The Late-Arriving Truth

The hand that lights a cigarette.

My heart is trembling.

Fisher Tiger, and Jinbe squatted forlornly on the threshold, switching their pipes back and forth, their faces bearing an indescribable air of vicissitude.

As is widely known.

The wisps of smoke rising from his mouth tell a man's story.

Or to put it simply...

Who the hell dares to get involved in this?

I saw nothing, I knew nothing...

From the few words exchanged between Lin Yan and Neptune during their previous fight, the two of them clearly realized one thing.

Whoever gets involved in this matter will die!

Better to die for your fellow Daoist than for this one!

So the two of them decisively abandoned the idea of going forward to help, and instead pretended to be nonchalant and stood by and watched.

Fortunately, this situation didn't seem to last too long.

About half an hour later.

Whether Lin Yan had had her fill of fighting or Neptune couldn't take it anymore, the two of them stopped fighting and sat down on the ground, just like Fisher Tiger, and Jinbe.

"Hiss... You really hit hard, kid!"

Neptune grinned.

His face was almost swollen like a pig's head, and his whole body was covered in bruises of all sizes.

Of course, it's just a superficial injury.

Lin Yan was quite measured in her actions.

However, if people saw him like this, Neptune's dignity as king would be shattered into a QR code, impossible to piece back together.

"Have you calmed down now?"

Lin Yan rolled her eyes and asked.

"... I guess so."

Neptune snorted, then beckoned Shirahoshi over.

"Shirahoshi, please repeat carefully what Lady Lin Yan said to you before."

In fact, by now, Neptune realized there might have been some misunderstanding. After all, looking at Lin Yan, she really didn't seem like the kind of person who was impatient for sex.

So after being given a beating... cough, I mean, a friendly exchange, Neptune regained much of his senses.

That's why this question has arisen now.

"Uh-huh!"

Shirahoshi nodded emphatically immediately.

Then, suppressing her shyness, she carefully repeated what Lin Yan had told her before.

"..."

After listening, Neptune fell into a long silence.

A moment later, Neptune suddenly looked at Jinbe, who was squatting not far away.

"Jinbe... give me some too."

Jinbe brought over his pipe.

Neptune lit another cigarette, exhaled a long plume of smoke, and his face was full of weariness.

As mentioned before.

The swirling smoke from his mouth tells a man's story... what a load of rubbish!

Neptune is so embarrassed he could die!

What an incredibly embarrassing blunder!

Logically speaking, if there were a crack in the ground right now, he would definitely crawl into it without hesitation, but because Shirahoshi was present, Neptune couldn't afford to tarnish his fatherly authority.

What is called a man?

Even if you break your teeth, you have to swallow it!

"Alright, it seems the misunderstanding has been cleared up now."

Lin Yan, unusually kind, didn't expose Neptune's pretense, but simply smiled and shook her head.

After all, they did beat him up.

Hmm... give me some face.

Thinking it over, Lin Yan naturally changed the subject and looked at Shirahoshi seriously.

"Shirahoshi, you misunderstood before. I only meant to invite you to join our Whitebeard Pirates, nothing more. Of course, my wording was inappropriate."

"Eh~~~~! How could this happen!"

Upon hearing this, Shirahoshi let out a disappointed sound.

It's just simple disappointment.

She thought Lin Yan was really serious about proposing to her, but it turns out he just wanted her to join his pirate crew?

To be honest, if it were an ordinary girl...

At this point, they should have started looking for cracks in the ground, just like Neptune was doing.

However, the simple-minded Shirahoshi had no concept of this.

Therefore, there is no awkwardness.

All done!

Only Neptune's embarrassing moment of picking his toes has been completed!

Shirahoshi Shirahoshi was disappointed for a while, but her mood quickly faded, and she soon looked at Lin Yan with some curiosity and asked.

"By the way, Lin Yan, why did you fight with Father earlier?"

"Cough cough cough cough!"

Neptune on the other side immediately started coughing.

Please don't mention it!

Please have mercy!

Even Lin Yan subtly averted her gaze.

"That's because I wasn't communicating with my fists! Yes, that's right, don't mind it, Shirahoshi..."

"Huh? But Father was clearly just getting beaten up."

"Cough cough cough cough!"

"Let's not talk about this again!"

"Oh..."

Shirahoshi responded with a vague understanding.

The atmosphere in the room fell silent for a moment. After a while, perhaps to get rid of this damned topic, Neptune suddenly looked at Shirahoshi with a very serious expression and spoke.

"So, Shirahoshi, have you decided to go to sea with Lady Lin Yan?"

Neptune looked at his daughter very seriously and asked.

If we're talking about before...

Neptune would never agree to such a thing.

After his wife passed away.

The existence of his children had become his last solace; he could no longer bear the blow of losing loved ones again.

But seeing Shirahoshi's growth before that.

And considering that Lin Yan was also present.

Neptune's attitude has softened considerably.

Of course, all of this is predicated on Shirahoshi's own willingness.

"..."

Faced with Neptune's extremely earnest questioning.

Even someone as naive as Shirahoshi realized the importance of this matter and, instead of giving an immediate answer, began to think about it seriously, a rare occurrence for her.

Several tens of seconds passed.

The girl then revealed a gentle smile on her pretty face.

"I want to see the outside world and fulfill my mother's wish!"

"..."

For a fleeting moment, Neptune's expression showed a hint of relief.

Even today, he cannot fully understand what kind of path his beloved wife and Fisher Tiger were pursuing back then.

Like Jinbe, he was merely the inheritor of their will.

But then I saw Shirahoshi's firm yet gentle smile.

As a father.

He couldn't help but feel proud of his daughter.

"I see, I understand now... It's true what they say, daughters grow up and leave home. Well then, since it's already decided, let's go see the outside world together with Lady Lin Yan!"

Neptune reached out and patted Shirahoshi's head.

As mentioned before.

He still didn't fully understand that grand dream.

But the smile on Shirahoshi's face at this moment is undoubtedly a more direct path to the sun.

Why not follow Lin Yan to find the light?

This man, who can win Fisher Tiger's sincere loyalty, is absolutely worthy.

Neptune was absolutely certain of this.

"Um!"