Chapter 208: Shanks's Big Gamble!!The waters of the New World.The sky was a clear, brilliant blue, with clouds as thin as cicada wings, and the sunlight spilled generously over the sea, shattering into billions of dancing golden scales.The Red Force's massive vermilion dragon figurehead cleaved through the waves, sailing aimlessly.The sound of the hull breaking through the sea surface was monotonous and long-drawn; it had already been three days... within their field of vision, there was nothing but sea."Boss..." Lucky Roux took a large bite of meat, his cheeks bulging, his voice muffled but filled with obvious complaints, "We've been drifting for three whole days! We haven't even seen the shadow of an island... This is just too unbearable!"His round body turned toward the bow... there, Red-Haired Shanks was leaning leisurely against the railing, letting the sea breeze lift his short Red Hair slightly.He held a sake flask in his hand, occasionally tilting his head back to take a swig, his expression content."Don't be in such a rush." Shanks turned his face to the side, his voice, tinged with the smile of the sea breeze, drifting over lazily, "A voyage where you don't know where you'll end up next... isn't that interesting too? That's what an adventure is."His matter-of-fact demeanor made the crew members sitting or lying on the deck let out a collective, helpless sigh.Some shook their heads, others covered their foreheads, but the corners of their mouths all bore habitual, almost doting wry smiles.What could they do? On this ship, the course was always decided by the Captain's capricious intuition!"—Hoo." A soft sigh escaped, mixed with a ring of smoke.Benn Beckman strolled slowly out of the shadows of the cabin, the cigarette dangling from his mouth flickering."I think you're being a bit too laid back." He cast his gaze toward the red-haired figure at the bow, his tone flat, yet it was like a pebble tossed into a calm pool of water.Lucky Roux immediately leaned in, not even bothering to chew his meat anymore: "Beckman! How is Uta doing lately? Has there been any news from Gordon?"This was almost an unwritten rule of the Red Hair Pirates.Every so often, Gordon from the Island of Music would contact them.After all, Uta was once the "pet" of the whole ship.And their Captain, who loved his "face," always pushed the heavy responsibility of communication onto his first mate.As the words fell, all eyes on the deck converged on Beckman.Although that Red Hair Captain maintained his leaning posture against the railing, the hand holding the sake flask paused almost imperceptibly.Beckman took in everyone's reactions, deliberately pausing for a moment before speaking slowly: "Uta, huh... she's been 'kidnapped' by someone."His tone carried obvious teasing, his gaze landing straight on Shanks's face."What?!" The deck exploded instantly.The previously lazy and scattered atmosphere was swept away, replaced by a suddenly rising fury."Who?! Which bastard dares to lay a hand on Uta?!""What a fucking shameless guy!""I'm going to chop him to pieces!""Captain! Give the order! Let that damn thief taste the power of the Red Hair Pirates!"Amidst the righteous indignation, only Shanksraised a hand to press against his forehead."...There's a second half to that, isn't there, Beckman." He lifted his eyes helplessly, "The expression on your face already betrayed you.""Is that so?" Beckman reined in his teasing smile and took the cigarette from his mouth.The deck fell silent instantly, leaving only the sound of waves and the flapping of sails.He said clearly: "The person who took Uta is—" "Luffy."Time seemed to freeze for a moment.Even Shanks was stunned, the hand previously pressed against his forehead slowly lowering.Under the burning gazes of all the crew members, Beckman finally stopped holding back.He put the cigarette back in his mouth, his voice steady, as he recounted everything that had happened on the Island of Music...."If it's Luffy... then there's no problem!" Lucky Rouxlet out a long sigh of relief, his expression completely relaxing as he took a fierce bite of the meat-on-the-bone in his hand.This sentence seemed to loosen the taut strings of everyone present, and the deck was instantly filled with a cheerful atmosphere once again.The worry dissipated, replaced by a complex sense of gratification, almost like "marrying off a daughter."Beckman walked slowly to Shanks's side, leaning his back against the damp railing.He exhaled a long trail of smoke, his voice lowered so that only the two of them could hear: "The news... will probably reach the ears of the Goroseivery soon. Uta's Devil Fruit ability is a thorn in the side of their'stability'."He turned his head, his gaze sharp as he looked at Red Hair, "Right now, no matter how you look at it, you've unilaterally 'broken the agreement'. What do you intend to do, Shanks?""Heh." Shanks let out a light laugh and tilted his head back to drink the remaining sake in the flask.His Adam's apple rolled, the sound of swallowing exceptionally clear in the brief silence.He casually set the flask aside, and when he lifted his eyes again, the eyes that were always filled with smiles had settled with the weight of the deep sea."So what?" His voice wasn't loud, yet it made the surrounding air sink slightly."She is my daughter, after all." He stood up, his right hand resting casually on the hilt of his famous sword, "Gryphon," at his waist.It was just a simple movement, yet it was as if an invisible sharpness had quietly unsheathed, cutting through the sea breeze."Whoever dares to touch her... must first ask this blade of mine."The sea breeze suddenly became gusty, billowing his cape and Red Hair.Merely the slight tremor brought about by the natural release of his aura was enough to make the laughter on the deck drop several octaves involuntarily."Luffy has already grown enough to take on this sea." Shanks looked toward the endless horizon, the corners of his mouth curling into a sharp and joyous arc, "I don't have to, and I no longer need to, maintain that fragile 'balance'."He turned his head back to look at Beckman, his eyes flashing with the burning, gambler-like brilliance: "Besides, hasn't that kid long been a thorn in the side of the World Government?""Adding one Uta... won't make a difference."Beckman stared blankly at his Captain, the cigarette between his fingers flickering in the wind, a long ash accumulated on it.After a long while, he slowly shook his head, but ultimately gave a thumbs up, his smile full of helpless and knowing admiration: "You really are... a gambler through and through."He flicked off the ash, his gaze sweeping over Shanks's empty sleeve, his tone complex: "One arm wasn't enough... this time you're even betting your daughter?"——————Time flew by amidst the waves and blades, like sand through fingers.In the blink of an eye, only three days remained until that promised day.On the outskirts of the Kuja sea area, on an uninhabited deserted island.The heavy Sea Stone shackles made a muffled "clack-clack" sound with his movements.Luffy stood in the center of the clearing, stretching his neck, a near-provocative, brilliantly annoying smile rising on his handsome face: "You guys... who's going first?"The corners of everyone's eyes twitched in unison.Almost the moment the words fell, a blazing blue-white flash of lightning exploded on the ground!Amidst the shrill whistling of the electric current tearing through the air, that figure had already broken the sound barrier, shooting toward Luffy's side at a terrifying speed."I really... can't take it anymore! You Idiot Captain!!" Sanji's roar and the violent thunder exploded simultaneously!The black leather shoe, carrying the terrifying heat capable of shattering mountains and splitting rocks, tore through the atmosphere and slammed down fiercely toward Luffy's head!At the critical moment, a strange red gleam flashed from the depths of Luffy's eyes.His Observation Haki had long since completely discerned the trajectory of the attack.Without a hint of hesitation, his right foot smashed into the ground!Dark red electric arcs burst forth from his body like wild snakes, Conqueror's Haki wrapped around his lower leg, and a no-frills counter-kick struck upward against the sky!Boom—!!!Thunder and Haki collided fiercely!The explosive blue-white electric snakes and dark red electric arcs intertwined crazily, and the air wave, compressed to the extreme, exploded in a spherical shape, instantly lifting and crushing the ground for dozens of meters around!Sanji's pupils shrank, and a shattering shockwave traveled up his right leg.He turned into a streak of out-of-control lightning, flying backward, crashing through seven or eight giant trees in succession, and finally piercing through the belly of a rocky mountain in the distance!Gravel fell like rain.A moment later, Sanji's figure walked out of the dust and smoke, hands in his pockets, trying his best to maintain a cool posture, though the corners of his mouth twitched slightly in pain.He glanced at the eager-to-try Yamato and the frowning, observing Law, and squeezed a reminder through his teeth: "Be careful... this guy's Haoshoku is practically marinated into his body; every move is Advanced Armament Haki!"