Chapter 391: Darkness Will Replace His Eyes
On the coastline, the fierce battle between Andre and Shanks raged on.
The longer they fought, the more uneasy Shanks felt. It was clear that Andre was being steadily overwhelmed, yet he had not once unleashed the ability to create magic patterns. Did this man not possess that power? If the fight continued like this, Andre would surely be defeated.
At this moment, Andre's body was drenched in blood. He could no longer block all of Shanks' relentless attacks. Despite his battered and humiliated appearance, he wore an expression of utter indifference.
"More! Come on, red-haired! Is this all the strength you have?" Andre taunted in a low but steady voice.
Seeing Andre's arrogance even in such a dire state, Shanks sensed something was deeply wrong with his opponent. Nevertheless, he prepared to unleash his most powerful technique. He could not afford to delay any longer.
The magic pattern form came with serious side effects. After using it, one had to rest to recover from the mental and physical toll it exacted. If it was used too many times in quick succession, meaning multiple activations in a short period, the consequences could be unpredictable.
Shanks and his crew had only conducted limited experiments with it. Shanks himself held the record, having used it three times in a short span, but even with his sharp instincts, he could sense an irreversible danger lurking beyond that limit. Others in his crew fared worse: Beckman could manage it twice, while Roux could only handle it once before needing to recover.
The difference seemed to stem from the strength of their abilities and their physical and mental endurance. In general, it was unwise to prolong the use of the magic pattern form. Ending its strain on the body and mind as soon as possible allowed for faster recovery.
With a sharp exhale, Shanks halted his furious onslaught. His entire body grew still, as if time itself had paused. He tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, adjusted his breathing, and began to gather energy for his ultimate move.
In that moment, Andre felt a dangerous aura radiating from Shanks, growing stronger by the second. The sheer menace of it briefly cleared the madness in Andre's eyes, only for a wilder, more frenzied grin to spread across his face.
"Come on! Bring it, red-haired!" Andre shouted, his voice cold and unhinged.
Under Andre's manic and icy stare, Shanks' presence transformed. The blood on his body seemed to ignite, and his aura erupted with explosive force.
"Extreme Bloody Void!" Shanks declared.
In an instant, his Armament Haki, masterful swordsmanship, and raw killing intent fused into a single, devastating strike. A radiant crimson light surged along Shanks' blade, slashing toward Andre at a speed far greater than any of his previous attacks.
For those watching, the world seemed to drown in a blinding wave of scarlet blood. The crimson brilliance overwhelmed their vision.
A thunderous boom echoed as a domineering aura burst forth the moment Shanks struck.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The onlookers reeled as the overpowering presence washed over them. Was this Conqueror's Haki? They raised their hands to shield their eyes from the dazzling red light.
What had happened? Has a victor emerged?
As the blinding crimson glow faded, questions swirled in everyone's minds. Hughes, a member of the Andre Pirates, watched anxiously from a distance, his eyes fixed on the battlefield, awaiting the outcome.
Drip, drip, drip
The sound of dripping blood filled the air like water spilling onto the ground. The soil beneath was soaked, stained a rusty red, as if coated in oxidized iron.
What was this?
Finally, the scene on the battlefield came into clear view. Shanks' figure stood tall, having just passed by Andre, who remained behind him, his back turned. Shanks held his sword level in the air, its blade glowing with a rich red light. Ruby-like droplets of blood dripped from the edge, each one hitting the ground with a soft tick.
Behind him, Andre bore a massive wound across his upper body. Blood poured from it freely, as if it cost him nothing. From the vantage point of the nearby pirate ships, the onlookers could just make out the horrifying gash.
"Andre!" Hughes cried out, unable to contain his fear at the sight of his captain's grievous injury.
As if hearing Hughes' voice, Andre turned his head slightly to look at him. He had reverted from his human-beast form, and the crazed aura that had clung to him was gone. His face showed no trace of despair despite the severity of his wound. Instead, it was alight with exhilaration.
"Stop your whining, Hughes! I'm not dead yet!" Andre barked.
On the pirate ship, Hughes' eyes brightened at Andre's defiant tone. Has his captain finally overcome the ordeal?
Back on the coast, Andre turned to face Shanks after his brief exchange with Hughes. Shanks, as if in silent agreement, turned to meet him. His face was grave, devoid of any satisfaction from landing such a critical blow.
During the execution of his ultimate technique, something unexpected had happened. Andre had suddenly unleashed his own Conqueror's Haki, summoning a majestic yet chilling black giant crocodile directly in front of him. The creature had appeared formidable, but Shanks' strike had sliced through it as easily as if it were paper, offering no resistance.
Now, however, it seemed Andre had summoned it deliberately.
"Hahaha! Red-haired Shanks, I owe you my thanks," Andre said in a triumphant voice. "It was you who freed me from my chains. I've finally rid myself of that wretched nuisance. This ability, this magic power, is truly mine now!"
As he spoke, the strange energy lingering around Andre's wound was purged by his use of Armament Haki and magic power. The torrential bleeding slowed to a trickle. Yet, even as an ancient Zoan-type ability user, Andre had lost too much blood. The massive wound, combined with his earlier injuries, had pushed him to the brink of collapse. The magic pattern form was immensely taxing on both body and mind. In his current state, with such severe physical damage, the magic power would erode his body even faster, increasing the strain to dangerous levels.
"Chains? Magic power?" Shanks repeated, his expression growing even more serious as he observed Andre's elation.
His thoughts drifted to an encounter in the Magic Mist Sea, where he had faced two demons. One, named Winter, had fought against his crew, while another, ghostly demon had targeted the Andre Pirates, causing trouble. That ghostly figure was likely the "nuisance" Andre referred to.
What was happening here? Was this power truly called magic power? The name felt fitting, did demons wield this same force?
Shanks' gaze fell on the massive wound still oozing blood on Andre's body, and he pondered in silence.
Andre's laughter ceased when Shanks offered no reply. Under Shanks' astonished gaze, a dark power began to seep from Andre's body. Like a curtain, it enveloped his wounds, sealing them shut.
Ignoring Shanks' surprise, Andre extended his hand, feeling the dark energy flowing through his palm. A wide, manic grin spread across his face. This was his new ability, born from the magic power he now commanded.
In the Magic Mist Sea, a repulsive demon had taken an interest in him, curious about what made a human like Andre, who possessed Conqueror's Haki, so unique. The demon had injected a vast amount of magic power into his body. Not only that, but a ghostly entity had also invaded him, merging with his being. Through complex transformations, this presence had evolved into the giant black crocodile that had plagued his mind, distorting his consciousness and causing him immense discomfort.
During Shanks' attack, Andre had seized the opportunity. He used his Conqueror's Haki to force the crocodile's consciousness to manifest and block the strike. When Shanks' magic-infused blow landed, it shattered the crocodile's cold, intrusive presence. Andre had taken advantage of that moment to destroy it completely.
Now, he could wield this dark power freely. With it, he feared nothing, not even blindness.
Darkness will replace his eyes.
( End of this chapter )