After spending a good part of the afternoon with Merry aboard the Vogue Merry, the peaceful harbor finally gave me a rare moment to relax. Sitting on the railing, I absentmindedly watched the ships sailing in and out of the port while thinking about the next stage of our journey.
My thoughts kept returning to Wonderland. That adventure had brought me tremendous benefits, but it had also left my army in ruins, and the rewards felt rather underwhelming considering how few had survived. I needed to find a way to maximize my gains without causing unnecessary slaughter. After all, I wasn't going to run into Maleficent every single time—and more importantly, I planned to clear each dungeon dozens of times before attempting Master Mode again.
The sound of footsteps on the gangplank finally pulled me out of my thoughts.
Kuina, Charles, and Sanji had returned from the marketplace, each carrying several bags stuffed with supplies. Crates of fresh vegetables, smoked meat, sacks of flour, spices, and even several bottles of local sauces were quickly brought aboard. Sanji wore a satisfied smile.
"This island is amazing. The ingredients are excellent, and the prices are almost reasonable... for pirates."
I immediately climbed down to help them, carrying several crates into the storeroom while Merry methodically organized everything. Within a few minutes, the new provisions had all found their place in the cargo hold.
Once the work was finished, Kuina swept her gaze across the deck.
Her smile faded.
"Jordan... where's Zoro?"
I instinctively looked around.
Sure enough, the swordsman still hadn't returned.
"I have no idea," I replied with a shrug. "But now that you're back, I can go look for him."
Charles scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Sorry... I tried to find him earlier, but I couldn't track him down anywhere."
I gave him a reassuring smile.
"It's not your fault."
Then I crossed my arms as I looked at the rest of the crew.
"Have you all forgotten the rule I established? Whenever we explore an unfamiliar island... we always do it in pairs."
Sanji let out a sigh.
"And of course, Mister 'I'm just going for one drink' wandered off by himself..."
Kuina shook her head with an amused smile.
"That sounds exactly like him."
I chuckled before resting a hand on the railing.
"I'll go get him before he somehow manages to get lost while walking in a straight line."
A few seconds later, I quietly took to the air.
Using my Peter Pan-inspired magic, I silently floated above the rooftops without attracting the attention of the townspeople.
From the sky, Rubeck was a magnificent sight.
The streets bustled with activity, taverns overflowed with music and laughter, the docks teemed with sailors and merchants, and pirate flags fluttered proudly in the sea breeze.
My eyes quickly scanned the area.
I had no trouble spotting Luffy and Nami making their way back toward the Vogue Merry along the waterfront. Luffy was already devouring an enormous chunk of meat he'd bought along the way, while Nami carried several bags filled with maps, accessories, and probably a few purchases she still refused to show the rest of us.
Then...
A crowd caught my attention.
In front of a massive tavern decorated with hanging barrels and bottles, dozens of pirates had formed a circle, cheering and shouting at the top of their lungs.
I quietly landed on the roof of a nearby building before moving closer without drawing attention to myself.
When I finally caught sight of the center of the crowd...
I couldn't help but smile.
"Of course..."
Around a massive table covered with empty bottles, five people were laughing heartily.
I recognized the Rum Runner Pirates immediately.
At the center, Scott "Bourbon" Prime lounged comfortably in a large armchair, his enormous reddish-brown beard cascading over his richly embroidered burgundy coat. A glass of amber bourbon rested between his fingers as he laughed in a deep voice, looking as though he was having the best time of his day.
To his right sat Manhattan Vermillion, impeccably dressed despite the dozens of drinks he had already downed. Even in the middle of a drinking contest, his black suit remained perfectly tailored. He watched the other contestants with a calm smile, lazily swirling his glass of whiskey as though he were savoring a fine vintage rather than competing in a contest.
Behind them, Komu "Binkusu" Shochu had already leaned his enormous rifle against the wall. Wearing his hat with his aviator goggles pushed up onto his forehead, he sang at the top of his lungs while repeatedly raising his bottle of shōchū, encouraging a good portion of the pirates in the tavern to join him in the chorus.
Seated on either side of Scott, Mary and Shirley completed the picture.
Mary calmly sipped a glass of red wine with almost aristocratic elegance, a gentle smile on her face, while Shirley laughed without restraint, waving a bottle of rosé as though this entire competition were nothing more than one giant celebration.
Across from them...
Alone.
Sitting perfectly upright despite the mountain of empty bottles piled in front of him...
Zoro.
His face was slightly flushed from the alcohol, but his eyes remained perfectly clear.
All around the table, at least a dozen pirates were sprawled across the floor, completely unable to stand after trying to keep up with the drinking pace set by the six competitors.
Scott burst into another booming laugh as he poured another round.
"Hahaha! Kid! I haven't met anyone who could keep up with my crew in years!"
Komu raised his bottle toward Zoro.
"You sure you're not already one of us?!"
Shirley clapped her hands enthusiastically.
"Keep going! Keep going! This is way too much fun!"
Mary, more composed, studied Zoro with genuine curiosity.
"I'm beginning to wonder where this man keeps making all that alcohol disappear..."
Zoro simply picked up the freshly poured glass placed in front of him.
A faint smile curled across the corner of his lips.
"You call this... a warm-up?"
The moment those words left his mouth, the entire tavern erupted in laughter.
I simply crossed my arms as I watched the scene from the tavern entrance, completely unconcerned.
Long ago, my ability to see people's hearts had taught me the difference between true monsters and those whom the world merely labeled as pirates.
As I looked at the five officers of the Rum Runner Pirates, I saw nothing remotely sinister.
Scott's heart shone with an almost blinding golden light—the heart of a deeply kind man who instinctively protected those under his care.
As for Manhattan, Komu, Mary, and Shirley, their hearts were pure white, proof of an honesty and kindness that stood in stark contrast to their reputation as criminals.
They simply lived according to their own code, far removed from the laws of the World Government.
Watching them laugh with Zoro as though they had known each other for years brought another smile to my face.
An idea suddenly crossed my mind.
A mischievous grin spread across my lips.
"Now... this is an opportunity we can't let slip away."
I quietly left the tavern and quickly made my way through several streets until I found Kuina, who was chatting casually with Nami.
"You're coming with me," I said to Kuina, giving Nami a nod in greeting. She immediately had the feeling I was plotting something.
Kuina raised an eyebrow.
"Why?" Kuina asked.
I simply smiled.
"Zoro is currently taking part in a drinking contest with the Rum Runner Pirates."
A mischievous grin immediately spread across Kuina's face, while Nami looked at me as though I were a demon, quietly murmuring, "Poor Zoro..." That didn't stop her from coming along.
"Oh... I see where you're going with this."
A few minutes later, we were back in front of the tavern.
We deliberately stayed out of sight while Kuina entered the establishment alone.
Inside, no one noticed her arrival right away. Everyone's attention was focused on Zoro and Scott, who had just emptied another round of drinks to the cheers of the surrounding pirates.
Kuina approached silently.
One step.
Then another.
Until she was standing directly behind Zoro's chair.
The five Rum Runner officers were the first to notice her.
Manhattan raised an eyebrow ever so slightly.
Komu immediately bit his lip to keep from bursting into laughter.
Shirley had already covered her mouth with one hand, realizing that something hilariously disastrous was about to happen.
Even Scott lowered his glass slightly, curious to see how the swordsman would get himself out of this situation.
Kuina calmly crossed her arms.
Then, in a perfectly composed voice, she asked,
"So? Is it good?"
Without thinking, Zoro answered purely on instinct, his eyes still fixed on his glass.
"Yeah... it's excellent."
Silence fell over the tavern.
One second passed.
Then another.
Zoro's eyes slowly widened.
His back stiffened.
A bead of sweat trickled down his temple.
He mechanically turned his head.
And found Kuina looking at him with a smile that was far too calm to be reassuring.
The color instantly drained from his face.
"K-Kuina..."
He swallowed hard.
"Th-This isn't what it looks like..."
Scott immediately lifted his glass to hide the smile threatening to spread across his face.
Komu, meanwhile, was already on the verge of exploding with laughter.
Zoro shot to his feet, raising both hands as if he were facing an Admiral.
"I swear I never intended to come here for a drink!"
He suddenly pointed an accusing finger at the five pirates.
"When I heard there were people who could create alcohol with their Devil Fruits..."
He took a deep breath.
"My body walked into this tavern before my brain even had a chance to react!"
For a brief instant...
Complete silence filled the room.
Then the entire tavern erupted into laughter.
Scott was literally clutching his stomach.
"Hahahaha! That's the worst excuse I've heard in years!"
Komu slammed his fist on the table several times, unable to catch his breath.
"Your body made the decision on its own?! I'm using that one for months!"
Shirley was laughing so hard that tears streamed down her face.
"That's official! I love this guy!"
Even Mary, far more reserved than the others, couldn't hold back a laugh as she watched the swordsman desperately trying to salvage what little dignity he had left.
Kuina continued staring at him for a few more seconds before letting out a small, amused sigh.
"You know..."
She simply picked up the still-full glass sitting in front of Zoro.
"For once... I think I'm willing to believe you."
She then raised the glass toward Scott with a smile.
"After all, I don't think many people could resist your hospitality."
Scott burst into laughter once again before raising his own glass.
"Now that's a woman who knows how to appreciate a good bottle!"
Nami and I watched the scene from the entrance of the tavern. Seeing Kuina accept the drink Scott had offered her before calmly taking a sip, Nami let out a soft laugh.
"So in the end..." she whispered, lightly nudging me with her elbow, "it wasn't Zoro who got trapped... it was you."
I simply shrugged with an amused smile.
"I'll admit defeat. I only wanted to tease Zoro... and now the whole group has ended up drinking together."
"Just goes to show..."
"...good intentions never survive a pirate crew."
We exchanged a smile before finally stepping into the tavern.
The laughter gradually died down as several pairs of eyes turned toward us.
Scott calmly set his glass down on the table while Manhattan straightened slightly. Komu stopped humming, Mary gently placed her wine glass on the table, and Shirley's expression became a little more serious.
They weren't hostile.
But my presence alone was enough to make them cautious.
I simply raised a hand in greeting.
"Good evening."
Scott was the first to respond with a slight nod.
"Good evening, Jordan."
His voice remained perfectly calm, though there was a hint of vigilance in his eyes.
"It's not that we don't want to welcome you... quite the opposite. Any friend of this swordsman is welcome here."
He gestured toward Zoro, who had just let out a relieved sigh now that the conversation had shifted elsewhere.
"But today's circumstances are a little... complicated."
I tilted my head slightly.
"Oh?"
Scott exchanged a brief glance with Manhattan before continuing.
"Jack the Drought is currently on Rubeck."
The mere mention of that name wiped the last smiles from everyone's faces.
"According to what he told us..."
The Rum Runner captain slowly crossed his arms.
"Kaido still wants to recruit you."
Silence instantly fell over the entire tavern.
The pirates seated at the neighboring tables exchanged uneasy glances.
They immediately realized they were witnessing a conversation far beyond their level.
Without anyone giving an order, several members of the Rum Runner Pirates quietly stood up.
"Alright, folks, the next round's on the house... but outside."
Komu kept his usual cheerful smile as he threw the tavern doors wide open.
"Come on, come on! We'll catch up with you later!"
No one complained.
Even the drunkest pirates understood that it was best not to get involved in a discussion concerning Kaido.
In less than two minutes, the tavern was almost completely empty.
The shutters were closed.
The door was locked.
Only Scott, Manhattan, Komu, Mary, Shirley...
...and the four of us remained.
The atmosphere suddenly grew much heavier.
I calmly looked at Scott before taking a seat across from him.
"Tell me..."
I folded my hands together on the table.
"Do you have a direct line of communication with Kaido?"
The five officers exchanged surprised glances.
"Yes," Manhattan finally answered. "We use a secure Den Den Mushi for our business negotiations. Why?"
A faint smile appeared on my face.
"Because I think I have something to offer him."
Scott raised an eyebrow.
"I thought you'd already turned down his offer."
"That's right."
I nodded slowly.
"I have no intention of joining his crew."
I paused briefly before continuing.
"On the other hand..."
My smile widened ever so slightly.
"I may have a deal that interests him... even more than recruiting me."
Around the table, the five members of the Rum Runner Pirates exchanged another look.
Even Manhattan, who was rarely surprised by anything, seemed intrigued.
Scott eventually let out a quiet laugh.
"Hahaha..."
He slowly picked up his glass of bourbon.
"You really are an unusual pirate, Jordan."
He looked back up at me.
"Most men would either try to run from Kaido... or hide behind him."
His smile grew wider.
"You turned him down... and yet you're still looking to do business with him."
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a woman whose heart shone with the same deep purple color, reminding me that the last time I had seen that particular shade, it had belonged to members of CP0 on the Great Bridge.
(Author's Note: And that's two cliffhangers in this chapter! As a little bonus, I'm leaving Marcus a gift—the Rum Runner crew's artwork! ^^)