Sabaody Archipelago, the Lawless Zone.
"Ah... So you just came back like that?"
Whitebeard said somewhat discontentedly after taking a big gulp of rum.
However, as soon as he finished speaking, his glass was snatched away by a son beside him.
"Oyaji, the doctor said you can't drink anymore."
Ace placed the confiscated glass back on the counter, then, under Shakky's smiling gaze, filled it with water and brought it to Whitebeard.
"Ace… don't do such a party-pooping thing! And I..."
Whitebeard had originally wanted to say his life was already nearing its end, but upon meeting Ace's gaze, his words dissolved into a helpless chuckle.
"It seems with this kid around, you won't have many chances to drink from now on."
Naruto and Shanks clinked glasses lightly. Both looked at Whitebeard with a bit of gleeful expression.
"Tsk..."
Whitebeard first curled his lip disdainfully, then continued the previous topic.
"So then, that guy named 'Imu'... you still couldn't catch him in the end?"
Hearing this, Naruto, who had just been smiling, now turned serious.
"Can't be helped. He ran too fast and left no traces at all."
The other party had escaped too decisively, without any semblance of the 'bearing of a strong person'.
If it were an Emperor or an Admiral, or even a Marine Vice Admiral, they wouldn't have run away without a word like that.
"If I'd known earlier, I would have acted back then."
Shanks also felt regretful. Thinking he had been so close to eliminating the source of the Celestial Dragons' evil yet missed the chance, he unwillingly gulped down several more mouthfuls of alcohol.
"Don't-"
Unexpectedly, Naruto reached out and patted his shoulder.
"That guy has an ability that can influence people's will. Even I almost fell victim to it when caught off guard."
"If not for an unlucky fellow taking the hit for me once… anyway, you did the right thing by not alerting the enemy then."
Naruto's words weren't entirely for consolation.
On one hand, if the Red Hair Pirates had all charged into the lightly guarded Pangaea Castle back then, they could indeed have faced Imu unimpeded.
But that might not have been a good thing.
The most likely outcome would have been Shanks and his crew also being transformed into demonic forms, even turning against them to become enemies.
And if they had alerted the enemy on the eve of the Summit War, there was no guarantee Imu wouldn't have used those large-scale weapons capable of destroying islands to sink Marineford and everyone with it into the sea.
At that point, even if Naruto intervened, he couldn't have saved everyone.
After all, compared to Marineford's area large enough to accommodate hundreds of thousands, Impel Down was just a small island.
He could have blocked one or two shots, but couldn't guarantee stopping them all.
"But if we must talk about clues, there are some."
Saying this, Naruto seemed to suddenly remember something, taking a wanted poster from his pocket.
Upon seeing the silly grinning face on it, both Shanks and Whitebeard fell into brief silence.
"Straw Hat Luffy... So that guy, like you, believes this kid is Roger's successor?"
Shanks, who clearly knew more secrets, remained silent, just kept drinking.
But his silent attitude was also an answer.
"Given that guy's personality and ability, he might very well find some obscure corner and hide for a few hundred years."
At this point, Naruto suddenly waved his hand, as if to reassure everyone.
"So don't worry. Luffy will be fine."
Luffy, at the end of the Summit War, chose to deliver Ace back to the Moby Dick, then set out again on his journey to find [One Piece].
He didn't choose to join everyone at Sabaody Archipelago for a party. Instead, he headed overnight to Ryugu Palace to take the underwater route to the New World.
The reason was simple.
Because he hadn't become the Pirate King yet, he didn't want to meet Shanks now.
When Shanks had given him the straw hat back then, they had made a promise.
The next time they met, Luffy would be the Pirate King, and he would return this hat symbolizing dreams to Shanks.
At this moment, Rayleigh emerged from somewhere, raising a glass of alcohol towards everyone.
"Ha... that kid is an interesting fellow."
Hearing Rayleigh say this, the complex expression on Shanks's face gradually faded.
He also showed a somewhat comforting smile.
"Yeah, in the blink of an eye, he's already a proper pirate."
The group talked about past events, and before they knew it, time passed bit by bit.
Dawn gradually broke, and the banquet reached its end.
"Whitebeard is preparing to retire. Looking at it, there might only be three [Four Emperors of the Sea] left on this sea from now on."
Naruto slowly let out a puff of white breath in the morning sunlight. With his body at this level, getting drunk was almost impossible.
At the docks of Sabaody Archipelago, dozens of pirate ships led by the Moby Dick began submerging one after another, preparing to return to the New World.
"Haha, more interesting fellows will surely emerge..."
Shanks said while scratching his chin.
Mentioning the Emperors seemed to remind him of something. He turned to look at Naruto, who now stood several heads taller than him.
"Oh right, Kaido asked me to pass on a message."
"He's waiting for you in Wano Country."
"That guy... unfortunately, I don't have much free time lately."
"Oh? Are you returning to your homeland?"
During earlier chats with Naruto, Shanks had learned that the other party had successfully found a way home. Even the kids with him were brought from his homeland, possessing that so-called Chakra like him.
"No, I probably won't be going back in the short term."
Naruto shook his head.
"Is that so-"
Shanks indicated understanding, then said with a serious expression.
"After I return to the New World, I'll keep an eye out for that guy's traces."
He was, of course, referring to Imu.
"Alright. If there's any news, send word to Amazon Lily."
Naruto nodded.
Hearing this, Shanks was momentarily stunned, then his expression suddenly turned mischievous.
"Oho! So you're finally ready to be captured..."
"Should I say [Pirate Empress] truly lives up to being the world's most beautiful woman? Even a wanderer like you can be tamed."
The guy looked sideways and nudged Naruto with his shoulder.
However, Naruto didn't show the expected embarrassed expression. Instead, he said calmly.
"Yeah, Hancock and Stussy have waited for me too long. We're not young anymore."
Hearing the two names from Naruto's mouth, Shanks's expression also froze.
Before he could speak, Naruto added.
"And my daughter should be born soon too. I don't want to miss her childhood."
"Daughter?!"
Shanks's eyes widened.
"Yeah, a very cute little girl."
Naruto's expression was very proud.
This expression made Shanks purse his lips. This nearly forty-year-old guy was making the same face as Luffy.
"Tsk... Who... who doesn't have one? I have a daughter too!"
Shanks blurted out instinctively, then paused, took a few steps forward as if unwilling to let others see his expression at that moment.
Sensing others' emotions, Naruto also closed his mouth, choosing not to continue the topic.
"Alright, we should set off too."
Perhaps to change the subject, Shanks looked at the fully restocked Red Force and suddenly turned to speak loudly to Naruto.
"Well then, I'll visit you on Amazon Lily when I have the chance."
"Ah, I'll be waiting anytime."