The moment Shanks landed, the ground beneath his feet shattered. His eyes were half-rolled back; a direct hit from Conqueror's Haki coating could knock a person unconscious.
But in the next instant, Shanks's eyes returned to normal, and his stumbling body steadied.
However, a closer look would reveal blood at the corner of his mouth.
He raised his hand to wipe the blood away, his eyes fixed on Diarmuid with a look of apprehension.
He could sense that Diarmuid's Conqueror's Haki coating was very unrefined; it seemed he hadn't used it much, or perhaps it was his first time using this power.
Yet, despite that, the person who was knocked back was Shanks.
What did that mean? It meant that in terms of raw power, Diarmuid was more than one level above him!
The truth was, Shanks had yet to reach his peak. Even with Mihawk's help in "training," the gap in their strength was clear.
In the original story, it was six years later that Shanks truly became a Yonko.
For now, just as Diarmuid had said, he was still a long way off!
Diarmuid, having injured Shanks, didn't press his advantage. Instead, he took a moment to fully experience the Conqueror's Haki coating that had just appeared out of nowhere.
But if you asked him to explain the experience or the principle behind it, he really couldn't.
That feeling was something that could only be understood, not articulated.
After a brief period of thought, Diarmuid gave up on the idea and instead looked out at the sea, where the Red Force was clashing with the Marine armed merchant fleet.
Sakazuki's magma had begun to erupt everywhere, and the Red Force, instead of breaking through the blockade, was desperately trying to escape.
Considering the situation, Diarmuid decided to hold back his attack for a moment to see if he could capture the entire Straw Hat Pirates in one swoop.
If he were to quickly defeat Shanks, what would stop Beckman from gritting his teeth, stomping his foot, and turning tail with the rest of the crew?
The Calm Belt was right there, and the Red Force's performance was superior to the armed merchant ships. Without any hesitation, they could flee like mad and might actually get away.
So Diarmuid decided to wait. He would keep Shanks occupied here. As long as Shanks wasn't defeated, there was no way the Straw Hat Pirates would abandon their captain, right?
He would hold them off, giving Sakazuki enough time to deal with the Red Force.
Shanks had been on high alert, waiting for Diarmuid to make his move.
Instead, he saw Diarmuid ignoring him and watching the naval battle in the distance. He was confused.
But soon, he understood. Although he wasn't as smart as Beckman, Shanks wasn't an idiot. Diarmuid's scheme was too obvious, and he instantly caught on.
But now, there was nothing he could do to break out of this situation.
Shanks just thought for a moment, and then a look of firm resolve appeared in his eyes.
He would attack Diarmuid with all his strength, regardless of the consequences. If he was lucky enough to defeat him, he would seize the ship and pincer the Marine fleet from the front and back.
He would then join up with Beckman and the others and hide in the Calm Belt.
Of course, that was the best-case scenario. If he still couldn't defeat Diarmuid after a full-strength assault, there was nothing he could do. The situation was a stalemate. He would force Diarmuid to end the battle as quickly as possible, sacrificing himself to warn Beckman and the others to leave him behind and escape!
His end might be miserable, but at least the Straw Hat Pirates would be safe, and maybe there would be a chance for a comeback in the future.
Shanks was a decisive and courageous man. Once he made up his mind, he didn't hesitate.
He wiped the blood from his mouth again, took a deep breath, and his aura began to surge. He looked at Diarmuid and said, "Don't you dare… look down on me!"
As soon as he spoke, a fierce glint appeared in Shanks's eyes. He crouched low and shot toward Diarmuid like a startled rabbit.
A look of resignation appeared in Diarmuid's eyes. He knew the kid had seen through his plan.
But it didn't matter. If he could just take down Shanks, the Straw Hat Pirates would be a non-factor. Although Beckman was strong and intelligent, he lacked Shanks's charisma. Without Shanks, the crew would be nothing to worry about.
With that thought, Diarmuid no longer hesitated. He swung Kokorowatari, shouting, "Gravity Blade: Ferocious Tiger!"
Years ago, this was his main attack. Now, it was little more than a regular strike.
A powerful burst of gravity shot from the blade, but Shanks ignored it completely. He slashed, creating a small opening, and charged right through it. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Diarmuid.
"Gryphon's Cry!" Shanks grunted, following up with another slash.
Diarmuid swung his sword back to block the attack. In that same instant, Shanks let go of his grip, and the great sword Gryphon slipped from his hand. At the same time, a murderous intent flashed in his eyes, and a flowing Haki instantly coated his hands as he lunged toward Diarmuid's chest.
It was as if he wanted to tear Diarmuid's heart out.
Diarmuid had never fought Shanks before. He had always assumed Shanks was a swordsman who relied on his Haki and blade. For a moment, he was genuinely surprised that the kid would suddenly give up his sword.
And why did this technique look so familiar? Wasn't this the Black Tiger's heart-prying technique?
"Gryphon's Tear!" Shanks roared, his hands turning into talons like a griffin's as he lunged for Diarmuid's chest.
At that moment, Diarmuid's Kokorowatari fell from his hand, its sharp tip piercing the ground, supporting the blade as it stood upright.
At the same time, Diarmuid pulled his arms back and coated them with Haki, blocking his chest.
In the next second, Shanks's claws struck Diarmuid's forearms.
They were stopped by the force of the Haki and could not move an inch.
Diarmuid's swordsmanship was only half-assed. His true strengths were his Devil Fruit abilities, Haki, and physical combat. Many people noticed his Devil Fruit powers were strong, but few realized how talented he was with Haki and physical combat.
This was mainly because when facing top-tier fighters like Whitebeard, they were all on a similar level, so his skills didn't stand out.
And against weaker opponents, he didn't even need to use them.
This was why his reputation was not well-known.
The moment Shanks's claws grabbed Diarmuid's arms, Diarmuid did the opposite of what was expected; he advanced. He took a step forward, closing the half-meter gap and pressing against Shanks. Because Shanks's arms were extended forward like claws, his chest was completely exposed and defenseless.
Just as Diarmuid had no experience fighting Shanks, Shanks had no experience fighting Diarmuid.
Diarmuid's sudden change in tactics caught him completely off guard.
"Tiger Descends!" Diarmuid laughed loudly.
He lowered his shoulder and elbow, using his height advantage to get close to Shanks's chest. In the next second, all the power in his body erupted at once. With a bang, the moment his shoulder and elbow made contact with Shanks's chest, a powerful force sent Shanks flying.
However, just as Shanks was sent back half a meter, he felt a sharp pain in his arm. Spitting out blood, he looked down and saw that Diarmuid had taken a step, grabbed his arm with one hand, and stopped his backward momentum.
"My Style: Tiger's Roar Cannon!" Diarmuid grunted.
At the same time, Shanks's body was pulled back toward him, and Diarmuid placed his other hand on Shanks's chest.
Just like Rob Lucci's secret Rokushiki technique, Rokuogan, a powerful shockwave carrying a gravity-infused Haki exploded from Diarmuid's palm.
Shanks felt a sharp pain in his chest, so much so that he couldn't tell how many ribs were broken. A mouthful of black blood gushed out, staining Diarmuid's white shirt. Vague bits of shattered organs were mixed in with the blood.
Diarmuid then released his grip on Shanks. Without the force pulling him back, Shanks was sent flying backward by Diarmuid's attack, creating a three-foot-deep trench in the ground before he finally came to a stop a dozen meters away.
Before Shanks could recover from the barrage of attacks, Diarmuid extended his hand toward him. A faint, dark purple energy, almost black, seeped from between his fingers.
"Abyssal Lock," Diarmuid said in a low voice.
As soon as he said that, the dirt and rocks on the ground around Shanks instantly stuck to his body. Before he could struggle, he was completely enveloped, turning into a rectangular, coffin-like shape. A pale purple energy shimmered on the surface, tightly sealing Shanks inside.
"He really is a bit weak…" Diarmuid clicked his tongue, watching the scene unfold.
He had thought that Shanks hadn't yet reached his peak, but he never expected Shanks would be completely unable to fight back. He was weak in a way that just didn't make sense.
Barring some unforeseen event, how was this man going to become a Yonko in six years with just his Haki and swordsmanship?
How was he going to contend with monsters like Kaido, Charlotte Linlin, and Whitebeard?
With his current strength, he couldn't even beat Sakazuki!
It was bizarre…
Diarmuid thought to himself.
"Did everyone just give him a free pass?" Diarmuid muttered to himself.
As Diarmuid was lost in his thoughts, a force trying to break free of the seal subtly emanated from the black coffin.
Before Diarmuid could increase the pressure, the black coffin suddenly shattered. Shanks's battered body emerged from the dust.
Compared to before, the man was in a terrible state, but a significant change had taken place.
First, his eyes were rolled back, as if he had lost consciousness. His clothes were in tatters, and his straw hat was crumpled on the ground.
But despite his condition, a powerful Haki was constantly emanating from his body. And this Haki was unmistakably Conqueror's Haki!
What was even more shocking was that he had completely coated his entire body in Conqueror's Haki, as if it were a limitless supply.
"This is…" Diarmuid murmured softly.
In his memories from his past life, someone had once speculated that Kaido had the strongest durability, Whitebeard had the strongest attack, and Charlotte Linlin had the strongest defense. It seemed that each Yonko had a distinct, dominant advantage, and for Shanks, it was likely the strongest Conqueror's Haki.
Now, it seemed that this was actually the case!
Shanks had completely lost his senses. He let out a mindless roar at Diarmuid, like a wild beast.
The Conqueror's Haki on his body truly seemed limitless. The stones and rocks on the ground were quivering with the Haki's force, some even floating in the air.
Before Diarmuid could observe any further, Shanks stomped his foot and lunged at him. As he moved, he was like an irrational beast. He even got down on all fours to increase his speed.
In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Diarmuid, throwing two punches. A concentrated burst of Conqueror's Haki blasted toward him.
Diarmuid didn't try to block. He weaved back and forth, dodging Shanks's attacks just before they landed.
A look of understanding appeared in his eyes. He murmured softly, "In the end, he couldn't control the power within himself and became a person ruled by that power?"
There was no doubt that the Conqueror's Haki within Shanks was truly powerful and immense, whether it was because of an innate talent or some other reason. The sheer volume was so great that he could use it luxuriously.
But he had yet to master this power. Every time he used it, it was based purely on instinct. So while it was strong, it was still "nothing special."
Perhaps six years later, after he had fully mastered this power, he would be able to contend with the other three monsters with just his Haki and swordsmanship.
After dodging a few more attacks, Diarmuid extended his hand. The cursed sword Kokorowatari, which had been a distance away, flew into his hand, pulled by his gravitational power.
At the same time, Diarmuid ran his free hand over Kokorowatari's blade. An immense power, emitting a pure black light, coated the edge.
"Rend the flesh, sever the soul… Abyssal Devourer," Diarmuid said quietly.
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