“Hmm, Old Man, your bounty dropped it’s only 258 million Berries now,” Shaq said while holding the wanted poster and glancing at Newgate with a teasing grin, clearly trying to provoke him as he waved the paper in front of his face and pretended to examine it seriously, as if the number printed there was the most accurate thing in the world.
“Tch, you brat, still trying to fool your Old Man?
It’s 2.58 billion Berries, not 258 million.
That kind of number is just pocket change to me,” Newgate replied without even bothering to look closely, flicking Shaq on the head as he exposed the obvious lie, his tone filled with disdain but also amusement at the boy’s antics.
“Hehe, not bad, Old Man, you’re sharper than you look,” Shaq laughed, rubbing his head, not the least bit embarrassed that his trick had failed so easily, as if getting caught was part of the fun.
“Of course I am.
And speaking of that, you should have a bounty on your head now too.
After all, you picked a fight with Garp’s son and came out on top,” Newgate added casually, shifting the conversation as if it were the most natural thing in the world for a child to earn a bounty.
“Yeah, I got one, but it’s only 10 million Berries.
It’s not even as much as your loose change,” Shaq complained, completely ignoring the fact that in this era, a first bounty of 10 million was already enough to label someone as dangerous, especially for someone so young.
“Gurararara!
You brat, still not satisfied?
Ten million for your first bounty is already impressive.
Plenty of pirate captains who just stepped into the New World don’t even reach that level,” Newgate laughed loudly, clearly entertained by Shaq’s dissatisfaction and high expectations.
“Is that so?
Then I’m pretty strong after all, hahahaha,” Shaq immediately brightened, his mood flipping as fast as ever, proudly thinking that for a twelve-year-old to reach this level meant he was already stepping into the realm of monsters, even if he didn’t fully understand what that meant yet.
“Don’t get cocky, kid.
You’ve still got a long way to go.
At the very least, get a 100 million Berry bounty before I’m willing to admit you’re my son, otherwise it’s just embarrassing,” Newgate said with a snort, deliberately mocking him to keep his arrogance in check.
“Hmph, you rotten Old Man,” Shaq shot back, unwilling to lose face even after being put down so bluntly, though he still followed behind without complaint as they made their way back toward the port.
By the time they returned, the scene in front of them immediately caught their attention, as two unfamiliar figures were rummaging through their small boat, tossing things around carelessly as if they already owned the place, their movements greedy and hurried as they searched for valuables without any sense of caution.
At that moment, one of them suddenly rushed out of the cabin holding two boxes, his face filled with excitement as he shouted to his companion that he had found Devil Fruits, his voice trembling with greed while he eagerly shoved one of the boxes forward as if presenting treasure.
The other pirate was just as thrilled, grabbing the box without hesitation, opening it quickly and revealing a strange cyan-blue fruit, and without even bothering to confirm anything further, he immediately raised it toward his mouth, clearly intending to eat it on the spot as though afraid someone might snatch it away.
Seeing this, Shaq’s expression turned cold instantly, the killing intent in his eyes erupting without restraint as he drew his blade, Flower Fish, in one swift motion and slashed forward without waiting for Newgate to speak, sending out a sharp arc of light that cut through the air with terrifying speed.
The pirate didn’t even have time to react before his head was severed cleanly from his body, the force of the strike sending it flying high before it disappeared into the sea, leaving behind a headless corpse that collapsed heavily onto the deck.
The remaining pirate’s face turned deathly pale as fear overwhelmed him, his body trembling uncontrollably as he stammered out that he belonged to the Twin Blade Pirates and that his captain, Twin Blade Kura, had a bounty of 18 million Berries, trying desperately to use that name as a shield while threatening that retaliation would come if anything happened to him.
Shaq let out a cold laugh, his expression turning ferocious as he leapt onto the deck, kicked the man down without hesitation, snatched the Glint-Glint Fruit from his hand, grabbed the other Devil Fruit, and then slammed his foot into the pirate’s face again, his voice filled with killing intent as he mocked him for not knowing who he had provoked.
At that moment, Newgate also stepped onto the ship, his presence calm yet overwhelming as he stood behind Shaq and spoke in a low voice, telling the trembling pirate to go call his captain over, making it clear that they would be waiting right there without the slightest intention of leaving.
Hearing this, the pirate didn’t dare stay any longer and fled in panic, though he still threw out a final threat about being chopped into pieces by Captain Kura, his retreat as chaotic as his earlier arrogance, proving he lacked both strength and awareness, as anyone familiar with the seas should have recognized Newgate instantly.
Shaq’s anger hadn’t faded at all, especially because the two Devil Fruits in his hands were no ordinary items, as both the Phoenix Fruit and the Glint-Glint Fruit were top-tier abilities that should never have fallen into the hands of such trash, making him even more irritated at the thought of what could have happened if they had arrived any later.
Handing the fruits over, he complained that leaving such valuable items unattended was reckless, kicking the corpse into the sea afterward as if venting his frustration, while Newgate scratched his head awkwardly and admitted that he had never managed such things himself back when he sailed under Rocks, as someone else had always handled it.
Shaq immediately snapped back, sarcastically asking whether that meant it was now his responsibility, leaving Newgate with no good response other than an awkward laugh as he chose to remain silent instead of arguing further.
Not long after, as Shaq finished cleaning the blood from the deck, he noticed a large group approaching the port from a distance, their formation loose but aggressive, with dozens of pirates moving together while the man at the front stood out the most, his thin frame resembling a bamboo pole and two katanas hanging at his waist, while the earlier escapee followed beside him and pointed toward the ship.
The group quickly arrived, and under the guidance of the survivor, the thin man locked his gaze onto Shaq, who was leaning casually against the railing as if waiting for them, while Newgate had already returned to the cabin to rest, clearly uninterested in dealing with such insignificant opponents and leaving the matter entirely to Shaq.
The thin man spoke arrogantly, demanding the return of the two Devil Fruits and threatening to leave a complete corpse if Shaq complied, his tone filled with confidence despite the situation, as if repeating the same lines every pirate seemed to use when trying to intimidate others.
Shaq couldn’t help but laugh at the familiarity of it, feeling that villains everywhere sounded the same, as if they shared a single brain, before calmly drawing his sword and stepping off the boat to face them directly, inviting them to come and take the fruits themselves if they had the ability.
Enraged, the thin man immediately ordered his subordinates to attack, and dozens of pirates rushed forward with loud shouts, believing that sheer numbers would overwhelm a single opponent, completely unaware of the gap between them.
Shaq charged forward without hesitation, his blade moving in fluid arcs as he cut through them like a predator entering a flock of sheep, his strikes clean and efficient as limbs and bodies fell apart around him, turning the battlefield into chaos within moments.
Before long, most of the attackers had been slaughtered, leaving only a handful who retreated in terror behind their captain, while Shaq felt a strange swelling sensation within his body from the life force and stamina he had absorbed, making him momentarily uncomfortable yet undeniably stronger.
Seeing his crew nearly wiped out, the thin man remained surprisingly calm, even going so far as to offer Shaq a position as his first mate, claiming he didn’t care about the deaths of his subordinates and only wanted the Devil Fruits returned, revealing a cold disregard for human life that only made him more repulsive.
Shaq responded with disbelief, pointing out the contradiction before mocking him further, unable to tolerate such hypocrisy, especially from someone who treated his own crew as expendable tools, his disgust evident as he dismissed the offer without hesitation.
The thin man’s expression darkened as he cursed under his breath, drawing both of his swords and rushing forward, his killing intent finally surfacing as he engaged Shaq directly, the clash of their blades producing sparks as steel met steel in rapid succession.
Their battle quickly intensified, revealing that the thin man was not entirely incompetent, as his strength was indeed worthy of an 18 million Berry bounty, with his swordsmanship solid and his movements enhanced by the early stages of both Observation Haki and Armament Haki.
However, Shaq’s advantage lay elsewhere, as the energy he had absorbed allowed him to maintain his stamina while gradually draining his opponent, tipping the balance over time even as the two initially appeared evenly matched.
As the fight dragged on, the thin man began to feel his strength slipping, his movements slowing and his Haki weakening, the invisible drain taking its toll until he could no longer keep up with Shaq’s pace.
Seizing the moment, Shaq stepped back to avoid an incoming slash, gripping his sword with both hands as his aura sharpened, before unleashing a decisive strike with full force, his voice cold as he declared the end of the fight.
“One-Sword Style: Whale, Flowing Flower Water!”
A flash of cold light cut through the air, shattering both of the thin man’s swords instantly before continuing forward without resistance, ending his life in the same motion and bringing the battle to a decisive conclusion.