Chapter 115: The Dreams of Man Never End!
Chapter 115: The Dreams of Man Never End!
In a tavern within Maglev Town—
"Why is it so expensive?!" Nami exclaimed in disbelief.
Having ordered just a drink and some food, she was astounded by the prices.
A single cup of alcohol cost three times more than what she would pay outside.
This place was like a scam.
The tattooed bartender polished a glass and replied with a smile, "This is a town composed of pirates who spend money like it's dirt. It's normal for prices to be higher here. If you can't stand it, just wait four days, and your Log Pose will be fully charged and ready for navigation."
"Four days... I can't even last two," Nami complained, leaning against the bar counter. She asked the bartender, "There are fierce and ruthless pirates everywhere. How does this place maintain order?"
The bartender shook his head and laughed, "There's no order here. There are brawls on the streets every day, and the injured and dead are everywhere. It's just been quiet these past two days."
"Why?" Nami inquired.
"Because a big shot recently moved into town," the bartender replied with a hint of reverence in his tone. "That person doesn't like noise. The Bell-Boy Pirates, led by the fearsome Bellamy, were pinned to the wall because they were too rowdy. They're still up there, haven't been taken down yet."
"Other pirate crews are even more afraid now. These past few days have been the most peaceful for us business owners. If that big shot stayed in Maglev Town permanently, it would be great. Unfortunately, once their Log Pose is charged, they'll leave, and the town will return to its usual state."
"A big shot, huh," Nami murmured, shaking her head. "Boss, do you know where I can find information about Sky Island?"
The tavern, which had been noisy, suddenly fell silent at Nami's question. Even the bartender froze, his cloth paused in mid-polish as he stared at Nami and her companions in surprise.
"What's wrong? Did I say something odd?" Nami wondered.
"Hahahaha!"
Soon, the tavern erupted in raucous laughter.
"Sky Island! There's actually someone who believes in the existence of Sky Island!"
"What a naive pirate! Sky Island is just a legend. Because of the Knock-Up Stream, some ships are propelled into the sky and then fall back down. Ancient mariners misunderstood this, thinking there were islands in the sky. I can't believe someone still believes in that!"
"Hey, are you guys really pirates?! Hahahaha!"
Nami's face turned bright red in an instant.
However, Luffy and Zoro's expressions gradually turned solemn.
"Hahahaha..."
The bartender wiped away the tears that had formed from laughing, "Sky Island doesn't exist. Instead of thinking about such fantasies, you should focus on treasures that exist in reality."
"Uncle," Luffy said calmly, "Have you seen Sky Island?"
The bartender was momentarily taken aback by Luffy's gaze and unconsciously replied, "No."
"Have you ever gone to look for it?"
"No."
"Then..."
Luffy bared his teeth in a grin, "If you don't go searching, how can you know for sure that it doesn't exist? We have a map, so we're going to search for Sky Island!"
His words were simple, yet they carried a powerful conviction. The mocking laughter in the tavern died down, and then...
The mocking laughter grew even louder.
"Naive pirates, scram!"
A menacing pirate sneered and grabbed a bottle, intending to throw it at them. "You guys don't belong in our Maglev Town. This is a place for pirates who pursue reality. As for Sky Island, of course..."
"Of course, it exists."
A voice suddenly rang out from outside the tavern, followed by the appearance of several figures.
As the newcomers entered, the raucous tavern fell silent once more. Even the pirate who had been about to throw the bottle froze, his arm still outstretched as he looked at the figures in the doorway with a mixture of fear and reverence.
One of the figures, a man with white hair, strode forward as he spoke, "Sky Island, in and of itself, exists."
The three at the bar tensed at the sight of the newcomers. Nami covered her face with her hands, her body trembling in fear, while Zoro rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, his eyes fixed intently on the man who had spoken.
The white-haired man wore a black and red-tipped velvet cape, under which was a ruffled open-collar shirt. A string of red jade beads hung around his neck, and his fingers and wrists were adorned with golden jewelry, giving him the appearance of a nouveau riche.
But this nouveau riche... they looked familiar!
"Sarge!" Nami exclaimed in fear. "How are you here?!"
"We're on the same route, so of course, I'm here," Sarge replied, glancing at her.
He then turned to the pirate with the bottle and asked, "So, I say Sky Island exists. What do you think? Does it exist or not?"
"Yes, yes, Lord Sarge. I believe it exists," the pirate stuttered.
"No, you don't believe; you're just afraid of me because my fists are bigger, so I must be right," Sarge interrupted with a shake of his head and a smile, ignoring the pirate's response. "Whether it exists or not is up to each person to discover for themselves. Pay no mind to the naysayers. Those who lack the courage to seek and pursue their dreams are nothing but weaklings in the vast ocean of pirates."
Luffy and Zoro's eyes widened, gleaming with a newfound light.
"Hehehe!" Luffy pulled down his straw hat and grinned, showing his teeth. "Are you guys also going to Sky Island?"
"Not interested," Sarge replied, taking a seat at the bar. He signaled to the bartender, "Put their tab on my bill."
"Yes, Lord Sarge!" the bartender exclaimed.
"Really? Can I order meat?!" Luffy's eyes sparkled at the thought.
"Who are you calling poor?!" Nami shouted indignantly, turning to Luffy. "Hey, Luffy, he's our enemy. Don't be fooled by such petty favors!"
"Huh?" Luffy blinked, scratching his chin in thought. Suddenly, his eyes widened in realization, and he exclaimed, "Hey! You! Give Vivi's stuff back!"
"I'm a pirate; taking things is my right. Why would I give them back?" Sarge retorted.
Luffy blinked again and nodded, "Makes sense."
Bang! Before he knew it, Nami's fist had collided with his head, and she was shouting, "How is that sensible?!"
"But he's Robin's little brother; he doesn't seem like a bad person. Even though he defeated Ace, Ace said he would get his revenge himself," Luffy explained with a carefree smile.
"That's just how pirates are," he added.
Zoro, taken aback, exclaimed, "Robin's..."
"... little brother?" Nami paused, her eyes fixed on Sarge. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she snapped her fingers. "Now that you mention it, he does look like her!"
"You're right," Sarge agreed. "Among pirates, there are no enemies, only conflicts of interest. For now, we have no conflicts. Considering you treated my men with kindness, I invite you to a banquet to repay this debt of gratitude." Sarge smiled.
The chef they had was a benefactor of Akin.
The tanuki ship doctor had treated his men.
Regardless of her other actions, Robin was his sister by blood, and she had just kindly reminded him not to be too high-profile. She had done him a favor, and he wouldn't forget it.
Sarge wasn't a heartless man; he would return kindness with kindness.
As for Alabasta...
Sarge didn't care about that matter. Crocodile's failure was mostly due to his own shortcomings. If he still had the will to fight, he wouldn't have given up so easily after his defeat.
Even without the Straw Hats, he would have ended up in the same situation the next time he faced adversity.
It was fortunate that he had given up now, as Sarge hadn't invested too much yet. Had he invested more, he would have lost a significant amount of money.
Even now, that crocodile still owed him 500 million!
He would never forget that!
"If we're not enemies..." Nami paused, her eyes glinting with a golden light as an idea struck her. "Are you really going to cover our tab?!" She twisted her body eagerly, moving closer to Sarge.
"Who do you think I am? I'm just covering your drinks and snacks. Do you think I'm as poor as you?" Sarge scoffed.
Zoro narrowed his eyes, glancing at Lily, who stood behind Sarge, and asked, "Did you come here specifically to invite us to a banquet?"
"You think too much; it was a spur-of-the-moment decision. As for why I'm here now..." Sarge shook his head and signaled to the bartender, "Bring me what they're having." He pointed to Luffy and the man sitting next to him.
Two?
Nami was taken aback. Sarge was indicating Luffy and the unkempt, hairy-chested man next to him.
"I came to find you," Sarge said, turning his head to look directly at the man. "Teach."
"Zehaahaahaa!"
The man, Teach, let out a strange, deep laugh. "What you said earlier was spot on! Those without the courage to seek are nothing but lackeys!"
"Saying that dreams don't exist and that we should pursue reality—those are the words of cowards!"
He spread his arms wide and bellowed, "The dreams of man are never-ending!"
(End of Chapter)
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