The air grew as heavy as lead.
Shanks's aura had swelled to its absolute peak. He looked at Takero, whose own fighting spirit was soaring, and decided to honor the boy's resolve. To answer this challenge properly, he would use his ultimate technique.
"Takero," Shanks's voice was deep and clear, laced with a seriousness he rarely showed. "You need to think very carefully about this next attack. It... it could be lethal."
"Cut the crap!" Takero shouted, clenching his fists. His eyes burned like wild flames, and a fearless grin spread across his face. "Bring it on!"
No more words were needed. A brilliant light flared in Shanks's eyes as he silently called upon the name of the technique etched into his very soul—a move inherited from his legendary captain, Gol D. Roger. It was an attack so powerful it could make even gods falter.
"Divine Departure!"
He had no sword in his hand, only his open palm shaped like a blade. He also knew he was holding back, far from unleashing the move's true potential. But the moment he committed to the attack, a terrifying aura capable of splitting the heavens descended upon the ship.
Boom!
Shanks vanished from where he stood. In an instant, he was in the air above Takero, his left hand raised high, fingers pressed together into a deadly blade. A profound Haki immediately coated his hand, and arcs of eerie, black-and-red lightning hissed and crackled between his fingers. The destructive energy was compressed to its absolute limit, causing the air around it to whine under the unbearable pressure.
Danger! Extreme danger!
Every hair on Takero's body stood on end. A primal instinct screamed from the depths of his soul, telling him to dodge now, to get away at all costs. However, as he stared up at the unavoidable strike that seemed capable of severing fate itself, Takero's grin only widened. A nearly insane glint of pure excitement shone in his eyes.
"This is the feeling I wanted!"
He roared. Under the immense, crushing pressure of life and death, some invisible shackles deep within his body shattered. An unprecedented power—a 'Ki' so dense it felt solid—surged like boiling magma from his core, rushing through his limbs and gathering in his fists.
Buzz—!
The invisible Ki instantly enveloped his clenched hands like a living shell. It felt hard, solid, and full of explosive power. In that critical moment, Takero didn't try to retreat. Instead, he thrust his Ki-infused fists upward to meet the 'Divine Blade' that descended from the sky, wrapped in black-and-red lightning.
Rumble—!!!!!!
A deafening roar, like the sound of the world being created, exploded over the Red Force. A violent shockwave expanded outwards in a visible ring, blasting loose debris off the deck. The next second, a figure shot backward like a cannonball, flying at an incredible speed. It was Takero.
He smashed violently through the ship's wooden railing, sending splinters flying everywhere. He drew a long arc through the air before finally crashing into the sea with a loud splash, throwing up a massive plume of water.
Shanks landed softly back on the deck, his chest rising and falling slightly as he let out a long, hot breath. Without even looking towards the water, he spoke to his first mate in a slightly hoarse voice, "Beckman... go fish him out."
Beckman, a cigarette dangling from his lips, frowned and gave him a displeased look. "You're the one who knocked him in. Why don't you go get him yourself?"
"I wish I could," Shanks replied with a weak smile, his voice trembling slightly.
Only then did Beckman notice that something was wrong. His captain's left hand, the one that had just unleashed "Divine Departure," now hung limply at his side, shaking. A few drops of bright red blood dripped from between his clenched fingers onto the clean deck.
Shanks looked down at his injured hand, his expression complex. A sharp pain pulsed through his arm, making it feel as if the bones were about to shatter. He never imagined that his ultimate technique could actually be blocked. And by a kid who had seemingly just awakened his Haki.
"What a terrifying kid," he muttered to himself. "I almost lost my hand..."
Cold seawater washed over Takero. When he was finally pulled back onto the deck, he was completely exhausted. He sprawled out on the wood planks like a fish out of water, gasping for air. Pain radiated from every part of his body, a constant reminder of the price he paid for taking that incredible blow head-on.
Even so, his face showed no sign of suffering. Instead, he was grinning, his tired smile filled with excitement and satisfaction. This was the feeling he had been chasing.
Takero's eyes burned as he looked up at Shanks. "Looks like you won this time, Shanks... But next time, it might be a different story!"
Seeing the boy's miserable state, Shanks couldn't help but reply, "The man who taught me that move said even gods would dodge it. I have no idea what you were thinking, trying to block it directly."
"Gods?" Takero let out a faint, dismissive laugh. "If I can beat them, doesn't that just mean they'll be beneath my feet one day?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a notification sound chimed in his mind.
Ding! Congratulations to the Host for awakening Armament Haki (Lv.1)!
Detection: Host has awakened all three types of Haki. Automatically merging...
Congratulations to the Host for obtaining Ki (Lv.1)!
Ki! The word shot through him like lightning, instantly reigniting the fire in his eyes. He had finally done it! This meant he could learn to fly and shoot energy waves. This was the true power of a Dragon Ball warrior. He struggled to sit up, his gaze fixing on Shanks once more, his fighting spirit already rekindling.
Shanks saw the restless look on his face and sighed helplessly, subconsciously clutching his own aching arm. "I'm begging you, can't you just stay down for a bit? Look at the state you're in." His tone was tinged with a hint of resentment. "And thanks to you, my hand is a mess."
When was the last time he'd been injured? He remembered taking a careless punch from Takero before. He couldn't believe that even when he got serious today, he still ended up getting hurt by the same kid. But then, a comforting thought occurred to him. The little monster was badly injured, and he needed to recover, too. That meant he would finally get some peace and quiet. A wave of relief washed over him.
'Finally... I can get a break from this persistent kid!'
He quickly shouted to his first mate, "Beckman, get him to the infirmary! And... grab me some medicine while you're at it."
"There's no need for that," Takero's voice was weak, but surprisingly clear. He shakily pulled a small green bean from a pouch at his waist. Under the confused stares of the entire crew, he popped it into his mouth.
In the next moment, a miracle happened.
Before the astonished eyes of the Red Hair Pirates, the bruises and cuts covering Takero's body healed at a visible rate, disappearing completely. His body, which had been as limp as a noodle just seconds ago, was suddenly filled with boundless energy. He did a swift backflip and landed gracefully on his feet. Other than his clothes being torn and soaked, he was perfectly fine, looking nothing like someone who had been on the verge of death.
Combat Power: 101
The unique Saiyan ability to grow stronger after recovering from near-death took effect, and his power level instantly broke the 100 mark. Feeling the new, surging strength within him, Takero's heart filled with excitement.
'This amazing potential, my pure Saiyan bloodline, and the system's help... The day I can walk all over this world can't be far off!'
He snapped out of his thoughts when he realized everyone was staring at him like he was some kind of monster. He shrugged it off and pulled out another one of the strange beans, casually tossing it to Shanks. "Here, you have one, too."
Shanks didn't hesitate. He caught the bean and swallowed it. A few seconds later, his eyes shot wide open in disbelief. The piercing pain in his left hand was completely gone, and he could move it freely as if it had never been injured. What shocked him even more was that the old aches and hidden injuries from years of fighting were being washed away by a warm current flowing through him. His entire body felt light and comfortable, filled with a vitality he hadn't felt in years.
"What... what in the world is this thing?!" he asked, his voice trembling slightly.
"It's a Senzu Bean," Takero replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Senzu Bean?" Shanks frowned. He'd never heard of such a thing. He wondered if it was some kind of lost, secret medicine.
"You don't know about them? They're grown by the Cat Hermit at Korin Tower. Eating one restores all your stamina and heals any injury, inside or out. It also keeps you from feeling hungry for about ten days. But it can't cure diseases."
Seeing Shanks's confused expression, Takero naturally recited the lore from the Dragon Ball world. In that world, Korin Tower was famous. Legend said that anyone who could climb it would gain immense power.
When he realized Shanks had never even heard of Korin Tower, Takero understood. The part of the world he was in was probably very isolated. But it didn't matter. He knew he would eventually run into the familiar characters from the stories he knew.
Korin Tower? Cat Hermit? Shanks searched his memory but found nothing. It must be something from an extremely remote region. He quickly pieced it together: on a small island, there was a Cat Hermit who grew these miraculous beans. Based on his experience on the Grand Line, Shanks made an instant judgment. That Cat Hermit was probably a Devil Fruit user with a special healing ability. After all, Devil Fruit powers were strange and varied; this one was just unusually effective. When he thought about it that way, it made perfect sense.
'Tsk, I'm a Yonko who rules the New World, and I'm getting worked up over a bean...' Shanks shook his head, telling himself to be more composed so this kid wouldn't make fun of him for being ignorant. He quickly adjusted his attitude, and his usual carefree smile returned.
"Oh, right, Shanks!" Takero's excitement came rushing back. "I finally mastered Ki!"
"Oh? You can already use Armament Haki?" Shanks raised an eyebrow, genuinely impressed. "That's incredible, Takero!" He thought about what he was doing when he was ten. He was probably still scrubbing the deck on Captain Roger's ship. This kid's talent was truly astonishing, having mastered all three types of Haki at such a young age.
He grew interested. "Show me. Maybe I can give you a few pointers." For someone like him, who had long since mastered all forms of Haki, offering advice was no empty boast.
Takero immediately walked to the bow of the ship. He stood facing the vast, open sea and took a deep breath. Shanks followed, crossing his arms and watching with interest, ready to see the boy's new, still-developing Haki.