After finishing his meal, Saitama lingered for a little while before deciding to leave. Even though Gustave had explained the complex temporal mechanics of the Gate of All Worlds, Saitama remained preoccupied with the supermarket's weekend specials, a nagging anxiety that even interdimensional travel couldn't quell.
It seems the only things that can truly fluster the 'One-Punch Man' are discounted groceries, Gustave mused as he watched Saitama's anxious figure vanish through the portal. Oh, wait. There was also that time he lost to King in a video game. I wonder if they've even met yet in his timeline?
"One-Punch Man?" Anya whispered to herself, her eyes widening as she processed the thoughts she'd just heard. "And King? That sounds super powerful."
Gustave, for his part, remained oblivious. The man who seemed to know the secrets of every other universe had no idea his own thoughts were being broadcast to the small, pink-haired girl beside him. Anya, meanwhile, was secretly enjoying the show.
"Alright, Anya, since you're here, why don't you stay with us tonight?" Gustave offered, patting her head. "I told you about Chan'er and Uta, right? They should be back soon, and you can all play together."
He glanced out at the calm sea. "Tu Shanyan took the two of them out after breakfast. Said she was taking them flower-picking." He chuckled, knowing the ancient fox spirit was likely up to something far more mischievous. Still, he wasn't worried. There was nothing in the entire East Blue that could possibly pose a threat to her.
"Oh, by the way," Gustave added, "if you want to go play with Po, you can find him on the deck."
He suddenly remembered the chaos from earlier. While Saitama and Anya had been eating, Tom and Jerry had finally concluded their epic duel on the beach. Tom had emerged victorious, and Shanks, who had foolishly bet on Jerry, was now being chased through the forest by a mob of his own crewmates after refusing to pay up.
Honestly, it's better that those guys stay away, Gustave thought. They're a terrible influence on children.
"Waku waku!" Anya chirped, nodding enthusiastically. She had been wanting to play with the giant, friendly panda since she first saw him.
Gustave didn't quite understand the phrase, but he'd noticed she said it whenever she was excited. He figured it was just her own special way of expressing happiness.
Po truly was a magnet for children. The moment Anya, who had been a little intimidated by Saitama's intense quietness, saw the panda, she rushed forward with a happy squeal, leaving Po slightly bewildered. Where did this adorable little girl come from?
Time flew by, and soon it was time for dinner. By then, Anya had been introduced to everyone on the Bamboo Staff and the visiting Red Hair Pirates, and thanks to her powers, she had already collected a wealth of gossip. The only person whose thoughts remained a complete mystery was the Moral Lord; his mind was a silent, impenetrable fortress.
Oh no, I broke a bowl, Anya heard a panicked thought from across the room. I can't let Gustave find out, or he'll definitely cut my gaming time!
If she hadn't heard Luffy's internal monologue, Anya might have thought her powers had suddenly stopped working. From his seat in the corner, the Moral Lord simply smiled, aware of everything.
The next morning, the group gathered on the deck, ready to depart.
"Uta, where are Shanks and the others?" Gustave asked, noticing a distinct lack of pirates. Aside from their own crew, only Uta from the Red Hair Pirates was present.
Uta sighed, the picture of parental exasperation. "Shanks said he's not going. He wants to stay here and play computer games".
Gustave stared at her, dumbfounded. "Fine, if Shanks doesn't want to go, that's his choice. But what about the rest of them? Your crew is huge. Are you telling me they're all staying behind to play video games?"
Uta just nodded silently, her expression pained. The entire Red Hair Pirate crew had become hopelessly addicted to the ship's internet connection.
Gustave was speechless. He never imagined a crew of hardened pirates could be so easily corrupted, acting like a bunch of… well, like the Moral Lord.
"Forget it," he finally said, shaking his head. "Let's just go."
With that, he led the crew of the Bamboo Staff, along with Uta, Anya, and a visiting Conan and Ai, through the Gate and into the world of
The Prince of Tennis.
The showdown between Yamabuki and Rikkaidai had drawn an immense crowd. The energy was electric, far surpassing that of the Kanto Tournament finals. This was the national championship, and fans from all over the country had come to witness it.
"There are way more people here than at the last two matches," Conan observed, craning his neck to see over the sea of heads.
"Well, this is the national final, after all," Gustave said with a smile.
As they joined the long queue, they saw dozens of people being turned away, unable to buy tickets. The organizers had at least set up several massive screens outside the stadium to broadcast the match in real-time.
When they finally got inside, they made their way to their seats in the front row. The tickets had been sponsored by a "kind-hearted" Shanks, but since he and his crew were now busy with their new gaming obsession, several prime seats were empty. It was a perfect opportunity. Gustave had already sold the empty seats to a scalper, turning a tidy little profit. Who the scalper sold them to wasn't his problem.
A few moments later, the buyers of those high-priced tickets arrived. To Gustave's surprise, it was Atobe Keigo and the regulars from Hyōtei Academy.
"Insolence!" Atobe declared, sitting down with a dramatic flourish. "How dare the organizers of this event not show my Atobe family the proper respect! I was forced to buy tickets from a common scalper!"
He wasn't angry about the money; that was pocket change. He was furious that his family name hadn't automatically secured him the best seats in the house.
"Now, now, Atobe," said Oshitari Yuushi, the only person on the team who dared to talk back to him. "I told you to book the tickets weeks ago. But you were so confident they'd hold front-row seats for the great Atobe family right up until the last day."
Hearing their conversation, Gustave couldn't help but smile. It was amusing to see the flamboyant Mr. Atobe brought down to earth.
During the pre-match warm-up, Eiji Kikumaru jogged over to their seats.
"Hey, little guy!" he called out to Conan. "I won our bet last time against Shitenhoji, right? How about we go again? If I lose this time, you can demand anything you want!"
"And what if you win?" Conan asked, still smarting from his previous loss.
"If I win," Eiji said with a confident grin, "you have to treat me to a trip to your world!"
Conan's competitive spirit flared. "Fine," he said, his voice firm. "I'll take that bet. And I'm still betting that you'll lose to Rikkaidai!"
"Alright, it's a deal!" Eiji laughed. "Don't go crying when you lose!"
"A man of his word!" Conan shot back.
They slapped their hands together in a high-five, sealing their wager.
After Eiji ran back to the court, Ai Haibara gave Conan a withering look, as if he were an overgrown child. Why, she wondered, were boys so ridiculously immature?
"Hey, Haibara, what's with that look?" Conan grumbled, noticing her stare.
"Nothing," she said bluntly. "I just think you're being childish."
"Humph! You wouldn't understand," Conan retorted, turning away with a sniff. "This is an agreement between men!"