"Are you even from this world? This news is known to literally everyone!" Whitebeard looked speechless.
"Uh… I really didn't know that." Rimuru scratched the back of his little head awkwardly. "Can I come with you guys?"
"Hmph, this is the first time I've seen such a polite Demon Lord," Whitebeard rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then suddenly blurted out his classic line, "Would you like to be my daughter?"
"I refuse!!" Rimuru replied flatly, without any hesitation. If he didn't already know Whitebeard's character, he might've thought it was a fight invitation—probably to the death! This old man's still alive entirely thanks to his absurd strength, isn't he? Rimuru didn't even feel like roasting anymore.
"Gurararara... Not interested?" Whitebeard looked visibly disappointed. "Is it really that hard to find a cute daughter?" As he sighed, his gaze swept over his crew—big burly guys as far as the eye could see. Not a single cozy, thoughtful little daughter among them.
Snap. That was the collective sound of the Whitebeard Pirates' hearts breaking. They got hit by a stray bullet straight to the feels.
Completely ignoring the emotional damage inflicted on his sons, Whitebeard stood up from his throne-like chair and waved his massive arm, "Gurararara… Boys! Throw a banquet to welcome Rimuru!"
"Aye~ Pops!" The same devastated crew members instantly recovered, bursting into action. Some ran to cook, others hauled barrels and tables—the ship was buzzing with life.
"Wait, you guys throw banquets this casually?" Rimuru blinked and pulled Marco aside.
"That's nothing. Just the other day, Pops saw a drowning Sea King and went, 'Let's have a banquet and eat it!'" Marco sighed. "Honestly, we pretty much have parties every single day."
Drowning Sea King: You guys just wanted an excuse to eat me, huh!? (T^T) I didn't even know I was drowning!
Rimuru's eye twitched. Was Whitebeard secretly related to the "Let's try it out" brothers from the countryside?
"Marco, have you been slacking off in training lately?" Whitebeard suddenly appeared behind him with an all-too-gentle smile that reeked of impending doom.
The same Marco who had once kicked an admiral was now trembling as he stared at Whitebeard's caring expression. Gulping nervously, he said, "O-of course not, Pops! I've been training hard! Actually, I've got something to do, so I'll just—"
Before he could finish, Whitebeard grabbed him by the shoulder like a vice.
"No need. Just leave it to the others. Since you're free, let's have a little training check. I'll even help you correct your form!"
"Noooooooooo—!!" Marco's protest was useless. Whitebeard dragged him away like a sacrificial lamb.
Moments later, gut-wrenching screams echoed from somewhere on the ship. It was so miserable that anyone who heard it would tear up. The entire crew fell silent and trembled in empathy.
Rimuru offered a moment of silence in his heart: Farewell, Brother Marco… may you rest in peace.
Before long, Whitebeard returned looking refreshed and cheerful. Behind him trailed a lifeless Marco, whose face had turned a pale ash-gray. Not even his mythical Phoenix regeneration could save him this time. That told Rimuru everything about how intense Whitebeard's "fatherly love" really was.
"Rimuru, you're strong too, aren't you?" Whitebeard glanced at him. "My Observation Haki picked up a tremendous power from within you."
Hearing this, the previously busy crew halted what they were doing. Their Observation Haki wasn't as refined, so from beginning to end, they just thought Rimuru was a cute squishy mascot. Maybe the wolf was strong, sure. But this slime?
Even Marco was surprised. "If Pops says so..."
"Oh," grunted Diamond Jozu, Third Division Commander.
"Interesting," said Vista, the Fifth Division Commander.
"Looks like we won't be bored now," remarked Thatch, the Fourth Division Commander with a smirk.
"Wanna spar a bit?" Rimuru gave a cheeky smile. "I'm down~ but this ship is way too cramped for a real fight."
"There's an uninhabited island nearby!" someone in the crew shouted.
"Gurararara... sounds like we can fight, then." Whitebeard laughed. "Just don't cry when you lose, little slime."
"Grrr, you wait and see, old man!" Rimuru snapped. "One day I'll take your title as the World's Strongest! You'll regret mocking me, just you watch!" (╯^╰)
Whitebeard went quiet for a moment. Then he tilted his head slightly and asked the most devastating question:
"…Are you a guy?"
Why the heck did that sound like a question? Do I look that much like a girl? No wait… I'm a pure… slime. A slime has no gender.
Rimuru had been all fired up to argue, but suddenly froze in place.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
Go ahead, laugh! But mark my words, if I don't beat the snot out of you later, then I'm not a Demon Lord! Rimuru had officially entered blackened mode.
"We've arrived, Pops!" someone called out.
"We have?" Whitebeard grabbed his trusty weapon, Murakumogiri, and turned to Rimuru. "Need me to carry you over, kid?"
"Hmph!" Rimuru turned his head away dramatically.
"Wind Blast!" he murmured under his breath, and just like that, a gust of wind carried him up into the air.
"…He can fly!?" Whitebeard narrowed his eyes, watching the slime drift ahead gracefully. His lips curled into a smile. With a sudden stomp, he launched himself after him, causing the entire ship to dip beneath the surface for a second.