https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-115-The-Dreams-of-Man-Never-End-/12610801/
Chapter 116: Look-alikes (4k)
Chapter 116: Look-alikes (4k)
The burly man's words rang loud and clear in the tavern, causing Luffy and Zoro to turn serious.
Luffy, in particular, stared intently at the man, who returned his gaze and asked, "Kid, what about you? If you're a pirate, how much is your bounty?"
"Three hundred million," Luffy replied.
"You actually have a bounty of three hundred million? Liar!" Teach exclaimed, incredulous.
"It's true! I really do have a three hundred million bounty!" Luffy shouted back.
For some reason, the two men seemed to rub each other the wrong way and couldn't help but glare at each other.
After a brief stare-down, they simultaneously picked up the cherry pie from the table, took a bite, and slammed their hands on the table.
"Boss, this pie is incredibly delicious (terrible)!"
They spoke the same words, but with a slight variation—one praising the taste, the other disparaging it.
They paused for a moment, eyeing each other warily, then raised their eyebrows and picked up their drinks, taking a sip.
"Boss, this drink is amazingly tasty (disgusting)!"
This time, they knew they had met their match, staring each other down, eye to eye.
"There's no need to argue over something like this!"
Nami grabbed Luffy by the neck and Zoro by the collar, dragging them out of the tavern. "There are too many weirdos here! I don't want to stay in this place, especially with enemies right in front of us. And now we have this so-called 'pirate,' Sag—I can't deal with all of this."
With the information they needed confirmed by such a well-known pirate, they knew Sky Island existed, and that was enough.
They didn't have time to waste loitering around.
As Luffy and his crew made their exit, the pirates in the tavern seized the opportunity to flee as well, not daring to linger.
Only Sag's group and the burly man remained in the tavern.
Sag took a bite of the cherry pie and a sip of the drink, shaking his head. "Disgusting pie, disgusting drink."
He turned to the burly man, narrowing his eyes. "Are you trying to make a name for yourself by targeting me, Marshall D. Teach?"
To Sag, the only people worth remembering were those fearsome and renowned pirates whose names constantly echoed across the vast seas. Ironically, the person who left the deepest impression on him wasn't Luffy, despite their encounters over the past two decades. It was this ambitious man sitting before him—a master of biding his time, seizing opportunities, and taking calculated risks.
"Har har har! You know me, a nobody?" Teach laughed, a bead of cold sweat forming on his brow. "Norton Sag, now that I see you in person, I realize just how powerful you are. Your Haki is terrifying. I had my plans, but I'm giving up on them now."
At these words, the three women behind Teach stiffened.
Lily's grip tightened on her sword hilt.
"Don't give me that look like you're about to kill me. I've already given up, Sag. I don't want any trouble with you," Teach said directly. "We don't have any conflicts, do we, har har har? Let's just leave it at that."
"You're quite laid-back about it," Sag remarked with a smile. "But you're not off the hook that easily. Your underlings were spying on me earlier. Call them over, and we'll settle this all at once."
"What are you up to?" Teach asked, his smile faltering slightly as a hint of wariness crept into his eyes.
Sag clenched his fist and flashed a sinister grin at Teach. "You know what I'm planning."
...
"Whooohahaha!"
"Har har har!"
The tavern echoed with the boisterous laughter of the two men.
At the bar, Sag and Teach clinked their cups and downed their drinks.
"If you want my head, you'll have to pay for it!" Sag declared, pointing at Teach. "You won't leave here standing today!"
"Har har har! When it comes to drinking, I won't lose to you!" Teach countered with a raucous laugh.
A fight?
It would be pointless.
Their opponent had already backed down, and there was no reason to engage in a battle here. While Sag could handle this man, he wasn't someone to be taken lightly.
Based on his observation using Kenbunshoku Haki, Marshall D. Teach was no weakling.
Without a decisive conflict and with their opponent already conceding defeat, Sag saw no need to pursue the matter further.
After all, their opponent was offering to buy them drinks.
Inside the tavern, the three women sat together at one table, while the three men occupied another.
A robust man, a slender man with a monocle, and a sickly man who looked like he might breathe his last any second—accompanied by a similarly ailing horse—were in the group.
"Wahahaha, Captain! This guy is Sag, right? Are you giving up on his head?" The robust man laughed.
The slender man with the monocle, Van Augur, glanced at the three women sitting nearby and said, "Everything is fate's choice."
"Hahaha, cough, cough! What great luck we have," the sickly man managed between heavy breaths and coughs. "Ours."
"Hahaha! My head isn't so easily claimed. Were you the one spying on me?" Sag asked, raising his cup.
He laughed at the slender man. "What was your name again? Never mind, have three cups as punishment!"
"I'm Van Augur," the slender man replied calmly, downing a cup before pouring two more and drinking them as well.
"Whooohahaha! That guy's terrifying! I don't want to make an enemy out of him!" Teach poured himself another drink, eyeing Sag meaningfully. "Hey, Sag, you know me, right?"
Having called out his name right after arriving, it would be quite implausible to deny knowing him.
Teach's eyes narrowed as he studied Sag, "The Yami Yami no Mi."
Luffy's pupils contracted as he added, "You certainly know about the Yami Yami no Mi. But it has already chosen me as its host."
The Yami Yami no Mi was, of course, well-known to him as a distinctive Natural-type Devil Fruit that could enhance one's pain tolerance while nullifying the abilities of those who came into contact with its user.
Sag offered a slight smile, "Devil Fruits, they say, choose their hosts. And should they fail to find their way to you, it simply means they are not destined for you."
He had no qualms about consuming Devil Fruits, after all, being a landlubber or not made no difference to him. The only reason he hadn't partaken in one yet was that he hadn't come across the right one.
The Yami Yami no Mi, a special Natural-type, was indeed enticing. In exchange for doubling one's pain, it could render the abilities of those who touched its user null and void.
Sag had no objections to consuming such a fruit. However, he hadn't come across the right one yet, and he wasn't about to force the issue. Destiny had a hand in such matters, and if it wasn't meant to be, then so be it.
"Whooohahaha! You're quite well-informed, I see! But yes, one's desires and wishes play a pivotal role in the Devil Fruit one chooses, and vice versa. It's all fate's doing, isn't it?"
With a fierce grip, Teach slammed his fist onto the table, his countenance turning sinister. "I won't stand for my dreams and ambitions being hindered by fate! My ambition knows no bounds; it's the world itself!"
His gaze locked onto Sag as a glint of yearning shone in his eyes. "Hey, Sag, how about joining me? We're so alike; I'm sure we'd get along swimmingly!"
Sag's lips curled into a sinister grin, "As it turns out, my ambition is to become the greatest landlord the world has ever seen. With ambitions as vast as yours, I'm afraid we won't see eye to eye."
"Whooohahaha! So, you're one of those control freaks, huh?"
Teach let out a few hearty laughs, draining his cup. "Fair enough! But hear me out, Sag. We're not kids playing make-believe here. As long as our goals align, there's no reason we can't work together, is there? After all, we're not exactly bosom buddies destined to be lifelong allies, are we? And until we reach that pinnacle, why not help each other along the way?"
"Since you seem to know a thing or two about the Yami Yami no Mi, I'm sure you understand its powers. Don't you think we could benefit from each other?"
"Are you trying to test me?"
Sag's lips twisted into a wry smile as he took a puff from his cigar. "Indeed, it's a special Natural-type. The trade-off for heightened pain tolerance is the ability to nullify the powers of those you come into contact with. It achieves this by temporarily drawing in their abilities through a unique attractive force."
"You've certainly done your homework, haven't you? Well, I won't deny that we could stand to gain from each other."
"But let's table that discussion for now. There are more pressing matters at hand," Sag suggested, his eyes narrowing. "After all, you're not exactly on stable ground here yet. Once you've established yourself, then we can revisit this partnership."
"You're right, I'm not off the hook yet," Teach conceded, his smile faltering slightly as a hint of wariness crept into his eyes. "But let's not beat around the bush. What's this really about? You want my underlings from earlier, don't you? Let's settle this all at once."
"And what might that be, I wonder?"
Sag's fist clenched, and a sinister grin played on his lips. "You know full well what I'm planning, Teach."
...
"Whooohahaha!"
"Har har har!"
The tavern reverberated with the uproarious laughter of the two men.
At the bar, cups clinked as Sag and Teach knocked back their drinks.
"If you're after my head, you'll have to pay a hefty price for it! You won't be walking out of here today!" Sag proclaimed, his finger pointed squarely at Teach.
"Har har har! When it comes to drinking, I won't be outdone!" Teach countered with a boisterous laugh.
A fight?
It would be pointless.
Their opponent had already backed down, and there was no reason to engage in battle here. While Sag could handle this man, he wasn't someone to be taken lightly.
Based on his observation using Kenbunshoku Haki, Marshall D. Teach was no pushover.
Without a decisive conflict and with their opponent already conceding defeat, Sag saw no need to pursue the matter further.
After all, their opponent was offering to buy them drinks.
Inside the tavern, the three women sat together at one table, while the three men occupied another.
A robust man, a slender man with a monocle, and a sickly man who looked like he might breathe his last any second—accompanied by a similarly ailing horse—comprised the group.
"Wahahaha, Captain! This guy is Sag, right? Are you giving up on his head?" The robust man laughed heartily.
The slender man with the monocle, Van Augur, glanced at the three women sitting nearby and remarked, "Everything is fate's choice."
"Hahaha, cough, cough! What a stroke of luck we have, eh?" The sickly man managed between heavy breaths and coughs.
"Hahaha! My head isn't so easily claimed. Were you the one spying on me?" Sag inquired, raising his cup.
He directed his laughter at the slender man. "And what was your name again? Never mind, down three cups as punishment!"
"I'm Van Augur," the slender man replied calmly, downing a cup before pouring two more and draining them as well.
"Whooohahaha! So, you admit defeat, Captain?" The robust man at the table flexed his muscular arms and laughed heartily.
"That's just how fate toys with us," Van Augur commented nonchalantly.
The sickly man could only laugh and wheeze in response.
"Hey, Sag, are you aiming to become a Warlord of the Sea, too? If we're going to collaborate, let me have that position so I can recruit companions!"
"With the position of Warlord, I can go to Impel Down and recruit the powerful allies I desire! Then I can set sail for the New World!" Teach added.
"Is that all?" Sag furrowed his brows, then relaxed as he realized something. "Of course, that makes sense."
He vaguely recalled the Summit War, which had been triggered by the capture of Portgas D. Ace, the "Fire Fist."
But was that intentional?
Not exactly.
This man, Teach, had simply set his sights on the position of Warlord to recruit companions, without much thought beyond that.
As long as the target was substantial enough, anyone could be captured.
Who would have known that the "Fire Fist" would come all the way from the New World in search of his brother?
It could only be said that Ace's capture and the subsequent chain of events played right into Teach's hands.
After biding his time and lying low for over two decades, Teach's luck had finally taken a turn for the better.
As for Sag...
He had a soft spot for lucky people!
"I can't become a Warlord. As a descendant of Ohara, how could the World Government ever trust me? Whoohahaha!" Sag laughed boisterously.
"So, you're a survivor of Ohara? Hahaha! Does that mean you and I are connected somehow?" Teach laughed in response.
"What's the point of hiding it now that you've stated your intentions? Do you take me for a fool?" Sag scoffed.
Being a pirate himself, there was no point in concealing such an identity, especially since the World Government would inevitably uncover it sooner or later.
"Hehehe! I love history, too, you know. Since you're a descendant of Ohara, can you read the original text of history?" A strange glint appeared in Teach's eyes.
"On the contrary, I'm illiterate," Sag laughed. "I can't read a single word."
"Is that so? What a pity, hehehe!" Teach laughed heartily.
"Oh? You believe me that easily?" Sag questioned.
"Why would you lie to me?!" Teach showed his teeth. "A man like you, with such overwhelming presence, wouldn't need to resort to petty deceptions!"
Sag grabbed a bottle of alcohol and refilled his cup. "Enough chatter. Let's drink! Unless you pass out, no amount of sweet talk will extinguish your desire to take my head!"
"I'm not afraid of you!" Teach laughed and poured himself another drink, continuing to drink with Sag.
The drinking contest lasted from day to night, until Teach finally passed out on the tavern floor. Sag stood up unsteadily, laughing, "Your drinking capacity is pathetic! Whoohahaha!"
He tossed a bag of gold coins to the tavern owner and staggered out.
Although he had suggested that Teach should pay, now that they had established a cooperative relationship, such trivial matters no longer mattered.
Lily and the others followed closely behind Sag. After walking a distance from the tavern, Lily asked, "Sag, is that Teach guy very powerful? I didn't see any bounty on him."
"Whether someone is strong or not depends on their strength and willpower. He has both, so I'd say he's not bad," Sag replied with a shake of his head.
"Hmm? That's high praise. I rarely see you complimenting others like that," Renetia said curiously. "So, how do the two of you compare? Could you give me a ratio?"
"A ratio?"
As the sea breeze blew on the street, Sag felt a bit more sober. He looked up at the moon in the sky and laughed, his mouth curling up at the corners. "Of course, he'd be ripped apart! Whoohahaha!"
The Yami Yami no Mi?
That fruit was useless against him, whether he had eaten a Devil Fruit or not.
Even if he had consumed a Devil Fruit, he wouldn't be afraid.
Devil Fruits could exhibit greater power before being touched, and he had his Big Dipper Fist.
If Teach tried to absorb him, it would be pure suicide!
However, Teach wasn't that weak either.
Sag chose not to fight because he knew that engaging in a battle with Teach would reduce the entire town to rubble.
Teach had many subordinates in this town, and he still needed their help to set sail.
Furthermore, with Teach backing down and no real conflict between them, a peaceful resolution aligned more with Sag's intentions.
"From now on, if you come across any capable individuals and you like them, bring them to that guy. He'll give us their abilities," Sag instructed.
After all, the Yami Yami no Mi's greatest benefit was its ability to absorb Devil Fruit abilities and transform them into new Devil Fruits.
With his bad luck, the chances of him encountering a Devil Fruit on his own were slim. However, with Teach's cooperation, as long as their partnership endured, he would eventually come across a suitable Devil Fruit. Even if he were to be eaten, it wouldn't matter, as they could just capture the person and bring them to Teach.
This arrangement, though the benefits would come later, was definitely worth it!
(End of Chapter)
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