The tavern was softly lit, the tables and chairs were spotless, and a young woman stood behind the bar.
Makino, with her black hair reaching her ears and wearing a dark green apron, was wiping the glasses on the bar.
Upon seeing Roy behind Rouge, Makino was taken aback at first, then smiled politely and nodded without asking any further questions.
Although Makino didn't ask any further questions, she had already recognized Roy. When Luffy was just one year old, Roy broke into the village chief's house and eventually confronted Garp.
It was after that that Makino learned why Roy was someone that Garp was so wary of.
Having worked at the tavern for so many years, Rouge occasionally gets visited by friends, and she has long since learned to be considerate and not ask where they come from.
"Hopefully nothing will go wrong," Makino thought to himself.
"Boss, just make me a pot of tea."
Roy sat down in a corner of the bar, leaning against the wall, his gaze sweeping over the tavern's main entrance and windows.
Rouge changed into her apron and came out, picking up a rag from the bar to start working, when the tavern door was suddenly pushed open from the outside.
Luffy burst into the tavern like a red cannonball, his wet hair still dripping water.
The red vest clung to her small frame, her trousers were uneven, and her face wore an expression of excitement that was immediately obvious.
" Makino! Juice! I want to drink juice!"
Ace followed behind, his steps much more steady than his brother's.
He first nodded to Makino behind the bar, then saw Roy sitting in the corner and immediately stood up straight and bowed.
Kuina was the last to enter, and her expression was even more complicated than when she left.
Her brows were slightly furrowed, and her lips were pressed into a thin line; clearly, the entire morning of observation had failed to untangle the knot in her heart.
"Sister Kuina, sit here!"
Luffy patted the stool next to him familiarly, completely forgetting about the cold treatment he received from Kuina at breakfast.
Kuina hesitated for a moment, then went over and sat down.
Makino smiled and poured each of the three children a glass of chilled juice, and then served tea to Rouge and Roy.
The tavern was quiet and cozy, with sunlight streaming in at an angle through the windows, casting golden patches of light on the floor.
Luffy finishing his juice, Luffy started pestering Ace to go on an adventure up the mountain again that afternoon. Ace scolded him for having too much energy while already standing up and getting ready to leave.
Kuina sipped her juice slowly, her eyes lowered, still processing everything she had seen that morning.
Just then, a long, drawn-out horn sounded from the direction of the port.
The cup in Luffy's hand clattered onto the table, and he sprang up from his chair.
His eyes widened, and his expression instantly shifted from languid to ecstatic.
"Yes, Shanks --!!!" Luffy practically smashed open the tavern door and rushed out.
Ace stood up right after him, his surprise more restrained than Luffy's, but his steps were no slower.
Kuina put down her cup and looked at Roy, Roy was still slowly sipping his tea, his expression as indifferent as if nothing had happened. "Let's go take a look," he said.
At the port, the Red Voss had just been moored.
The dragon head statue at the prow of the enormous red sailing ship gleamed with a dark golden luster in the sunlight, and several Kuina's spine at a glance—each exuding an extremely dangerous aura of power.
A first mate, smoking a cigarette, was directing the crew to move supplies; a man carrying a sniper rifle leaned against the mast, observing the surroundings.
There was also a large, round man carrying a barrel of some kind of cargo down.
Shanks was the last to step off the gangway.
He was wearing a white shirt with a black cloak over it, and Straw Hat hanging down his back, but the moment he stepped onto the dock, he was struck precisely by a red bullet.
Luffy was hanging on his waist, his legs wrapped in his belt, shouting...
" Shanks, Shanks, Shanks, you're finally back."
"You brat, let go! You're going to strangle me!"
Shanks, cursing, roughly pulled Luffy off his waist, the movement rough but not with much force. He lifted Luffy to eye level, looked him over from left to right, and then grinned.
Have you gotten shorter again?
"No way! I've grown taller! Even Ace said I've grown taller!"
Luffy kicked his Luffy in anger, but the bright smile on his face warmed even the sea breeze on the dock.
Ace stood to the side, waiting for Luffy to finish his Luffy before stepping forward and giving Shanks a proper bow.
"Brother Shanks, welcome back." Shanks reached out and ruffled Ace's hair, his tone filled with approval.
"You've really grown taller, kid."
The atmosphere in the tavern was many times more intense than before.
The Red Hair Pirates members sat scattered in twos and threes between the bar and booths.
Raki Luke had already started gnawing on his third bone, and the sounds of Yasopp and several crew members playing drinking games were so loud they made the window frames shake.
Luffy on Shanks ' shoulder, held a glass of juice and yelled along to the rhythm of a rock-paper-scissors game.
Ace sat next to Lucky Luke and they were competing to see who could eat more roasted potatoes.
Kuina sat quietly in the corner of the bar, holding a glass of juice, her gaze sweeping over the noisy group of pirates.
Suddenly, a fresh glass of juice was gently placed in front of her.
She looked up and saw a girl with pink and red hair, styled in two small buns, smile at her and sit down next to her.
My name is Uta.
" Kuina!"
The two girls exchanged a brief greeting.
Shanks slung Luffy off his shoulder and tossed him to Ace, then strode toward the corner of the bar.
His right hand casually rested on Roy's shoulder, a gesture so casual it was almost rude, but Roy merely swirled his wine glass, without even changing his posture.
What are you doing here?
Shanks plopped down next to him, somewhat surprised that Roy was there.
"Visiting Rouge."
Roy clinked glasses with him.
"And you?"
"Just passing by, stopping for supplies. And checking out these two lads while I'm at it."
Shanks took a swig of his drink, pointed at Luffy who was stuffing a roasted potato into Ace's mouth, and then his expression changed from his signature hearty smile to one of inquisitive doubt.
"No, you traveled all the way from the New World to the East Blue just to visit an old friend?"
Do you think I'd believe that?
Roy swirled his glass, his gaze sweeping over the small, locked treasure chest Shanks had placed on the bar.
His Observation Haki had confirmed the presence of the Devil Fruit the moment the Red Hair Pirates entered the tavern; it had been quietly stored in the box.
It was the Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Nika Form, which the World Government tried its best to conceal and alter into the Gum-Gum Fruit.
"You've brought something interesting with you too."
Roy's smile faded, his gaze shifting from the treasure chest, and his tone returned to its usual casualness.
" Heavenly Tribute did a pretty good job. I heard you crippled CP0?"
"Those mad dogs were trying to fight to the death,"
Shanks spoke casually, picked up his glass, and took a sip.
"But I didn't succeed."
Roy didn't press the matter further.
Everyone has their own plans, he's not in a hurry.
The matter is already laid out before him; all he has to do is wait, and he's happy to watch this show unfold for free.