The Face Fruit Could Be Refused Too

The same tavern, the same strong liquor, the same drunkard, the same crowd of drinkers...

It was another familiar bout of drunken oblivion. This time, it was especially serious. It seemed like everyone in Orange Town had gotten to know Wright as an "incredibly skilled doctor," and people came to the tavern in an endless stream to toast him. After all, Orange Town had not had a single doctor worth mentioning since its founding—

What was more, that bastard Shanks had declared that if anyone could drink Wright under the table, he would cover all the alcohol consumed... Had Shanks gone off to rob someone? How was he so rich?!

Once that bastard realized Wright did not plan to set sail anytime soon, and especially that he would not become a pirate, he seemed determined to turn Wright into a drinking buddy—so what if they were not on the same ship or not pirates? They could still drink together!

So, after Shanks had drained his Holy Light Power and dragged him into the tavern, Wright reluctantly cast a few Purification Spells to remove the "negative status" of drunkenness. In the end, he was finally brought down by the vast ocean of the people's war—he seemed to have been buried beneath a crowd of utterly drunk people. Miserable, miserable, miserable...

Before that, Wright had desperately managed to get Shanks drunk first and tossed him under the table... Then that guy had been crushed beneath the crowd along with the collapsed table...

How tragic.

"My head hurts... I can't breathe..."

After silently casting a Purification Spell to clear his head, Wright immediately realized that the tremendous pressure of the drunk crowd was about to make him cough up blood. He barely crawled out of the tavern with his powerful physique, only to discover Shanks still drooling beneath the broken table. He had no choice but to go back in and drag him out.

With one Purification Spell, Shanks groggily opened his eyes and quickly sobered up. "Wright... Your ability is so useful. You could completely dominate the world in drinking contests... I'm so jealous!"

"My stomach can't dominate the world!" Wright snapped. His steps were still somewhat unsteady, so it was easier to lean on his sword.

"More importantly, you should think about how you're going to pay the bill! There was a whole crowd there. Yesterday's binge probably used up at least a month's worth of the tavern's stock!"

"Hahaha, no problem, Wright. It's really something that the first thing you thought of was that." Shanks laughed. "I'd already been staying in this town for a few days before you arrived. I visit that tavern often, so I put all the money I'd earned recently on account there."

"It should be enough to cover yesterday's drinks. I, Shanks, don't drink without paying!"

"Wright, I'm getting ready to leave." Shanks put on his Straw Hat under Wright's disdainful gaze and stretched lazily. "I'm really planning to form a pirate crew. Some time ago, I heard there was an amazing marksman on a nearby island, so I wanted to recruit him. But that guy rejected me because he said, 'I haven't experienced getting married yet'..."

"Pfft, hahahaha..." Wright could not help laughing. Yasopp was way too strange. That was actually the reason he used?

"And then? You gave up?"

"How could I? I told him I could find other companions first, but I would definitely go back for him before officially setting sail. Then I came to the closer Orange Town to gather information, since there are more merchant ships here... In the end, just when it looked like I might recruit a ship doctor and swordsman, you rejected me too..."

"I'm so disappointed. It feels like I've suffered a huge blow."

"...If something like that could shake you, I'd eat my sword."

"...That's true. Looks like you won't get the chance to eat it... Hahaha..."

The two found a restaurant—not a tavern, an actual restaurant—to fill their empty stomachs. Before long, two stacks of empty plates had appeared on the table.

"After resting up, I also plan to leave and travel around the East Blue. I rarely went out in the past and hardly got to see this world. What a shame."

"This is my first time leaving my master after completing my training, and the first town I reached happened to have someone as young and powerful as you, Shanks. If anyone says the East Blue is the 'Weakest Sea' again, I'll spit in their face!"

As Wright worked hard on the food before him, he could not help sighing. Fate was just too damn wonderful.

"Uh..." Shanks raised his head and scratched his red hair. "I'm kind of an exception. I'm actually from the West Blue. I only came to the East Blue to travel around."

"But you, Wright, are a genuine native of the East Blue. And the Weakest Sea thing... that refers to the strength of the pirates."

Shanks swiftly slapped away Wright's hand as it reached toward the plate beside him, grabbed the plate, and dumped the food into his mouth. "Mmph..."

He grabbed his cup and gulped it down in one breath. Only then did he avoid choking to death. Shanks took a breath. "In fact, as the Symbol of Peace, the East Blue has always been one of the Four Seas where the Marines have relatively stronger control. Quite a few major figures have come from here."

"The Pirate King was also from the East Blue..." Shanks paused. A flash of pain passed through his eyes, gone in an instant, before he smiled again. "The strongest active figure from the East Blue is the Marines' 'Hero,' Vice Admiral Garp!"

"I heard Vice Admiral Garp occasionally returns to the East Blue to visit family. He's the strongest existence in the East Blue! If wandering pirates run into Vice Admiral Garp, now that would be interesting. Hahaha!"

Wright rolled his eyes at Shanks. "Everyone in the East Blue knows Vice Admiral Garp's reputation. Shanks, don't tell me you ran into Vice Admiral Garp while wandering around the East Blue these past few years? Looking at you, did the Vice Admiral give you a good lesson?"

Shanks failed to catch his breath and broke into a violent coughing fit. He hurriedly changed the subject. "What are you planning to do next? Since you don't want to become a pirate, joining the Marines might be a good choice. With your strength, you should receive vigorous training at Marine Headquarters."

"Maybe I'll become a Pirate Hunter instead. The Marines have too many rules. Maybe I can consider it once I'm stronger, but for now, joining the Marines would be too restrictive." Wright swallowed the food in his mouth and turned to shout, "Boss! Another ten servings!"

"Doctor, eat as much as you like! There's plenty!" The owner said with a smile as he headed into the kitchen.

"..."

"Hahaha, you really are popular, Wright!" Shanks gnawed a roasted unknown creature's leg clean and burst out laughing. "Maybe we'll meet again someday. When that happens, we'll fight again! I can feel it—your Armament Haki will awaken soon. Your ability... Your support abilities are just too powerful. They're the same when it comes to developing your Haki..."

"Just thinking about facing you after your Armament Haki awakens gives me a headache... Hahaha!"

"Hmph. When that day comes, I'll beat you into a pigheaded mess!"

"Hahaha, don't! Yesterday, I didn't beat you into a pigheaded mess either..."

During his first strange encounter with the future Four Emperor Shanks, Wright had refused the invitation, somehow become the other man's drinking buddy, and even told him he would beat him into a pigheaded mess someday. The world truly was a wondrous place.

After leaving Orange Town, Wright boarded a small sailboat much like the one he had used before, packed supplies, and began his plan to travel through the East Blue.