Chapter 1146: Live Capture
Chapter 1146: Live Capture
Surrender?
The Four Emperors—Red-Haired Shanks wants to surrender?
Unheard of!
"Ah—"
Red-Haired Shanks suddenly grinned. "You're stronger than me, so naturally I surrender. What's wrong? You afraid to accept it?"
"Why would Old Man accept surrender?"
Kuro scoffed. "You dying here is far better than surviving as a prisoner. I clearly won—do I even need your surrender? Are you negotiating terms in seawater? If you still had that hand, maybe we’d discuss things. You forced me to use all Ten Wu Sheng Kong Sha. If you’re still alive now, doesn’t that make Old Man’s Mystic Art look weak? No, you must die here. I won’t accept your surrender."
"You’ll accept it, Kuro", Red-Haired Shanks said, eyes blazing. "And you’ll agree to release Beckman. That’s my condition for surrendering."
"What?!"
Kuro burst out laughing. "Red-Haired Shanks, did you hit your head? Still clinging to your Face King Master’s ideals? Wanting your crew back? On what grounds?"
Shanks grinned confidently. "Because I’ll make Beckman restrain my pirate crew from starting a war."
This made Kuro’s expression darken, and he fell silent.
"Red-Haired Shanks!"
Beckman, stabilizing his posture, opened his mouth, as if to say We can still fight, but his rational mind—clearly assessing their situation—knew they were finished.
This was the Grand Line. Here, Kuro had already demonstrated absolute control and dominance over the region. And that blood-colored ribbon—on land, they could handle it, but in the Grand Line, especially when they couldn’t move freely, they couldn’t withstand that kind of attack.
Shanks’s surrender plan was the optimal solution.
Kuro realized this too.
Shanks had only brought several hundred men. Though their annihilation wouldn’t matter much compared to his influence, the core officers remained intact, stationed within his territory. If Shanks and Beckman died here, the inevitable outcome would be the Red Hair Pirates erupting in vengeful war against the Navy.
A full-scale war.
Kuro and the higher-ups wouldn’t fear this—without Shanks and Beckman, the Red Hair Pirates wouldn’t remain a top-tier Emperor. But they’d face the entire Four Emperors’ influence, with inevitable casualties. Their frontline Navy forces would suffer heavy losses. If Shanks refused to surrender, that was unavoidable.
But now he chose to surrender.
Capturing a Four Emperors member alive would grant the Navy far more prestige than a corpse. Adding Shanks’s proposal—releasing Beckman wasn’t significant, as it could help control his pirate crew.
"Why should I trust you?" Kuro narrowed his eyes. "What if Beckman brings everyone here to fight the Navy, maybe even rescues you? I’d lose big. You dying here seems better."
"Won’t live capture be better for you?" Shanks grinned. "Compared to killing me, my crew will still act without direction, attacking you out of rage. But Beckman can control their anger. If you only capture me, they’ll still have a goal to work toward and won’t attack the Navy."
This was true. Accepting his terms, even if Shanks later reneged, would only add Ben Beckman to their list. Even if he broke his word, it was a gamble worth taking.
Kuro glanced at Beckman, then turned back to Shanks, his eyes flickering with consideration.
"I don’t want to die, Kuro", Shanks said openly, glancing at his missing arm, then shrugging. "But no hand doesn’t mean no combat power. Kuro, if we fight again—even if the terrain’s unfavorable—Beckman and I can still hold you off."
That was true. The previous Wu Sheng Kong Sha striking Shanks was because he’d been enraged and thought he’d have no ribbons. Now he’d adjusted, even if Kuro stirred the Grand Line’s chaos, he could still escape.
Without a hand, his combat reflexes and evasion remained sharp. And Beckman was still there—they’d still achieve their goal.
Comparatively, if Kuro accepted Shanks’s terms, delivering him to headquarters and returning would take roughly the same time as them holding him off. Either way, he’d accomplish his mission—just not for as long as they’d originally planned.
But correspondingly, Kuro wouldn’t need to keep fighting. And keeping Shanks alive ensures Beckman would control their influence, preventing war with the Navy.
It’s a choice Kuro could make.
"But I still don’t want to die", Shanks continued. "I stopped you to see Luffy’s victory. Even in prison, I want to watch it happen. Please—just like Heavenly Yaksha, maybe send me newspapers once I’m locked up?"
Kuro considered, then relaxed his grip. The Yokai Blade floated midair as golden light rained down—Gold Dust—enveloping the blade once more.
"You’ll still die", Kuro said solemnly. "Now, in battle. Later, by execution. Your kind are valuable cards for the higher-ups—whether boosting prestige or serving as bait. Are you sure?"
He’d never hated Red-Haired Shanks. The pirate had always understood the rules.
"I just want to see the future of the Grand Line", Shanks grinned, baring his teeth. "As for myself—what happens to me isn’t important."
Kuro stared at him for a moment, then sighed. "Such a good babysitter indeed."
Turning to Beckman, he barked: "Scram! You waiting for me to host dinner?"
"Red-Haired Shanks—"
Beckman’s face darkened. His captain surrendered to let him leave—this was unacceptable. It was a humiliation for a crewmate!
"Can I switch with him?!" Beckman made a last plea. "Let me take his place! His hands are gone, but I’m still whole. I’m a complete combatant. Red-Haired Shanks is just a cripple—releasing him is better than me!"
"What nonsense is this?" Kuro sneered. "Just because the Grand Line calls you ‘Vice Emperor’ means you believe it? Red-Haired Shanks is the captain. Naturally, we take the big fish. And stop hesitating—I’m in my hesitation phase now. Wait until I change my mind, and neither of you’ll leave."
"Go, Beckman", Shanks urged. "Restrain the crew. Tell them—it’s not time yet!"
Kuro chuckled coldly at Shanks. "I doubt you’ll ever see that day."
Chapter 1146: Live Capture
Surrender?
Four Emperors—Red-Haired Shanks wants to surrender?
This is truly unheard of!
"Ah—"
Red-Haired Shanks suddenly smirked: "You're stronger than me, so naturally I surrender. What's wrong? You afraid to accept it?"
"Why would Old Man accept surrender?"
Kuro scoffed: "You dying here is far better than surviving as a prisoner. I clearly won—do I even need your surrender? Are you negotiating terms in seawater? If you still had that hand, maybe we’d discuss things. You forced me to use all Ten Wu Sheng Kong Sha. If you’re still alive now, doesn’t that make Old Man’s Mystic Art look weak? No, you must die here. I won’t accept your surrender."
"You’ll accept it, Kuro", Red-Haired Shanks said, eyes blazing. "And you’ll agree to release Beckman. That’s my condition for surrendering."
"What?!"
Kuro burst out laughing. "Red-Haired Shanks, did you hit your head? Still clinging to your Face King Master’s ideals? Wanting your crew back? On what grounds?"
Shanks grinned confidently: "Because I’ll make Beckman restrain my pirate crew from starting a war."
This made Kuro’s expression darken, and he fell silent.
"Red-Haired Shanks!"
Beckman, stabilizing his posture, opened his mouth, as if to say We can still fight, but his rational mind—clearly assessing their situation—knew they were finished.
This was the Grand Line. Here, Kuro had already demonstrated absolute control and dominance over the region. And that blood-colored ribbon—on land, they could still handle it, but in the Grand Line, especially when they couldn’t move freely, they couldn’t withstand that kind of attack.
Shanks’s surrender plan was the optimal solution.
Kuro realized this too.
Shanks had only brought several hundred men. Though their annihilation wouldn’t matter much compared to his influence, the core officers remained intact, stationed within his territory. If Shanks and Beckman died here, the inevitable outcome would be the Red Hair Pirates erupting in vengeful war against the Navy.
A full-scale war.
Kuro and the higher-ups wouldn’t fear this—without Shanks and Beckman, the Red Hair Pirates wouldn’t remain a top-tier Emperor. But they’d face the entire Four Emperors’ influence, with inevitable casualties. Their frontline Navy forces would suffer heavy losses. If Shanks refused to surrender, that was unavoidable.
But now he chose to surrender.
Capturing a Four Emperors member alive would grant the Navy far more prestige than a corpse. Adding Shanks’s proposal—releasing Beckman wasn’t significant, as it could help control his pirate crew.
"Why should I trust you?" Kuro narrowed his eyes. "What if Beckman brings everyone here to fight the Navy, maybe even rescues you? I’d lose big. You dying here seems better."
"Won’t live capture be better for you?" Shanks grinned. "Compared to killing me, my crew will still act without direction, attacking you out of rage. But Beckman can control their anger. If you only capture me, they’ll still have a goal to work toward and won’t attack the Navy."
This was true. Accepting his terms, even if Shanks later reneged, would only add Ben Beckman to their list. Even if he broke his word, it was a gamble worth taking.
Kuro glanced at Beckman, then turned back to Shanks, his eyes flickering with consideration.
"I don’t want to die, Kuro", Shanks said openly, glancing at his missing arm, then shrugging. "But no hand doesn’t mean no combat power. Kuro, if we fight again—even if the terrain’s unfavorable—Beckman and I can still hold you off."
That was true. The previous Wu Sheng Kong Sha striking Shanks was because he’d been enraged and thought he’d have no ribbons. Now he’d adjusted, even if Kuro stirred the Grand Line’s chaos, he could still escape.
Without a hand, his combat reflexes and evasion remained sharp. And Beckman was still there—they’d still achieve their goal.
Comparatively, if Kuro accepted Shanks’s terms, delivering him to headquarters and returning would take roughly the same time as them holding him off. Either way, he’d accomplish his mission—just not for as long as they’d originally planned.
But correspondingly, Kuro wouldn’t need to keep fighting. And keeping Shanks alive ensures Beckman will control their influence, preventing war with the Navy.
It’s a choice Kuro could make.
"But I still don’t want to die", Shanks continued. "I stopped you to see Luffy’s victory. Even in prison, I want to watch it happen. Please—just like Heavenly Yaksha, maybe send me newspapers once I’m locked up?"
Kuro considered, then relaxed his grip. The Yokai Blade floated midair as golden light rained down—Gold Dust—enveloping the blade once more.
"You’ll still die", Kuro said solemnly. "Now, in battle. Later, by execution. Your kind are valuable cards for the higher-ups—whether boosting prestige or serving as bait. Are you sure?"
He’d never hated Red-Haired Shanks. The pirate had always understood the rules.
"I just want to see the future of the Grand Line", Shanks grinned, baring his teeth. "As for myself—what happens to me isn’t important."
Kuro stared at him for a moment, then sighed. "Such a good babysitter indeed."
Turning to Beckman, he barked: "Scram! You waiting for me to host dinner?"
"Red-Haired Shanks—"
Beckman’s face darkened. His captain surrendered to let him leave—this was unacceptable. It was a humiliation for a crewmate!
"Can I switch with him?!" Beckman made a last plea. "Let me take his place! His hands are gone, but I’m still whole. I’m a complete combatant. Red-Haired Shanks is just a cripple—releasing him is better than me!"
"What nonsense is this?" Kuro sneered. "Just because the Grand Line calls you ‘Vice Emperor’ means you believe it? Red-Haired Shanks is the captain. Naturally, we take the big fish. And stop hesitating—I’m in my hesitation phase now. Wait until I change my mind, and neither of you’ll leave."
"Go, Beckman", Shanks urged. "Restrain the crew. Tell them—it’s not time yet!"
Kuro chuckled coldly at Shanks. "I doubt you’ll ever see that day."
Surrender?
Four Emperors, Red-Haired Shanks wants to surrender?
This is truly unheard of!
"Ah—"
Red-Haired Shanks suddenly smirked: "You're stronger than me, so naturally I surrender. What's wrong, you afraid to accept it?"
"Why would Old Man accept surrender?"
Kuro scoffed: "You dying here is far better than surviving as a prisoner. I clearly won—do I even need your surrender? Are you negotiating terms in seawater? If you still had that hand, maybe we’d discuss things. You forced me to use all Ten Wu Sheng Kong Sha. If you’re still alive now, doesn’t that make Old Man’s Mystic Art look weak? No, you must die here. I won’t accept your surrender."
"You’ll accept it, Kuro", Red-Haired Shanks said, eyes blazing. "And you’ll agree to release Beckman. That’s my condition for surrendering."
"What?!"
Kuro burst out laughing. "Red-Haired Shanks, did you hit your head? Still clinging to your Face King Master’s ideals? Wanting your crew back? On what grounds?"
Shanks grinned confidently: "Because I’ll make Beckman restrain my pirate crew from starting a war."
This made Kuro’s expression darken, and he fell silent.
"Red-Haired Shanks!"
Beckman, stabilizing his posture, opened his mouth, as if to say We can still fight, but his rational mind—clearly assessing their situation—knew they were finished.
This was the Grand Line. Here, Kuro had already demonstrated absolute control and dominance over the region. And that blood-colored ribbon—on land, they could still handle it, but in the Grand Line, especially when they couldn’t move freely, they couldn’t withstand that kind of attack.
Shanks’s surrender plan was the optimal solution.
Kuro realized this too.
Shanks had only brought several hundred men. Though their annihilation wouldn’t matter much compared to his influence, the core officers remained intact, stationed within his territory. If Shanks and Beckman died here, the inevitable outcome would be the Red Hair Pirates erupting in vengeful war against the Navy.
A full-scale war.
Kuro and the higher-ups wouldn’t fear this—without Shanks and Beckman, the Red Hair Pirates wouldn’t remain a top-tier Emperor. But they’d face the entire Four Emperors’ influence, with inevitable casualties. Their frontline Navy forces would suffer heavy losses. If Shanks refused to surrender, that was unavoidable.
But now he chose to surrender.
Capturing a Four Emperors member alive would grant the Navy far more prestige than a corpse. Adding Shanks’s proposal—releasing Beckman wasn’t significant, as it could help control his pirate crew.
"Why should I trust you?" Kuro narrowed his eyes. "What if Beckman brings everyone here to fight the Navy, maybe even rescues you? I’d lose big. You dying here seems better."
"Won’t live capture be better for you?" Shanks grinned. "Compared to killing me, my crew will still act without direction, attacking you out of rage. But Beckman can control their anger. If you only capture me, they’ll still have a goal to work toward and won’t attack the Navy."
This was true. Accepting his terms, even if Shanks later reneged, would only add Ben Beckman to their list. Even if he broke his word, it was a gamble worth taking.
Kuro glanced at Beckman, then turned back to Shanks, his eyes flickering with consideration.
"I don’t want to die, Kuro", Shanks said openly, glancing at his missing arm, then shrugging. "But no hand doesn’t mean no combat power. Kuro, if we fight again—even if the terrain’s unfavorable—Beckman and I can still hold you off."
That was true. The previous Wu Sheng Kong Sha striking Shanks was because he’d been enraged and thought he’d have no ribbons. Now he’d adjusted, even if Kuro stirred the Grand Line’s chaos, he could still escape.
Without a hand, his combat reflexes and evasion remained sharp. And Beckman was still there—they’d still achieve their goal.
Comparatively, if Kuro accepted Shanks’s terms, delivering him to headquarters and returning would take roughly the same time as them holding him off. Either way, he’d accomplish his mission—just not for as long as they’d originally planned.
But correspondingly, Kuro wouldn’t need to keep fighting. And keeping Shanks alive ensured Beckman would control their influence, preventing war with the Navy.
It was a choice Kuro could make.
"But I still don’t want to die", Shanks continued. "I stopped you to see Luffy’s victory. Even in prison, I want to watch it happen. Please—just like Heavenly Yaksha, maybe send me newspapers once I’m locked up?"
Kuro considered, then relaxed his grip. The Yokai Blade floated midair as golden light rained down—Gold Dust—enveloping the blade once more.
"You’ll still die", Kuro said solemnly. "Now, in battle. Later, by execution. Your kind are valuable cards for the higher-ups—whether boosting prestige or serving as bait. Are you sure?"
He’d never hated Red-Haired Shanks. The pirate had always understood the rules.
"I just want to see the future of the Grand Line", Shanks grinned, baring his teeth. "As for myself—what happens to me isn’t important."
Kuro stared at him for a moment, then sighed. "Such a good babysitter indeed."
Turning to Beckman, he barked: "Scram! You waiting for me to host dinner?"
"Red-Haired Shanks—"
Beckman’s face darkened. His captain surrendered to let him leave—this was unacceptable. It was a humiliation for a crewmate!
"Can I switch with him?!" Beckman made a last plea. "Let me take his place! His hands are gone, but I’m still whole. I’m a complete combatant. Red-Haired Shanks is just a cripple—releasing him is better than me!"
"What nonsense is this?" Kuro sneered. "Just because the Grand Line calls you ‘Vice Emperor’ means you believe it? Red-Haired Shanks is the captain. Naturally, we take the big fish. And stop hesitating—I’m in my hesitation phase now. Wait until I change my mind, and neither of you’ll leave."
"Go, Beckman", Shanks urged. "Restrain the crew. Tell them—it’s not time yet!"
Kuro chuckled coldly at Shanks. "I doubt you’ll ever see that day."
(End of Chapter)(End of Chapter)
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