Hawkeye's words clearly startled Shanks; his smile gradually faded, and his expression turned solemn as he sank into thought.
Hawkeye watched Shanks's ever-changing expression, glanced at his empty left sleeve, and silently continued drinking.
After a long silence, Shanks broke into a cynical smile again.
"Mihawk, is it possible that you're just overthinking things?"
Having known Shanks for many years, Hawkeye naturally caught the hint of hesitation beneath his seemingly joking tone.
"I'm just giving you a perspective!"
"As I said before, I came from the Sabaody Archipelago. Under Taro's hand, some very strange changes have happened there!"
Shanks nodded and let out a loud laugh.
"Is that so? If I get the chance, I'll go there and take a good look!"
"To have someone as obsessed with the way of the sword as you personally chase him all the way to the East Blue, Taro must have some real skill!"
Hearing Shanks's teasing, Hawkeye's eyes grew a bit colder.
"I came to the East Blue because you invited me to a wedding!"
Shanks laughed even more heartily.
"One doesn't pass through the Sabaody Archipelago when traveling from Kuraigana to the Goa Kingdom!"
Seeing Hawkeye's gaze grow colder still, Shanks quickly waved his hands.
"Alright, alright. You had other business there; I don't even need to ask to know that!"
Hawkeye let out a soft huff.
"Speaking of which, I heard a brat has been causing you trouble lately?"
Shanks looked at Hawkeye with great interest and gave a strange laugh.
"That's a rather abrupt change of subject, haha. There's definitely something fishy about your trip to the Sabaody Archipelago..."
"Hey, hey, I was just speaking casually. No need to get angry!"
"He's just a brat, hardly trouble. He has Red Hair just like me. I gave him a little lesson and let him run off!"
Hawkeye had been teased by Taro and Shanks in turn lately, and he was quite annoyed, nearly losing his composure!
However, Hawkeye had said he would no longer duel with Taro.
And because Shanks had lost his arm, they hadn't crossed blades in ten years!
Seeing his attempt to change the subject seen through, Hawkeye took a dejected sip of wine and looked toward the village.
"He just asked you why you don't eat a Devil Fruit. Why didn't you tell him the truth?"
Shanks leaped lightly and sat on the ship's railing, his tone relaxed as he smiled.
"We've known each other for years, and I've never told you that 'truth.' Why should I tell him? Just because he has a 'D' in his name?"
As he spoke, he traced the scar over his left eye with his right hand, a surge of coldness in his voice.
"Not all those with the name D are the same. The person Captain Roger is waiting for is certainly not Blackbeard. As for whether it's Taro, that's also uncertain!"
Hawkeye's gaze was sharp and resolute, his words even more domineering.
"Even if you told me that truth, I wouldn't listen!"
"If I want to know, I'll ask with the blade in my hand!"
After saying this, Hawkeye's tone softened slightly.
"Taro's hatred for Blackbeard is no less than yours! I saw it all during the Marineford War!"
"You've managed to tolerate Blackbeard, who bears the name of D, for so many years. Why be so cold toward Taro?"
The chill in Shanks's eyes lasted only a moment before he returned to his grinning self.
"Until the person Captain Roger is waiting for truly appears, even if I've already decided in my heart that it's Luffy, everyone with the name of D is the same in my eyes!"
"This wound of mine has been aching faintly for all these years, but that's nothing. I can wait! Until that person appears!"
"As for the struggle between Taro and Teach, or even the struggle between Teach, Ace, and Luffy, that's the business of the D Clan themselves. I have no intention or need to interfere!"
Hawkeye murmured softly upon hearing this.
"Is that so?"
Then he looked toward the distant village with an even deeper gaze.
"It seems we have a disagreement over the choice of 'that person'."
Shanks's gaze followed his.
"Then let's wait and see what kind of storm these people with the name of D can stir up!"
...Taro walked into the village and returned to the small house he had been away from for several months.
This residence had been given to him by the Village Chief back then. It looked like someone had been tidying it up all along, as it wasn't as dusty as he had imagined.
Whoosh!
The sound of whistling wind reached his ears. Taro, who was closing the door, instinctively dodged.
"Ouch!"
However, after only a moment's delay, he was still struck on the temple by a sudden fist. With a low cry, he was sent flying sideways.
Flipping in mid-air to bleed off the momentum, Taro rubbed his temple and said miserably:
"Old man, why did you hit me again?"
Garp didn't follow up after hitting Taro. He picked his nose with his pinky finger.
Then, he roared loudly.
"Why did I hit you? Didn't this old man warn you not to have any contact with that Red Hair fellow?"
"Uh... that was a coincidence. I didn't... intend to look for him at all!"
Taro spoke with a bit of a guilty conscience, but then his voice grew more righteous.
"Besides, I didn't get any information from him. Instead, I was forced to drink a bellyful of wine!"
Garp shot Taro an angry glance and gave a muffled snort.
"If you really had gotten any information, do you think this old man would have only given you one punch?"
"Heh, hehe~"
Taro gave an awkward, dry laugh.
"Brat, that dodge you just did felt a bit familiar?"
Garp stared at Taro for a while, feeling a bit strange.
"I never see you Cultivate, yet your progress is quite significant. You really are a freak!"
Taro's lips twitched. Familiar? It was more than just familiar!
My Observation Haki was learned from Katakuri.
Besides, the angle of that punch you just threw was exactly the same as the one you used to beat Katakuri!
How could this scene not be familiar?
"Old man, it's not right to say that. My progress was all cultivated through life-and-death battles. You're only seeing the thief eat meat, not the thief getting beaten!"
Taro muttered, very dissatisfied.
Garp tilted his head and thought about it carefully.
"Hmm... true. A brat like you who causes trouble all over the world would probably have been beaten to death long ago if you didn't have some progress!"
Taro's cheek twitched. "Old man, how can you say that? I haven't caused trouble for many days!"
Garp glared fiercely at Taro, his fist raised high.
"By the sounds of it, you're quite proud? Why don't you explain to this old man—whose kid counts the days since they last caused trouble?"
Taro shrank his neck and moved away a bit, putting on a forced smile.
"It's nothing like that! Old man, don't you know me? I never cause trouble; it's always others who start it first...!"
Garp immediately swung his fist down. Taro didn't dare to keep blathering; he took a step back and dodged far away.
"Don't hit me, don't hit me! I'll stop talking, alright?"
"Ace... Ace is doing quite well there!"
Only then did Garp's fist stop. After a moment of stalemate, he said in a low, somewhat stiff voice,
"Does this old man care if he's doing well?"
Taro didn't expose the stubborn Garp. He lowered his eyes to hide a smile.
"He's recovering well, and his Observation Haki has already reached the beginner level. You don't need to worry!"
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