He stared at Mu Chen with wide eyes, unable to believe that his opponent possessed such astonishing strength.
Mu Chen gave Shanks no chance to catch his breath. His feet never stopped moving as he lunged forward again and launched a flying kick at Shanks's abdomen.
Shanks had no time to adjust and could only use his not-yet-recovered left arm to block Mu Chen.
The kick bent Shanks over, his face turning deathly pale in an instant. Beads of sweat rolled down from his forehead as he let out a pained grunt. Mu Chen swiftly grabbed Shanks by both shoulders, raised his knee sharply, and drove it hard into Shanks's chin.
Shanks's head snapped back from the sudden blow, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. He desperately shook his head, trying to clear it, but his vision remained blurred.
By now, Shanks had no strength left to fight back. His legs had gone weak, and if Mu Chen had not been holding his shoulders, he would have collapsed to the ground long ago.
Mu Chen lifted Shanks's entire body as though he were carrying a chick.
Mu Chen sighed. At least he had not embarrassed himself. He did not like fighting, but if he had lost, he really would not have been able to hold his head up.
Soon afterward, Mu Chen tied Shanks and Buggy up with a rope in just a few moves.
A moment later, Shanks and Buggy regained consciousness. The first thing they saw was a straw hat Mu Chen was fiddling with.
I'm done for. This time, I'm really dead.
Seeing that he and Shanks had been tied up, Buggy had completely lost the will to live.
All right, stop crying. I already told you I wouldn't do anything to you. Why don't you believe me?
Mu Chen was helpless. Dealing with kids was such a headache. If he had known, he would not have scared them from the start.
Aren't you a Marine?
How could you possibly not come after us?
Shanks spoke slowly, blood unconsciously trickling from his nose. He looked utterly ridiculous.
The sight nearly made Mu Chen burst out laughing. Why did this look so much like Luffy getting beaten up?
In the end, Mu Chen could not hold it in and laughed aloud. This was not Luffy, but it was Shanks. He had actually beaten Shanks up, and Shanks looked as though he had been carved from the same mold as Luffy. It was too pitiful and too funny.
Mu Chen's laughter left Shanks and Buggy utterly confused. Was there something wrong with this guy's brain?
Just as Mu Chen was laughing heartily, a voice slowly sounded from behind him. Was beating up my crew really that funny?
Hearing the voice behind him, Mu Chen found its tone strangely familiar. He instantly looked as though he were facing a formidable enemy, and his Sharingan activated on instinct. When he turned around, he saw a middle-aged man with blond hair, small glasses, a patterned T-shirt, and a bottle of beer in hand.
Silvers Rayleigh? Mu Chen had not expected to truly meet such a legendary figure. What a coincidence.
Vice-Captain Rayleigh!
Vice-Captain Rayleigh!
Shanks and Buggy looked as though they had found a lifeline, and Buggy even began to cry.
Rayleigh smiled and waved to Shanks and Buggy, signaling for them to leave everything to him.
But then Rayleigh's sharp gaze turned toward Mu Chen.
From the sound of it, you know me?
Facing such a major figure, Mu Chen knew he was no match for Rayleigh. Rayleigh was currently at his peak; even Garp would probably only be able to fight him to a draw.
Ah!
Dark King Rayleigh, you are a legendary figure. Who wouldn't know you?
Mu Chen helplessly shrugged, relaxing his entire body as his Sharingan disappeared.
Rayleigh had not expected Mu Chen to relax so easily.
You're a Marine?
More or less.
Rayleigh could not make sense of what Mu Chen meant.
What do you mean, more or less?
It means I'm a Marine now, but not necessarily in the future.
Rayleigh found Mu Chen's answer far too ambiguous. So was he a Marine or not?
What did he mean, not necessarily in the future?
All right, stop testing me. I really had no intention of going after these two brats. I just wanted to take a look at Pirate King Roger's straw hat.
As he spoke, Mu Chen picked up the straw hat.
Mm, I was just looking at the straw hat.
Rayleigh was confused. What exactly was going on with this young Marine?
I was just looking at the straw hat. Of course, I was also thinking about bullying a future Four Emperor while I was at it. But now that you've beaten my crew, what should we do about that?
Facing Rayleigh's razor-sharp gaze, Mu Chen remained utterly calm, his tone flat. First, they attacked first, so I was forced to fight back. Second, I'll pretend I never saw you this time. What else is there to settle?
Mu Chen's calmness made Rayleigh unable to gauge him. Then Rayleigh's tone suddenly turned icy. Do you think I can't kill you?
Aren't you the same?
Even in the face of Rayleigh's threat, Mu Chen remained unhurried. Rayleigh saw that Mu Chen was actually so composed, showing no fear at all in the face of his threat. Killing me isn't worth it. You've already retired, while I'm Zefa's student and on very good terms with Uncle Garp. If you kill me, I think you'll have quite the headache. You wouldn't want Garp chasing you all over the world, would you?
Mu Chen's words immediately plunged Rayleigh into thought. He could not understand how this young man knew he was preparing to retire. Moreover, this young man had faced a great pirate who had dominated the seas with such calm composure. No matter how he thought about it, a young man should not have such deep scheming.
After all, if it had been any other Marine of the same generation, genius or not, there would have been only two possible outcomes. The first was fighting to the death; the second was still fighting while drawing other Marines over for support. This was the Sabaody Archipelago, after all, and there was a Marine base here.
Yet this young man had chosen a third option: negotiation?
What Marine negotiated with pirates? Not to mention that he had even brought up Garp and Zefa.
That was true enough. Given Garp's personality, he would probably keep chasing them until they had to run.
Before you continue