Time, like a ceaseless torrent, flowed quietly, carrying memories and destinies with it.
Not far from Water 7, in the vast expanse of the sea.
At this moment, on the Red Force, the flagship of the Red Hair Pirates, a tense atmosphere hung over everyone like a dark cloud.
A man named Punch, with heavy dark circles under his eyes and a grotesque scar extending diagonally from the corner of his left eye to his jaw, hurried over to Red-Haired Shanks.
His breathing was slightly rapid, and his eyes held a hint of solemnity: "Boss, according to the latest intelligence, that kid did leave Water 7 some time ago, but just yesterday, our informant saw him with his own eyes on the street."
Shanks lowered his head, his fiery red hair gently fluttering in the sea breeze, obscuring the murderous intent swirling in his eyes.
His voice was as cold as ice, and he said, word by word: "Punch, no matter where he flees, I will drag him out and deal with him personally!"
The undeniable ruthlessness in his words made Punch shiver involuntarily.
On the crow's nest, the fat Lucky Roux, holding a half-eaten chicken leg, mumbled indistinctly: "Boss, Water 7 is almost here, but..."
His voice was intermittent, as if torn to shreds by the sea wind.
Benn Beckman looked up, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes, and cursed with a smile: "Lucky Roux, what are you doing? Can you just spit it out!"
Lucky Roux gulped down the food in his mouth, almost dropping his chicken leg, and his voice was as rapid as a machine gun: "The target, right ahead, it seems, it seems to be waiting for us!"
This sudden news was like a heavy hammer, causing the entire pirate crew to instantly erupt into chaos.
Hearing the commotion, everyone rushed to the bow of the ship.
The sea breeze ruffled their clothes, and the waves crashed against the ship's hull, producing a continuous roar.
Soon, they saw a figure standing upright on a patch of rugged reefs not far from the ship.
That figure, outlined against the afterglow of the setting sun, cast an arrogant and provocative silhouette.
"This brat, he actually dares to provoke us like this!" Yasopp's eyes instantly turned as cold as frost, and he unhesitatingly raised the meticulously modified sniper rifle in his hand.
In his opinion, as the chief sniper of the Red Hair Pirates, dealing with this ignorant fellow was merely child's play.
"Bang!"
A crisp gunshot broke the tranquility of the sea. Yasopp didn't even aim carefully; relying on years of experience and confidence, he pulled the trigger.
A slight smile played on his lips, his face full of a triumphant expression, and his Observation Haki had already "painted" the scene of the bullet hitting the target for him in advance.
However, the next second, his smile instantly froze on his face.
He widened his eyes, staring in disbelief at the scene before him, his hands trembling so much he could barely hold the sniper rifle, his voice filled with shock and fear: "How could this be? That's a Sea Stone bullet!"
In his Observation Haki, the bullet had clearly hit the target squarely, yet the guy was completely unharmed.
"No, look at what he has in his hand." Benn Beckman's keen gaze caught a crucial detail, and he said in a deep voice.
Yasopp followed his gaze and instantly stood rooted to the spot.
He saw that Yun Lie was steadily holding the Sea Stone bullet, which should have hit him, between his fingers.
If the opponent had used some clever method to dodge the bullet, Yasopp could have barely accepted it, but this Sea Stone bullet, capable of killing large Sea Kings and striking fear into countless strong individuals, was actually caught so easily by the opponent. This made it impossible for him to believe, as if his years of confidence and pride were completely shattered at this moment.
Just as everyone was still immersed in shock, Punch's urgent shout rang out again: "Careful, the attack from the other side is coming!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a small bead flying towards the ship at an extremely high speed.
At first, no one took this inconspicuous bead seriously, and some even scoffed, thinking it was just a ridiculous counterattack from the opponent.
But in Shanks's eyes, a crimson light suddenly flashed, a sign that he had activated some powerful Haki.
Almost at the same time, he leaped like a coiled leopard, his hand already on the hilt of his sword, rushing towards the incoming bead.
Benn Beckman, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, and he muttered to himself: "It seems this bead is not simple. Did he see some future?"
But he did not act immediately; in his mind, as long as Shanks made a move, there was no problem that could not be solved.
Shanks, in his charge, exuded a terrifying pressure, like a long-dormant lion awakening.
The aura around him was like a violent hurricane, wantonly sweeping everything in its path.
The clouds in the sky were stirred by this aura, as if torn apart by an invisible hand, presenting a bizarre shape.
"Divine Departure!"
Shanks roared, and an unstoppable, brilliant sword light slashed through the void. The surrounding space slightly twisted under this powerful force, as if it could shatter at any moment.
However, at this moment, a playful voice sounded in everyone's ears: "Space, expand!"
The originally small bead, at the instant the words fell, suddenly began to grow larger.
In the blink of an eye, it transformed into an enormous "meteorite," hurtling towards the Red Force with a destructive aura.
"F-fake, right!"
"This bead, it's not really a cannonball, is it?"
Members of the Red Hair Pirates watched this astonishing scene, many standing frozen in place, their faces filled with shock and fear.
"Helmsman, prepare to steady the ship, a big wave is coming!" Benn Beckman's eyes also glowed crimson, and he made a decisive decision, shouting the order.
Then, he stared intently at Shanks, his eyes filled with worry and trust.
"Boom!"
Shanks's slash collided with the enlarged "cannonball" with a thunderous crash, a deafening roar exploding like a clap of thunder.
This sky-shattering explosion made everyone's ears ring, almost causing them to lose their hearing.
The heat wave generated by the explosion, carrying sand and iron fragments, surged outwards like a destructive hurricane, impacting everything in its path.
A massive tsunami instantly surged on the sea, the enormous waves seemingly about to swallow both sky and ocean.
The Red Force, under this powerful impact, shook violently, eventually getting caught in the surging waves, like a small boat struggling amidst the raging storm.
On the reefs, Yun Lie and Red-Haired Shanks confronted each other from a distance.