"What a coincidence, Shanks!" Gaban stepped forward, casually slapping Shanks on the shoulder without any reservation.
"You've really... grown so much stronger! To think you even managed to capture Loki alive!"
"To be honest, luck played a part..." Shanks smiled modestly. "That's one of the benefits of not having a Devil Fruit."
"Luck or not, since you're here in Elbaf, come meet my wife and son with us!"
"Wife? Son?"
A trace of bewilderment flashed in Shanks' eyes.
After seeing Rayleigh nod slightly in confirmation, he asked with a mix of amusement and disbelief.
"Gaban-san... how on earth did you... Wait, no, never mind, don't tell me!"
"Enough already, do men always have to be so long-winded when they meet?" Gloriosa pointed at Shanks.
"You two had better wake up. This young man came here with a fierce fighting spirit burning in his eyes."
Rayleigh and Gaban turned to look at Shanks.
Indeed, their reunion had momentarily made them overlook the extra details.
At Gloriosa's words, they immediately sensed the fiery intensity emanating from Shanks.
This kid...
He really came here to fight them!
"You... came with that in mind?"
"I didn't know you two would be in Elbaf... I originally planned to visit the Cross Guild for guidance after finishing my business here." Shanks grinned with uncontainable excitement.
"But since fate has brought us together... I must ask, Rayleigh-san... please teach me!"
Rayleigh sighed and pointed at his own nose.
"Why me? Isn't Gaban right here too?"
"Gaban-san just mentioned his wife and son are in Elbaf." Shanks shrugged. "I don't want to be inconsiderate. Those who disrupt reunions deserve to be kicked by a donkey."
"You really are... as thoughtful as ever." Rayleigh sighed again, then glanced at Gerd. "There aren't any taboos about fighting here in Elbaf, are there?"
"Of course not! In the Land of Warriors, combat is a sacred act—it can begin anytime, anywhere... and no one will interfere!" Gerd stepped back as he spoke. "But it'd be better if you could keep things under control and avoid damaging the surrounding buildings."
Rayleigh looked around and gave a wry smile.
The massive houses nearby were at least a hundred meters away!
A simple spar wouldn't even come close to affecting them.
"Alright... Shanks, let this old man see just how much you've grown over the years!" Rayleigh slowly drew his sword.
"Don't cry if you lose."
"Crying... is a thing of the past."
The moment those words fell, the atmosphere around both men instantly transformed.
The overwhelming Conqueror's Haki erupted simultaneously, clashing violently against each other.
Shanks and Rayleigh, Red Hair and the Dark King.
Their Conqueror's Haki instantly tore the sky apart.
Such a spectacle immediately captured the attention of all the warriors of Elbaf.
The giant warriors of Elbaf were not only passionate about battle but also eager to witness the fights of others.
Let alone a clash between two Conqueror's Haki users powerful enough to rend the heavens.
Thus, in just the short time their Haki collided, many giant warriors had already gathered around.
"A clash of Conqueror's Haki… how terrifying."
"What's happening in Elbaf today? To think two such powerful outsiders would battle here!"
"Regardless, witnessing such a fight is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
As the giant warriors buzzed with excitement, the two men finally moved.
Shanks, still in his prime, was one thing.
But Rayleigh, despite his graying hair, matched Shanks in speed and precision without faltering.
"Gryphon" clashed against an unnamed longsword, sending sparks flying.
A battle of relentless offense and defense erupted instantly.
"Hahaha! Shanks! You've improved at an astonishing rate!" Rayleigh exchanged blows with Shanks, unable to suppress a genuine laugh.
"It seems you truly are worthy of inheriting that straw hat!"
"Rayleigh-san… it's not yet time for that."
Shanks spoke, using the momentum from a clash of blades to leap backward.
In that instant, his Conqueror's Haki abruptly condensed—not dissipating, but gathering into a single point.
"Divine Departure!"
As Rayleigh watched Shanks unleash this slash, a figure seemed to faintly overlap with him from behind.
"They're truly alike," Rayleigh murmured to himself. "It seems you've truly stepped onto the path fate has laid out for you."
At this thought, a ripple of emotion stirred in Rayleigh's heart.
He knew Shanks' origins all too well.
Though a Celestial Dragon, Shanks held no attachment to the Holy Land.
"Hey, Rayleigh, what are you spacing out for? Getting distracted in battle isn't a good habit, you know!?"
A voice descended from the sky.
A sword followed, wrapped in a trace of Conqueror's Haki, cleanly intercepting the "Divine Departure" technique.
Instinctively, everyone's eyes turned to the straight sword now embedded in the ground.
Then, light descended from above.
"First! Never act on impulse!"
"Second! Never overlook a single wrongdoing!"
"Third! Deliver judgment with absolute fairness and flair!"
"Angel D. Michael! Here to make his grand entrance!"
For a moment, the onlookers, as well as Shanks and Rayleigh mid-battle, fell into an eerie silence.
Michael, who had struck the pose of Captain Libellule mid-descent, now felt a long-dormant sense of awkwardness under the weight of the silence.
He had just been indulging in a bit of fun…
'Why weren't these giants playing along, dammit?!'
So, under the silent stares, Michael quietly straightened up, walked forward, and pulled his sword from the ground.
"Mamamamamama! Michael, your comedic skills are inversely proportional to your combat prowess!"
Charlotte Linlin landed on the shores of Elbaf right after.
The moment she did, every giant over sixty years old in the vicinity tensed up.
Charlotte Linlin—they would never forget this terrifying woman!
"Your expressions are truly twisted," Charlotte Linlin remarked, turning to gaze at Gerd, whose face was contorted with conflict.
She sighed.
"Even after all these years, you still hate me, don't you? Gerd?"
---------
Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator