"Divine Departure!!"
Without any flourish, Shanks struck in fury, unleashing the very move that would one day annihilate the Kid Pirates in an instant!
A terrifying black-and-red slash, like a rift torn open in the abyss, split the air and the sea apart. Carrying an absolute will, "I must kill you, you damn fat bastard", it shot straight toward Rehn's face!
This strike was fast to the extreme.
Powerful to the extreme.
Even space itself seemed to cry out under its force!
"Damn it, he's serious?!"
Though Rehn talked big, he knew full well that the man before him was a monster standing at the pinnacle of the world.
But he couldn't retreat!
If he did, that slash would flatten G-5's harbor, and might even reach the "Eden" behind it!
And if that happened, Lord Renzo's nap would truly be ruined!
"For Lord Renzo's peace and quiet!!"
With a roar, Rehn's entire body tensed. Golden lightning fused instantly with jet-black Armament Haki!
"Thunder God: Black-Gold Bastion!!"
Crackle-BOOM!!
Instead of counterattacking, Rehn poured everything into defense.
Countless strands of black-gold lightning wove together into a massive electromagnetic shield wall before him!
BOOOOOOM!!!
The slash and the lightning barrier collided violently!
The shockwave swept across the entire harbor, instantly vaporizing the surrounding seawater into a massive cloud of white mist!
Crack!
Rehn's shield lasted only a few seconds before fractures spread across it.
"Pfft!"
His round body was blasted away like a cannonball, crashing into the defensive structures behind him and smashing a deep crater into them.
"Hmph."
Shanks stood on the prow, Griffin in hand, his gaze cold as a blade.
"Your mouth is tough, and your body's not bad either. Being able to take that hit, as a guard dog, you pass."
"But…"
His Haki surged again as he stepped forward, crossing hundreds of meters of sea in a single stride and landing on the dock.
"You dared insult Uta… Today, even if Garp were here, he couldn't save you!"
"Cough… ptui!"
From the rubble, Rehn crawled out, covered in dust.
His tuxedo was torn to shreds, and a slash marked his face, but the damage wasn't serious.
The fanaticism in his eyes only burned brighter!
"Insult? That was praise!"
Spitting out debris, he continued shamelessly:
"You don't understand 'making full use of talent,' Red Hair! Miss Uta's abilities can only reach their full potential on Lord Renzo's bed, ah, no, on his couch!"
"You still dare talk?!"
Veins bulged on Shanks' forehead.
Every word from this fat bastard was stomping all over his bottom line!
What do you mean 'on the bed'? What 'maximum value'?
Could it be that his pure, innocent daughter had really already,
"Die!!"
Shanks raised his blade again, Conqueror's Haki thickening into near-physical black lightning!
At that critical moment,
CLANG!!
A crisp, sharp metallic clash rang out.
A massive cross-shaped black blade firmly blocked Griffin, which was coated in Conqueror's Haki!
Two terrifying sword intents collided, sparks bursting like fireworks!
"…Huh?"
Shanks paused, looking at the man before him.
Golden hawk-like eyes. A black hat with white fur trim. A wine-red shirt.
"Mihawk…?"
A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. "Why are you here? You… joined G-5?"
"Hmph."
Mihawk held his blade steady, resisting the strike, a faint smile on his lips.
"I merely found a… quiet place to retire."
"Shanks. Long time no see. Your swordsmanship… hasn't dulled."
"Move, Mihawk!"
Shanks had no patience for reminiscing. "This is between me and Renzo! That bastard dared do that to Uta!"
"That?"
Mihawk glanced at Rehn, who was still making faces nearby, and instantly understood.
For once, his usually stoic face showed a strange expression.
"If it's about Uta…"
He lowered his blade and stepped back, but still blocked the path to Eden.
"I think… you've misunderstood something."
"Misunderstood?!"
Shanks pointed at Rehn. "'Very moist'! 'Very satisfied'! 'On the bed'! What misunderstanding could there be?!"
"Pfft…"
Mihawk almost laughed.
He turned to Rehn. "Your mouth… is as awful as ever."
Rehn grinned. "That's the art of language. A test of psychological endurance."
"Mihawk, are you going to stop me, too?"
"I'm currently the head of security here," Mihawk said seriously, though the title still annoyed him. "Duty calls. I can't let you go disturb that man's sleep."
"However…"
He glanced at the sky.
"That lazy guy should be about to wake up anyway."
Right then, a vast, invisible presence slowly rose from deep within G-5.
It wasn't the ferocity of Conqueror's Haki, nor the sharpness of Observation Haki.
It was something… heavy, sluggish… as if it could drag the entire world into a dream, Sloth.
The moment it appeared, the tense battlefield atmosphere suddenly became… strangely relaxed.
Those Marines who had fainted from Shanks' Haki… started snoring?
"This presence…"
Shanks' expression grew serious.
He felt it.
This was the famed Haiiroyo!
"Yaaawn…"
A long, lazy yawn echoed across the harbor through some amplification device.
Then a hoarse, half-asleep voice followed:
"So noisy…"
"Who is it… yelling at noon…"
"Can't a guy… get some proper sleep…"
Accompanied by the voice, a figure slowly walked out from the depths of the base.
Loose sleepwear. Wooden sandals. Messy hair. Sunglasses.
Behind him followed a green-haired woman holding an umbrella, and a red-and-white-haired girl holding a microphone, looking confused.
"Dad?!"
The girl suddenly shouted in surprise upon seeing the red-haired man.
"Shanks?! Why are you here?!"
"U-Uta?!"
Seeing his lively, unharmed daughter, wearing a cute G-5 outfit and even looking a bit healthier, Shanks froze.
"You… you're okay?"
He looked her over in disbelief. "That bastard… didn't do anything to you?"
"Do anything?"
Uta blinked, confused. "Lord Renzo treats me really well! He gives me great food and the best practice room! I was just singing him a lullaby!"
"A… lullaby?"
Shanks slowly turned toward Rehn.
"'Very moist' means…"
"Her throat is moisturized, obviously!"
Rehn replied righteously. "She drinks that 'Deep Sea Pear Soup' every day, of course her voice is smooth and rich!"
"And 'very satisfied'…"
"Of course it means he's satisfied with the sleep aid!"
Rehn said innocently. "Lord Renzo used to take ten minutes to fall asleep. Now it's three! That efficiency, how could he not be satisfied?!"
"And 'on the bed'…"
"Well, of course he sleeps on a bed!"
Rehn rolled his eyes. "Miss Uta sings beside it! What's the problem?!"
"…"
"…"
"…"
Silence.
The Red Hair Pirates covered their faces.
Too embarrassing.
A Yonko… completely played by word tricks.
"Cough…"
Shanks awkwardly cleared his throat, not knowing where to put his sword.
"Well… since it's a misunderstanding…"
"Misunderstanding?"
Renzo finally stepped forward.
He looked at the wrecked harbor, the split ground, and the injured Rehn.
He slowly removed his sunglasses. His gray eyes were no longer sleepy, only cold.
"You wrecked my territory… injured my butler…"
"And you think saying 'misunderstanding' is enough?"
He looked at Shanks, a faint smirk forming.
"Red Hair."
"Since you're here, whether to visit your daughter or pick a fight…"
"First, settle the repair costs and medical expenses."
"Otherwise…"
His aura shifted instantly!
A gray, tangible Domain of Sloth spread across the entire area!
"Today…"
"None of you are leaving this sea."
....
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu