Higuma attempted to play a trick on Bai Yun but ended up being tricked himself. His face flushed crimson with anger, and he drew his sword, slashing it toward Bai Yun.
"You stinking brat! You're asking for death!"
As he drew his sword, his subordinates behind him also pulled out their guns.
Bai Yun didn't dodge. Higuma's sword couldn't reach him; Beckman drew his pistol and blocked the blade with the barrel.
"Hey, hey, are you really going to draw a sword against a kid in a wheelchair?"
"Besides, he's my apprentice!"
Beckman said, glaring at Higuma, a cigarette dangling from his lips.
Luffy immediately jumped off his chair, intending to "save" Bai Yun.
Shanks grabbed him, but unexpectedly, Luffy's arm stretched out.
"Eh!!!!!"
"My arm stretched out!!!"
"Could it be!!!"
Luffy panicked, his mouth wide open.
"What in the world is going on?!"
Bai Yun was the calmest one, while Higuma and his crew looked completely bewildered.
"It's gone!"
"The 'Gum-Gum Fruit' we took from the enemy ship is missing!"
"What?!"
Lucky Roo immediately thought of the Gum-Gum Fruit, picked up the box it was stored in, and found it completely empty.
Lucky Roo then pulled out a picture book, pointed to the image of the Gum-Gum Fruit, and asked Luffy if he had eaten it.
"Ah, I ate it as dessert..."
"It tasted really awful."
Luffy replied blankly.
Shanks held Luffy's face, excitedly telling him, "The Gum-Gum Fruit is a treasure known as a Devil Fruit! Anyone who eats it becomes a rubber human and will never be able to learn how to swim for the rest of their life!!"
"What! No way!!"
Luffy's jaw dropped to the floor, his face filled with disbelief. If he couldn't swim, how was he supposed to become a pirate?!
"Enough!!"
"Bang!!"
After all this commotion, Higuma felt completely ignored and was furious. Any later, and his plan would be ruined.
He immediately drew his gun and fired a shot directly at Shanks.
The moment Higuma fired, Beckman used the body of his gun to knock Higuma's arm aside, sending the bullet into the ceiling.
Shanks pressed down on his straw hat, stood up, and finally exuded the intimidating aura of a Yonko.
"Since you've fired a shot, you've gambled your life."
"Wh—..."
Before Higuma could finish the word "What," his entire group of subordinates behind him was instantly knocked down by the Red-Hair Pirates.
Higuma's expression instantly changed. He was dumbfounded, cold sweat pouring down his face, having lost all his previous confidence.
"Bastards!"
Taking a deep breath, Higuma threw down a smoke bomb, and the tavern was instantly filled with smoke.
"Damn it, it's a smoke bomb!!"
Everyone cried out in alarm.
"What the hell, you've grabbed the wrong person!"
"Shut up and stop talking nonsense, you stinking brat!"
"Bai Yun!"
"Ah! You damn brat!"
The voices of Bai Yun, Higuma, and Luffy echoed from within the smoke.
Once the smoke cleared, Luffy, Bai Yun, and Higuma were nowhere to be seen.
"We're finished! What if Luffy and Bai Yun were accidentally captured!"
Shanks frantically gripped his head, only to suddenly see Bai Yun lying outside the tavern.
"Bai Yun!"
...What happened in the smoke was that Higuma grabbed Bai Yun by the collar, which is why Bai Yun shouted that he had the wrong person.
But destiny never makes a mistake.
Luffy, worried about Bai Yun, had his potential burst forth. Moments after eating the fruit, he instinctively controlled his stretching arm to grab Higuma and quickly pulled himself closer.
And then, they were both captured... Higuma tucked one under each armpit and ran out the tavern door. Bai Yun wouldn't just wait to die; his bracelet transformed into a dagger, and he stabbed Higuma directly. Higuma, in pain, immediately dropped Bai Yun and took Luffy away... "Bai Yun, are you alright!"
Shanks and the others immediately rushed out of the tavern. Beckman, cigarette dangling, wheeled out the wheelchair and helped Bai Yun into it.
"I'm fine! The docks! Higuma took Luffy to the docks!"
Bai Yun immediately assured them he was fine, pointing toward the docks.
Shanks nodded and immediately set off toward the docks.
Beckman spat out his cigarette butt and the next second, pushed the wheelchair, chasing after Shanks.
The speed was incredible; Bai Yun realized this was his first time "speeding" in 18 years, and it was in a wheelchair... "Oh no!!"
Arriving at the docks, Bai Yun saw from a distance the Lord of the Coast swallowing Higuma along with his small boat in one gulp.
Luffy was flailing in the water ahead, and the Lord of the Coast had already noticed him.
"Waaah... hippo... hippo..."
"Gulp... Somebody! Help me!!"
Shanks increased his speed again, instantly darting out, running across the air. Bai Yun could only see his afterimage.
Remembering that Luffy had approached Higuma just to save him, Bai Yun couldn't just stand by and watch.
His bracelet transformed into a short pistol. Without aiming, he raised his hand and fired a shot.
"Bang!"
Sparks erupted from the muzzle, and the bullet shot out, carrying a rolling air current, striking the Lord of the Coast squarely in the eye.
"ROAR!!!"
The Lord of the Coast roared in pain and immediately plunged back into the sea.
Shanks had reached the water and was shielding Luffy in his arms.
However, as mentioned before, destiny doesn't make mistakes. Bai Yun's bullet was a moment too slow, and Shanks's left arm was still bitten off.
"Luffy, you're safe now. If you're a man, don't cry."
"B-but, Shanks... your arm!!!"
"It's nothing, just an arm... as long as you're safe."
"Waaah... woo-woo... WAAAAAAH!!!"
Cradled in Shanks's arms, Luffy's cries echoed across the entire dock. While moved, Bai Yun still couldn't understand why Shanks had to lose his arm.
...
A/N: The journey continues! If you're eager to read far ahead and support this story, consider joining the Eternal Phoenix community. You can find me on Patreon by searching for "Eternal_Phoenix".
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