The power of the Float-Float Fruit, a Paramecia rivaling the Tremor-Tremor Fruit in sheer destructive force, was being fully unleashed in Xia Te's hands.
Ever since Golden Lion Shiki had that ship's rudder lodged in his head twenty years ago, he could no longer fully utilize his three types of Haki or his Devil Fruit abilities.
As a swordsman, unable to wield two blades properly, even his swordsmanship had declined drastically.
How far his strength had fallen didn't need explaining.
Of course… losing to Luffy still had a lot to do with protagonist plot armor.
—
Even though the Red-Haired Pirates weren't like the Beasts Pirates, whose core members were mostly Devil Fruit users—
they were still visibly shaken by the overwhelming tsunami assault.
Massive lion-shaped tidal waves surged from all directions, crashing into the Red Force.
Seeing this, Lucky Roux slammed his thick arm onto the bow, stabilizing the ship.
"Hm~"
Xia Te waved his hand again.
The sea lions that had just dissipated reformed instantly, baring their fangs as they launched a second wave of attacks.
Shanks' pupils shrank.
From his body, a tangible shockwave burst outward.
In an instant—
the sea lions were smashed apart as if struck by invisible war hammers, dissolving into mere water.
"How is that possible?!"
Enel was stunned.
As a Logia user himself, he understood just how terrifying Xia Te's move was.
Those were lions made of seawater—
a natural nemesis to all Devil Fruit users!
Back when he first joined the crew, he had challenged Xia Te multiple times.
No matter how the fight went—
once Xia Te used this move, Enel always lost.
And yet that one-armed man… destroyed it so effortlessly?!
"To train Conqueror's Haki to this level… no wonder even Whitebeard praised his Haki."
Shiryu muttered with a cigar in his mouth, his tone filled with caution.
"What nonsense are you saying? Big Brother is the strongest!"
Weevil immediately snapped back.
Shiryu clicked his tongue and stepped aside, too lazy to argue.
—
"XIA TE! WHEN THE HELL DID YOU TOUCH MY SHIP?!"
Kaido roared up at the sky.
"Oh, that? Before you got back, I added a little insurance—just in case. And it helped you, didn't it? If I hadn't bought you time just now, a thousand of your men would be dead."
Xia Te replied casually, without a hint of guilt.
Not just these three warships—
during the time Kaido hadn't returned to Wano, while negotiating with King—
Xia Te had basically touched every single ship in the Beasts Pirates.
Unfortunately, Onigashima was too heavily guarded.
He never got the chance to touch the island itself.
Once he touched something—
he could completely control its buoyancy.
Kaido knew exactly how terrifying that was, which was why he had people watching Xia Te constantly.
Yet—
this bastard had already acted before he returned.
"After I deal with Shanks, you're next!"
Kaido growled.
Despite his rage, he knew Shanks was the bigger threat right now.
Xia Te smiled faintly.
He drew Enma and Ame no Habakiri, staring down at Shanks from above.
Truth be told—
with his current strength, defeating Shanks head-on wasn't easy.
That's exactly why he brought Kaido into this.
—
Facing one Emperor and one admiral-level fighter—
even Shanks felt the pressure.
His right hand rested on the hilt of Gryphon, his gaze calm yet imposing as it swept over the two.
"Do we really have to fight?"
Shanks spoke slowly:
"The war between Whitebeard and the Marines is already enough to send this era into chaos. And now you're taking advantage of it… the balance of this world will completely collapse!"
"A pirate worrying about balance? What kind of weirdo are you?"
Xia Te raised an eyebrow.
"If you care that much, why not become a Marine? I seriously don't get you."
In the original story, Shanks always seemed like a peacekeeper.
But from Xia Te's perspective—
his actions were strange.
Meeting Whitebeard to stop Ace.
Ending the Paramount War.
Even secretly meeting the Five Elders during the Revolutionary Army's clash at Mary Geoise.
Every time something world-shaking happened—
Shanks showed up to interfere.
What exactly was he trying to do?
Xia Te didn't care to figure it out.
—
"Enough talking! I'll deal with both of you eventually—starting with you, Shanks!"
Kaido roared and charged first.
"So there's no negotiating…?!"
Shanks drew his sword.
Gryphon clashed once more with Kaido's kanabo, releasing a terrifying burst of Haki.
"After this, try not to meddle so much."
A calm voice sounded behind Shanks—
a blade thrust straight toward his throat.
"Oden's swords?!"
Shanks' eyes flickered in recognition.
"Don't interfere!"
Beckman raised his rifle to snipe Xia Te—
"Don't you dare touch my big brother!"
Weevil roared, his slash crashing in like a raging storm.
Though his swordsmanship wasn't on Shanks' level—
his monstrous, Big Mom-like raw strength made him no less dangerous.
Beckman coated his rifle with Ryuo and countered.
—
The battle exploded.
The sheer killing intent alone spread like a storm—
even the non-combatants on Xia Te's floating island trembled in fear, hiding indoors, not daring to step outside.
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