"Shanks."
"Wuwuwu!"
Uta cried tears, her short hands and feet flailing in the air. She had forgotten to use her fruit ability.
At this moment, Uta's mind was filled with only one thought: Shanks must save her.
Shanks, Ben Beckman, Lucky Roux, and the others heard Uta’s words, their expressions turning very grim, coupled with anger.
Shanks, in particular, had a dark cloud over his face.
The current situation was far too dangerous for the Red-Haired Pirates.
The threat from the World Government was already a major headache for them.
Now, with the appearance of four experts from the Xuanwu Navy, they were in despair.
However, this despair did not make them give up directly.
"Sakata Gintoki, give Uta to me."
Shanks no longer cared about the approaching devils.
His gaze was fixed solely on Uta.
Sakata Gintoki held Uta, observed her, and then said to Shanks, "Our Fleet Admiral has ordered that Uta's abilities must not fall into the hands of the World Government."
Shanks' face was grim as he stared at Sakata Gintoki and said coldly, "Uta will not fall into the hands of the World Government."
"Now, you must give Uta to me."
Sakata Gintoki chuckled lightly. At the same time, streaks of sword energy, along with tiny sword energies, appeared around Uta. He said, "Don't move, little girl."
"I won't kill you, I'm just taking you away."
"If your abilities fall into the hands of the World Government, countless people in this world will die because of you."
Saitama looked at Uta and subconsciously said, "How old is this little girl? Can she understand your grand pronouncements?"
Sakata Gintoki's smile froze. He then looked at Saitama and said, "Perhaps, she is a smart girl."
Uta, with tears streaming down her face, stopped crying and became quiet.
"Perhaps," Saitama said faintly, seeing that Uta was no longer causing trouble.
Sakata Gintoki ignored Saitama and said to Shanks, "Shanks, I admit your strength is not bad, especially yours, your potential even more so shocks me."
"In retrospect, it would have been best if the Fleet Admiral had kept you."
Shanks remained silent.
Back then, at the bar, Bennidick had taken Buggy away and let him go.
Then, pirates landed and attacked the villagers, and a battle ensued.
Shanks had witnessed the battle and had a brief encounter with Sakata Gintoki.
"Thirty devils, you guys chat here, I'll be back in a moment." Saitama looked at the approaching artificial devils and chuckled.
From their conversation, Saitama preferred to just get straight to action.
With that, Saitama flew out.
A serious punch.
As the punch was thrown, a powerful shockwave broke through the wind, instantly obliterating the four devils charging at the forefront.
The subsequent devils were also within the range of the shockwave.
Artificial devils possessed strong physiques and excellent senses.
Nearly twenty artificial devils had anticipated Saitama's punch and immediately dodged it.
On the other side, Ben Beckman and other members of the Red-Haired Pirates watched as Saitama took down several artificial devils with a single punch, their eyes widening in shock.
Was this the top-tier combat power of the Xuanwu Navy, surpassing even an Admiral?
It was truly terrifying.
Saitama was slightly dissatisfied, raising an eyebrow at the somewhat meager results of his punch.
The next moment, his speed increased, turning him into a streak of yellow light.
Wherever the yellow light passed, devils were instantly killed by Saitama's punch.
The artificial devils at the back, witnessing Saitama's terror and the fall of their teammates, were so frightened that they turned and ran.
Saitama did not let them escape and pursued them.
Watching the artificial devils, who could have wiped out their pirate crew, being killed and chased by Saitama, the members of the Red-Haired Pirates were left speechless for a time.
Even Shanks, with his gloomy expression, was inwardly shocked.
One Saitama had made them feel despair; what about the others?
"What do you want to have Uta back?"
Although the artificial devils were completely annihilated due to Saitama's intervention.
And it also made Shanks and the others realize that saving Uta through fighting was unlikely, Shanks could only compromise.
"You don't have the strength to protect this little girl."
The sword energy beneath Sakata Gintoki's feet moved, and he instantly flew hundreds of meters into the sky.
Seeing this, Shanks became anxious and unleashed a slash.
A terrifying and powerful sword energy, mixed with Conqueror's Haki, flew towards Sakata Gintoki.
*Clang!*
Kamisama, who was being controlled by Yaso’s Peropero no Mi and floating in the air, moved his katana.
The speed was incredibly fast; only the sound was heard, but the drawing of the sword was not seen.
Shanks' powerful incoming sword energy was blocked by a blue sword energy.
"This sword energy is good, but aren't you afraid of killing this little girl?" Kamisama said faintly, looking at Shanks.
Upon hearing Kamisama's words, Shanks felt a pang of fear.
Because, if Sakata Gintoki had intended it, Uta would have already died from that attack.
Sakata Gintoki glanced at Shanks and chuckled, "Don't worry, I'm not that bad."
"However, you are aware of our Fleet Admiral's abilities."
"So, even if we have to kill this girl, it will be our Fleet Admiral who does it."
With that, Sakata Gintoki controlled his sword energy and turned to leave.
Seeing Sakata Gintoki leave and Uta moving further away from Shanks, Uta started to act up again.
Her cries were loud.
"Shanks!"
"Shanks!"
...
"Sakata Gintoki," hearing Uta's cries, Shanks' face darkened with immense anger.
But facing Sakata Gintoki and the others flying in the sky, he was powerless.
He couldn't fly up there, and he couldn't defeat them.
"I demand to speak with Fleet Admiral Bennidick."
Shanks' roar echoed.
Sakata Gintoki, who was moving, stopped.
"Do I need to give him a chance?"
"I feel like the Fleet Admiral seems to think highly of Shanks."
Sakata Gintoki looked at Yaso beside him and said hesitantly.
Yaso heard this, looked at Shanks, and after a moment of thought, said, "You decide."
"However, I must remind you that according to intelligence reports, Shanks' background is not simple."
Sakata Gintoki nodded and smiled, "I know."
"The Fleet Admiral told me, and also said that this guy has immense potential for future development."
"At least, this guy has not disappointed the Fleet Admiral so far."
"It's a pity he's not part of our Xuanwu Navy."
"Oh well, let's let him talk to the Fleet Admiral."
"Perhaps, we can even take the entire Red-Haired Pirates along."