I'm Going to Be the Pirate King!

"Captain!"

Yasopp and the others, watching from afar, were stunned by the sudden turn of events. Who could have imagined that an unexpected battle would cost Shanks an arm?

"Have faith in our captain!"

As Red-Hair's right-hand man, Yasopp stopped the crew members who were about to jump into the fray. Then he flicked away his cigar, which had gone out ages ago without him noticing, and said quietly, "He won't fall here."

Back on the battlefield, the moment Shanks lost his arm, his aura faltered. But the Haki that had grown somewhat faint suddenly erupted into a frenzy. An unprecedented golden Haki surged from within him, enveloping his body in a faint golden glow.

Minato, transformed into a streak of light, charged at Shanks without hesitation. But when the two collided, Minato was sent flying hundreds of meters before crashing down in a sorry heap. A cloud of blood suddenly burst from his body.

"Ugh!"

Blood welled up from Minato's throat, and he couldn't stop himself from spitting it out.

Minato dropped to one knee. He was at the end of his strength. Maintaining Sage Fox Super-Combat Mode for so long had already placed a tremendous strain on his body, and on top of that, he had used the Flying Thunder God Technique repeatedly.

As a Space-Time Ninjutsu, the Flying Thunder God Technique placed a massive strain on the user's body every time they traveled through space. Minato had used it more than a hundred times in this battle. By now, several of the pathways through which his Chakra flowed had been damaged, his muscles were torn, and many of his bones had been injured by the impacts...

Minato's long hair slowly returned to normal. The Chakra covering his body gradually shed the Natural Energy and regressed to Kurama Mode. Meanwhile, the Nine-Tails shouted from within him,

"Minato Namikaze, you're badly injured all over! Run for your life! If you die, I don't know whether I'll ever be able to return to the Ninja World!" 🐸👊  ♞💲

"Don't worry. I won't die," Minato replied in his mind.

When Shanks's arm had been severed, he had first been overcome by rage and shock. But then he realized that his injuries and the intense battle seemed to have pushed his strength to a new level, allowing some of his power to return. He coated his right fist in his overwhelming golden Haki and struck at Minato with the force of Thunderous Might.

At the last possible moment, Minato forced himself to use the Flying Thunder God Technique once more, returning to where his Shadow Clone was.

Just a few breaths later, Shanks stood before the badly injured Minato, his face grim.

Minato had already left Nine-Tails Chakra Mode and returned to his normal state. He sat cross-legged, facing Shanks, whose aura was intimidating.

Although Shanks had lost his left arm, his expression didn't change. The agony of losing an arm, unbearable to most people, seemed insignificant to him. Looking at Minato, who was so badly injured he couldn't fight anymore, he said,

"You took my arm. Now I'll take both of yours in exchange!"

Even though Minato was covered in wounds, Shanks wasn't magnanimous enough to simply forgive him for taking his arm.

"Don't hurt Uncle Minato!"

Young Luffy stood firmly in front of Minato.

"So this is the boy?"

Shanks studied Luffy carefully, his imposing aura easing slightly. "Kid, what's your name?"

"My name is Monkey D. Luffy, and I'm going to beat you!"

"Hahahaha! You're going to beat me? Even the man behind you couldn't manage that!" Red-Haired Shanks found himself admiring the boy's spirit.

"I'll do it, no matter how long it takes!"

Luffy's face was resolute. "Gum-Gum Pistol!" His right arm drew back like a spring, then shot toward Shanks's face like a bullet.

Shanks tilted his head slightly and caught Luffy's right hand. Luffy hadn't even had time to pull it back; his arm hung limply like rubber, completely ineffective.

Shanks smiled faintly. "For someone your age, you have remarkable strength and spirit. You certainly live up to the Monkey D. name!"

Shanks let go, and Luffy's arm snapped back. After that one attack, the little boy was out of energy, but he still forced himself to stand in front of Minato.

Seeing Luffy standing firm, Shanks lost himself in thought for a moment. The boy's young face seemed to overlap with a familiar face from his memories... Red-Haired Shanks was momentarily dazed.

Minato was moved by Luffy's courage, too. No matter what, he wouldn't let Luffy get hurt because of him! He spoke up, interrupting Shanks's reverie,

"Shanks, let the boy go. He only ate that fruit by chance."

Shanks came back to himself. He didn't agree with Minato's explanation, and let out a soft sigh. "The fruit chose him. Perhaps it was all fate!"

Shanks let his oppressive aura fade, removed the Straw Hat from his head with his remaining right hand, and walked over to Luffy. He placed the hat on the boy's head.

"Luffy, I'm entrusting this Straw Hat to you. Take good care of it. I'll be waiting for you to stand before me and beat me one day!"

Luffy's face was defiant. He clenched both fists and said with all his might, "I'll beat you! And I'll avenge Uncle Minato!"

"Hahahaha!" Shanks laughed heartily. His hesitation and misgivings seemed to vanish. Without offering any further explanation, he turned and walked away.

"Minato Namikaze, I acknowledge your strength now. I'll leave that arm in your care for the time being!"

Hearing that, Minato felt relieved and gave a wry smile. "You really hold a grudge. It's only an arm—there are plenty of ways to get it back."

But Minato was speaking from a Reincarnator's perspective. After all, the Main God could restore severed limbs and severely damaged meridians.

As he thought of that, he heard the voice in his mind announce, "Main Quest Two completed." Unable to hide his deep exhaustion any longer, Minato collapsed...

"Uncle Minato!"

Minato's Shadow Clone used the Chakra it had left to take him back to Foosha Village and settle him in. By the time Minato woke, it was already the middle of the night.

He was wrapped up like a mummy and lying in bed. Little Luffy was sleeping soundly beside him; it seemed he hadn't gotten much rest either. Only a few hours remained on the countdown to Minato's return. After thinking over everything that had happened during the mission, Minato gathered his things and returned to Main God Space.

When Luffy opened his eyes the next morning, the bed in front of him was empty. Only a letter and a special Kunai had been left behind.

Young Luffy hurried to the tavern in Foosha Village to give the letter to the owner, Makino.

"Aunt Makino!" Luffy rushed into the tavern, letter in hand.

"How many times have I told you? Call me 'big sister,'" Makino said helplessly, pausing in her work to speak to little Luffy.

"Okay, Aunt Makino."

Luffy replied, "Oh, never mind that! Can you help me see what Uncle Minato wrote in this letter?"

"Minato? You mean that mysterious vendor?" Makino asked curiously as she took the letter from Luffy and read it aloud:

"Luffy: By the time you read this, I'll have left Foosha Village. Don't worry about my injuries. I have a way to recover.

"I'm glad I met you during my time in Foosha Village. You're a very talented boy, but talent alone doesn't guarantee success. I'm proud that you have just as much determination and willpower. If you keep going, you'll become someone truly remarkable!

"You once told me your greatest dream was to pursue freedom. The freest person on this sea might be the Pirate King. Go bravely after your dream, and whatever path you choose, don't forget what first set you on it!

"When you become the freest person in the world, we'll meet again!

"Minato Namikaze"

"Luffy, keep it up!"

"Luffy, try harder!"

"Luffy, get back up!"

"Luffy..."

Memories of every moment he had shared with Minato came flooding back to Luffy. Tears welled in the little boy's eyes, and he nodded again and again. Feeling the Kunai in his hand, Luffy gently straightened the Straw Hat on his head and said in a voice more resolute than ever, "I'm going to be the Pirate King!"