"Here, try some of the black tea here~"
"Black tea?"
Glancing at the cup set on the bar, Usopp said in surprise, "You actually have tea?"
Even if the other party was an information broker... this was still a bar.
"Of course I have tea." Shakky smiled. "I'm not really running a bar, after all."
When you sell information, you meet all kinds of customers, so naturally, you have to prepare a little bit of everything.
That was part of her way of treating guests.
Of course, for the little punks who came looking for trouble, she would greet them with her fists as well.
"Ah, that makes sense..." Usopp nodded.
Since she sold intel here, having other things around was perfectly normal.
Sip~
"Hm?"
After taking a sip, Usopp's eyes widened in surprise. "This is unexpectedly good."
"Hehe, I'm glad you like it."
Shakky smiled and nodded. Then she swept her gaze across the members of the Straw Hat Pirates and said, "Still... your crew really is quite a complicated mix."
A reindeer that loved cotton candy, Chopper. A ship spirit that also loved cotton candy. A walking skeleton who liked drinking milk... and on top of that, that cyborg who hadn't come here.
A pirate crew of only around ten people, yet four of them weren't even human.
For a moment, even Shakky didn't know what to say.
That little Straw Hat... really did seem a bit different...
Thinking that, Shakky glanced at the straw hat behind Luffy's back.
"Ahahaha, my crew is really interesting, right?" Luffy laughed.
"Mm, they certainly are."
"Yohohoho~" Brook looked at Shakky with a cheerful smile. "Hello, I'm Brook, a man who's nothing but bones~"
"Yes, hello~"
Just then, Brook very gentlemanly tugged at his tie. Then, under Shakky's puzzled gaze, he uttered those familiar words.
"May I ask what color pan—"
"Hey!"
Usopp stared at Brook in shock. Was this guy trying to get hung up and beaten?
"You idiot, what kind of ridiculous question is that?!" Pappag said in disbelief.
"Ah, I think today it was..."
"Hey, don't answer him!"
"Yohohohoho!"
"Ah..."
Jin covered his face with one hand. Just how many weirdos had this lady named Shakky met? Faced with a question like that, she still didn't even bat an eye.
"When will the coating guy come back?" Luffy asked.
"Ah, he should be back soon, I think." Shakky thought for a moment before answering.
After all, he hadn't been gone that long. He'd probably be back any minute.
"Alright..."
After thinking about it for a moment, Luffy decided not to dwell on it. Instead, he turned back and resumed his assault on the refrigerator.
"Sorry, Luffy really eats a lot..." Usopp said awkwardly.
In just this short while, Luffy had already wiped out half the contents of the fridge.
"It's fine. If he likes eating, let him eat." Shakky waved her hand, clearly not bothered.
"Speaking of which... what's your relationship with Vice Admiral Garp?"
"You know my grandpa?" Luffy looked at Shakky in confusion.
"Yeah, I know him." Shakky sighed with emotion. "I used to be a pirate too. Back then, he chased me for quite a long time."
Recalling those days, Shakky felt a little helpless. That guy really was absurdly strong.
If she had ever dared turn around and challenge Garp head-on, she would've been smashed flat.
If not for Rayleigh...
Ah, maybe that was fate.
Jin gave Shakky a surprised look. He hadn't expected the two of them to have that kind of connection.
"Don't look at me like that. Even if his grandpa chased me back then, I'm not the type to take it out on him."
After saying that, Shakky pulled out several bounty posters. "Since that guy hasn't returned yet, let me bring you up to speed on the current situation."
"Information, huh..."
"Don't worry, I'm not charging you for it." Shakky smiled. "Besides, this isn't anything particularly important."
Other than the fact that all the Supernova had landed on the island today, the rest of it wasn't really a secret.
"Bounty posters..."
Usopp leaned in and carefully examined the bounty posters laid out on the table. Then a shocked look appeared on his face. "Why are they all people worth over a hundred million?!"
"They really are..." Brook said, equally stunned.
Every single bounty poster on the table belonged to someone with a bounty over a hundred million. Just looking at them, you could tell they weren't easy opponents.
"These are the Supernova," Shakky said with a smile.
"Supernova?"
"Mm." Shakky explained, "In the first half of the Grand Line, every generation sees the rise of a number of rookies with bounties exceeding one hundred million. Once those rookies carve their way here and reach the Sabaody Archipelago, they're called Supernova."
"And this year... there are twelve of them!"
When she said that, a look of amazement appeared on Shakky's face.
After all... having so many Supernova appear in Sabaody at the same time was something rarely seen.
Hearing Shakky's words, the others also crowded over.
"It really is twelve people..."
"So amazing!"
"Haha, our crew has three people on there!" Luffy laughed as he came over.
Jin, who was also looking over the bounty posters, glanced at Shakky and asked, "What does that title actually mean?"
"It means you're all rookies with enormous potential," Shakky said with a smile. "The Pirate King... might very well emerge from among you."
"Then it'll definitely be me!"
Luffy shot to his feet at once, his face full of conviction. "The man who'll become Pirate King is definitely me!!"
Looking at Luffy's utterly confident expression, Shakky smiled. "Ara, that confident, huh~"
"Of course!"
Luffy was absolutely certain. From beginning to end, he had always believed he would become the Pirate King!!
Jin and the others all looked at Luffy with smiles. Clearly, they believed the same thing.
"I'm starting to look forward to what'll happen once you enter the New World," Shakky said with feeling.
"The New World, huh~"
"Yes. I wonder what kind of reactions the people in the New World will have when they run into you."
"That's something we'll only know after we get there," Luffy said.
"Mm, true enough."
After saying that, Shakky picked up Jin's and Luffy's bounty posters and said, "The two of you have the highest bounties. You're also the two strongest Supernova. The others might come looking for trouble with you."
Especially Jin. This man had started off with a bounty of over four hundred million, which meant both his strength and potential were extraordinary!
And to some reckless lunatics, a man like that was irresistibly tempting prey.
Thinking of that, Shakky glanced at Kid's wanted poster. That madman had already killed plenty of ordinary people.
You could say that pirate was evil to the extreme, somewhat similar to Rocks in his younger days. The only question was whether his future strength could ever reach that level.
"Let them come." Jin sneered.
They weren't afraid of the other Supernova of their generation. At worst, they would just fight. Who was scared of who?
"I'm the man who'll become Pirate King. There's no way I'd be afraid of them!"
If those guys really dared come looking for trouble with the Straw Hat Pirates, he wouldn't mind sending them flying right here.
"Ara, such confidence~" Shakky smiled. "Don't worry, I'm on your side~"
Compared to people like Kid, she liked the Straw Hat crew far more.
Just then, a man's voice came from outside.
"Shakky, I'm back~"
"Ara, that fast?"
Shakky looked genuinely surprised. It had only been a little over ten minutes, yet he was already back?
Looking at Rayleigh as he pushed open the door and walked in, Shakky said with a faintly aggrieved tone, "Looks like these little guys are more attractive than I am."
"Ahem..."
Rayleigh gave a light cough and signaled to Shakky with his eyes not to say anything unnecessary. There were still guests here.
Shakky rolled her eyes at him but didn't continue.
Jin looked at Rayleigh and Shakky with suspicion. Why did he feel like... the relationship between these two wasn't exactly ordinary?
Hmm... right, that made sense. Hachi had said they'd run this place together for over ten years, so they were probably husband and wife.
Thinking that, Jin found it perfectly reasonable.
Though this old man really had aged fast... he looked like he was already in his sixties or seventies.
"This is the coating mechanic you were looking for—Silvers Rayleigh," Shakky introduced.
"Hehe, I've finally met you all."
Setting his things down, Rayleigh looked at the group with a smile, his eyes full of emotion.
At that very moment, Usopp tumbled right off his chair, his face full of disbelief.
Clang~
"Huh?"
"Usopp, what's wrong with you?"
Seeing Usopp's stunned expression, Chopper was baffled. Did he know this old man?
Usopp didn't answer. Instead, he turned toward Shakky and said, "W-wait a second, Miss Shakky... what did you just say his name was?!"
"Silvers Rayleigh~" Shakky said with a smile.
Clearly, she had already guessed what Usopp meant and understood that he had recognized Rayleigh.
"Ah, looks like there are still people who remember me." Rayleigh scratched his head and casually walked over to Luffy, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
Shakky also very naturally poured him a glass of alcohol.
Of course, it was still that special kind of drink.
Rayleigh: ...
Looking at Shakky, who was smiling sweetly at him, Rayleigh silently let out a sigh.
"Usopp, do you know this old man?" Luffy looked at Usopp in confusion.
"Hey, have none of you ever heard that name before?"
"No..."
Usopp stared at his crewmates in disbelief. This was the name of the Pirate King's first mate!
And as pirates, they didn't know it?
"So who exactly is this old man?" Jin asked, puzzled.
Judging from Usopp's reaction, this person was probably a major figure. The only question was who.
"He's the Pirate King's first mate!" Usopp blurted out.
"Huh?"
"Huh?!!"
Everyone stared at Rayleigh in shock, unable to believe it.
This ordinary-looking old man was actually the Pirate King's first mate??
Did all strong people look this plain?
"Old man, you're really the Pirate King's first mate?!" Luffy asked Rayleigh in astonishment.
"Yeah, that's right~"
"The Pirate King's first mate is working here as a coating mechanic?"
Jin's face was full of question marks. How did that make any sense?
Wasn't it said that Pirate King Roger had obtained the greatest treasure in the world? He'd even shouted it to the world before his death.
Rayleigh, as the Pirate King's first mate... how had he ended up coating ships for money?
Even if he'd only taken a portion of the treasure, that should've been enough to retire in comfort.
Or was it that this guy spent money ridiculously fast and had already burned through all of it?
"Hahaha, people need to find things to do for themselves, don't they?" Rayleigh laughed. "I'm not the type who can sit still."
Hearing that, Jin understood.
There really were people in this world who couldn't stay idle. Even if they lacked for nothing, they still had to find something to occupy themselves with.
"Then does that mean... Big Sis Shakky was also one of the Pirate King's crewmates?" Merry asked.
"That does seem possible..." Usopp said.
He had heard before that the Marine hero Garp had once cornered Pirate King Roger.
Maybe it was during that same era that Miss Shakky had been hunted by Luffy's grandpa?
"I wasn't, actually~" Shakky said with a smile. "I simply happened to get acquainted with Rayleigh."
Hearing Shakky's words, Rayleigh looked at her, and then the two of them smiled together.
Thinking about it carefully, the two of them really had shared quite a bit of fate.
That battle back then... perhaps it really had all been arranged by destiny.
"I see."
"Then why does Hachi know someone as important as you?" Usopp asked, glancing at Hachi.
Wasn't this guy originally in East Blue messing around with Arlong and those bastards? How did he know Dark King Rayleigh, who lived in the Grand Line?
"Him?" Rayleigh smiled. "Twenty years ago, I ran into a shipwreck. Hachi just happened to save me."
"You could say he's my lifesaver."
"That actually happened...?"
"That was when I was little." Hachi scratched his head.
Being able to run into Rayleigh out on the sea had been a huge coincidence in itself.
Back then, he had just snuck out of Fish-Man Island, wanting to see the outside world, when he happened upon Rayleigh after a shipwreck and rescued him.
You could say that Hachi's kindness had allowed him to meet a peak-level powerhouse.
"As Roger's first mate, you're actually still alive..." Jin stroked his chin. "So that means the Marines never captured you back then?"
Jin was genuinely curious. Even Roger, the Pirate King, had been executed by the Marines, so why was the first mate still alive?
"To be precise, everyone except the captain is still alive."
Jin: ???
What did he mean, everyone except Roger was still alive?
Could it be... Roger had done the same kind of thing Luffy would do, staying behind alone to fight some powerful enemy one-on-one?
"Because Roger wasn't captured," Rayleigh said. "He turned himself in."
If their captain hadn't surrendered on his own, how could the Marines possibly have caught that man?
After all... he was Roger!
"Huh?!!"
Everyone stared at Rayleigh in utter shock. The overwhelmingly powerful Pirate King... had actually surrendered himself?
"Turned himself in..." Usopp said. "But the newspapers back then said..."
"The World Government only did that to show off their own power." Rayleigh waved a hand. "So they announced to the public that Roger had been captured."
"B-but why?" Pappag asked, unable to understand.
Why?
After becoming Pirate King, hadn't he already obtained the greatest treasure in the world? Why would he then turn himself in?
"Because our journey had already reached its end..."
The moment he said that, everyone froze.
"What do you mean... reached its end?"
Chopper looked at Rayleigh in confusion. Was it because they had conquered the Grand Line, so there was nowhere else left to go?
But even so, that still didn't seem like a reason to turn himself in.
"Because Roger was suffering from an incurable disease!"
"An incurable disease?!"
"That's right." Rayleigh nodded. "About four years before his execution, Roger contracted an illness. An absolute terminal disease that no one could cure."
"It was a terrifying illness. Even Roger suffered terribly from it."
"But fortunately, we learned that there was a doctor named Crocus at Reverse Mountain whose medical skill was exceptional, and he could help ease Roger's pain."
"Reverse... Mountain?"
Brook went still for a moment. He hadn't expected to hear Crocus's name here of all places.
"That's right." Rayleigh nodded. "We found him there, and only after repeatedly pleading with him did he agree to become our ship's doctor and help relieve Roger's suffering."
"And with that, Roger managed to hold on for another three years, conquered the Grand Line, and became... the Pirate King!"
You could say that without Crocus, their captain would never have lived that long, nor would he have led them all the way to the final island, where they witnessed... the ultimate truth!
"Crocus..."
"Hey, didn't that old man say he stayed at Reverse Mountain for fifty years?" Usopp said in disbelief. "He was actually a member of the Pirate King's crew too?"
"Ah, so you met him?" Rayleigh laughed. "Then it sounds like he's doing pretty well."
"Yeah, pretty well indeed."
Thinking back to the kind of life that old man lived, Usopp couldn't help smiling.
All he could say was that the guy lived very freely.
"That's good." Rayleigh nodded. "The main reason he agreed to join us was because he wanted to go out and search for a certain pirate crew. That's why he became our companion."
"Hey, Brook, wasn't that your crew he was looking for?!"
"Crocus..." Brook covered his face and burst into tears. "He actually went that far for our sake..."
He was deeply moved.
When they returned, he would definitely have to thank Doctor Crocus properly!
After Brook finally calmed down, Rayleigh said, "So the one he was searching for was you?"
"Come to think of it, I haven't asked yet. You are...?"
"The crew Crocus was searching for was the Rumbar Pirates, and I am their acting captain, Brook," Brook said. "It's just that decades ago, we all died."
"I see..."
Rayleigh nodded. No wonder Crocus had never found them. So they had already fallen in battle.
"The reason you look like this now... that's because of a Devil Fruit, right?"
"Yes. I ate the Yomi Yomi no Mi." Brook sighed. "And after I came back to life, I ended up like this."
"Then why didn't you go back and look for them?"
"There was no way. At the time, both our sails and rudder had been destroyed, and because we were trapped in the Florian Triangle, we simply couldn't leave."
"If I hadn't met Captain Luffy and the others, I probably would've continued wandering like a lonely ghost..." Brook said in a complicated tone. "Now that I think about it, I've drifted like that for nearly fifty years."
"So that's how it was..."
Rayleigh looked a little surprised. He hadn't expected Brook to have gone through something like that.
"The Yomi Yomi no Mi, huh." Shakky sighed. "The world really does have all kinds of Devil Fruit powers."
Even an ability that allowed someone to come back from the dead existed. It really was astonishing.
"Because... that's the charm of this sea!"
"Hahahahaha!"
Watching Rayleigh laugh heartily, Shakky nodded as well. "That's true."
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