Onboard the Red Force,
"Bang!"
Small barrels of liquor clinked together, and Shanks burst out laughing, tilting his head back to down the drink in one go.
Opposite him sat Katakuri, who also drained his drink before slamming the empty barrel onto the table in front of him.
Compared to his reserved demeanor on Totto Land, Katakuri now appeared much more uninhibited. His scarf was nowhere to be seen, leaving his upper body bare, and his face flushed from the alcohol. He grabbed a stack of donuts from the table and wolfed them down, his jagged teeth gleaming in the sunlight.
Brûlée, seated beside Katakuri, refilled his drink, a faint smile gracing her face as she watched her brother devour the food with abandon.
Since boarding Shanks' ship, the siblings had discovered a surprising truth: not all pirate crews lived in constant fear or turmoil. On the Red-Haired Pirates' ship, there was no need to pledge loyalty like on the Whitebeard Pirates' crew, nor did they have to tiptoe around a volatile captain like in the Big Mom Pirates.
Life here could be summed up in one word: relaxed.
Brûlée glanced at Shanks, who was laughing heartily. Noticing her gaze, Shanks grinned and teased, "Brûlée, pull your brother back a bit. At this rate, he's going to eat the plates too!"
Brûlée turned back just in time to see Katakuri tipping a plate of donuts directly into his mouth.
"Don't mind me, Captain Shanks," Katakuri said between bites. "Eating donuts like this is one of life's greatest pleasures!"
Nearby, Lucky Roux tore off a large chunk of meat, grease dripping down his chin, and gave Katakuri a thumbs-up.
"You're absolutely right, Katakuri! Enjoying your favorite food is one of the greatest joys in the world!"
Beckman sighed, massaging his temple. "Roux, you've found your soulmate, haven't you?"
Shanks chuckled, watching the scene unfold. He found himself growing fond of Katakuri, who had joined his crew through his older brother's recommendation.
Speaking of his brother, Shanks muttered to himself, "I wonder what Carl is up to these days…"
As he spoke, a streak of black light flashed across the sky above the Red Force. The previously rowdy deck fell silent as everyone turned their gazes upward.
Shanks had already looked up, and when he saw the figure hovering in midair, a look of surprise and delight spread across his face.
"Brother!" he exclaimed.
Hearing Shanks' shout, the others didn't even need to look to know who it was.
Fleet Admiral Carl!
Upon realizing it was Carl, Katakuri immediately stood up. Carl's black wings gently flapped as he floated in midair, arms crossed. He glanced at Katakuri below and smiled.
"It seems you're settling in well."
With that, the black wings folded into Carl's back as he descended gracefully onto the deck.
As soon as Carl landed, Shanks ran over and grabbed his hand.
"Come on! The party isn't over yet. Let's have another drink!"
Carl allowed himself to be pulled along, a faint smile of exasperation on his face. Katakuri and Brûlée, on the other hand, were dumbfounded. They knew of Carl and Shanks' relationship, but seeing an Emperor and the Fleet Admiral drinking together was a sight they never thought they'd witness.
"Is Newgate dead or not?" Shanks asked. "Katakuri said Teach devoured him."
"He's not dead. He's probably still inside Teach," Carl replied.
"Teach, huh…" Shanks muttered, shaking his head. "I always knew he wasn't up to any good. That's why I gave him a good beating back then!"
Carl raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Oh? From what I heard, it was you and Buggy against him."
Shanks froze, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.
"Er… You know about that too, huh…"
Carl chuckled and glanced at Katakuri, who was still standing.
"Katakuri, why are you still standing there? Ate too many donuts and can't move? Sit down. You're blocking the sunlight."
Katakuri immediately sat down, while Brûlée crouched behind him, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible.
Carl laughed. "Relax, Katakuri. Tell your sister to come out. She must be tired crouching like that."
Katakuri nodded and glanced back at Brûlée, who reluctantly sat down beside him, keeping her head down and sticking close to her brother, too nervous to speak.
Seeing this, Shanks couldn't help but sigh. "Brother, I can already imagine what you must've been like on Totto Land."
Carl shrugged. "I went easy on them this time. Otherwise, do you think these two would still be sitting here?"
"True. Knowing your usual style, Totto Land—or rather, the Sweet Territory—would've sunk to the bottom of the sea by now."
Carl smiled faintly but didn't comment. Picking up a barrel of liquor, he took a long drink. Shanks waited until Carl finished before speaking again.
"Brother, there's something I wanted to talk to you about…"
"Why are you hesitating? Just say it. What is it? Are you getting married too?"
"What? Of course not… Wait! Too?! Are you getting married?!"
Carl snorted. "Not exactly. I'm being pushed into it."
This revelation left Shanks and the rest of the crew, including the Katakuri siblings, wide-eyed and burning with curiosity.
But Carl didn't elaborate. He simply drank in silence. Shanks couldn't hold back and asked, "Who has the guts to push you into marriage? Could it be…"
Carl gave Shanks a sharp look. "What do you think? Just seeing your face annoys me right now."
"…Brother, we do look quite alike…"
Carl paused mid-drink, narrowing his eyes at Shanks.
Undeterred, Shanks grinned. "Brother, is it Admiral Hakutsuru?"
Carl blinked in surprise. "Hm? Why would you think it's her?"
Shanks puffed out his chest, looking smug.
"Of course I know! The rumors about you and Hakutsuru have spread across the seas. Who else could it be?"
Carl was silent for a moment before his lips curved into a smile.
"You're right. It's her."
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+240 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg