When the topic came up, Shanks finally let go of the smile that had been on his face.
With a serious tone, he said:
"Yes, it really is unbelievable. If I hadn't been unable to contact Mihawk all this time, I wouldn't have believed it."
Lifting his head, he gazed at his crew's pirate flag fluttering in the sea breeze, and couldn't help but sigh:
**"I didn't expect time to pass so quickly. In the blink of an eye, even I have become one of the old relics of a bygone era.
It might not be long before the younger generation surpasses me and uses me merely as a stepping stone to make a name for themselves."**
At those words, a gloomy atmosphere settled over the place.
The Red-Haired Pirates, who moments ago had been laughing and joking about Mihawk, fell silent, as if reminded of something they didn't want to think about.
Beckman sometimes lost his patience — was it really so hard for them to keep teasing Mihawk without dragging the mood down like this?
He opened his mouth and bluntly criticized:
"Hmph, isn't that inevitable? If you keep spending your days drinking like you used to, that day will come even sooner than you expect."
Shanks chuckled, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment:
"Hahaha, that's true. Maybe before anyone even comes looking for me, I'll have already drunk myself to death."
He then raised his cup toward Beckman with a proud grin:
"But I can't stop. This booze has become part of my blood, something inseparable from me, hahaha."
Beckman shouted angrily:
"You idiot! What's there to be proud of? Don't make alcoholism sound like some kind of virtue!"
But Shanks only laughed louder and kept drinking, and the atmosphere gradually returned to its lively state, as if nothing had happened.
At that moment, Yasopp came staggering over, clearly drunk, slinging an arm around Shanks' neck and raising his cup cheerfully:
"So, Captain, are we going to rescue that fool Mihawk? He's your friend, after all — you can't just let him die, right?"
Shanks took a sip and clinked his cup with Yasopp's before replying:
Whoa, whoa, don't you think talking about death is a little much? Back in her youth, Big Mom was one of the rare flowers of the sea.
Maybe Mihawk is actually enjoying himself right now."
The crew burst into laughter, and if Mihawk knew what they were saying behind his back, he'd probably show up with his sword and cut them all down.
But it wasn't just Shanks making fun of him — even Kaido and Whitebeard, Edward Newgate, couldn't hold back their laughter when they heard the news.
As for the World Government, although the Gorosei felt embarrassed over the downfall of one of the Shichibukai they officially recognized, Sengoku at Marine Headquarters didn't hide his smile.
To him, whether Mihawk ended up in a brutal fight with Big Mom and both sides were left exhausted, or Shanks got involved and a war broke out between two Yonko — either way, it would benefit the Marines.
The second scenario in particular would open up the chance for the Navy to rearrange their plans against the Whitebeard Pirates. The strategy was already in place; they were just waiting for the right opportunity.
And while all these forces were watching closely, there was someone else once again taking the spotlight on the world stage…
Peter, who was on his way back to the Grand Line.
On the way, they encountered a massive sea creature called A New, resembling a Sea Bull. It was about to attack them, but the moment it saw Peter — and sensed his presence — it froze in fear, recalling the terrifying stories about him that had spread among sea creatures.
Peter smirked and said slyly:
"Little one, I was just about to let you go, but I've got something I want you to do…"
In the end, A New ended up towing Peter's ship at incredible speed, turning a trip that should have taken a week into less than two days.
Even Nami, Nojiko, and Carina watched the scene with great admiration for Peter.
But Peter himself was wondering: Why do these creatures obey me so easily?
Robin offered a possible explanation:
"Maybe your strength has become famous even in the depths of the sea, just like how people fear well-known pirates."
When they reached their destination, Peter thanked A New and let it go, even giving it a massive prey as a reward before the ship continued on its way.
Later, while training on the deck, Carina curiously asked Peter:
"Since you can swim, that means you're not a Devil Fruit user… so how do you shoot those beams from your fingers? Is it some kind of ability from your race?"
The girls leaned in to hear his answer, and Peter explained with a smile:
"That's something called Ki — an innate energy inside every living being. It can be developed through training, and it's completely different from Haki."
He demonstrated by forming a small ball of energy between his hands, then firing a volley of blasts into the sea, creating small explosions.
He continued:
"Those who master Ki can fly, unleash powerful attacks, and use it in countless ways. The stronger someone's Ki compared to their opponent's, the higher their chances of winning."
Then he looked at Hina and teased:
"What do you think, Hina? Want me to teach you this art?"
She asked in surprise:
"Really? You'd teach me?"
Peter smiled and confirmed:
"Of course — but learning it will depend on you."
Hina replied firmly:
"Alright, I'll try! I'm not about to pass up a chance to become stronger!"