Whoosh—
A straight black-red line, like a paper cutter slicing through silk, easily cut through the raging flames.
The flames split in two from their origin point at Shanks, roaring past and igniting the harbor.
Pirates desperately fled through the sea of fire, trying to seize small boats to escape to sea, only to discover the nearby waters were also burning with fierce flames, leaving no escape.
Scorching heat waves distorted the atmosphere, filling the sky with sparks.
...
Shanks stood within the fiery path, his immense Conqueror's Haki repelling both the flames and chaos around him.
Gripping his sword hilt in a reverse hold, he stared at the man on the massive warship offshore.
Come on!!
Show me your full power!!
...
Griffin coldly scanned the pirates of Hachinosu, then abruptly clasped his hands together. The Chakra flowing within his body underwent a radical reversal in nature.
The originally scorching and violent Fire Release Chakra was instantly replaced by extreme, profound cold.
"Too noisy, you trash."
He leaped upward, one hand forming seals at his chest, the other raised high.
A white rainbow shot from his fingertip, piercing straight into the clouds.
...
"Ice Release: Ice Heaven Hundred Flower Funeral."
The softly spoken words carried a soul-freezing chill, clearly reaching everyone's ears.
The sky
began to 'snow'.
Countless crystal-clear ice petals showered down from the clouds, drifting down silently.
They were breathtakingly beautiful, each petal refracting the light of the flames, dreamlike and illusory.
This exquisitely beautiful scene made even the fleeing pirates of Hachinosu pause involuntarily, reaching out to catch the falling ice flowers.
...
"So beautiful... Is he trying to extinguish the flames..."
Lucky Roux raised his hand to catch a slowly drifting ice flower when Beckman's furious shout came from beside him.
"Dodge!! Stay away from that thing!!!"
—
—
When the first ice flower made contact with the boiling flames—
BOOM!!!!!
Instead of the expected melting or extinguishing, it triggered an energy chain explosion!!
The energy contained within the ice flower clashed most directly and violently with the flames, erupting into a pale white ring of destructive explosion!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom—!!!!!
Hundreds upon thousands of ice flowers continuously fell into the sea of fire, setting off a series of massive explosions!!
Within mere minutes,
Hachinosu's large harbor appeared to be carpet-bombed by countless heavy bombs!!
A death storm mixing sharp ice crystals and scorching steam shredded everything within range—buildings, ships, pirates, stones...
All were pulverized, flesh and blood flying everywhere!!
—
Shua—
Shanks plunged his long sword into the ground, black-red lightning continuously expanding, carving out a Pure Land amidst the pale explosions to protect his horrified crew.
Through gaps in the explosions, he saw Griffin walking across the ice to the harbor, his expression extremely grave.
When the explosions ceased, the screams and cries also vanished.
At the harbor, aside from the Red Hair Pirates, the hundreds upon thousands of fleeing people were all dead.
...
"Taking lives so casually... Griffin, as a Marine..."
"What do you consider life to be?!"
...
The wind stirred by Griffin's movement blew a pirate who had directly contacted an ice flower into dust.
He slowly spoke.
"A pirate's life is not a life."
Crack—
Shanks roared in fury: "Even on Hachinosu, where scoundrels gather, there must be people who've never harmed others! Someone like you—"
"Wasn't it you who brought me here?"
Griffin tilted his head with a light laugh: "This is the battlefield you chose."
He spread his arms open, beaming with delight.
"I truly love this place! It's rare to find a battlefield where I can act without restraint! Your judgment is good, Shanks!!"
...
Shanks froze momentarily, then took a deep breath: "You still haven't answered me - if there were innocent people among those you killed, wouldn't you feel any guilt at all?!"
"What is your justice?!"
At the very least...
He at least knew that the family running the tavern at the port had never harmed anyone. The tavern keeper's daughter was only sixteen years old!
His peripheral vision caught the tavern already buried in the explosions.
...
Griffin's smile faded.
"How strange, Shanks. Why would you say such things?"
"Is it because someone you knew was among the dead?"
"Then..."
"Let me say it again."
Griffin pointed at him, speaking calmly: "You're the one who summoned this disaster."
"Let's not even discuss whether there are innocent people in this Pirate Paradise, even if..."
"Forget it... This debate is utterly boring."
——
Whoosh—
BOOM!!
With a sudden explosive sound, Griffin closed in on Shanks, both arms coated in black Armament Haki, striking down fiercely!
THUD—!!
Fist and blade collided, the ground cratering instantly!!
...
"I regret it..."
Shanks stared at Griffin at close range, his voice hoarse: "If I'd known you were this kind of madman, I would never have led you here."
"Why have you become like this? I still remember how the people of Dressrosa genuinely appreciated you!"
"How did it come to this?!"
He remembered that young officer in Gehr Town who dared stand in his way to protect the townspeople's supplies.
He remembered the man at Sabaody Archipelago who prioritized saving slaves even when facing powerful enemies.
Time after time...
The Marines used themselves as stepping stones to shape this rising naval star.
Shanks never felt offended, but rather pleased.
If all Marines were like this man, the seas would be much better... That's what he had thought.
Even when being pursued by Griffin, he only wondered how he'd been found, never resenting Griffin for the chase itself.
...
Having experienced being hunted by Garp himself, Shanks had envisioned a future where he played Roger's role, and Griffin would be the new 'Garp'.
That's how it should have been...
Your opponent is me! You shouldn't be slaughtering indiscriminately like this!
Aren't you supposed to be the man who'll shoulder the Marines' new era?!
——
The fist pressed against the blade tip, trembling slightly.
"I haven't changed at all."
Pushing the blade down an inch, Griffin looked down from his elevated position:
"I don't require gratitude from those I save, nor do I feel guilt for mistakenly killing others."
"Unlike cowards like you who don't even believe in yourselves, placing your hopes in others, in the future."
His lips parting slightly, Griffin uttered a name.
"Roger and you - both are cowards."
...
The man who started the Great Pirate Era, the first Pirate King in history to reach the final island.
A coward?
Shanks' pupils contracted sharply, memories of that man's heroic smile flashing through his mind.
CRACK—!!
Black and red lightning arcs exploded!!
...
"You... what are you saying..."
His voice was hoarse beyond description. Shanks, shrouded in black-red miasma, resembled a demon.
"Roger... Captain Roger was the man who opened a new era! What the hell are you saying!!!"
Whoosh!!
Griffin was forced back by the raging Conqueror's Haki.
Electric arcs tore through Griffin's sleeves, striking his dark skin and erupting in sparks.
...
Finally able to discard unnecessary distractions...
Facing the furious Shanks, Griffin remained expressionless as he continued speaking.
"The sea is not a playground."
"Shanks, I'm here to kill you."