The mere thought that his beloved might have fallen victim to a group of drunken scoundrels was like a knife to Sol's heart.
With a thunderous roar, he decisively launched himself into the air, using only one leg to perform Moonwalk as he wobbled toward the island.
Shanks, on the other hand, remained composed upon hearing Sol's angry outburst, exuding an air of nonchalance as if he had nothing to lose.
After all, the rum was almost finished.
So...
He stuck out his tongue playfully, "bleh bleh bleh..."
In stark contrast to Shanks' calm demeanor, Sunny was fidgety. She quietly got up and sneaked toward the forest.
"Boss lady, hic, where are you hic sneaking off to hic... bathroom?" Bailey slurred, propping himself up slightly to watch Sunny.
Sunny froze in her tracks, glancing back at the drunken Bailey, who was as limp as a puddle of mush. She then shifted her gaze to Shanks and the others, who had been distracted by Sol's booming voice.
Thud!Plop!
Bailey collapsed back into a deep sleep.
Sunny disappeared into the forest.
After a while, Sol arrived at the scene in a hurry.
Seeing the ground littered with empty barrels, he felt a pang of unease and stormed over to Shanks with a fierce aura.
The crew that had been gathered around Shanks scattered like startled birds, leaving only the unconscious Maude sprawled by the campfire. Bailey, too, remained passed out.
As for Sabo and the others, they had wisely retreated and eventually slipped away entirely.
In the blink of an eye, only Saul and Shanks were left near the campfire, along with the motionless Maude and Bailey.
Sol narrowed his eyes, his tone calm but probing:
"Did you finish it all?"
Shanks handed him a cup of wine, shaking his head with a chuckle:
"Left one barrel."
"One... one barrel?"
"Yeah."
Shanks' face was dead serious.
Sol was silent for a long moment before taking the cup and asking:
"The one you left... it wouldn't happen to be the one stored in the corner, would it?"
"That's the one," Shanks confirmed with a nod, feigning surprise.
"But how did you know? Don't tell me your Observation Haki is that advanced now?"
"Get lost! My Observation Haki isn't anything like the captain's. No matter how strong, it can't pull off something like that!"
Sol barely resisted the urge to smash the cup over Shanks' head, growling:
"That one barrel wasn't properly sealed. If it hadn't been for that, would a scoundrel like you have overlooked it?"
Hahaha!
Shanks burst into hearty laughter.
Faced with Shanks' utter shamelessness, Sol could only sigh in exasperation.
Looking at the array of empty barrels scattered around, he had no choice but to accept reality.
"Fine. What's done is done."
Shaking his head, Sol drank the wine in his cup.
As for the nonsense about not drinking while recovering from injuries, he didn't care in the slightest.
Shanks picked up the half-empty barrel nearby and graciously refilled Sol's cup.
Sol drained it in one go, letting out a small burp as he asked:
"Where's Sunny?"
Though he could have used Observation Haki to sense her location instantly, sometimes there was no need to rely on it.
"She slipped into the forest. Honestly, if it weren't for that thoughtful little lass, we wouldn't have been able to enjoy this wine," Shanks said casually, selling Sunny out without a second thought.
Sol sighed and shook his head.
"That girl..."
Taking a sip, Shanks asked:
"Have you told her the truth yet?"
Sol calmly shook his head.
Surprised, Shanks asked:
"What, are you planning to take that secret to the grave?"
"Why not?"
"Well, you could... but there's no need."
"Tch, what would a bachelor like you know?" Sol retorted impatiently, waving his hand dismissively.
Shanks chuckled helplessly. What more could he say when faced with such a sharp rebuke?
Sol poured himself another drink, staring into the flickering firelight with a somber expression.
"Back then, all I wanted was to set sail, even if it meant abandoning my wife and child. I should've known... should've known it would lead to disaster. In the end, it's my failure as a man that caused Sunny and the others to suffer."
"You've mentioned it before—it was all because of the Heavenly Tribute, wasn't it?" Shanks asked, watching Sol's firelit face flush red from the drink.
Sol nodded silently, unwilling to dwell further on the topic. Instead, he glanced at Maude, who was still sound asleep by the fire.
"Shanks, what do you think of Maude?"
"A bright future awaits him," Shanks replied without hesitation.
"Hah. Let's not mince words—Maude is a freak."
A broad grin spread across Sol's weathered face.
"You saw that shot he fired at Garp, didn't you?"
"Yeah."
"But do you know? From the moment he learned Armament Haki to when he fired that shot—it took him less than five days."
"Oh?"
Shanks was genuinely taken aback. His first reaction was disbelief.
"Hard to believe, right? But it's true."
Seeing Shanks' reaction, Sol's grin grew wider.
Realizing Sol wasn't joking, Shanks glanced at the sleeping Maud.
This kid... is a monster.
Sol also looked at Maude, his tone steady:
"I've lived a long life. Birth, death, and sickness mean nothing to me. If I'd died at the hands of that iron-fisted bastard before meeting Maude, it wouldn't have mattered much."
"But now, it's different. I want to live a few more years, just to see how far Maude can go."
"So, let him sail with you. On your ship, he'll surely shine brightly."
Sol's gaze shifted to Shanks' face.
Shanks shrugged.
"Well... that's not going to happen."
"Why not?"
"Haha, I already asked him to join my crew while you were still unconscious. Unfortunately, he turned me down."
"Hmm?"
Sol frowned, looking at Maude again.
Shanks grinned.
"He had his reasons, solid ones. But I think it's worth asking again. If you can convince him, all the better."
For someone to master Armament Haki to such a degree in under five days...
That kind of potential rekindled Shanks' determination to recruit Maude.
"Alright," Sol agreed.
Shanks set his cup down and suddenly asked:
"So, what's your plan from here?"
Sol thought for a moment before replying:
"Find a quiet place to retire."
"Where to?"
"The East Blue."
"The East Blue?"
Shanks was momentarily surprised by the unexpected answer, but quickly understood.
"You're planning to go to Jabba, aren't you?"
"Yeah. His place is perfect—remote, no Marines around. The tricky part is slipping past the Navy's watchful eyes. If I accidentally lead them to Jabba, he'll probably grab his axe and come after me."
Shanks chuckled.
"That's not hard. I'll help you."
"Good man," Sol said with a grin.
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