Chapter 238: Shanks: Hidden in the Darkness, for Now
"Apologies, I thought Mr. Shanks was well-versed in [Asura]."
At first, Fang Yi had intended to warn him,
but was interrupted by his own boastful comment about being an "expert," so he kept quiet.
Still,
after drinking only ten Mind's Eye Elixirs, Shanks had grasped the principles of Mind's Eye and wave perception and successfully changed classes to Asura.
He hadn't been bragging—he truly was well-versed.
"I really jinxed myself."
Clutching his chest, Shanks grimaced.
On the Red Force, he always spoke carelessly, joking with the crew.
But his unchecked bragging had just cost him 20,000 reward points.
Soon enough,
his smile returned—he was the kind of man who could feel heartache for two minutes, then throw himself headfirst into a new adventure.
"Wave Imprint!"
With a sharp cry, Shanks drew Gryphon. The broken blade trembled with wave energy, which surged and spiraled above his head.
The dense wave aura condensed into a complex rune that floated and circled overhead.
Feeling the power amplified by the wave energy, Shanks smirked.
"Mr. Fang Yi, you don't mind if I try out a new ability, do you?"
"Of course not. Shall I sell you a target?"
Fang Yi raised his hand,
and in the center of the Game Shop appeared a snarling, spiked-tailed sea beast.
[King of the Coastal Seas (Enhanced)]: A small Sea King-class beast with the same defense value as Kaido. Price: 300 reward points.
"Mr. Fang Yi, you really have a twisted sense of humor."
Shanks twitched as he recognized the familiar Sea King—
the very one that had bitten off his arm.
Fang Yi's meaning was clear:
any target could've been used to test skills… but he'd deliberately summoned that one.
"Fine. Let's say goodbye to fate, starting right now!"
Shanks raised Gryphon, his arm tight with resolve.
He closed his eyes.
A slash infused with Haki and wave power fell.
The beast—whose defense was equal to the world's strongest creature—was torn apart. Flesh shredded, spine shattered. Cleanly bisected.
"I had the Fish-Fish Fruit and Armament Haki, but even at full strength I could barely scratch Kaido—maybe leave a wound like Oden's…"
Opening his eyes, Shanks was stunned.
He had underestimated wave power.
That slash just now—if aimed at Kaido—would've sliced through even his so-called "immortal body."
"I still can't wield Mind's Eye freely. I need the blindfold."
The real-world vision interfered with the perception of the wave world.
To channel wave energy, he had to close his eyes.
It was annoying.
Better to wear a blindfold and gradually adapt to the wave world.
From now on, I am Asura of the Hidden Darkness—Shanks!
Tossing his hair dramatically, he tied two cloth strips around his eyes.
Fang Yi asked, "Would you like to keep buying fate items?"
"Of course!"
Shanks eagerly turned to the shelves.
Though blind, he gathered his focus and activated Mind's Eye to view the wave world.
The two items he'd already purchased had massively boosted his power.
He could now defeat his former self—who lacked Game powers—with just two moves.
He chuckled to himself.
No wonder Smoker had ignored him.
The gap between normal people and top-tier players was wider than he'd imagined.
The remaining fate items included:
A stat-boosting [Blood of the Conqueror] that had a chance to awaken a Conqueror's Aura.
But it didn't mesh well with his new wave-based power, so he skipped it.
The other two enhanced mental energy—he bought both without hesitation.
"Random Key. Refresh the shelf."
"Buy!"
Watching his assets vanish, Shanks groaned.
"If I'd known, I would've claimed more islands like the other Yonko."
Who would've guessed that wealth would one day determine strength?
If someone had once told him, "The richer you are, the stronger you get," he would've laughed in their face.
But now… he truly lacked funds.
Only now did he understand why all those ambitious villains were so obsessed with money and stealing kingdoms.
"If you're low on assets, you could wait seven days for the shelf to refresh naturally…
Or go hunt Corrupted Monsters on Death Island."
Fang Yi offered helpfully.
But Shanks waved him off.
"No. The war is near. Even if I've let go of my old fate, Marine Headquarters is still a threat. They must be dealt a heavy blow!"
He wanted to create an Adventurers' Guild.
Even if it seemed less dangerous than piracy, the Marines would still see it as a threat.
Only by dealing a crushing blow would they be too distracted to interfere,
giving him time to lay the foundation of the guild.
"As you wish."
Fang Yi smiled, no longer offering suggestions.
The first random key refreshed the shelf.
Five new Game items appeared.
Shanks' attention was drawn to a bubble that radiated a frosty aura.
"Frostwave Blade."
Fang Yi explained at the perfect moment:
"A signature technique of Asura swordsmen.
Infused with icy wave energy.
At its peak, it can freeze the entire world in waves of frost."
Buy!
Shanks' eyes lit up.
"My luck's insane. A wave-type skill on the first try?"
In his crew, there was a saying—
Luck rises and falls like waves.
When luck is high, even low-odds decisions should be seized.
"Congratulations."
Fang Yi kept his smile polite.
The random key's item pool wasn't rigged.
It was determined by fate runes.
But those runes were often mischievous—
luring players in with good items at first… bait.
Many had already fallen for it—starting with Smoker.
Shanks likely wouldn't be spared either.
"Wave Burst?"
"It fuses with Conqueror's Haki? Even Whitebeard couldn't take that impact. Buy!"
Several more random keys later, another top-tier wave ability appeared.
Shanks was thrilled, completely immersed.
…
East Blue — chaotic battlefield at the edge of Death Island.
The duel between Mihawk and Smoker had ended in a draw—both heavily wounded.
Burned by toxic flame-infused mist, Mihawk's sword arm was covered in scars, his HP nearly depleted.
He slumped on the Red Force's deck, gulping a healing potion.
On the other side,
Smoker was equally injured. The toxic general he'd summoned had been shredded by Mihawk's blade.
His chest was cleaved open—his heart visible beneath shattered ribs.
Gritting his teeth, Smoker asked,
"How many healing potions do we have left?"
A navy captain replied,
"Most of them were taken to reinforce Admiral Akainu's front. There are nineteen bottles left for the east side."
"Good."
The Marines had a player-count advantage,
so they had more healing and energy potions too.
They had been fighting for half a day.
Smoker didn't believe that Mihawk, a solo fighter, and the few players in the Red-Haired Pirates could match their supply.
And those pirates under Doflamingo's control?
There was no way they'd hand over their potions.
This was a war of attrition.
And barring surprises…
Victory would go to the Navy.
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