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Sterling had sensed the two approaching earlier with his Observation Haki, which was why he allowed himself to get a bit cocky against Captain Frugal.
Captain Frugal looks up at Shanks in pure fear and says, "A-And who are you?"
Shanks gets up from the block of ice and casually starts walking toward the four of them—Sterling, Yami, Captain Frugal, and Vice Captain Natch.
Yami, still in a daze, points at the collapsed pirates and says, "Shanks-san… did you do this?"
Shanks chuckles. "Well, this shouldn't be too much of a shocker now, should it? Your sensei once did the same thing."
Yami nods slowly. "Well, yes… I've heard of the incident. But I wasn't there when it happened. Seeing it is much different than hearing about it. Defeating over a hundred pirates without even touching them…"
Shanks laughs. "That's nothing. I can easily knock out over a hundred thousand people."
Yami freezes. "A hundred thousand!?"
On the side, Captain Frugal and Natch instantly age out of fear.
Captain Frugal thinks: What was I thinking? Why am I such an idiot? Fixing my reputation? If it means trading in death, I don't want it!
Yami turns to Sterling. "Sensei, is that really possible?"
Sterling answers calmly, "It certainly is."
Sterling didn't doubt Shanks even for a moment. This was someone who grew up surrounded by Haki monsters. Someone who learned Divine Departure at fifteen, meaning he already had Advanced Conqueror's Haki at that age. Luffy, just after the timeskip, knocked out fifty thousand fishmen. Shanks doing a hundred thousand was more than believable.
Yami shakes his head. "That's crazy… Shanks-san, I didn't know you were that strong."
Sterling clicks his tongue. "Hey Yami, don't go thinking Shanks is stronger than me now."
Yami looks at him blankly. "Why? He is though, is he not?"
Sterling's eye twitches. "Well, yes, for now, but I'll catch up."
Yami replies sarcastically, "I see. Well then, Sensei, do your best. I believe in you."
"You brat," Sterling mutters.
Benn Beckman, now sitting casually on the block of ice Shanks had been using, smiles. "What a lively bunch."
Shanks chuckles, then turns to Captain Frugal and Vice Captain Natch. "You're Captain Frugal, correct?"
Frugal swallows. "Why…?" he says quietly.
"Huh?" Shanks tilts his head.
Suddenly Frugal shouts, "WHAT IS A MONSTER LIKE YOU DOING IN THE NORTH BLUE!? SHOULDN'T YOU BE IN THE GRAND LINE OR EVEN THE NEW WORLD!?"
Shanks rubs the back of his head. "Well, I need a crew first, you see. So I'm going around recruiting members."
Captain Frugal then asks, trembling, "What do you plan on doing with me and my crew…?"
Shanks smiles. "Well, that's not for me to decide."
He throws Sterling's saber toward him. Sterling catches it smoothly.
He proceeds to swing it once and smiles, and says, "Now that feels better."
He then points the blade toward Captain Frugal.
"Captain Frugal," Sterling says calmly. "Draw your sword."
Captain Frugal swallows hard, fear choking his breath.
Captain Frugal says, "Huh?"
Sterling answers calmly, "You heard me. Draw your blade."
Captain Frugal panics. Without his pirates, he knows he cannot take down Sterling.
He tries to talk himself out of the situation: "Sterling, look, I'm sorry, okay? If you just let me go now, I'll never bother you again."
Sterling smiles lightly. "Oh Captain Frugal, that ship has sailed. You see, if there's anything this situation has taught me, it's that this village really needs protectors."
Captain Frugal frowns. "I don't get where you're going with this, Sterling."
Sterling shrugs. "It's simple. Me and you will have a duel. If you win, I will personally apologize to you and call you King Frugal. Of course, all on recording."
Yami and Shanks both give Sterling the same confused look, thinking the same thing:
What did this guy just say?
Captain Frugal, still wary, asks, "And… what if I lose?"
Sterling smiles wider. "Well, it's simple. You forfeit your entire crew and yourself. And appoint Yami as your new Captain, with your priority job being protecting this village of course."
The reason behind Sterling's plan was straightforward. In the four seas outside the Grand Line and New World, a crew with over 150 members was terrifying.
Outside of outliers like Sterling, most North Blue pirates didn't even have Haki.
Captain Frugal's crew has numbers that could overwhelm a normal pirate crew quite easily. Getting them as free mercenaries would be a steal.
Yami turns in shock at the statement. "HUH!? Why me?"
Sterling replies casually, "What do you mean why? I'm sure you realize this village needs protection."
Yami says, "I get that part, but why must the crew be under me and not you!?"
Sterling waves it off. "Oh, that. I mean, it's too much trouble."
Yami shouts, "So then you pass the responsibility to me!?"
Sterling says, "You are my student, and a student listens to his sensei. End of story."
Yami grits his teeth but stays quiet.
Benn Beckman, still sitting on the block of ice, chuckles.
"This kid is quite smart. Getting a free mercenary crew… this could also make it easier for us to recruit him. He's indirectly helping us."
Captain Frugal asks, "Can I just refuse and leave?"
Sterling keeps the smile. "If you choose that scenario, then I'll kill you and every single member of your crew."
Both Captain Frugal and Vice Captain Natch swallow hard.
Natch whispers, voice trembling, "Captain Frugal… I think we should consider his offer."
Captain Frugal grits his teeth. "But Sterling, I already know I cannot beat you and you know this as well. So what's the point of this duel?"
Sterling answers, "Oh really? Well then you and your Vice Captain can fight together, and I'll fight alone."
A vein pops on Captain Frugal's forehead.
He thinks angrily. You say that as if it will make a difference.
Captain Frugal then says, "Sterling… in the situation where we end up losing… can we still plunder as pirates?"
Sterling nods. "Don't worry. I won't stop you from plundering, just not innocent villages. You can plunder other pirates though."
Captain Frugal mutters, "I don't mind that… but the other guys probably won't like it."
Sterling shrugs. "Who cares what the others think? If they cause trouble, I'll simply kill them."
Captain Frugal swallows.
Sterling smiles. "Now that everything is out of the way… shall we begin?"
Shanks suddenly calls out, "Vice Captain Natch, give me the Recording Den Den Mushi. You can't fight while holding it, can you? I'll record."
To be honest. Vice Captain Natch didn't want to fight a monster who had just taken down 40 pirates alone, but he had no choice. He reluctantly hands over the Den Den Mushi.
Shanks happily takes it and smiles. "Don't worry, I'm a good recorder. I've used these before."
Vice Captain Natch internally thinks, That's not why I'm shaking, you idiot…
Captain Frugal draws his cutlass and starts walking toward Sterling.
Vice Captain Natch similarly draws his cutlass as well and follows, stepping beside his captain.
Sterling simply smiles as he waits for them to approach.