"Under my Haoshoku, among everyone on this ship, perhaps only the division commanders can remain conscious, right?"
Nero scanned the indignant crowd, her gaze lingering for a moment on each of the division commanders.
She couldn't recognize everyone, only judging by strength, so Nero paused and added, "Hmm, some of the division commanders!"
"What did you say?"
"Bastard!"
"Don't think that just because you're also one of the Four Emperors, you can boss the Whitebeard Pirates around!"
"Then come and try! Let's see if your so-called Conqueror's Haki can knock us down!"
Nero stopped looking at them and instead gave Whitebeard a meaningful look: "Without you, they are just a rabble."
Whitebeard was speechless, also worried about the future of the Whitebeard Pirates.
However, he was still alive now, and in such a long future, he believed his foolish sons would certainly be able to stand on their own.
But Whitebeard's silence was misunderstood by everyone, and the atmosphere on the ship suddenly became strange.
Noticing this, Whitebeard suddenly let out a hearty laugh: "Gurara-lah! So what? I am Whitebeard!"
"My idiotic sons! Carry my name and wreak havoc on the seas to your heart's content! We are not just a pirate crew, but family!"
"Pops!!!" xN
The atmosphere became lively again, and Nero half-closed her eyes, feeling a bit speechless.
"Well~ it's fine to say that! Given your physical condition, you should still have a long time ahead."
Nero lifted her chin: "At least this… hmm… Kokoro has a lot of potential! The Phoenix is a top-tier Mythical Zoan, not inferior to a Red Dragon."
"It's Marco! I can't stand you…" Marco was almost beyond complaining.
It was bad enough to mispronounce his name several times in just a few minutes, each time wrong, and each time different.
"Mm haha! Next time for sure!" Nero grinned mischievously, giving Marco an insincere, perfunctory reply.
Actually, she could remember Marco's name, but every time she saw him, looking at his strange head, she couldn't help but want to call him Pineapple.
"Let's put the boring stuff aside, youngsters! It's time for a banquet!" Whitebeard looked at Marco with a relieved smile, but it vanished in an instant as he shouted loudly.
Hearing this familiar line, Nero also had a momentary daze, feeling a sense of long-lost familiarity.
"Hmm! Then hurry and bring out the good wine and food! Today, I'll let you witness the drinking capacity of a giant dragon!!!"
Raising both hands, Nero also shouted loudly, showing no sign of considering herself an outsider.
These words left everyone a bit speechless.
"You really are impolite!"
"Exactly, just now the atmosphere was so tense."
"But, if we can drink the dragon under the table, I'll be able to brag about this for a lifetime."
"Don't even mention it! If it really happens, I'll have to engrave this on my tombstone."
"I feel like something is getting fired up!"
"I'm already burning!"
"Real men settle scores at the drinking table!"
The conversation gradually veered into strange territory, and in everyone's eyes as they looked at Nero, two raging flames appeared.
Nero responded with a scornful smile, giving a thumbs-down with a decisive flick, and the atmosphere instantly reached its climax… "More… more! It… it's just a rinse, I can still drink!"
"Bang!"
As the last person collapsed, only Nero and Whitebeard remained conscious on the deck.
"Mm hahahaha…"
"Gurara-lah-lah-lah…"
"Newgate! Are you sure you're alright drinking like this at your age?"
Nero's face was flushed crimson as she held her sake bowl, looking at Whitebeard with a sly, mischievous grin.
"Brat! This much sake is just enough to wet my throat!"
Whitebeard wiped the corner of his mouth and tilted his chin at Nero, indicating that this was nothing.
"Hmm, you really dare to say that!"
Where their gazes met, it was as if lightning crackled.
"Let me see if there's any truth to your words!"
"Hmph! I am Whitebeard!"
After several more barrels of sake, both their faces became even redder, and Whitebeard, tipsy, began to speak.
"Speaking of which, that intern in your pirate crew is starting to make a name for himself now."
"Intern? *Hic*~"
Nero let out a fiery Dragon's Roar, leaning against a sake barrel, looking at Whitebeard with some confusion.
"It's that… that Red Hair kid wearing Roger's straw hat!"
Whitebeard stuttered as he spoke, his tongue a bit thick.
"Hmm! Is it Shanks? I see! So that guy has finally made his move? And Buggy! I wonder how those two are doing now?"
Hearing the familiar names, a somewhat silly smile appeared on the drunken Nero's face.
"Gurgle~ Gurgle~ Buggy is that red-nosed kid, right? I haven't heard about him, but I heard a while ago that the Red Hair kid robbed a World Government ship."
Whitebeard took two more gulps of sake before continuing: "But you, you don't even know this news? It was all over the newspapers a while ago!"
"I am an Emperor! I have a lot of things to do every day! How could I constantly pay attention to the newspapers written by those bird-people?"
Nero lay sprawled out on the deck, completely unconcerned about her image, her cheeks flushed, her eyes hazy as she gazed at the starry sky.
"But that kid Shanks would go and rob a World Government ship? That's really surprising, considering his personality…"
"I heard some rumors, it seems he did it for a special Devil Fruit."
"Hmm, a Devil Fruit? No, no! Shanks is a traditional swordsman; he wouldn't touch such things unless there was a special circumstance, let alone specifically steal one!"
Nero waved her hand with a smile, indicating that it was impossible!
"Hmm, but there are indeed exceptions. Newgate, you must have heard Roger mention it, right?"
"Are you talking about?"
Whitebeard used several empty sake barrels as armrests, and the sea breeze sobered him up a bit.
"Hmm, it's that legendary fruit, the Mythical Zoan – Human-Human Fruit – Nika!"
Nero raised her hand to the sky, as if trying to grasp the stars above.
"Dubbed the fruit of a god, Shanks and Roger both believe that the so-called Warrior of Liberation—Joy Boy!—will bring true change to this sea."
At this, Nero scoffed, lowering her raised hand, seemingly sneering at the legend.
"The Warrior of Liberation, Joy Boy, huh…" Whitebeard also leaned against the ship's mast, his eyes blurry with drink, noncommittal.
Note:
Happy Lunar New Year, everyone!
I wish you all a year filled with blessings, success, good fortune, and happiness!
Important Announcement:
I will be on Lunar New Year holiday starting February 15th, 2026, and will return on February 23rd, 2026. During this time, I will focus on resting and spending time with my family.
During my break, I will prepare some new chapters, which I will post regularly after the holiday ends. Please stay tuned — the following parts are very interesting!
Thank you so much for your incredible support. Wishing you a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!