Rayleigh truly desires to present a confident front.
Have Ron words from yesterday manifested now?
Sengoku arrived specifically to pay for drinks!
He coincidentally crossed paths with me!
Rayleigh isn't fearful, but he's wary of disrupting his serene retired life.
Ron, seated at the bar, merely grinned, opting to observe the unfolding situation.
Considering Rayleigh and Sengoku's long standing friendship...
Will they embrace tearfully, acknowledging the hardships of these years, or will they resort to confrontation?
At that moment,
Rem, unaware of the truth, noticed Rayleigh's frozen stance and softly murmured:
"Mr. Rayleigh, please come in and take a seat."
Must you be so formal... Rayleigh, with a rueful smile, responded:
"The gas at my home is still on. I must hurry back."
As he spoke, he slowly retreated, denying Sengoku, the seasoned schemer, any chance of a surprise attack from behind!
"Rayleigh?!" Gion reacted swiftly upon hearing this.
The slender sword at her waist unsheathed, emitting a metallic clang.
Despite the current turmoil at sea, the Marine, Four Emperors, and Shichibukai stand as three pillars.
No matter the chaos, it's merely a minor scuffle.
Advancement requires patience or the right opportunity.
Capturing Rayleigh alive is the key to boosting Gion's career prospects!
"Cease! We're not here to battle today," intervened Sengoku.
Engaging in a conflict recklessly would only leave Sabaody in ruins.
As the Marine Marshal, Sengoku must weigh the pros and cons.
Furthermore, with Rayleigh retired, as long as he causes no trouble, the Marine can turn a blind eye.
"Ron, I'm here for the tonic from yesterday."
Rayleigh confidently approached the bar, relishing the moment.
Thankfully, the visitor wasn't the impulsive Admiral Akainu; otherwise, conflict would have been inevitable.
Promptly, Ram served the wine before Rayleigh, saying, "Uncle, please savor it."
Rayleigh nodded with a smile, sipping the tonic wine contentedly.
Sengoku grinned and teased, "Mighty Rayleigh seems poor, only order a single drink?"
Rayleigh, looking at him disdainfully, raised a finger, saying, "You know nothing. I had a drink yesterday and it caused some complications. Last night was quite an eventful night."
Sengoku: "???"
Although I understand each word, why do they seem incomprehensible when linked together?
Observing Sengoku's perplexed expression, Rayleigh stepped closer and explained in a hushed tone.
Upon hearing this, Sengoku's eyes widened abruptly.
I considered asking Ron for a drink to verify, but refrained due to Gion's presence.
"Ahem..." Sengoku coughed, masking his embarrassment before getting to the point, "Ron, with your talents, is it worth staying in a tavern?"
Rayleigh was momentarily stunned, nearly spitting out the wine she had just sipped.
What does this imply?!
Is this a subtle invitation for Ron to join the Marines?
Instinctively, Rayleigh edged away, planning to flee if Ron agreed and resolved never to set foot in that tavern again.
Because if Ron accepted, Rayleigh might be used as proof of submission to the Marines!
"Everyone makes different choices," Ron responded with a knowing smile, "Value isn't solely judged by strength. Isn't running a tavern with two delightful clerks satisfying?"
No wonder a Marine marshal personally delivered the money. It was a mere pretext. The real agenda today is to recruit himself into the Marines.
But...
Considering his prior act of injuring the Tokikake and extorting a hefty sum from the Marines, Ron couldn't help but suspect Sengoku's intentions. Was this an attempt to lure him to the Marine Headquarters and capture him alive?
"Then why did you strive to train and grow stronger then?" Sengoku inquired, a hint of frown on his face, "Aren't you aiming to showcase your strength?"
Sengoku truly struggled to counter Ron's words.
For someone devoid of ambition, Ron found his current life incredibly comfortable.
"Ambition? Goals?" Ron shrugged. "I simply aim to survive in this dangerous world. Some self-defense measures aren't excessive."
Rayleigh, Sengoku, and Gion's expressions suddenly darkened.
Whose self-defense method could stun the Vice Admiral Tokikake?
Was it overly powerful?!
Suddenly, an unexplained commotion erupted outside the tavern.
A swarm of Marines flooded the port, as if in pursuit of pirates, with the continuous sound of gunfire.
Shortly after, flames surged, casting an intense heat even inside the tavern.
"Fire Fist Ace again," Sengoku gritted his teeth. "Garp, that rascal, indeed raised two outstanding grandchildren!"
Rayleigh was puzzled.
Grandson?
Isn't Ace Whitebeard's son?
Why is Garp involved now?
"So Whitebeard would call Garp 'Papa'?"
"Hahaha..." Rayleigh burst into laughter, picturing the scenario in his mind.
But then, a strange thought struck him.
Why does Ace always make him feel inexplicably close?
"Regardless of their relationship, Tokikake are set on arresting him now," Sengoku remarked quietly. "With 30 million debt he will keep Ace on a tight leash for half a year."
The butterfly effect... Ron raised an eyebrow, shifting his gaze outside the tavern.
At present, over a dozen warships were docked at the port, with tens of thousands of troops mobilized.
Apart from the Tokikake, two seasoned Vice Admirals were also deployed!
It appears that my appearance has altered the original course of events.
With thirty million in wine debt and the dual penalties of being taken down by Ron and neglecting duty, Tokikake no longer seemed concerned about Garp's influence. Certainly,
"Even if they don't succeed in capturing them today, the Marines will continue to bolster their forces! If not for these circumstances, Marine might have been a bit lax. Ace and Blackbeard could seize the chance to slip away, and the storyline would proceed as intended."
Wait... Ron suddenly had a realization. Considering the plot's complete disruption, Ace couldn't escape Sabaody Archipelago. Whitebeard wouldn't visit the tavern either. Would the Flame-Flame Fruit never gotten to him?
"In that case, let's stir things up a bit more." Ron thought. "Can the fruit ability be chosen after the customer confides?" he silently pondered.
[Ding, you can choose.]
[Acquire the customer's fruit ability; the system will provide the ability or fruit to the guest, nullifying their weakness to seawater.]
A fortunate development? Ron's eyes gleamed momentarily. However, another headache followed. Whether Ace survived or not didn't matter much; the Flame-Flame Fruit wouldn't be wasted. But he was currently the only one capable of introduction Ron with Whitebeard. The system reminded Ron that strong emotions were crucial to get a reward.
Rayleigh and Sengoku, unless... they had clashed against each other defiantly. Hence, Ace must be alive now. If Ron manage to get close with Whitebeard, even if he became Ace's executioner, would it be acceptable.
At once, Ron glanced at Rayleigh, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Would you care to hear a moving story?" he asked.
Although the trio before him looked puzzled, they nodded in agreement.
"Twenty years ago, a pregnant woman sought refuge on a secluded island to escape her pursuers," Ron began.
"Despite her efforts to conceal herself, her enemies eventually found her, capturing all the expectant mothers."
Ron poured a glass of wine and took a sip. "This mother endured a 20-month pregnancy to give birth before succumbing to exhaustion."
"Isn't it touching?" Ron concluded, fixing his gaze on Rayleigh.
For a moment, Rayleigh sat frozen in his chair, his thoughts thrown into disarray.