He spoke with total sincerity. "I always believed that my mastery of Conqueror's Haki had reached a level unmatched under the heavens."
"But who would have thought… that there are always skies above the skies, and people beyond other people!"
Shanks openly admitted that he was no match for El.
El replied calmly. "I am already an old man, you know. I have spent so many years training and cultivating my power."
"If I didn't have at least one skill I could truly call my own… I would be quite embarrassed, wouldn't I?"
As he spoke, he acted as if his extraordinary display of Haki was nothing special at all.
Shanks took a gourd flask from his waist.
"I brought some good wine with me. Would you like to try some?"
The group agreed and walked into the tavern. Shanks personally poured the wine for El.
El picked up the cup and sniffed it lightly.
"Oh? This is wine from the West Sea," he said casually. "It's from your hometown, isn't it? Truly excellent."
Shanks smiled. "Has Lord El also traveled to the West Sea?"
El took a sip of the wine and spoke slowly.
"It's not surprising. After all these years… is there any place I haven't visited?"
"Fortunately, I have quite a good memory. If it were Whitebeard… I'm sure he wouldn't be able to tell where it came from."
Shanks laughed. "That is certainly true!"
But in the next second…
The smile froze completely on his face.
From the moment he arrived here until now…
He had never mentioned Whitebeard even once.
Why did El suddenly bring him up?
Unless…
At that moment, El stared straight at Shanks. "You went to visit Whitebeard, didn't you, Shanks?"
Shanks was instantly shocked to his core!
And it wasn't just him — his crew members all wore expressions of utter disbelief as well!
Impossible!
How could El possibly know about that?!
They had taken extreme measures to keep that meeting a secret.
If the Marines had found out about it, it would have undoubtedly sparked a bloody conflict and chaos.
They had gone to great lengths to ensure secrecy.
There was absolutely no news or reports anywhere mentioning their meeting!
How did El know…?
Seeing Shanks reacting with such shock and loss of composure…
El replied indifferently. "No need to look so surprised."
"It was just a simple guess, wasn't it?"
El acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
He continued drinking his wine calmly.
It was as if he was completely unaware of the tense atmosphere filling the room.
At that moment, Shanks and his subordinates were all extremely tense…
So much so that the whole room felt heavy, like the moment before a massive storm breaks.
Standing nearby, Robin felt her legs beginning to tremble.
Meeting between such supreme powers… really is different from anything else.
It makes your heart race with uncontrollable tension.
Even Crocodile — a man who had seen countless major events and scenes in his life…swept a drop of cold sweat from his brow.
"This is too tense… are they about to start fighting right now?!" he thought anxiously.
Shanks looked at El and forced a stiff smile onto his face.
"A simple guess…? What do you mean?"
"Could you… perhaps explain it to me?"
Asking this clearly showed he didn't believe El's explanation in the slightest.
El didn't mind at all.
He set his wine glass down upon the table.
This single, simple movement…
Almost caused the Red-Haired Pirates to draw their weapons and attack.
Ignoring their tension completely, El spoke to Shanks. "Blackbeard becoming a Warlord… and Ace being captured. These are huge news events."
"The Whitebeard Pirates would never let such things pass without retaliation… isn't that what you were thinking?"
Shanks nodded slowly.
"And so you went to persuade Whitebeard… trying to stop him from acting rashly… am I right?"
El spoke calmly and smoothly.
His reasoning sounded simple enough…
But he had reached that conclusion instantly, just moments ago.
Shanks looked thoughtful, deep in his mind.
El continued speaking. "And I also know… that Whitebeard definitely did not listen to your advice."
"I know exactly how that old friend of mine thinks."
He said calmly: "I'm sure Whitebeard told you a great many things about me."
"And then you, Shanks — the new ruler of the seas — decided to come here and test my true strength… isn't that right?"
"In other words… you brat came here today specifically to provoke me!"
The moment El finished speaking…
Crocodile reacted instantly and violently!
He raised his golden hook and aimed it directly at Shanks and his men.
"DON'T YOU DARE MOVE!"
Shanks' subordinates immediately took up battle stances in response!
Benn Beckman and Yasopp both raised their weapons, aiming directly at El's crew!
In an instant, the situation became incredibly volatile and dangerous!
Facing this intense tension, Shanks immediately shouted loudly at his crew.
"EVERYONE — DROP YOUR WEAPONS RIGHT NOW!"
"WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION TO ATTACK?!"
Following his order…
Benn Beckman and the others slowly lowered their weapons, though still remaining highly alert.
Crocodile also relaxed his stance, though his eyes remained fixed sharply on the enemies before him.
A massive battle between two Emperors of the Sea had nearly erupted in that single moment.
Cold sweat poured down Shanks' back…
Let alone everyone else present.
The only exception… was El!
He remained calm and unhurried, looking at everyone as if absolutely nothing was happening.
Only after Shanks' men had completely put away their weapons…
Did El finally speak again in a low voice.
"You aren't as foolish as you look, Shanks."
"If you had allowed your subordinates to attack on my territory…"
"…that would have been a direct provocation against me."
El spoke the words without any emotion or aggressive tone at all…
But the moment he said the word provocation…
An incredibly powerful, terrifying killing intent exploded out from his body!
This killing intent was precise and overwhelming, targeting every single person among the Red-Haired Pirates!
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