Night had fallen. Wispy clouds obscured the moon. On Monkey Island, the Straw Hat Pirates stood in silence around Sherlock, who appeared to have lowered his head and fallen asleep.
(How in the world did you manage to get drunk by a bunch of monkeys?!)
Nico Robin glanced at the monkeys in the distance—who looked utterly bewildered yet strangely impressed—and then looked back at Sherlock. A sudden sense of defeat welled up inside her.
(Does this mean I'm less capable than a troop of monkeys?)
After all, ever since she discovered Sherlock's extreme vulnerability to alcohol, Robin had been looking for an opportunity to pull one over on him. Yet, during the day, she had nearly been caught red-handed by the Sorcerer, and come nightfall, her objective had been accomplished by a bunch of monkeys.
Now, the intellectual beauty truly didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Hey, hey, Nami..." Usopp glanced cautiously at Sherlock, who sat motionless with his head bowed, and tugged secretly at the navigator's clothes. "Didn't Sherlock say that something absolutely terrifying happens when he gets drunk?"
Nami's smooth forehead was beaded with fine sweat. "Yeah, he did. But what's going on now? Is he just asleep?"
"And what is this strange tension? Why do I suddenly feel like the world is coming to an end?"
"I feel it, too." The little reindeer nodded, whispering, "Even though Sherlock's scent and appearance haven't changed, it feels like he's become a completely different person. He feels... strange."
Just then, Sherlock's body trembled slightly, and he slowly lifted his head.
In an instant, the air turned viscous. An invisible, overwhelming aura erupted from Sherlock's body, sweeping out in all directions like a raging ocean. In that moment, it felt as if the entire world trembled! Although it was merely the simple act of lifting his head, to Nami and the others, it looked as though a demon from the abyss had descended upon the mortal realm!
Whoosh.
Nami and the others scrambled backward in unison. Zoro even subconsciously reached for the hilt of Wado Ichimonji at his waist—a testament to the terrifying nature of Sherlock's aura at that moment.
The nearby monkeys fared even worse. Their faces turned sheet-white in an instant; foaming at the mouth and eyes rolling back, they collapsed onto the beach, passing out cold.
Black hair, black eyes, silver-rimmed glasses, and an expression of calm indifference.
Sherlock's expression and appearance seemed no different from usual, but his aura had completely shifted from his customary gentle refinement. It had become overwhelmingly domineering, like a king looking down upon the Four Seas—terrifying and commanding submission.
"Aaaah! That's so scary..." The Cowardly Trio was scared straight to tears. "It really is something terrifying! Sherlock's suddenly become so scary!!"
"..." Robin's delicate frame trembled slightly. Her heart raced, and the expression on her face flickered with uncertainty.
Snuffing out his cigarette, Sanji muttered in shock and bewilderment, "Oi, oi... has this guy been possessed by a Demon King?"
"He's dangerous. Sherlock is extremely dangerous right now." The green-haired swordsman narrowed his eyes, speaking calmly. "I don't know what's going on, but we'd better not provoke..."
However, before Zoro could finish his warning...
"Hey! Sherlock, what's up?" Acting as if nothing was wrong, Luffy looked around in confusion. "Why are all these monkeys lying on the beach? Did they eat too much and fall asleep? Shishishi, that's so funny!"
For some reason, this thick-headed simpleton didn't seem to feel the change in the Sorcerer's aura at all. He just stood there, laughing his head off, completely carefree.
(This idiot...) Zoro and the others all had dark lines on their faces. They were truly defeated by this moronic captain who couldn't read the room.
But what happened next was even more baffling.
"I am drunk." Sherlock's expression was devoid of joy or sorrow—a standard poker face.
"Oh, so you're drunk." Luffy nodded upon hearing this, looking as if he understood perfectly.
Σ(ΟΔΟ|||)
The expressions on the faces of the tense crew members instantly froze. Their minds felt as cluttered as if ten thousand Sea Kings had just stampeded through them.
(Who in the world solemnly admits they're drunk while they're drunk?! And Luffy, what the hell is with that "I get it" look? You don't get shit!)
Everyone retorted frantically in their minds. If Sherlock's transformation hadn't been so shocking, Nami and the others might have thought he was just messing with them.
"I am indeed drunk." Seeming to sense the thoughts of the group standing in the distance, Sherlock patiently explained, "Actually, every time I get drunk, I subconsciously release this terrifying aura. However, I don't remember any of it once I sober up."
(As expected of Sherlock... to remain this calm even when drunk.)
Although Sherlock's aura remained terrifying, the group wasn't as frightened anymore. Thus, they cautiously took a few steps closer.
As they got closer, Usopp looked into Sherlock's pitch-black eyes, which seemed slightly glazed-over compared to usual, and his imagination instantly ran wild.
"Hey, look at Sherlock. You don't think he's forgotten who we are now that he's drunk, do you?"
"What?!" Luffy was shocked. He hurriedly looked at Sherlock. "Hey, Sherlock, do you still remember who I am?"
"Idiot Captain..." Sherlock blurted out without hesitation.
"See? He still knows I'm the Captain!" The Straw Hat boy turned back to the others with a wide grin, looking incredibly proud.
Sanji rolled his eyes. "Luffy, don't just automatically ignore the word before 'Captain'."
"But don't you find it strange?" Robin stroked her smooth chin, pondering for a moment before speaking softly. "Given how strictly he adheres to etiquette, he wouldn't normally address someone like that to their face."
Flash... It was like a bolt of lightning striking through her mind. The brilliant navigator instantly realized something.
"Which means..." Nami's breathing suddenly quickened. "When Sherlock is drunk, he speaks the honest thoughts he usually keeps hidden in his heart!"
(Sherlock's honest thoughts?)
Hearing this, everyone else's eyes lit up, and their expressions turned peculiar.
(Is there anything in the entire Grand Line more interesting than this?)
Fueled by intense curiosity, this group of goofballs actually became immune to Sherlock's terrifying aura!
"Alright, Sherlock, tell us who we are, one by one!" the dimwitted captain asked with a grin.
"Yeah, yeah!" The others nodded in unison. Even the usually composed Robin showed a hint of anticipation on her face.
Showing no emotion, Sherlock turned his slightly glazed eyes toward Zoro.
"Directionally-challenged mosshead..." His tone was utterly indifferent.
Zoro was left speechless, while Sanji, standing beside him, burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Looks like I'm not the only one who thinks you're a mosshead!"
Sanji wanted to keep mocking him, but was cut off by Sherlock's next words.
"Love-struck curly-brows..."
Zoro instantly felt much more balanced. "Right back at you, Pervy Kappa."
"Long-nose who tells fun stories..."
"Why is your evaluation the same as Vivi's?!" Usopp wanted to cry but had no tears. He retorted forcibly, "The heroic deeds of Captain Usopp and his eight thousand followers aren't stories, they're the truth!"
"Money-grubbing navigator who loves swindling people..."
"Wait a minute, wait a minute!" Nami, who had been looking forward to this, instantly lost her cool. She marched up to Sherlock and demanded loudly:
"I'm obviously this cute, and my body is so sexy! Did none of that leave even a single good impression in your heart?"
"Is 'swindling people for money' really the only thing you think of me?!"
However, what Nami didn't notice was that behind her, Zoro and Usopp—both of whom had been swindled by her—were nodding in profound agreement. Even Robin wore an expression that said, "That sounds about right."
Ignoring the flustered and exasperated orange-haired navigator, Sherlock cast his gaze toward Chopper.
"Eh...? Is it my turn?" The little reindeer instantly tensed up. After all, the evaluations for the previous few people hadn't been very positive, so he was feeling quite uneasy.
"Blue-nosed reindeer with brilliant medical skills..."
"!" Chopper froze for a moment, and then...
"Idiot, idiot! To think your impression of me is that good... you bastard, that's so hateful! You jerk!!"
(Why is Chopper the only one with a positive impression in Sherlock's mind?!)
Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and Nami looked at the little reindeer, who was dancing with joy, with expressions of dismay. They felt a faint twinge of jealousy in their hearts.
(Wait... there seems to be one person left.)
Thinking of this, the others simultaneously turned to look at a certain charming older sister. At the same time, Sherlock also cast his calm gaze upon Nico Robin.
For a long time, Sherlock didn't speak, as if he were mulling over his words.
For a moment, the atmosphere on the beach became very subtle.
"..." Even someone as composed as Robin began to feel nervous. She felt both curiosity and a hint of anticipation.
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