One Piece: The user of the Nen-Nen Fruit, who overturned the sea.

Griffin returned to its sheath, then drew it again—the art of drawing the sword.

But at the moment the sword was drawn, the dark red arcs of Conqueror's Haki that swirled around it no longer just danced on the blade.

Instead, the entire Griffin was integrated with Shanks' right arm.

The knife is no longer just a knife; it is an extension of will.

The person is no longer a person, but the embodiment of dominance.

A dark red slash that pierced the heavens and earth was released from Griffin's blade; the slash itself was silent.

Because even the sound was swallowed up by Conqueror's Haki in the space through which the slash passed.

Roy took a deep breath.

For the first time, his expression turned serious. He activated his Nen-Power Fruit ability at full power, applying gravity suppression to the slash and slowing it down.

Space warped, forming a semi-transparent barrier in front of him, locking the devastating attack in place.

The mental impact transformed into countless fine needles, piercing the core of the will contained within the strike.

Then, Shusui was drawn—Armament Haki, Conqueror's Haki, and Nen power simultaneously enveloped the blade. Roy took a step forward, and the ground beneath his feet exploded.

He transformed into a streak of light, facing head-on the heaven-piercing strike.

Two extremely powerful forces collided.

There was no loud noise as expected, because the sound of the energy burst was beyond the frequency that the human ear could hear.

All anyone saw was a huge dark red energy sphere appear in the center of the training ground.

The sphere of light continued to expand, engulfing everything around it—the stone slabs, the air, the light itself.

Everything was sucked in and shredded by that force. Then the sphere of light exploded.

A blinding white light engulfed the entire training ground.

Everyone instinctively closed their eyes, but even through their tightly closed eyelids, the white light still stained their vision a snowy white.

The shockwave arrived shortly afterward, sending the soldiers in the stands flying. Yamato managed to stay upright by clinging tightly to the railing.

Barrett squinted at the center of the white light, the smile lines at the corners of his mouth deepening.

The white light slowly dissipated.

In the center of the training ground, a giant crater with a diameter of 100 meters appeared.

The bottom of the pit wasn't filled with gravel or soil, but rather with slowly churning magma melted by high temperatures.

The stone slabs affected by the battle melted instantly from the energy burst of that attack, forming a dark red lava lake.

Two people stood at opposite ends of the lava lake.

Shanks' left sleeve was torn open, and blood seeped from the wound, dripping down his forearm.

His breathing was heavy, his chest heaving violently, but a smile still lingered on his lips.

Because opposite him, Roy also had a wound on his right shoulder, his clothes torn by the shock of the slash, and a shallow bloodstain on his skin.

Shanks's strike broke through Roy's psychic defense, gravity suppression, mental shock, and Armament Haki defense, and genuinely injured him.

But that's where it ends.

The tip of Qiu Shui's knife was pressed against Shanks' neck.

This is not a feint, not a threat; it's a real threat placed on our necks.

Just half an inch further, and you could cut through the skin, sever blood vessels, and rupture the trachea.

Griffin stopped less than a fist's distance from Roy, unable to move forward even an inch.

The outcome is decided.

Shanks looked down at the blade pressed against his neck and remained silent for three full breaths.

Then he laughed. A pure, hearty laugh, completely genuine.

"Hahahaha—!"

Shanks released Griffin, letting the famous sword fall to the ground with a crisp sound.

He opened his arms and gave Roy a thumbs-up:

"I lost!"

"We've lost completely!"

"You're still so strong!"

How did you train like that?!

Roy sheathed his sword, reached out and grasped Shanks' hand, pulling him back to safety from the edge of the lava lake.

"Thank you for the favor. To be honest, that last strike of yours almost cleaved me in two."

If it had been just a fraction off, I would have sliced ​​your arm off right now.

"Hahaha! So close! So close!"

Shanks laughed heartily and patted Roy on the shoulder.

"I'll definitely hit it next time!"

The entire stadium erupted in thunderous cheers.

Yamato was the first to rush into the training ground, followed closely by Savi and Burgess, while the Red-Haired Pirates also surged up and surrounded Shanks.

The officials from both sides met at the edge of the giant pit, having long forgotten about the previous battle.

Barrett, unusually, patted Beckman on the shoulder and said his marksmanship had improved. Beckman silently smoked his cigarette and replied:

"Tell me more about you and Whitebeard."

Van Augur and Yasopp begin to compete in sniping skills.

Yamato went straight to Lucky Roux for a second hand-to-hand combat contest—this time it was a contest of who could eat more.

Roy looked at the group of noisy guys, smiled, and shook his head.

Shanks picked up Griffin, sheathed his sword, and walked over to Roy.

The two stood side by side at the edge of the giant pit, watching the bustling scene in the training ground.

"Roy, thank you."

Shanks said, his voice losing its previous boldness and becoming very soft and serious.

Roy didn't speak, he just turned his head and looked at him.

"Over the years, I've been chasing a shadow. The shadow of Captain Roger."

Shanks lowered his head and looked at his hands.

"God's Evasion, Conqueror's Haki, and the battle with those old guys—I've always thought that I need to become stronger than the captain to be worthy of that straw hat."

Only then can I live up to the era he entrusted to me. But when I lost just now, I suddenly understood.

He looked up at Roy, his eyes clear.

"I don't need to be Captain Roger, nor do I need to surpass anyone."

All I need to do is be myself.

"Just like you, become a leader of this era."

Roy paused for a moment, then laughed and punched Shanks on the shoulder:

"When did you become so eloquent?"

"You woke me up just now!" Shanks laughed heartily.

Roy hosted another banquet that evening.

The atmosphere was even more heated than last night. The outcome of the battle between the cadres was long forgotten, and everyone was immersed in the exhilaration after the battle and the revelry of alcohol.

The meat-fighting contest between Yamato and Lucky Roux has entered a heated phase.

Tesoro set off fireworks at the banquet with lightning, which ignited the firework vines planted with pea seeds upon landing.

Multicolored fireworks exploded simultaneously in the sky and on the ground, illuminating the entire palace as if it were daytime.

Beckman, unusually, didn't smoke and clinked glasses with Barrett while holding a glass of wine.

Hawkeye and Shanks made a pact that their next sword duel would result in the loser having to cook.

The banquet lasted until late at night, and no one was willing to leave early.

the next morning,

The Red Fox slowly sailed away from the port of Beehive Island.

Shanks stood at the bow of the ship, his right hand resting on the hilt of Griffin's sword, the brim of his straw hat fluttering slightly in the morning breeze.

He turned to look at the figure at the end of the harbor.

Roy stood at the highest point of the dock, the morning light shining from behind him, enveloping him in a golden halo.

Shanks raised his right hand in that direction and grinned. Roy also raised his hand and waved.

Hancock stood beside Roy, her deep purple eyes reflecting the departing sails.

Luo, holding the Ghost Cry, leaned against the dock railing, his eyes filled with determination. Robin, holding the thick ancient book, wore a gentle smile.

Barrett stood behind with his arms crossed, unable to suppress the smile on his lips.

Tesoro hovered in mid-air, lightning dancing at his fingertips.

Hawkeye, leaning on his black sword, watched as his kindred spirit's ship disappeared into the morning mist.

A new era for this sea has begun.

The era of Roy has only just begun.