"What a fine, sunny day. I hadn't seen weather like this in a long time back in the New World." Shanks lifted the brim of his straw hat and smiled brightly.
Benn Beckman and the other officers walked over, shaking their heads helplessly. "Captain, could you wait until the ship has come to a stop before jumping down next time? You're making us look awkward."
"Don't sweat the small stuff. My teacher used to tell me that people who fuss over details are fools," Shanks said with a laugh. As they spoke, the ship's enormous sails slowly lowered.
Yet its distinctive pirate flag still hung from the highest mast, fluttering in the wind.
"Alright, let's rest here for a few days. Once we've recovered our spirits, we'll head back to the New World and fight again. Hopefully those guys haven't forgotten us by then." Shanks waved to his companions behind him and took the lead toward the village.
The villagers working in the fields showed astonishment. Seeing the pirate flag flying from the massive ship, one farmer hurriedly threw down his tools and ran into the village.
Pirates did not often come to Windmill Village, but that did not mean none had ever come.
Especially now, after the Great Pirate Era had been underway for so many years, countless pirates roamed the seas. Some of them would visit this little village.
And pirates were a mixed lot; all kinds of people could be found among them.
Though none of the pirates who had come here so far had shown much malice, there was no guarantee this time would be the same. What was more, this enormous red ship differed from every pirate ship that had visited before.
Meanwhile, Shanks and the others headed swiftly into the village. Along the way,