But...
So impulsive, so young, so full of pride, just like I was back then.
Right now, you're also someone who must be stopped!
"Then there are some words I can explain clearly, please listen to me, Shano."
Shanks took a deep breath:
"Essentially, we're on the same path, but the absurdity and terror of this world far exceed your imagination. Many things are not as simple as they appear on the surface."
"I can feel your fighting spirit, but... it's not the time yet! At least not now!"
"In the next few years, you have great potential in the New World. I won't meddle in other matters, but please don't disrupt the hard-earned stable situation, and absolutely don't recklessly challenge enemies you cannot possibly defeat... Don't! Before the time is right, that would just be a moth flying into the flame, understand?"
When he spoke towards the end, his voice unconsciously became urgent, yet he was trying hard to restrain his emotions.
It seemed he was reluctant to clarify certain taboo matters, yet feared Shano might misunderstand his intentions.
However.
Unexpectedly, Shano's expression remained as calm as ever, even smiling happily.
"Why are you suddenly getting nervous?"
Shano cheerfully poured Shanks a glass of wine too:
"Your reaction makes me finally somewhat trust in your stance, not believing those dark guesses about you... Truthfully, I've been curious before."
"Curious about what?"
Shanks was taken aback.
"Why someone like you willingly acts as a guardian of order?"
"Clearly possessing the top tier Supreme King aura, with a power sufficient to change the world, yet consistently preventing others from challenging this decaying era, even becoming a representative of this decaying era yourself..."
"Time hasn't come? Could you be constructing a stage, waiting for someone? Someone also from the East Sea like me, but whose name is not Shano?"
He slightly tilted his head, seemingly jokingly said, "Hey, I say Red Hair, was Roger thinking the same way at Laugh Tale back then?"
Shanks' pupils suddenly contracted, the wine glass he held almost slipped.
He stared fiercely at Shano, the drunkenness on his face suddenly dissipated significantly.
"..." Shanks said with difficulty, "How do you know this?"
"Oh, that's a long story. I have a friend, or you could say little brother, in the East Sea named Monkey D. Luffy."
Shano shrugged, "That guy is undoubtedly a brainless fool, but he firmly believes in becoming the Pirate King. He told me there was once a fellow who saved his life, but that person paid with an arm to fulfill a promise, giving him such grand ambition."
"A member of the Roger Pirates, a person at the pinnacle of the world, yet he lost an arm to a small Sea King Species even my sister Nami could easily defeat."
Shano clicked his tongue, "Hey, Shanks, doesn't that sound absurd... Shanks? Shanks?!"
No response.
The bustle of the tavern seemed to freeze at this moment, the conversation of the crew as if in another world, leaving only the sound of raindrops hitting the windows.
"..."
Shanks tightly gripped the wine glass, his breathing became rapid, sweat continuously seeped from his forehead.
"Looks like you also think it's too fake, right?"
Shano laughed heartily, patting his somewhat stiff shoulder:
"I said relax, yet you're getting more and more nervous… well then, I'll tell you something even more absurd. Before meeting Luffy, I encountered that little Sea King Species myself... Of course, to me as a little boy back then, it was quite a big deal, but that's beside the point!"
"The point is, it couldn't digest something and spat it out in front of me. When I picked it up, I found it was an arm, and it had a symbol like a Pentagram on it!"
"Back then, I didn't know what the symbol represented."
Shano paused, continued, "Until recently, a guy claiming to be the deputy leader of the Holy Knight Order came to me, their arm symbol was identical, and the ridiculous thing is, that Heavenly Celestial Dragon looked just like you."
"So many things happen to me."
Shano leaned against the bar, sighing wistfully, "So… should I keep calling you Red Hair, or should I kneel down and call you Saint Figarland Shanks, waiting for Nika to appear?"
"..."
Shanks remained silent for a long time, suddenly tilted his neck back, and took a big gulp of wine, the liquid dripping down his chin.
He drank every drop of the wine in the glass, even licking the droplets on the glass wall clean before slowly putting the glass down, staring straight at Shano.
"You." Shanks' voice was frighteningly hoarse, "Shamrock, Luffy, Nika... so you know everything."
"Yeah, I know everything, don't you also know everything?"
Shano grinned, "You just said that at our core, we are the same, but I don't think so. Want to know why?"
"In your heart, you're hesitating, scared, afraid! You only wait, want to pave the way, only believe in the future you've bet on!!"
He laughed out loud, the wine violently shaking in the glass, reflecting the ferocious wild smile of a young man!
"And I never believe in such nonsense as fate!!!"