Rub!!!
The instant Shanks' Conqueror's Haki spread out.
Gawain and Mihawk jerked their heads off.
The two instantly forgot about their opponent and turned to look in Shanks' direction!
After carefully sensing that aura, Gawain and Mihawk exchanged a glance.
Then, they both nodded in unison!
Gawain: Leave it to me!
Mihawk: He's mine!
Although neither of them said a word, their eyes were filled with letters, and a moment later, they sped off towards Shanks!
In the distance, Gawain and his companion instantly abandoned their opponents.
On the Dark Bird Ship, Ichisho was quietly drinking tea, occasionally helping the nearby soldiers out of a predicament, when she and Gion suddenly stood up!
With a swift movement, Issho eliminated the gravity affecting himself and Gion. In just a moment, the two of them took over from Gawain and Mihawk, and began fighting against the collapsing Big Mom and Kaido!
Meanwhile, in front of the Kuma.
Shanks looked up at the sky, then shook his head with amusement.
"What the hell? Are they all thugs?"
When they encounter someone trying to break up a fight, they gang up on that person and beat them up first.
At this point, Shanks fiercely raised his long sword and moved slightly away from the indifferent-looking Kuma.
Just as he moved away from the Kuma, Gawain appeared in front of him!
"Shanks, it's been a long time, El Thor!!!"
"Ha, Gawain, long time no see!"
"Ride the Clouds!!!"
Clang!!!
Gawain's lightning struck the Griffin Gryphon squarely, and even with Shanks' superior Armament Haki, his coat still swayed slightly.
Immediately afterwards, Gawain emerged from the descending lightning, and Shusui slashed towards Shanks' abdomen.
Seeing this, Shanks raised his longsword to parry, gripping the Gryphon in reverse, blade down, and pressing the hilt of the blade towards Gawain's shoulder and neck!
Sizzle!
The sound of blades clashing against blades pierced the eardrums of several people, and Gryphon's blade came to a precise stop at Shusui's handguard.
Feeling Shanks's strength, Gawain chuckled softly.
"Not bad! Even though you only have one hand, the strength in your arm is not much less than that of Big Mom!"
"Haha, stop fooling around, Gawain."
My arm strength is nowhere near that of Big Mom, but I could manage a bit of a contest with you.
Also, compared to me, you're the one who deserves a good compliment.
The last time I saw you, you were as weak as a child, and your only redeeming quality was your ability to run away.
But now, your progress is astonishing!!!
As soon as he finished speaking, Shanks took a step forward, gripping the hilt of his sword. Just as the two swords crossed and parted from each other, Shanks's dark shoulder, imbued with boundless Conqueror's Haki, slammed straight into Gawain's shoulder!
Seeing Shanks's move, Gawain neither dodged nor avoided, but gritted his teeth and rammed his shoulder into Shanks.
From a distance, they didn't look like they were fighting at all; they looked more like they were playing basketball.
Shanks is the type of player who chooses to back down when he has the ball on the offensive!
Of course, this movement doesn't just resemble playing basketball; it's more like... ahem.
What are you thinking? It's Iron Mountain Lean, it really is Iron Mountain Lean!
It's definitely not some random, overly beautiful thing!
This can be seen from the shockwave created when their shoulders collide.
The violent shockwave directly overturned the earth, tore apart the sky and clouds, causing Kuma to take a small half step back, and allowing Mihawk to unleash a sword strike during his charge before continuing to approach the two combatants!
"Gawain, Kaido and Big Mom are both yours!"
"If it's Shanks, then let me savor the taste of what I haven't had in decades!!!"
Mihawk roared, pursing his lips with a hint of excitement. With a slight twitch of his mustache, Black Blade Night, like a blade cleaving through the darkness, struck Gawain and Shanks squarely on the shoulders!
"Ha?"
"Grass!"
Shanks and Gawain were slightly taken aback, and with a burst of strength, they quickly separated their contest.
As they separated, Mihawk's sword mercilessly struck the spot where they had just been locked in a stalemate!
Seeing this, Gawain frowned and roared in dissatisfaction.
"You bastard, you actually cut me down too?!"
"It's just to separate you all!"
Mihawk gave a curt reply, then continued to approach Shanks, and his sword immediately clashed fiercely with Gryphon's!
As he further forced Shanks back, Mihawk spoke with even greater excitement.
"I just fought Kaido all night, and I'm actually quite suitable for you now!"
If I were truly in perfect condition, I wouldn't even bother fighting a swordsman with only one hand like you!
"Ha ha!!!"
Upon hearing this, Shanks laughed loudly, then shook his head, sword in hand.
"That's outrageous! Only in your mouth do I become someone you wouldn't even bother to fight!"
After all, in their mouths, I'm at least the fourth strongest pirate, a one-in-a-million emperor!!!
As soon as he finished speaking, Shanks and Mihawk faced off, and the ground beneath their feet instantly cracked and then violently tore apart to both sides.
Seeing this, Gawain frowned and pursed his lips.
"Snort!"
With a soft snort, he ignored the Red-Haired Shanks and Mihawk who were locked in combat, and instead looked at the mirror from which people were constantly emerging.
In front of the mirror, Beckman slowly walked out, pistol in hand. He glanced around, a cigar dangling from his lips, then nodded politely to Gawain and said with a smile.
"I'm sorry, Your Gawain, but my captain has always had this kind of 'neither fish nor fowl' personality."
Although we are friends, when friends have conflicts with people from the same faction.
He's an indecisive person, unable to fully side with his friends and do things that are irrational but loyal enough.
At the same time, he wouldn't use his sword to kill someone for someone on his own side, nor would he do anything that, while rational enough, would definitely cause him heartache and pain...
At this point, Beckman took the cigar with his free left hand and gently shook off the ash.
Then, he glanced lazily at Gawain and raised the gun in his hand.
"So, I'm very sorry, Your Gawain."
In the battle between you, Kaido, and Big Mom, we will neither side with you nor with Kaido!
You all heard that, didn't you? Our captain said that what we want is to end this war!
Therefore, this time we have no specific enemy!
Or rather...
Whoever hinders the end of the war is our enemy!!!
At this point, Beckman's dark gun barrel was firmly fixed on Gawain's forehead.
In an instant, even Gawain's eyebrows stood up, a feeling of being locked on completely enveloped Gawain thoughts!
At this moment, Gawain was even forcing himself to stay where he was!
His instincts were screaming warnings, his nerves were telling him to get out of there, and his intuition and Observation Haki were telling him the same thing.
Once that bullet cuts through the rifling and leaves the barrel, no one can dodge it.
The only outcome is to tough it out!
Seemingly sensing the rising tension in Gawain, Beckman moved his lips, turned his cigar, and then grinned softly.
"Gawain, even you, please consider the suggestion of this impetuous captain."
After all, once we made up our minds and joined forces...
We haven't encountered an opponent who can defeat us yet.
If it were any other time, I would really like to join my headstrong captain in learning a thing or two from you all, who are now growing stronger and stronger.
But nowadays, sigh.
If we are unfortunate enough to hinder the Dark Bird Ship and your limbs...
"The damage to your Dark Bird Ship must have gone far beyond just its limbs, right?"
After saying that, Beckman placed his thumb on the hammer and gently turned it.
His index finger, without any hesitation, rested on the trigger!
Looking at Beckman, who was already prepared for war, Gawain remained silent for a long time.
It wasn't that he didn't know what to say, nor was it that he was frightened.
Rather... Beckman wasn't qualified to speak to him!!!
In the brief moment of Gawain's silence, a figure wearing a plain white coat passed by Gawain.
A moment later, the figure's slippers scraped against the mud, and he stopped beside Gawain.
Rayleigh gently adjusted his glasses, grinned, and instantly revealed the languid pride of an old pirate.
After shaking his head dismissively, Rayleigh gave a soft rebuke.
"You bunch of brats, you're even more arrogant than the last time we met, haha."
Look at you! You're so willful and reckless. How can we, as the first mate, describe our captain like that?!
Even I, an old man, did not arrogantly treat the captain like a child; aren't willfulness and recklessness precisely what describe children?
You're a fine fellow, Beckman. You should be someone who, like me, has enough respect for your own captain.
Therefore, I must conclude that all those joking words you used were actually alluding to my captain!
As soon as he finished speaking, a glint flashed on Rayleigh's glasses, and he simultaneously drew his knife.
While pointing the blade at Beckman, Rayleigh turned to Gawain and asked him a question.
"Captain, it seems the Red-Haired Pirates have really become enemies, so what should we do?"
Even I, an old man, cannot be easily distracted by this brat named Beckman. Captain, please give your orders quickly; I am waiting to receive them, haha!
"Good!"
In response to Rayleigh's question, Gawain looked towards the Dark Bird Ship from afar, raising his right hand as he did so.
At that moment, a subtle rumble of thunder reached the ears of every officer on the Dark Bird Ship.
All that could be heard was Gawain speaking softly and naturally.
"Except for essential personnel, the majority of the officers will withdraw from the war against the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates!"
Since someone's here to mediate, well, let's take them out first!
Kuma, I need you to stop Jack and King, whose fighting strength is still intact on the Beasts Pirates side!
Yamato, Crocodile, I want you to do everything in your power to stop all the remaining Sweet Commanders under Big Mom!
From this moment on, everyone except those mentioned above shall attack the Red-Haired Pirates with all their might!
Shanks is assigned to Mihawk, Beckman to Rayleigh, and as for the others, you can choose according to your own preferences!
Finally, a smile!
I want you to step back and focus your energy on the Red-Haired Pirates!
As for Kaido, whom you're facing, let me give him his final moment of glory!!!
After speaking, Gawain turned back with a hint of excitement, smiling as he looked at Beckman mouth was filled with wisps of smoke.
After a glance, Gawain gently swung his right hand.
"Rayleigh, I'm leaving this place to you!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Rumble-Rumble Fruit boomed down under the rising sun, Gawain vanished in the blink of an eye.
Watching Gawain's retreating figure, Beckman grinned and exhaled smoke as he spoke.
"Your captain's become even more imposing, ha ha!"
After saying that, a glint flashed in Beckman's eyes, and his finger had already pulled the trigger!
In the next instant, a seemingly ordinary bullet, traveling at hundreds of times the speed of a normal bullet, chased after Gawain with extraordinary speed!
"Snort!"
With a cold snort, Rayleigh instantly flashed into the bullet's trajectory. He raised his sword and slashed out, the sharp blade immediately pinning the rapidly spinning bullet to the ground, creating a momentary stalemate!
But just as the stalemate was reached, half of a spear suddenly emerged from the mirror.
Bang!
As the smoke spread, a bullet, though slightly weaker in momentum, but far more dangerous and difficult to conceal, struck the bullet embedded in Rayleigh's blade!
Snap!!!
With a crisp sound, Rayleigh's blade was instantly knocked away, and the second bullet grazed Rayleigh's face before shooting into the sky.
As for Rayleigh...
He gently raised his hand and wiped away the little blood that had flowed from his face.
But as soon as he wiped it clean, a little fresh blood started flowing out, and the spreading red bloodstains made Rayleigh's smile even more sinister.
"Heh, two of the best gunmen together, this kind of lineup makes even this old man feel a chill."
"Now that I think about it, it's been a full twenty years since I last shed a single drop of blood!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Rayleigh's smile grew even more unrestrained.
He abandoned wiping his blood and instead raised his hand to take off his glasses.
Casually lifting the hem of his coat, Rayleigh plunged the knife into the ground and then gently wiped his glasses.
He continued talking without looking up as he wiped the cloth.
"Beckman, and... Yasopp!"
Haha, if no blood is drawn, then we're still friends.
But now that blood has been drawn, there is no doubt that you will be regarded as my mortal enemies from now on!
So, humph!
Are you prepared to face the extremely dangerous and utterly shameless tactics I've prepared for my mortal enemy?!
At this point, Rayleigh slowly put on his glasses. This time, his eyes were lowered, and his right hand, holding the knife, tightened its grip.
Across from him, watching the imposing Haki emanating from Rayleigh's back, Yasopp chuckled, clutching his flintlock pistol.
"This is truly something to look forward to, Mr. Rayleigh! We are eager to witness your skills!"
Besides, you shouldn't underestimate us younger generations!
What so-called ruthless and dangerous methods? Do you think we haven't encountered them enough?
The reason we can stand at this level alongside Shanks is because of the wars we've been through, wars that required us to die!
So, bring on all your tricks!!!
As soon as he finished speaking, Yasopp laughed and raised his spear, the muzzle instantly locking onto Rayleigh's figure.
But just before Yasopp fired again, Rayleigh suddenly raised his knife!
"Yasopp, don't you understand, young man? In the eyes of us Dark Bird Ship, all strong individuals are our hypothetical enemies!"
Do you think I don't have unique tactics specifically designed to counter you?
Brush!
Rayleigh's knife slashed down fiercely, the tip pointing directly at Yasopp brow was deeply furrowed.
At the same time, Rayleigh let out a loud roar.
"Come out, Trafalgar Law!"
"Received..., room!!!"
At Rayleigh's command, Trafalgar Law suddenly opened his barrier, and a moment later, a bewildered figure appeared directly between Rayleigh, Yasopp, and Beckman!
The instant the figure appeared, Yasopp, completely bewildered, moved the gun away.
"Holy shit, Rayleigh!!!"
He roared in disbelief.
"You're being too cruel! This is my own son!"
Long time no see, I'm sorry to see you in this kind of environment, Usopp!
Anyway, hahaha, just seeing you makes me so happy, kid!
"Hmph, you're celebrating too soon!"
As soon as Yasopp finished speaking, before Usopp could react, Rayleigh gave a sinister smile and held a knife to Usopp's neck.
While watching with amusement the expression on Yasopp that resembled... well, it was really funny.
Rayleigh said to Yasopp with a rather wicked sense of humor.
"Heh, even the world's best marksman wouldn't want his own son to get hurt, would he?"
Or rather, even if you know that I might not be capable of harming this child.
How can you bear to let this child be heartbroken in this situation because of your heartless decision?
Do you... want him to be even more disappointed in you?
Hehe!"