"Gurararara, Gatz, you sent another one flying."
Newgate's booming voice came from outside the tavern. He walked in with a steady stride, his signature white, crescent-moon mustache looking more majestic than ever, and the world-conquering aura about him now more restrained and profound. Following behind him was a fourteen-year-old boy.
Ren.
In three years, Ren had grown quite a bit taller, but the same calm, unruffled expression remained on his handsome face.
In these past three years, the name of the Whitebeard Pirates had risen rapidly in the New World. They specifically targeted vicious pirates who bullied civilians, plundering their treasure, burning their ships, and then holding a grand feast to celebrate. Their morally ambiguous style of operation drew the attention of countless people and gave the Marines a massive headache.
At the same time, the tides of the New World were surging. Gol D. Roger and his elite pirate crew had become famous. They were passionate about adventure and challenging the strong, their reputation even greater than that of the Whitebeard Pirates. In addition, a seemingly immortal monster named Kaido had also emerged, stirring up a storm of blood and forming the Beast Pirates.
The woman, Charlotte Linlin, was frantically expanding her territory, dreaming of establishing a gourmet nation composed of all races. Her Big Mom Pirates were not to be underestimated. There was also a man named Shiki, who, with his terrifying ability to make islands float, had formed the Flying Pirates. His fleet was growing day by day, and his ambitions were vast.
In the New World, a group of powerful figures was rising. A magnificent Great Pirate Era had begun. Among them, the Roger Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates were at the very top in terms of strength, but the other future Emperors of the Sea had also begun to show their fearsome fangs.
"Captain, the ship is repaired!" Dolum presented the mended sail to Newgate as if it were a treasure.
"Gurararara, well done, Dolum." Newgate nodded in satisfaction. He glanced at the cherry blossoms dancing in the wind outside the window, then at the reliable family beside him. A warm smile appeared on his face. "Alright, my sons! We're done resupplying! Let's have a party to celebrate, and then... we set sail again!"
"OOOH!"
Sky-shaking cheers once again echoed through the tavern. The Moby Dick set sail once more, like a giant white whale, silently gliding into the unpredictable blue of the New World. Life on the ship was, as always, filled with clamor and vitality.
On the deck, Gatz was engaged in his daily training with Newgate. "OOOH! Watch this! Giant Anchor: Cyclone Slash!" Gatz roared, swinging the massive anchor into a black tornado and bringing it down on Newgate's head. After three years of nourishment from Ren's miraculous cooking and tempering through countless real battles, Gatz's strength was far beyond what it used to be. This blow was enough to shatter a small mountain.
However, Newgate just lazily extended a single finger. "Too slow."
PING!
A seemingly ordinary finger accurately tapped the core stress point of the spinning giant anchor. An invisible shockwave quietly entered it. Gatz felt an irresistible force coming from the anchor. His mountain-shattering attack instantly disintegrated, and he was sent flying along with his anchor. He crashed onto the ship's rail, which Dolum had just reinforced, with a loud BOOM, leaving a clear human-shaped dent.
"Gurararara, Gatz, your strength is sufficient, but your control over it is still far from adequate," Newgate said, retracting his finger and taking a large swig of wine, his tone leisurely.
"Dammit! Again!" Gatz climbed out of the dent. Far from being discouraged, his will to fight grew even stronger.
In a corner, Dolum was clutching his toolbox, two streams of clear tears rolling down his cheeks as he looked at the new dent. "My ship... my memory alloy armor... it says it's in a lot of pain..." He took out his small notebook and added another heavy entry to today's ship damage report. "Severe dent in the number three port side memory alloy armor. Cause: Daily training. Estimated repair time: Three days. Materials required: Five high-strength alloy plates, some shock-absorbing buffer materials, and... a heart strong enough to withstand monster impacts."
Silver stood quietly at the stern. He did not participate in this violent training. Instead, he closed his eyes and slowly thrust his spear forward. His movements were slow, so slow that you could see every trace of the spear tip cutting through the air. But with every thrust, a tiny, slowly healing black hole would appear in the air in front of the spear tip. This was his higher-level application of Armament Haki—internal destruction. In these three years, he was no longer just a ghost who specialized in stealth and assassination, but a true grandmaster of the spear who could face top-tier powerhouses head-on.
Meanwhile, Ren was busy in the kitchen. In the spacious and tidy kitchen, various rare ingredients were being handled in an orderly manner. He was preparing today's lunch. The main course was the tenderloin of an Ice Field Mammoth, a giant elephant he had hunted on a winter island the day before. The meat of this mammoth was extremely tender, its fat layer as evenly distributed as snowflakes, making it the perfect material for top-tier barbecue.
Ren had marinated it overnight with more than a dozen spices collected from different islands, and then slow-roasted it at a low temperature on a special slate made of volcanic rock. The slate could evenly transfer heat, locking in the meat juices to the greatest extent, while also infusing the meat with the mineral aroma contained in the rock.
Tssssss—
The fat dripped onto the scorching hot slate, making a delightful sound. A domineering aroma, a mixture of meaty fragrance, spices, and minerals, instantly filled the entire kitchen. "Head Chef! I smell it! It's the smell of barbecue!" Gatz's nose was more sensitive than anything. He instantly stopped his training with Newgate and, like a big dog, followed the scent and rushed to the kitchen door, drooling all over the floor.
"Not yet," Ren said without turning his head.
"Be patient, Gatz," Newgate also walked over. He looked at Ren's focused and skilled movements, a smile in his eyes. In these three years, he had long gotten used to this life. He had a reliable family, endless wine to drink, and the world's most top-tier cuisine. This was the home he wanted.
"Dinner is served." Finally, Ren cut the roasted mammoth steak into thick slices and brought it to the huge dining table in the center of the deck. On the table was also a milky-white, rich soup made from deep-sea fish bones, and soft bread made from the cloud wheat of a sky island.
"Let's eat!" Gatz was the first to pick up a steak bigger than his face and took a huge bite. The next second, his eyes shot wide open, as if his entire body had been struck by a current of happiness. The meat was unbelievably tender. The moment his teeth touched it, the rich meat juices exploded in his mouth. The unique charred fragrance from the volcanic rock and the complex flavor of the spices blended perfectly, forming an unprecedented, primitive, and wild ultimate delicacy.
"Waaaaah! This is too good! I feel like my muscles are singing!" Gatz praised indistinctly while gobbling down his food.
The others also began to eat. The deck was filled with only the sounds of satisfied chewing and happy sighs. Just then, Silver's voice suddenly came from the crow's nest, as calm as ever. "Captain, there's something in our course."
....
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