Not sure how anyone can read the Shanks scene and say he's not another competitor/antagonist and using Luffy for something.
The flashback very purposefully shows he took that fruit for a reason and "influenced" Luffy into becoming a Pirate (even Garp hates Shanks for this). The smile when he gets his arm cut off, implying that he made Luffy believe he owes him an unrepayable debt for saving his life.
Then the comments about Barto and the fucking last page and panels with Beckman. Like.... idk how clear this is meant to get, but when you combine all of this with his apparent advanced knowledge about Nika and relationship with the Gorosei....it knocks on a very particular door.
The flashback very purposefully shows he took that fruit for a reason and "influenced" Luffy into becoming a Pirate (even Garp hates Shanks for this). The smile when he gets his arm cut off, implying that he made Luffy believe he owes him an unrepayable debt for saving his life.
Then the comments about Barto and the fucking last page and panels with Beckman. Like.... idk how clear this is meant to get, but when you combine all of this with his apparent advanced knowledge about Nika and relationship with the Gorosei....it knocks on a very particular door.