Sal's words ignited a fire in Shanks. Fighting the captain he had always admired was a dream finally coming true. The boy who once dreamed of challenging the mighty tree that protected him in childhood now stood before his idol, ready for battle.
Shanks talked with Sal just yesterday when he left Marineford. Their conversation was brief, but Shanks accepted the resurrection. Still, he harbored doubts deep down. Returning to youth, resurrection—it all seemed as implausible as a fairy tale.
Now that he understood how to regain his youth, relief mixed with excitement. The passion dormant in his heart blazed anew.
"Captain Roger, today I will show you what I've achieved over the years," Shanks declared, a spark in his eye.
"We'll see, Shanks," Roger replied with a slight smile.
Shanks drew his sword, and the smile that spread across his face was pure, like a child's.
Beckman, the captain's best friend, was happy for him. He saw how his friend's childhood dream, long cherished, was beginning to come true.
The entire feast held its breath in anticipation of the battle. The focus was on Shanks and the "Pirate King" Roger. Their duel promised to be an unforgettable spectacle, especially for Whitebeard's depressed pirates, who eagerly awaited something that could bring them hope.
"Who do you think is stronger?" someone from the crowd asked mysteriously.
"Roger, of course." "He's the Pirate King," another confidently stated.
"The Four Emperors are no joke. Shanks is the king of the sea in this era; he won't give in to Roger," someone else countered.
"Don't underestimate my captain. He's very strong," one of Shanks' pirates defended him.
Everyone present eagerly awaited the clash. Who was stronger: the modern Emperors or the former King of the Pirates ?
Many had witnessed Sal's strength in the battle at the Summit. His fight with Garp was more terrifying than Whitebeard's battle with Sengoku.
"These guys sure stirred up quite a commotion," Sal grumbled, brushing off some crumbs.
This fight was supposed to give him valuable experience. Sal was fortunate. He managed to clash with the great warriors of his era.
As Sal was walking away from Rayleigh, a familiar teasing voice called from behind:
"Be careful, Shanks isn't the boy he was 22 years ago. If you dare underestimate him, you're in for a hefty loss, ha-ha."
Sal spread his arms in a gesture of helplessness. Hancock handed him his sword, bidding farewell with a light kiss.
"Don't worry. Shanks is known for his strength; I'm not underestimating him," Sal replied, as if melting and shedding his cold demeanor.
As Sal passed by Ace and Luffy, he remembered something important and handed Ace the Cross of the Dead.
"This is a tool that can resurrect blood relatives. Whether or not you choose to resurrect your mother is up to you. I want to warn you: the user's body may undergo unpredictable changes," Sal said.
The entire crowd eagerly awaited this moment. An item that seemed capable of bringing back the dead stirred a storm of emotions.
"It's an object that can resurrect people!" someone whispered in the crowd.
"Can you bring back your father?" asked someone else, hope evident in their voice.
"We have to try. But only Roger can wield this," another replied.
In Marco's eyes, who had become quiet after the war, a spark of hope flickered. A Holy Object that could resurrect people?
The appearance of the Cross of Resurrection gave the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates new hope. That's exactly why Sal is showing it to everyone.
"This is..." Ace murmured, stunned. He couldn't believe his ears.
Sal didn't pay attention to Ace's reaction. If Ace had been stronger, Sal wouldn't have given him this item. In any case, the only person Ace could resurrect was Rouge, who frequently appeared in his dreams.
Sal, in his black windbreaker, headed toward the open area. He was eager to witness the power of Shanks, one of the Four Emperors.
Seeing that the battle was about to start, Ace snapped out of his stupor. He involuntarily clenched the hand holding the cross, his heart raging with conflicting emotions.
Luffy, standing nearby, looked at the cross with the curiosity of a child.
"Ace, is this what can bring people back to life?"
"It should be... Is that why Roger was resurrected?"
"Cool! Now you can bring your mother back!"
"...," Ace replied in a whisper. He wasn't sure the cross could really resurrect the dead. If it truly could, then what about his father?
That thought flashed through Ace's mind. It was that very person who asked him to bring his mother back. Now he needed an answer from Roger.
Ace recalled the mother he had never seen and all she had done for him. His heart overflowed with immense love.
Sal and Shanks walked toward the open area, through the hum of the crowd. Their eyes met, smiles appeared on their faces, and their hands rested on the hilts of their weapons.
"Let's begin!" Sal's directive seemed to carry on the whisper of the wind.
In the still atmosphere, a sudden wind began to blow.
A dark red lightning flashed between them, and two stormy flows of Haki surrounded the battlefield, clashing with each other.
"Crunch... crash... crunch..."
The collision of the two Haki realms did not lead to an indisputable victory. They engaged in a deadly struggle, pulling each other into the abyss.
With each intensifying clash, cracks appeared on the ground. Rubble rose into the air and turned to dust from the relentless force of the Haki. Even the space seemed to warp.
The mere clash of Haki caused tumultuous changes in the skies.
Despite the distance, everyone present felt an unbearable weight on their shoulders. The weaker ones already felt dizzy.
Buggy was boasting in front of his men, but suddenly a wave of Haki overwhelmed him. Horror appeared on his face, and he retreated in panic.
One by one, the pirates were falling. Many struggled to stay on their feet. Even Buggy's pirates, whose power equaled those with bounties in the hundreds of millions, succumbed to the relentless pressure of the Haki and collapsed.
Buggy sighed with frustration.
"Captain Roger is in great shape. But I didn't expect Shanks to be such a monster!" he muttered to himself. He was happy for his friend, who had reached unprecedented heights. At the same time, he realized how much he needed to increase his own strength.
The two fields of Haki were slowly changing. Sal was gradually pressing Shanks, suppressing his Haki sphere to one-third.
"How is that possible? Shanks' Haki isn't lower than the Pirate King's, yet he can't overcome ," murmured the Red-Haired pirates, who were confident in their captain's strength. Never before had anyone been able to suppress their captain's Haki, not even the strongest man in the world.
Yasopp, the father of Usopp, looked grim but still joked:
"I never would have thought the captain's Haki would ever be suppressed. He shouts every day that his Haki is the strongest."
"Yes, yes, yes, the captain should smile more."
Beckman, carefully observing the fight, noticed that Rayleigh was calmly eating and watching the clash. Clearly, he already anticipated the outcome of the battle.
"Senior Rayleigh, who do you think is stronger?" Beckman asked.
Rayleigh glanced at Beckman, recognizing his unwavering faith in his captain. He himself had no doubts about Shanks' strength, despite the fact that their pirate group had long disbanded.
"I don't think Roger can lose, what do you think, Beckman?"
"I don't think Shanks would yield to anyone either," Beckman replied with a laugh.
The two captains exchanged smiles. They believed in the strength of their captains.
"Ha-ha, let's see what happens," Rayleigh said.
The Haki clash was brief. The winner was determined, and there was no point in wasting Haki needlessly.
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