Shanks listened quietly, a faint smile lingering on his lips. From the very beginning, he had never expected to survive this battle. Or rather, the moment he used the Four Soul Divine Blood, his death had already been decided.
The Four Soul Divine Blood removed every limiter within the human body, allowing the user to unleash their power without restraint and even surpass their natural limits. But power like that always came with a price, their own life.
If the battle were short and the user restrained themselves, survival might still be possible. Even then, their vitality would suffer irreversible damage. But Shanks had wanted to witness Marco's true strength with his own eyes, so he pushed himself beyond reason, recklessly burning through his life force. Under the effects of the Four Soul Divine Blood, the decades he had left were rapidly consumed.
"I am already satisfied," Shanks replied with a smile.
He truly had no regrets anymore.
The strength Marco displayed had exceeded all of his expectations. Even after using the Four Soul Divine Blood, he still stood no chance against him. Shanks understood clearly that Marco's power had already surpassed the limits of this world itself. Perhaps there truly was someone capable of defeating the King of the World.
He did not bother saying meaningless words like asking Marco to defeat Imu. Such words held no value. Marco and the Emperor Alliance already stood against the World Government, and one day, they would inevitably confront her.
Marco looked down at Shanks lying on the ground, still wearing that satisfied smile. He did not know what thoughts were running through Shanks' mind, but out of respect for this opponent, he decided to personally end his life.
The Ki Blades formed on Marco's palm as he coldly spoke.
"Farewell, Red-Haired Shanks."
The instant his words fell, the Ki Blade extended forward and pierced through Shanks' neck.
Blood spilled from Shanks' mouth once more as his breathing gradually weakened.
His eyes slowly closed.
At the edge of death, memories of his entire life flashed through his mind like scattered fragments.
Back on Roger's ship, the days spent fooling around with Buggy had been the happiest moments of his life.
Later, Gol D. Roger died after revealing the truth about his origins. Shanks traveled to Mary Geoise, where he was received by his father, Saint Garling, and his brother, Saint Shamrock. They restored his identity as a Celestial Dragon.
Afterward, Shanks displayed extraordinary talent within the Holy Land. He entered the God's Knights and was even personally summoned by Imu.
Eventually, he left Mary Geoise and formed his own pirate crew. Then came the legendary Devil Fruit.
But the fruit ended up being eaten by a little boy named Luffy.
At that moment, Shanks made his decision. He believed Luffy was the Child of Destiny, the one capable of changing the world. Shanks chose to guide him from the shadows and push him toward that future.
But Luffy died.
The meaning behind everything Shanks had pursued disappeared with him.
Luffy failed to change the world, and Shanks himself lacked the power to do it.
Even so, he made one final attempt. He wanted to destroy the Emperor Alliance. Only by crushing them could the balance of the seas temporarily return, giving him another opportunity to find the Nika Fruit. Then he could eat it himself and become the new Child of Destiny.
Yet fate never stood on his side.
The heavens had already abandoned him the moment he chose Luffy.
Or perhaps fate had already selected another Child of Destiny, one who had no need for a guide like him.
The Emperor Alliance did not collapse. Instead, they grew stronger under the repeated attacks of the World Government, while Shanks himself became an obstacle standing in the way of their rise.
After understanding his fate, Shanks stopped resisting.
Like Roger before him, he disbanded his crew and calmly accepted the end awaiting him.
'What an incredible adventure...'
His consciousness slowly drifted into darkness.
But just before it completely faded away, a buried memory suddenly surfaced from the deepest part of his mind.
Shanks' eyes snapped open.
His pupils shrank violently.
Marco was startled as well. Just moments ago, Shanks' aura had nearly vanished completely, yet now he had suddenly regained awareness, as though he still had unfinished business.
Shanks weakly opened his mouth.
Marco immediately crouched beside him. A blue healing flame descended onto Shanks' neck as Marco supported him carefully.
"You still have something to say, Shanks?"
The healing flames slightly restored his throat, allowing him to speak with difficulty.
"You... must... kill... Saint Garling... for me..."
Marco frowned slightly, confused by the request. The surrounding members of the Emperor Alliance were equally shocked.
Saint Garling was Shanks' father.
Shanks forced out his next words.
"That... monster... killed... my mother..."
When Shanks first returned to Mary Geoise, he had wanted answers about his origins and family.
He learned about his father, his brothers, and even his younger sibling.
But he never learned the truth about his mother.
Saint Garling had told him she died after giving birth to him.
For years, Shanks believed that story.
But now, at the very end of his life, the sealed memory buried deep within him finally resurfaced.
He remembered everything clearly.
He had personally witnessed Saint Garling murder his mother.
The trauma had been suppressed deep within his mind all this time, only returning now as death approached.
Shanks looked at Marco with pleading eyes.
"Please..."
Marco remained silent for a brief moment before nodding.
"Alright. I promise you."
Even without this request, Saint Garling was already his enemy.
A faint sense of relief appeared in Shanks' eyes.
"Thank... you..."
After speaking those final words, Shanks slowly closed his eyes once more.
This time, the blue flames on his neck completely vanished.
His life finally came to an end.
Thus, Emperor Red-Haired Shanks died in battle at the age of thirty-nine.
===
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