Chapter 297: Justice Is About to be Served

A belly button freak?

Shanks paused for a moment, his mind instinctively trying to conjure up the image of such a creature. But... what kind of monster could this possibly be? Could such a bizarre species really exist in these seas?

The Genie attacked again, wielding a gigantic naginata.

The howling wind generated by the naginata's swing snapped Shanks out of his thoughts. He twisted his body, leaping into the air, narrowly avoiding the fierce strike called "Demon Hunt."

Clutching his famed sword 'Kogarashi,' a dark hue spread across Shanks' forearm and extended to his right hand, instantly coating the blade in Armament Haki, turning it pitch black.

Shanks' eyes narrowed as he leaped away, slashing downwards with his right hand, dispersing the Genie's body back into its original misty form.

However, in the next moment, the dispersed light blue smoke reformed, once again taking the shape of the fearsome and burly Genie on the finals stage of the food competition, seemingly unharmed.

"Just as I thought!"

"Against a creation of the Devil Fruit like this, even attacks coated with Armament Haki aren't very effective!"

Shanks frowned, letting the Armament Haki dissipate from 'Kogarashi,' which quickly reverted to its original color.

Since he had determined that Armament Haki couldn't effectively damage the Genie, there was no need to waste energy maintaining it, which would only lead to unnecessary fatigue and put him at a disadvantage.

"Straw Hat! Look at the floor! Don't resist!"

At that moment, the voice of Jansev Jengst echoed again.

Shanks quickly glanced down as instructed.

To his surprise, several light purple, agile vines had appeared on the brick-paved finals stage. These vines, covered in sharp thorns, resembled flexible brambles.

As the thorny vines approached his right ankle, Shanks couldn't help but twitch his mouth in disbelief.

Don't resist?

Won't these vines slice off my foot?!

For some reason, Shanks felt a subtle sense of trust towards Jansev Jengst, whom he had only met a few times.

Perhaps it was the camaraderie between fellow drinkers…

Shanks allowed the light purple brambles to coil around his right leg.

Surprisingly flexible and soft…

Just as this thought crossed Shanks' mind, the light purple brambles tightened suddenly.

In the next instant.

The brambles, defying biological logic, stood upright from the brick floor, lifting Shanks into the air.

Then, the light purple brambles spun Shanks several times in mid-air before suddenly releasing him, hurling him like a cannonball towards the upper right corner of the stage.

Thanks to his formidable physical strength, Shanks managed not to get dizzy from the spinning. He remained clear-headed.

It was at this moment, while airborne, that Shanks spotted the so-called "belly button freak" Jansev had mentioned!

From the central button of a metal belt around the "belly button freak's" abdomen, light blue smoke continuously emerged, identical to the smoke comprising the Genie!

Simultaneously.

The "belly button freak" kept rubbing his belly with his leather-gloved hands, producing a squeaking sound.

To be honest, the activation motion of the Steam Fruit was quite obscene.

Especially the skilled, repetitive rubbing…

And that crucial lower abdomen position…

It was hard not to think the worst.

Especially for a man.

Shanks, suspended in mid-air, found himself momentarily speechless.

"Trying to use such petty tricks to close the distance between us? How naive, Straw Hat!"

On the rooftop of a three-story building, Charlotte Daifuku's eyes were cold.

His hands didn't stop, in fact, they sped up, furiously rubbing his lower abdomen.

Thicker smoke poured out from his metal belt, and the previously airborne Genie suddenly vanished.

Swoosh—

A familiar sharp slicing sound came from behind.

Shanks jerked his right leg, leveraging the interaction with the light purple brambles around his ankle, then used his core strength to twist his body in mid-air, successfully blocking the giant naginata that was attacking from behind, knocking it to the ground.

A muscular right arm with dark blue skin appeared out of nowhere in the naginata's trajectory, grasping it instantly. It was the Genie, reborn at close range.

Swish!

The ghastly Genie swung the naginata, the blade glinting as it easily sliced the light purple brambles binding Shanks' right leg into two.

Immediately, the giant naginata rotated around the Genie's body, with overwhelming force, swiftly slicing upwards at the descending Shanks.

Freed from the brambles.

Shanks felt more at ease, rather than panicked.

Facing the giant naginata attacking from below, he extended his left hand, gripping 'Kogarashi' with both hands, and with a deep breath, slashed downwards with all his might.

Clang!!

The two blades clashed heavily, causing shockwaves to ripple outwards.

The Genie expected the clash to continue for a while but was surprised when the force on the opponent's sword suddenly lessened.

Its relentless slash, like a baseball swing, sent the Straw Hat boy flying.

Shanks wasn't alarmed but pleased; this was part of his plan!

Faced with these intelligent puppets created by a Devil Fruit ability, fighting them head-on would only waste energy.

Instead, finding the original Devil Fruit user was the best solution!

Taking advantage of the Genie's attack, Shanks accelerated towards Charlotte Daifuku.

Thanks to the strange light purple thorns created by Jansev, the distance between Shanks and Charlotte Daifuku had already significantly reduced. Now, with the Genie's assistance, the gap closed even further.

Seeing the Straw Hat boy speeding towards him, Charlotte Daifuku's eyes turned icy, as if capable of freezing souls.

"Do you think all I have is my Devil Fruit power? Let me show you the power of the Charlotte family!"

With a sudden halt, Daifuku stopped his obscene belly-rubbing motion, decisively ending the use of his steaming fruit ability. The light blue smoke ceased emanating from his belt, and the Genie, losing its source, began to fade, its deep blue skin turning pale before vanishing entirely.

In the next moment, Charlotte Daifuku raised his right fist. The orange-yellow leather glove on his hand was instantly covered in a thick layer of Haki. He unleashed a powerful force from his feet, cracking the bricks around him, and leapt into the sky.

Daifuku's fist collided fiercely with Shanks' sword in mid-air.

Immediately, the two engaged in a fierce close-quarters combat, exchanging blows with incredible intensity. Both imbued with Haki, neither could overpower the other, and the sounds of their clashes echoed continuously.

At some point, Daifuku retrieved the giant naginata that the Genie had dropped on the arena floor, using it to duel Shanks in swordsmanship.

All the Genie's abilities were Daifuku's as well, only stronger!

Thanks to his superior physique and combat experience, Daifuku gradually gained the upper hand, wielding the giant naginata with such precision that Shanks found himself slowly being suppressed.

From a distant hotel rooftop, Adrian watched the battle between Shanks and Daifuku below, a look of boredom flashing in his eyes.

This level of combat couldn't interest Adrian at all at this stage. Only their swordsmanship was somewhat decent, but most of the time, it was just brute force clashes.

Love, however, watched with intense anxiety, occasionally gasping in shock when Shanks appeared to be in danger.

"Adrian-sama!" Love reached out, nervously tugging at Adrian's sleeve. "Shouldn't we help Shanks?"

"Help Shanks?" Adrian shook his head. "He doesn't need our help. If he can't even handle Charlotte Daifuku, then he might as well die."

Adrian wasn't joking. Charlotte Daifuku, the third son of the Charlotte family, a puff fruit user with swordsmanship of a swordmaster's level, and Katakuri's younger brother. Such strength would be formidable even in the New World!

Even if Shanks had just set sail, recounting Shanks' adventures since setting out: first, he casually defeated a "King of the Near Sea," which could be disregarded. Then, he encountered Adrian, was severely beaten, underwent brutal training from Golden Lion, and was beaten again…

Strictly speaking, Charlotte Daifuku was the first real opponent Shanks faced after setting sail again!

If he couldn't even handle this novice enemy, Adrian wouldn't see any potential worth nurturing in Shanks.

Compared to the lively battle here, Adrian was more concerned about Charlotte Oven's actions. The two Charlotte brothers had immediately started their long-awaited operation as soon as the culinary contest ended.

Charlotte Daifuku was interfering with the event and capturing the contest's champion chef, Jansev. Meanwhile, Charlotte Oven was intercepting the food-type Devil Fruit, the Squeeze-Squeeze Fruit, which had special significance for Totto Land, after the hosts and judges had left.

"The two brothers of Charlotte family are snatching the devil fruit from these chefs."

"If I stop this and eliminate them… this is justice of this sea."