Beating Up Future Emperor Shanks

After all, he still could not use Soru, so activating the Eight Gates was the best choice.

Mu Chen leaped onto the alley wall, then with another burst of speed, directly cut off Buggy's retreat.

Before Shanks could even react, Mu Chen slipped past him and instantly arrived in front of Buggy.

Buggy was startled by Mu Chen's sudden appearance and fell straight onto the ground.

Uh... it was over. He was really dead this time.

Buggy felt like dying. He wished he could slap Shanks for accepting the challenge.

Afraid that something would happen to Buggy, Shanks darted in front of him. At that moment, Mu Chen's previously relaxed expression turned serious.

The speed Shanks had displayed was no slower than the Marines' Soru. To possess such speed at fifteen or sixteen, Shanks was likely already as strong as a rear admiral. It seemed Mu Chen had to take him seriously.

Since Shanks had such strength, he did not believe Buggy could truly be that weak.

To prevent the two of them from escaping, Mu Chen activated his Blood Sharingan. He would end this quickly.

When Shanks and Buggy saw Mu Chen's eyes turn red, their expressions immediately became terrified.

Even Shanks began to break out in a cold sweat, let alone Buggy, whose entire body was drenched in sweat.

They were not idiots. They could both tell that the Marine before them had gotten serious, and judging from his earlier speed, this Marine was very strong.

"Buggy, attack together! Otherwise, neither of us will survive!"

Shanks shouted at Buggy behind him as though facing a great enemy.

But this made things awkward for Mu Chen.

Kill them?

When had he ever intended to kill Shanks and Buggy?

In the dim, narrow alley, the atmosphere became tense as drawn swords.

Mu Chen alone felt somewhat helpless.

Shanks made the first move. His figure flashed, and his dagger, wrapped in the Armament Haki he had only recently comprehended, stabbed toward Mu Chen like a streak of black light.

"Armament Haki?"

Mu Chen was shocked. Shanks was only fifteen, yet he already knew Armament Haki. Comparing oneself to others really was infuriating. As expected of a future Emperor of the Sea, he had mastered Armament Haki at such a young age.

However, Shanks's attack became much slower in Mu Chen's Blood Sharingan.

Mu Chen remained calm. He sidestepped, his movements as light as a ghost's.

Shanks's dagger brushed past his clothes, but the blade carried a trace of sword energy that sliced through the pile of debris beside them.

Damn, it looked like Mu Chen had underestimated Shanks.

Using the momentum of his charge, Shanks raised his left leg high and swept it through the air in an arc, kicking at Mu Chen again with Tekkai.

Rather than retreating, Mu Chen advanced. Crossing his arms, he forcibly blocked the Armament Haki-infused kick with his forearms.

With a muffled bang, the stone slabs beneath Mu Chen's feet cracked, yet he himself did not move an inch.

Although Tekkai was inferior to Armament Haki, after being beaten by Zefa's Armament Haki so many times, Mu Chen's Tekkai could already withstand several Armament Haki attacks.

Seeing that Shanks's fierce assault had gained no advantage, Buggy grew anxious and stopped holding back. Waving his daggers, he charged forward with a howl.

His daggers glinted coldly in the faint light, every strike aimed at Mu Chen's vital points.

Mu Chen moved nimbly, dodging left and right, but his gaze remained fixed on Shanks's movements.

These two are trying to fight me to the death!

Mu Chen had originally wanted to tease these two future Emperors of the Sea. Things had turned out like this, so it seemed his entrance had been a little inappropriate. He should change it next time.

Seizing the opening while Mu Chen dodged Buggy's attacks, Shanks rushed in again, his dagger slashing out like a raging storm. "Are you two idiots?"

Seeing this, Mu Chen could no longer keep pretending. The first gate of the Eight Gates was no longer enough to handle Shanks and Buggy. Mu Chen had not expected these two to be so strong. Sure enough, the pirate world was full of monsters.

"The second gate, Gate of Healing, open!"

Mu Chen seemed to undergo a complete transformation, his entire body becoming even more agile.

Mu Chen's eyes narrowed. He suddenly crouched down to evade Shanks's frontal attack, then drove off with both legs. He shot out like a cannonball, his fist slamming straight toward Shanks's abdomen. Shanks reacted quickly and raised both arms to block, but the force of Mu Chen's punch surpassed all expectations. It drove him back several steps before smashing him heavily into the wall, shaking loose a cloud of dust.

Seeing Shanks at a disadvantage, Buggy's eyes widened as he attacked even more frantically.

Mu Chen suddenly turned, seized Buggy's swinging wrist, and twisted hard. Buggy cried out in pain, and his dagger fell from his hand!

Then, seizing the chance, Mu Chen met Buggy's eyes with his own.

Mu Chen glared, and Buggy became like a puppet under someone's control, frozen completely still.

With Buggy, the little nuisance, out of the way, Mu Chen could finally focus on dealing with Shanks. He refused to believe he could not handle Shanks without opening the third gate.

If he could not, then honestly, he would find it rather embarrassing.

"What did you do to Buggy?"

Looking into Mu Chen's blood-red eyes, Shanks immediately began to feel like retreating.

Buggy was standing there without moving, and Shanks had no idea what had happened to him.

Fifteen-year-old Shanks stood stubbornly in the middle of the alley. His red hair and straw hat fluttered wildly in the wind as he stared fixedly at Mu Chen across from him, his fists unconsciously clenching. Mu Chen moved, closing in like a ghost.

Mu Chen's right fist carried a howling wind as it mercilessly smashed toward Shanks's cheek.

Shanks was greatly alarmed. In his haste, he summoned Armament Haki to cover his left arm and turned sideways to block. With a dull, thunderous crash, Shanks felt an overwhelming force surge through his arm. His body staggered uncontrollably several steps backward to the right, his left arm numbed by the impact and temporarily unable to exert any strength.