26 Chapter 26

Chapter 26 - Adrian Decides to Give Him Face

There was no spectacular clash of conqueror's haki like in the anime, and Shanks' sword didn't turn black. The two of them engaged in a regular swordfight.

If the Wind King Barrier hadn't disappeared and Artoria's sword hadn't revealed its true form, Adrian might have thought that way about it.

By now, Tom had calmed down. His fur was ruffled by the wind. The red-haired man in front of them seemed a bit intimidating, quite different from the simpleton they had taken to exchange for money.

Tom had always considered himself an ordinary cat, the kind that was afraid of death. Even though his owner said he had an undying body, he still believed he was alive due to good luck. Even if he truly couldn't die, getting hit still hurt a lot.

"It's a sword after all. Sorry, little miss. I can't help but strike when someone points a sword at me. On the other hand, pointing a sword at someone with the tip isn't very polite." Shanks seemed to hold no hostility, and upon seeing Artoria's weapon, he put away his sword and smiled. However, for a moment, he still couldn't figure out whether she had hidden the blade using a Devil Fruit power or a special sword technique.

Artoria kept her sword pointed at him, the blade emitting a faint golden light. "Would someone who releases their own aura so wantonly really care about manners?"

"Hahaha, I just didn't want to make too much of a commotion. It seemed like I went overboard." Shanks scratched the back of his head and chuckled. "The young man over there seems to recognize me?"

Adrian nodded. "Red-Haired Shanks. I saw the news last month about you entering the Grand Line. I didn't expect you to arrive at the Sabaody Archipelago so quickly."

Shanks laughed. "I'm just passing through, looking for someone. You don't seem like Marines or bounty hunters. How about giving me some face and letting it go?"

"Sure, we'll give you some face." Would it be embarrassing to give Shanks face? Adrian didn't think so; it seemed wise to do so.

But he also needed to respect his companion's opinion. He was concerned she might want to fight. "Artoria?"

Artoria nodded and sheathed her sword.

She and Shanks didn't have any deep-seated grudges. Their confrontation had been a misunderstanding, and Artoria's strength might still be a bit inferior to his. If she had to fight, she wouldn't be afraid, but she worried about not being able to protect Adrian. If only Avalon were here.

After Shanks left, Adrian and the others lost their desire to go to the amusement park. They headed to the shopping street instead to buy clothes, exercise equipment, and bamboo swords.

As for whether they should report to the Marines, they decided against it. Shanks mentioned he was looking for someone; most likely, he was looking for Rayleigh. The Marines might just see him as meddling.

Shanks seemed to be in a good mood, chatting happily with an elderly man with white hair. "Mr. Rayleigh, I was really surprised. In the East Blue, a little kid actually said the same words to Captain Roger, the same oath!"

"So you gave him the straw hat." Rayleigh held a wine jug, looking at Shanks' severed arm, and asked, "But what happened to your arm?"

Shanks touched the stump of his arm without a trace of regret on his face. "I bet it on the New Age!"

"I see, that was quite a gamble." Rayleigh held the jug, smiling as he looked at his junior. The little guy from back then had grown to this extent.

"Compared to the Captain, I'm still far behind." Then Shanks seemed to remember something. "By the way, I encountered an interesting person on this island..."

Shanks had initially thought that the girl named Artoria, who seemed so young yet was so powerful, would be difficult to negotiate with. He hadn't expected her to stop so easily.

"Is my reputation really that influential?"

...

Artoria had changed into new clothes. She wore a white women's blouse with a blue ribbon tied in a bow at the collar. Her lower half had a blue mid-length skirt, paired with black stockings and knee-high boots.

Adrian thought that the knight king, who had taken off her armor, had transformed into a noble young lady, and now, after changing into the skirt, she looked like a high school girl.

When she had just changed, Artoria wore a smile, spreading her arms and turning around in place. Her previous valiant demeanor was gone, replaced by a cute and innocent appearance.

They found a restaurant that looked good for lunch. Surprisingly, the dishes made by the restaurant chef were even better than Tom's cooking. Adrian wondered if the chefs in this world had something special to them. Of course, it could also be because he hadn't seen enough to know the true extent of top-tier cuisine.

The combination of a handsome man, a beautiful woman, and a cute pet attracted quite a few gazes. No one dared to approach and cause trouble, especially after they saw the small cat proficiently using knife and fork to eat. People around them started to think they weren't simple.

When it was time to pay, the restaurant owner was delighted. The delicious food came at a price, and they ate a lot. A rough estimate indicated that this meal cost more than what an ordinary family of three would spend on a month's living expenses.

This made Adrian doubt whether he could support himself and the two other foodies by just opening a pub.

"Tom, do you still want to ride the bikes?"

Tom glanced at Artoria, who was eager to try, shook his head, and gestured that they should play, while he rested.

Adrian didn't have the courage to race against Artoria on the bikes. He simply rode back on his own.

"By the way, Artoria, do you remember that imposing aura Shanks released earlier?"

Artoria nodded. "Yes, that person gave me the feeling of a king."

"That power is called Conqueror's Haki in this world. It's said that only those with the potential to become a king possess it. Besides using it to intimidate enemies, it can also enhance the power of your attacks. When you were confronting him, did you feel any power awakening inside you?"

"I didn't perceive the 'power' you're talking about. What I used seemed more like a naturally occurring demeanor, rather than a power I could directly use for attacks."

"Alongside Conqueror's Haki, there are also Armament Haki and Observation Haki. One is for attacking and defending, the other is for 'hearing' or sensing the 'breath' of others." Adrian briefly explained the uses of Haki and how it could counteract some Devil Fruit abilities.

"If we're talking about supplementary attacks, I can use magical energy. However, I'm not sure if I can physically hit an entity captured by natural abilities like you mentioned. As for sensing the aura of enemies, I can do that. If I use intuition, I can even achieve a temporary precognitive effect in battle."

Artoria had mastered numerous combat-related skills. As someone from another world, it was uncertain whether she could grasp the Three Types of Haki, but for almost every effect that Haki could achieve, she had a substitute method. What remained uncertain was whether she could handle natural-type users.

Adrian estimated that if she joined the Marines, becoming a Rear Admiral would be no problem. Vice Admiral might be tough since she lacked Haki, and Admiral was even harder to predict.

Moreover, the potential impact of her releasing Excalibur's light beam was uncertain. The Caliburn said it was a City-class Noble Phantasm, but it seemed she used it every time she slashed at the Holy Grail or was on her way to do so...

Adrian was quite looking forward to the battle between Artoria and Hawkeye, as well as whether Tom could exchange a few moves with Hawkeye...

The premise for him to confidently witness all this was to ensure he wouldn't die to some unknown AOE while watching.

In the world of pirates, being weak was the original sin.