"So, after leaving the Sabaody Archipelago, you brought them to the West Blue."
Ian looked at the familiar figures in front of him, and finally, his gaze landed on Rayleigh, who had been standing behind the Straw Hat crew all along, smiling cheerfully. "And you even had them come to find me? Is that right, King of the Pirates's right-hand man, Mr. Rayleigh?"
"Ah... Bwahaha."
Hearing Ian directly expose his identity, Rayleigh was not flustered at all and laughed loudly. "So I really was found out."
Rayleigh did not find it strange that this man, whom the sea called the God of Sun, knew his true identity.
A major force that even Marine Headquarters had to be wary of, if they didn't even know his identity, that would truly be laughable!
Of course, as someone who had once been to that place, Rayleigh also knew certain secrets and thus did not believe that this man was the true God of the Sun, even if, under the sunlight, he looked like the God of the Sun in the legend.
Originally, he had planned to personally teach these children, but after hearing about their relationship with Umbrella Corporation, he thought it over and ultimately decided... to see what this man, who looked even more like the God of Sun than the God of Sun, would do.
At this moment, the Straw Hat crew also looked resolutely at Ian before them. Now they already understood what Ian's strength represented.
If they could receive Ian's guidance, they would certainly be able to become stronger as soon as possible!
Thinking of this, the Straw Hat crew exchanged glances with one another. Then, as if having made some decision, none of them hesitated any longer.
One by one, they all knelt on the deck, kowtowed heavily, and said in unison: "Mr. Ian, please teach us how to become stronger!"
Ian: "..."
That voice and scene made even Ian fall silent. He stroked his chin and looked at everyone in front of him with a strange expression.
Especially as he looked at the boy with a straw hat at the front…
He... is supposed to teach the real God of the Sun?
Just as Ian fell silent, Luffy's head slammed heavily onto the deck. With a loud bang, he spoke in a sincere and earnest tone: "Please teach me how to become stronger, Ian."
As the sound of Luffy's kowtow rang out, the other members of the Straw Hat Pirates behind him looked at one another. Then, without any further hesitation, they also bowed their heads and slammed them onto the deck together.
Immediately, a series of banging sounds rang out, and…
"Please teach us how to become stronger, Mr. Ian."
That unanimous voice pulled Ian back from his thoughts.
Looking at the Straw Hat crew, each with their heads pressed against the deck, Ian could not help but raise his eyebrow slightly.
It was not that he was unwilling to teach them. No matter what, back then, Garp had also done his best to teach him and had taken quite good care of him, even helping him find the technique for Divine Departure.
No matter how one looked at it, he was not so selfish as to refuse to teach his grandson.
Moreover, at this stage, what could the Straw Hat crew even learn?
At most, they could learn how to use Haki and develop new techniques.
As for new techniques, the ones he later created were basically all developed based on Devil Fruits. Even if he wanted to teach them, the Straw Hat crew probably would not be able to learn them.
And Haki... For ordinary people, this might be an extremely important secret art, but for the Straw Hat crew... It was basically a commonplace skill.
They could easily learn it by finding a big shot.
However, Teach had already been captured. Although it was unknown when the Marine Headquarters would conduct the trial and execution, it definitely would not be two years later. In such a short amount of time, even if it were tomorrow, wanting to become stronger... was simply impossible.
At this moment, just as Ian was thinking.
"Has today's newspaper arrived?"
A cry of a seagull rang out. Everyone raised their heads and looked at the News Coo that had already landed on the ship's rail and was staring at them.
Under everyone's gaze, Zephyr happily took out a coin and tossed it to the News Coo. Then he took today's newspaper and smiled at the people in front of him, saying, "You all continue. I will first take a look at what news there is recently! Don't mind me."
Everyone: "..."
Hearing Zephyr's words, everyone looked speechless at Zephyr, who was reading the newspaper on his own.
But very quickly, the Straw Hat crew came back to their senses and understood that now was not the time to read newspapers.
They had to become stronger, extremely strong, not only strong enough to have the ability to rescue Teach, but also strong enough that… the next time they encountered danger, they would not let their companions sacrifice themselves to cover the retreat.
Even if they had to flee, they wanted to flee calmly!
Then, just as the Straw Hat crew exchanged glances and were about to continue using sincerity to move Ian and get him to teach them…
"No, it looks like you have no choice but to pay attention."
Zephyr, who was reading the newspaper, seemed to have seen something. His expression turned serious, directly shattering the resolve the Straw Hat crew had just mustered.
His eyes became earnest as well. He raised his head and looked at the Straw Hat crew in front of him, opened his mouth as if wanting to say something, but then stopped.
In the end, he let out a long sigh, directly tossed the newspaper in his hand in front of Luffy, sighed with emotion, and said, "Forget it, you read it yourselves!"
And at this moment, with a bang, the newspaper landed in front of the Straw Hat crew.
Seeing this scene, not only the Straw Hat crew, but even Rayleigh could not help but frown.
However, it was as if he had guessed something.
After glancing at the former Chief Instructor from the Marine Headquarters, he then looked deeply at the newspaper in front of the Straw Hat crew.