Farewell Banquet

In the year 1510 of the Sea Calendar, in the waters near Foosha Village in the East Sea.

"This is Goya Kingdom, we'll be resting here for a while." Standing on the rope net, Shanks looked towards the coastal village in the distance and said calmly.

"Resting?" Louis looked at Shanks, lost in thought. The goal is to bring the Nika Fruit here, right?

Shanks' original intention was probably to hand it over to Roger's son, hoping he could obtain the power of Nika.

Ultimately, the fruit was accidentally eaten by Monkey D. Luffy, the grandson of Garp.

Of course, it's also possible that during Shanks' interactions with Luffy, he felt that Luffy was more likely to awaken that form that hadn't appeared in eight hundred years.

At least Louis believed that Ace's heart harbored slight dark thoughts due to his background, making him not pure enough. Giving the Nika Fruit to him might not awaken it.

Regardless of the situation, it was inevitable that the Red-Haired Pirates would be staying here for a considerable amount of time.

Louis, however, had no intention of staying. Neither training nor passing the time here was suitable for him.

After some thought, Louis looked at Yelena beside him and said in a deep voice, "Yelena, let's disembark here!"

"Okay." Upon hearing this, Yelena decisively gave an affirmative answer.

Despite having stayed on this ship for a long time, she always remembered that she and Louis were not true nakama of Shanks.

Therefore, she had no reason to hesitate.

Wherever Louis went, she would go.

At the small port of Foosha Village, Louis informed Shanks, who was playing with children, of his and Yelena's decision to leave.

"What?" Shanks was very surprised to hear this.

"Louis and Yelena are disembarking?"

Shanks' subconscious exclamation caused quite a stir on deck.

"Louis and Yelena are leaving... already?"

"Has time passed so quickly?"

"Without realizing it, it's time for you to leave?"

Uta, stretching her arms and walking on the railing, froze upon hearing this. Her thoughts raced, and her body became restless along with her mind, causing her to fall from the railing.

Fortunately, Uta was caught steadily by Beckman, who was watching her closely, and gently placed on the deck.

"Uta, are you alright?"

Uta seemed not to hear Beckman's voice, but stared blankly at Louis and Yelena, who were surrounded by the crew.

She subconsciously raised her hand towards them, opening her mouth as if to ask them to stay. But a sentence Louis had said surfaced in her mind.

"We are always just passersby. Our beliefs and goals are different, and there will always be a time for parting."

After a long while, Uta lowered her head, ultimately not speaking to ask them to stay. She had come to understand that Louis and Yelena were indeed not members of the Red-Haired Pirates.

Parting was destined.

Behind her, Beckman watched Uta restrain her urge to ask them to stay and felt greatly relieved.

"It's too early. Yelena still needs to be observed for a while longer!" Hongou frowned.

He slowly stepped forward and explained to Louis and Yelena that Yelena's condition required another observation in a month.

Yelena frowned upon hearing this. In fact, she felt completely recovered, and the past pain had disappeared.

Louis pondered for a moment and then asked, "A month? Then we'll explore the nearby waters first and get re-examined in a month."

Shanks suddenly understood, as if realizing the truth, "So that's it. You don't want to stay on this island, so you're choosing to leave early?"

"Something like that."

Hearing this, Shanks said no more.

Over the years, he had come to understand.

He hadn't thought deeply enough back then; keeping Louis here also had an influence on him.

In essence, it was no different from his concern about Luffy being influenced by the New World.

(This is a patch, perhaps, for readers who believe Shanks' actions also influenced Luffy. I don't know if he's still reading.)

But fortunately, Louis hadn't been negatively affected by him, which made Shanks very grateful and relieved.

Therefore, Shanks wouldn't try to keep them, because Louis and the others were simply passersby.

Then, he turned around, surveyed everyone, clapped his hands, and announced loudly, "Since that's the case, let's have a grand banquet before we part!"

Everyone was stunned and exchanged glances.

Soon, cheers erupted on the deck again.

"Whoa!"

Even though Yelena was quite familiar with the Red-Haired Pirates' feasting traditions, she still found this particular banquet unbelievable.

"We'll see each other again in a month, is there really a need for a banquet..."

In response, Lucky Roo took a bite of a large bone-in chop and chuckled, "That's a different matter, that'll be another banquet!"

Yelena: "??"

That night, inside the tavern in Foosha Village.

Louis and Yelena, the Red-Haired Pirates, and everyone else gathered together, holding a banquet in the tavern.

At the round table, Shanks raised his wine cup and clinked it with Louis's tea.

"Louis, after Yelena's check-up, will you be heading straight into the Grand Line?"

Louis replied calmly, "I think we'll visit the Four Seas first. Once I enter the Grand Line, a series of problems will follow, and I might not have much time to see the world then."

Moreover, Louis realized he had been swept away by the allure of the sea back then, which was somewhat imprudent.

It wasn't just Louis who needed to grow; the tribespeople on Sky Island also needed time. Confronting the World Government too early would do more harm than good.

Also, since he was already in this world, Louis wanted to try recruiting some companions or finding suitable allies for the future.

The powerful Oni Clan, the Buccaneer Tribe who had suffered tragic fates, and hidden powerhouses in the non-affiliated nations of the Four Seas were all worth investigating.

Shanks heard this and, perhaps thinking of something, glanced discreetly at Uta with a thoughtful expression.

"In the Four Seas?"

He considered that they themselves were about to enter the Grand Line, venturing deep into the world's most terrifying waters. And with his current strength, he couldn't guarantee Uta's safety.

He then looked at Beckman, who was taking a small drink, and their eyes met.

Meanwhile, a drunken Lucky Roo, Yasopp, and the others had already started teasing a little kid who had somehow snuck in.

During their playful antics, the black-haired little boy kept turning his head to look at the wings behind Louis, his face full of confusion.

Noticing the gaze, Louis also turned his head, looking thoughtfully at the young Straw Hat Luffy.

Beside him, Yelena reached out and stroked the somewhat bewildered Uta, gently comforting her, "What's wrong, Uta?"

"There's no need to be sad. Everyone experiences many partings in their lives. This parting will make us look forward to our next meeting even more."

Uta looked up, revealing her purple eyes, her gaze shifting back and forth between Louis, Yelena, and Shanks.

Louis turned to look at Uta, who exuded an aura of sadness, and fell silent for a moment.