The next moment, both men disappeared again.
The duel accelerated.
To the ordinary eye, the battlefield seemed to contain nothing but flashes of steel appearing and vanishing across the darkness. The sound of each collision arrived a fraction of a second after the movement that caused it.
Trees behind them were sliced apart by missed strikes.
Branches fell.
The earth was torn open.
Yet neither combatant seemed interested in the destruction around them.
Their attention remained completely focused on each other.
One of Arthur's blades grazed Shanks' coat.
Gryphon cut through a lock of Arthur's hair.
Arthur ducked beneath another strike and drove his shoulder into Shanks' chest.
Shanks staggered back.
Arthur advanced.
Shanks recovered instantly.
Their blades crossed again.
This time, neither moved.
For several seconds, they stood locked together.
Their faces were only a short distance apart.
Shanks smiled. "You're enjoying this."
Arthur's eyes narrowed. "Shouldn't I be?"
Shanks laughed. "Hahaha... me too."
Arthur pushed against Gryphon.
The blades separated.
Both men stepped back.
For the first time, they deliberately created distance between them. The distance was not retreat—it was recognition that ordinary swordsmanship had taken them as far as it could.
The surrounding forest had been transformed.
Several trees had fallen.
The ground was covered in deep cuts and craters.
Dust drifted through the moonlight.
Neither man appeared seriously injured.
But neither looked disappointed.
Arthur rolled his shoulder.
Shanks rotated Gryphon once before settling the sword into position again.
Behind them, the watching crews remained silent.
Law glanced toward Robin. "Captain hasn't used his Devil Fruits."
"That was Arthur's way of showing where he stood." Robin shook her head.
A few steps away, Beckman watched without expression.
For the first time, the Red Hair Pirates saw the full seriousness in their captain's eyes.
Beckman narrowed his gaze. "So that's how fast he's moving."
Law's expression remained unreadable. "They haven't even started."
Before anyone could react, Arthur disappeared again.
Yasopp whistled softly. "Those two are going to destroy the island."
Lucky Roux glanced at the ruined forest. "Does that mean we'll have to find somewhere else to eat?"
Beckman sighed. "That's your concern?"
"Of course."
Despite the destruction around them, a few pirates laughed quietly.
Arthur heard it.
So did Shanks.
The red-haired Emperor glanced briefly toward his crew.
"Don't worry." He turned back toward Arthur. "We'll finish before they run out of food."
Arthur laughed. "Confident."
"I have to be." Shanks lowered his sword.
His expression changed. The easygoing smile remained, but something heavier settled over the battlefield.
Arthur felt it immediately.
The duel had changed. Until now, they had been testing technique, speed, timing, and experience. Neither had truly revealed the depth of their strength.
Neither had truly revealed the depth of their strength.
Arthur tightened his grip. "You've been holding back."
Shanks' eyes sharpened. "So have you."
Arthur smiled. "Fair enough."
The wind moved through the damaged forest.
A few leaves drifted between them.
Then Shanks raised Gryphon.
Arthur lifted his sword in response.
Their blades pointed toward one another.
The space between them suddenly seemed to shrink.
Shanks' voice carried quietly across the field.
"Let's take it up a level."
"I was wondering when you'd say that." Arthur's smile disappeared.
Neither man moved. Yet the pressure surrounding them began to change. The air grew heavier. The leaves suspended in the wind suddenly dropped. Several pirates at the edge of the battlefield instinctively straightened.
Law's eyes widened.
Beckman's expression became serious.
Robin looked toward the sky.
Something was coming.
Arthur felt it too.
The power that had remained beneath the surface throughout their duel was beginning to rise.
Shanks' grip tightened around Gryphon.
Arthur lowered his stance.
For the first time, they were preparing to fight with something far more fundamental than physical strength.
The night became silent.
Black lightning flickered along Gryphon's edge.
Arthur's eyes narrowed as both blades began to respond. Dark arcs of Conqueror's Haki crawled across both blades, wrapping the steel in crackling black lightning.
The surrounding pirates instinctively stepped farther away.
Robin's expression tightened. "Arthur's coating Komainu with Haoshoku."
Law nodded. "So is Shanks."
Hancock looked toward Arthur. "Then the real battle is about to begin."
Beckman spoke quietly. "Everyone, let's retreat a bit more."
The crews obeyed without argument.
And the night itself seemed to brace for the collision.
The distance between them felt suddenly insignificant, as though the next exchange had already begun before either sword had moved.
The wind had fallen completely silent. The harbor seemed to hold its breath, as though even the sea understood that whatever happened next would be beyond the reach of ordinary men.
Violent Haki crawled across Arthur's blades.
Similar sparks danced along Gryphon's edge.
Neither man looked away.
Then—
They disappeared.
BOOM!
The collision came so fast that several members of both crews barely saw it happen.
Arthur's twin blades crashed against Gryphon in the center of the harbor, and the combined impact detonated through the night. A violent shockwave burst outward, sending dust and splinters across the pier while the surrounding water erupted into towering waves.
The wooden platform beneath their feet cracked.
Arthur pushed forward.
Shanks answered.
Their blades slid against one another, dark sparks exploding between the edges as their Conqueror's Haki collided.
The Red Hair Pirates watched in silence.
There was no cheering.
No shouting.
They knew better.
This wasn't entertainment.
This was a battle between two men standing at the highest level of the pirate world.
Yasopp slowly lowered his weapon. "He really is fighting Captain head-on."
Roux grinned. "I'd be disappointed if he didn't."
Beckman said nothing.
His eyes remained fixed on the battlefield.
He had fought beside Shanks for years.
He knew his captain's habits, his rhythm, and the difference between Shanks playing around and Shanks taking someone seriously.
And right now—
Shanks was serious.
Across the battlefield, Arthur noticed it too.
He's fast.
Arthur twisted one blade against Gryphon while the second swept forward toward Shanks' shoulder, forcing the Emperor to react to both attacks at once.
Shanks turned his body just enough to evade the strike and immediately countered with a sweeping slash.
Arthur ducked beneath it.
The blade passed over his head.
Arthur stepped forward, one blade driving toward Shanks while the second remained poised to intercept a counterattack. Shanks read the opening and caught the attacking blade with Gryphon.
CLANG!
The impact sent another shockwave across the harbor.
The two swordsmen separated for only an instant before crashing together again.
This time, the exchange was too fast for most eyes to follow.
Steel flashed beneath the moonlight.
Black arcs of energy erupted with every collision.
Arthur's Conqueror's Haki surged outward, crashing against Shanks' like two invisible tides colliding above the harbor.
Arthur struck from above.
Shanks deflected.
Shanks countered from below.
Arthur intercepted.
A thrust.
A parry.
A feint.
A sudden change of direction.
Neither gained a decisive advantage.
Law's eyes followed the battle with increasing concentration.
"They were no longer reading movements alone. They were reading intent."
Kuina nodded slowly.
"Not just their swordsmanship."
She tightened her grip around her own weapon.
"Their Haki, too."
Robin remained silent.
She understood what made the exchange so dangerous.
Arthur and Shanks were no longer simply exchanging sword techniques. Their Haki had become part of every movement, turning each clash into a contest of will as much as skill.
Arthur had fought countless swordsmen, but Shanks was different. Every movement of Gryphon carried purpose, forcing Arthur to constantly adjust the rhythm of his two-bladed style.
One sword could bind or parry while the other created an opening, yet against Shanks, even that advantage was barely enough to keep the exchange balanced. His swordsmanship was inseparable from his Haki.
Another collision sent a violent crack through the air.
Arthur was forced backward.
His boots carved deep lines across the wooden pier.
Shanks advanced.
One step.
Then another.
Gryphon came down.
Arthur raised both swords, black lightning crawling along their edges.
BOOM!
The pier beneath Arthur's feet collapsed.
He dropped through the broken boards.
Several voices shouted.
But before he could fall into the water, Arthur twisted in midair and kicked off the side of the pier.
He launched himself upward.
Shanks looked up.
Arthur descended with his sword raised overhead.
Shanks crossed Gryphon above his head.
CRACK!
Their blades met again.
The force of the impact sent a shockwave across the harbor.
The water surged violently against the ruined pier.
Water rose on both sides of the pier as if an invisible wall had struck the ocean.
The Red Hair Pirates stared.
Yasopp slowly lowered his weapon.
"This is getting ridiculous."
Roux grinned.
"You say that like it's a bad thing."
"Look at the harbor!"
"I am."
"Half of it's missing!"
Roux glanced at the shattered pier.
"...Fair point."
At the center of the shattered waterfront, Arthur and Shanks vanished once more.
This time, the collision occurred above the harbor.
Their swords met in midair.
BOOM!
A shockwave blasted downward.
The remaining lanterns around the pier went out simultaneously.
Darkness swallowed the harbor.
Then black lightning illuminated the night.
Another collision.
Another.
Another.
Each impact sent thunder rolling across the island.
People in the distant village turned toward the harbor in confusion as windows rattled, doors shook, and animals fled into the surrounding forests.
The mountains themselves seemed to tremble beneath the battle.
Arthur landed on the remains of the pier.
Shanks landed opposite him.
Both remained silent.
Then Arthur noticed something.
The clouds above them were beginning to move.
Not because of the wind.
Because of them.
The massive layer of clouds gathered overhead, slowly twisting around the invisible pressure created by their Conqueror's Haki.
Arthur looked upward for a moment.
Then back at Shanks.
"Looks like the island doesn't like our conversation."
Shanks laughed. "I don't think the island gets a vote."
"Then let's give it something to remember." Arthur tightened his grip.
Shanks' eyes sharpened. "Agreed."
Their Haki erupted.
This time, the pressure did not remain contained.
A tremendous wave of Conqueror's Haki swept across the island.
Several weaker pirates immediately collapsed.
Others stumbled backward, struggling to remain conscious.
The Angeloids reacted instantly, forming a protective barrier around Arthur's children as the shockwave swept across the harbor.
Lancelot stared toward the harbor with wide eyes.
"Father..."
One Angeloid placed a protective hand against his shoulder.
"Stay here."
Across the harbor, Beckman planted his feet firmly.
Yasopp gritted his teeth.
Roux's grin disappeared.
Even the strongest members of both crews were forced to brace themselves.
Yet Arthur and Shanks remained standing.
Neither yielded.
The clouds above them twisted faster.
Black lightning spread across the sky.
Then—
CRACK!
The heavens split.
A massive fissure tore through the clouds from one end of the horizon to the other.
Moonlight poured through the opening.
The sea below erupted as enormous waves crashed against the island.
The entire harbor shook.
Buildings trembled.
Trees bent beneath the invisible pressure.
The island itself seemed to groan.
Everyone looked upward.
Nobody spoke.
Even those who had witnessed the earlier clash could not hide their astonishment.
Arthur stood beneath the divided sky.
Across from him, Shanks held Gryphon at his side.
For several seconds, they simply stared at one another.
Then Shanks smiled.
"Now we're talking."
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
"You haven't seen anything yet."
The smile on Shanks' face widened.
"Neither have you."
He raised Gryphon.
Arthur raised his sword.
The black lightning surrounding both blades became denser.
Their Conqueror's Haki surged again.
Even seasoned pirates struggled to withstand the force.
Robin's eyes widened slightly.
"Arthur..."
Law looked toward her.
"What?"
"They're going to do it again."
Law's expression hardened.
"Then everyone needs to get farther away."
But before either crew could move—
Arthur and Shanks vanished.
The next collision was unlike anything before it.
BOOOOOOM!
The sky itself seemed to explode.
A colossal shockwave tore across the island.
The remaining structures around the harbor were thrown apart.
The sea itself recoiled, exposing the seabed before an enormous wall of water rushed back toward the island.
The clouds split even farther.
Thunder rolled across the horizon.
Black lightning stretched between the heavens and the sea.
And at the center of it all, two figures remained locked together.
Arthur.
Shanks.
Their swords crossed.
Neither gave an inch.
Their faces were close enough for them to see the determination in each other's eyes.
Shanks spoke first.
"Now I understand."
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
"Understand what?"
"Why Roger believed in you."
Arthur's expression changed.
For the first time, Shanks wasn't smiling.
His voice carried through the chaos.
"You aren't trying to become the next Pirate King."
Arthur pushed harder against Gryphon.
"No."
"You're trying to become something else."
Arthur's eyes sharpened.
"Perhaps."
Their blades screamed against each other.
Arthur suddenly twisted one blade against Gryphon, breaking the lock between them. Before Shanks could recover, Arthur's second sword flashed across his guard. Shanks twisted away at the last possible moment, but the blade still cut through his coat and opened a thin line across his shoulder.
The Red Hair Pirates fell silent.
Arthur had drawn blood.
Shanks looked at the wound.
Then he laughed.
Not mockingly.
Not angrily.
With genuine excitement.
"Good."
He wiped the blood away with his thumb.
"Now..."
His grip tightened around Gryphon.
"...show me how far you've come."
Arthur raised both swords, their edges blazing with black lightning.
His Conqueror's Haki erupted once more.
The heavens seemed to break beneath the force of their collision.
The moon disappeared behind the rapidly twisting clouds.
The entire island trembled.
Then Arthur felt it—the change in Shanks' presence.
The carefree Emperor was gone.
The pirate who had laughed with children, shared food with strangers, and drank beneath the lanterns had disappeared.
What stood before Arthur now was the man who had survived Roger's era.
The man who had reached the summit of the New World.
The man whose name alone was enough to make entire fleets retreat.
Shanks lowered his stance.
Arthur did the same.
Both swords began to crackle violently with black lightning.
The next strike would be different. Arthur felt it. Shanks knew it. Even the watching crews could sense the change. The battle had only just reached its true beginning.
Arthur took one final breath.
Shanks stepped forward.
Arthur crossed his two blades before launching forward, while Shanks surged toward him with Gryphon raised. The two Emperors disappeared into the storm of black lightning.
BOOM!
The impact swallowed the harbor in a storm of black lightning.
A jagged fracture tore across the heavens.
And far beyond the island, something ancient seemed to awaken beneath the thunder.
Arthur's eyes widened. Amid the fading thunder, he felt something that did not belong to either crew. It was distant—so distant that he could barely tell whether it was truly there. Yet for one unmistakable instant, he felt the sensation of being watched.
Arthur's sword remained locked against Gryphon as he glanced toward the distant horizon.
Shanks noticed the change in his expression.
"You felt that too?"
Arthur didn't answer.
The thunder rolled again.
The sea suddenly became unnaturally still.
Then, from somewhere beyond the darkness of the horizon—
A distant sound echoed across the water.
BOOM.
Arthur and Shanks slowly turned their eyes toward the same direction.
Whatever had just happened...
It had not come from their battle.
And for the first time that night, neither Emperor smiled.
Across the dark horizon, the sea remained unnaturally still.
Then something moved beyond the edge of sight.
Neither Arthur nor Shanks could see what was coming, but both of them knew the same thing.
Their battle had not been the only thing awakened tonight.
Neither could tell whether it was an enemy... or a warning.