Chapter 22: Shanks, you selfish bastard!
"You're right, I'm a selfish bastard."
"Satan, do you know why my arm was severed?"
Shanks' eyes grew complicated. As he recalled that scene in the East Blue, a trace of tenderness surfaced.
"I will become the Pirate King."
That little boy said it so directly and naturally.
I staked everything on the future and left my arm in the East Blue.
"You bet on the future and placed that bet on Luffy, didn't you?"
"You know that too?"
"Since you can glimpse the future, it isn't strange that you know about Luffy."
"You're right, I'm a selfish bastard.
"Whitebeard is my close friend, and Ace is the captain's child.
"Emotionally, I hoped nothing would happen, so I warned Whitebeard.
"But Whitebeard is old, and the Four Emperors of the New World form a kind of balance.
"Once Whitebeard dies, the balance will break, and the calm of the seas will shatter.
"The Great Pirate Era is about to surge again.
"In such an era, some will fall and others will rise.
"I believe Luffy can become the Pirate King."
He could indeed have stepped in to resolve Whitebeard's crisis, but if the era did not run wild, the old generation would not leave the stage and the new generation could not come to the fore.
"So I told Whitebeard of the looming danger.
"Red-Hair is repaying a debt to Whitebeard and a debt to Roger.
"He does not want anything to happen, yet he hopes for a retirement.
"He looks forward to Luffy achieving something in the Great Pirate Era, to him becoming the Pirate King.
"Contradictory and selfish."
Satan pointed out Shanks' true stance without hesitation. Before intrusion, no one could hide the truth of their heart.
"And you? Whitebeard has been good to you. Why not resolve his crisis?"
"Because I'm selfish too.
"I am of the Seven Deadly Sins, the man who will one day stand at the very summit."
Like Red-Hair, he had warned Whitebeard and done all that duty and loyalty required.
Whitebeard had Whitebeard's will. If others meddled in the affairs of his crew, he would not be grateful. Besides, the Great Pirate Era is arriving. When one curtain falls, another will rise. If Whitebeard does not die, how will a storm sweep the New World. Rather than dying quietly at sea, it is better to use one's life to open an era. That is true respect for a strong man.
For this reason, Satan reminded Whitebeard but was unwilling to lend a hand. Nothing is better than respecting a strong man's will. If the Paramount War at Marineford truly unfolds as in the story, then send Whitebeard brilliant fireworks and let him bloom on his final stage. The strong should leave no regrets.
"So, you and I are the same kind of people."
"To being the same kind, cheers."
"No. You're wrong.
"You and I have never been the same. I love and hate openly.
"But you only speak and never change."
Satan drained his cup.
Shanks had warned Whitebeard, yet he did not stop the tragedy. At the end of the Paramount War he seemed to halt the fighting, but in truth he did not prevent tragedy at all. He merely gave both the Marines and the pirates a step down at a suitable moment. He says he does not wish for slaughter, yet he never prevented any slaughter. Red-Hair is forever persuading, persuading Whitebeard, persuading the Five Elders. But to truly end and stop things requires action. Fight and change.
In the end, Red-Hair is just a sanctimonious saint. I am different. I will never make meaningless pleas. I will act.
"Hahaha.
"What a frightening little brat.
"So then, did Luffy become the Pirate King in the future or not?"
Buoyed by drink, Shanks asked the question he cared about most.
Did Luffy become the Pirate King.
In truth, Satan did not know. Luffy was still too weak. When he crossed over, Luffy was imprisoned by Kaido. With the protagonist's powerful aura, Luffy would certainly not die. But did he become the Pirate King. Perhaps it is a lifetime's series for Oda. Until the very end, who knows the outcome.
"Time will give the answer," Satan said lightly.
"Time, huh.
"Yes, there is no better answer than time.
"Brat, since you're boarding my ship, where are we headed next?"
Shanks laughed heartily.
Luffy, you must become the Pirate King. I'll be waiting in the New World.
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