Mark and Daisy were having an open-air barbecue.
The weather was nice today, and the sun was not too harsh. Daisy suddenly felt like having barbecue.
So Mark set up an open-air grill on the deck.
Grilled steak, grilled fish, grilled pork slices, and all kinds of other meat let Daisy and Chiu Chiu eat to their hearts' content.
Of course, that was also thanks to the unexpected windfall Chiu Chiu had mentioned.
A full three hundred million-plus Beli!!!
The Arlong Pirates' gains from plundering the East Blue for over a decade, along with more than a dozen 12-pound cannons, six 24-pound cannons, and one 32-pound cannon aboard the ship.
The armory was stocked with ammunition and firearms.
Altogether, it amounted to a haul worth six or seven hundred million Beli.
They had truly struck it rich. It was like Arlong had spent more than a decade quietly building himself up, only for Mark and the others to snatch away his life energy, ship, and every last Beli he had saved.
With money in hand, they naturally ate as much good food as they wanted.
They had also recently encountered a small Sea King at sea. Even a small one was rare in the East Blue, and it was still as large as their ship.
After Mark killed the Sea King, they had another source of meat ingredients.
It had to be said that, as deep-sea creatures, Sea Kings not only had highly nutritious meat, but they also tasted exceptionally good.
They were several times, even more than ten times, better than beef or pork.
Just as Mark stuffed a piece of Sea King meat into his mouth, he spotted a massive pirate ship.
It was a very familiar ship, one he had seen in Moss Town several years ago.
"Red Force!"
Mark said in surprise, "It's Shanks's ship!"
Several years ago in Moss Town, Shanks had approached Gaban alone and invited him to join his pirate crew, but Gaban had refused.
Still, Shanks had stayed in Moss Town for several days.
Mark and Daisy had met Shanks during those days.
"Yo! Mark, Daisy, is this your pirate ship?" Shanks stuck his head out from the Red Force and shouted.
"It's Shanks!" Mark said. "Chiu Chiu, take Daisy and me over to that ship."
"Boss, you know them?" Chiu Chiu put down the barbecue and flew Mark and Daisy toward the Red Force.
"Yeah," Mark said with a sigh.
The Red Force was not particularly large, but it was still much bigger than Mark's Moss, which had been renamed from Arlong's ship.
Three figures flew over and landed before Shanks.
Dege, Building Snake, Yasopp, and the others warmly greeted Mark. They were fairly familiar with Mark and his companions as well.
Mark returned their greetings, then looked at Red-Haired Shanks and asked, "Shanks, what are you doing in the East Blue?"
"I came back to check on that brat Luffy. When did you set sail, kid? And you even brought little Daisy with you. Gaban must be furious." Shanks opened a bottle of liquor for Mark, then waved for Lucky Roux to bring two bottles of fruit juice for Daisy and Chiu Chiu.
"Uncle Lucky Roux, don't trouble yourself. We just finished eating, and we're still stuffed!" Daisy pointed at her slightly rounded belly.
Chiu Chiu also declined Shanks's kindness. Under normal circumstances, it definitely would not have refused, but it truly could not eat another bite right now.
Shanks laughed heartily and clinked glasses with Mark.
"I only recently set sail," Mark said. "Don't you know Daisy? The sea is where she belongs, so she came out to sea with me. The old man couldn't stop her."
He pulled Chiu Chiu over and introduced it to Shanks. "This is my newly recruited crew member, Chiu Chiu!"
Then Mark introduced Shanks and the others to Chiu Chiu. "Red-Haired Shanks, a great pirate of the New World!"
Benn Beckman cut in, "He's one of the Four Emperors now."
"The Four Emperors?" Mark pretended to be greatly surprised.
Red-Haired Shanks had finally become one of the Four Emperors? The New World's balance had begun to stabilize.
The four-way standoff of the Four Emperors had already taken shape.
"Yeah, he's been one for three years now!"
"You're really amazing, Shanks!" Mark praised.
Shanks took a swig of liquor and asked expectantly, "Mark, join my pirate crew. Bring your companions and join the Red-Haired Pirates."
Mark smiled and refused. "Shanks, this isn't the first time you've invited me, is it? I still refuse."
Four years ago, Shanks had invited him once before, but Mark had turned him down.
Mark's reason was simple. He would not join anyone's pirate crew. He would form his own crew, then lead its members to become the strongest and freest pirates in the world.
Shanks looked at Mark, Daisy, and the others beside them, then smiled freely. "I got rejected again! That really hurts!"
Building Snake shouted, "Captain is terrible at pretending! Shouldn't someone who's hurt be crying? Look, his mouth is practically splitting open to his ears."
Yasopp said, "Anyway, it's not the first time he's been rejected. Captain has probably gotten used to it."
Lucky Roux said, "Gaban rejected him once, and Mark rejected him twice. Captain's pride really has no effect at all in front of that family."
"Hahahaha!!!"
Shanks burst into laughter, then turned to Mark and said, "Then do you want to come with me to Foosha Village and see Luffy?"
Mark said flatly, "He is the inheritor of Roger's will. I don't know him."
He put extra emphasis on Roger's will.
"Oh!!!" Benn Beckman said steadily, "It sounds like there's more to Mark's words than meets the eye."
Shanks said, "Looks like Luffy has a rival. I'm suddenly looking forward to the new era of the sea even more!"
After Mark and Shanks talked about their pirate crews and the New World Shanks spoke of, they bade each other farewell.
Before parting, Shanks said to Mark in a certain tone, "Mark, then let's... meet again in the New World!"
"See you in the New World!"
After returning to his ship, Mark watched the Red Force grow farther and farther away, and a surge of excitement rose within him.
Red-Haired Shanks was already one of the Four Emperors, and he was the same age as Ace. Ace would set sail next year, while Luffy would do so three or four years later. Along with Luffy setting sail, the Worst Generation would arrive as well.
"How exciting. The Four Emperors, the new era!"
As someone who had transmigrated here, he could not help feeling a different kind of excitement at the arrival of such a great era.
This was... a real world.
"Boss, what are the Four Emperors?" Chiu Chiu asked.
"The Four Emperors are the New World's title for the four greatest pirates, as well as the four strongest pirates in this world," Mark said.
"Beast Kaido, Big Mom Charlotte Linlin, Whitebeard Edward Newgate, and Red-Haired Shanks, whom we just parted ways with!"
"They're... that strong?" Chiu Chiu gaped in disbelief at the Red Force, which had already vanished from sight.
"One day, we'll become the Four Emperors too," Mark said firmly.
As long as he did not die, with his potential and abilities, he would definitely become that kind of powerhouse.
"Can the Four Emperors... challenge the Celestial Dragons?" Daisy suddenly asked.
Mark reached out and took Daisy's little hand, comforting her. "The Four Emperors... can't... but I can!!!"
Daisy looked at Mark's resolute face, her eyes turning slightly red.
"Mm..."