"Scam them, you say?"
Everyone was initially surprised, but then quickly understood and couldn't help but reevaluate how Urogue thought.
Put simply, it meant forcing the Beasts Pirates to hand over a piece of flesh—metaphorically speaking. In a world ruled by the law of the jungle, it was perfectly natural for the strong to prey on the weak, for the victors to extort the losers. If Elior's group had been the weaker party, Kaido would've done the same without hesitation.
Elior, hearing Urogue's suggestion, was a bit tempted.
However...
Kaido's territory?
Artificial Devil Fruits?
Poneglyphs?
Wano?
If they tried to threaten Kaido's crew now, things would immediately turn hostile. And even though Elior's group was powerful, they were still just a handful of people—not a major force. Even if Kaido handed Wano over right now, Elior wouldn't have the numbers to control it.
Plus, with the looming shadow of the Marineford War, Elior had no time or energy to extort Kaido.
Still, after the war... a little courtesy visit to Wano might not be a bad idea.
"Someone's coming."
At that moment, Bullet said to Elior, pointing in another direction.
To the right—a group of people was approaching. Not many of them, but the red-haired man leading them instantly drew everyone's attention, including the Beasts Pirates.
"Red-Hair!"
Everyone practically shouted the name in unison. That's right—the Red-Haired Pirates had arrived!
"Red-Hair? What's he doing here?"
Gion frowned. She had been pleased earlier when Elior defeated Kaido, but now that joy faded. The arrival of Red-Hair—another Yonko, and arguably the one with the strongest crew in terms of average combat power—wasn't something to take lightly.
Was Red-Hair here to challenge Elior too?
"Red-Hair? Would he really go after Elior?"
Seeing Elior defeat Kaido had driven Tokikake to despair—he couldn't believe it. But now, with Shanks appearing, a flicker of hope reignited in his heart.
The spectators were in an uproar.
Morgans, the head of the World Economic News, who still hadn't left the Paradise Sea region, was snapping photos like mad. He thought the headline of Elior defeating Kaido was already explosive—now with Red-Hair appearing? This was a historic day, even before the great war had begun!
"Bullet!"
Seeing his former crewmate, Shanks was visibly surprised. But this wasn't the time for a reunion—he knew Bullet well. The man was a walking storm, a fusion of monster and madman.
"To think that brat from back then has become a man capable of standing on his own…"
Once an apprentice aboard the Roger Pirates, Shanks had grown to become one of the Yonko — now one of the most influential pirates in the world. His rise was nothing short of legendary.
"So he really defeated Kaido?"
"Kaido's state… it's terrifying. His chest is completely caved in."
Beckman was shaken. So was everyone else. The battlefield was littered with broken ice, blood, and corpses. The air reeked of death. And the bodies? All Beasts Pirates.
Elior's crew was small—only seven with known bounties, now eight with the new member. Yet they had crushed Kaido's army?
Shanks and his crew were stunned.
Had they truly just defeated the Beasts Pirates? With so few members, Elior's crew now rivaled the might of an emperor's fleet?
Unbelievable.
"[Ding! A sign-in location has been detected. Proceed with sign-in?]"
Just then, a voice rang in Elior's mind.
"Sign in."
It was probably triggered by Shanks' presence. Elior didn't hesitate.
"[Sign-in successful. Rewards:
Conqueror's Haki [Supreme Level]
Swordsmanship [Supreme Level]"
Supreme swordsmanship?
Elior was surprised. It wasn't shocking that Shanks had top-tier Conqueror's Haki — but supreme swordsmanship too?
Fitting. After all, this was the man who could spar with Dracule Mihawk, the world's strongest swordsman.
That's how the system worked — the sign-in conditions had to be met. Only by encountering someone like Shanks could Elior unlock that level of swordsmanship. Whether the power matched Shanks' or simply mirrored it was uncertain, but the reward was real.
Unlike the other Yonko, who were abnormal monsters with overwhelming Devil Fruit powers — like Whitebeard and Big Mom— Shanks was just a man. A normal human who'd reached the pinnacle of strength through sheer will and skill.
Now, with supreme swordsmanship… could Elior be considered a Great Swordsman?
"Our first meeting… I didn't expect you to be this powerful already."
Shanks stared at Elior, clearly wary of his strength. Elior's presence was like fuel to an already blazing era—it would only make things more chaotic.
"You live up to the rumors… always meddling where you're not wanted."
Elior smirked coldly. Though Shanks' presence had allowed for a powerful sign-in reward, it didn't mean Elior was grateful.
He had endless suspicions about Shanks' true identity. Was this man placed to keep the other Emperors in check?
A mere theory, of course.
Still, Elior had no desire for camaraderie with Shanks.
Maybe—just maybe—this man would become the greatest obstacle to Elior's ultimate goal.
"Meddling, am I?"
Shanks looked slightly taken aback. He didn't expect to be dismissed so bluntly.
"Just being here is meddling, Red-Hair. What, you wanna fight?"