Young Red-Hair

On the beach at Foosha Village, the lingering force of Conqueror's Haki still trembled in the air.

Roy slowly reined in his aura, his cape settling around him, his gaze as calm as ever.

Shanks stared at him, his brow furrowing slightly—the behavior of this Marine rear admiral defied all common sense.

"I just don't want to fight you in Foosha Village."

Roy spoke evenly, his gaze sweeping over the terrified villagers in the distance and Uta, who was clutching Shanks's cape.

"There's an uninhabited island nearby. Follow me."

Before the words had finished leaving his mouth, he vanished, as if he had never been there.

"Whoosh!"

After seeing the Marine leave, Lucky Roux jumped straight into the sea without a word and quickly pulled out Yasopp, who had been sent flying by a single punch.

Benn Beckman hurried forward and lowered his voice. "Are you really going? There's something... off about this guy."

The corner of Shanks's mouth rose slightly, but a dangerous light flickered in his eyes.

"He's come right up to my face and pushed me around. It wouldn't be my style to let that go!"

Uta gripped his cape tightly, her little face full of worry.

Shanks turned back and ruffled her hair, smiling gently. "Don't worry. I'll be right back."

The next instant, he burst into motion, the lingering force of Conqueror's Haki exploding beneath his feet as he shot like a cannonball toward the place where Roy's aura had faded!

Several nautical miles away, on an uninhabited island.

Roy stood at the edge of a cliff, the sea breeze whipping his cape into a snapping flutter.

"Whoosh—!"

A crimson figure seemed to tear through space. With the pressure of Conqueror's Haki roaring like a monstrous beast, Shanks landed with overwhelming force.

"Boom!"

The rock beneath his feet instantly cracked apart, air surged, and fragments of stone sprayed in every direction!

Shanks's left hand was already on Griffon's hilt. His fierce aura pressed in like a blade, while red-and-black Haki lightning coiled around his body.

"Marine... what exactly do you want?" His voice was so deep it seemed capable of crushing the air, and his hawklike gaze locked onto Roy.

Roy had his back to him, his cape billowing in the sea breeze. As he slowly turned around, a trace of fighting spirit flashed through his dark eyes, but a mocking smile curled his lips.

"This so-called Flame..."

"Whoosh—!"

Before he could finish, Shanks had drawn his sword. Its blade carried a crimson Conqueror's Haki slash that came down on Roy like a thunderbolt tearing heaven and earth apart!

"What exactly do you know?!"

The ground split open in an instant, and an enormous shockwave pulverized the surrounding rock walls!

But the instant the slash reached him, Roy became an afterimage and vanished. The next second, a fist wreathed in pitch-black Armament Haki came crashing out of empty space!

"Bang!"

Shanks spun around and hastily raised his sword to block, but the force of the punch passed through the blade, driving his feet into the rock. Cracks burst across the ground beneath him like a spiderweb, and the entire island shuddered!

"This power... it's just like that guy's!"

Shanks's eyes narrowed, veins bulging at his temples as Griffon hummed from the impact!

Roy slowly withdrew his fist. Black Haki boiled around him like a rising tide, and black-and-red lightning split the night sky. "I don't want to bother with your little schemes."

Roy stood with his fist withdrawn, red-and-black Conqueror's Haki lightning dancing around him. "I just came to warn you: those two Little Swordsmen at the Shimotsuki Dojo are mine. Pick someone else."

Shanks's pupils contracted sharply, and a storm of shock surged through his heart.

This Marine not only knew about the "Flame" plan, but had even pinpointed the targets in Shimotsuki Village!

"The Marines' intelligence capabilities... are more terrifying than I imagined."

He tightened his grip on Griffon, then suddenly grinned. "Looks like I can't let you leave alive."

"Whoosh!"

Before he finished speaking, Shanks stamped his foot, shattering the rock beneath him inch by inch. Conqueror's Haki erupted like a volcano, and crimson sword energy instantly tore a massive rift across the night sky!

Roy's eyes turned cold. He tore off his white cape and tossed it aside, an even deeper shade of Armament Haki coiling around his fists. "As expected, a few words aren't enough."

He bent his knees slightly, and the rock beneath his feet suddenly crumbled—

"Boom!!!"

Two waves of Conqueror's Haki collided violently. The night sky seemed to split apart, waves rose a hundred meters high, and the island shook violently. An utter hush fell over the entire sea!

Shanks struck first, sweeping Griffon across in a slash. "Divine Departure!"

The slash roared toward Roy like a raging crimson dragon, the rushing air instantly sending huge chunks of rock flying!

But Roy flashed out of the way, teleporting into the air. "Only an idiot would meet Divine Departure head-on~" Conqueror's Haki gathered around his fist as he plunged down like a meteor!

"Fist Bone: Meteor!"

"Clang—!!!"

Sword and fist collided violently, an enormous shockwave exploding outward from the two of them. The night sky trembled, and towering waves rose from the sea!

Shanks felt an irresistible force bearing down through his blade. The web of his hand split instantly, spraying blood!

"This power?!... Garp's move!"

Roy gave no answer, his figure flickering once more.

This time, he appeared in three different positions and punched from all of them at once!

"Instant: Hellish Barrage!"

Shanks's Observation Haki screamed a warning. He whirled Griffon into a curtain of sword strikes, but a heavy punch still grazed his cheek, sending blood flying!

"Bastard...!"

Shanks planted his feet and unleashed his Observation Haki, sensing Roy's killing intent in an instant!

"Whoosh!"

Shanks's figure flickered, his blade sweeping like lightning toward the empty ground on his left!

"Slash!"

Blood flashed into the air as the sword energy carved a gruesome wound across Roy's shoulder!

He retreated in surprise. This was the first time anyone had managed to injure him.

"Observation Haki Killer?"

Shanks flicked the blood from his blade. "You're fast, but you can't hide the killing intent behind your attacks..."

Roy paused briefly, blood streaming down his arm, but only for an instant. Then he closed in again, his pitch-black fist carrying both Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki. "Then how about this—!"

"Conqueror's Coating: Instant Collapse!!!"

"Rumble—!"

The punch was like a falling star. The air warped and collapsed, the ground across the entire island exploded inch by inch, mountains caved in, and waves rolled backward into the night sky!

Shanks raised his sword to block, red-and-black lightning bursting wildly around him!

"Bang!!!"

The force of the two of them completely tore the island apart!

Black and crimson Conqueror's Haki intertwined in the night sky, like gods and demons locked in fierce battle!

Rock shattered, heaven and earth changed color, fierce winds rose, and enormous waves surged skyward!

A trickle of blood escaped the corner of Red-Hair's mouth, but he still grinned. "Interesting!"

The two figures clashed violently once more amid the ruins!

On the beach, Benn Beckman frowned deeply, his fingertips pressed against his temple, his face grave. "My Observation Haki... is being disrupted by their auras..."

He slowly opened his eyes and looked toward the distant sky, which was being torn apart by red-and-black lightning.

Uta clutched the music box in her arms, her knuckles white and her little face so pale it was almost bloodless. "Shanks... he..."

Before she could finish, a towering wave suddenly rose from the sea, and a figure came through the surf!

"Splash—!"

Lucky Roux leaped ashore with the soaked and unconscious Yasopp over his shoulder. He gritted his teeth, panting heavily. "What kind of monster is that guy?! In just a few seconds... we couldn't even see what happened..."

Yasopp woke up coughing out seawater, his face deathly pale and his voice trembling. "His movements... I couldn't track them at all..."

He gestured shakily, cold sweat soaking his clothes.

Lucky Roux looked toward the distant island. Red-and-black lightning was still raging across the sky, while the waves pounded the island's reefs as if they had gone mad, producing a deafening roar.

At the center of the island, Shanks's red hair was disheveled and his clothes were in tatters. Roy's blood still stained the blade of Griffon in his hand.

Roy's Marine uniform was just as ragged, his shoulder and arm covered in blood, his breathing as labored as a broken bellows.

The two faced each other across a hundred-meter-wide crater, dust stirred up by the night wind drifting between them like ghosts.

"Marine boy..."

Shanks raised his head with difficulty. Red-and-black lightning still flickered along his blade, but his eyes held a trace of disbelief. "With strength like yours... why are you only a rear admiral?!"

Roy wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes as calm as an abyss. "Rank doesn't matter."

Shanks stared blankly for a moment, the hand gripping his sword hilt trembling slightly.

Roy slowly turned and walked toward the shore, one step at a time.

"Today's warning... has been delivered."

A complex emotion flashed through Shanks's eyes, and Observation Haki keenly caught his almost imperceptible pity.

"Do you think... you can stop 'Flame'?"

Shanks's voice was low and icy, carrying killing intent on the wind.

But Roy's figure gradually began to blur, as if dispersing with the wind.

"I don't care."

With the final ripple of teleportation, his voice faded into the wind like a wisp of a ghost.

"Stay away from Shimotsuki Village."

Shanks's pupils contracted, and he jerked his head up!

But there was no one left on the island.

Only the shattered cliffs bore witness to that thrilling duel.

He stood there for a moment, then slowly sheathed his sword, a faint, relieved smile appearing on his face.

"The new era the captain talked about... hahahaha... it's getting more and more interesting!"

Amid his laughter, the setting sun sank in the west, casting a blood-red glow over the sea.

On the distant horizon, a snow-white seagull soared, the recording crystal on the probe at its chest glimmering faintly as it recorded the aftermath of the great battle for history.

Years later, when people saw this scene in the dust of history, all they could do was marvel endlessly—

This was the true prelude to the new era.