"Take this — a strike worthy of the New World!"
Shanks swung his sword hard.
A wave of crimson sword energy and lightning burst forth together, tearing through the Destroyer and the other infected creatures, slicing them clean in two.
The force surged all the way from the harbor into the mountains, shearing off the top half of an entire peak.
"Now's our chance!" Shanks called out.
While he launched his assault, the rest of his crew attacked the Dominators and Brawlers.
Meanwhile, Shanks pressed his advantage against the Destroyer, which had been split apart.
"You won't get time to regenerate!"
His right hand and blade became nothing more than a blur as he struck countless times in less than half a second.
When he finally slid his sword back into its scabbard, the massive Destroyer had been reduced to nothing more than a pile of minced flesh and debris.
Standing on what remained of the monster's body, Shanks raised both arms toward his crew.
"Victory is ours!"
His men were swept up in his energy and cheered loudly, raising their weapons in triumph.
"Don't celebrate too soon. If they truly wanted war, their own forces would have stepped in long ago."
Benn Beckman's cool remark poured cold water over their excitement.
Shanks rolled his eyes. "Beckman, you really know how to ruin the mood!"
"I'm only stating the facts."
Beckman lit a cigarette, took a few puffs, and asked, "So — do we press forward or turn back?"
"Forward, of course. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come this far in the first place."
Shanks hopped down from the remains of the Destroyer and strode ahead.
"I knew you'd say that."
Beckman and the others followed, but he added a warning.
"If anything looks dangerous, pull back immediately — even if it's something as strong as what we just faced."
"Understood, don't worry. My crew always comes first." Shanks grinned.
Hearing that, Beckman smiled faintly. "Good."
Back inside the castle, Grimm switched off the visual Den Den Mushi, picked up another line, and gave his orders.
"There's been a slight change of plans. Stand by and wait for my further instructions."
"Understood." Violet's voice came through the receiver.
Less than ten minutes later, the Red‑Hair Pirates arrived at the town just beyond the harbor.
"Look how far that little brat who once followed Roger has come," Ul'dah said, leading more than a hundred men to block their path.
The two groups faced each other in a standoff.
"Ah… Mr. Ul'dah — it's been a long time. I never expected you to leave the Golden Lion Pirates and join Grimm instead!"
Shanks clearly recognized him.
They had first met long before the battle at Edd War, though back then Shanks was still just an unknown, inexperienced youth.
"I've only come to pay a visit and discuss a matter regarding the East Blue with your captain. Would you mind letting us pass?" Shanks offered what he hoped was an honest smile.
"You think I'll just step aside because you ask? That would be far too embarrassing for me!" Ul'dah smirked.
Even though Shanks was now clearly stronger than him, Ul'dah was still a veteran pirate with a bounty of 300 million Berries — he wasn't about to take orders from someone he still remembered as a kid.
"Surely you don't want to make things difficult for me? Could you… do me a favor and give me some face?" Shanks narrowed his eyes slightly.
After what had happened with Kaido's forces, he had no desire to start another unnecessary fight.
"Captain Ul'dah!"
Just then, a runner hurried over, whispered something into Ul'dah's ear, and his expression softened.
He waved his hand, and his men parted to create a clear path. Stepping aside himself, he said, "Go on — Lord Grimm is waiting to see you."
"Hahaha! It's been more than ten years — feels like a lifetime!" Shanks paused for only a moment before walking quickly toward Grimm's quarters.
At the doorway, Beckman stopped the others. "The rest of us will wait here. Shanks can handle this alone."
He glanced sharply at Ul'dah and the rest of the guards as he spoke.
"Hmph — afraid we'll surround you from both sides? You're far too suspicious," Ul'dah scoffed.
Inside, Shanks found Grimm sitting comfortably with one leg crossed over the other. A faint stubble had begun to grow along his jaw.
"Time flies, doesn't it? More than ten years since we last met."
"Indeed. Last time I visited Windmill Village, I went looking for that boy — Monkey D. Luffy — only to be told he'd been taken away by you for a while?" Grimm sounded distinctly displeased.
"Ah, well… hahaha! The lad insisted on sailing with me for a spell!" Shanks pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Why did you take him?" Grimm went straight to the point.
"To teach him what true pirate freedom means — not to cause chaos and destruction." Shanks replied calmly.
"You call overthrowing the World Government 'causing chaos'? Is that what your old captain Roger taught you?" Grimm chuckled softly.
"He did teach me the meaning of freedom, yes. But in any case, the World Government exists for a reason. If it were gone, who knows what this world would become… hahaha — why am I even explaining all this to you?" Shanks laughed, shaking his head.
"So you even went so far as to lose an arm on purpose, just to win that boy's trust?" Grimm said with a hint of mockery.
"But it doesn't matter. There are so many 'D's in this world — and I am one myself. I don't necessarily need to rely on him."
"One way or another, Luffy will become the Pirate King of true freedom!" Shanks said firmly, then quickly shifted the topic with a laugh.
"Speaking of which — I see you've got good wine here. Mind if I help myself?"
He nodded toward a small table beside Grimm, walked over, picked up the bottle, and took several long gulps.
Glug… glug…
He let out a satisfied burp. "The main reason for my visit is simply to pay my respects. As for what comes next… well, I can't say for sure."
The meaning was clear — I'm not here to challenge your position today, but who knows what the future holds?
"Though I did have quite an amusing encounter with Big Mom. She tried to force me to marry one of her daughters — I ran for my life right then and there, hahaha!"
Shanks scratched his head, his face still showing traces of unease. Clearly, the experience had rattled him.
"Sounds like great fun. You should have agreed — it would have been even more interesting to watch," Grimm replied with a grin, making Shanks' expression turn even more sour.
To Grimm, Big Mom was nothing more than a breeding machine — she produced children at an absurd rate, and nearly every high‑ranking officer in her crew was one of her own offspring.
It made him wonder if the reason she rarely took part in major battles was simply that she was too busy conceiving the next generation.
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