surrender?
Is Shanks, one of the Four Emperors, going to surrender?
This is truly...unheard of!
"ah..."
Shanks suddenly laughed: "I'm no match for you, of course I surrender. What's wrong, you're afraid to accept?"
"Why should I accept it?"
Kuro said, "It's better for you to die here than to live after surrendering. I clearly won, why would I need you to surrender? Trying to negotiate with me in the sea? If you still had that hand, you might have been able to talk to me, forcing me to use ten 'Empty Kills' techniques. Now that you're still alive, doesn't that make my ultimate technique seem useless? No way, you have to die here. I don't accept your surrender."
"You'll accept it, Kuro..."
Shanks said with a burning gaze, "And you have to promise me you'll let Beckman go back before I'll surrender."
Oh ho?!
Kuro burst out laughing. "No way, Shanks, have you lost your mind? You're still clinging to your old self-important ideas? You want people back? What makes you think that?"
Shanks smiled and said, "I can get Beckman to restrain my pirate crew and prevent a war."
These words made Kuro's face darken, and he fell silent.
Shanks!
Beckman, who had regained his footing, opened his mouth as if to say something like, 'They can still fight,' but his sharp mind, capable of assessing the situation, realized that they were indeed no longer capable of fighting.
This is the ocean. Here, Kuro has demonstrated his formidable control and dominance over the sea, as well as that blood-red ribbon. They could handle it on land, but on the ocean, especially since they cannot move much, they cannot withstand that kind of attack.
Shanks' surrender strategy is the optimal solution.
Kuro realized this as well.
Shanks only brought a few hundred people this time. Although they were wiped out here, it was nothing compared to his forces.
There are definitely still core members stationed within his sphere of influence. If Shanks and Beckman were to die here, the outcome would be obvious: the enraged Red-Haired Pirates would wage war against the Navy in pursuit of revenge.
The kind of war that breaks out on all fronts.
Kuro isn't afraid, or at least the higher-ups aren't. Without Shanks and Beckman, the Red-Haired Pirates wouldn't be considered top-tier anymore. But they're facing the entire Yonko force, so casualties are inevitable. The Navy on the front lines will likely suffer even greater losses. If Shanks doesn't surrender, then so be it; this is something they have to face.
But, to his dismay, he surrendered...
Capturing a Yonko alive would definitely boost the Navy's prestige more than killing one. Plus, with his proposal, releasing Beckman back wouldn't be a problem; it would also allow them to control his pirate crew.
"How can I trust you? What if you go back on your word?" Kuro squinted. "If Beckman brings his entire crew to fight the Navy, he might save you. Wouldn't I be at a loss then? I think it's good that you died here."
"Wouldn't it be better to capture me alive?"
Shanks laughed and said, "In comparison, even if you kill me, my pirate crew will still be able to act. When they are angry, they have no target and will only fight you. But Beckman can control their anger. And since you only captured me, they still have a target to act on and will not fight the Navy."
That's true. If you agree to his conditions, even if Shanks goes back on his word later, it'll just mean adding Ben Beckman to the mix.
Even if he breaks his promise, it's not like you can't gamble on this.
Kuro glanced back at Beckman, then turned to look at Shanks, a flicker of interest in his eyes.
"I don't want to die, Kuro."
Shanks spoke frankly, glancing down at his missing shoulder, shrugging, and laughing:
"Even though I've lost my hands, it doesn't mean I'm powerless, Kuro. If we keep fighting, even though the terrain isn't ideal, Beckman and I can still hold you off."
That's true. The reason why the Void Kill was able to hit Shanks before was because Shanks was furious and thought that he didn't have the ribbon at the time. Now that he has realized that he wants to kill him who is hiding in the sea, no matter how much Kuro stirs things up, he can only ensure that Shanks can't escape.
Even without hands, he still has the ability to fight and dodge.
Not to mention Beckman, even though Kuro might have a blast playing in the water, they'll still achieve their goal.
In comparison, if Kuro agrees to Shanks' conditions, the time it takes to send him back to headquarters and then return will be about the same as the time it takes them to hold him back at all costs. Either way, he will achieve his goal of holding him back for a while, although not as long as they had originally planned.
However, in return, Kuro doesn't have to continue fighting, and the fact that he's alive ensures that Beckman will control their own forces and prevent them from going to war with the Navy.
This is a multiple-choice question; Kuro knows how to answer it.
"But I still don't want to die. My purpose in stopping you is to see Luffy win, even if it's from inside the prison. Please, like Tenyasha, once I'm in prison, how about sending me some newspapers?" Shanks continued.
Kuro thought for a moment, then loosened his grip. Luo Gui floated in the air, and a ball of gold descended from the sky—golden powder—which enveloped Luo Gui once more.
"You will still die. Now you will die in battle, and later you will be executed."
Kuro said in a deep voice, "Someone of your caliber will become a bargaining chip for those above. Whether they use you to boost their prestige or as bait, you'll be very useful. Have you thought it through?"
He had said it before, he didn't dislike Shanks; the guy had always been very well-behaved as a pirate.
"I just want to see the ocean in the future..."
Shanks grinned and said, "As for what happened to me, that's not important."
Kuro stared at him for a long while, then sighed, "He really is a good babysitter..."
As he spoke, he turned around, glared at Beckman, and shouted, "Get lost! Are you waiting for me to treat you to dinner?"
"Shanks..."
Beckman's face darkened. His captain had surrendered on the condition that he be let go. He didn't want to accept that; it was a disgrace to him as a crew member!
"Can I switch places with him?!" Beckman made a last-ditch effort. "I'll take his place. He's lost his hands, but I still have everything. I'm a complete fighter. Shanks is just crippled. It's better to let him go back than to let me go back."
"What are you talking about? Just because someone calls you 'Vice-Emperor' on the high seas, you think you're something special?"
Kuro glanced at him. "Shanks is the captain, so he should naturally target the big fish. Also, stop dawdling here. I'm in a period of hesitation right now. If I change my mind later, you won't be able to leave even if you want to."
"Go, Beckman, keep your men in check."
Shanks chimed in, "Tell them it's not the right time yet!"
Kuro chuckled and looked at Shanks, "I think you'll never live to see that day."
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