Chapter 66

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065: Bai Ye vs Red Hair, The World's Number One Swordsman: Bai Ye!

"You-!!"

"You bastard!"

"Attacking our partners directly!"

"Do you want to start a war with us pirates?!"

The members of the Red Hair Pirates witnessed Bai Ye's actions. Their expressions shifted one by one as they drew their weapons, fixing their gazes on Bai Ye, who had just injured their mate.

A fight seemed imminent when,

"Stop!"

Red-haired Shanks intervened, placing his sword Griffin in front of his crewmate.

"Enough!"

He turned to Rockstar, who had been knocked back, and said with gravity,

"This time, Rockstar is at fault. As a newcomer to the ship, he's fortunate to have survived this encounter with a strong adversary.

Shanks was well aware of the situation before him; Bai Ye hadn't considered their plans at all. With Rockstar's bounty of 94 million,

yelling at one of the top 'monsters' of the sea could mean death, not just a beating, if said monster truly wanted to kill.

"Shanks! But this guy had the nerve to stand against us...!"

That voice of protest came from Snake, the navigator outfitted in sunglasses, sporting blue-gray hair, a white shirt, and a red dragon tattoo on his neck.

The Red Hair Pirates, known for their fierce loyalty, don't tolerate insults to their crew or flag. While the crew may tolerate a hot-headed newcomer,

once that newcomer joins, they're seen as a potential 'elite' and are defended by the entire crew.

By attacking in full view of the crew, Bai Ye appeared to dismiss the Red Hair Pirates completely. Such an act would normally be seen as extreme provocation. In the world of pirates, the group's reputation and flag are sacred; to disrespect them is an invitation to conflict.

Now the Red Hair Pirates felt their line had been crossed by Bai Ye.

At that moment,

Red-haired Shanks detected the tense atmosphere of the day.

Though he told his crew to halt, he didn't ask them to lower their weapons but watched Bai Ye intently.

"What my mate did was wrong, and he deserved his lesson, but,"

Shanks began with an apology, then his voice grew stern.

"If we can't agree, a battle must ensue by the laws of the sea. We're in a hurry, so let's resolve this in three moves. Take note, this isn't a declaration of war. Kaido can die in the future, but his death now would disrupt the balance in the New World.

"I apologize!"

After Shanks spoke, his crew backed away with anticipation in their eyes. A conqueror's crimson glint appeared in Shanks's gaze, his weapon ready.

In a surge of speed, Shanks lunged at Bai Ye, who stood atop a pillar of stone!

"Haha! Finally, Shanks takes action again!"

"Go, Shanks!"

"Show him how mighty the Red Hair Pirates are!"

Yasopp and the others buzzed with thrill.

Bendik Snake's face lit up with excitement at seeing Shanks move into action. It seemed Shanks had no intention of letting that earlier slight pass unchallenged!

Indeed, this was Shanks being Shanks, not letting an opponent off lightly.

"Ultimately, in this world, power is everything."

Bai Ye stood on a jagged pillar, observing Shanks who blitzed towards him in the blink of an eye.

The fleeting glimpse of disdain in Bai Ye's eyes went unnoticed. But now, with redhead Shanks making his move, a surge of Reiatsu emerged once again. In an instant, Yasopp and the others, who had been cheering for Shanks, felt a terrifying Reiatsu approach. Bai Ye's Ryūjin Jakka clashed with the red-haired Shanks' Griffin, creating an immense explosion. The ground nearby cracked violently and scattered outward, while a strong gust rolled in all directions.

"That... that's?! Their weapons didn't even touch, did they?! Am I seeing things?!" exclaimed Rockstar, who had just scrambled up from a pile of debris and witnessed the battle between Red Hair and Bai Ye from afar. His eyes widened in shock.

"Hey, that's the power of Conqueror's Haki clashing, boy. It's a skill that not even the top powerhouses have mastered. You still have a lot to learn once you're aboard our ship," Yasopp explained as he approached.

"But that guy is a monstrous... After wreaking such havoc, does he still have the strength to fight Shanks?" wondered Yasopp, seeing that Shanks' initial attack hadn't made much impact, and he sighed internally.

At this moment, red-haired Shanks collided with Bai Ye's first move, showing a hint of seriousness. This was his first impression of Bai Ye—an unimaginable strength. The sea of the battlefield had evaporated, leaving behind a terrifyingly devastated landscape, seemingly unaffected by the man's power.

After all, the race was on to the Summit War, with speed deciding the outcome. When red-haired Shanks took his shot, he used at least half of his strength. Yet, Bai Ye stood unwavered. It was clear that Bai Ye's strength was possibly more formidable than Shanks had anticipated.

Despite the circumstances, Shanks was ready to act. "I have two more tricks up my sleeve!" he declared, channeling both Armament and Conqueror's Haki into Griffin. The next move was imminent—a signature skill of Captain Roger named "Divine Departure," which Shanks had mastered and could split the sky with its devastating force. As red-haired Shanks prepared to release his Slash Wave, Bai Ye's indifferent eyes shimmered with sharpness.

Bai Ye was quicker than red-haired Shanks, choosing his next move strategically. Despite wanting to witness the strength of another of the Four Emperors, Bai Ye decided not to prolong the match.

In a split second, Bai Ye's figure became a blur to onlookers. One moment he was standing still; the next, he appeared before Red Shanks, who was poised to release Griffin.

Then red-haired Shanks came to a halt, his eyes flickering with surprise. A line of blood abruptly appeared across his chest, followed by an immediate splatter of blood.

"Shanks?!" Below, Yasopp and the others who had been speculating about the outcome of the fight were momentarily caught off-guard, then stared in shock.

Bai Ye had anticipated this scene. The strength of 'Yamamoto Genryūsai' encompassed not only Reiatsu and Ryūjin Jakka but profound swordsmanship. As the founder of "Yuanliu" and the Spiritual Arts Academy, the swordsmanship of Yamamoto Genryasai Shigekuni had already peaked thousands of years ago.

And so, Bai Ye, molded in Yamamoto's image, could also claim the title 'world's number one swordsman,' in a sense. Though he faced many enemies, Bai Ye often relied on the expansive attacks of Ryūjin Jakka over single combat with a sword.

With one final move left, Bai Ye shook off the blood from Ryūjin Jakka. His gaze landed on the dignified face of the red-haired Shanks.