Chapter 124.2 : Shanks vs Itachi!

[Uchiha Obito emerges victorious, claiming Blackbeard's Conqueror's Haki]

Hmph!

Blackbeard's Conqueror's Haki was relinquished, falling into Uchiha Obito's possession.

"Conqueror's Haki, a formidable ability indeed," remarked Uchiha Obito, visibly pleased.

Shortly thereafter, Blackbeard was extricated from Planetary Devastation by the arena's mechanisms and promptly teleported out.

In that moment,

Blackbeard brooded over his loss and the forfeiture of his Conqueror's Haki.

[ Hyuga Hiashi: Another triumph for us!]

[ Kakashi: Obito's prowess remains formidable. However, without the Rinnegan, his victory against Blackbeard might have been uncertain. Conversely, Blackbeard may have struggled without his own abilities!]

[ Hoshigaki Kisame: Congratulations to Boss Obito!]

[ Hidan: Congratulations to Boss Obito!]

[ Uchiha Obito: It was effortless. Regrettably, only one game per player!]

Before long, the tenth match was poised to commence.

The adversaries from the pirate world conferred amongst themselves, ultimately selecting Shanks Shanks for the task.

Moments later, the one-armed Shanks strode into the arena, wielding his sword.

Meanwhile, the live broadcast room of Golden List displayed an introduction for Shanks.

[Shanks, also known as Red Hair, one of the Four Emperors, adept in Conqueror's Haki, Armament Haki, Observation Haki, and possesses exceptional swordsmanship.]

[Tsunade: Another of the Four Emperors. His strength likely rivals that of Kaido.]

[Uzumaki Naruto: This fellow's lost an arm; perhaps he's the weakest among the Four Emperors. Otherwise, why would he have lost an arm?]

[ Haruno Sakura: Maybe it was damaged during their earlier struggles!

[ Fourth Raikage: Regardless, a broken arm will indeed impact strength. This individual lacks Devil Fruit abilities, relying solely on Haki and swordsmanship. Their details are transparent at a glance, making it difficult to restrain them. We must rely on sheer strength to prevail!

[ Hyuga Hiashi: Who's willing to step into this match?

[ Uchiha Itachi: Allow me to take this challenge!]

[Hoshigaki Kisame: Are you sure you want to do this, Itachi?

[Kakuzu: With Itachi in the fray, victory is assured. His strength is formidable, seemingly tailored to counter the opponent's weaknesses, such as the case when facing someone with a single arm. An interesting scenario, isn't it?

[ Hidan: Kakuzu, your insight on this matter is indeed shrewd!

[ Hyuga Hiashi: Very well, let Uchiha Itachi take the stage!

Hyuga Hiashi promptly summoned Uchiha Itachi.

And so, Uchiha Itachi steps forward!

In the arena,

Uchiha Itachi stands face to face with Shanks opponent.

Shanks speaks, "Truth be told, I have no desire to engage in combat. Yet, this transcends personal matters; it's a clash of worlds, a testament to honor. I cannot afford defeat. If you yield, then it's the best outcome."

"Proceed," Itachi murmurs.

"Conqueror's Haki!"

...the air quivers...

BOOM!

An invisible force descends.

For a moment, discomfort grips Uchiha Itachi.

Shanks swiftly draws his sword, slicing through the air with immense speed.

Itachi executes the Body Flicker Technique, narrowly evading a strike that nearly severs his sleeve.

"What incredible swiftness," Itachi remarks, his brow furrowing.

He then activates his Mangekyō Sharingan, casting the illusion Tsukuyomi upon Shanks.

Unfamiliar with the Mangekyō Sharingan, Shanks gazes into Itachi's eyes, falling victim to Tsukuyomi's illusion.

However, he soon breaks free, though his complexion pales slightly, hinting at the lingering effects.

"What ability is this? It seems to pierce into my very soul!" Shanks exclaims.

"It's merely an illusion," Itachi calmly replies.

He hadn't anticipated Tsukuyomi to have any significant impact, merely testing its effectiveness. People with strong willpower can often resist Tsukuyomi, and Shanks's will proved to be beyond his expectations.

In an instant,

Uchiha summoned Susanoo.

Boom!

The colossal figure of Susanoo materialized, its appearance still managing to catch Shanks off guard.

With Susanoo activated, Uchiha Itachi swiftly moved towards Shanks.

No longer holding back, Shanks unleashed his full strength, channeling the Armament Haki to its utmost and delivering a devastating sword strike.

Boom!

The slash collided with Susanoo, slicing through Uchiha Itachi's protective barrier.

Seizing the opportunity, Shanks assailant struck again.

However, this time, Uchiha Itachi deployed one of his three divine weapons, the Yata Mirror, deflecting Shanks's attack.

But Shanks's reflexes were lightning-fast, evading the counter blow.

Unexpectedly,

Susanoo drew forth a sword, the Ten-Fist Sword capable of sealing its victims.

"Ten-Fist Sword!"

Susanoo aimed the blade towards Shanks.

The threat was imminent, yet Shanks knew he couldn't afford to be struck by the Ten-Fist Sword.

In that critical moment, he revealed one of his trump cards—the materialized Conqueror's Haki.

Boom!

The materialized Conqueror's Haki countered the mental assault, nullifying the threat of the Ten-Fist Sword and allowing him to evade unscathed.

Moreover, unleashing all three divine weapons placed a significant strain on Uchiha Itachi's spirit.

In the Golden List live room,

[Tsunade: This Red Hair is formidable. His swordsmanship can dismantle Susanoo, and his Conqueror's Haki is terrifying. His speed and power are unmatched! He's truly on the level of a Four Emperors!)

[Fourth Raikage: Indeed. To rank among the Four Emperors speaks volumes about his strength. However, Uchiha Itachi possesses numerous trump cards and wields three divine weapons. Without a proper strategy, even if he surpasses Uchiha Itachi in strength, he risks being sealed by him with ease!]

[Kakuzu: Itachi won't last much longer in this battle. Let's see if he can utilize Amaterasu's sneak attack to inflict damage on the red hair!)

As time ticked by, the intensity of the battle escalated.

Unexpectedly,

Amaterasu was unleashed, targeting Shanks.

"Amaterasu!"

A terrifying black blaze engulfed Shanks.

Reacting swiftly, he sought to evade the flames, but Amaterasu's activation was equally swift.

However, Itachi didn't direct Amaterasu towards Shank's body, but instead aimed for the sword in his hand.

Some may perceive Amaterasu as overwhelmingly fearsome, but certain individuals possess the ability to withstand its effects.

Thus, there lingered uncertainty regarding whether Shanks could endure Amaterasu; for instance, if Armament Haki could withstand its onslaught, the plan would falter.

But if the sword in Shanks' hand is destroyed, then he'll be left defenseless, greatly reducing his combat effectiveness.

As anticipated.

Shanks was solely focused on dodging Amaterasu, disregarding the sword gripped tightly in his hand.

A portion of Amaterasu inadvertently landed on the sword.

In the next instant, the sword was engulfed by Amaterasu's flames, and the inferno persisted, albeit taking some time to consume the blade entirely.

However, he couldn't continue holding onto the sword, lest the Amaterasu flames spread to him, posing a considerable threat.

Thus, reluctantly, Shanks was compelled to discard his weapon.

Without the sword, Shanks prowess diminished significantly.

Relying solely on taijutsu and his three types of Haki, he couldn't contend with the Full Form Susanoo.

Before long, Shanks was battered and wounded all over.

Of course, Itachi's condition wasn't favorable either; his eyes were veiled in blood, pushing his Mangekyō Sharingan to its limits.

Ultimately, Shanks succumbed.

[Uchiha Itachi emerges victorious, gaining Shanks' Observation Haki, bestowed upon Uchiha Itachi]

Upon hearing this declaration, Uchiha Itachi could barely contain himself; clutching his chest, blood gushed from his mouth, yet he persisted.

Soon after, Shanks' Observation Haki was transferred to Uchiha Itachi, and both combatants were whisked away.

"Can you believe he actually won?"

Uchiha Sasuke was visibly perturbed.

Observing Itachi's battle closely, Sasuke couldn't help but acknowledge his brother's skill, realizing he still had much to learn and refine.

[Fourth Raikage: Itachi's victory may be deemed fortuitous; Shanks underestimated Itachi's tactics, and relied too heavily on a single weapon. With a proper arsenal, the outcome might have differed significantly.]

[Hyuga Hiashi: Regardless, victory is victory!]

[Tsunade: We're down to the final three matches!]

[Jiraiya: With only three bouts left, perhaps they're taking it a bit more seriously now.]

Soon, the eleventh duel would commence.

This time, facing off would be Marine Admiral Borsalino, codenamed Kizaru.

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