Kenshin cut through the crowd, making his way toward Ace's room with practiced ease. He glanced at the soundly sleeping Dragon Soul and shook his head with a silent sigh. Surveying the room, he finally claimed a chair and closed his eyes to rest.
After an unknown amount of time, a sudden, heavy thud jolted Kenshin awake. He snapped his eyes open.
"Ahahaha... it's nothing, I just accidentally slipped."
Dragon Soul was sprawled on the floor by the bed, wearing a thick-skinned, shameless grin. Kenshin's mouth twitched. He looked away immediately, unable to bear the sight. Can you be reliable? Just once?
Dragon Soul, meanwhile, was genuinely puzzled. How had he fallen asleep? It didn't make sense. When he woke up, his head was spinning so violently the world felt like it was turning upside down, leading to his ungraceful exit from the bed.
Was I... drunk?
The thought barely surfaced before he crushed it. Impossible. He had only had two cups! Whitebeard and the others were chugging giant bottles like it was water. He remembered clearly: Whitebeard finished a whole bottle in one go without a single drop wasted.
He figured it must have been the exhaustion from the battle at Marineford catching up to him. Just like Luffy, his body must have hit its limit. Besides, he hadn't felt any discomfort while drinking—just a pleasant, surging warmth in his gut.
That feeling...
He had to admit, it was incredible. No wonder everyone in the One Piece world loved their booze. The taste was a bit strange, but it was addictive. Dragon Soul made a mental vow: from now on, he'd keep a bottle of fine wine on him at all times. A quick swig before a fight would surely get the blood pumping!
Driven by this new mission, he scrambled up and made a dash for the door. Kenshin, seeing him bolt without a word, was confused. Did he realize Sabo and Luffy left and is rushing to find them?
Impelled by a rare respect for the "brotherly bond," Kenshin called out, "No need to run. They're already gone."
"Gone?" Dragon Soul skidded to a halt, looking bewildered. "What do you mean 'gone'? Did the wine leave too?"
"Sabo and Luffy have already departed," Kenshin said slowly. "You missed them."
"Eh?" Dragon Soul's eyes bulged. "Both of them? When? How?"
In an instant, the wine was forgotten. Kenshin explained the arrival of the Pirate Empress and Ivankov. He also mentioned that the Moby Dick was currently sailing toward the Sabaody Archipelago; soon, they would submerge to return to the New World.
The news left Dragon Soul silent for a long time. He picked up a cup from the table, poured some water, and took a slow sip. "Keep talking."
"I'm finished," Kenshin replied, exasperated. "The real question is: what do we do? Are we following the Whitebeard Pirates into the New World?"
"Think about it. Our crew hasn't even been officially formed yet. It's still just you and me."
"We go to the New World!" Dragon Soul said, his voice ringing with absolute certainty.
"Ha?" Kenshin's worry shifted into pure shock, seasoned with a hint of... wordless frustration. "Just... the two of us?"
"Exactly!" Dragon Soul grinned. Other crews had to worry about navigators and surviving the Grand Line's weather, but they had the Magic Protector. They didn't have to fear the elements or getting lost. It was going to be smooth sailing.
"But we won't follow Whitebeard. We have our own adventure. We need to find our own comrades." Dragon Soul's eyes sparkled with anticipation. He had waited a long time for a solo voyage. How will the future of this world change? I can't wait to find out.
"Let's go. It's time to disembark."
On the deck of the Moby Dick, the Whitebeard Pirates gathered once more to see off Dragon Soul and Kenshin.
"Gurararara... Dragon Soul... I got that right, didn't I?" Whitebeard stood at the front of his sons. "We won't see you out any further."
"Come to the New World! Show me just how much you brothers can shake this era!"
"Hmph." Dragon Soul's lips curled into a confident smile. The sea breeze ruffled his hair as he looked at the legendary man. "We will!"
"Ace, we're heading out!"
With a grand wave of his hand, the Magic Protector materialized on the water's surface. While the crew was surprised, they weren't shocked; Devil Fruit powers that could store items in pocket dimensions were rare but known.
As they watched the small ship vanish into the horizon, Whitebeard's smile remained.
"Ace... are you ready?"
Ace slowly closed his eyes, his smile widening as he gave a firm nod.
"Lads! Coating technicians, get to work! We're heading back to the New World!" Whitebeard roared, turning toward his crew.
"OHHH!" The Moby Dick surged with activity.
Meanwhile, on the shores of Amazon Lily, the Island of Women...
An eccentric old man with a distinctive scar over his eye stepped out of the surf. The First Mate of the Pirate King, the Dark King Rayleigh!
"Am I early?" Rayleigh chuckled to himself, sitting on a smooth rock. He took off his soaked shirt, wrung it out, and gave it a couple of shakes. "Maybe they aren't here yet."
Just as he began to doubt his intuition, a red-hulled pirate ship appeared on the horizon. The flag of the Kuja Pirates—a skull surrounded by nine snakes—fluttered in the wind.
Luffy stood on the deck, his most precious treasure, the Straw Hat, dancing in the breeze. The wind from the ship's movement blew through his dark hair, and a grin of pure excitement covered his face.
"Hey, Hancock! Let's head out as soon as we reach Amazon Lily!" Luffy waved to the blushing Empress behind him.
Worried about the Navy tracking them, Hancock had decided to switch to a more inconspicuous ship to take Luffy to his destination. If the Kuja ship appeared at Sabaody, it would draw unnecessary heat to the island.
Of course, Hancock didn't actually care about the Navy. She only agreed to the plan so she could spend a little more time with Luffy before they had to part ways once again.
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