Bab 35: Chapter 35: Red-Haired Shanks: "I Believe in Fate, and I Know Makino Will Wait for Me"
"Just as I thought," Ben Beckman exhaled a cloud of smoke, his expression grim.
It was the same result, once again.
He had tried himself once, long ago. The outcome had been no different.
"Hopefully, it doesn't hit Limejuice too hard."
But it was clear the rejection had left its mark. Limejuice, looking utterly defeated, placed "Ace" back on its stand, realizing that his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity had slipped away.
Next up was Bonk Punch. With great care, he washed his hands, took a deep breath, and approached the Supreme Grade blade. He closed his eyes, took a full ten minutes to calm his nerves, and then finally grasped the hilt of "Ace."
The Red-Haired Pirates collectively held their breath, silently hoping for a miracle.
They all knew the feeling. Every single one of them had tried, from seasoned swordsmen to even non-swordsmen like Yasopp.
And every single one of them had failed to wield "Ace."
Bonk Punch, with a determined expression, lifted the legendary sword and unleashed a flying slash towards the ocean. The sea split slightly from the power of the attack, but it was immediately clear to everyone watching—he, too, could not control it.
"Ugh!" Bonk Punch coughed up blood, not from any backlash, but from the overwhelming disappointment.
Everyone could tell he was struggling with the blade. It didn't matter how hard he tried—"Ace" wasn't a sword you could simply wield through brute strength or talent alone.
Shanks clapped Bonk Punch on the shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile. "Don't let it get to you. None of us could use it either."
"That's right," added Beckman with a smirk. "We all failed."
The crew, in their typical fashion, made light of the situation, laughing and joking around.
"Bah, what kind of sword is this anyway?" Shanks feigned frustration, glaring at "Ace." "You might as well stay here and gather dust forever! Bleh!"
Gaban, watching Shanks act like a child, simply shook his head in disbelief.
"It seems the sword will continue to wait," Gaban sighed. "Is there even a swordsman alive today who could wield 'Ace'?"
Shanks shook his head. "None that I know of."
Gaban sighed again, deeply. For years, he had hoped that someone—anyone—would be worthy of wielding the blade that once belonged to Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King himself. But time was running out, and it seemed like that hope would forever be out of reach.
Almost ten years had passed since Roger's execution, and no one had been able to claim "Ace" since.
"It's hard to imagine anyone in this era being able to wield it," Ben Beckman mused. "After all, this is the sword of a legend."
Shanks, Mihawk, and all of them had failed.
If they couldn't do it, who else could?
Realizing that there was no point in dwelling on the failed attempts, the crew quickly shifted their focus to what they did best—having a good time. Laughter echoed across the beach as barrels of wine were brought out from Gaban's cellar, and a feast began.
For the Red-Haired Pirates, a failed attempt was nothing worth moping over.
They celebrated, joked, and enjoyed the day, just as they always did. The sounds of merrymaking filled the air, and soon enough, they were deep into an impromptu party.
"Oi, oi, don't take everything from the cellar!" Gaban's voice rose in exasperation as he watched the crew carrying barrels of wine not just to the party but also onto their ship.
"Gaban! You're still awake?" Shanks said, feigning innocence, his wide eyes blinking with faux surprise.
The entire crew burst into another round of laughter.
The party raged on until nearly the next afternoon. By the time the Red-Haired Pirates were ready to leave, most of them were swaying unsteadily on their feet.
"Gaban! We're heading out!" Shanks called, giving a sloppy salute as he prepared to depart.
"Get lost already," Gaban huffed, still seated on his porch, a pipe in hand as he watched the rowdy pirates stumble back to their ship.
Shanks shot one last longing glance at the wine cellar but finally resigned himself to leaving one last barrel for Gaban. Satisfied, he followed his crew aboard.
Sitting there, watching the Red-Haired Pirates prepare to sail off, Gaban looked every bit like an old man relaxing in the sun. But deep in his eyes was a glint of nostalgia, memories of adventures long past.
As the Red-Haired Pirates readied their ship, Lucky Roux at the helm asked, "Captain, where to next?"
Yawning, Shanks stretched. "We've been out long enough. Let's head back to the New World."
"Shanks, aren't we going to stop by Windmill Village first?" Beckman asked with a knowing smile.
Shanks' expression immediately changed, trying to hide his embarrassment. "No need for that. I made a promise to Luffy that we'd meet at the top. I can't go back so soon after just leaving."
"Is it just Luffy?" Beckman teased.
The crew burst into laughter, all knowing the real reason Shanks had been avoiding a return to Windmill Village.
"I... I believe in fate," Shanks stammered, shaking his head as memories of a certain green-haired bartender flooded his mind.
Beckman laughed even harder. "Fate, huh? You've barely spoken to her! You had one meal and some drinks at her bar, and now you're acting like destiny is on your side."
Shanks grinned confidently. "I know she'll wait for me."
Beckman threw up his hands in disbelief. "Wait for what? You barely know her!"
Ignoring the laughter of his crew, Shanks turned and raised his arm. "Let's get moving! Time to set sail!"
As the Red-Haired Pirates' ship began to move, Yasopp climbed up to the crow's nest to keep watch. Suddenly, something on the horizon caught his attention.
"Captain, there's a ship heading this way!"
He focused his telescope on the distant figure, growing more puzzled as he scanned the vessel.
"What's it doing here?" Beckman muttered. "This is a remote part of the island. No one else should be out here except for Gaban."
"Is it the Navy? Or other pirates?" Yasopp asked, but there was no sign of urgency. After all, the Red-Haired Pirates were far too powerful to be bothered by anyone in the East Blue. In this region, they were like bosses wandering through a beginner's zone.
No one in East Blue could even hope to challenge them. In fact, few in the entire Grand Line would dare.
But then, Yasopp's gaze sharpened as he adjusted the telescope's focus.
His breath caught as he recognized the symbol on the ship's flag.
It wasn't the typical skull and crossbones of most pirate crews.
Instead, it was marked with an unfamiliar character, written in bold, striking strokes.
The symbol was the kanji for "Radiance" (明).
"It's the Sun and Moon Pirates!" Yasopp shouted.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone