As Shanks approached, Benn Beckman stepped aside, his expression showing a hint of helplessness while his hand slowly reached for his waist.
Dragon didn't sense anything unusual about Shanks' behavior. On the contrary, he believed that with Shanks stepping in, things would become much smoother.
In Dragon's view, forming an alliance between several forces against the Navy was a win for everyone involved.
When Dragon first heard the news of Kaido's defeat, aside from being shocked, he saw it as an opportunity.
For the Revolutionary Army, chaos was the best environment for their cause. The previously balanced world order wasn't conducive to their growth. And among the Four Emperors, the youngest one, Shanks, who had consumed a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit, was the ideal target for recruitment.
Dragon organized his thoughts and was about to speak.
Clang!
Issho flicked a finger, revealing a glint of sharp steel from his cane sword. His expression turned grim as he warned in a low voice,
"Dragon, I sense killing intent from him. Be careful!"
Dragon frowned. He trusted Issho's observation, after all, Issho had honed his Observation Haki to extraordinary levels after losing his sight.
However, in the next instant, Issho's expression shifted again, and he muttered,
"How is this possible? My Observation Haki…"
Shanks lifted his head, smiling faintly at Issho. The crimson glow in his eyes gradually dissipated.
A Haki Suppression!
Issho's Observation Haki was entirely blocked, leaving him deeply uncomfortable. Instinctively, he reached for his cane sword, ready to unsheath it completely.
(T/N: While we haven't explicitly seen a character suppress or block Observation Haki in One Piece, we know that Conqueror's Haki, especially when highly developed, can exert overwhelming force and affect the environment and others around the user. Some individuals, like Shanks, may possess an advanced mastery of their Haki abilities, which could theoretically allow them to influence or suppress another's use of Haki.)
While many in the pirate world used cane swords, Issho's weapon, though unassuming, was actually one of the Supreme Grade Blades. Amusingly, it bore the quirky name Yakuza Kasen.
Sensing the tension, Dragon frowned and addressed Shanks cautiously,
"Red-Haired, I've come here with the utmost goodwill—"
Before he could finish, Shanks interrupted him.
Shanks tilted his head slightly—a gesture that made Dragon's expression freeze. Shanks bore a striking resemblance to Carl, and that particular gesture stirred memories of the man who haunted Dragon's nightmares.
"Hey, you still haven't told me. Who exactly is the Revolutionary Army aiming to overthrow?" Shanks asked with a sly grin.
Snapping out of his daze, Dragon answered without hesitation.
"Of course, it's fate itself—the Celestial Dragons' reign! This world has rotted under their rule. It's time to pull them off their pedestal!"
Upon hearing this, Shanks suddenly burst into laughter, the sound growing louder and more mocking with every passing second.
To Dragon, it felt like ridicule—a dagger piercing his pride.
With a furious expression, Dragon snapped,
"Red-Haired, mind your identity. At the very least, we should respect each other!"
Shanks ignored him entirely. He raised his chin, towering over Dragon, whose shorter stature now made him feel utterly belittled.
The oppressive weight of humiliation surged in Dragon's heart, his cloak billowing as cyan streams of energy began to swirl around him.
Shanks' grin faded. Staring down at Dragon, he spoke with a detached tone,
The moment he finished, Griffon was unsheathed, unleashing a black and crimson slash through the air. In the next instant, the sea and the ship Dragon had arrived on split cleanly in two, scattering its passengers into the ocean.
Suspended in mid-air, cyan currents reassembled into Dragon's form. He glared down at Shanks, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
He hadn't expected Shanks to attack so abruptly. Just a moment slower, and he would've been sliced in half.
On the deck, Issho's expression hardened as he planted his cane sword into the ground, releasing a deep purple aura.
"Inferno Voyage!"
Boom!
A crushing gravity descended upon the Red Force, pressing it toward the ocean floor. A black void formed in the sea below as the ship began to sink. Issho leaped onto the remains of Dragon's shattered ship, using his powers to reverse gravity, propelling him into the sky and beside Dragon.
Onboard the Red Force, Shanks remained unfazed. Benn Beckman exhaled a cloud of smoke, glancing at Shanks with a knowing look.
Shanks raised a hand, snapping his fingers. A fiery red cloud appeared beneath the Red Force, resisting the gravitational pull and lifting the ship effortlessly into the sky.
Seeing this, Dragon's expression changed.
"It's true—he's mastered the Azure Dragon Fruit's powers! To this extent already?"
In truth, Shanks' swift mastery of such abilities wasn't just due to his talent. It was thanks to Carl fusing two Azure Dragon Fruits into the Mythical Divine Dragon Fruit.
As Dragon watched the rising Red Force, Shanks flew over on a fiery cloud. Golden dragon horns had sprouted from his head, and crimson scales adorned his hands and neck.
Landing gracefully, Shanks smiled at Issho and commented,
"Your Devil Fruit ability is quite impressive. It must be a Paramecia type, no?"
Issho didn't respond, instead assuming a stance for a powerful slash.
"And that sword of yours isn't bad either…" Shanks added with a smirk.
Issho struck first.
"Gravity Blade!"
Purple and black energy surged forth like a tidal wave, roaring toward Shanks.
"Che."
Shanks' eyes narrowed. Crimson Conqueror's Haki materialized behind him in the form of a colossal dragon, its roar dispelling the gravity field entirely.
(T/N: Honestly, it's quite disappointing to read and edit. I really don't like the direction the relationship between the main character and Shanks is taking. I've removed some parts, but I won't say much more since you've seen it too. Regardless, I need to finish this fanfic, so I'll continue working on it.)
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+255 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg