A blinding flash suddenly cut across Shanks' vision as he was doing his best to deal with Leno's strike — followed by a tremendous roar.
"Boom—boom—boom~"
Thick pillars of lightning descended from the sky one after another, quickly surrounding him.
Leno's figure had vanished from sight before anyone noticed, and a cold voice echoed through the space.
"Lightning Ninefold — Punishment of the Thunder Ring!"
"Szzz—szzz—"
In an instant countless spears of lightning coalesced, filling the area like a dense hail of metal. They all aimed at Shanks below, as if ready to pierce him into a sieve the next moment.
Shanks' Observation Haki reacted fast. Gryphon flashed in his hand, leaving afterimages as blade strikes flew out and shattered spear after spear.
"Swish—swish—swish~"
"Clang—"
Shanks blocked the lightning-formed Leno with his sword. A red gleam flared in his eyes and his expression shifted as he prepared to act.
But the Leno before him suddenly grinned and increased the force, holding him pinned in place.
At the same time, another 'Leno' in midair brought a thunderous blade down from above!
"Pfssht—"
Blood sprayed. Shanks forced the Leno away with a heavy blow and staggered several steps.
"Shanks!"
"Boss—!"
On a pirate ship in the distance, Beckman, Lucky Roux and other officers watched Shanks bleed and were horrified. They leaned over the railings, anxious, staring ahead.
None of them had expected Leno to use the Rumble-Rumble Fruit so creatively — his tricks kept changing, and he had wounded Shanks so quickly.
The officers on deck felt a heavy weight in their chests; even the confident Yasopp now showed worry. This Leno was unbelievably tricky. So far there was no effective way to stop him. If things continued like this, even if Shanks won the fight he would probably pay a painful price.
"Cough, cough..." Shanks, blood soaking his back, coughed violently, then lifted his head and glared fiercely at Leno. Rage and helplessness filled him. He wanted to close and trade blows with Leno, but the other gave him no opportunity — he refused to fight up close. The lightning that ravaged the air constantly harassed and restrained him. He felt utterly stifled. This guy was shameless!
On the Gale, seeing the Red-Haired finally injured, Hancock and Nojiko visibly relaxed, faint smiles appearing at the corners of their mouths. Gordon, standing behind them, looked at the bedraggled, bloodied Shanks with a conflicted, struggling expression. Then, as if he'd made a decision, he moved beside Uta.
He had a premonition — this might be their last meeting. He didn't want the misunderstanding between them to continue.
"Uta, I lied to you about the truth behind Elegia's destruction. I'm very sorry!"
"What?"
Uta, tense and watching the battlefield, looked up in confusion. Elegia? Wasn't it destroyed by Shanks and the others? A lie? The truth? Why apologize? Questions flooded her mind.
Uta's face showed anxiousness. 'Wasn't it Shanks and the others? Why would they abandon me...'
"Gordon, what do you mean?"
"That night years ago, Elegia wasn't destroyed by the Red-Haired Pirates — it was 'the Demon King of Songs' Tot Musica!"
Gordon, filled with guilt, continued as he watched Uta go pale and begin to tremble.
He explained how Tot Musica had slowly lured her young self into unsealing it, then took control and destroyed Elegia. As he told the whole story, everything was laid bare.
Uta immediately broke down. She sank to her knees, exhausted, tears streaming like a breached dam, her eyes vacant as she murmured.
'It was me?!... It was me... Everything was because of me!'
'...So it's only natural they abandoned me...'
"Uta! None of this is your fault! You were controlled by the Demon King. Your song is not a sin!"
Seeing Uta's state, Gordon shouted, trying to pull her back together.
"Besides, the Red-Haired Pirates didn't abandon you. They didn't want to hold you back from becoming a great musician who brings happiness to the world!"
"Everyone still needs your song. The world needs your song, Uta~"
Their commotion quickly drew others over. Seeing Uta's condition, they gathered round with concerned questions. At Gordon's words, a light finally flickered in Uta's tearful eyes. She looked up at him and the others with hope.
"C-can my singing still be something people look forward to?"
"Of course We all love your singing"
While everyone crowded around Uta to comfort her, on the battlefield Shanks' voice, heavy with anger, rang out.
"A so-called Thunder God who only plays shameful tricks and lacks the courage to confront me properly?"
Leno raised an eyebrow at Shanks' condition — clearly pushed to the limit — and smirked at the low blow.
"Alright~ then come at me! Let me see what else you've got!"
"Then you shall have your wish!"
Shanks' body was instantly wrapped in black-and-red arcs of electricity. He leapt from a floating chunk of ice, his form streaking like a red comet toward Leno.
Leno refused to be outdone. Black-purple arcs crawled over his body; blood mist rose from the Huangquan blade as if it wore a layer of bloody flame, with streaks of black-purple electricity crackling through it.
Facing the red figure charging at him, Leno took a step back, bowed his stance, and slashed diagonally.
"Dragon Force — Fang Strike!"
"Divine Departure!"
Black-purple blade light collided with black-red blade light. The violent energies were brutally compressed, forming a black-red sphere between the two blades that continued to shrink and swell.
"Boom—boom—boom~"
The sea was forced down into a massive arced depression. Ring after ring of terrifying shockwaves rolled, whipping towering waves outward in all directions.
As the two increased their strength, the energy sphere detonated with a thunderous blast. A blinding white light shot up, instantly blinding everyone.
When the light faded, dozens-of-meters-high waves were surging toward them.
Faces aboard the Gale drained of color, panic-stricken — some collapsed, resigned to waiting for death.
"We're going to die We're going to die We're doomed!"
Chopper darted across the deck like a headless fly, trying to run but finding no escape, frantically shouting.
Nami sat on the deck, hands over her head, cursing in terror.
"Leno! You super-idiot! You're going to get us killed—!"
Others were left speechless, pale and frozen.
At that moment a figure suddenly darted in front of everyone, facing the monstrous wave head-on, confidence ringing in her voice.
"Don't worry, everyone — leave it to me!"