Chapter 152: I Took Down Shanks
Chapter 152: I Took Down Shanks
Headquarters, Marineford.
Meeting Hall.
Sengoku, Garp, Kagi, and the Three Admirals gathered inside the vast circular chamber surrounding the central table.
Sengoku kept one hand in his pocket, gazing outside at the growing number of Marines already assembling across Marineford. After a long silence, he picked up a file from the table and fed it to the goat-like creature beside him.
This was the official condemnation report from the World Nobles.
Once the creature finished chewing, Sengoku turned to Lucius Kro. "Borsalino, you let the main culprits escape. How do you explain this?"
Lucius Kro casually trimmed his nails. His eyes widened in mock surprise as he replied, "Oh~ How scary, Sengoku-san. But you know, he really did slip away. After all, 'Pluton' Silvers Rayleigh was there, and Bear acted unpredictably. You can't blame me for this."
"Cursed Bear! And that bastard Silvers Rayleigh too! If they were going to retire, why not stay hidden like proper old men?!"
Sengoku growled through gritted teeth.
"Puhahaha! Now that's rotten luck! Was Silvers Rayleigh at Sabaody?" Garp laughed heartily while crunching on a rice cracker.
"Shut up, Garp! This is all because of your grandson!"
Sengoku lunged forward, grabbing Garp's collar. "If you weren't the Navy's hero, I'd have you take full responsibility already!"
"Puhahaha! Such a heavy responsibility wouldn't fit an old man's lifespan anyway!" Garp grinned, tossing another cracker into his mouth.
Sengoku shot Garp a venomous glare before snatching the rice cracker bag from his hands and dumping the entire contents into his own mouth.
"Ahhh! My precious rice crackers!" Garp wailed.
"Silence! If not for you, the World Nobles wouldn't be this troublesome! Just when things were critical, Bear had to go slap away one of our key battle forces!" Sengoku spat bitterly before turning back to Lucius Kro. "Borsalino, where's Kuro now?"
"Haven't heard from him. Kuro didn't contact the old man either."
Lucius Kro shrugged. "Come to think of it, Sengoku's subordinates are still capturing pirates at Sabaody. Those should compensate for losses."
"Get him back immediately! The execution is in four days. No accidents allowed!" Sengoku ordered.
That warrior praised by 'Hawk-Eye' had been pivotal in this war.
Lucius Kro sheathed his nail clippers. "Dunno where he is. By now, he's probably reached wherever Bear sent him. Anyway, he'll return if he wants to."
Kagi pierced him with a sharp glance. "Trying to evade this battle? Unforgivable. Borsalino, you should rein in your juniors better. Youth must carry greater responsibility."
"Oh~ Such harsh words." Lucius Kro shrugged again.
"Reporting, Sengoku Grand Admiral!"
Suddenly, a Vice Admiral burst in clutching a Transponder Snail. "We intercepted communication from the Whitebeard Pirates!"
In his hands was a black Den Den Mushi.
"Hmph? At this timing?"
Sengoku straightened. "Play it immediately!"
"Yes!"
The Vice Admiral activated the bugged Den Den Mushi. Static crackled before a voice broke through.
"Scorpion? This is Halta. Full mobilization! We're at Safu Island's Kusnake Town. A Navy officer blocked us here, fighting Dad directly. More Navy reinforcements likely. Final battle imminent!"
The distorted voice grew clearer.
"Halta?" Kuzan removed his eyepatch, his usual lethargy vanishing. "One of the Twelve Crew Commanders. He usually stays with Whitebeard."
"A Navy officer?" Sengoku frowned. "Impossible! All our forces have withdrawn!"
The assembled Admirals exchanged glances—all were present. Tatsumaki and Momousagi guarded Mariejois, impossible to appear here.
Who could this be?
The bugged Den Den Mushi crackled with distant explosions. Then came Whitebeard's unmistakable thunderous voice.
"Become my son!"
"Your swordsmanship and Devil Fruit inheritance—Shanks gave you everything! You shouldn't serve the Navy! Turn pirate! Become my son! Let me protect you until your name shakes the Grand Line!"
Shanks?!
Sengoku and Garp froze in shock.
Shanks—the one who vanished twenty years ago.
They thought he'd become legend. What was this new revelation?
Someone inheriting everything?
---
New World, Safu Island.
Whitebeard roared at Kuro. "Shanks taught you everything, yet you chose Navy? Do you not shame his name?"
"Huh?" Kuro raised an eyebrow, raising his hand.
Another barrage of Black Gun erupted.
Bang!
Whitebeard's fist shattered the incoming projectiles, laughing. "Oh? Getting angry?"
"No, old man. You've misunderstood something."
Kuro raised his hand again.
"That senile bastard with a ship's rudder for a head merely let me analyze his combat techniques during our fight and gave me two pieces of advice. For that, I burn incense for him annually."
Boom! Boom!
"Born to a respectable civilian family, I joined the Navy at ten and climbed ranks honorably. No pirate blood stains me! Don't slander me recklessly!"
A storm of weapons pierced the ocean mist, gathering above Kuro.
This time, the density darkened the sky.
Among countless blades flew two unmistakable swords.
Sakujū and Kigō.
Kuro declared, "Don't use that disgusting 'inheritance' word. Navy never inherits from pirates! Rather, killing pirates and claiming their legacy—that's Navy's way!"
"Not without defeating Shanks first!"
The metallic storm bombarded Whitebeard.
Whitebeard's fist crushed the air itself, creating shockwaves. Except for the two swords, every weapon shattered or fell into the sea, raining iron fragments.
"Oh? Remarkable! Have today's brats truly ended an era?" Whitebeard grinned murderously at Kuro.
---
Headquarters.
After heavy silence, Kuzan pointed at the Transponder Snail. "That's Kuro's voice?"
All eyes turned to Lucius Kro, waiting.
Lucius Kro pursed his lips. "Oh~ Scary indeed. Kuro... took down Shanks?"
Kagi recalled, "Back at sea, he was bound by Seastone when something descended. Tina complained to me about your subordinates requisitioning warehouses of Black Gun."
Akainu smirked. "Good! Pirates deserve total annihilation!"
Sengoku still looked stunned. "Is Shanks truly dead?"
"Another Grand Line legend fallen. That kid did well—claimed Shanks' power too." Garp chuckled wistfully.
Sengoku snapped back. "Then Kuro confronts Whitebeard in the New World? We can't reach there quickly! Borsalino, go retrieve Kuro!"
Lucius Kro stood. "Guess I'll make an old man's move this time. Else Kuro might have it rough."
(End of Chapter)
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