Inside the tavern.
"Hey, old man!"
"Hey, old geezer!"
Two voices shouted at once as fists slammed onto the bar counter.
Bang!
The tavern owner jumped in surprise, blinking at the two who had spoken.
"What's wrong?"
Luffy pouted, face twisted with disgust.
"This cherry pie is awful!"
Beside him, a burly middle-aged man with missing teeth, a messy beard, and a wild grin barked the opposite:
"This cherry pie is delicious!"
Both turned toward each other, eyes narrowing in surprise.
Luffy stared at the strange man, sizing him up.
Hm? That's… Straw Hat Luffy with a thirty million Berry bounty?
And sitting across from him—Blackbeard Teach had noticed. So Shirogai Yamikuro is around too?
Teach smirked slightly but said nothing.
Without a word, they both raised their mugs and downed the liquor.
Clang!
The mugs hit the counter in unison.
Luffy's eyes sparkled.
"Wow! This drink tastes amazing!"
Teach scoffed, lip curling.
"Tch. What disgusting swill."
Their contradictory reactions made them stare at each other again, sparks flying.
"What an annoying brat," Teach muttered. "Hey kid, is your tongue broken?"
Luffy snapped back immediately.
"Huh? More like your brain's broken!"
The tavern owner sighed, unimpressed. "I'm not the chef. Don't complain to me."
But neither backed down. Their glares locked, their tempers flared.
Luffy grinned suddenly, leaning toward the counter.
"Oi, old man, pack me fifty portions of meat to take back!"
Teach showed his teeth in a mocking grin.
"Make mine fifty-one portions of cherry pie."
Luffy's eyes narrowed.
"Fine! Then fifty-two portions of meat!"
Teach leaned closer.
"Fifty-three portions of pie!"
"Sixty portions of meat!"
"Seventy portions of pie!"
The childish escalation of numbers continued until the whole tavern looked on in bewilderment. Two men, destined to clash as Emperors of the sea, were squabbling like children over food.
Zoro groaned into his drink. "Why can they even argue about this?" He conveniently forgot his own constant spats with Sanji.
"Luffy!" Nami called nervously. "Don't forget your promise earlier! And you don't need that much meat!"
But the two ignored her.
Teach leaned down at Luffy, sneering. "You're a pirate too, aren't you, kid?"
"Yeah," Luffy shot back, fearless.
Teach's grin stretched wider. "What's your bounty?"
"Thirty million Berries."
"Thirty million? You? Don't lie, brat."
"I'm not lying!" Luffy snapped.
Zoro pinched his nose in exasperation. "Why are they arguing again?"
The tavern owner slammed wrapped food onto the bar.
"Enough! No fighting in my shop. Take what you ordered and leave."
Luffy and Teach held each other's stare a moment longer, then both looked away. They had recognized something in one another—something entirely opposite, yet equally dangerous.
Teach picked up his pies and left quietly, a crooked smile on his face.
Straw Hat Luffy. Plunderer Shirogai. Zehahahaha… how interesting.
On his way out, he brushed shoulders with a swaggering figure—Bellamy.
Teach dismissed him with a glance. Just another small-time fool.
Bellamy strutted into the tavern, lips curling in a predatory grin. He blocked the doorway like a hyena scenting prey.
"Oi! I heard there's a Straw Hat Pirate in here!"
The room tensed.
"It's Bellamy…" someone whispered in terror.
"Hush! Don't draw his attention."
"Huh? Who called me?" Luffy turned with his usual grin. "You looking for me?"
Bellamy's eyes swept him up and down, mocking. The Straw Hat, the scar under the eye… it was the brat from the wanted posters. He glanced around, then frowned.
So The Plunderer Shirogai isn't here? Lucky bastard.
Bellamy sneered. "So, you're the one worth thirty million Berries. Straw Hat Luffy."
Luffy tilted his head. "What do you want?"
Nami's eyes narrowed. "Bellamy… isn't he the one who reserved that fancy hotel earlier?"
The tavern filled with whispers.
"That kid has thirty million on his head?"
"Doesn't look like much…"
Bellamy grinned, sliding onto the stool where Teach had been sitting. "Oi, owner, give me your most expensive drink. And give the brat whatever he likes best."
The owner forced a nervous smile. "Ah… yes."
At that moment, the door banged open again. The Bellamy Pirates poured inside, filling the tavern with rowdy laughter.
"This dump is filthy."
"Cheap drinks, disgusting!"
"Trash place for trash people!"
Crash!
Sarquiss swung his massive sword casually, knocking a patron to the floor. He sat in the man's seat, boots pressing down on the bleeding victim. "Didn't you fools hear? Make way for the Bellamy Pirates!"
Terrified patrons scrambled out. Others, less cowed, stayed but tensed for trouble.
Meanwhile, Bellamy leaned close to Luffy.
"Straw Hat, tell me… are you crewmates with The Plunderer Shirogai Yamikuro?"
Luffy grinned, answering without hesitation.
"Yeah! That's right!"
Bellamy's smile twisted. "Then where is he now?"
"Oh," Luffy said casually, "he ran into Admiral Kizaru earlier and went off to fight him. Not sure where he is now."
The tavern went silent.
Bellamy froze, his grin faltering. Fighting Kizaru one-on-one? That's suicide… is this brat mocking me?
"Pfft… Ahahahaha!"
Laughter erupted all around. Pirates slammed their tables, roaring with mirth.
"Did you hear that? This fool claims his friend went to fight an Admiral!"
"Yeah right! Maybe next he'll say he's fighting all three Admirals and walking away alive!"
Bellamy laughed with them, then shoved a glass of wine toward Luffy. "Here, drink. On me."
Luffy grinned, unbothered. "You're actually pretty nice." He tilted back the glass and drank.
In that instant, Bellamy grabbed his head and slammed it hard into the bar counter.
Bang!
The counter splintered under the impact.
Bellamy sneered, looking down at Luffy sprawled on the floor.
"Brat, you dare mock me? Fighting Admiral Kizaru one-on-one? Don't make me laugh."
---
Thanks for the Power stones.