After looking around at everyone who had gathered, Yuto decided it was time to leave.
There were already more than twenty people in the restaurant.
Hatsune's group had six, Ainz and Rimuru added two more, and ten people had come from Gensokyo.
Besides the usual visitors such as Yuuka, Yukari, Reimu, Marisa, and Suika, Hieda no Akyuu, Keine, and Mokou had also joined them.
Akyuu had come to finish what she had been unable to do during Yuto's last visit to Gensokyo. He had gotten drunk that day, so she never had the chance to ask the questions she had prepared.
This time, she had personally come to the restaurant so she could finally question him properly.
Keine had accompanied Akyuu and had also been curious about the restaurant for a long time.
As for Mokou, there was no chance she would let Keine visit an unfamiliar place alone, so she naturally came along as well.
Including Yuto, Tohru, Kanna, Erina, Hisako, and everyone else, the group had more than twenty people in total.
Everyone was ready!
Before leaving, Yuto turned toward Fafnir, who was sitting behind the counter.
"Fafnir, I'm counting on you to watch the restaurant."
"Mm." Fafnir answered calmly without taking his eyes off the handheld console.
"Fafnir! Don't slack off!"
Tohru raised a fist and tried to sound threatening.
This time, Fafnir finally looked up.
His usual tired eyes stared back at her as he replied in a completely flat voice.
"Just leave. I don't want to see you anymore."
His answer suited his personality perfectly.
Tohru huffed and turned her face away, while Yuto could only smile helplessly before facing the others.
"Is everyone ready?"
"Ready!"
"Then let's go!"
The moment he finished speaking, more than twenty people vanished from the restaurant, leaving Fafnir alone behind the counter.
He calmly lowered his gaze to the handheld console again.
Now he could finally play in peace!
...
The sky had not yet become completely dark.
The setting sun spread its final light across the sea, covering the water in a wide golden glow.
Yuto stood at the front of the ship and looked out over the ocean.
He had only traveled by boat once or twice before, and those had merely been speedboats or small vessels.
This was his first time aboard a ship this huge.
The Moby Dick.
That was the name of the enormous vessel beneath his feet.
Looking at the endless sea before him, Yuto could not help taking a deep breath.
Anyone who saw such a beautiful view would naturally be moved by it.
Hatsune and the others stood nearby, staring out at the ocean with the same wonder on their faces.
Only people such as Yukari and Yuuka remained calm.
The view was beautiful, but after living for so long and seeing countless things, it was not enough to truly shock them.
"Gurararara! Beautiful, isn't it?"
A rough, booming laugh came from behind them as a huge figure slowly approached.
It was Whitebeard.
"Yeah, it really is. I think I understand a little better now why some people become so obsessed with the sea."
Yuto smiled and turned toward him.
Several meters separated them, making the difference in their size even more obvious.
"Hmph! The sea is wider than anything else and accepts everything. No true man can refuse its call."
Whitebeard let out an amused grunt, and a rare hint of emotion entered his voice as he looked toward the distant ocean.
The waves shone gold beneath the evening sky.
Far away, the sea carried a faint gray color, which slowly changed into gold before becoming a deep blue beside the ship.
It was like a painting created by someone who had spent their entire life working on a single masterpiece.
Yuto smiled and nodded.
"Gurararara! So, how about it? Want to reconsider becoming my son?"
Whitebeard's question made him laugh.
"My restaurant is my ocean. I can't leave it behind either."
Whitebeard grinned, clearly satisfied with the answer.
"All right! You've enjoyed the view long enough. It's time to come down and join the banquet. My sons have been waiting."
He stepped aside, allowing Yuto to see the huge crowd gathered on the middle deck below the bow.
They were all pirates—men and women, young and old, along with a few creatures that looked more like animals.
Most of them had rough or frightening faces, the kind of hardened people Yuto would rarely meet in normal life.
Yet every one of them was smiling honestly from the heart.
Their cheerful expressions looked strangely innocent compared to their fierce appearances.
Every pair of eyes was focused on Whitebeard.
The way they looked at him was like a group of troublesome children watching their father.
Their eyes carried respect, loyalty, trust, and dependence, all tied together by a bond that seemed almost impossible to break.
Yuto knew that every one of them was one of Whitebeard's sons—the same foolish, troublesome sons he often called idiots, yet always spoke about with pride.
"Gurararara! See them? All my idiot sons are waiting for you!"
Whitebeard laughed loudly, unable to hide his pride.
The way he said "idiot sons" sounded exactly like a father showing off his greatest treasures.
"Then we're truly honored."
Yuto smiled.
Whitebeard had spent a long time preparing this banquet, far longer than he normally would have needed.
Even when Yuto's group first arrived, the crew had still been finishing the last preparations, which was why Yuto had gone to the upper deck to enjoy the view.
Now everything was finally ready.
Whitebeard turned toward the pirates gathered across the ship, raised his right arm, and clenched his fist.
"Brats! The banquet starts now!"
The entire ship erupted in cheers.
Countless voices roared together, loud enough to make it feel as though even the sea was shaking.
The sound was deafening, but the excitement behind it was powerful enough to pull everyone into the mood.
For a moment, Yuto nearly found himself carried away by their energy.
Once again, he gained a better understanding of Whitebeard and his sons.
This kind of unity was extremely rare, and Yuto knew it all existed because of the man standing beside him.
If Whitebeard disappeared one day, the bond holding everyone together might disappear with him.
Yuto and the others followed Whitebeard down from the bow.
By the time they reached the middle deck, the pirates had already started eating meat and drinking.
The meat came from creatures Yuto had never seen before. The pieces were huge, and the quality looked excellent.
Apparently, they came from creatures known as Sea Kings.
Yuto had never encountered one, but the meat immediately caught his interest. Perhaps he could serve something like it in the restaurant one day.
Whitebeard had prepared a separate seating area for the restaurant's guests on the rear deck, which stood above the middle deck just like the bow.
The Moby Dick was enormous, and even its rear deck was many times larger than Yuto's entire restaurant.
Three huge tables had been placed there, with more than twenty seats around each one.
The ship had plenty of oversized furniture like this, mostly because Whitebeard himself was far larger than an ordinary person.
Naturally, the shipbuilders had prepared tables and chairs that suited his size.
Whitebeard walked toward the main seat at the center table. His enormous arm moved, making the cloak behind him snap in the wind.
"Sit."
After speaking in his usual bold manner, he dropped into the chair, leaned back, and placed both hands on his thighs.
Sitting there, he looked like a mountain among the others.
Yuto sat down, and everyone else followed.
Only a small number of people remained completely calm. Most were clearly surprised by the size and atmosphere of the banquet.
Hatsune and Tianyi simply looked around in amazement, while Marisa already seemed ready to jump into the crowd and join the chaos.
She had never been good at sitting still, and a lively scene like this was impossible for her to resist.
Her intentions were written so clearly on her face that everyone could tell what she wanted.
"Gurararara! Go have fun. There's no need to worry about rules at a banquet."
Whitebeard spoke casually.
Marisa's face immediately lit up, and she jumped to her feet with excitement.
"Thanks, old man! DA☆ZE!"
The witch leaped down onto the middle deck.
The moment Reimu saw her go, her expression changed, and she immediately jumped after her.
"Hey! Marisa! Don't run around causing trouble everywhere!"
Everyone laughed at the two girls.
A strange smile appeared on Whitebeard's face.
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, and even his sharp eyes became softer.
"Old man, huh..."
He sounded more amused than offended.
At that moment, a loud noise came from the distance.
Everyone immediately turned toward it.
The pirates who had been laughing only moments earlier became serious. Weapons appeared in their hands, and their expressions turned cautious.
They had only recently survived a major battle, so their nerves had not fully settled yet. There was still a real chance that the Marines might come after them again.
Whitebeard quickly calmed them.
"Relax, idiots. It isn't the Marines."
Following his gaze, Yuto looked out across the sea and saw a ship approaching in the distance.
It was flying a pirate flag.
Whitebeard smiled with open confidence and a trace of disdain.
"Gurararara! That brat is as arrogant as ever."
As he spoke, the distant ship continued moving quickly toward the Moby Dick.