Broken Faith

Lesson 15: To harm a World Noble is to harm a God

The gun trembled against Shanks' head, moving so frantically it aimed at multiple things at once. But even then the scarlet haired man didn't seem phased. He remained as he was, frozen in place with a cocked head and a slouch in his back. You would think that he was the one wielding the weapon instead of the quivering man next to him.

Luffy gulped in Higuma's grasp. It hurt that he was more worried for his friend's safety than for his own. Especially after all that happened. Your lips pressed into a line.

Make no mistake, you would save him. No matter what.

"What do we do?" Ace growled under his breath, nodding his head towards the bandit with the gun, "Beat him up?"

Sabo gently shook his head, "No. It's Shanks we're talking about here. He'll be fine." He turned back to you, "Just stay behind us, okay? I know you can fight, but you've already riled up Higuma enough."

"Yeah..." As if he was just thinking about that now, Ace shuffled in front of you, "Leave this to us."

You nodded. That was the one downside to what you'd done. By undermining Higuma's authority with the power of words alone, there was a high chance that he would hold a grudge against you. Even so... You tugged out your pistol from its holster. He was vastly mistaken if he believed that you would go quietly.

And it wasn't as if Ace and Sabo would let you have a choice in the matter.

"D-Don't make me blow your head off!"

My, the man didn't even sound that confident. And this was one of Higuma's biggest supporters. But judging by the look on the bandit leader's face, this was enough for him. Chances were he would 'lose' all these men before the next incident and get new ones. It didn't matter that the first time was because of a betrayal from a much higher power, after exterminating your subordinates once it becomes much easier to do it again.

"Put your life on the line."

No one said a word. More than that, no one even dared to breathe.

You gulped. How could a man be both so easy going and so terrifying simultaneously? It chilled you to your core, as if he had screamed it for the world to hear instead of merely saying it. It wasn't even directed at you and you felt scared. For a brief second you remembered the first time you'd ever seen Shanks, and how imposing he was to you.

"Now that you've drawn your pistol, put your life on the line."

You gazed down at the gun in your hand. He wasn't talking to you, yet at the same time...he was. You found the feeling difficult to actually put into words. It was as if... everything he said held a weight and gravitas that pulled in everyone who listened.

"Wh...what the hell're you talkin' about?!" The bandit stammered, hand now more of a blur of nerves than an actual shape.

"I'm saying," Shanks cooly turned, pointing lazily at the barrel aiming for his eyes, "Those aren't for threatening people."

Your grip on your pistol tightened. Mother hadn't thought like that. For her, her pistol was a means to an end. A way of making people shut up and respect her. Even if their respect was hollowed by fear.

But what was it to you?

"If you're willing to weild a weapon that could end someone's life, you must be willing to sacrifice your own in return."

BANG!

Grimacing, you winced at the intense ringing in your ears. You'd forgotten just how deafening gunshots could be from close by. Your own pistol was designed to be quieter, because the Nobles despised all loud noise created by anyone but themselves.