Red Hair spoke solemnly, his voice a low command that cut through the tension.
As he did, a thick, visceral layer of black Armament Haki swiftly enveloped his saber, Gryphon.
This was immediately intertwined with crackling, crimson arcs of his Conqueror's Haki, causing the blade to radiate a dazzling, dangerous light.
Facing a living legend like Whitebeard, he didn't hesitate for a second to go all out.
As his words fell, thunderous rumbles echoed across the sky.
The very heavens seemed to respond to their will.
Dark storm clouds gathered, covering half the horizon as the world trembled in anticipation of the coming battle.
Shanks, gripping his sword with one hand, met Whitebeard's descending Murakumogiri without flinching.
A deafening BOOM erupted, releasing a violent, visible shockwave that rippled outward in concentric rings, tearing up the stone plaza and sending bodies—both conscious and unconscious—skidding across the ground.
Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki intertwined and clashed in a spectacular, terrifying storm.
Red and black lightning from Shanks met the crackling, sky-blue Haki of Whitebeard, unleashing an unprecedented tempest of pure willpower centered around the two combatants.
The air grew thick with an oppressive aura so heavy it felt as though time itself had slowed to a crawl.
Soon, a series of soft thuds echoed through the crowd.
The wave after wave of rampaging Haki was too much to bear.
Lower-ranking pirates and marines, their willpower crushed, collapsed unconscious one after another.
Even the battle-hardened Vice Admirals, who possessed enough strength to resist for a moment, ultimately succumbed.
Their eyes rolled back in their heads as they crumpled helplessly to the ground, utterly overwhelmed.
"This is terrifying… Is this the true power of the Four Emperors?" someone cried out in fear before their voice was cut off, their mind succumbing to the pressure.
"Red Hair's power… it has grown even stronger! He can actually face Whitebeard, the strongest amongs the Emperors, head-on!"
Amidst the chorus of awe and terror, one figure stood out.
Eustass Kid remained standing, his body trembling with a mixture of effort and pure, unadulterated excitement.
He listened to the surrounding chatter with a disdainful smirk curling at his lips before letting out a cold snort.
"Hmph!"
His gaze remained fixed on Shanks, his eyes burning with an intense, ambitious light.
"One day," he growled, his voice a low promise of violence.
"I'll be the one to cut you down with my own hands."
Killer, standing steadfastly beside him, shook his head slightly.
As his sworn brother, he knew it wasn't his place to stop Kid from pursuing his insane dream.
The only thing he could do was protect him on that bloody path.
The other Supernovas also watched the fierce battle with rapt attention, their minds reeling.
Each collision between the two Emperors sent out massive shockwaves that left them awestruck, and at the same time, acutely aware of the vast gap between themselves and these top-tier powerhouses.
Hawkins however, remained unnervingly calm, his expression unreadable.
He believed that since fate had orchestrated such a spectacular match, the outcome would serve as a valuable experience.
"Such power truly befits the Emperors," he mused quietly. "Witnessing this battle alone makes this entire perilous journey worthwhile."
Just then, Urouge who was standing not far from him, suddenly let out a low, rumbling chuckle.
His laughter carried an inscrutable, dangerous undertone.
"Interesting," he murmured softly, a broad, unnerving grin spreading across his face.
He turned his gaze to Hawkins, and with a tone that was half-joking yet laced with a terrifying seriousness, he asked.
"Hawkins, care to divine something for me? What are the odds of me successfully taking down both Emperors after they've sufficiently weakened each other?"
The moment these words left his mouth, a wave of pure shock and outrage erupted among the nearby Supernovas.
Everyone turned their heads in unison, their eyes wide with disbelief as they stared at the grinning monk.
"Urouge, have you lost your mind?!" X Drake couldn't help but shout angrily, his hand instinctively going to his weapon.
"If you want to die, fine, but don't drag the rest of us down with you!"
Immediately after, Kid's grating laugh rang out.
"Hahaha! Nice try, Monk, but Red Hair is my prey! Don't even think about stealing him from me!" His eyes gleamed with a greedy, possessive light.
"Damn it, how dare you even consider this?!" Scratchmen Apoo chimed in, his voice ringing with its usual chaotic energy.
"I haven't even made my move yet!"
Hawkins himself was startled by the sheer audacity of the idea.
'Truly befitting a Supernova,' he thought.
He glanced at the feathered wings on Urouge's back—another figure with a mysterious background.
But he wasn't about to perform a divination for free.
"I'll do it, Urouge," Hawkins said, his voice flat. "But I want something in return."
"Oh?" Urouge responded lazily, his gaze drifting casually toward Hawkins.
"And what would that be?"
"A feather."
The air grew thick with an indescribable tension.
Urouge fell silent, his eyes locked onto Hawkins.
The request, so simple yet so specific, hung between them with immense weight.
Just then, a deafening explosion resounded from above.
Whitebeard, with a mighty roar, effortlessly parried Shanks' attack and sent the red-haired emperor flying backward with a single, tremor-infused slash.
Witnessing this, Urouge suddenly burst into laughter—a laugh tinged with mockery and scorn.
"Hawkins, do you really think everyone else is a fool?" he said, his tone slightly sarcastic as he gestured toward the sky.
"Perhaps others might not understand your abilities, but even I know better than to be so blatantly deceived. You knew this clash would be brief."
Facing Urouge's accusation, Hawkins merely responded with a faint, enigmatic smile, saying nothing more as he refocused on the sky.
In truth, he knew there was no point in the divination.
He had already seen the outcome: 0%.
The gap in power was not something that could be overcome by mere ambition.
He sighed inwardly.
'How could anyone willingly share the title of Supernova with such fools?'
Not far away, Kid watched everything unfold with cold eyes, a barely perceptible smirk curling at the corner of his lips.
He was deeply disappointed by this infighting that ended before it even began.
These guys, for all their bluster, still had a sense of self-preservation.
Also observing the chaos was Ron, his gaze sweeping across the battlefield, taking note of the other Supernovas.
His brow furrowed slightly in puzzlement.
'Are these guys really unafraid of death, or just too stupid to understand their own weakness?'
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