Stand Back! Shanks!!!

Enel soon noticed Yaen's slightly astonished gaze beside him and couldn't help looking a little sheepish as he explained.

"I, uh, really like this kind of battle. Red-Haired is doing pretty well..."

"Mm."

Yaen nodded and looked toward Luffy again. Under the power unleashed by Shanks in his "Standing at the Apex of Pirates" state, "Gear Fourth" Luffy was being beaten mercilessly almost nonstop.

No matter how tenaciously Luffy fought back, all his counterattacks were utterly feeble and completely ineffective before Shanks. He was then blasted away again and again, looking utterly miserable.

Was Enel beaten up by Luffy like this in the past, and... did seeing a similar scene make him instinctively excited again?

Yaen thought to himself.

Very soon, under Shanks's explosive assault—with him showing almost no mercy—Luffy had endured less than ten minutes before he could no longer maintain his "Gear Fourth" form. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the ground, completely exhausted.

Shanks's red hair soared skyward. His body was covered in cracks, with blood constantly seeping from them, yet he spoke coldly.

"Luffy, if this is all you're capable of, then it's still too early for you to reach the 'Final Island,' Laugh Tale. And it's also too early for you to return that straw hat to me."

However, just as Shanks was about to turn and leave—

"Wait..."

Luffy's weak voice rang out. He then slowly dragged his exhausted body to his feet.

"Hm?"

Shanks turned to look at Luffy again and asked, "Do you still have the strength to stand? But you've already lost, Luffy."

To Shanks's surprise, Luffy suddenly revealed a bright, pure smile and said, "That's great, Shanks. You really are strong—so strong that it feels like we're not even on the same level."

Shanks was slightly stunned before