You Will Always Be My Friend

"Cheers!"

That night, in the backyard of the naval villa, a bonfire burned, and barbecue grills, barrels of liquor, various snacks, and delicious dishes were spread across several long tables. Seven figures, along with a rabbit, raised their bowls of liquor and clinked them together.

The aroma of wine filled the air, accompanied by the sound of gulping down drinks, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief, brimming with youthful energy.

"Cool!"

Grinning broadly, Smoker looked at the people around him, feeling quite pleased.

"It's been a long time since we've had a get-together for a banquet." Shu's face was slightly flushed, and he kept smiling.

"Congratulations on becoming Admiral, Chen. Cheers!" Very Good raised his glass to Ye Chen.

"Beli's not bad, not much, another one," Smoker interjected.

"Cheers!"

The lively atmosphere Burning the entire villa, spreading outwards and arousing envy, jealousy, and resentment among those around, but there was nothing they could do about it.

"Congratulations to you both on your promotions."

This time, it was Ye Chen who raised his glass, and unusually, his usually cold and stern face was full of smiles.

"Gulp gurgle"

After a few rounds of drinks, the group exchanged smiles, showing no signs of awkwardness, just like during their student days, enjoying themselves immensely.

This time, Ye Chen became Admiral, Vice Admiral Vergo remained unchanged, Smoker had a chance but was demoted again and is now Rear Admiral; while Shu, Very Good, Hina also became Rear Admiral.

Furthermore, Ye Chen invited Gion to this banquet; they are now friends. Even Ye Chen, who had bothered her so many times, felt deeply grateful to this woman.

Of course, there's also a rabbit, but just ignore it.

"Now that Chen is Admiral, let's see who dares to bully us in the future." Shu said, taking a big gulp of wine and pretending to be fierce.

"Ha ha"

Night fell, the moonlight veiled the air, and amidst the lively chatter, several people sat together, recounting their experiences over the years. Sometimes their conversations elicited laughter, and other times, gasps of surprise.

Perhaps she was a little drunk, because Bai Doudou was swaying unsteadily just standing there, occasionally making big Whitebeard Pirates, which made Gion and Hina blush. This was because Bai Doudou's Whitebeard Pirates Gion were bigger and softer than Hina's more than Hina, which made Hina furious and almost strangle Bai Doudou.

As time passed, one by one, they all became drowsy and tipsy.

Very Good and Shu were lying directly on the table, talking in their sleep.

Thank you for coming.

Ye Chen lightly clinked his glass with Gion's and smiled.

With slightly flushed cheeks, Gion sat with Hina and gave Ye Chen a gentle smile, "Aren't we friends anymore?"

"That's true." Ye Chen paused for a moment, then smiled and finished the strong liquor in his glass.

"Me too." Hina joined in, and she was a little drunk. She and Bai Doudou were entangled together, revealing a lot of skin.

One man and two women, plus a rabbit clinging to Hina's slender waist like a pendant, sat together and chatted for a while. Then Ye Chen was pulled by Smoker and started drinking with Vergo.

It was a rare gathering, and since it was a special day, everyone was in a good mood and drank without restraint. Before long, even Ye Chen couldn't keep up.

Before I knew it, the horizon had become somewhat blurred, and Sisi of dawn began to swirl around.

"Keep drinking!"

They lay scattered on the ground, the campfire gradually dying down. Only Ye Chen and Vergo remained relatively conscious, occasionally taking a sip of wine.

"Take them back to their rooms! Come back to the roof afterwards, I need to talk to you about something."

Patting his head, Ye Chen looked at the group of people sprawled out on the floor and gave a wry smile. It seemed that every time they got drunk at a banquet, it was Ye Chen and Vergo who were the ones cleaning up their messes.

Immediately afterwards, the two men escorted the drunken men to their bedrooms.

Of course, when Ye Chen was carrying Hina and Gion, he could really feel their softness. To be honest, Ye Chen understood why Bai Doudou liked the Whitebeard Pirates so much.

He helped the two stunningly beautiful women into Hina's bedroom. Looking at their exposed, snow-white skin, Ye Chen let out a heavy sigh, covered them with the blanket, and left.

As for Bai Doudou, he was simply grabbed by the ear and thrown into his own room like trash, a far cry from the gentleness shown by Hina and the others.

Soon, as the sun rose, Ye Chen and Vergo sat on the roof of the villa, gazing at the increasingly bright horizon, the atmosphere somewhat serene.

Are we still friends?

After a long pause, Ye Chen turned to look at the cold-faced Vergo, as if questioning Vergo, and also questioning himself.

Vergo, who was about to drink, paused, frowned, and sighed.

"It was true before, it is true now, and it will be true in the future!"

Very serious and determined, Vergo looked at Ye Chen with no sign of backing down.

"You know!"

Ye Chen gazed deeply at Vergo, then turned to look at Chen Xi beside him, took a sip of his drink, and said gently, "I know what I need to know. What I'm thinking is that I've always considered you a friend. I don't care how deep your relationship with Doflamingo is, but as a friend, I don't want us to become enemies in the future."

Ye Chen's voice was low and melancholic.

Vergo fell silent.

"If I were to stand on the opposite side from Doflamingo, what would you choose? I need your affirmative answer. Perhaps my question is a bit cruel, but I still want to know your thoughts."

In the end, Ye Chen asked the question that was on his mind, as it would affect his future decisions.

"To me, Doff was like family, before I came to the Navy; but in the Navy, I met you, and I met Hina and the others, and now I'm also very confused."

Frustrated, Vergo took a swig of wine and rubbed his forehead.

"No matter what, you're still my friend. Please pass on a message to Doflamingo: tell him not to mess with me. Otherwise, I won't change my mind because of you."

"Because we're friends, I'm laying this out in the open beforehand. After all, the time I spent with you guys is an indispensable part of my memories, and I hope you can understand."

Standing up and letting out a heavy sigh, Ye Chen decided to settle accounts clearly to avoid causing pain for both parties later.

Ye Chen's warning left Vergo speechless, because he didn't know what to say.

"That's it! Don't overthink it. I, Ye Chen, won't let external matters affect my friends. In my eyes, friends are friends, and others are others; they don't affect me."

Grinning, Ye Chen bent down and patted Vergo on the shoulder before jumping off the roof.

You will always be my friend.

Ye Chen's honesty did not make Vergo uncomfortable; on the contrary, it made him feel relieved. Just like Ye Chen, it was better to know everything in advance than to be exposed later.

Ye Chen jumped off the roof, a slight smile playing on his lips, before entering his bedroom. Now that he was Admiral, it was time to put some things into practice.

However, Ye Chen had no psychological burden, but Vergo did. Because of this, he sat alone on the roof, lost in thought, watching the sunrise for a long time.