Your Conqueror's Can Also Form A Real Attack! ! ? (4/5)

"Finn..."

Seeing Shanks draw his sword, Makino's hands trembled as she clung to Finn's clothes. "Finn, run!" she pleaded, her voice laced with fear. "I heard he's incredibly powerful."

Finn looked down at Makino, wrapped securely in his arms, and gave her a comforting smile. "Sister Makino, don't worry," he replied calmly. "I'm not the same as I used to be. If I can't even defeat someone like him, how can I protect you for the rest of my life?"

Protect you for a lifetime...

His words landed like a bombshell in Makino's heart, setting off a storm of emotions—joy, pride, excitement, and an overwhelming sense of happiness. Her eyes sparkled as if she had found something precious.

Those words were enough to fill her heart. She wanted nothing more.

Watching Finn and Makino exchange such tender words, Shanks felt his blood boil. The bitterness was palpable; it was as if he had fallen into a vat of vinegar.

"Finn! Put her down and fight me like a man!"

The Griffin sword thrummed with anticipation as Shanks pointed it forward, his face a storm of fury. Blue veins bulged as he roared with rage.

"Let go? That's a joke," Finn said, holding Makino even tighter. "She's my sister Makino—how could I let her go?" With his free hand, he reached into the air as if grasping something invisible.

In a flash, the legendary sword Yan Mo materialized in his grip. He pointed it at Shanks with unwavering confidence. "Come and fight!"

The members of the Red-Haired Pirates erupted in mocking laughter.

"What!? He's actually going to fight the boss with someone in his arms?"

"Is he insane? Does he have a death wish?"

"Clearly, he has no idea who he's up against!"

For years, they'd sailed the treacherous seas, encountering all sorts of bravado, but Finn's audacity was a new level of foolishness.

Shanks narrowed his eyes, contemplating his next move. If he uses Makino as a shield, I can't unleash my full strength. Damn it!

"Finn, are you seriously using Makino to block my strikes?" Shanks sneered, hoping to drive a wedge between them.

Finn laughed, his voice filled with a taunting lightness. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm holding back out of pity for you—after all, you're handicapped with just one arm. So, I'll only use one hand as well."

Everyone froze in disbelief.

Handicapped!?

Finn's audacity left Shanks seething.

"You're dead meat, kid!"

The Griffin sword became a blur as Shanks lunged, aiming straight for Finn's throat.

"No! Little Finn, please be safe!"

The villagers watched from afar, their faces pale with worry. In stark contrast, the pirates wore smirks, fully confident in their captain's abilities.

With a deafening clash, Yan Mo and Griffin met in a fierce exchange. Blades blurred, sparks flew, and in the blink of an eye, they had crossed swords countless times.

Shanks' swordsmanship was lethal, each strike carrying the weight of countless battles. But Finn was more than capable, his movements fluid and graceful, his sword a whirl of deadly precision.

Despite not activating his full power, Finn's mastery of Yan Fan's swordsmanship was on par with Shanks. Even with Shanks' injured left arm, which hindered his former prowess, he remained a formidable opponent. Yet Finn's power and skill were rapidly proving a match.

The onlookers were stunned.

"Why hasn't the boss taken him down yet?"

"Just finish him with a single slash!"

"He's holding back because of Makino! That cunning brat is using her as a psychological shield!"

Anger bubbled within Shanks. This brat actually forced me into this corner!

A surge of rage filled him, and with it, he summoned his Conqueror's Haki. Unlike most who unleashed this power indiscriminately, Shanks had mastered the ability to condense it into a tangible force.

The air trembled as Shanks' Haki solidified into a shockwave aimed right at Finn's exposed side.

From the sidelines, Benn Beckman's eyes sharpened. It's coming!

With a mere thought, Shanks could unleash a Conqueror's Haki attack that felt like a thunderclap. This was his trump card, a technique that had set him apart in the battle for supremacy on the seas.

But Finn was unfazed. As the shockwave approached, he smirked, his eyes gleaming with a hidden power of his own.

Without warning, Finn's aura exploded outward, clashing head-on with Shanks' Haki in a fierce battle of wills. The air itself seemed to crackle as invisible forces collided, sending shockwaves rippling through the surroundings.

The ground beneath them trembled.

Finn was pushed back two steps.

Shanks, however, stumbled back three.

For a moment, silence reigned.

Shanks, panting heavily, stared at Finn in utter disbelief. "Your Conqueror's Haki... it can form a real attack too!?"

Finn merely smiled, his confidence unwavering.

The battle was far from over.