50 Chapter 50 Shanks

Hearing Buggy's words, Shanks was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter.

"Buggy? I didn't expect it was you! You've been hiding so well, hahahaha—huh?"

Shanks laughed, but his laughter subsided when he noticed Gabban, Bullet, Doringo, and Sunbell standing next to Buggy with their eyeballs and tongues protruding.

"Mr. Gabban! Douglas! Doringo! And Mr. Sunbell! Are you all right? That's great!"

Shanks raised his hand to press his forehead, tears of disbelief streaming down his face. The fact that Shanks, one of the Four Emperors of the New World, called them by their familiar names proved that he was still the same Shanks they knew. This realization filled them with joy.

Amidst his tears, Shanks suddenly recalled something and asked, "By the way, would you like to come aboard my ship?"

"Shanks, you scoundrel! Trying to steal my crew members!" Buggy's expression darkened.

"Don't mind it Buggy," Shanks shamelessly said. "I was just asking casually. What if it works? Don't forget, it's because I persuaded you to eat that Devil Fruit back then that you gained such terrifying strength!"

"Don't remind me! You shameless fellow," Buggy retorted, rolling his eyes. If he hadn't inherited the memories of Buggy the Clown, he might have been killed by the red-haired guy. Well, maybe not, considering he had seen the original plot.

As Buggy pondered the situation, he realized that Shanks shouldn't have mentioned those things at this moment. It was inappropriate to discuss matters from the past while they were in the midst of a battle. Was Shanks testing him? It was easy for someone who could become one of the Four Emperors to do anything.

With this understanding, Buggy decided to play along with Shanks. "If you hadn't scared me by hiding behind my back then, I wouldn't have become a landlubber! If it weren't for my chance to develop the fruit ability later, I would have died countless times. I was almost cheated to death by you!"

Hearing this, Shanks also realized that this was the Buggy he knew. Only he and Buggy knew about the incident where he frightened Buggy and caused him to swallow the [Paramecia·split] fruit by mistake, turning him into a landlubber. Shanks ceased his probing and became dejected, saying, "Buggy, let's discuss our affairs later. For now, as you said before, let's end this war. It doesn't make any sense to fight any more."

After finishing his words, Shanks suddenly leapt into the air, creating several shockwaves before landing on the bow of the Moby Dick next to Buggy. He stood side by side with Buggy, gazing at Garp and Sengoku on the execution platform, and spoke in a deep voice, "Marshal Sengoku, Mr Garp! Many people on the battlefield are seriously injured, but they can still be rescued and treated. If this continues, more lives will be lost! If you still wish to fight, we, the Red Hair Pirates, don't mind battling you! But in the end, we will take Whitebeard's body!"

"Impossible!" Just as Shanks finished speaking, the Gion behind Akainu shouted, "Whitebeard was killed by our Admirals. It is war spoils, and we won't let you take it away. His head must be left to shock the world..."

"Shut up!!!" Shanks, typically kind-hearted, suddenly turned cold, and a terrifying burst of Conqueror's Haki surged forth.

That Vice Admiral couldn't even finish her sentence before her eyes rolled and passing out. The impact of Shanks' Conqueror's Haki was so intense that even the ground and rocks shook violently.

You know, she is a Marine Vice Admiral! Even Whitebeard's Conqueror's Haki couldn't affect her, yet Shanks' Conqueror's Haki stunned her.

Click!

Almost simultaneously, people watching the live broadcast from around the world saw the screen suddenly go dark.

With Buggy's keen perception, he immediately noticed the situation. Did the aftermath of Shanks' Conqueror's Haki disrupt the live transmission? What level of Conqueror's Haki had Shanks and his crew attained? Could it be one of those extraordinary version?

It wasn't impossible. After all, based on the one piece plot that Buggy knew, Shanks unleashed Conqueror's Haki from a distance of dozens of kilometres, directly forcing the green bull, one of the Marine Admirals, into retreat. The incident became a meme, exposing the Admirals' weakness compared to the Emperors.

Buggy marvelled at Shanks' Conqueror's Haki, acknowledging him as the most recent addition to the Yonkos.

The red-hairs Conqueror's Haki surprised everyone in the Marine. Especially impressive was his precise control over it. Only Gion fainted, while the others merely felt the pressure of Shanks' Conqueror's Haki without it impacting their consciousness. This left the three Admirals, Garp, and Sengoku with gloomy expressions.

Marine's current situation was truly dire. Especially since they didn't realize the live stream had been cut. They were in a passive position. If they agreed voluntarily, the Marine's prestige would plummet even further. If they refused, many Marine soldiers were likely to die on the spot.

"No..."

"Sakazuki!" Akainu was about to interject but was interrupted by Sengoku on the other side.

"Hehehe... "When the atmosphere at the scene was extremely tense, Buggy adjusted his drooping hat and his laughter echoed.

"Marine, you won. Your goal has already been achieved. Whitebeard has withdrawn from the stage of history, and a New World Four Emperor was defeated by you Marines. Are you not satisfied? How about this? Could you give me a favour? Let's end this war here."

As soon as Buggy said this, the once-noisy Marineford fell into an eerie silence once again. Shanks, on the side, was shocked by Buggy's words, his eyes filled with an inexplicable expression. He suddenly felt a sense of being outmanoeuvred.

"Do me a favour. Buggy, you are the master of negotiations!" Shanks gritted his teeth. He wasn't the only one who felt that way. Others also frantically replayed the scene in their minds, imagining when they could use such a line to deceive others.

After Buggy finished speaking, everyone's attention turned to Sengoku standing on the execution platform. After a few seconds of silence, Sengoku sighed and shouted, "All Marines, help rescue the wounded immediately! Call for the medics on-site! The war is over!"

As Sengoku's final roar echoed over Marineford, cheers erupted from both Marines and pirates alike. Finally, they saw a glimmer of hope for survival. The three Admirals turned their heads to look at Sengoku simultaneously.

"Sengoku!" Garp opened his mouth to say something but was stopped by Sengoku raising his hand. "I will bear all the responsibilities this time," Sengoku declared.

He looked around at everyone and spoke in a deep voice, "I will resign as the Fleet Admiral and report to the Five Elders! The future of Marine is entrusted to all of you."

Hearing Sengoku's words, everyone in the Marine was deeply moved. He was shouldering all the responsibility as the Marine Marshal, sparing them from the World Government's punishment. Sengoku's decision touched the hearts of all the Marines present who understood the situation. It was the senior's final act of care for them.

"Why..." Garp sighed and said no more. He understood his old friend's nature and ambitions. Sengoku was not willing to give up the position of Marshal; he still had many unfulfilled dreams. In the beginning, they vowed to end the era of great pirates together. Now, with Sengoku's choice, how could Garp not sigh?

Kizaru, Akainu, and Aokiji were also aware of Sengoku's ambitions. If he didn't take responsibility this time and pushed the blame down on the ranks, it would only lead to suffering and tears for those below.

Thus, Sengoku's actions were not only appropriate but also a testament to his humanity. Despite being a Marshal for many years and holding a high position, he was still the Resourceful General Sengoku willing to sacrifice for his subordinates.

With Sengoku setting the tone, the three Admirals could only accept it silently. The next step would be the individual process of treating the wounded.

Moby Dick rocked on the waves. Shanks suddenly slapped Buggy on the shoulder and complained, "Buggy, you are too good at trickery! What do you mean by 'give me a favour, let's end this war'?!"

Buggy showed no mercy and retorted, "So you're just a measly pirate while Sengoku is the Marine Marshal! Don't you have any self-awareness? Don't compare yourself to Marshal Sengoku!"

"Damn it, Buggy, you bastard! Aren't you just a stinking pirate too!" Shanks fumed. "Let's not fight amongst ourselves, okay? Wait, I'm sorry! Buggy, how the hell did you grow taller than me? When did you have a growth spurt, you bastard? I thought something was off when I saw you before."

Shanks was dumbfounded as he compared his height to Buggy's, becoming even more dismayed by the significant difference. Buggy pouted disdainfully and said, "I don't talk to people under two meters, so don't talk to me, you second-rate midget!"

"Damn it, Buggy, your mouth is so venomous! No wonder Sengoku's frustrated!" Shanks clutched his heart, clearly annoyed.

Puff! Seeing the state of the two of them, Gabban and the others couldn't help but burst into laughter. It reminded them of the good old days on the Oro Jackson. Others didn't expect these two bigwigs at the level of the Four Emperors to engage in such playful banter. Combined with the relief after the war, everyone smiled immediately.

However, Buggy suddenly frowned and said in a deep voice, "No..."

"No, what's wrong?" Shanks asked instinctively, his expression turning severe in the next moment.

Glancing at Buggy, the two almost shouted in unison, "Blackbeard!"

Their loud proclamation caused the laughter of Moby Dick to vanish instantly. At that moment, everyone felt a shiver run down their spines.

What about Blackbeard? They were still in a confrontation with that guy, so why did it seem like they completely forgot about him? Not only their side, but the Marines also reacted.

Sengoku, Garp, Kizaru, Akainu, and Aokiji sat together, exchanging grim looks. There was no doubt that this was the work of a Devil Fruit ability. Otherwise, it made no sense for them to let go of the Blackbeard Pirates, the group that should have been their primary target. Even with the Red Hair Pirates' arrival attracting some attention, the Marines' Observation Haki should have easily detected Blackbeard and his crew leaving.

Since they only discovered it now, it had to be the power of a Devil Fruit. "There's only one Devil Fruit that can do this," Sengoku said, his expression icy. Buggy, almost simultaneously, provided Sengoku with the name of the fruit, "The Paramecia Silent Silent no mi!"

"The Silent Fruit?" Shanks frowned. "What kind of ability does this Fruit have? Can you tell me more about it?"

"Not only did they manage to escape unnoticed amidst so many experts, but the most crucial thing is that this Silent Fruit's ability makes people ignore their existence. Judging by Sengoku's reaction, it's evident that they also forgot about Blackbeard! I have to admit, the fruit ability is incredibly powerful. Teach is not someone who can be easily killed."

Buggy fell silent for a moment, recollecting the data from Devil Fruit Illustrated Book from his previous life. Then he spoke, "As far as I know, the Silent Fruit's abilities include the power to create an invisible soundproof wall that blocks sound transmission both inside and outside the wall. It also allows the user to eliminate any sound they produce. Of course, other abilities can't be ruled out. Especially as the Devil Fruit evolves at different stages. But, based on what I know, it's the only fruit that could achieve the situation we witnessed earlier."

After Buggy finished speaking, everyone nodded in agreement.

On the other side, Blackbeard, having stolen a warship, looked back at Marineford, which was now only a faint outline on the coastline. Confirming that no one was pursuing them, he felt a sense of relief. He glanced at the man standing beside him and patted him on the shoulder, laughing loudly, "You did well this time, Blazer. Thanks to you, we didn't get wiped out in Marineford."

Upon hearing Blackbeard's words, Blazer opened his mouth and spoke, but no sound came out. Blackbeard facepalmed and said, exasperated, "Hey! Blazer, you idiot! You forgot to turn off your fruit ability!"

Realizing his mistake, Blazer stammered, "Oh, I'm sorry, Captain. I'm still getting used to it."

Before Blazer could finish speaking, Shiryu of the Rain interrupted, "You idiot, don't act like this next time. You almost got us all killed. Where's your low profile? Your patience? Your strategic thinking, Teach!"

Blackbeard was furious upon hearing Shiryu's words. "Bastard Shiryu, don't you know how to save face for me? I'm the captain!"

"Hmph! I always save face for you. If no one wakes you up, you'll regret it!" Shiryu retorted, slamming the door with a loud bang as he walked into the cabin.

Seeing this, Blackbeard grinned smugly and then exposed his rotten teeth as he put his arm around Blazer's shoulder, expressing his gratitude. After a while, when he heard no sound, he turned his head and saw Blazer frantically trying to speak again.

Bang! Blackbeard slapped his forehead and said helplessly, "Blazer, you've gone back to being mute."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Captain. I'm still getting used to it."

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