Master Ben Will Kill You Today!

"Finn! Last time, you took advantage of my lack of a left hand! This time, I'll show you my true strength!"

Shanks shouted, pulling out his western sword, Griffin, with his left hand.

Despite the arm being a transplant, it was a perfect fit—almost flawless.

Curiously, intricate patterns marked the arm, suggesting that its origins were far from ordinary. But then again, considering the Four Emperors, could any arm they possessed be anything less than extraordinary?

With a swift leap, Shanks charged toward Finn, intent on making him pay.

Finn merely shook his head, a look of disdain crossing his face. "I'm sorry, but you're not even worth my time."

"Arrogant fool!" Shanks roared, enraged by the insult. He swung his sword, unleashing a wave of sword energy aimed directly at Finn.

Clang!

Kuina, standing next to Finn, instantly drew her He Dao and countered the attack. The collision of sword energy sent a shockwave through the air, sending shards of energy soaring into the sky.

"Hmm?" Shanks furrowed his brow, surprised that the sword energy of the girl beside Finn could match his own.

Impossible.

He knew the strength of his left hand—reinforced by the World Government itself—and enhanced beyond its original capacity. With this power, he had been confident that no one could match him. Yet, this girl had managed to cancel out his attack so effortlessly.

Could it be… without his left-hand enhancement, he wouldn't have even stood a chance against her?

The truth, however, was that Kuina had reached the threshold of Admiral-level strength.

But with dozens of buffs bestowed upon her, her abilities were now significantly amplified.

In her current state, she could easily clash with someone like Shanks.

At that moment, Shanks appeared before Finn, Griffin aimed directly at his face.

But before the blow could land, Kuina swiftly intercepted, her sword clashing with Shanks' once more.

"I've got your back, Kuina!" Tashigi shouted, her sword, Xiaoye Shiyu, drawn as she rushed to join the fray.

Tashigi, stronger than Kuina, had tipped the scales, shifting the battle's momentum.

"Armament Haki!" Shanks roared, coating his sword in a rich, black hue that glowed with the power of advanced Armament Haki.

"Damn it!" he cursed, his eyes flashing. If he didn't go all out, he might end up regretting it.

But then, something unexpected happened.

Kuina's sword, too, was covered in a flowing, advanced Armament Haki. The speed and intensity of the flow were almost identical to his own!

"Damn… This girl's only in her twenties! How did she master it to such a degree?"

Shanks' disbelief grew as he glanced at Tashigi. Her sword was covered in even richer Armament Haki than his own!

How is this possible?

The two female swordsmen were now overwhelming him with their combined power.

But Shanks wasn't panicking. His expression hardened, his eyes cold and calculating like a coiled snake ready to strike.

Seizing an opening in Kuina's defense, Shanks suddenly burst forward, his intent deadly.

A wave of killing intent exploded from him.

Conqueror's Haki.

But this wasn't the typical chaotic rush of Conqueror's Haki. No—this was something far more dangerous.

It condensed into a focused, physical assault, targeting Kuina directly.

Kuina, caught off guard by the concentrated force of the attack, staggered. The blast sent her reeling, her prideful body shaken, though the buffs she'd received kept her unharmed.

Still, her brief vulnerability was all Shanks needed.

He lunged forward, sword poised to strike, when suddenly—

Thud!

A massive force landed in front of Tashigi, knocking her aside.

"Little girl! You've got some guts, but now, I'll take care of you!"

Bullet, grinning widely, aimed his punch at Tashigi, but just as quickly, Shanks called out.

"Enough! If I kill her, Finn will definitely be heartbroken!"

With his focus on Tashigi, Shanks let his guard slip, his anger momentarily clouding his judgment.

But just then—

Boom!

A devastating, materialized Conqueror's Haki slammed into Shanks with such force that his face paled and he staggered back, pain evident on his features.

It was Finn. The attack had come from him.

Kuina, having regained her composure, retaliated with a swift strike, her sword cutting deep into Shanks' chest.

Puchi!

Blood splattered as Shanks recoiled, anger flashing across his face. He glared at Finn, his voice rising in fury.

"Dammit! You dare sneak attack me?!"

Shanks was all too familiar with the attack—it was the same materialized Conqueror's Haki, only far stronger than his own!

No one else but Finn could have done this.

Finn, grinning with amusement, taunted, "Ha! The big black pig is mocking the crow? Shanks, why are you so shameless? You used Conqueror's Haki on Kuina, but now you want to play the victim? Your face must be made of pigskin!"

Shanks' face flushed with embarrassment, his fury mounting.

"Finn! If you've got the guts, fight me directly! Don't hide behind your subordinates!"

Finn's expression turned cold. "Fine. I'll deal with you today." He turned to Kuina and Tashigi. "Go and take care of Bullet. This one's mine."

Kuina nodded without hesitation, drawing her sword. "Understood, master."

Finn smirked, his aura rising as he unleashed the power within him.

"The Eight Inner Gates… open!"