The enraged Shanks swung with terrifying precision. In his right hand, he wielded a large, double-edged sword with a protective handguard. In his left was a rugged, thick-bladed single-edged sword.
Krieg didn't recognize the right-hand blade—it was clearly a masterpiece—but the left was familiar.
It was a prototype Krieg had gifted him back when Shanks was still a rookie, a blade built for pure, unadulterated durability.
It was heavy enough to crush an ordinary man under its own weight, yet Shanks handled it as if it were made of balsa wood.
Krieg remembered an old skirmish where Shanks, using nothing but a nameless cutlass, had easily sliced through reinforced alloy armor. He cranked his caution up to the maximum.
"What's wrong, Krieg!? All you can do is defend!? Say something, dammit!"
Shanks unleashed a relentless flurry of cross-slashes. Krieg parried and wove through the strikes with his Hakubi-kon, shouting back things he didn't even believe.
"Shut up, pirate!! Pirates are the scum of the sea! Only idiots choose that life!!"
"What...!? What are you talking about, Krieg? You're the one who used to say you were jealous of the freedom!"
Shanks paused, a look of genuine sadness crossing his face. "I guess it can't be helped. You're a Marine, I'm a pirate. You've probably seen the worst the sea has to offer more than anyone."
Krieg glanced at the edge of the boat. Luffy, likely overwhelmed by the sheer pressure of the battle, had conveniently fainted. Perfect.
"If that's the case, I'll just beat you down and make you my subordinate! I'll remind you what's so great about the sea!!"
Shanks' aura flared—a chilling, skin-crawling pressure that signaled he was stepping up his game. He lunged with a strike that promised to cleave the air itself.
"Whoa, whoa!! STOP! STOP!!!"
Krieg frantically dropped his weapon and threw his hands up in the air.
Shanks skidded to a halt, his swords frozen inches from Krieg's neck. His face was a mask of pure confusion, his head tilting to the side like a puzzled puppy.
Late that night, Krieg used Geppo to slip onto the deck of the Red Force, carrying a crate of high-end liquor. Shanks was sitting alone on the deck, leaning against the railing and nursing a cup while staring at the moon. Krieg landed softly beside him.
"Yo, Red-Hair. Sorry about making you play along with that farce today."
"I knew you were up to something. It felt off from the start. You're going to tell me everything, aren't you?"
"First, have a drink. This is top-shelf stuff from the Ryugu Kingdom."
"Heh, booze from the deep-sea kingdom? Don't mind if I do..."
For a while, they sat in silence, swapping stories and drinks. They talked about the state of the seas, the rise of "Seven Warlords" concepts, and the general chaos of the Grand Line. Eventually, Shanks' gaze sharpened.
"Alright. Let's get to the point."
"I was just being a meddling old man, really..."
"Just talk, Krieg."
"Fine. I knew you were using this place as your base in the East Blue, so I did some digging. I found out about the boy—how he ate a fruit and how he admires you enough to want to be a pirate."
"And you're against it?"
"I'm a Marine. Of course I am. But I don't have the right to stop him. Today was just about showing him how terrifying the sea can be. If his dream is real, a little cannonfire and a 'scary Marine' won't be enough to stop him anyway."
"So you put on that whole show just for Luffy?"
"I was careful not to actually hurt him, obviously. But if a kid goes out to sea without knowing the weight of it, he's just asking to die. I couldn't sit back and watch that happen—not as a Marine, and definitely not personally."
"Hah. So the rumors are true. You really are soft on kids."
"Kids are meant to be protected... wait, rumors?"
"Don't look so surprised. I've gathered plenty of info on you too. 'The King of Destruction,' the strongest man in the East Blue who uses a mountain of weapons. I heard you moved to the Grand Line recently, and that you like kids but they're terrified of you. Looking at that villainous face of yours, I can see why!"
Shanks burst into a fit of stifled laughter. Krieg scowled, but he couldn't exactly argue with the facts of his own face.
"Shut up. I have plenty of people who like me just fine, face or no face. Anyway, are you planning to stay in the East Blue much longer? From my perspective, you're a 'Peace Main' pirate with influence over the lawless types. I'd rather have you back in the Grand Line keeping things in check."
"Yeah... we've been here a long time. It's about time to move on. We'll be heading back to the Grand Line soon."
"That's a relief. I might have a favor or two to ask of you down the road, so keep an ear out."
"No thanks! I'm a pirate, you're a Marine. Since when do pirates take orders from the tin stars?"
They laughed, and the private drinking session continued long into the night.
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