Marineford War: I Will Stand in the Sky

After a moment's hesitation, Kong added.

"They should be fine, right? After all, they are a pirate crew that is known as one of the Four Emperors, and the world's greatest swordsman is also there. Escaping shouldn't be a problem."

"Too……"

Sanji nodded in agreement, and had to admit how terrifying the officers of the "Red-Haired Pirates," who were known as the "Iron Wall," were.

Immediately, Kong's gaze hardened, and he spoke.

"And we don't have much time left. I'll decipher the last piece of the 'Roadmark Poneglyph' now, and then find the 'Final Island,' Laugh Tale, as soon as possible..."

……

Three days until the public execution!

Inside a vast white space, accompanied by the clanking of seastone chains, Shanks, the "red-haired" man, slowly opened his eyes, his bewildered gaze taking in the unfamiliar surroundings.

This was a huge white room filled with cages, and in the center of the room stood a massive black stone tablet. He himself was bound by layers upon layers of sea stone chains.

Shanks frowned, recalling the last fragments of his memory, and murmured to himself.

"I...wasn't I dead? Where am I now?"

Just then, a helpless yet familiar voice rang out behind Shanks.

"Fool, you're not dead yet, but you've killed us all."

Shanks turned his head and saw Ben Beckman hanging upside down by seastone.

Shanks' expression froze for a moment, then he suddenly burst into laughter, saying, "Beckman, you're so funny, ahahahaha..."

In an instant, Ben Beckman, whose face was already flushed from being hung upside down, became even more furious, his forehead veins throbbing, and he roared.

"Idiot, do you even understand the situation? Is this the time to laugh? We've all been captured."

Shanks then awkwardly stopped laughing, and said optimistically, "Since we're already captured, not killed outright, we should maintain an optimistic attitude..."

After a pause, Shanks suddenly remembered something and asked, "Are the others alright?"

Ben Beckman sighed helplessly, then gestured with his eyes. "Hey, up there..."

Shanks followed Ben Beckman's gaze upwards and immediately saw a series of familiar faces, though most of them were charred black as if struck by lightning and remained unconscious.

"Haha, everyone's still alive, that's great!" Shanks laughed optimistically.

Suddenly, from a corner on Shanks' other side, an angry and resentful voice rang out. "Hmph, I'd rather die in battle than be captured like this."

Shanks turned his head unexpectedly toward the source of the sound, and what came into view was Mihawk, who was almost like a mummy bound by seastone chains.

"Huh? Mihawk, you're here too."

"You bastard, you're only noticing me now?"

Mihawk roared in response, his eagle-like eyes revealing a desire to tear Shanks to pieces.

[Chapter 789. Function Stabilization Potion]

Just then, Ben Beckman's slightly somber voice rang out. "Hey, Shanks, if you're still messing around, why don't you take a look over there..."

Upon hearing this, Shanks turned his head and looked at the other end of what was more like a wide square than a room.

On the opposite side, there were also rows and rows of cages stacked on top of each other, and inside each cage were imprisoned figures.

The next moment, Shanks' eyes narrowed slightly as he saw a familiar figure and said with a hint of shock.

"The 'Cataclysmic' is gone? The guy who disappeared into the sea along with Kaido after his death is also here?"

Ben Beckman, who was hanging upside down, then spoke.

"It's not just the end. I looked closely and found that more than half of the Beasts Pirates' officers are here. I just tried to communicate with these guys, but they didn't react at all. They all looked dazed."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa..."

Then, Shanks suddenly struggled forcefully, trying to get closer to the edge of the cage, and then looked around.

"Shanks, what are you looking for?" Ben Beckman asked.

"Kaido..."

Shanks scanned every corner of the enormous room as he answered, "If he's imprisoned here, then Kaido is probably still alive."

“Don’t bother looking, he’s not here,” Ben Beckman replied.

Shanks glanced around a few times, but also couldn't find Kaido's huge and conspicuous body in the cage, and said...

"Tsk, could it be that Kaido has really been completely wiped out?"

What Shanks didn't notice was that an eye on the huge stone tablet standing in the center of the room suddenly turned and glared fiercely at Shanks.

“Speaking of which, Beckman, do you know exactly where this place is?” Shanks asked.

"I don't know. After that bastard Yann stabbed me, I woke up here..."

As Ben Beckman spoke, a look of utter confusion crossed his face.

"Haha, so you're just like me, Beckman. I was also stabbed by that guy's inexplicable ability. I thought I was going to die, but I actually survived. What a lucky break!" Shanks said optimistically.

Mihawk's hawk-like eyes swept over Ben Beckman and Shanks, and he said, "I can answer that question for you."

Immediately, Ben Beckman and Shanks both turned their attention to Mihawk.

Mihawk then began his statement in a cold tone.

"It was because Shanks' aura suddenly disappeared that my duel with Luminosity was interrupted. By the time I arrived at your battlefield, your crew was already fighting Yone and that transgender guy Enel..."

“I checked on your condition up close at the time, and you had completely stopped breathing and your heartbeats were gone.”

After a pause, Mihawk continued.

"In other words, you could definitely be considered dead at that time, so your group of Shanks were almost all fighting desperately against Yann and Enel. As for why you were able to come back to life, I don't know the reason."

As Mihawk recounted his story, Shanks and Ben Beckman unconsciously furrowed their brows, several possibilities swirling in their minds.

Powerful treatment methods?

Body modified?

Or is it some kind of strange Devil Fruit ability?

At that moment, a clear and steady sound of footsteps suddenly rang out in the pure white room.

"Thump thump thump..."

"If you are confused about this question, I can satisfy your small curiosity."

Immediately, Shanks, Ben Beckman, and Mihawk all tensed up and looked in the direction of the sound.

Wearing a white robe similar to the coat of the "Hollow Cosmos" organization, with slightly messy hair and large black-rimmed glasses, he had a gentle and lazy appearance.

At this moment, even Shanks, who had just been incredibly optimistic even in the face of death, gritted his teeth and squeezed out a name.

"Tefimo Yaun!"

Facing the hostile gazes glaring at him from the Red-Haired Pirates and Mihawk, Yann's expression remained unchanged. He casually adjusted his glasses and then smiled.

"The reason you've managed to survive is thanks to your friendly relationship with my nephew Luffy. After all, as an elder, I can't cause my juniors too much unnecessary trouble. So, I can only ask you to stay here for a while."

After a pause, Yann continued politely.

"During this special period, the environment is not very good, please forgive us."

Upon hearing this, almost the entire Red-Haired Pirates and Mihawk showed expressions of anger.

This dismissive attitude of imprisoning them as a trivial matter or a gesture of charity is undoubtedly a blatant insult and contempt for the "Red-Haired Pirates," one of the "Four Emperors," and Mihawk, the "World's Greatest Swordsman."

However, Ben Beckman, who remained relatively calm in the face of the others' anger, spoke up and questioned them.

"Lieutenant General Yann, what did you do to my and Shanks' bodies? Shanks and I should have been dead back then."

As Yann continued walking toward the black stone tablet in the center of the room, he answered gently.

"Mr. Ben Beckman, what gave you the illusion that you and Shanks were dead? Was it the lack of a heartbeat? The lack of breath? Or the complete cessation of bodily functions?"

"Are you deliberately toying with us?" Shanks said angrily.

"Do not……"

Yann smiled and shook his head, saying...

"I just want to tell you all that there is no future in being a pirate. You should spend your time reading more books and learning more about the technological development of the sea."

In an instant, most of the "Red-Haired Pirates" members, who were either pure brutes or heavy drinkers, felt that they had been further insulted.

And Yann continued to answer.

“I have no interest in your bodies, so you can rest assured.”

"The reason you had the illusion of 'death' is simply because I applied a biological agent to the blade that can temporarily stop bodily functions."

"As long as the blade pierces through your body near your heart, this special medicine can quickly bring your bodily functions to a standstill, starting from the heart. There will be no heartbeat, no breath, just like being dead."

[Chapter 790. Sending You Off, Father-in-Law]

"I see. Was this specifically prepared to counter Shanks's 'standing at the pinnacle of piracy'?" Ben Beckman asked gravely.

However, Yann suddenly chuckled and said.

"Don't overestimate your importance and significance. The use of this functional stabilizing drug on you is merely a coincidence and a simple experiment. Your value is not worth my meticulous preparation."

At this moment, if looks could kill, the members of the Red-Haired Pirates would almost want to tear this bastard in front of them, who was so casually trampling on their dignity, to shreds.

The mighty Red-Haired Pirates, one of the Emperors of the New World, what do they take us for?

However, Ben Beckman and Shanks did not speak up to refute Yann. As prisoners and losers, they had no right to refute the other party's contempt.

Furthermore... Ben Beckman also noticed that Yann hadn't looked at them directly from beginning to end; the whole explanation process seemed more like a casual remark.

'And...this guy's purpose in showing up doesn't seem to be us either...'

Ben Beckman made a silent assessment, then noticed that Yann's steps stopped at the black stone tablet standing in the center of the room, and only then did Ben Beckman notice that Yann was carrying a jug of wine.

'That stone tablet... could it be something that Yaen used to commemorate?'

Ben Beckman couldn't help but speculate.

Yann placed the jug of wine in front of the giant black stone monument, then said with a touch of nostalgia and melancholy, "Kaido, it's been a long time."

Immediately, the red-haired group and Mihawk were both shocked and somewhat understood.