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"Nani?"
The pirate's startled exclamation echoed as he instinctively turned toward the motionless wreckage.
Rowen's reckless attack with Rising Dragon Esoterics had successfully struck Shanks. But the counterattack left Rowen exposed to the full, devastating force of the second half of Shanks' 'Emperor Comes'.
The overwhelming storm of sword energy slashed through Rowen's body like a relentless tide, tearing it apart and riddling it with gaping wounds.
The sheer force of the strike shredded his Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki) barrier and, without question, cleaved his body in two.
But…
The sight before the pirate's eyes was horrifying beyond belief.
At the point of Rowen's severed body, strands of bloody tissue writhed like living worms, stretching and reconnecting to the opposing halves.
The grotesque scene of tendons and flesh binding themselves back together left the pirate stunned. He collapsed to the deck in terror, a wet patch spreading across his trousers.
"M-monster!!"
Rowen's shattered head was an unrecognizable mess of pulp, his facial features obliterated. Yet, impossibly, he was not dead.
The fragments of his body were healing at a terrifying rate.
Glug… glug…
From within the mangled flesh, one of his eyeballs reassembled itself and began to swivel unnaturally on a mushy mass of muscle and sinew.
Even with just a single reconstructed eye, Shanks could clearly see Rowen's mocking disdain.
"Get back!!"
Shanks' voice thundered as he forced himself to stand.
He knew too well— this level of attack wasn't enough to kill Rowen. No one, so far, had found a way to permanently put him down, much like the infamous Kaido.
While Rowen's defenses weren't as monstrous as Kaido's, his relentless offensive capabilities ensured he could exploit any opening.
Shanks couldn't afford to let him recover fully and mount another assault.
Thud!
Shanks stomped hard, launching himself into the air, fresh blood trailing behind him. He swung Griffin, aiming a decisive strike at the prone Rowen.
But just before the blade could land, something dark flickered in his peripheral vision. Alarmed, Shanks instinctively pulled Griffin back to block.
Clang…!
Ka-dang!!
Gripping the Thunder Dragon Crescent-Sided Halberd was a skeletal hand stripped of nearly all its flesh. The pale white bones writhed grotesquely as muscles and sinews rapidly regenerated, pouring strength into the grasp.
Under normal circumstances, Shanks could easily counter such an attack.
But in his current state— grievously wounded and on the verge of collapse— the strike became the final straw.
"Urgh!"
Shanks coughed up a mouthful of blood, his body hurled backward. He crashed heavily onto the deck, rolling uncontrollably before coming to a stop.
"Hah… Thought I was done for there."
Under the horrified gaze of the pirate, Rowen's body, now nearly reformed, rose slowly from the ground.
The white skeletal frame was quickly covered with newly grown muscle. Cracked bones snapped back into place as Rowen's body realigned itself.
Creak…
Rowen twisted his head, which had rotated 180 degrees during the battle, and snapped it back into place with a sickening crunch. He inhaled deeply, easing the residual pain in his neck.
"Impressive! Truly worthy of the title of the youngest Yonko."
Rowen's voice carried both admiration and irritation as he spoke.
"To earn the acknowledgment of those monsters at such a young age… Shanks, you are no ordinary man."
In the past, Rowen had never faced the full force of 'Emperor Comes'. His previous encounters with Shanks had either been interrupted or mitigated by external factors, such as his reliance on Sea Crystals.
But now, having directly experienced the devastating might of the attack, Rowen was awed.
This single slash had the destructive power to rank among the greatest in the world.
Were it not for his near-immortal regenerative abilities, Shanks' strike would have undoubtedly killed him.
Reflecting on the past, Rowen concluded that, aside from Kaido, the other Yonko of that era— regardless of their fearsome reputations— shared this same lethal potential.
This was Shanks' true trump card, a terrifying attack capable of obliterating anything in its path.
But in the end…
Reality has no "what-ifs."
If Rowen hadn't possessed his regenerative ability, he would never have risked such an unfavorable exchange, giving Shanks the opportunity to land a fatal blow.
So...
"It's over, pirate!"
Rowen acknowledged that regenerating his body had consumed considerable stamina. His internal state now revealed signs of self-digestion, leaving a persistent fiery pain. However, in the short term, it didn't diminish his combat ability.
Shanks, on the other hand, was clearly at his limit.
The stamina he had left was only enough for one last desperate move.
"It's not over yet, Soryu (Azure Dragon)!"
At these words, Shanks felt a surge of determination. He shoved aside the broken planks and swung his upper body upright, gritting his teeth against the pain.
Blood soaked his lower body, darkening his black pants even further. Each staggering step he took left a glaring trail of crimson.
"Heh! Futile struggle."
Crack-kraaak!
Rowen smirked coldly, spinning his Thunder Halberd as arcs of lightning danced around him. The oppressive aura he exuded seemed to spread infinitely, weighing down the air.
Thud!
With a small step, Rowen launched himself forward like a thunderbolt.
"Die!"
Shanks roared, swinging his battered and cracked Griffin as he charged toward Rowen with equal ferocity.
Clang!!
Boom!
The two combatants clashed in an instant, their weapons colliding with a brilliant flash. Sparks erupted as their blades deflected off each other.
But in that instant, Shanks' famed blade, which had been his loyal companion for years, let out a mournful wail before shattering into countless fragments.
The violent impact coursed through Shanks' arm, spreading through his entire body. He couldn't hold back a mouthful of blood as weakness overtook him. His limbs felt heavy, and his vision dimmed.
"It's over."
Rowen's voice, barely above a whisper, carried an air of finality.
Shanks instinctively lifted his head and saw the Thunder Halberd descending toward him like the wrath of a god.
"No!!"
Shanks let out a roar of defiance, unwilling to accept the end.
"This ends now!!!"
Suddenly, a thunderous shout broke through the chaos.
Boom…!!!
A cloud of debris and shattered wood erupted as an unknown force intervened.
Shanks was struck and sent rolling across the deck, tumbling until he crashed into the railing.
Rowen remained in his downward-striking posture, his eyes narrowing as he spotted a wide hand gripping the pole of his Thunder Halberd.
His gaze turned icy, his voice sharp.
"Even now, you still want to stop me, Chief?"
The figure that had interrupted the strike was none other than Bald Zero, clad in immaculate white robes.
His compact, muscular frame had expanded significantly, muscles bulging as his skin gleamed with a golden sheen. He looked like a reincarnated Arhat, exuding an overwhelming presence.
Veins bulged on Zero's forehead as his arm bones creaked from the strain. He gripped Rowen's halberd with immense effort, holding it back.
Had it not been for Zero's intervention, Shanks wouldn't have merely been sent sprawling— he would have been obliterated by the attack.
Hearing Rowen's words, Zero gritted his teeth, tightened his grip, and with a burst of strength, shoved the halberd aside.
Breathing heavily, Zero positioned himself between the two warriors, his expression serious.
"I think you misunderstand something, Soryu (Azure Dragon)."
"Although he has a mutually beneficial relationship with us, you, as a Marine, wanting to kill a pirate is no concern of mine."
"Oh? Then why are you here?"
Rowen's icy glare remained fixed on Zero. His body radiated crackling lightning as serpents of electricity slithered across his form.
Amidst the darkened sky, illuminated by flashes of thunder and lightning, Rowen stood holding his black halberd, an image of divine wrath incarnate.
"As a CP0 agent, I'm simply following orders." Zero let out a sigh of relief and calmly replied.
He then reached into his robes and pulled out a Den Den Mushi (Transponder Snail).
"The Gorosei (Five Elder Stars) wish to speak with you."
Upon hearing this, Rowen frowned slightly and took the Den Den Mushi.
"Hello, this is Rowen."
"Rowen, is Shanks still alive?"
As expected, the voice of the mustached Elder Star came through the snail. The solemn expression mimicked by the Den Den Mushi reflected the gravity of the situation.
Hearing the question, Rowen glanced at Shanks, lying on the ground like a wounded animal. The pirate was struggling to get up but kept collapsing back down due to his severe injuries.
"He's barely breathing... What, you want him alive?"
"Yes, and no."
Hearing that Shanks was still alive, the mustached Elder Star audibly exhaled in relief.
"Hand over the item to him and let him leave, Rowen."
Bang!!!
Rowen's eyes widened sharply as an overwhelmingly oppressive aura surged from him. His voice, devoid of any emotion, cut through the air.
"I'm sorry, I must've misheard... Did you just tell me to let him go?"
"That's correct!"
Anticipating Rowen's reaction, the Elder Star quickly explained:
"Do not forget, Rowen, our real crisis right now stems from the rebellion over Pure Gold. That is the true threat capable of endangering us!"
"Allowing him to leave with the item is a calculated move to divert the pirates' attention. Do you understand?!"
"This is also his personal request!"
Rowen's eyes narrowed upon hearing this.
So it's like that, after all!
(Chapter Ends)