood floated
across the waves, carried by the restless tide. The air was heavy with the
stench of gunpowder.
Amid the destruction stood Gatel, a twisted smile on his
lips. His clothes were shredded, streaked with crimson.
Not far away stood Shanks. His red hair whipped in the
wind, his coat torn, his shirt stained with blood. Every breath came heavy, his
body battered—but his spirit did not falter. His aura burned stronger than
ever, and that was what unsettled Gatel most.
Even wounded, the future Yonko's presence was terrifying.
Shanks raised his blade. Divine Divide hummed with black lightning. A hush
fell over the battlefield. Then—
Slash!
The heavens split. Shanks' sword carved a blinding arc of energy that
cleaved through Gatel's attack and ripped apart the battlefield. The shockwave
shook the sea itself.
For the first time, Gatel's confident grin faltered.
"Terrifying…" he muttered under his breath.
Beside Shanks, Ben Beckman calmly lit his pipe. Smoke
curled lazily as he exhaled. "That's why you don't mess with him."
Shanks said nothing. His eyes turned toward the distant village. Toward the
small safehouse where Ryan and his mother waited. With steady steps, he walked
away from the wreckage, his sword sparking with Haki.
Inside the safehouse, Ryan sat in silence, clutching his
mother's hand. Each clash outside made the wooden walls tremble.
The door opened.
Shanks stepped inside, towering, his presence overwhelming. Behind him,
Beckman leaned casually against the wall, a silent shadow.
Ryan's mother instantly pulled her son closer, her voice trembling. "What do
you want?"
Shanks' eyes softened slightly. "Greetings, ma'am. I came here because of
your son."
Ryan blinked, startled. "M–me?"
Shanks crouched, bringing himself to the boy's eye level. His voice was
calm, yet carried weight. "You've got potential, boy. More than you realize.
More than even most men I've met on the seas. I could sense your observation haki
from afar"
He glanced at Ryan's mother, his gaze sharp. "But why have you hidden it?
Why have you neglected him?"
Ryan's mother froze. She clutched Ryan tighter, unable to answer.
Ryan felt his chest tighten. He didn't understand it fully, but something
inside him stirred at Shanks' words.
Far out at sea, a lone raft floated. Ren stood upon it, the
salty wind whipping his hair.
His eyes burned with fury as he looked at the two ships—the Red Hair
Pirates' ship and the Black Fish Pirates' vessel.
A golden pistol gleamed in his hand.
Even though over five kilometers separated them, Ren's gaze locked onto the
distant figure of Shanks. The tension stretched like a taut string between
them.
Ren aimed. His pistol flared with Haki.
Bang!
The bullet screamed across the horizon.
Shanks' instincts blazed. In an instant, he swung Divine Divide. Armament
and Conqueror's Haki exploded from the blade as steel met bullet.
Boom!
The explosion shook the coast. Shanks slid backward, his boots carving
trenches in the sand. Even with his might, the recoil made his blade tremble.
From afar, Ren smirked bitterly. The clash was far from over.
Back in the village, silence lingered. Ryan looked between his mother and
the pirate standing before him. His fists clenched unconsciously.
"Boy," Shanks finally said, his tone calm yet commanding. "One day, you'll
face a choice. Paths will open before you—some drenched in blood, others in
light. But only you can decide where you'll walk."
Shank's said as his mouth lingered with a trace of blood.
Ryan swallowed, his heart pounding. His mother whispered for him not to
listen, but her words felt distant.
Beckman stepped forward, his voice steady. "Shanks, we should run there is only
one person who could strike such a bullet is very terryfying."
Shanks chuckled "You're right theis might
be his son which explains a lot" He turned back to Ryan, his gaze burning.
"Remember this, boy. When the seas call for you… step forward. Don't hesitate.
And when that time comes—you'll remember me."
With that, Shanks turned and strode out, his coat sweeping dramatically.
Beckman followed, the faint smell of smoke trailing behind.
On the raft, Ren lowered his pistol slowly. His eyes never left the village.
Never left Shanks. Never left the boy he calls his son
At the water's edge, Shanks stared back across the horizon.
For a long moment, they simply looked at one another, the sea roaring
between them. No words were spoken. None were needed.
Their rivalry was far from finished.
Inside the safehouse, Ryan sat trembling. His mother still clung to him,
whispering comfort, but all he could hear were Shanks' words echoing in his
head.
Potential.
Choice.
A path only I can decide.
The boy didn't understand the weight of it. Not yet.
But as dawn broke over the Village, the sky blazed crimson—a red sky that
heralded change.
Ryan's life would never again be the same.
And though he didn't yet realize it, that day marked the true beginning of
his llegend.
Since this was the day he found outtjust how extraordinary his background was.