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The one who spoke was Ben Beckman.His face was calm—almost eerily so.
Those sharp, deep-set eyes of his stared steadily at the blood-red demon floating in the air above him.
That proud gun technique of his—the attack that merged his mastery of Haki and ghostly willpower—hadn't even managed to leave a scratch on the thing.
He knew perfectly well what that meant.
There was no way he could stop the next attack.Losing was only a matter of time.
Rather than get beaten bloody in a pointless struggle, it was better to bow out with dignity.
"Even Beckman's giving up…?""Not surprising. That kid's aura is unreal—this fight's already over.""He's not human. No way."
None of the Red-Hair Pirates looked surprised.What they felt instead was a heavy, wordless understanding.
They'd seen it all with their own eyes—the brutal defeat of Lucky Roux, Yasopp's collapse, Marco's injuries, and now Beckman's futile defense.
That monster wasn't something human strength could resist.Beckman's surrender was the only logical choice.
On the Whitebeard Pirates' side, the mood was no lighter.
"Even Beckman…" Jozu loosened his massive fist, his expression tight."That kid's power is… bottomless," Bista muttered, brows knit.Marco clutched his chest, looking up at the blood-red titan radiating demonic energy. Then he glanced at the calm Beckman and sighed inwardly.
Losing to a monster like that—there was no shame in it.
But that only made the tension worse.Yasopp, Marco, Beckman—three in a row defeated.Who could possibly fight that kid next?
"Wororororororoooooo!!!"
Kaido's wild laughter exploded through the sky, louder and more obnoxious than ever.
His massive dragon head rubbed excitedly against Dan's blood-colored Susanoo, drooling everywhere—nearly soaking the Red-Hair crew's ship below.
"You see that, Red-Hair?! Whitebeard?! You see?!""This is the true power of my son—Kaido's son!!""Who's next?! Who else dares?!"
Kaido's arrogance was boundless, practically splitting the heavens with its volume.
The Red-Hair and Whitebeard commanders glared up at him, their faces dark with fury.They wanted nothing more than to rush up there and punch that smug grin off his face—
—but they couldn't.
Because above them floated the crimson demon.They all swallowed their rage.
They couldn't win.Not against that.
[Ding!] Congratulations to the host for defeating a top-tier Admiral-level opponent (Red-Hair Pirates First Mate: Ben Beckman)!
Mission 3: Defeat four Warlord-level or higher opponents (3/4 complete)!
The cold voice of the system echoed in Dan's mind.
Only one more to go.
But as the blood-red demon child floated in midair, his tiny brows knit slightly.
"…Boring."
The childish murmur was soft, almost cute—yet chillingly detached.
He had wanted a real fight, a test of his "Eight Gates" power at full release.Beckman, an Admiral-level fighter, should've been a good match.But even he wouldn't fight him anymore.
So who was left?
His voice wasn't loud, but everyone there had the senses of monsters.They heard every word.
Their jaws clenched.Their hearts burned with fury—but none of them could do anything.
Just as Dan began to dissolve the form of "Night's Grace"—
a calm, commanding voice rang out from the Red Force.
"Demon Child Dan!"
"If you find it boring…"
The red-haired man stepped forward, hand resting casually on the hilt of Gryphon.
"…then how about I be your opponent?"
The deck fell silent.
"Captain?!""Boss Shanks?!"
Yasopp, Lucky Roux, everyone stared in shock.
"Red-Hair?!" Even the Whitebeard Pirates were stunned.
Whitebeard's eyes widened. "Is he… seriously going to fight himself?"
"Red-Hair! You shameless brat!" Kaido's massive dragon head whipped around, fire burning in his eyes. "Can't beat him, so you're gonna pick on my son yourself?!""You're making a mockery of the Yonko name!"
"And didn't we agree, huh?!" Kaido bellowed. "You and that old man Whitebeard aren't allowed to join in! You breaking your word now?!"
Shanks merely cast him a sidelong glance.
"Kaido, don't twist it. Your son was the one picking fights with my crew."
His eyes swept across the battlefield—past the bloodied Lucky Roux, the beaten Yasopp, and the resigned Beckman.
"Two of my men are seriously injured. One had to surrender.""As their captain, if I don't step up now… what kind of leader would that make me?"
Shanks's voice was calm, but it carried a weight that made the air itself heavy.
He turned back to Dan, the corner of his mouth lifting just slightly—a faint, provocative smile.
"What's wrong, kid?""Didn't you just say this was boring?""Then how about you fight a real Emperor?"
A blatant taunt.
Everyone could tell.
Kaido roared, "You damn red-haired punk! Stop running your mouth! If you've got guts, come at me instead!"
But inside the blood-red Susanoo, Dan simply stared at Shanks.
"Ee-ya."
No anger.No disdain.Only a spark—the return of that mad, burning desire to fight.
Hum—!
The blood-colored steam, which had been fading moments before, burst back into brilliance—a wave of crimson light, pulsing with ominous energy.
The pressure in the air doubled, crushing the world around them.
"Dan?!" Kaido's expression stiffened. He knew that look. He knew that feeling."Be careful, kid. That red-haired bastard's no joke!"
Shanks's smile widened.
Perfect.
Then his aura exploded.
BOOM!
An overwhelming surge of Conqueror's Haki burst from him like a volcanic eruption—dense enough to form visible arcs of black lightning that crackled and tore through the air.
The sky twisted.The sea howled.
"So this is the real power of Red-Hair?!""Stronger than Pops himself!"
Even the Whitebeard Pirates were stunned.Whitebeard's eyes narrowed sharply, a grin tugging at his lips.
"That red-haired brat… he's come a long way."
The blood-red mist shuddered under Shanks's Haki—but the small figure inside didn't move.Instead, the demonic aura around him grew denser, ready to swallow him whole.
That destructive will made everyone's hearts pound in fear.
"Night… Grace!"
Dan's soft, childish voice rang out through the crimson storm—full of deadly resolve.
He crouched slightly, blood-red energy surging into his right leg.The air compressed, trembling violently.
And then—
BOOM!
His body vanished, wrapped in a blazing red aura, turning into a giant crimson meteor that tore through the air faster than sight could follow—rushing straight at Shanks!
One kick.The might of the Eight Gates' final form—Death Gate—condensed into a single strike!
Where it passed, the air itself split into black cracks.The ocean buckled, forming a massive crater beneath the pressure.
Terrifying.Utterly beyond reason.
"Come on, then!"
Shanks didn't retreat. He stepped forward, eyes burning with fierce excitement.
Gryphon hummed in his grip, shaking with power.
"DIVINE DEPARTURE!!!"
His blade erupted with jet-black Armament Haki and searing Conqueror's lightning—and he swung, unleashing a massive slash that could split islands apart.
The black wave of power met the red meteor head-on.
BOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!
The blood-red leg of pure energy collided with Shanks's Divine Departure in a blinding explosion that split the sky.
"..."
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