After Shang De's words fell, the bar once again plunged into deathly silence. Everyone, including Shanks, froze stiffly in place. Faced with this reckless brute, they didn't know whether to laugh or feel helpless.
As one of the Four Emperors who reigned over the New World, Shanks had always preferred to maintain friendly relations while navigating between the world's major powers. From time to time, he would even ask others to "give him some face." Most of the prominent figures among the world's great powers were usually willing to do so, but ignorant and fearless fools were an entirely different matter.
First, there had been that "invincible" mountain bandit from Windmill Village with a bounty of only a few million Berries, who had arrogantly splashed an entire bottle of alcohol over Shanks. And now there was Shang De, who refused to give him even the slightest bit of face and openly told his entire crew to get lost. It was almost unbelievable!
"Boss, looks like this brat isn't willing to give you any face…"
After a brief silence, Lucky Roux suddenly stepped forward with a chicken leg in his hand, staring intently at Shang De. "Should I…"
"Roux!"
Before Lucky Roux could finish speaking, Shanks suddenly stopped him. His gaze immediately shifted toward Kairo D. Arashi, who stood beside Shang De. With a trace of surprise in his eyes, he politely asked, "Excuse me, are you the Traveler, Kairo D. Arashi?"
"That would be me."
Kairo D. Arashi nodded slightly. The moment Shang De had mentioned "Mr. Kairo D. Arashi," Shanks had immediately looked toward him. Clearly, he had heard about Kairo D. Arashi from Mihawk. However, Kairo D. Arashi didn't point it out. Since Shanks had taken the initiative to greet him, that meant his interview plans had just taken another step forward!
"Hahaha! Now this really is unexpected!"
Shanks quickly walked forward and said happily, "I never expected to meet you here… Oh, right. I'm Shanks!"
The Traveler, Kairo D. Arashi?
Watching Shanks walk toward Kairo D. Arashi, the members of the Red-Haired Pirates were stunned for a moment before their eyes widened one after another. They stared at Kairo D. Arashi in disbelief.
Although they had only heard this name once, it had come from the mouth of the world's greatest swordsman, Mihawk—the man who frequently sought out their captain for duels!
Because of that, the name Traveler Kairo D. Arashi had remained firmly engraved in their memories! When Mihawk had returned to the New World to find their captain, he had unusually refrained from challenging Shanks to another duel. One reason was that their captain had lost an arm in the East Blue. The other was that Mihawk had found an even stronger swordsman!
And that swordsman was none other than the Traveler, Kairo D. Arashi.
Back then, when they heard that Mihawk had actually lost to Kairo D. Arashi in swordsmanship, every single one of them had been shocked beyond words. After all, Mihawk and their captain had fought countless times over the years, and neither had ever been able to decisively defeat the other. Yet this Traveler, Kairo D. Arashi, had actually defeated Mihawk in a contest of swordsmanship. If news like that ever spread, it would undoubtedly shake the entire world!
Shang De, standing beside Kairo D. Arashi, looked somewhat dumbfounded. He might have been reckless, but that didn't mean there was something wrong with his brain. After seeing Shanks take the initiative to greet Kairo D. Arashi, if Shang De still jumped out to cause trouble, then he really would be an idiot!
Of course, once Shanks walked closer, Shang De finally got a good look at him and recognized him as the youngest of the Four Emperors ruling the New World!
"I've heard a lot about you, Shanks!"
Looking at Shanks standing before him, Kairo D. Arashi smiled slightly. "You heard about me from Mihawk, didn't you? I've heard a few things about you guys too. Everyone here is part of your crew, right? Quite the lively bunch."
Shanks was extremely gentlemanly. After reaching Kairo D. Arashi, he inclined his head slightly and said, "If Brother Kairo D. Arashi doesn't mind, how about sitting down and having a few drinks with us? Oh, right, and this hot-tempered young fellow…"
"This is Shang De."
Kairo D. Arashi gave Shang De a light punch before adding, "A reckless brute from the East Blue!"
"Hahaha! I can definitely see that. I can definitely see that."
Shanks laughed before turning toward the members of his crew and shouting, "Brothers! Come over and meet our new friend—the Traveler, Kairo D. Arashi!"
As soon as Shanks finished speaking, the members of the Red-Haired Pirates, beginning with Lucky Roux, stood up one after another and introduced themselves. Once the final crew member had finished, Shanks immediately stepped forward and shouted excitedly, "Let's get the banquet started!!!"
"Banquet! Banquet!!!"
The members of the Red-Haired Pirates roared together. Then, deciding that the bar staff were serving alcohol too slowly, several crew members simply ran behind the counter and emptied the entire liquor cabinet themselves.
Meanwhile, Kairo D. Arashi and Shanks walked over to the bar, grabbed bottles directly, and started drinking!
It wouldn't have been an exaggeration to say that every member of the Red-Haired Pirates was either a complete glutton or an outright alcoholic. The banquet had barely begun before they drained every bottle from the bar's liquor cabinet. Left with no choice, the owner had to bring out all the alcohol from the cellar.
Even that wasn't enough.
In the end, he actually had to run to the neighboring bar to borrow more!
After two hours of wild drinking, Lucky Roux staggered over to Kairo D. Arashi with a plate in one hand and a huge pork knuckle in the other. Thoroughly drunk, he asked, "Brother Kairo D. Arashi, I heard you defeated Mihawk in swordsmanship. Is that really true?"
"Well, it was just a friendly spar. Winning or losing wasn't that important…"
As Kairo D. Arashi spoke, he tossed a bottle of whiskey toward Lucky Roux and laughed. "Why are you eating pork knuckle when there's good alcohol right here? Fine liquor is justice! Come on, bottoms up!"
"Hahaha! Brother Kairo D. Arashi really is my kind of guy!"
Not willing to be left behind, Shanks grabbed another bottle of whiskey and said, "Come on! Count me in!"
"Just drinking is boring."
Suddenly, Kairo D. Arashi put down his bottle. Slightly tipsy, he swayed his head from side to side and said, "We've got good food and good alcohol, so how can we not have a game? Come on, come on, Shanks! Let's play rock-paper-scissors! Loser drinks!"
The instant Kairo D. Arashi finished speaking, the previously noisy bar fell completely silent.
Shanks's eyes widened in surprise, and the muscles on his face twitched violently!
Back when Mihawk had returned to the New World to drink with him, he had mentioned some of Kairo D. Arashi's little hobbies. Rock-paper-scissors, in particular, was apparently something Kairo D. Arashi would insist on playing several rounds of with practically anyone he met. Mihawk had even told him that the first time he boarded Kairo D. Arashi's ship, he had fallen straight into the rock-paper-scissors trap and had never managed to crawl back out!
At the time, Shanks had assumed Mihawk was joking.
He never expected that during his very first meeting with Kairo D. Arashi, the man would actually suggest playing rock-paper-scissors.
This really was…
Interesting!!!
"What?"
Seeing the entire bar suddenly fall silent, Kairo D. Arashi blinked in confusion. "Don't tell me none of you know how to play? You're pirates who roam the seas, yet you don't even know such a basic game? Well, forget it, forget it. If none of you know how, we'll play something else…"
"Who said we don't know how?!"
Before Kairo D. Arashi could finish speaking, one member of the Red-Haired Pirates shot to his feet, reeking of alcohol, and shouted carelessly, "Mr. Kairo D. Arashi, I'll play with you!"
"Me too!"
"Count me in!"
In no time at all, every member of the Red-Haired Pirates except Shanks and Benn Beckman had stood up, ready to challenge Kairo D. Arashi!
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