One Piece: Obtaining the Black Dragon King Fruit at the Start

Chapter 178 The Whitebeard Pirates Appear

On the turbulent stage of the One Piece world, the island of Serbia is currently embroiled in an earth-shattering, epic battle.

Minos stood tall and proud before Shanks, a slight, disdainful smile on his face, and said leisurely, "Shanks, look at the consequences of your reckless actions. Today's predicament is entirely your fault."

His voice wasn't loud, but it seemed to possess a kind of magic, each word clearly reaching Shanks' ears.

"Look, the Red-Haired Pirates are about to perish, and you are the culprit behind all this tragedy."

After saying this, Minos raised his head and burst into laughter at Shanks. The laughter echoed wildly in the wind, full of mockery and undisguised pleasure, like sharp blades piercing Shanks' heart.

Minos thought to himself that if Shanks hadn't been so stubborn and determined to die, he could have at least lingered on in the pirate world for another three to five years.

Now, everything is beyond repair and will vanish into nothingness with the end of this great war.

Upon hearing Minos's words, Shanks felt as if a massive boulder had struck him, filling him with boundless sorrow and despair.

Those vicious words seemed to possess a powerful magic, striking precisely at the most vulnerable corner of his heart, leaving him feeling utterly helpless and vulnerable for a moment.

He stared blankly and with a desperate expression at Hawkeye and Rayleigh, who were being heavily besieged in the distance. At this moment, they looked so precarious under the relentless attacks of the enemy.

Red-Haired Shanks knew that perhaps in a little while, the two of them would fall forever on this bloody battlefield.

And he himself, after Rayleigh and Hawkeye fall one after another, will inevitably be overwhelmed by the ferocious enemies and ultimately meet the same tragic end.

Minos coldly observed Shanks, who had already lost the will to fight, a disdainful smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

Hmph, this once invincible red-haired Shanks, now he finally knows the taste of despair?

When he was so arrogant and domineering back then, did he forget that he would end up like this today?

In Minos's view, this world was so absurd that those who were once powerful, once they lost power, were like stray dogs, subject to bullying by everyone.

At this moment, Minos's heart was filled with a mixture of anger and an irrepressible sense of pleasure.

What's infuriating is that Shanks was the one who caused trouble everywhere and actively provoked this conflict, so how come it seems like all the blame is on him now?

Although he has always been a ruthless killer and cold-blooded by nature, in his heart, all of this is just a necessary means to survive and become powerful in this dog-eat-dog world of pirates.

Is there anything wrong with that?

In Minos's mind, this was nothing more than a trivial "little mistake" that every man who yearns for power would make. (⌒▽⌒)

This sense of exhilaration naturally stemmed from the sight of Shanks, who looked as dejected as a dead dog.

Seeing the once-red-haired Shanks reduced to such a state, Minos felt a surge of satisfaction.

This is what happens when you mess with Minos!

Upon realizing this, Minos's expression instantly turned icy cold, and a sinister smile appeared on his lips, as if the anger he had just felt had never existed.

He slowly raised the demonic sword in his hand, which emitted an eerie light, his eyes filled with endless killing intent, and coldly said to Red-Haired Shanks: "Red-Haired Shanks, your end has come, die!"

Before he finished speaking, Minos vanished from his spot in a flash, like a ghost.

In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of Shanks like a whirlwind, his demon sword whistling through the air as he slashed down with all his might.

In his view, Shanks had no chance of survival after this thunderous blow; it seemed that the next second, Shanks would be bleeding to death under his blade.

However, the expected dull thud of the demonic blade piercing flesh did not occur. Instead, a deafening, sharp, and piercing sound of swords clashing suddenly erupted on the deathly silent battlefield.

This sudden turn of events surprised Minos a little.

He subconsciously turned his gaze to the blade fiercely clashing with the demon sword, and when he saw the towering figure in front of him, he suddenly realized what was going on.

What came into view was a white beard with a prominent scar on his face.

Minos narrowed his eyes slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips, his tone tinged with a hint of teasing: "Old white-bearded fellow, I thought you'd found some secluded corner to hide away and retire!"

The one who steadily blocked Minos's cursed sword was none other than the famous Whitebeard.

Just moments ago, at the critical moment when everything was in danger, Whitebeard arrived like a bolt of lightning, saving Shanks who had lost all will to fight.

Whitebeard's eyes were sharp as he coldly stared at the annoying Minos before him, lightly flicking the Murakumogiri in his hand.

The movements appeared effortless and casual, yet they contained boundless power. The demon sword and the Murakumogiri separated instantly, emitting a crisp ringing sound.

Minos gripped the demon sword and took a few steps back, each step extremely steady.

After stopping, he chuckled softly, but there was a hint of coldness in his laughter: "Old white-bearded fellow, look at your temper, it's not small at all."

At this point, Minos's gaze suddenly sharpened, like a sharp blade in the cold night, radiating bone-chilling coldness. He said, word by word, "What, do I have to kill a few more of your beloved sons before I can cool down your fiery temper?"

Minos's words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.

Whitebeard's eyes widened instantly, becoming like copper bells, filled with a raging fire of anger. He stared intently at Minos and roared, his voice booming like thunder: "Minos brat, don't be so arrogant!"

"You dare to spout such nonsense about killing my son? Today I'll make sure you leave your life on this Serbian island!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Whitebeard suddenly raised his head and roared, "Brothers of the Whitebeard Pirates, come out!"

Upon hearing Whitebeard's shout, Minos felt a chill run down his spine, and his gaze instinctively sharpened.

In an instant, all sorts of noisy and chaotic sounds came from all directions, echoing across the Serbian square.

Minos looked in the direction of the sound, and the sight before him made him frown slightly.

All I saw was…

Swarms of pirates, like a tidal wave, poured into Serbia Square from the port.

These pirates came in all shapes and sizes, including enormous fish-men who stood out in the crowd.

There are agile Zoan-type Devil Fruit users, whose movements are swift and flexible. There are also giants whose towering figures cause the ground to tremble slightly with every step they take.

Minos's eyes were sharp as he examined the scene closely. He was secretly surprised to find that this was actually the pirate lineup from the Marineford War in the original work!

He saw Squard, the guy who stabbed Whitebeard during the Marineford War, now mingling in the crowd.

There was also the Ice Witch, exuding a chilling aura. And the gigantic Oars, standing like a giant among the pirates.

Not only that, under Minos's constant scanning, he also discovered a fat, dark-skinned man cautiously hiding behind the captains, his head peeking out as if he were afraid of being discovered.

Seeing this, Minos's lips curled up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile.

He already understood that he had prematurely activated the lineup for the Marineford War.

At the same time, the sight of the Whitebeard Pirates' grand arrival at the Serbian island square caused Cheng Xiaoyu, the Shadow Army, Puppet Number Four and Five, and the five puppets with the strength of a quasi-Admiral to stop what they were doing.

Cheng Xiaoyu's gaze sharpened, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes. He spoke in a low voice, "Has the change already occurred?"

After saying that, Cheng Xiaoyu flashed and led the Shadow Legion to Minos's side at top speed.

Puppet Number Four and Number Five also quickly followed with the five puppet generals, standing neatly behind Minos.

And so, a new standoff quietly began once again on this square on the Serbian island.

……

P.S.: I've been busy these past few days. (⌒▽⌒)