Beckman furrowed his brow, reached out to support him, and Lucky Roux also helped hold up an umbrella, checking on Shanks' injuries.
"Are the injuries really this severe?! Hey, hurry up and bring the medical kit over!"
"Damn it, are we still too late?!"
"Boss, what happened to that damn old man Garling? And Shano also came, right? Did they fight? Who won and who lost?"
Shanks was slightly startled, "The things that happened after, you all... don't know?"
"No kidding! Of course, we don't know, that's why we're asking you, damn Shanks!"
Behind the crowd, came an exasperated shout.
In the next moment, Buggy forcibly squeezed through the crowd, grabbed Shanks' collar, and furiously demanded:
"Where's my ear?! I'm asking you, where did you put the ear I gave you?!!!"
Shanks became even more bewildered, while Beckman, who was beside him, quickly pulled Buggy away, explaining:
"Since the enemy's ambush was uncovered, we've been rushing here, also constantly eavesdropping via Buggy's ear on the situation, but at the crucial moment, when everyone was anxious, the signal suddenly cut off."
Yasopp nodded as well:
"Yeah, boss, we only heard that Shano arrived, and then suddenly Buggy said he couldn't hear anything anymore, and even couldn't sense his own ear."
Is that so?
Under Buggy's murderous gaze, Shanks confusedly felt his own chest.
He was careful all along, treating this ear from his close friend like his own heart, keeping it safe.
Yet...
After feeling for a long while, he found nothing.
Hmm?
Shanks' eyes widened.
Where's my ear?
......
[You sacrified Buggy's left ear, gaining 5500 points]
[You sacrified Garling's scepter, gaining 4500 points]
On a speedboat several hundred nautical miles away.
"Whoa!"
Shano looked at the system panel, the newly refreshed information stream, and immediately clapped his hands with a look of realization on his face.
He was wondering why that Red Hair guy was carrying an ear in his arms.
It became clear after a random sacrifice, it turned out to be Buggy's!
Was it because in a place like Thunder God Island, the Radio Snail had no signal, so they used it as a listening device?
This point is understandable.
But when did Buggy inexplicably join the Red Hair Pirates; wasn't he always preoccupied with treasure hunting, dismissive of Red Hair's invitations?
That part remains unknown.
Shano pondered for a while, unable to guess the answer, he just tossed it aside, not bothering to think more about it.
After all, the last time he heard news of Buggy, it was back in the East Sea.
In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed, this world has been changed too much by this butterfly, nothing is surprising.
Speaking of which.
This time, the teleportation and summoning of Angewomon, cost a total of four thousand points.
And after his last purchase, he only had 6485 points left, so logically, he should be almost out of points by now.
However, as it turned out, not only did he not lose a single point on this trip, he even made a pure profit of six thousand, bringing his remaining points to 12495.
Truly, Buggy is a great god, as soon as you touch him, good luck happens.
Though the next trade market refresh is still some time away, Shano casually closed the panel, for now his energy should be fully devoted to further consolidating his mastery of the two major fist techniques.
Just in the battle moments ago.
With the newly grasped "Thunderous Air Splitting Fist", the old man Garling developed a fear of battle, directly activated the Teleportation Array, and made a hasty retreat.
What about when these two fist techniques are fully mastered, what power will they hold?
"I'm getting more and more excited!"
Shano chuckled heartily, grinning wide.
The current him, in terms of strength alone, claiming to be the first among the Four Emperors is definitely not an exaggeration.
Even if Whitebeard's physical state suddenly returned to his peak period, he has full confidence to fight against him!
And after thoroughly mastering these two highly destructive fist techniques.
Against equally formidable enemies, he'll also have ample means to break their defenses, no longer needing to engage in prolonged battles that last days and nights as he did during the Great War of the Ten Thousand Nations.
His overall strength should be able to rise another small level, infinitely close to the realm of Rocks, right?
——————
Ring ring~
"Please make way, Mr. Green-skinned Sea Duck."
"Quack?!"
The other party was too slow and sluggish, ultimately getting knocked flying away. Aokiji offered an apologetic hat-tip, then continued riding his old bicycle, leisurely traversing the sea surface.
The icy tracks beneath his wheels silently spread, then quietly thawed behind him, as if his arrival and departure left no trace on this ocean.
Sunlight sprinkled down, the sea surface shimmering brilliantly.
Occasionally, flying fish leaped out of the water, and sometimes a few seagulls skimmed low, curiously observing this solitary man, quickly taking flight again.
He slightly raised his head, the deep and calm eyes behind his sunglasses gazing at the direction where the seagulls flew away.
"Such excessively tranquil peace..."
Aokiji murmured to himself.
After leaving the Navy, this solitude brought him a long-lost comfort and relaxation.
No urgent military affairs, no unreasonable demands from the Heavenly Celestial Dragons, and no longer needing to remain silent after struggling for a long time with orders contradicting his righteous way.
But riding like this, aimlessly, it always feels like something's missing.
So...
In pursuit of that answer, he decided to make some plans and changes on his entirely blank journey itinerary.