After hooking her Leviathan to the Red Force with tow ropes, Sakura hauled a pitch-black, charred Shanks aboard. "Shanks!"
The ship's doctor, Hongo, rushed up with his med kit, crew crowding around in worry.
"No need—I've got this!"
Sakura waved him off, slammed her hands together, and smacked a summoning seal on the deck.
Poof! Smoke exploded, revealing a human-sized slug standing bolt upright.
"Ahhh, Sakura-chan! You dragged me out to sea again?!!"
Salt from constant ocean voyages turned the deck into a fiery grill for soft-bodied creatures.
"Ow, ow, OW!"
It writed like a weird dance, then coiled tight around Sakura's waist.
"Quit goofing off—help me heal!"
She lugged it over to Shanks. Her rough handling made Hongo's eyebrow twitch.
The germaphobe doctor stepped in front, furious. "Stop! You're gonna slap a bug on a critical patient? You trying to kill him?!"
"Shanks and I go way back—I'm not gonna off him. Chill!"
She flicked a blast of cold air, freezing Hongo's feet to the deck.
Then, under his stunned stare, she teamed up with the slug to cast Mystical Palm. Shanks's wounds? Gone.
"This… can't be real…"
Hongo's worldview shattered. He slumped beside them like a ghost.
"Devil Fruit stuff—mind your business."
Chef Lucky Roux crouched next to him and twisted the knife.
On deck, fully healed Shanks stirred. He cracked hazy eyes to see the girl carefully bandaging him.
The moon hung bright, soft light spilling down. Cool sea breeze lifted her hair, framing that flawless face.
"Lost again, huh."
Shanks etched the moment in his heart and sighed.
"Idiot—can't you just yield when you're outmatched?"
Sakura yanked the last bandage tight and knotted it hard.
"Easy! I'm the patient here! And what man backs down from the woman he likes?!"
Shanks winced, teeth gritted, but his mouth—fresh from 2000-degree heat—still ran.
"You never learn!"
Sakura shook her fist at him.
Didn't scare him one bit. Shanks sprang up, full energy.
"Men—party time!"
One shout and the whole crew dropped everything. The ship erupted.
"HELL YEAH!"
Laughter echoed across the sea. A massive bash kicked off on the Red Force's deck.
Combatants hauled food up top. Lucky Roux stole the show with his grilled sea king steaks.
Bottles and barrels piled around the mast—grab and chug anytime.
As the only outsider, Sakura got VIP treatment.
"You're sixteen now—no more juice cop-outs! Drink or sit with my daughter!"
Shanks's left arm hugged bottles, right clutched more, one foot on a barrel—like he was ready to out-drink her.
"Your… daughter?"
She knew about Uta, but it still hit weird.
Like your childhood bestie suddenly showing up with a kid, demanding red envelopes from "Auntie."
"Yup! The pride and joy of the Red Hair Pirates!"
Shanks popped a cork, shoved the bottle into her hand, cracked his own, clinked, and chugged.
"Well… congrats."
Sakura glanced at little Uta giggling with the crew, her clear singing voice drifting over the waves.
"Good kid."
For a second, Sakura felt old—like she was the one calling others "kid" now.
"Auntie Sakura."
Uta ran up, polite.
"Cough! Auntie…?" Sakura's eyes bulged. She ruffled the girl's hair. "Call me big sis!"
"Bwahahaha!"
Shanks scooped Uta up, spinning her like a proud dad.
After sending her off, he turned back—Sakura hadn't touched her drink. Face darkened.
"Down it! I finished mine—are you welching?!"
"Hmph. Just Shanks? I don't need tricks to beat you." Sakura tilted her chin, slammed the bottle empty.
"Big talk, Sakura!" Shanks's eyes sharpened. "Wanna go?"
Instant silence. Crew circled up.
Lucky Roux pushed through as hype man. "Rules: winner crowned, loser out—last one standing!"
"Fine—whole crew versus me?"
Sakura raised her glass, fearless.
Today you'll learn what a titan is.
One bottle, two… ten, twenty!!!
Empty bottles buried the deck. Red Hair Pirates dropped like flies, snoring in the pile.
Main fighters down, combatants spent, Lucky Roux hugging ingredients and snoring.
"M-Monster…"
The crew—wiped out by one girl. No one left awake.
"That all you got? You're not tapped out, are you?"
Sakura gnawed a meat bone, foot on a barrel.
Cheeks flushed, sea breeze narrowing her emerald eyes—she still lorded over them.
"Ugh!"
Shanks—passed out twice, now awake on the floor—couldn't even stand.
He'd given everything.
Couldn't win.
Lost.
Completely.
But the seas were long. He didn't sweat one loss. As long as they sailed, he'd beat her someday!
"I'm done… really done for!"
"Mmm~" Cat-eyed girl crouched beside him, grin wide and wicked.
"Guess what? Someone's tapping out! Hold up—I'm grabbing the Den Den Mushi. Say it again for the camera!"
Shanks smelled a rat. Heart raced, blood to the brain—he passed out in rage.
In the haze, he heard barking.
"Little Uta—your dad lost to me. Be my witness: next time, tell him to stop bothering me."
Shanks sank into deeper darkness, one last thought looping:
You absolute dog—leave my family out of this!