Takumi was never the kind of person who would pick a fight just for the sake of it. Unless it was absolutely necessary, he preferred to avoid unnecessary trouble.
So, Shanks' guess was mostly right.
Even so, Takumi still had no intention of answering any more of Shanks' questions. A chatterbox like him, once you let him start, would never stop. The best solution Takumi could think of to avoid being pestered further was to nip the conversation in the bud.
"You know, you're really quite distant," Shanks said, not at all discouraged by Takumi's silence. "Traveling all alone—don't you ever feel lonely? Oh, by the way, I wanted to share something with you. When I was at Windmill Village, I met this really interesting guy. His name's Luffy—have you heard of him?"
Takumi thought to himself, I do know…
Shanks continued, "Remember my straw hat? It was given to me by my former captain. Takumi, I bet you'll never guess who he was. Haha, I'll give you a chance—guess right, and there's a reward."
Sorry, I know that too… Takumi mused.
"Hey, why aren't you saying anything? How about I give you a hint?" Shanks grinned. "My old captain was a legendary pirate who started a whole new era. Come on, you must know now."
You're so annoying! Takumi thought, suppressing his frustration.
"Hahaha," Shanks laughed. "Alright, I'll tell you. I used to be an apprentice on the Pirate King Gol D. Roger's ship! And that straw hat was given to me by the captain himself—impressive, right?"
When Takumi didn't show even a hint of surprise, Shanks scratched his head in confusion. "Wow, not even a reaction? Is it really not that surprising that I was part of the Roger Pirates?"
Surprising? I've known your background for ages, okay? Takumi thought.
"Hahaha," Shanks chuckled. "Well, if that's not enough to impress you, then you really are Takumi. That straw hat meant the world to me, but I gave it to Luffy. Do you know why?"
I do… How long are you planning to talk to yourself? Takumi wondered.
Suddenly, Shanks' expression turned serious, something rare for him. "In Luffy, I saw the future. Maybe one day, he'll lead the next generation of pirates. That's why I bet the future of piracy on him. I know Luffy won't let me down."
Seeing Shanks this serious was unusual, so Takumi glanced at him.
Shanks turned his gaze to Takumi, a small smile playing on his lips. "If you ever decide to join a pirate crew, I'd bet the future on you in a heartbeat. I mean, no offense to Luffy, but you're the most talented person I've ever met. And you're still growing. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that one day, you'll be someone who can shake the world with ease."
… Takumi remained silent.
Instead of feeling flattered by Shanks' praise, Takumi just felt like having a drink. Without another thought, he took out his gourd and took a swig.
Seeing no reaction from Takumi, Shanks laughed awkwardly. "Hahaha… Usually, when I compliment someone like that, they're over the moon, but you—you're just like, 'Yeah, I already knew that.'"
What else do you expect? Should I play along with your act? Takumi thought.
The two continued walking in silence.
After nearly three hours of walking, with Shanks nearly out of drink, they finally spotted a town in the distance, lush and green amidst the desert.
"Takumi, look! There's a town!" Shanks said excitedly.
"I see it too…" Takumi replied, unimpressed.
"Come on, let's pick up the pace! I can't wait to try Alabasta's wine," Shanks said, practically bouncing with anticipation.
Takumi felt a bit of excitement too.
They quickened their steps, entering the town, and soon found the largest tavern in the area with the help of some friendly townsfolk.
"Hahaha, finally, we can have a proper drink!" Shanks laughed as he pushed open the tavern doors, gesturing for Takumi to enter first.
Takumi walked in without hesitation.
The two of them made their way to the bar, and Shanks immediately waved over the bartender. "Hey, bring me a case of your best wine."
"A whole case? Sir, are you planning to take it with you?" the bartender asked, puzzled.
"Nope, we're drinking it right here," Shanks grinned.
"A case? You think you can drink that all by yourself?" The bartender was taken aback.
Shanks pointed to Takumi beside him. "This little guy's helping out. We'll finish it off, don't worry. Now, quit talking and bring the drinks."
With that, Shanks reached into his pocket and tossed a handful of gold coins onto the bar.
The bartender's eyes lit up as he quickly pocketed the gold, nodding eagerly. "Of course, of course! I'll bring out the best wine we have right away."
Other patrons in the tavern, seeing Shanks throw around gold like that, couldn't help but feel envious.
"Must be nice to have that kind of money. If you've got more than you can spend, how about treating us to a drink too?" one of them suggested.
"Hahaha, you're dreaming! Why would he buy drinks for people he doesn't even know?" another retorted.
"Well, you never know. Maybe he's feeling generous. What do you say, redhead?" someone else chimed in.
Shanks flashed a grin. "Sure, why not? I've only got so much gold on me, but I'm pretty sure what I've handed over could buy several cases. Let's all drink together."
"What? Did I hear that right? He's actually treating us all to drinks?" one patron exclaimed.
"Hahaha, this guy seems pretty cool," another agreed.
"Yeah, not bad at all. What's your name, little brother?" a third asked.
Shanks took off his straw hat and set it on the bar beside him, smiling. "Name's Shanks, but that's not important. What you really need to remember is the name of this kid next to me—Takumi."
Takumi rolled his eyes. "You talk too much…"
"Hahaha," Shanks laughed heartily.
The tavern buzzed with chatter.
"Shanks? That name sounds familiar… Can't place it though."
"Takumi? Never heard of him. Why should we remember this kid's name?"
"Wait a minute, this Takumi kid looks really young. Should he even be drinking? Is it okay for an adult to bring a kid to a tavern?"
"Eh, what do you know? You've got to start them young. Maybe this kid can outdrink all of us, haha…"
As the patrons joked, the bartender returned with a case of wine, placing it in front of Shanks.
Shanks immediately opened a bottle and handed it to Takumi.
Takumi took it without hesitation and downed a big gulp.
The bartender watched in amazement. "Kids these days sure can hold their liquor…"
"Hey, boss," Shanks grinned, "the gold I gave you should cover a few more cases, right? Bring them out and share with the other customers. Let's all drink together."
"Wait, seriously?" The bartender was surprised. "You're not from around here, are you? You don't even know these people, and you're buying everyone drinks?"
Shanks waved it off. "Drinking should be lively, like a party. It's only fun if everyone's drinking, laughing, and having a good time together. Right, everyone?"
The patrons all cheered in unison, "Right!"
******
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