Chapter 208: End Of The Banquet
The banquet in Whole Cake Island ultimately came to a perfect end amid a choir of All Races singing a Nun’s Hymn personally written by Big Mom, making it a moment where host and guests were all delighted.
Just before the crowd dispersed and left, Morgans specially proposed taking a group photo together with everyone who attended the ceremony.
One can only say this birdman is truly bold and meticulous when it comes to news gimmicks.
If such a photo were published, it would absolutely set the entire world ablaze!
In the New World, whether on the surface or in the underworld, all the major named factions with their people appearing in one photo…
What is this?
A New World grand team-building event?
What are you pirates trying to do? Revive Rocks? Or attack Mary Geoise?
Moreover, this time even people from the Roger Pirates were in it—does this leave any chance for the Navy and World Government big shots to sleep?
So such an outrageous request was naturally refused.
Hainar and Wang Zhi’s people didn’t even acknowledge it and quickly walked away.
Field and those underworld bosses also politely shook their heads in refusal; people in their line of work understand very well the principle of keeping a low profile.
Marco and the others had originally planned to stay and make a “three-year agreement” with Aoxi or something, but they were forcibly dragged away by Waidi Bei.
Still talking about a “three-year agreement”—in three years, that little girl will probably be arm wrestling with the Old Man…
Better take advantage of them not noticing us now and hurry off.
……
Big Mom watched the departing crowd with some disappointment; she truly loved the atmosphere of such group photos.
That square photo frame enclosing everyone made it look just like a family living together.
So in the end, she still pulled Sister La and the two others along with Rayleigh and his two companions for a group photo.
After all, Big Mom and the Beasts Pirates are allies now, so taking a photo together is nothing, right?
As for Rayleigh and the others, they already had leverage in the opponent’s hands, so they figured they might as well take the photo— the Roger Pirates crew never cared about things like reputation anyway.
Click~
After pressing the shutter and taking the last photo, Morgans contentedly put away the Picture Den Den Mushi and prepared to leave.
“Goodbye, Charlotte.”
“I’ll send it to you as soon as the photos are developed.”
Waving his wings, Morgans quickly left surrounded by a group of reporters dressed in various styles.
He now wished he could teleport straight back to the news agency headquarters and immediately start writing the article!
“Then we’ll take our leave too, Charlotte.”
Sister La took Aoxi and Rayleigh and the others and prepared to board the ship to leave.
“Mama~ Mama~”
“Come visit often when you have time; Whole Cake Island will always welcome you and your sisters.”
Big Mom personally escorted them to the dock and waved goodbye.
“Tch~ Who’d come back here.”
Aoxi pursed her lips; unless it was to beat someone up, she had no intention of setting foot in the Totland Sea Area again.
“Mama~ Mama~ What an unlovable little brat.”
“But if you ever change your mind and want to join Whole Cake Island, this old lady will welcome you too, Little Brat Aoxi.”
“Hmph!”
“Just you wait! Next time we meet, I’ll pay back that punch of yours twofold!”
“Bleh~”
Aoxi stuck her tongue out at Big Mom and then jumped straight onto the ship, ignoring her completely.
……
The return trip was also quite smooth.
When the group sailed to the outskirts of the Totland Sea Area, they smoothly encountered the waiting Oro Jackson.
“It’s time to part ways, you three.”
Rayleigh looked at his own pirate ship gradually approaching and bid final farewell to Sister La and the two others.
With the vast sea, he didn’t know when the next meeting would be.
“Wah~!”
“Sister La, I’ll miss you!”
“M-Me too! I’ll miss you too!”
The two little ones were extremely reluctant to part; after all, they were just five- or six-year-old children, and their way of expressing emotions was always very direct.
“Hey!”
“You two ungrateful little brats, this young master—your lifesaver—is right here, and you’re just pretending not to see me?”
“Ah?”
“Oh, oh.”
“Goodbye, Sister Aoxi, we’ll miss you too.”
The two little ones held back their sobs and said dryly.
This goes to show that children really aren’t good at hiding their emotions.
Although he was their benefactor and they were truly very grateful to Aoxi deep down… compared to that, they were still more reluctant to part with the gentle and reliable Sister La.
“Tch~ I can’t hear any reluctance from you two little brats at all?”
“You two little brats aren’t reluctant to leave me at all, are you?”
“Uh… th-this…”
Shanks and Buggy were suddenly a bit embarrassed.
“I don’t care, you two cry for me too!”
“Whoever cries too quietly gets punched!”
“Ah, ah?”*2
The two little ones looked at each other—how was it like this?
How could they cry now?
But seeing Aoxi’s raised little fist, the two still braced themselves and wailed loudly…
“Wah~”*2
“Wah wah wah~”*2
……
“So noisy, are you two wailing at a funeral out there?!”
Just as the two little ones were getting into the crying, the cabin door was kicked open, and Obei walked out coldly from inside, holding two revolvers.
“Here, Red Nose! These are the two guns you wanted.”
One gold and one silver, two exquisitely styled revolver pistols were casually tossed by Obei to Buggy.
“Eh, eh, eh~”
Looking at the two guns falling from the sky, Buggy caught them in a fluster, not even minding Obei calling him Red Nose.
“So, so heavy!”
The moment he held them, Buggy felt how extraordinary these two guns were.
Not only did they look far more exquisite than Peteru’s one he’d seen before, with the entire gun body engraved with strange, rugged patterns, but their weight was double that of before.
They felt like the ultimate enhanced version of an ordinary revolver.
“These are remade by me using the gun body left over from Heavenly Fire; just firing bullets will hardly wear them down.”
“Moreover, the guiding patterns on the gun body make it easier for Haki to attach to the bullets, ensuring shooting power.”
As usual, Obei explained her work—two Colt Python Modified.
These two were absolutely the limit for conventional revolver pistols; anything beyond would be semi-automatics and other special pistols.
“Wow~ So cool. Buggy, how about giving me one?”
Little Shanks said enviously.
“N-No way. These two guns are for Captain Roger and Master Rayleigh.”
Ever since Roger last mentioned wanting a revolver pistol as his sidearm, Buggy had kept it in mind.
He had always admired Captain Roger, who raised him, so he wanted to do something for the captain on this opportunity.
Rayleigh too—he had always taken good care of him.
Though Buggy was young, his meticulous mind had long seen from Roger’s own unconscious actions… that compared to himself, Captain Roger actually cared more about Shanks.
That Straw Hat he used to never take off was lately being worn on Shanks’s head.
In comparison, Rayleigh paid a bit more attention to him.
Not only did he teach him various combat techniques on a daily basis, but after discovering his talent for swimming and diving, he even specially trained his sea combat skills.
Though Buggy always called him “Mister” out loud, in his heart he already saw Rayleigh as his master.
So one gun was for Roger as captain and idol, and the other for Rayleigh as master.
A transition between two chapters; not sure what to write.
