"They're here!!"
Dark narrowed his eyes and stood up, his towering figure ready for battle.
A deep hum filled the air as a violent shockwave, wrapped in black and red ripples, swept across the sea. The sheer force struck the waves, stopping the advancing ships dead in their tracks.
The fleet formed a circular blockade around Shanks' ship, unable to move forward.
But it wasn't over yet.
In the next moment, Dark felt something slam into his very soul.
Even though Shanks himself was nowhere in sight, in Dark's mind, an overwhelming, monstrous presence was staring him down.
Majestic. Domineering.
"Conqueror's Haki!! I won't fall this time."
"Shanks, don't underestimate me."
Behind him, pirates were collapsing one after another under the pressure. Even Dark nearly buckled.
"I've staked my life on this."
"Let me see the limits of your Conqueror's Haki. No matter how powerful it is, power is still something that can be drained."
"Shanks, do you have what it takes to defeat us!?"
Dark stood firm despite the crushing waves of Haki. Behind him, only Kidomaru and three others were still standing.
But even they were barely holding on. At that moment, they finally understood what kind of monster they were up against.
Then, as they looked up—
"Rumble!!!"
A bolt of lightning crashed down from the sky, illuminating the entire ocean.
But the most terrifying thing was the flashes of blades in the distance.
No fancy moves—Shanks simply drew his sword and sheathed it again.
In that instant, nearly a hundred slashes flew in all directions. With the power of Observation Haki, every cannonball that could have threatened the ship was sliced apart, exploding midair.
At that moment, Shanks unleashed his full power. His terrifying Conqueror's Haki burst out without restraint. The clouds overhead grew darker, and the lightning became even more violent.
As his Haki spread, every pirate on the battlefield understood what kind of person the legendary Four Emperors truly was.
Boom!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
One pirate after another collapsed on the deck. The others watched in horror, but their fear didn't last long—because the next to fall would be them.
"This… this is the power of the Four Emperors, Shanks?"
"What kind of monster are we even up against?"
"Even the sky is raging because of him. A man this terrifying and powerful… do we really stand a chance?"
"..."
Faced with this scene, everyone lost their will to fight. They thought numbers would be enough, but as they watched groups of men drop one after another, a deep fear took hold of them.
Those who remained standing finally understood what Dark had meant earlier—when facing Shanks, they were all the same.
Looking at the raging sea and the countless fallen comrades, only one thought remained in their hearts.
No, not just despair—this was a dead end.
There was no turning back now. So many had fallen in an instant. Even if they wanted to run, there was no escape.
"If you want to survive, then step forward. Only those still standing now are truly worthy of gaining the power of a Devil Fruit."
"When you set sail on these seas, you already abandoned your past. Don't be like those cowards."
"This is not the end—this is the sound of a new era beginning."
A man in a long coat and glasses stood at the bow of the ship. Watching the lightning tear through the sky, he vowed that one day, the bells of this new era would ring for him.
The wanted poster of Shanks slipped from his grasp, carried away by the wind.
Those still standing dragged their heavy steps forward, moving from one ship to another.
They were not like the cowards who had fallen.
They were still standing.
"To think so many of them are still up?"
Shanks glanced at the silent enemy fleet, slightly surprised. Their determination was stronger than expected.
"But… this is what it means to be a pirate."
"This is the true Great Pirate Era. Even when facing the youngest of the Four Emperors, even against a ruler of the seas with Conqueror's Haki, they still have the will to fight."
"This is what it means to be a warrior of the sea."
Disappointed? No. Why would he be disappointed? Shanks never saw himself as the main character of these seas.
To see so many pirates here, to witness the strongest convictions of this era firsthand—this was what Shanks believed in.
The real Great Pirate Era.
"Whether it's wealth, fame, or power… whether it's ambition or freedom… let me witness, with my own eyes, the brilliance of this era's will."
Shanks leaped from the deck, stepping through the air. A shockwave burst beneath his feet, leaving white ripples in his wake.
His figure shot toward the distant fleet.
His body wasn't huge, but the aura he radiated made everyone notice him the moment he moved.
Dark finally got a clear look at Shanks.
His Devil Fruit, to be precise, was the Paramecia-type Molting Fruit.
It was based on one of Orochimaru's ninjutsu—shedding skin to be reborn. Each time he molted, his body would grow stronger, and he would develop resistance to whatever had previously injured him.
That was why, no matter how many times Zabuza had killed Dark, he still hadn't been able to finish him off. For Dark, death wasn't the end—it was a way to become stronger.
And every time he died to Zabuza's blade, his body would adapt, building resistance to slashes after each rebirth.
Of course, the fruit had its limits. The number of times he could molt was tied to his age.
Right now, Dark had eight chances left.
"Shanks, let me show you the result of my evolution. From the very start, my target has always been you."
"Metamorphosis: Slash Resistance!"
Dark planted his feet firmly at the ship's bow, standing tall. His chest, covered in dozens of scars, was fully exposed. His skin seemed to shimmer with a thin, almost fragile-looking membrane.
Yet, that seemingly weak defense had already withstood Zabuza's strongest slashes.
This was the power of the Devil Fruit.
"If you want to get past me, you'll have to take me down first!"
Dark roared, his voice cutting through the thunder. His towering figure stood unshaken, catching the attention of everyone on the battlefield—including Shanks.
"A Devil Fruit user, huh?"
"Even if you have a Devil Fruit, there's always a limit to what it can do."
Shanks moved.
In an instant, he vanished from where he stood.
At the same time, his katana left its sheath. The moment the blade was drawn, a sharp glimmer flickered across its edge.
As the sword was fully unsheathed, the air around it split apart, sending violent winds howling. The sea itself reacted, waves exploding in all directions.
**Buzz!!**
A white arc of sword light slashed forward.
The moment it touched the deck, the wood shattered instantly.
Dark stared at the approaching blade, completely fearless.
**Let me see the power of a Four Emperor!**
**Boom!!**
The devastating slash struck Dark head-on.
And he caught it—barely.
But it wasn't over. The force of the slash still hadn't fully dissipated.
"STOP!!"
Dark clasped his hands together, bracing himself. His entire body screamed in pain, blood seeping from beneath his skin. His eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging all over his body.
His already massive frame now looked like that of an ancient beast.
The deck beneath his feet cracked and splintered under the pressure, and behind him, the ship's planks started to break apart, unable to withstand the power spilling from the clash.
"HOLD IT BACK!!"
Dark roared.
But in the next instant—
Blood sprayed into the air.
Agonizing pain erupted from his chest.
**BOOM!!**
The sword energy pierced through Dark's body, cutting straight through the ship's mast.
The massive mast came crashing down, smashing into the neighboring vessel.
Dark looked down at the gaping wound in his chest.
His hands were a bloody mess, his fingers twisted and broken in mere seconds.
**Bang!**
Dark's massive body crashed to the ground.
Rain poured from the sky as that man stepped onto his ship once again.
Behind Dark, more and more people began to appear—pirates rushing over from other ships.
As the last ones still standing, the "strong" gathered on this ship.
Shanks watched the pirates coming aboard, but he didn't lower his sword.
Even though he couldn't directly gauge their strength, he could tell one thing:
"They might not be powerful, but having the will to stand under Conqueror's Haki… Once they reach the New World, they'll surely become forces to be reckoned with."
Shanks only vaguely knew about the seas he had sailed through, mostly in the east.
Running into ordinary pirates in the Four Blues was nothing unusual.
What was surprising, though, was encountering someone with a Devil Fruit power.
Still, seeing so many pirates pick up their weapons despite shaking under the pressure of his Haki was impressive.
So the real Great Pirate Era had only just begun?
The true legends of the sea hadn't even made it to the Grand Line yet?
"Shanks, hand over the treasure!"
A frail, trembling man stepped forward.
They had all come for the legendary Devil Fruit treasure.
"Oh? You mean One Piece?"
Shanks looked at the crowd and finally understood why so many pirates had shown up.
So it was because of his name?
Did they think he knew the location of One Piece?
"If you want information on One Piece, you'll have to defeat me first!"
Raindrops splattered on the deck.
Shanks' sword glowed with an icy aura that sent chills down their spines, but at this moment, every pirate's heart burned with excitement.
The Devil Fruit treasure… it was real!
That treasure… could it be the legendary One Piece?!
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