Although Renji Kai and Douglas Barrett were chatting and laughing with seemingly relaxed expressions, the people on the opposite side didn't see it that way.
After hearing what Renji said, the minds of the Red-Haired Pirates immediately went into overdrive.
Clearly, Renji's words weren't vague at all—he and Shanks definitely knew each other from the past.
Just then, a name suddenly flashed through Shanks' mind.
"Douglas Barrett?" Shanks asked cautiously.
"Haha, you still remember me? That makes things easier. Leave the ship behind and go. Since you were once with Roger's crew, I'll let you all off today," Douglas Barrett said arrogantly.
As soon as those words left his mouth, Shanks' expression darkened.
The rest of his crew looked equally angry. Unlike Shanks, most of them had never heard of Douglas Barrett before. To them, this was just some arrogant stranger.
"Douglas Barrett, the same guy who once sailed with Gol D. Roger?" Ben Beckman said in disbelief.
He was old enough to recall fragments of that era, and Barrett's name slowly surfaced from his memory.
"Looks like you guys are way behind. Didn't the newspaper reach you this morning?" Renji Kai mocked.
In the world of pirates, news was often delivered by seagull couriers known as "News Coo." They'd fly across oceans delivering papers to people even out at sea.
Just as Renji finished speaking, a News Coo appeared in the sky and swooped down onto the deck. It dropped the latest newspaper on the ground.
Lucky Roux stepped forward, dropped a few Berries into the small pouch hanging from the bird's neck, and the bird flew off again.
He picked up the newspaper and handed it to Shanks.
Even though several days had passed since Renji and Barrett broke out of prison, their news had only just hit the headlines yesterday. Most townsfolk had received the bulletin already, but pirates at sea had to wait for today's paper.
Shanks looked at the front page. The photos of Renji Kai and Douglas Barrett were splashed right across the cover.
Reading through the article, he gasped.
"Douglas Barrett... I can't believe you two escaped from the sixth level of Impel Down's Eternal Hell and defeated all the guards in Impel Down!"
Shanks' voice echoed across the deck, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Everyone froze. Two seemingly unknown pirates had escaped from the supposedly inescapable Deep Sea Prison? Panic started to spread among the crew.
"Mr. Douglas Barrett, while I respect you, asking me to surrender this ship is unrealistic.
This ship doesn't just carry my dream—it carries the dreams of the entire Red-Haired Pirates.
So no, you can't take it," Shanks replied solemnly.
Barrett may have been a senior figure and an old acquaintance, but that didn't mean Shanks feared him. His own strength had reached heights unimaginable in his youth. Giving up the Red Force was simply out of the question.
"Your dream? Should I talk about your dealings with the Five Elders in front of your crew? If it comes to that, the pirate world might not have a place for you anymore," Renji Kai said with a sly smirk.
If what he said earlier shocked everyone, this line plunged the deck into complete silence.
Because not only did he name-drop Shanks—he mentioned the Five Elders.
The Five Elders were the shadowy leaders of the World Government, five old men who stood above even the Commander-in-Chief. Their names struck fear across the world.
By linking Shanks with them, Renji Kai caused everyone's imaginations to spiral wildly.
Sweat the size of peas trickled down Shanks' forehead.
Renji Kai was only the second man in Shanks' life who had ever made him feel fear.
The first had already been executed by the Navy due to a terminal illness.
"Mr. Renji Kai... who exactly are you? With your strength, why target me? What do you really want?" Shanks deflected the question with another.
"I told you already—leave the ship behind. As for why I targeted you? Sorry, it was pure coincidence," Renji shrugged casually.
"Grant me this one favor. Let's just pretend this never happened. I'll even help you find a brand-new warship," Shanks suddenly said, surprising everyone around him.
His crew stared at him in disbelief. They'd followed him across oceans for years, but never once had they seen him plead with anyone.
And now, he was asking a virtually unknown young man for leniency.
"Hah! What, did you eat the Face-Face Fruit or something? Always asking for face?
If you want face, earn it yourself!" Renji scoffed.
In this world where the strong devour the weak, talking about saving face was laughable.
Renji Kai had just shut Shanks down—completely and publicly.