"No!"
Red-Haired Shanks wailed, reaching out.
"?????"
Everyone looked at Red-Haired Shanks in confusion.
"The true core of 'Ace' is the gold guard; it won't be complete if you remove it." Red-Haired Shanks pleaded, simultaneously drawing his own rapier, which also had a gold guard: "Doesn't it look good?"
Kevin shook his head.
Jabba shook his head.
Benn Beckman, Yasopp, and the others all shook their heads.
Red-Haired Shanks was greatly dismayed.
After failing to obtain "Ace," he spent a great deal of effort to find a famous sword on the sea, Gryphon, which was very similar to "Ace" and also had a gold guard.
Red-Haired Shanks looked dejectedly at Kevin, who removed the gold guard.
The light had gone out of his eyes.
On the Tomorrow.
Makino stared with bewildered eyes: "What's wrong?"
She didn't understand.
Why were the Red Hair Pirates looking so shocked and envious, and why was Shanks still wailing? Wasn't he a man who didn't care about losing an arm?
"It must be because our Captain got Pirate King Roger's sword, and Red-Haired Shanks wasn't qualified to get it, so he's sad," Lily said proudly.
"Is that so?"
Makino looked at Shanks, who seemed to have lost his soul.
Then she looked at Kevin's back.
The difference was clear.
Red-Haired Shanks was dejected for a long time.
Only then did he regain his spirit.
He looked up, and his gaze met Kevin's; both their eyes conveyed the same meaning.
It was a rare encounter, and if they missed the next, who knew when they would meet again.
No words were exchanged.
"Let me be your opponent for a sword test." Red-Haired Shanks extended an invitation.
"You can still fight with one arm?"
Red-Haired Shanks slowly stood up, his domineering demeanor evident: "It doesn't affect me."
He drew Gryphon.
Pirates are that direct.
They don't need any reason; they just do what they want.
"A fight's about to break out, let's quickly get out of the way."
The Red Hair Pirates quickly retreated.
They excitedly watched the two on the battlefield.
"Are they going to fight?" Jabba's eyes widened; this scene brought back memories of the past, of following Roger, living freely and fighting freely on the sea.
"But can he be Shanks's opponent?"
Jabba was skeptical.
Obtaining "Ace" didn't signify strength.
Red-Haired Shanks was someone he had watched grow up, and many of his skills were taught by him personally.
He knew how strong he was.
In Jabba's eyes, Shanks's talent and aptitude were unmatched on the current seas.
And he was still very young, while Kevin was even younger than Shanks.
He didn't think Kevin could win.
He should be very strong in the future, but he was too young now; he couldn't be Shanks's opponent.
To actively seek battle was already quite good in his eyes; being able to hold on for a while would exceed expectations.
"Who do you think will win?"
The Red Hair Pirates gathered together, guessing curiously.
"It's definitely the Boss."
"Yes, the Boss will definitely win, one hundred percent. In all these years following the Boss, I've never seen him lose, and it's even less likely he'd lose to an opponent younger than him."
"Kevin might catch up to the Boss in the future, but not now."
The crew members unconditionally believed in Red-Haired Shanks.
Even Hawkeye Mihawk only drew with the Boss, and Hawkeye Mihawk was four years older than Shanks; when both were young, a four-year age difference was significant.
Currently, Red-Haired Shanks is around twenty-five years old.
Kevin is almost nineteen.
A six-year gap.
"But he should be able to fight the Boss for a long time. Kevin, after all, is the man who fought Akainu and left," Benn Beckman analyzed rationally.
Details of that battle had already been spread by the Marines, who certainly didn't want the lie of Akainu's defeat to circulate on the sea. They publicly announced that Kevin was suspected to be a user of short-term invincible defense.
"I won't hold back."
Red-Haired Shanks' fighting spirit was intense.
He really wanted to show off.
He yearned to win more than in any other battle.
Makino was watching.
As he spoke, the shore began to shake, and the turbulent sea calmed. A terrifying aura erupted from Red-Haired Shanks.
Powerful Conqueror's Haki, like a crimson sun, enveloped the entire shore.
A suffocating, oppressive, and viscous feeling made it impossible to breathe.
"What is this feeling?" Makino and others without strength felt their chests tighten, looking at Red-Haired Shanks in terror.
They had never seen Conqueror's Haki being used before.
"It's no wonder Red-Haired Shanks is publicly recognized as the most likely candidate to become the fourth Sea Emperor. He's very strong," Momousagi Gyon immediately returned to the ship to protect Makino and the others.
"Good thing Red-Haired Shanks precisely controlled his Conqueror's Haki, otherwise, except for Hancock, you would have already fainted."
"Conqueror's Haki?"
Makino asked curiously.
"The qualification of a king. The weak, facing a king, don't even have the right to look directly."
"Does Kevin have it then?" Makino couldn't help but ask.
Momousagi Gyon frowned slightly.
She didn't answer.
No!
She looked worriedly at Kevin, who was enduring the full force of the Conqueror's Haki, a disadvantageous start.
"It's just Conqueror's Haki, what's so great about it?" Hancock couldn't stand it; she couldn't stand Kevin being bullied by Conqueror's Haki.
An aura involuntarily emanated from her.
Momousagi Gyon turned sideways, looking at Hancock in surprise.
Could it be?
"The Boss's Haki is getting stronger and stronger."
"Huh? Does Kevin not have Conqueror's Haki? Then he's at a disadvantage."
On the battlefield, Kevin stood undefended, enduring the powerful Haki's compression from Shanks.
It was already affecting him.
"So this is Conqueror's Haki." He felt it carefully.
Red-Haired Shanks stared intently at Kevin, a smug smile involuntarily appearing at the corner of his mouth. So you don't have it. Finally, there's something I have that you don't.
Then I won't be polite.
Suddenly, he saw Kevin's eyes snap open.
A captivating golden light burst from Kevin's eyes, and a golden aura suddenly appeared within the crimson Conqueror's Haki domain presented by Red-Haired Shanks.
Like the midday sun.
"Conqueror's Haki, that's all it is."
A curve appeared at the corner of Kevin's mouth.
Conqueror's Haki awakened.
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 29 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[pat*eon*com/DaoistRoeoNQ]
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"