"Gurararara..." Whitebeard tossed the sake bottle to the deck, laughing heartily as he looked at Drake. "No matter what, this 'thank you' is absolutely necessary."
"He's right!" Marco added with a smile. "You didn't just save our Pops' life; you cured the hidden injuries that have been torturing him for years."
"We won't forget this kindness. If there's ever a time the Whitebeard Pirates can lend you a hand, we won't hesitate!"
"Commander Marco is right!" The entire Whitebeard crew stood up, raising their glasses in unison. "Cheers!"
"Alright!" Drake's face was slightly flushed—whether from the alcohol hitting him or the atmosphere, he took the bottle, filled his cup, and drained it once more.
"Ah..."
"Truly fine wine!"
THUD! Just as the words left his mouth, Drake collapsed face-first onto the deck, completely unconscious.
"Hey, Drake! Drake!" Ace rushed over to prop him up.
At that moment, Kenshin arrived from the side, carrying a bottle of his own. Seeing Drake sprawled out, he asked, "What happened to him?"
"Sigh." Ace paled his hand over his forehead, finally remembering Drake's "miraculous" alcohol tolerance—or lack thereof. Back when they first swore their brotherhood, a single small bowl had sent Drake into a coma for a day and a night.
Ace and Sabo then proceeded to recount Drake's past drinking "exploits" to Kenshin, warning him solemnly: "You must keep an eye on him. Never let him touch a drop of alcohol! Otherwise, the consequences are unimaginable."
Hiss... Hearing their stories, even the stoic Kenshin sucked in a cold breath. What kind of bizarre constitution was this? His eyes drifted suspiciously to the unconscious, red-faced Drake. He resolved right then and there: Drake was officially banned from drinking.
Soon, Drake was carried back to Ace's room. These younger brothers really were a handful.
Ace and Sabo shared a smile, while Luffy followed behind with a massive platter of meat. "Ace, Sabo, come eat some more!"
"Hahaha... alright."
The three talked as they ate. Finally, Ace wiped his mouth, a slight smile playing on his lips. "You guys will be leaving soon, won't you?"
Sabo and Luffy both stopped. After a moment of silence, Sabo spoke softly: "Yeah. Now that I know you're both safe, I can rest easy. The four of us share a bond that can never be broken."
"That's right. This brotherhood will stay with us forever." Ace stood up abruptly, looking out the window at the endless sea. "Even if we are scattered across the world, that will never change."
Sabo stood as well, tipping his top hat with a grin. "Yeah. Although things turned out a bit differently than we planned—me being in the Revolutionary Army and all—the bond remains the same."
"Shishishi..." Luffy let out his signature laugh, showing off a row of white teeth. "Yeah. There's so much to say, but I can never finish it all. My crew is waiting for me..." Luffy pulled down his straw hat. "Let's meet again in the New World."
Ace and Sabo turned to him and smiled. "Of course. Our little brother is the man who's going to be Pirate King, after all."
"Shishishi!" Luffy grinned.
Though he wanted to stay and catch up for a few more days, his partners were waiting. The promised day had passed, and he missed them dearly.
As Luffy was thinking, Ace spoke up: "But how will you get back? Even if we give Luffy a small boat, he can't navigate. He's completely hopeless at sea."
Sabo smiled. "Just give me a small boat. I'll drop Luffy off and then head back to my post." Sabo was well-educated and an expert navigator; a trip like this was child's play for him.
"This..." Ace was a bit hesitant. The weather in the Grand Line was unpredictable; if something went wrong...
"It's settled." Sabo waved him off. Navigation was a breeze for him.
"Emergency! A warship! There's a warship approaching!"
Suddenly, the alarm blared outside. Kenshin, who had been dozing against the doorframe, slowly opened his eyes. He looked toward the source of the commotion.
A single warship had somehow appeared alongside the Moby Dick. The Division Commanders were already gathered on the deck.
"Empress of the Warlords! Why are you here!?" Marco's expression was grim. Why was a member of the Seven Warlords chasing them in a Navy ship? It made him wonder: if a Warlord was here, could the rest of the Navy be far behind? Had the ceasefire been a trap?
"Does This Empress need to explain her movements to anyone?" Hancock tilted her chin up, pointing a slender finger with an air of absolute arrogance.
The Commanders' faces darkened. Was the Navy attacking again? Had they gone back on their word?
While the leaders worried, some of the weaker-willed crew members saw the Empress's peerless beauty and instantly developed heart-shaped eyes, falling into a trance.
"You need not worry about the Navy finding you. I had Salome dive and follow your wake. Where is Luffy?" Hancock asked, getting straight to the point.
"Uh..." The Commanders were stumped. Looking at her, it seemed she wasn't there for a fight, and the Navy hadn't followed.
"Is the Navy here?" Ace, Sabo, and Luffy burst out of the room, looking around frantically.
"Over there," Kenshin gestured toward the deck. "She's here for Luffy."
"For Luffy?" Ace and Sabo were stunned.
Luffy's brain practically displayed a row of question marks. The Navy is looking for me? Coby? He didn't know many people in the Navy, and even fewer who would come looking for him personally.
"Marco, who is looking for Luffy? What do they want!?" Ace rushed to Marco's side, but froze when he saw the guest. "Pirate Empress!? Isn't she a Warlord? What is she doing here?"
Marco cut him off. "She's the one who came for your brother, Straw Hat."
"Eh?" Even Sabo was surprised. Then he remembered how Hancock had provided cover for Luffy at Marineford. It didn't seem like she was there to cause trouble. Besides, who would be foolish enough to pick a fight alone on the deck of the Moby Dick? That wasn't looking for a fight—that was looking for a grave.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
⭐ Read chapters early on Patreon → https://www.patreon.com/Bagga_10 ⭐
BONUS CHAPTER REWARDS
• Every 20 reviews = 1 bonus chapter
• Every 100 Power Stones = 1 bonus chapter
Your support directly unlocks more content and faster releases.