"A boxer? What kind of kid boxer is this strong?!" Shanks asked, not quite believing it.
"Less talk! Let's go, you still have a few more punches coming!" Takero urged impatiently, his face full of excitement. His mind was completely focused on the system rewards he was about to get. He could almost see the numbers "+10" and "+20" flashing in front of his eyes. Even if I'm the only one hitting him, I'm still putting in the effort! The system has to count this as a fight, right? he thought confidently.
To Shanks, however, those words sounded like a death sentence. The agonizing pain in his stomach still felt like he'd been hit by a cannonball. He knew better than anyone the terrifying power packed into that kid's small fists. It wasn't the kind of strength a normal human—or even a Mink—should have. A few more hits? Forget a few, Shanks was pretty sure one more solid punch would be the end of him.
If only I had used Armament Haki! he thought, filled with regret. To think that he, "Red-Haired" Shanks, a great pirate of the New World with a bounty of 1,040,000,000 Berries, would survive battles with Admirals only to be beaten to death by a nameless kid on a deserted island. If word of this ever got out, his name would become the biggest joke on the Grand Line.
That thought ignited a powerful will to live, which in turn boosted his acting skills. He pushed down the cramping pain, coughed lightly, and forced a calm smile onto his face. "Ahem… Very good, young man. Your last attack caused me… well, a tiny, insignificant amount of discomfort. I acknowledge your strength!"
Behind him, Benn Beckman's mouth twitched, and he silently rolled his eyes. If I couldn't see his hand trembling behind his back, I might have actually believed him, he thought. The only thing tough about the captain right now is his mouth.
Shanks, of course, couldn't read his first mate's mind. He continued in a casual tone, "However, a real duel between strong warriors shouldn't be so childish. We need to find an open, proper place for a fair fight! This spot is too small; we can't show off our full skills. How about we postpone this duel for now and have a real battle next time we meet? What do you say?" He tried to make his eyes look as sincere as possible, hoping to trick the boy for now and just say he forgot about it later.
Takero tilted his head, a thoughtful look on his face. After a moment, he nodded. "Hmm… What you're saying makes sense…"
Hearing this, the tension in Shanks's body finally released. A huge wave of relief washed over him, and even the pain in his stomach seemed to lessen. He had finally fooled the little monster.
But then—
"—is what you thought I'd say, right?!"
The next moment, the thoughtful look on Takero's face was replaced by a wild, battle-hungry grin. Before he even finished his sentence, the sand under his feet exploded. His small body shot forward like a compressed spring, launching himself at Shanks with a ferocious gust of wind. His fist, carrying terrifying power, tore through the air, aimed straight at Shanks's face.
"What?!"
Shanks had no time to think; his instincts took over. The muscles in his right arm bulged as he threw it up to block. At the exact same time—
Buzz!
A deep, inky blackness instantly coated his forearm like a layer of iron. It was Armament Haki, activated at the last possible second.
BANG—!!!
A muffled roar, like a heavy hammer striking a drum, echoed through the clearing. The moment the fist and arm collided, a visible shockwave of air spread out in a circle, kicking up sand and leaves. The ground under Shanks's feet cracked, and spiderweb-like fissures shot out in all directions. He was shoved back half a meter by the incredible force before he could steady himself. A numbing sensation shot up his arm, and his heart pounded in his chest. This kid's punch was even stronger than the last one!
Seeing his surprise attack blocked, Takero's fighting spirit only grew. "Your Ki is really strong!" he said excitedly. The moment he had attacked, he felt a massive surge of Ki from the red-haired monster's body that covered his arm. This was the first time he had seen Ki used like that. It just proved he was in a world of powerful fighters, just like Dragon Ball.
It all happened in a flash.
"Captain!" Beckman and the others' eyes widened in alarm. Their captain might be unreliable, but their bond with him was unbreakable. The instant Takero moved, all of the top officers' battle instincts flared to life.
Click! Shing! Crack!
The sounds of pistols being cocked, swords being drawn, and knuckles cracking inside gauntlets all happened at once. Benn Beckman moved like a ghost, appearing behind Takero in an instant. The cold barrel of his rifle was pressed firmly against the back of the boy's head. A suffocating killing intent filled the air.
"Don't move, kid," Beckman's voice was as cold as steel. "Move again, and I'll blow your head off."
However, even with several deadly weapons pointed at him, Takero didn't show any fear. Instead, he grinned, a provocative smile that was filled with a pure, burning desire for battle.
Shanks took a deep breath. He understood. He pushed down the numbness in his arm and slowly raised a hand, signaling his crew to stand down. His expression had become serious. His normally smiling eyes were now as sharp as a hawk's, locked onto the spiky-haired boy in front of him.
"Young man…" Shanks's voice was low and heavy, each word carrying immense weight. "Do you have any idea what your actions mean out here on the sea?"
In the world of pirates, where the strong make the rules, attacking someone without provocation was no small thing. Even if the attacker was just a kid, it was the clearest possible… "Declaration of war!"
Takero threw his head back and let out a wild, unrestrained laugh, his voice filled with pure joy. The hot blood in his chest boiled like lava. The primal desire for battle, buried deep within his Saiyan bloodline, had finally broken free. It was completely and utterly ignited.