"Are you asking for a fight?"
Triasi controlled Vista's body, clutching her chest exaggeratedly, letting out a piercing laugh.
"You're trapped by the slow light wave, struggling to even lift a finger. How can you resist? Just stand still and wait to be parasitized by me!"
As she spoke, she crossed her arms like a camera framing a picture, aiming at Shano—a prerequisite for activating her ability to possess another person.
"Uh..."
Kiran, the second-in-command beside her, scratched his head and said hesitantly, "Something doesn't seem right, Third Sister. When he vomited just now, his movements seemed quite smooth..."
"Smooth?"
Triasi was stunned, then recalled the previous scene and was suddenly shocked.
Before she could react, Shano grinned. His right hand clenched into a fist, and pure black lightning wrapped around him.
Boom!
An extremely powerful burst of Armament Haki erupted, shattering the surrounding transparent barrier like glass. The restraining force of the slow light wave was instantly destroyed.
"How is this possible?!"
"Our abilities were simultaneously...?"
Kiran and Newmo's eyes bulged in horror.
"In this world, Haki transcends all fruit abilities!"
Shano stepped out from the shimmering sky, flexed his wrist, and gazed down at the three with a cold, commanding look.
"Three parahumans with only this much development dare to show off in front of me?"
"Run! Separate!"
Teyasi reacted first, screaming as she turned and fled.
Their plan had failed. Without the restraints of their fruit abilities, even combined, they were no match for Shano.
Clearly familiar with the terrain, they separated quickly, Teyasi opening a gap of over a hundred meters almost instantly.
But in the next second…
Swish!
Shano vanished and appeared instantly before Teyasi, his right hand gripping her neck like an iron clamp.
"Just because you took down Vista through a backstabbing scheme, are you so naive as to think your Parasite Fruit will work on me?" Shano grinned, his left fist swirling with Armament Haki. "Let's see if your parasitic ability can truly surpass my peak Haki!"
"You bastard..."
Teyasi gritted her teeth, but Shano's fist slammed into Vista's abdomen.
Puff!
A mouthful of blood spurted out, and Teyasi's vision went black. Her consciousness barely held, struggling to maintain the parasitic state.
"Third sister!"
Kiran and Newmo turned, shouting, ready to rush to her rescue.
"Looking for death!"
Shano snorted coldly, unleashing a burst of Conqueror's Haki. The two men fell to their knees, foaming at the mouth, and fainted.
"Now, you're the only one left," Shano said calmly, holding Teyasi. "Get out of Vista's body, or I won't mind smashing him too."
"You...you wouldn't dare!"
Teyasi forced a sinister smile. "This mustache guy is one of Whitebeard's most respected veteran captains. Kill me, and Flower Sword Vista will be wiped from this world. That old man Whitebeard will never let you go!"
"Are you crazy?"
Shano gave her a strange look. "You know who I am, and you still think I'm afraid of the name Whitebeard?"
Teyasi's forehead was covered with sweat, filled with regret.
Seeing she didn't speak, Shano shook his head slightly and brought his fist to her chest.
A terrifying black-red lightning flickered…
"Wait! I'm coming out! I'm coming out!"
Feeling Shano's Conqueror Haki, Teyasi finally collapsed, escaping Vista's body.
A translucent, pale pink soul-like object floated out. The outline revealed a woman in her twenties with a pretty face.
Before she could flee, a massive hand shrouded in aura grasped her.
"Ahhh!!!"
Her soul was shattered into tiny particles of transparent light.
Boom.
Vista's body fell limply. Shano supported him and checked his condition.
"It's okay, he's just unconscious."
He put Vista against the wall, looked at Kiran and Newmo unconscious on the ground, and frowned in disgust.
These rats, using other people's names to defraud and kill, were utterly reckless. They had even tried to seize his body.
After extracting intelligence, Shano knew they couldn't be let go.
"Smoker," Shano called. "Come to the dungeon. There are two guys who need to be interrogated."
He hung up and headed deeper into the dungeon, sensing a weak presence—someone important.
…
"Waidibe!"
Vista's face lit up as Waidibe limped over to the bedside.
"You're finally awake. How are you?"
"Vista?"
Waidibe coughed weakly. "Aren't you with Dad? Why are you here?"
She noticed the darkness outside. "It's already dark! How long have I been unconscious?"
"How long? You idiot! You've been possessed for over a week!"
Vista sighed. "If you count from when that woman left your body, it's been just over ten hours. I've been unconscious for seven or eight hours and just woke up."
"I… was possessed?" Waidibe's face was bewildered as memories flooded back.
She grabbed Vista's arm. "It was those three guys! Their abilities are strange, and I had to…"
"Don't worry. They were all interrogated and executed this afternoon."
Vista patted her back. "Thanks to Shano, if he hadn't run into me..."
He explained the whole story. Whitebee listened attentively. Others who had heard the noise entered the room.
"Mr. Shano!"
Whitebee struggled to get up and bowed deeply.
"Sir, if you hadn't come to rescue us…"
"Alright, that's unnecessary," Shano smiled. "Vista told me the same thing. It's just a small favor. I didn't come specifically to save you."
Whitebee insisted, "We'll always remember this immense kindness!"
Vista laughed heartily, but then clutched his chest.
"Shh… my chest hurts… and where's my beard? Did she shave it off?"
Suppressing his frustration, he grinned at Shano.
"By the way, Dad wants to meet you. Why not visit the White Whale with us?"
"Guest?" Shano was surprised but remembered Marco inviting him back on Fishman Island.
The White Whale was Whitebeard's territory, and Shano genuinely wanted to meet him.
"Since you insist, I'll go with you once things are settled here."
"Haha, it's a deal!" Vista slapped his chest, grimacing in pain.
…
Late at night aboard the End, the crew gathered on deck for a meeting.
Fat Henry had already departed in the afternoon, paying 1.5 billion berries to cover part of the stolen funds, and other merchants contributed as a token of gratitude.
In total, they received 8.2 billion berries—a sum enough to establish a base.
"Everyone, I'll leave the rest to you," Shano said, grinning. "I hope by the time I return from Whitebeard, these five unowned islands in the Wisteria Sea will have already hoisted our flag."
"Don't worry, Captain! Leave it to us!" his companions responded.
These five unowned islands were largely lawless. Claiming them meant cleaning up the area.
While the End's headquarters was small, Shano could also draw on King Riku's Dressrosa army, the Tontata dwarfs, and over a thousand adult warriors from the Agatha Islands.
…
Five days later, aboard the White Whale, the story of Shano saving Hua Jian and Whitebee spread rapidly.
The news that Shano would return with Vista to meet Whitebeard stirred excitement across the ship.
"Hey! Is it today? Captain Vista is coming back, right?"
"Yes, captains have been returning since last night. They want to see Lord Shano in person!"
"Who wouldn't? He's a superstar rookie on par with Dad after only half a year in the New World!"
"Shh, don't mention rookie in front of him. Dad's eccentric, and these top warriors are even more so."
The pirates polished weapons, tidied appearances, and prepared themselves.
Whitebeard sat on a giant chair, drinking heartily.
"Dad!"
Marco scolded him. "The guests haven't arrived yet!"
"Stop talking nonsense!" Whitebeard said, taking a big gulp. "These are aged wines collected for over ten years. I'm checking if they're spoiled. What's the matter?"
An excited shout came from the watchtower:
"Here they come! Dad, Captain Marco! Look, three o'clock direction—it's Captain Vista's ship!"