Chapter 317: Shanks' Escape Plan

After Adrian left the small Sky island, Shanks shifted his gaze to the nearby Enel.

At this moment, Enel also shifted his gaze to meet Shanks'

The strange man standing beside Shanks, wrapped head to toe in bandages and looking timid, was temporarily ignored by Enel.

"Since Master has decided to include you in the island's residents, follow me!" Enel, holding his prism-shaped long staff, said coldly.

Adrian had just summoned him to handle the relocation of Doctor Moy and Shanks.

"Master?" Shanks noticed something interesting and curiously asked. "Are you saying Adrian is your master?"

Whoosh—

The prism-shaped long staff swung through the air, creating a whistling sound as it sliced through the wind, its tip pointing steadily at Shanks' head.

Enel glared at Shanks, clearly annoyed, and said, "Straw-hat boy, my master's name is not something you can casually call!"

"It's okay! Adrian doesn't care about such trivial matters." Shanks grinned brightly, raising his hand to push the staff's tip down.

"Tell me about your story with Adrian!" Shanks continued, undeterred.

"Hmph!"

Enel snorted coldly, twirling the prism-shaped long staff in the air before resting it on his shoulder. He ignored Shanks and turned to leave.

"Doctor Moy, follow me!"

Shanks walked alongside Doctor Moy, laughing heartily. "Your name is Enel, right? Are you a native of the small Sky Island?"

"I've been to Sky Island before, just a few years ago. I wonder if you saw me then."

"I also know there's a giant blue snake on the island that you locals call the 'Sky Lord.' It's quite a formidable creature!"

"....."

Shanks continued to chatter, constantly irritating Enel.

Having finally escaped the clutches of the White Ghost, Shanks felt like a canary freed from its cage, filled with the sweet scent of "freedom"!

Overwhelmed with excitement, he couldn't help but talk a lot.

"By the way! Your ears are really long! Hahaha—"

Enel, his brows furrowed and veins bulging on his forehead, suddenly turned around and swung his prism-shaped long staff, aiming for Shanks' head!

Shanks quickly drew Kogarashi from his waist. The sharp blade blocked the staff with a crisp 'clang.'

"Straw-hat boy, you talk too much!" Enel had only intended to scare the seemingly foolish red-haired boy but was surprised when Shanks blocked his staff.

The force transmitted back from the staff indicated that this was no weak opponent!

A surge of battle intent rose in Enel's heart. There weren't many human opponents on Sky Island who could be his sparring partners!

He quickly raised his left palm, placing it at the end of the prism-shaped long staff. With a push and pull motion, the staff swung again from another direction, aiming at Shanks.

Clang!

Shanks swung his right arm, and 'Kogarashi' blocked Enel's staff once more.

Shanks exerted a little force, pushing Enel's staff away, and asked casually. "Do you want to fight?"

"Enough talking!" Enel's eyes gleamed with determination as he took a bold step forward. Using the explosive speed technique of Soru, he moved as swiftly as a leopard. Simultaneously, Enel brandished his staff, swinging it wildly at Shanks like a madman.

"Huh? This looks like Rokushiki. Did Adrian teach you that?" Shanks' movements were no slower than Enel's. He calmly swung his famed sword 'Kogarashi,' perfectly intercepting every strike from Enel's staff, even managing to ask questions leisurely.

In terms of strength, Shanks was far superior to Enel at this period.

The two clashed for a long time, the ever-changing weather of the small sky island even bringing a few bouts of light rain.

Enel used every trick in his book, even using both of his Haki, but he still couldn't take down his opponent.

"Huff, huff—"

Enel, leaning on his staff, panted heavily while resting against the island's clouds. "You're quite strong, Straw Hat Boy!"

Shanks looked much better off, though a slight sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead. "Enel, you're not bad yourself!"

Shanks returned the compliment, then suddenly asked, "How about joining my crew?"

Enel was taken aback. "What?"

Shanks extended the invitation, "Join my crew and let's set sail together!"

"Tch!" Enel scoffed disdainfully. After the battle at Mock Town, he had learned quite a bit about pirates and knew exactly what Shanks' words implied. "With your strength, you're nowhere near capable of being my captain!"

Despite the failure of his first attempt to recruit a crewmate, Shanks remained unfazed. He then turned to Doctor Moy, who had been silently observing the battle, and asked, "Doctor Moy, your medical skills are great. Would you like to be our ship's doctor?"

Before Doctor Moy could respond, Enel interjected, "Straw Hat Boy, do you think this is the Blue Sea, thousands of meters below?"

Enel maintained his arrogant demeanor. "There are no pirates on Sky Island!"

"I don't want to be a pirate on Sky Island!" Shanks replied with a bright smile, undeterred. "My goal is down below!"

"I'm going to be the captain of a pirate ship!" Shanks declared his ambition while standing on the Sky Island. "I will find trustworthy and powerful companions!"

At that moment, Shanks seemed to shine with brilliance.

"Do you even have a ship?" Enel asked coldly, unmoved by Shanks' declaration.

Shanks paused, scratching his head awkwardly. "Not yet."

"Do you have any money?" Enel continued.

Shanks felt his pockets and admitted, "Just enough to buy about one and a half bottles of rum."

"Then stop daydreaming!" Enel retorted coldly.

"No problem!" Shanks replied with a cheeky grin. "Pirates make money quickly!"

Adrian didn't expect his prized recruit would not only fail to train diligently on the small Sky Island as he had hoped, but on his first day there, he began plotting an escape plan.

Not only that, this golden leek even tried to recruit Enel and Doctor Moy along with him!

If Adrian saw this scene, he'd surely beat Shanks until he couldn't get up for half a month!