The temperature dropped sharply.
In only a few seconds, the sea surface for several miles began to freeze.
The frozen ocean spread outward with Winter Solstice as the center, forming an enormous field of ice.
Because the raging storm had not stopped, the waves remained frozen mid-motion.
Gigantic walls of water became jagged sculptures of ice.
Rain continued falling from the dark sky.
But the moment each drop touched the frozen surface, it instantly hardened into frost.
Standing upon the newly formed ice field, Shanks raised his sword.
The blade Gryphon shimmered with a deep crimson aura.
The power coating it was unmistakable.
Conqueror's Haki.
Shanks faced the descending sword strike from Saint Roselith Seraphina directly.
White frost energy and crimson Haki collided violently.
The two forces twisted together like opposing storms.
For several seconds they remained locked.
Then
The crimson power slowly gained the upper hand.
Shanks' overwhelming Haki shattered the frozen air around them.
The white slash was forced to bend.
It veered off course and flew toward the pirate ship behind Shanks.
BOOM!
The impact exploded against the mast.
The wooden structure snapped instantly.
Splinters and rigging scattered everywhere.
"Oh no! My Red Force!"
Benn Beckman shouted from the deck.
He immediately regretted something.
He should have interfered earlier.
If he and Shanks had acted together, they could have stopped this entire mess from happening.
Instead
Now the ship was damaged.
And ship repairs were expensive.
Very expensive.
Beckman rubbed his forehead irritably.
"These idiots…"
"No one ever thinks about the cost of things except me."
"When everyone needs money, they all come running."
"But when there's no money left, suddenly everyone looks miserable."
The icy battlefield slowly quieted.
Meanwhile
Seraphina was already exhausted.
Her body felt hollow.
Like a container completely drained of strength.
The clash had ended badly for her.
The remaining shockwave sent her flying off the pirate ship.
She crashed down onto the frozen sea.
Shanks landed on the ice a moment later.
He did not hesitate.
His figure blurred forward with terrifying speed.
Seraphina rolled across the ice to avoid the descending strike.
CRACK!
Gryphon slammed into the frozen surface where she had been moments earlier.
Ice shattered violently.
However
Shanks did not intend to kill her.
From the beginning of their fight, he had sensed something unusual about this Marine.
Her endurance was abnormal.
Whenever his attacks landed, part of the force seemed to vanish.
Almost as if an invisible protection surrounded her body.
Roughly half of the damage simply disappeared.
Even so
The remaining force was still overwhelming.
Seraphina barely regained her footing before Shanks followed up with a powerful kick.
She crossed her arms to block.
The impact still sent her sliding backward across the ice.
Her boots carved a long scar through the frozen sea.
This can't continue…
Seraphina forced herself upright.
Her body was already heavily injured.
Although her defensive ability Moon Radiance still protected her to some degree, Shanks' strength clearly exceeded the level she could endure comfortably.
A future Emperor truly possessed terrifying power.
She suddenly remembered her previous fight with Monkey D. Garp.
At that time she had believed she understood the upper limit of the world.
Now she realized the truth.
Garp had been holding back.
Completely.
Reality had just taught her a harsh lesson.
She had overestimated herself.
Seraphina leaned heavily against her scabbard.
Her sword Winter Solstice had been knocked away during the clash.
It was somewhere across the ice field.
Pathetic…
Seraphina tightened her grip on the scabbard.
Her hands trembled violently.
She forced herself to remain standing.
Step by step she moved across the ice.
Her Observation Haki never left Shanks for even a moment.
The red-haired pirate watched quietly.
The three scars across his left eye stood out clearly beneath the falling rain.
Shanks understood what he was seeing.
This Marine refused to give up.
He admired that determination.
But admiration alone was meaningless.
If a strong person could not understand their own limits, they would die quickly on the sea.
Today
He would teach her a lesson.
If the pirate standing before her had been someone else
Someone like Kaido or Linlin
Then this Marine would already be dead.
Shanks took a step forward.
Interesting people were rare on the sea.
He had no intention of letting this one die so easily.
"Continue walking your path of justice."
His voice was calm.
Then he moved.
Gryphon flashed forward.
Seraphina discarded the scabbard she had been using for support.
Her right hand drew her second blade.
The deep blue sword Awakening of Insects emerged from its sheath.
Cold light flashed.
"Shanks!"
"I will stop you!"
Their blades collided.
CLANG!
The difference in power was overwhelming.
The sword was instantly knocked from Seraphina's hand.
It spun through the air before embedding itself deep into the ice.
Pain exploded through her palm.
Her grip had completely failed.
She truly had no strength left.
In a duel between swordsmen
Shanks showed no mercy.
That was the respect he gave to serious fighters.
With another strike, Seraphina's battered body was thrown across the ice.
This was the first time she had ever been injured like this.
Blood streamed down from her forehead.
Her Marine uniform was torn and soaked.
Rain continued pouring from the sky.
Her cape clung heavily to her shoulders.
Rainwater and blood mixed together.
It was impossible to tell which was which.
Is that all your resolve amounts to?
Seraphina's fading consciousness questioned itself.
Footsteps suddenly approached.
"Teacher!"
Kuina rushed across the frozen battlefield.
She immediately knelt beside Seraphina.
Her small hands trembled as she checked the wounds.
Then she stood.
Her sword was drawn.
Her eyes burned with determination.
She faced Shanks directly.
The pirate with a bounty exceeding one billion.
Fran had already warned her who their opponent was.
But it didn't matter.
Behind her
More Marines arrived.
"Captain!"
The soldiers of Marine Branch 18 rushed onto the ice field.
Among them was Bruce, the officer stationed at the base.
Fran had already sent word the moment he recognized the Red Hair Pirates.
After all
Facing such a legendary pirate crew alone would be suicide.
The Marines formed a defensive line.
Across from them, the pirates stood casually.
Some leaned against their weapons.
One particularly large pirate continued eating roasted meat without concern.
The atmosphere was completely relaxed.
After all
They were the Red Hair Pirates.
Bruce raised his sword.
"Marines!"
"Raise your guns!"
"Prepare for battle!"
He pointed toward Shanks.
"Red Hair!"
"More Marine forces are already on their way!"
"If you continue attacking, the Marines and the World Government will not ignore it!"
The pirates simply watched.
Unimpressed.
Meanwhile
Seraphina slowly stood again.
Kuina rushed forward to support her.
The silver-haired Marine officer swayed unsteadily.
Rain drenched her hair.
It hung messily around her face.
Her eyes moved slowly across the frozen battlefield.
She was searching for something.
Somewhere on the ice
Her missing sword lay buried.
Winter Solstice.