New World, a deserted Nameless Island.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three ear-piercing blasts tore through the air. Yasopp and Benn Beckman pulled their triggers at the same time, sending several lead bullets wrapped in dense Armament Haki howling forth like cannon shells.
Enhanced by top-tier Armament Haki, these seemingly ordinary lead bullets unleashed power no weaker than the main guns of a Marine warship.
The instant the bullets struck their target, they exploded with a deafening boom. Thick smoke engulfed the entire area, while the shockwaves shattered the hard reefs and sent fragments of rock flying everywhere.
Shanks emerged from the smoke without a scratch. Grinning at his two old companions, he gave Griffin in his hand a shake.
"Don't stop, keep going! I don't want to stay stuck where I am and get left farther and farther behind by that guy."
"Boss, we understand that you want to comprehend Conqueror's Haki defense by pushing yourself to the brink between life and death."
Benn Beckman slowly lowered his Flintlock, took a deep drag from his cigarette, and blew out a ring of white smoke.
"But have you considered that precisely because we're comrades, we can't possibly let you enter that kind of near-death extreme state?"
"Yeah, Boss, I think Beckman's right!"
Yasopp hurriedly slung his Sniper Rifle over his shoulder and chimed in.
"If you really want to train that move, causing trouble in another Four Emperors' territory would be more efficient than wasting time here with us."
"That'd be too troublesome."
Shanks scratched his head, a trace of helplessness appearing on his face, though an almost imperceptible concern lingered in his eyes.
"And if I'm not careful, it could escalate into a full-scale conflict. I don't want any of you getting hurt over something like this."
The air instantly fell