After a long round of persuasion, Leno finally managed to send the little rabbit girl off to the lookout tower to keep watch.
If she saw a group of them crammed naked into one bed, who knew what kind of shock it would bring to her young mind.
This harmless lie was for her own good, he silently brainwashed her.
Under the mixed gazes of disdain and amusement from the others, Leno calmly finished his breakfast and strolled onto the deck as if nothing had happened.
After all, the thickness of his skin was already universally acknowledged. He now carried an air of complete shameless confidence.
It wasn't until close to noon that the "defeated side" gradually appeared one after another.
When they saw the relaxed figure lounging under the sun umbrella, every single one of them gritted their teeth in frustration.
They were truly out of options now. This bastard's combat power was simply too terrifying—so strong it made them afraid!
The group exchanged glances, their expressions helpless as they silently made a decision: in the future, they'd better stop provoking this freak.
If they stirred up trouble, they'd be the ones suffering in the bed… I mean in the end.
Among the girls, only Yamato still looked unwilling to admit defeat, declaring that she would challenge him alone one day—and win!
Under the sun umbrella, Leno's ears twitched slightly, and a disdainful smirk curled at the corner of his lips...
....
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, two days passed.
At noon, the sun blazed fiercely, making people drowsy.
Mikita floated down from the air, holding her small umbrella. She glanced over the busy crew and loudly announced:
"Everyone, an island has appeared ahead! If our location is correct, the Red-Haired Pirates are right in front of us!"
"Oh? Finally here?"
The moment Leno opened his eyes, his body turned into lightning and flashed to the bow.
Behind him, the crew instantly perked up and followed their captain.
On the second-floor balcony, Uta, who had been writing music, paused her pen. A complex look flickered in her eyes before she slowly stood up.
She quietly encouraged herself. She had to face this eventually—this outcome was already the best possible.
Looking at the ships docked near the distant island, everyone's expressions varied—excitement, curiosity, and complicated emotions.
Leno narrowed his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them as he muttered:
"What's meant to come will come. How it ends depends on Red Hair's choice."
Behind him, Kuina remained calm, but her grip on her sword tightened.
Yamato silently grinned, the kanabo on her shoulder trembling slightly, revealing her inner agitation.
The others who understood the weight of the Red-Haired Pirates simply looked serious, without showing much emotion.
With their monster-like captain leading the charge, who could possibly stir up trouble?
Meanwhile, at the Red-Haired Pirates' camp, the officers were resting in the shade.
Suddenly, a panicked shout came rushing from afar, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
"Boss—bad news! Huff, huff…"
The subordinate dashed forward and dropped to his knees, pointing behind him, panting heavily with a face full of panic.
Bang—
A large cup of alcohol was set in front of him. He grabbed it and gulped it down before catching his breath and continuing:
"B-Boss… the adventurers' ship… has arrived!"
"Hm?!" Shanks suddenly raised his head, his sharp gaze locking onto the man as he barked, "Explain clearly!"
"Y-Yes! They're already very close! They'll dock in just a moment!"
Shanks fell silent as he stood up, his right hand habitually resting on his sword hilt. He swept his gaze across the officers and said in a low voice:
"Let's go, brothers. Time to meet the adventurers."
"Yeah!"
The officers responded in unison, their expressions turning serious as they followed behind Shanks.
Things might get ugly today. They knew Leno's temperament all too well—he was the type to start a fight at the slightest provocation.
He had practically fought his way across the New World. Today, he likely didn't come with good intentions either.
When they arrived at the shore, they found their Red-Haired Pirates crew already lying all over the ground.
Meanwhile, the adventurers stood quietly in place, as if waiting for them.
Seeing this, Shanks' eyes sharpened. He quickly located that familiar figure within the crowd.
Then, almost instinctively, he called out softly:
"Uta…"
Behind him, Beckman, Lucky Roux, and the others stepped forward, their expressions filled with emotion as they looked at her.
After all, she was the child they had raised. There was no way they could remain indifferent upon seeing her again.
On the other side, when Uta saw the familiar faces, her eyes trembled slightly. She opened her mouth, but in the end, said nothing, turning her head away.
Shanks sighed quietly in his heart. His gaze shifted back to Leno as he asked in a complicated tone:
"Leno, what brings you here today?"
"We're just going to talk here?" Leno glanced around lazily before saying, "There are plenty of beauties on my ship. If they get sunburned, are you going to take responsibility?"
"…"
Shanks' mouth twitched, then he gestured with his hand.
"Please."
The group moved to a shaded area of the camp. Leno unceremoniously poured himself a cup of alcohol and drank it in one go.
His gaze swept across everyone before he spoke bluntly:
"The red Road Poneglyph from Fish-Man Island is in your possession, right? I need it."
Across from him, Shanks withdrew his gaze and slightly narrowed his eyes, thinking to himself, 'As expected…'
Behind him, Beckman, who had been holding a cigarette, paused and looked over.
After a long silence, just as Leno was about to lose patience, Shanks finally spoke:
"You've already gathered the other three Poneglyphs?"
It sounded like a question, but more like a confirmation. His eyes were fixed on Leno, not missing even the slightest change in his expression.
Leno let out a scoff, looking at Shanks with a playful expression.
"What, you planning to take them from me by force?"
The moment he finished speaking, Kuina, Yamato, and the others behind him immediately focused their gazes on Shanks.
The meaning was obvious: "Come on, make a move—we've been waiting."
Hearing Leno's words and feeling the weight of those gazes, Shanks froze for a moment before shaking his head with a bitter smile.
"I can hand over the Poneglyph in my possession. In exchange, you give me the other three."
"What?!" Leno shot to his feet, his eyes locking onto Shanks as he said word by word:
"In your dreams!!!"
…