"Okay, Marco, that's enough."Anna glanced at her shoulder — the bruises that had been there moments ago had already faded under the phoenix's healing flames.
"All right, Anna. By the way—" Marco extinguished the turquoise fire and pulled a small booklet from his coat — the training manual he'd been revising ever since he started evaluating her progress.
The moment Anna saw that notebook full of scribbles and notes, her instincts screamed run.Without another word, she jumped up, shoved Marco aside, and bolted for the stairs. The longer I can escape, the better. I'm not ready for another lecture yet!
"Ah, Anna! You're here just in time!" Shanks greeted her the moment she reached the first floor. "Everything's ready — all we need is your wine and we can start the party!"
Anna blinked. "But, Shanks… it's not even dark yet. Isn't it a bit early for a party?"
"Anna, that's not the pirate way!" Shanks said proudly, puffing up his chest. "We're free men of the sea! Do you think freedom keeps track of time?"
His words hit with the weight of pirate philosophy, and for a second, Anna almost nodded in agreement.
But then—
"Anna," Marco's calm voice cut through the room as he descended the stairs, "it's fine if he drinks all day, but you need to stop."
Before Anna could reply, Shanks immediately pulled her behind him like she was a precious recruit. "What's the harm? Come on, little lady — let's drink and be merry! That's what life's about!"
Marco frowned. "You drink like a fish every day. If she tries to match you, she'll wreck her stomach." He reached forward to pull Anna out from behind Shanks, but the red-haired captain blocked his hand with a grin.
"Our opinions don't matter, do they?" Shanks smirked. "Let's hear it from the lady herself." He looped his arm around Anna's shoulders.
Marco sighed, already feeling a headache coming on. "Fine. You can drink — a little. But if you drink as much as that night again, I'm cutting you off. And don't think I've forgotten that you ran away before I finished your training report."
Shanks laughed, ready to toast to his small victory — but before he could, Marco suddenly tugged Anna out of his grasp. Shanks stood there for a beat, watching them walk away together, and let out a quiet chuckle.
Beckman approached, brow furrowed. "Boss… don't tell me you're actually falling for that girl?"
Shanks tilted his head with a lazy grin. "Who knows? Everyone's free to make their own choices. I don't meddle in that." He paused, his tone softening. "But…"
He didn't finish the thought. He didn't have to — Beckman already understood.
"Shanks, if you're serious, this could be bad news. That girl's under Whitebeard's protection. If you really—"
"Hahaha! Beck, I'm joking. Don't get so serious." Shanks clapped him on the shoulder and started walking toward the backyard. "It'll never come to that."
Beckman watched him go, lighting another cigarette. "Really?" he muttered under his breath.
Shanks stopped mid-step, then laughed again without turning around. "Who knows?"
"Boss, there you are!" Yasopp called as Shanks entered the courtyard. "You missed it — Anna's expression when she saw her test results was priceless!"
"Hahaha, Anna, don't look so down!" Shanks ruffled her hair with a grin. "Practice more and you'll be fine. But right now — let's celebrate! You finished your training exam, didn't you?"
"Right!" Anna nodded eagerly. "Let's go grab some wine from the cellar!"
As soon as she said it, she noticed Marco's exasperated face. He gave her a patient look."Anna," he reminded, "you can drink… but not too much."
"Got it!" she chirped — then immediately dragged Shanks by the sleeve toward the wine cellar.
Not long after they left, the sky above the island suddenly filled with fluttering newspaper gulls.
Beckman frowned. "What the hell? Did something big just happen?"
He reached down to grab one of the falling papers — and froze.
On the front page was a large, perfectly-timed photo of Marco holding Anna's hand, while she leaned into Shanks' arms. The bold headline screamed:
"Red-Haired Pirates and Whitebeard Pirates at War Over a Woman!?"
Beckman almost dropped his cigarette. "You've gotta be kidding me…"
Around him, crew members snatched up copies of the paper.
"Wait— when did we declare war on the Whitebeard Pirates?!""What's Morgans talking about this time!?""Should we storm his office and make him eat his own printing press?!"
Marco, reading his own copy, rubbed his forehead. He could already imagine his crewmates' reactions — Whitebeard's booming laughter, Izo's teasing smile, Thatch's inevitable wink.
The damage was done. Every paper across the seas now screamed about a brewing war between two of the Four Emperors — supposedly over a "beautiful woman."
Meanwhile, on the way to the wine cellar, Anna and Shanks noticed the same newspapers raining from the sky. Anna grabbed one mid-air, and her face turned bright red as she saw the headline — and the photo.
"Morgans, you stupid bird!" she shouted, shaking the newspaper. "It's easy to start rumors but so hard to clear them up! What do we do now, Shanks!?"
Shanks sighed, rubbing his temples. "That damn Morgans… he'll print anything. But listen, Anna — you'd better train seriously for a while. I have a feeling a lot of people are going to show up here soon."
"Wait — for me?" Anna blinked, confused.
"Of course." Shanks gave her a teasing grin. "You're now the woman that two of the Four Emperors are supposedly fighting over. People are going to come looking for you, guaranteed. But don't worry — we'll handle it. Let's get back to the tavern and plan our next move."
Anna groaned and dragged her feet, clutching the newspaper as they walked back. Everywhere she looked, islanders were whispering, staring, or hiding snickers behind their hands.
She could almost hear the rumors spreading.
Damn Morgans! That stinky bird! If I ever catch you, I swear I'll pluck every single feather off your body!