"Hahahaha! Drink, Hawkeye! Nobody sleeps till they're drunk! Hahahaha!"
Shanks had one arm wrapped around Mihawk's shoulder and a cup in his other hand, face red, veins popping in his neck.
Their duel had ended with Mihawk having the slight upper hand.
After that?
Of course they threw a feast.
"Drink big or don't drink at all! Ahhh—now that's the stuff."
"Nothing beats a huge mug of booze after a big fight. That's the real correct way to live…"
He slapped Mihawk's shoulder.
"Hawkeye, I lost to you by a point this time. But don't get cocky. I'm taking that win back someday! Hahahaha!"
Mihawk took a calm sip of wine and nodded.
"I'll be waiting."
"Having a strong swordsman to spar with at any time is… a good way to pass the years."
Shanks hiccuped.
"Pfft, hahaha. The way you swing that sword of yours reminds me of someone."
"Oh?"
"A Marine. No—an improper Marine."
"Who?"
"Arakaki Jin."
Mihawk dug through his memories, frowned, then shook his head.
"Never paid attention. A swordsman?"
"More or less," Shanks said.
"He's not fully grown yet. Last time we fought, I could tell his foundation was rock-solid. Big, wild swings, heavy power, straight-ahead style."
"Hasn't grown yet?" Mihawk's brows drew together.
"Yeah. Last time we crossed blades, I shattered his sword. It wasn't a named blade—just a regular sword."
"But even so, he still fought me to a standstill with that thing."
A faint smile tugged at Shanks' lips as he remembered.
"A swordsman whose sword breaks… and he still manages to push you back?" Mihawk asked, genuinely puzzled.
Shanks stared into his cup.
"Exactly. That fight was terrifying. One slip and I could've ended up dead."
"His swordsmanship isn't even his specialty yet, but I can feel it. His sword will grow strong. He just gives off that feeling."
Mihawk's interest sharpened.
"When he's grown, I'll pay him a visit. Not bad. Another swordsman worth crossing blades with."
"He won't disappoint you," Shanks said seriously. "The real problem is his hand-to-hand fighting."
"In battle, that guy uses anything and everything. If you slip up even once, you end up like this."
He pointed at the claw marks down his left eye.
"I'm starting to get genuinely interested," Mihawk said quietly, eyes narrowing.
"Anyway, if you fight him in the future, be careful," Shanks added.
"That guy's strong as hell, fast, and his bursts of power are insane. He's a born warrior."
"I'm a step ahead of him right now, but I'd never dare underestimate him. Enough talking."
Shanks slung his arm around Mihawk again.
"Come on, another round. Let's see who wins in drinking!"
"You really are a drunk," Mihawk muttered.
As their duel ended, Morgans' newspapers went flying out over the world.
Supernova Red-Haired Shanks vs Dracule Mihawk!
Hawk-Eye wins by a hair!
The headlines screamed. The details sold out.
In Totto Land's waters, a massive pink ship surged through the sea.
"Ma-ma-ma-ma. So it was near the entrance, huh? Speed up. Catch them."
"Yes, Mama."
On another course, a dragon-headed ship cut through the waves.
"Wororororo! Hurry up, Queen! That's a walking treasure over there!"Kaido bellowed.
"Yes, Boss Kaido!" the big, round cyborg roared back.
Marineford, Fleet Admiral's office.
Sengoku stared at the front page.
"Oh? He lost? The youngsters these days really are something else…"
He set the paper down.
"What's Jin up to?"
"Fleet Admiral, Lieutenant Commander Jin returned to base and immediately took men out on patrol," a messenger reported.
Sengoku's face darkened.
Headquarters had ordered Jin to transfer to Sabaody as a guard.
He'd refused.
If the brat didn't spend all his time clobbering pirates, Sengoku would've thrown him in front of a military tribunal already.
"Forget him," Sengoku grumbled. "Ignore that little bastard."
"How's the Sun Pirates operation?"
The messenger straightened.
"Sir, as planned, our men have infiltrated disguised as slaves."
He handed over a report.
Sengoku read it, nodded.
"Good. Proceed according to plan."
He'd barely had time to breathe when another messenger sprinted in.
"Fleet Admiral! Urgent report!"
"Two New World Emperor crews are on the move!"
"The Queen Mama Chanter of the Big Mom Pirates—!"
"And the Beasts Pirates' main ship—!"
"Both have left port. Intelligence confirms Charlotte Linlin and Kaido themselves are aboard!"
Sengoku froze, then exploded.
"Those bastards! What are they doing now?! Can't these pirates ever sit still?!"
"Send word to Garp and Sakazuki. Tell them to keep a close eye on this, but do not act rashly."
On the couch, Aokiji scratched his head.
"Ah-la-la~ maybe they're after Red-Hair. He was on the Pirate King's ship, after all…"
Sengoku's eyes widened.
"Don't tell me…"
"Those two? Chasing after him?"
"Damn it. We don't even have the manpower to intervene right now!"
Holy Land Mariejois. Room of Authority.
The five old men sat in their usual poses, reading the same newspaper.
Warcury broke the silence.
"Didn't we send someone to contact Red-Haired Shanks?"
"What did he say?"
Saturn answered.
"His response was, 'What difference is there between Celestial Dragons and pirates?'"
Mars snorted.
"Hmph. Another brat Roger's brainwashed."
"Shall we send him an invitation to be a Warlord?" he asked. "His strength qualifies."
"Agreed."
"Seconded."
"Fine with me."
"And Hawkeye?" another asked.
Shepherd Ju Peter answered.
"He neither agreed nor refused. Hard to read."
"Send CP to confirm his stance again."
"Agreed."
After parting ways with Mihawk, the Red-Haired Pirates sailed on.
The crew was buzzing with adrenaline.
"Boss, this New World is insane! It really is a pirate's paradise!"
Shanks was just as fired up.
He hadn't been back in a long time.
"Hahahaha! Of course!"
"The New World is a place where whoever has the biggest punch calls the shots."
"When I was a kid sailing with Captain Roger, we were either fighting Whitebeard or clashing with Golden Lion Shiki."
"Back then the New World was a madhouse. Every day was a fight."
"But now…"
"With the three great pirates slowly tightening their grip, things have gotten a bit calmer."
He grinned.
"We'll have to cross swords with them sooner or later. I've gotta make sure the Red-Haired Pirates' name rings out across the sea! Hahahaha!"
"Ouoooh! Boss is the best!"
Right as he finished—
A huge pink ship slid into view ahead.
Beckman lifted his telescope.
"Yeah… that looks like the Big Mom Pirates."
He lowered it, expression tightening.
"Don't tell me my mouth is that cursed…"
"This is bad, Shanks. We just got to the New World. We don't know much about Big Mom's crew."
Shanks waved him off.
"Relax, Beckman. If we run into them, we just fight."
"Ma-ma-ma-ma…"
A booming laugh rolled across the water.
"The little brat from Roger's thief ship, huh? I've finally found you."
"Napoleon."
"Yes, Mama," the hat on her head answered.
The bicorne spun, transforming into a sword, and leapt into Charlotte Linlin's hand.
She stared at the Red-Haired Pirates' ship, grin splitting her face.
"You're not running away from me."
She raised her blade.
"Elbaf Spear — Weiguo!"
"Incoming!" Yasopp shouted.
A slash, hundreds of meters long, screamed toward them.
No need to guess—the power behind it could split their ship in half.
"This crazy woman," Shanks muttered, drawing his saber.
"Divine Departure!"
The two attacks collided.
Boom!
The sea exploded open, leaving a massive crater of foaming water.
"Grab the rails!" Beckman shouted. "Don't fall overboard!"
"Damn it! Monkey, careful!"
"Ma-ma-ma-ma. Not bad for a little brat."
"But you're still far off."
"Zeus."
"Yes, Mama."
A white cloud flew over and quickly turned black.
Big Mom jumped onto the thundercloud and rose into the sky, looking down at the Red-Haired Pirates.
"Prometheus."
"Yes, Mama!"
"Take this, brat. Heavenly Fire!"
"Hard to port!" Beckman shouted. "Damn Big Mom, always with the giant AoE attacks!"
Shanks jumped up and slashed, cutting the incoming fireball in two.
"Damn it!"
He looked up at Big Mom overhead, grinding his teeth.
He couldn't fight seriously in the air.
"That hag has the advantage up there…"
"Fire! Sink the Red-Haired Pirates! If they escape, Mama will kill us!" yelled Perospero, Big Mom's fourth son.
"Yes, Brother Perospero!"
The other children shivered at the thought of their mother angry.
When Big Mom truly snapped, she didn't care whose child you were.
She said she'd kill you—she'd kill you.
Boom boom boom!
Cannonballs rained down.
The Red-Haired crew scrambled, cutting, shooting, and knocking them away.
Perospero licked his lips.
"Let's see how long you can keep that up. Keep firing!"
"Let me spice things up a bit,"Charlotte Smoothie said, stepping forward and drawing her sword.
"Haah!"
A slash flew toward them.
"Damn it!" Shanks gritted his teeth.
He was already straining to keep up with Big Mom—he couldn't spare much attention for anything else.
"Meat punch!"
Lucky Roo chomped down on a hunk of meat, launched himself off the deck, and smashed his fist into the slash, shattering it.
"Ma-ma-ma-ma," Big Mom chuckled, eyeing Roo.
"You've got capable crew, brat."
"I'll give you a chance."
"Hand over the pointer to Laugh Tale. Then take one of my daughters and join my pirate crew."
"Do that, and I'll let you go."
Shanks didn't even hesitate.
"I refuse."
"I won't join anyone's crew. I've got my own adventure."
"And I don't have that pointer. Even if I did, I'd never hand it over. Give it up, Big Mom."
"Oh?"
"You dare refuse me?"
"In all these years, aside from a handful of people, nobody's had the nerve to do that."
Her face darkened completely.
"This woman…"
Shanks' grip tightened on his saber.
This was bad.
"Then go die."
"I'll get what I want from your corpse."
She stomped down on Zeus and hurtled toward his ship, sword raised.
"Come on!"
Clang!
The moment their weapons met, Shanks felt an overwhelming force slam into him.
The ship dug into the sea under the impact.
"What power…"
"Ma-ma-ma-ma!"
She rained blows down on him.
Clang, clang!
Each strike drove him back.
Under the barrage, Shanks' face got paler and paler.
"Divine Departure!"
He finally found an opening and swung with everything he had.
"Huh?"
Big Mom got caught off guard and was blown backward.
Zeus and Prometheus rushed to catch her.
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