"Yamato!"
Before their eyes, Yamato had already transformed into her True Divine Beast Form. Her hair turned snow white, with emerald green tips that shimmered under the light, and a fluffy tail swayed majestically behind her.
Stepping to the bow, she exhaled a frosty breath toward the towering waves ahead. The spot where the cold met the sea instantly froze, the ice spreading outward at a speed visible to the naked eye.
In the blink of an eye, the once-roaring waves solidified into an enormous wall of ice that stood tall like a fortress.
"!!!"
"We're saved!"
"Yamato, you're my goddess!"
Seeing the towering ice barrier, Kaya—who had been struggling to stay upright—finally let out a sigh of relief and collapsed to the deck in exhaustion. Chopper and Olga were already lying flat, panting heavily as they tried to calm their racing hearts.
Nami and Carmen, their eyes shining, rushed forward and hugged Yamato tightly, rubbing their faces against hers in sheer joy and relief.
Meanwhile, Leno and Shanks were blasted backward by the shockwave, both landing on separate chunks of floating ice.
But Shanks barely touched down before tapping his toe lightly on the surface, his figure vanishing in an instant.
Shhh!
Almost simultaneously, the sound of a blade slicing through the air came from where Leno had been standing moments ago. Shanks reappeared, eyes narrowing as he looked toward the distant Leno.
'I have a bad feeling. I hope it's not what I think...'
His figure blurred again—yet his strike met nothing but air. Shanks' face darkened further.
"Have you seen this move before?"
"Nope!"
Leno casually picked his nose with his pinky, his gaze clear and calm as he met Shanks' furious glare.
He really hadn't seen it before—but he'd heard of it. Which was why he'd been cautious from the start.
"..."
He hasn't seen it? Impossible! My 'Observation Killer' has never failed. Even my crewmates couldn't defend against it when I first mastered it!
But what Shanks didn't know was that Leno already understood his technique completely.
The moment Leno lost sight of Shanks through Observation Haki, he instantly transformed into lightning and vanished, narrowly avoiding the sneak attack.
It was only thanks to the speed granted by the Rumble-Rumble Fruit that he escaped the strike—an attack the Red-Haired Emperor considered his ultimate trump card.
As Shanks began to doubt himself, Leno suddenly raised his left hand and clenched his fist.
"Domain Expansion—Asura Thunder Prison!"
Vmmm—Vmmm—
A field of scarlet lightning expanded rapidly, engulfing the entire area.
Shanks' body tensed as he felt the sharp sting and numbness spreading through him. He realized instantly—he had stepped into the inferno Leno had prepared for him.
And worse—his Observation Haki was being suppressed.
Within this crackling domain of thunder, Shanks flickered from place to place, his blade Gryphon flashing as he struck down bolts of lightning before they could reach him.
Clang!
He unleashed another 'Observation Killer,' but to his shock, Leno didn't evade this time. Instead, he blocked it head-on—perfectly.
"Impossible! My 'Observation Killer' completely bypasses Observation Haki! How could you block my attack?!"
For the first time, the Emperor of the Sea—Red-Haired Shanks—lost his composure, his voice tinged with disbelief and hysteria.
He knew better than anyone how deadly his technique was. Without Observation Haki, no one could possibly follow his speed.
So why—why was his attack blocked?
Even a man as composed as Shanks couldn't stay calm before something that defied his understanding. His eyes reddened, his expression twisted as he glared at Leno. Gone was the calm strategist who laughed in the face of storms.
"My Observation Haki can't detect your movements..."
"Then how—"
"But my lightning can." Leno's grin widened. The scarlet lightning around him flared brighter. "In this domain, there's nowhere you can hide!"
Crimson bolts coiled and danced around him as Leno's eyes gleamed with electric arrogance.
"So... are you ready, Red-Haired? To receive the grand funeral I've prepared for you?"
His voice echoed as his body dissolved into lightning, leaving only his fading words behind.
The moment Leno vanished, scarlet lightning surged like a tidal wave, engulfing Shanks completely.
"Divine Departure!"
BOOM!
A black-red slash tore through the storm, leaving a massive scar in the thunderfield before vanishing.
Through the explosion of lightning, Shanks' figure reappeared, blade still in motion—until a sudden chill swept over his back.
Schhk!
Blood sprayed. The force of his own momentum made him stumble forward several steps before he straightened, pale-faced, staring in shock at Leno standing behind him.
"You... you also mastered that power?"
"In this domain, I am everywhere. Your Observation Haki is useless here. Whether I've mastered it or not doesn't really matter, does it?"
"Heh... yeah... guess not. But I'm not done yet!"
Coughing blood, Shanks gave a bitter smile, his eyes blazing once more with unyielding resolve. He had never been the one to surrender—no matter how dire the situation. Even if he were to die, he'd go down fighting.
He tightened his grip on Gryphon, his fighting spirit flaring, his aura surging to its peak.
"Come on then, Adventurer Leno! Let me show you the pride of a pirate!"
"Interesting. As you wish."
Swish—Swish—
Their bodies became streaks of light, clashing wildly within the crimson storm.
Cling! Clang!
The endless clash of blades echoed through the domain, sparks scattering and vanishing soundlessly in the scarlet tides.
For an instant, the lightning illuminated two faces—both wearing wild, exhilarated grins.
Schhk! Schhk!
Blood scattered like rain, and the sound of blades cutting through flesh sounded intermittently.
All of this seemed to attest to the tragic intensity of this confrontation.
Huff—huff—
From a distance, Shanks panted heavily, his chest and back covered in deep, bleeding gashes.
Leno wiped the blood from his cheek, glancing down at his already healed wounds before raising his calm gaze.
"You're finished."
"Wha- What are you talking about! I won't go down easily~"
"Is that so..."
Leno said nothing more. His form vanished once again. Shanks, relying purely on instinct, swung his blade behind him.
But out of the corner of his eye—he saw another Leno appear before him.
He couldn't stop. It was too late.
"It's over—Dragon Force: Fang Strike!"
Slash!
A dark violet arc tore through his body, sending Shanks flying like a severed kite.
As the domain faded, Leno stepped forward, arcs of lightning rippling under his feet as he walked across the sea.
Shanks floated limply on the waves, his body rising and falling with the current. His eyes were hollow as countless memories of his adventures flashed through his mind.
"Any last words?"
"..."
There was no answer—or perhaps, he no longer had the strength to give one.
A faint smile curved his lips as he slowly closed his eyes.
Leno raised Huangquan, its blood-red blade gleaming with killing intent under the sunlight.
With a crimson trail, the blade descended swiftly toward the fallen Red-Haired Emperor.