The deck of the Red Force trembled slightly under the weight of two uninvited guests.
Shun Kaien and Douglas Bullet stood tall, their presence suffocating, as the Red-Haired Pirates cautiously circled them. Though Shanks' crew had seen many storms, this encounter stirred a primal fear none of them could suppress.
Red-Haired Shanks himself stood at the center, one hand casually gripping the hilt of Gryphon, but his gaze sharpened upon Douglas Bullet.
For a brief moment, he scanned Bullet's face, his memories stirring like ancient ghosts from the depths of the past.
"Douglas Bullet..." Shanks muttered at last.
A ripple of shock spread through his crew.
Ben Beckman's expression stiffened as he exhaled a slow plume of smoke, eyes narrowing. "Impossible... the Douglas Bullet? From Roger's ship?"
Shun chuckled.
"Took you long enough to recognize an old comrade, Shanks," Bullet said with an arrogant grin, stepping forward, his massive frame radiating menace.
"Didn't expect you to live long enough to see me again, brat."
Shanks' crew stiffened. Their captain—once a mere apprentice during the golden age of Roger's Pirates—was now one of the Four Emperors. Yet even he showed traces of unease before this man.
"What do you want, Bullet?" Shanks asked cautiously.
Shun stepped in smoothly, his tone light but laced with disdain.
"Simple. Your ship. This rust-bucket of ours is hardly fit for a king. Yours? It's worthy of my ambitions."
The entire deck erupted in muffled rage. Pirates gripped weapons. Tension thickened.
Shanks' crew bristled, but Shanks raised his hand, silencing them. His eyes narrowed.
"And you are...?" Shanks asked, shifting his focus to Shun, who stood with casual confidence.
"Shun Kaien," Shun introduced himself, smirking. "New blood. You'll be hearing my name a lot."
Shanks' expression darkened. "You dare demand the Red Force? You underestimate me."
Shun yawned theatrically. "Do I? Or do you overestimate yourself? You're missing an arm, after all."
That jab made even Beckman flinch.
In a blink, Beckman raised his rifle.
"Bang!"
A precise shot fired at Shun's head, only for a jet-black hand to intercept it mid-air, the bullet crushed effortlessly between two fingers.
Bullet scoffed, shaking his head.
"These brats... thinking they can play soldier in front of me?"
Beckman's hand tensed on his rifle, but even he realized—they were completely outmatched.
At that moment, a sudden shadow swept down from the sky.
A News Coo.
It landed awkwardly on the deck, dropping a newspaper. Lucky Roux tossed it to Shanks as the bird flew off.
Shanks caught it, flipping open the pages.
His pupils shrank.
There, on the front page, were Shun Kaien and Douglas Bullet, their brutal escape from Impel Down splashed across the headlines.
Defeating Magellan. Defeating Shiryu. Escaping the inescapable prison.
Silence engulfed the Red Force's deck.
Even the most boisterous among them clenched their fists in growing dread.
"You... escaped from Impel Down's Level 6?" Shanks asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"More like we tore through it," Shun corrected casually, "And now, you just happened to cross our path."
Shanks gritted his teeth.
"You still can't have my ship. This ship carries my crew's dreams. I won't hand it over, no matter who you are."
Shun's grin widened.
"Dreams? Maybe I should remind your crew about the secret meetings you've had... with the Five Elders."
The words cut like daggers through the salty air.
Everyone froze.
Even Bullet's grin turned curious.
Shanks' face paled.
"You..." Shanks started, but Shun raised a finger.
"Careful, Shanks. Say the wrong thing and I might let your crew hear the rest of that story."
A wave of disbelief swept the deck. Beckman, Lucky Roux, Yasopp—they all turned to Shanks, their trust visibly wavering.
"You think pirates will tolerate a lapdog of the World Government?" Shun continued, his words dripping like poison into the ears of every Red-Haired Pirate present.
Shanks broke into a cold sweat.
This was no longer about power—it was about survival. Reputation. The fragile mask that held the New World in balance.
"You're bluffing..." Shanks growled.
Shun smiled.
"Am I? Go ahead, deny it in front of your crew."
Shanks' grip on Gryphon tightened. His legendary calm was cracking.
"Give us your ship, Shanks," Bullet said coldly, stepping forward. "You can keep your pride... if you hand over the Red Force now."
Shanks remained silent.
Even he understood.
They were forcing him into a corner from which he couldn't escape with strength alone.
"You have two choices," Shun added lazily. "Hand over the ship. Or... I spread your dirty little secret across the New World. Let's see how long you last."
For the first time since ascending to the throne of Emperor, Shanks felt powerless.
Beckman finally spoke, his voice low, bitter.
"Captain... what's the play?"
Shanks shut his eyes.
Moments passed in suffocating silence.
"Fine..." Shanks said at last, his voice hollow. "Take the Red Force."
A gasp echoed across the crew.
Beckman clenched his jaw but said nothing.
Shun grinned victoriously.
"Good choice, Emperor. You can take your men and row back to the East Blue. Maybe open a bar. You're not fit for this sea anymore."
Shanks said nothing more.
Defeated, humiliated, the once-proud Red-Haired Pirates abandoned their ship, retreating into lifeboats.
Shun and Bullet stood on the deck of their new flagship, looking down at the broken Emperor as he drifted away into the endless blue.
Douglas Bullet laughed heartily.
"Well, Captain... looks like you're the new Red Emperor now."
Shun's smirk faded into a cold, calculating stare.
"This is just the beginning, Bullet."