One Piece: Mandala Swordsman

Chapter 515 I Smell the Fragrance of Flowers

"It really does feel like wartime."

Along the way, we had encountered countless damaged ships.

Floating corpses are as common as pieces of wood.

The entire sea was as silent as a dead man's.

The smells of gunpowder, blood, and the saltiness of the sea mingled together.

"You know this place is unstable, why do you still insist on coming here?"

"Don't be so discouraged, it's still quite spectacular, isn't it, Beckman?"

Shanks' smile was as bright and cheerful as ever.

His crew and everyone else were all smiles.

This contrasted sharply with the appearance of the first mate, Beckman.

"This isn't a good place to hold a banquet, wait... you don't mean to..."

When Beckman saw Shanks' appearance, a bad feeling arose in his heart.

When he makes that kind of expression, it's never a good sign.

This is something Beckman has learned over many years and has never made a mistake.

Shanks can be so outrageous, doing crazy things time and time again.

The key point is that, apart from himself, no one else thinks there's a problem.

"You're not planning to accidentally kick me, are you, Shanks?!"

Finally, Beckman struggled to speak.

"As expected, you understand me best! Wasn't this just a matter of time?"

Shanks still had a bright, sunny smile on his face.

"I... never mind, I've never been able to successfully object to anything you've decided."

Beckman wanted to say something more, but he wisely kept quiet.

"Hahaha, even Beckman isn't trying to persuade you anymore? As expected of you, Captain, you've finally made Beckman give in."

Lu ate his favorite meat while laughing and commenting.

Yasopp was also somewhat surprised by this situation.

It's worth noting that Beckman has always been cautious.

His style and approach are quite different from most of the members.

But that's because it's the brain.

You always need to think about more things.

They can do whatever they want, and Beckman's advice and support are indispensable.

"You want the same position as them, right?"

Beckman suddenly spoke seriously.

Upon hearing this, everyone on the ship fell silent.

The same position as them.

"They" naturally refers to Charlotte, Kaido, and Whitebeard.

"Oh... if I said yes, Beckman, would you support me?"

"Really... you won't do it if I don't support you?"

"Haha, I think I'll eventually get your support!!"

"Tsk, I knew you'd say something like that sooner or later."

Beckman accepted the facts calmly this time.

Because what Shanks said was something he had been thinking about all along.

The Red-Haired Pirates are getting stronger and stronger.

It could even be said to be the strongest crew under the three Sea Emperors.

It's not hard to imagine such a team challenging for the position of the emperor of the sea.

It's not impossible.

However, the difference between the first and second lines can be an insurmountable chasm.

To successfully sell, one must naturally bear the risks.

One wrong move and you could lose your life.

Given the Red-Haired Pirates' style, committing evil is not a good choice.

Becoming a maritime emperor through infamy is clearly contrary to their style.

Generally speaking, challenging the emperor of the sea and obtaining a seat is the fastest way.

However, this is the riskiest.

For Shanks as he is now, the risk is still too great.

Those three are all formidable characters.

Then there is another way to go.

That is to occupy the "no man's land" of the new world and make the unclaimed lands belong to someone.

This is the safest and most suitable path for the Red-Haired Pirates.

However, various factors need to be considered.

It would generally take one to two years to obtain the status of a maritime emperor through this method.

Fortunately, the Navy is facing Charlotte and the Beasts, so they probably can't deal with them for the time being.

but……

This depends on Shanks being willing to listen to him.

At least right now, Shanks is probably only thinking about "stirring things up".

"Beckman, don't be so serious. I just want to end this war as soon as possible. Even the new world needs stability."

Before Joy Boy's arrival, the balance at sea could not be broken.

Even in a new world, order is needed to maintain it.

"Then you... Shanks!!!"

"captain!!!"

Suddenly, Shanks, who had been talking so eloquently, clutched his left shoulder and collapsed to the ground.

It was that familiar stinging sensation.

It felt like I was back in the moment I lost my left arm.

The pain caused a thin layer of sweat to form on Shanks' forehead.

"What happened...?"

The crew quickly helped Shanks up.

Suddenly, Beckman noticed Shanks's actions.

In an instant, he understood.

Looking around, a ship slowly approached from afar.

Its appearance cast a huge shadow within the thick white fog, making it look like a giant beast.

"I think I smell it, a very faint floral scent!"

The most perceptive of them all suddenly spoke up.

At the same moment, Shanks' expression turned serious again.