Chat Group For The Dead : Start From One Piece

The remnants of the Beasts Pirates fled the battlefield, their morale shattered, their bodies battered. The once-mighty force that terrorized Wano was now nothing more than scattered warriors trying to escape with their lives.

However, their retreat was abruptly interrupted.

A looming presence awaited them on the horizon, a crew standing in their path.

The Red Hair Pirates.

At the forefront, Red-Haired Shanks stood with his usual composed expression, his iconic blade, Gryphon, sheathed at his waist. His crew members, radiating strength and confidence, surrounded him, blocking the escape route of Kaido's subordinates.

Flame Disaster King immediately took to the skies, flapping his enormous black wings as he moved in front of Shanks. His golden eyes gleamed with caution as he narrowed his gaze at the Yonko standing before him.

"Red-Haired Shanks," King's voice was filled with wariness. "How did you appear in Wano? This land belongs to the Beasts Pirates. Are you here to provoke a war between our crews?"

Despite the dire situation, King refused to lower his guard. Kaido might have been captured, but that didn't mean they would simply surrender. His priority now was ensuring the survival of what remained of their forces.

Shanks, however, merely grinned in his signature carefree manner.

"Relax," he said, raising his hands slightly as if to show he meant no harm. "I'm not here to fight. I came to stop the fight."

A sharp, cynical laugh escaped from Plague Queen, despite the visible injuries covering his massive frame. His mechanical enhancements whirred as he crossed his arms, smirking at Shanks.

"A peacemaker, huh?" Queen sneered. "You're a Pirate Emperor, yet all you seem to do is meddle in other people's fights. What are you? The sea's babysitter?"

Shanks chuckled, undisturbed by the mocking tone.

"The world isn't ready to be in a complete chaos yet," he said simply.

Queen scoffed, rolling his eyes. "That's rich, coming from a pirate. You make it sound like you're keeping the peace or something."

Behind Shanks, members of the Red Hair Pirates burst into laughter at Queen's words, their relaxed demeanor making it clear that they weren't feeling threatened in the slightest.

"Boss, this guy's looking down on you!" Lucky Roo snorted, taking a huge bite of his meat drumstick.

"How embarrassing," Yasopp grinned. "Someone's actually questioning our captain's way of doing things."

Shanks shook his head with an amused expression before glancing at Ben Beckman, his trusted vice-captain, who had been silently observing. Beckman's sharp eyes scanned the wounded Beasts Pirates before he exhaled a puff of smoke and finally spoke.

"You guys are in bad shape," Beckman said matter-of-factly. "Judging by the injuries, you've just gone through a hell of a battle."

King's eyes narrowed. "And what if we have?"

Beckman gave a knowing smirk. "We already know what happened," he said. "Lucas and your Beasts Pirates clashed. And from the looks of it... you guys were the ones running away."

King's face remained impassive, but his silence spoke volumes.

Beckman's expression didn't change as he continued. "You've retreated, and Kaido isn't with you. That only means one thing—he's still fighting Lucas." He exhaled another puff of smoke. "And if you're retreating… that means Kaido is losing."

Queen growled, but King remained composed, replying in an indifferent tone, "So what?"

Shanks raised an eyebrow at the apathy in King's voice.

"It's not like it's his first time losing," King continued nonchalantly. "Losing battles is nothing new to Kaido."

And it was true. Kaido had been captured, defeated, and even tortured multiple times in the past. Yet, despite his defeats, his legend continued to grow, and his reputation as the "Strongest Creature" remained unchallenged.

Surviving his defeats only reinforced the fear surrounding his existence.

Shanks nodded in understanding. "You don't have to tell me that—I know better than anyone. That's why I'm not here to stop the fight to save Kaido."

A flicker of confusion crossed King's usually stoic face. "Then why are you here?"

Shanks' smile widened. "To save you."

The air grew tense.

King's expression darkened. "You think we need saving?"

Shanks didn't answer immediately. Instead, he took a step forward.

"Listen," he said seriously. "The Four Emperors don't exist because of one strong individual. A pirate crew isn't built on a single name. It's built on its commanders."

His eyes scanned the injured commanders before him.

"If you all fall, the Beasts Pirates will cease to exist. Kaido's strength alone won't keep the empire standing."

His words hit home. The structure of the New World had remained stable for years because the Four Emperors balanced one another out. If one crumbled completely, the others would fight to fill the power vacuum.

Shanks' expression softened. "You're all still alive. That means I got here just in time."

He turned, walking towards the battlefield.

"Let's go watch the fight," he said casually. "I'll mediate and make sure Kaido doesn't end up permanently imprisoned."

King and Queen exchanged wary glances before reluctantly following.

By the time they arrived, the battlefield had mostly quieted.

Shanks' eyes immediately landed on Lucas, who stood over a motionless Kaido, sealing seals glowing on the Emperor's body.

A rare flicker of surprise passed over Shanks' usually calm face.

"Didn't expect you to be this fast," he admitted. His gaze shifted to Kaido. "You actually managed to subdue the King of Beasts?"

Lucas smirked. "Surprised?"

Shanks exhaled. "A little."

Then his expression turned serious.

"You're planning to keep him imprisoned?" Shanks asked.

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"

Shanks met his gaze. "Yes. I'm asking you to let him go."

Lucas blinked. Then, suddenly, he burst into laughter.

"Let Kaido go?" he repeated mockingly. "You must really love yourself to think I'd do that just because you asked me to!"

Shanks' smile faded.

His Conqueror's Haki surged.

The atmosphere shifted.

A storm-like pressure erupted from Shanks, his invisible aura crashing toward Lucas like a tidal wave.

"You're playing with fire," Shanks warned. "If you do this, you'll send the world into chaos."

Lucas' grin widened.

"So what?"

His own Conqueror's Haki burst forth, colliding with Shanks'.

The ground shook. The sky cracked.

Purple lightning flashed violently as their wills clashed, sending tremors throughout the battlefield.

The surrounding pirates staggered, struggling to withstand the overwhelming force of two titanic presences colliding.

The Red Hair Pirates and the Beasts Pirates stood frozen in disbelief.

They had always known Shanks to have one of the strongest Conqueror's Hakis in the world.

But what they were witnessing now...

Lucas wasn't just matching him—he was suppressing him.

The air between Lucas and Red-Haired Shanks crackled with tension as their Conqueror's Haki clashed, purple lightning streaking through the sky. The sheer pressure of their wills created an invisible storm, forcing weaker warriors to collapse, their bodies unable to withstand the overwhelming force.

But amid the chaos, Shanks' eyes widened slightly as he studied Lucas, his senses honing in on something unfamiliar yet oddly familiar.

"Your Haki…" Shanks muttered, eyes narrowing. "It feels… familiar. Almost like Captain Roger's Conqueror's Haki."

Lucas met his gaze without hesitation. "Roger's Haki is part of it," he admitted. "But it's not everything."

Shanks sighed, realization dawning on him.

"I should've expected this." He shook his head. "You can even have multiple Devil Fruit abilities. It shouldn't be surprising that you could inherit someone's Haki as well."

Lucas remained silent, gripping the hilt of his sword, Shusui, as the wind howled between them. His expression was unreadable, but his stance spoke volumes—he was ready to fight.

Shanks, however, chuckled and rested a hand on the hilt of Gryphon, his famed saber.

"Alright," he said with a grin. "I heard you inherited Captain Roger's swordsmanship. Let me see it for myself."

Lucas raised an eyebrow, his amusement flickering briefly. "You're really going to fight me?" His voice was calm but carried an edge of warning. "Let me remind you—I just fought Kaido, and I'm still at full strength. You're not Kaido. You don't have his ridiculous endurance or healing factor."

Shanks tilted his head. "And?"

Lucas smirked, a dangerous glint in his eye.

"A weak sea beast bit off your arm," he said mockingly. "Aren't you afraid I might accidentally kill you?"

For the first time, a hint of embarrassment flashed across Shanks' face. His crew behind him stiffened, trying not to react, but their captain had been called out.

"Where the hell did you get that information?" Shanks muttered.

Lucas waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about that." His tone shifted. "So tell me, Shanks—is Straw Hat Luffy really the 'new era' you believe in? Are you doing all this just to wait for him?"

Shanks' brows furrowed slightly, his usual lighthearted demeanor flickering. But instead of denying it, he nodded.

"That's right."

Lucas scoffed.

"What a bad move."

Shanks' eyes darkened slightly, but Lucas continued.

"Why the hell would you pick Straw Hat Luffy?" His tone dripped with disdain. "Is it because he looks like Roger? If that's your reason, then you're a damn fool. The real Roger lost. What's the point of betting on a mere imitation?"

His words were sharp, cutting through the air like a blade. But Lucas wasn't finished.

"Or… did you figure out his real identity?" His eyes glowed with something unreadable. "Did you think that because he's a D., he's somehow destined to change the world? Is that it?"

Shanks remained silent.

Lucas sneered. "The whole 'bloodline' theory isn't completely wrong, I'll give you that. But being a D. doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things. It's not like they have some special power or divine right to rule."

Shanks tightened his grip on Gryphon, his patience visibly thinning.

"That's enough," he said, drawing his blade.

Lucas smirked. "Ah, I see. You've run out of arguments, so now you want to fight. Typical."

Shanks didn't respond. Instead, he lunged.

Steel clashed against steel.

Lucas parried the attack effortlessly, his own blade, Shusui, meeting Gryphon in a flash of sparks. The two warriors locked eyes as they exchanged rapid blows, neither giving an inch.

Unlike his brutal fight with Kaido, where sheer overwhelming force was the key to victory, this battle was different.

This was a duel. A test of swordsmanship rather than raw power.

Each movement was precise, each strike calculated. Shanks twisted his blade at the last second, attempting to catch Lucas off guard, but Lucas anticipated it, adjusting his stance and countering with a swift upward slash.

The wind howled as their swords danced, the battlefield becoming a stage for two of the world's most skilled swordsmen.

In the Chat Group

While the battle raged on, the chat group was lively as ever.

Pirate King Roger: "This brat Shanks... he's really grown up."

Whitebeard: "Tch. That snot-nosed kid not only caught up to us, but he also got damn eloquent. Too bad I didn't listen to him when he warned me about Ace going after Teach."

Pirate King Roger: "Wait, what? He warned you?"

Whitebeard: "Yeah. Told me Ace was being reckless, but I was too stubborn to stop him."

Pirate King Roger: "Damn it, Whitebeard! Why the hell didn't you listen?!"

Whitebeard: "Tsk."

Whitebeard's single-word reply carried more weight than any argument. Roger understood. Some things couldn't be undone.

Meanwhile, Lucas chimed in.

Lucas: "I have a question. Does Shank have a Devil Fruit, something like the Face Face Fruit, The guy goes around telling people to give him face, maybe that is his power?"

Pirate King Roger: "Face? Hahaha! That would be a ridiculous!"

Whitebeard: "Hmph. If such a fruit existed, I'd like to see what it does. But no, Shanks is a non-fruit user."

Lucas snorted. "Yeah? Well, what about Buggy the Clown? That guy must've eaten the Lucky Fruit because his luck is off the damn charts."

Pirate King Roger: "Buggy? What did he do?"

Lucas: "He accidentally fooled a bunch of legendary criminals into following him, somehow got recruited by the World Government as a Warlord, and is now being treated like a big deal."

Whitebeard: "I can confirm that. The clown luck is insane."

Pirate King Roger: "No way… But now that I think about it, Buggy's always been ridiculously lucky. Still, he's not a Lucky Fruit user—he ate the Chop-Chop Fruit."

Lucas: "Really? Damn. Here I thought you guys only got to Raftel because of Shanks' face face fruit and Buggy's luck."

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