After leaving the mother and daughter's home, it wasn't long before Shanks spoke up, "I'm going to head back and meet up with Beckman and the others."
Takumi silently glanced at him.
Shanks grinned, "Haha… Did my sudden farewell catch you by surprise?"
Takumi: "…"
Not at all.
Shanks continued, "Well, I have some things I need to take care of. We probably won't see each other for a few years. Of course, if you happen to visit where I'm staying during your travels, that would be different, haha…"
"Alright, I won't say much more. There's no need for men to get all sentimental when saying goodbye." Shanks chuckled as he shook the bottle of wine Takumi had given him, "Thanks for the wine. Beckman and the others will be thrilled when they find out it's from you."
Takumi: "…"
Yeah, so get ready to get beaten up.
"Hahaha, well, I'm off." Shanks laughed loudly as he headed out of Yuba, raising his hand in a wave without looking back.
Takumi watched his retreating figure with a slight smile before turning and heading in the opposite direction, casually finding an inn to stay in for the night.
After asking a local for the nearest direction to the coast, Shanks made a call to Beckman, instructing them to bring the ship to pick him up.
After traveling overnight, Shanks arrived at the shore at dawn, riding on the back of a giant crab he had coerced along the way.
"Captain, you're so slow. Are you sure you're alright?"
"We've been waiting for you for hours. Can't you be more reliable?"
"Captain, didn't you say you'd be there for ten days? Looks like that kid Takumi turned you down again, haha…"
At the ship's railing, the Red Hair Pirates' crew members were grinning as they watched Shanks approach.
Shanks laughed as he released the crab that had carried him through the night, then leaped onto the deck, smiling as he pulled out the bottle of wine Takumi had given him. "I've brought a treat for everyone."
"Huh? What's that? It's all yellow and murky…"
"It looks like wine, but not quite."
The crew gathered around, examining the bottle of wine with some sediment at the bottom.
Shanks smirked, "It's snake wine, a gift from Takumi."
"Snake wine? That's a real delicacy!"
"But there's only one bottle? How are we supposed to share this among so many of us?"
"That stingy brat…"
"Hahaha, but it's the thought that counts. We'll just take a sip each."
Everyone was excited.
Beckman and Yasopp exchanged a glance, then headed into the cabin to fetch a bunch of small cups.
Shanks uncorked the bottle and carefully poured an even amount for each person, then raised his cup, "Here's to our good friend Takumi, for generously gifting us this wine."
Everyone cheered as they raised their cups.
With a loud cheer, they all drank the wine.
A few seconds later…
The expressions on everyone's faces changed.
More than half of them spat the wine back out.
A few managed to swallow it but looked as though they were on the verge of being poisoned.
Complaints erupted all around.
"Captain, this is the 'good stuff' you were talking about? It sure is something!"
"Ugh… I've never tasted anything so awful."
"Captain, you definitely got pranked by that kid Takumi. Ugh, what kind of garbage did you make us drink…"
"It's so bad, I think I'm going to die…"
Shanks had forced himself to drink the wine, and seeing his crew's exaggerated reactions, he couldn't help but laugh, "Hahaha… You guys are hilarious, hahaha…"
"Captain, you're laughing? This is all your fault! What's so funny… Pfft, hahaha…"
"Hahaha, I have to admit, looking at all of you, it's really too funny, hahaha…"
"Don't just laugh at us, you're in the same boat, hahaha…"
The Red Hair Pirates' atmosphere remained as joyful as ever.
Takumi woke up early in the morning.
After checking out of the inn, he asked for directions to Alubarna and then set off, riding the camel he had bought in Nanohana.
Just a few minutes after leaving Yuba…
He suddenly heard a series of chaotic footsteps behind him.
Moments later, a group of Marines appeared, surrounding Takumi and his little camel.
With a stern expression, Akainu, exuding a murderous aura, walked towards Takumi.
"Kid, where did Shanks go?" Akainu asked with a grim look.
Takumi glanced at Akainu's bandaged right hand and replied indifferently, "He left."
"Left?" Akainu chuckled darkly, "That guy was wounded by my Hellhound. In this scorching desert, even if he wants to leave, he won't get far. Tell me, where is he?"
Takumi: "…"
Seeing Takumi's silence, Akainu sneered, "What, you don't want to talk? Since you're with Shanks, there's no way you'd abandon him. Hmph! I never expected one of Roger's remnants to be with Shanks."
Takumi: "…"
Roger's remnant?
Could this guy also think he was Roger's son?
Even though it's Ace who is…
"Kid, tell me, where is Shanks!" Akainu narrowed his eyes, his entire body beginning to turn into magma. Soon, most of his body had become molten lava, as if ready to fight at any moment.
Takumi sighed, "I'm not a pirate."
"Don't be ridiculous. If you're not a pirate, why would you save him? If you're not a pirate, how do you know Roger's Divine Departure? You think you can fool me? You're not even close!" With that, Akainu swiftly extended his magma-formed left arm, attacking Takumi.
Takumi, growing weary of Akainu's persistence, glared at him.
His camel had long since been trembling in fear, unable to flee as it was surrounded by Marines, leaving it rooted to the spot.
Takumi quickly gathered and compressed the chakra within him, channeling it to his throat before unleashing it in a fiery breath, which took the shape of a dragon. Under his control, the fire dragon charged straight at Akainu's magma fist.
The fire dragon opened its mouth wide, swallowing the magma fist.
A flicker of surprise crossed Akainu's face.
Although Takumi's Great Fire Annihilation managed to slow down the magma fist, it didn't completely neutralize it. Soon, the fire dragon was pierced and shattered by the magma fist, which continued its path towards Takumi.
Takumi had already dismounted from his camel. He squatted slightly, placing his hands on the yellow sand beneath him.
"What is this…" Akainu muttered in surprise.
Suddenly, a fierce wind whipped up from all directions.
Takumi smirked.
Just as Akainu's magma fist was about to reach him, a powerful storm, entwined with swirling yellow sand like countless razor-sharp, trackless blades, erupted from all directions, engulfing Akainu's magma fist.
Akainu's expression darkened. Before the storm could strike his magma fist, he quickly retracted it. At the same time, due to the storm, a large area of the desert was shrouded in a thick sandstorm, blinding everyone's senses.
"What's going on? Why did a sandstorm suddenly start?"
"My eyes… I can't see anything."
"This is unbearable, sand's getting into my mouth, ears, and nose…"
The Marines dared not move recklessly, fearing the storm's blade-like winds that could easily cut them.
After a dozen or so minutes, the sandstorm finally subsided, and the Marines breathed a sigh of relief.
But Takumi, having donned his protective goggles, had already ridden off into the distance on his little camel.
Akainu stared at his scorched left hand, his expression grim as he pondered.
His magma is hotter than fire, so why was he burned?
******
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