Big Brother Lei

Hachinosu · Shakuyaku's Extortion Bar

It was lively, boisterous, and chaotic, yet under Shakuyaku's presence, it somehow maintained a miraculous "order."

The Rocks Pirates occupied the most prominent spot in the center, a group of monster-class pirates drinking merrily.

Holding a glass, Shakuyaku sashayed over to Rocks, who sat in the middle with a blissful grin on his face.

She tilted slightly, her voice soft and teasing. "What's this, Rocks? You look so happy you can't hide it..."

She narrowed her eyes, the corners of her lips curling up. "Got yourself a sweetheart, huh? I'm so heartbroken~"

"Pfft—!!!"

Rocks nearly sprayed his drink all over Newgate's face across from him.

"Huh?? W-What nonsense are you talking about!!!"

Linlin threw back her head and burst into wild laughter, her voice making the glasses tremble. "MAMAMAMA—! A woman's intuition is terrifying!"

Rocks's face instantly turned bright red. He slammed the table. "Shut up! Linlin, keep your mouth shut!! This kind of thing needs to be kept completely secret, understand!!!"

Across from him, Newgate was gnawing on a bone-in piece of meat. Hearing the table slam, he looked utterly confused. "What happened?"

Tiny Buckin beside him rolled her eyes and shouted, "You big lug, you're dense as hell!!"

She pointed at Rocks's face, practically glowing with happiness. "Can't you tell? This guy definitely has a woman! Maybe he's even about to have a kid!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Rocks nearly jumped up in panic. "All of you shut the hell up!!!"

Just as this bunch of world-class pirates argued so fiercely the place was turning upside down—

"Bang!!!"

The tavern doors were violently kicked open!

The next second, a familiar, punchable voice rang through the entire bar. "Shakuyaku—!! I'm here~~~~!!!"

Roger charged into the bar with his arms spread wide as though he were stepping onto a concert stage.

All the pirates: "???"

"W-Wow! The Roger Pirates are here!!!"

Gaban poked his head in and waved with a smile. "Shakuyaku-chan~"

Behind him, the Roger Pirates surged inside, instantly sending the tavern's energy through the roof.

Shakuyaku gave them a faint glance. "Ah, Roger."

Rocks's face immediately turned black with rage. He abruptly stood and strode to the door, pressing his forehead against Roger's.

"Roger!! How many times have I told you—this is my island!!!"

Roger grinned and shoved his forehead back just as hard. "This is Shakuyaku's bar, so you should follow the rules, right? No fighting in the bar."

"So stop barking like a damn porcupine—!!!"

Veins bulged on Rocks's forehead in anger. "There's such a long line outside. How the hell did you get in?!"

Roger played dumb with a straight face. "A line? Huh? I didn't see anyone lining up."

Then he turned and shouted, "Boys! Start drinking!!!"

"Ooooooh—!!!" the entire Roger Pirates crew responded.

The view pulled back outside the bar—

The long line of pirates that had once been neatly queued up was now a complete disaster.

The pirates were sprawled everywhere. Some lay face-down on the ground, some hung from streetlamps, and some had been flung into the bushes.

Their faces were bruised purple and blue, and they sucked in breaths of pain.

They muttered weakly, "Damn it... that bastard Roger..."

"It wasn't even my turn yet..."

"Let me... let me line up again..."

—Inside the tavern

The clamor, clinking glasses, and pirates' wild laughter and insults blended together, as though the whole tavern were about to be blown apart.

Amid the chaos, Shakuyaku quietly slipped past the drunken pirates sprawled everywhere and came to Roger's side.

A faint blush colored her cheeks, and her voice was as soft as a kitten acting cute. "Roger... where's Big Brother Lei?"

Roger had been getting carried away by all the pirates' praise, but the moment he heard that question, he instantly turned lovestruck. His eyes became hearts, and his whole face fell apart. "Of course I invited him along—"

"But he said he wasn't feeling well, so he's resting on the ship."

The light in Shakuyaku's eyes dimmed for a moment.

Just as Roger was about to say something else—

"Roge~r—!!!"

A fragrant breeze and a shout like a crashing tsunami came rushing over!

Gloriosa crashed into Roger's arms like a cannonball, knocking him back three steps!

"I missed you so much!! You have to take me aboard your ship today!!!"

Roger looked as though his soul had left his body. "Pwah!! G-Gloriosa!!!"

He desperately tried to push her away. "Who would take a woman like you aboard when you pounce on every man you see?!!!"

"If I'm taking anyone, it'll only be Shakuyaku!! She's the exception!!!"

Gloriosa instantly bristled at that, roaring like a lioness whose tail had been stepped on. "What kind of stupid logic is that?!!!"

Gloriosa clung to Roger so tightly he was nearly suffocating, but from the corner of his eye, he caught the disappointment on Shakuyaku's face. His heart softened at once, though he could barely breathe from being strangled.

At that moment, Linlin walked over with a glass in hand, her hips swaying as she smiled meaningfully. "Come to think of it, Roger, how did you find this place?"

"Shakuyaku's bar has only been open for a few days. The news couldn't have spread that fast, could it?"

Newgate had originally found Roger and the others too noisy and had already stood up to leave.

Then Roger casually said—

"Oh, we ran into a Lightning Boy who could control lightning while sailing!"

Newgate, who had been getting up, dropped right back into his seat. His eyes widened as he asked, "Control lightning? Are you talking about Rock?"

Roger immediately perked up. "Yeah, yeah, that's him!!!"

"He told us Shakuyaku was on this island, so we came straight here!"

Roger grew more excited the more he spoke. "I heard he even beat up Shiki here? That guy really had it coming, hahahahaha—!!!"

As soon as he said that, the tavern atmosphere froze for an instant, then completely exploded the next second!

"He actually beat up Shiki? Seriously!!!"

"The ability to control lightning... geez, that kid is way too dangerous!"

The pirates who had come specifically to see Shakuyaku all perked up their ears, looking intensely interested.

The Rocks Pirates simply shoved their tables together with the Roger Pirates, and both crews sat down to gossip about the "monster boy."

Just as the argument between both sides grew fiercer and the atmosphere reached its peak—

"Thud—!"

Shakuyaku suddenly went pale. Her body swayed slightly, and she collapsed!

"Shakuyaku fainted!!!"

"Make way! Don't step on her!!"

"What's wrong with her?! Did she drink too little?!!"

The tavern instantly went from a celebration to utter chaos!

Gloriosa immediately jumped out and waved everyone away. "Nobody touch her! I'll take care of her!!!"

Just then—

"Boom!!!"

The tavern doors were violently shoved open!!!

A blond figure rushed in as though he had sprinted ten miles, his face filled with anxiety and panic.

His eyes held only one sight: Shakuyaku, collapsed in Gloriosa's arms.

Seeing that familiar yet bedraggled figure, Roger's lips slowly curled upward, and he murmured softly:

"Idiot..."