Raizen carefully assessed the intensity of Shanks’ Conqueror’s Haki.
The quality was exceptionally high and dense.
As expected of Shanks, to possess such a formidable level of Conqueror’s Haki at this point in time.
But that was the extent of it.
Right now, Raizen was above him!
The gold-and-red lightning domain surged with power, continuously crushing and compressing the range of Shanks’ black-and-red Haki.
“Damn it, what powerful Conqueror’s Haki.
He truly lives up to his reputation as a Marine monster.”
Shanks gritted his teeth and drew Gryphon, one of the 12 Supreme Grade Swords.
He might have lost the clash of Conqueror’s Haki, but that didn’t mean he would lose in raw combat strength!
Wrapping Conqueror’s Haki around Gryphon, Shanks unleashed a horizontal slash.
“Divine Departure!”
Raizen curled his lip.
It was just infusing a blade with Conqueror’s Haki—he could do that too.
He could even combine it with his Devil Fruit powers for something far more advanced.
“Thunder Dragon Body First Stage, Activate!”
Nidai Onimaru left its sheath, coated in Conqueror’s Haki.
With a crackle, lightning coursed over Raizen’s body and extended onto the blade.
Raizen swung down in kind.
In an instant, a divine dragon formed of pure lightning materialized once more.
“Thunder Dragon!”
Well, his swordsmanship operated on the same principle as his Mythical Beast Fist—it was simply channeling his Devil Fruit abilities through the blade.
Raizen primarily used three elemental abilities from his fruit: lightning for combat, fire for ignition, and wind to accelerate his flight.
Occasionally, he would manipulate water currents to unleash a Sea Hunt.
He usually used this to masquerade as a proper swordsman.
If he couldn’t win with a sword, he’d just use his fists.
As Nidai Onimaru clashed with Gryphon, their overwhelming Conqueror’s Haki collided once again.
In just a split second, Shanks made a grim realization.
This monster’s physique was stronger than his too!
Shanks was shocked.
Judging by his attack style and appearance, this guy must have eaten a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit related to lightning.
Damn it, why would a monster like this appear in the East Blue?!
Outmatched in both Haki and physical strength, Shanks’ mind was already racing for an escape route.
“Beckman!”
Gripping his sword hilt tightly with both hands, Shanks gritted his teeth and shouted, “Give me a hand!”
Hearing this, Benn Beckman immediately tossed his cigarette aside, drew a pistol, and instantly fired a bullet imbued with Conqueror’s Haki!
“Everyone attack together!
Help Shanks!”
“Yeah!”
The crew roared in agreement, drawing their rifles and pistols.
Bullets coated in Armament Haki rained down on Raizen.
As a future Emperor’s right-hand man, Benn Beckman was also a man who possessed Conqueror’s Haki, and the rest of the crew were all proficient in Armament Haki.
In a flash, a relentless barrage of bullets swarmed toward Raizen.
“Hmph, pirates will always be pirates!”
Raizen snorted coldly.
The blue-purple lightning crackling around him transitioned into a pure, deep purple.
Consequently, his imposing aura surged even higher.
“Thunder Dragon Body Second Stage, Activate!”
Knocking Shanks back with a single strike, Raizen’s expression grew slightly irritated.
He sheathed his sword, drawing his aura inward—the starting stance for a quick-draw slash!
“Since you’re all so eager to die, I’ll grant your wish!”
“Thunder Slash!”
Nidai Onimaru was drawn once more.
An overwhelmingly tyrannical blade aura, carrying frenzied lightning, instantly pulverized the incoming bullets and continued toward the pirate ship with undiminished momentum!
“Not good, Uta and the others are in danger!
Divine Departure!”
Horrified, Shanks rushed to the bow of the ship, gritting his teeth as he unleashed another Divine Departure.
‘Damn it, this monster’s strength increased again.
Was he holding back earlier?’
Feeling the immense force transmitted through his blade, Shanks gritted his teeth and struggled to sever the incoming slash.
He then yelled, “You guys run first!
I’ll hold him off!”
Hearing this, Benn Beckman stepped forward.
“I’m staying with you.”
“No,” Shanks refused.
“Beckman, you’re the brains of our crew.
I can’t let you stay behind to face this monster with me.”
“Hmph, trying to escape?
Do you really think so little of me?”
Raizen raised a hand, and the sky instantly darkened.
Massive clusters of thunderclouds gathered overhead, with countless fine streaks of lightning slithering within them.
“Thunder Prison: Extreme Heavenly Lightning!”
In an instant, boundless lightning crashed down, enveloping the pirate ship and the entire surrounding sea!
“Beckman, hurry up and get them out of here!”
Saying that, Shanks leaped into the air, swinging his sword with all his might once more.
“Divine Departure!”
“Damn it!” Beckman gritted his teeth, turning around to shout, “Set sail immediately!
We’re heading in the opposite direction!”
“But Vice Captain, there’s lightning everywhere outside!
Our ship can’t move at all!” cried the Red Hair Pirates’ navigator, Building Snake.
“I’ll block the lightning for you!”
Benn Beckman coated his entire body in Armament Haki and leaped onto the mast, preparing to use his own body to withstand the sky full of lightning.
He wasn’t a close-combat or physical powerhouse; his expertise lay in firing bullets imbued with Conqueror’s Haki.
Facing such terrifying lightning, his only option was to tank it with his flesh and blood!
But at that moment, Yasopp suddenly spoke up.
“No, Captain.
Maybe we have another way.”
Benn Beckman froze.
He then watched as Yasopp rushed into the cabin, dragged out a violently trembling Uta, and pressed his rifle against her back.
“Hey, Bordeaux Raizen!
Look over here!
Since you’re a Marine, you wouldn’t want this little girl to get hurt, would you?
She’s just an innocent child!”
“What?!”
“Yasopp, what the hell are you doing?!”
“Let Uta go right now!”
Yasopp turned a deaf ear to his crewmates’ reprimands.
He simply pressed his back tightly against the cabin wall, gripping Uta’s shoulder with one hand while aiming his rifle with the other.
This was both to prevent Uta from escaping and to stop his crewmates from attacking him out of their affection for her.
“Oh?
Interesting.”
The corners of Raizen’s mouth curled up.
He dispersed the thunderclouds and gestured for Shanks to look back.
“Isn’t that little girl your crewmate?
Sure enough, pirates will always be pirates.
When it comes to life and death, even your own comrades can be sold out.”
Yasopp’s actions were unexpected, yet they made perfect sense.
After all, this was Yasopp—a man who could abandon his wife and child for decades without a single visit, all for the sake of setting sail to fulfill a so-called man’s dream.
How could a man who refused to shoulder even his family responsibilities be expected to shoulder his responsibilities to his crewmates?
Perhaps the Red Hair Pirates truly valued brotherhood, but Yasopp was definitely an exception!
Their so-called brotherhood had simply never been put through a stress test.
Now, at the critical moment of their crew’s survival, Raizen had applied immense pressure, and just like that, Yasopp’s true colors were exposed.
“Yasopp, what are you doing?!”
Shanks turned his head, his eyes wide with absolute fury.
“Let Uta go right now!”
But Yasopp appeared somewhat unhinged.
“Heh, let her go?
Captain, isn’t it time to end your little family game?
Even if I didn’t use her as a shield right now, Uta would still end up hating you in the future.”
“After all, we’re pirates.
And the culprits who ruined Uta’s family and got her kidnapped in the first place…”
“…are pirates!”