Maotai?
It was not just Whitebeard who had never heard of it. Everyone on the ship was completely unfamiliar with the name.
Of course, it would be strange if they had. After all, these were supplies Lius had obtained from the sign-in system. Naturally, nothing identical existed in this sea.
"What is the name of the brat who made you change your ambitions?"
For the sake of the Maotai, Whitebeard finally asked the question.
"Lius!"
The moment Shiki spoke, a flurry of exclamations echoed across the Moby Dick.
"Is it that brat from East Blue?"
"His very first bounty reached as high as 73 million beli!"
"No wonder! So he is Shiki's disciple!"
"Hey Shiki, is that kid going to inherit your Sky Pirates?"
The division commanders cried out in surprise. Marco asked the floating pirate with curiosity.
"No, he has never belonged to the Sky Pirates. Letting him inherit the crew would only restrict his limitless potential!" Shiki shook his head with a firm smile.
Hearing this, Whitebeard cast a sideways glance.
For an ambitious man like Shiki to say such words was enough to make him pay a little attention to this rookie brat.
However, a bounty of merely seventy-three million was nothing worth mentioning in the eyes of the strongest pirate crew that occupied ninety percent of the New World's territory.
"Lius? I am quite curious about what kind of abilities this brat has to cause such a massive change in a guy like you!" Whitebeard grinned, gripping his wine gourd. "If we ever cross paths in the New World, I will spare his life for the sake of this Maotai!"
"Jihahaha!" Shiki tilted his head back and downed the strong liquor from his gourd. He tossed the empty container aside and floated upward with a boisterous laugh.
Upon reaching high in the air, he crossed his arms and looked down at the Whitebeard Pirates. His tone grew serious. "I came here first to catch up, and second to remind you. Don't die too quickly. Otherwise, you won't be able to witness the magnificent changes coming to this world!"
With that said, his figure flashed as he returned to his lion-headed pirate ship. The vessel soared directly into the sky.
Down below, Whitebeard raised his eyes to watch him leave. His gaze was somewhat complex.
His former rival from the same era, the man who once held the greatest ambitions, was now content to step behind the scenes.
This gave the old captain an illusion of the changing times.
"Lius? This kid does not look like the kind of monster who could change Shiki!" Marco said while holding up a bounty poster.
"What is going on in the weakest sea, First Fire Fist Ace appeared, and now another monster shows up. This one is even a disciple of Shiki!" Diamond Jozu noted in a deep voice.
"Who cares? As long as they come to the New World, we will show them what true strength is!"
"What kind of incident did Shiki run into? It is as if he is a completely different person!"
The crew began to discuss the matter animatedly.
For two brats from East Blue to garner their attention was already quite remarkable.
However, Whitebeard slightly lowered his gaze. He stared at the two bounty posters held by his crew members, lost in his own thoughts.
A loud rustling echoed through the air as countless seagulls suddenly flew in from the end of the horizon.
"That is quite a lot of News Coos. Did something major happen?"
Marco transformed his arms into flaming wings and soared into the sky. He stood at the top of the mast and bought a newspaper from a passing seagull.
The next moment, a sharp cry rang out from the top of the mast.
"Hey, Marco, what are you making such a fuss about? Is it an enemy attack?" Vista the Flower Sword looked up and shouted in dissatisfaction.
Marco dove down in his phoenix form. He landed directly in front of Whitebeard with the newspaper in hand, his face filled with shock.
"Pops, take a look at this!"
"Oh?" Whitebeard curiously took the newspaper and spread it open to read.
A moment later, the smile on his face gradually froze. A strange light flickered in his eyes.
"Just what kind of monster did Shiki take in? He actually made that monster from East Blue Fire Fist Ace become his crew member."
Marco's words caused the Moby Dick to fall instantly silent.
...
...
Grand Line.
A single-masted sailboat rode the wind and broke through the waves on the azure sea.
Two days had passed since they entered the Grand Line.
"Whiskey Peak is just ahead. We will arrive in half an hour!" Ace shouted from the helm.
"We have a log pose that points directly to Alabasta. Once we restock our supplies, we can set off immediately!"
Nami checked the weather and furrowed her brows. "But this trip probably will not be that smooth. Whiskey Peak is filled with bounty hunters. They pretend to welcome pirates to make them lower their guard before capturing them alive or killing them. We need to be careful!"
After consuming the Marrow Cleansing Pill, Ace had slept for a full day.
With Lius's assistance, Nami had also taken a day to fully digest the medicinal pill.
Right now, her face was a healthy pink and she was brimming with energy. She looked as vibrant as a freshly nourished flower.
Ace had also undergone tremendous changes.
Already possessing the aptitude of a king's descendant, his physical fitness had increased by another ten percent. He was truly a monster in every sense of the word.
Of course, compared to Lius, he was still slightly lacking.
"Heh, we only need to restock our supplies. If they are blind enough to mess with us, then I can only offer my apologies." Lius sat cross-legged at the bow of the ship. He spoke casually while staring at the thick white fog rolling across the waters ahead.
As the ship sailed deeper, the white fog blanketing the sea gradually thinned. It eventually vanished before the trio's eyes, revealing the sight of a port not far away.
They had arrived at Whiskey Peak!