“Teach.” Whitebeard beckoned to him from his seat.
While Teach had been laughing and joking with the crew, Marco had already reported what had happened on the island.
“Teach, why did you kill those two men?” Whitebeard asked as he stood and looked down at him, his tone unreadable.
Teach looked up at the towering man and answered seriously, “Home is the most important thing.
Anyone who destroys my home will die!” Teach knew Whitebeard would like that answer, so he played along.
In truth, he did not care about that dilapidated wooden hut at all.
He had killed those two men simply because they had offended him.
“Gurararara!” Whitebeard laughed heartily and extended his right hand.
“Teach, be my son!” “Bang!” Teach dropped to his knees and slammed his forehead against the deck.
“Pops!” His excitement was impossible to express aloud.
He could only roar silently in his heart.
Pops, I’ll honor you well!
Zehahaha!
“Gurararara!” “To celebrate gaining another outstanding son, let’s have a banquet!” They had held a banquet only the day before, yet another was already beginning.
Such was the daily life of pirates.
Whitebeard reached down and pulled Teach to his feet.
The moment he stood, the crew surrounded him.
“Teach, I’m definitely drinking you under the table today!” “You don’t stand a chance.
Leave it to me.” “None of you youngsters can handle him.
I’ll do it.” Rakuyo squeezed in beside Teach and rubbed his fists together, determined to defeat him in a drinking contest.
Whitebeard watched his sons fooling around with a smile.
“No one leaves this banquet standing today!” “You heard Pops!” Marco shouted.
“Let’s all work together and drink Teach under the table!” He had witnessed Teach’s tolerance the previous night and knew none of them could beat him alone.
If they wanted to bring him down, they would need to work together.
“Hahaha!
Come at me!
I’ll take all of you down by myself!” Teach declared arrogantly.
“I can’t stand this bastard!” Rakuyo grabbed two barrels of liquor and tossed one to Teach.
“Thatch, prepare the food.
We’ll deal with him first.” “Leave it to me.
It won’t take long.” Thatch called several people over and began preparing the feast.
“Gulp, gulp…” Teach and Rakuyo each raised a barrel.
Neither was willing to back down as they drank deeply and glared at each other in challenge.
They emptied one barrel after another.
The ship had no shortage of alcohol.
Before long, Rakuyo’s stomach was swollen and his eyes had become unfocused.
“Thud!” He dropped his barrel heavily onto the deck.
“Burp…” After releasing a long belch, Rakuyo collapsed.
“Hahaha!
You’re no match for me,” Teach laughed.
“I’ll go next.” The taciturn and straightforward Jozu stepped forward.
He was much larger than Teach, and his tolerance for alcohol was equally impressive.
At the previous banquet, he had been the last person to fall.
After him, the others challenged Teach one by one, practically lining up to be defeated.
By the time Thatch and the others brought out the food, many crew members were already lying on the deck.
Teach soon became completely absorbed in the contest.
He temporarily set aside his calculations, drank everyone unconscious, shook them awake, and then drank them unconscious again.
He only stopped once none of them could stand.
By then, Teach’s stomach had swollen until he looked ten months pregnant.
He staggered to the side of the ship, relieved himself, and returned feeling much better.
Then he raised his drink and toasted Whitebeard again and again.
“Pops, I want something.” Teach’s face was flushed, making him appear drunk.
“Oh?
Is this the first time my son has asked me for something?” “Go ahead.
Since it’s your first request, Pops will definitely grant it!” Apart from the two of them, everyone else aboard had already drunk themselves unconscious.
Only the sound of the waves surrounded them.
“I want a Devil Fruit.” “The Logia-type Dark-Dark Fruit—the one said to be the most evil Devil Fruit.” Teach looked up and stared directly at Whitebeard.
He did not want to rely on fate or spend years waiting and gambling on chance.
He wanted to take the initiative and have the Whitebeard Pirates—one of the strongest pirate crews on the Grand Line—search for it on his behalf.
“Is that part of your ambition?” Whitebeard asked quietly.
In Teach’s eyes, he could see a man’s ambition and a desire to possess everything the world had to offer.
Teach rose to his feet and turned toward the sea.
“Yes, Pops!
This is my ambition!” He then looked back at Whitebeard expectantly.
“Gurararara!” Whitebeard placed his enormous hand on Teach’s head and rubbed it vigorously, completely messing up his curly hair.
“What kind of father wouldn’t support his son’s ambition?” “Leave it to me.
Pops will help you, and so will everyone else.” The following morning, hungover crew members began waking one after another.
“Teach is a monster!” “He’s terrifying.
I couldn’t outdrink him even if we were drinking water!” “I’m never challenging him again.” Similar complaints came from everyone who awakened with a hangover.
Through drinking, Teach had established an imposing image in everyone’s minds for the first time.
He stood on the deck watching the sunrise, wondering how long it had been since he had last stood and watched one.
As the sky brightened, people gradually emerged from the cabins and came onto the deck to exercise.
Everyone who saw Teach looked at him with admiration.
A pirate’s daily life revolved around drinking, fighting, and women.
Teach had earned their approval through both his strength and his tolerance for alcohol.
“You’re awake early.” Whitey Bay stepped out of the cabin.
“Couldn’t sleep.” Teach had no intention of explaining.
Once they spent enough time together, everyone would naturally discover what made him unusual.
“Teach, are you even human?
You drank that much last night, yet you’re completely fine today!” Teach glanced at her.
“I’m naturally gifted.” Whitey Bay leaned closer and examined him suspiciously.
“You didn’t eat some kind of Alcohol-Alcohol Fruit, did you?” Teach stepped back to put some distance between them.
“Are you an idiot?
Would I still be able to swim if I were a Devil Fruit user?” “That’s true.” “Can someone really be naturally gifted at drinking?” Whitey Bay muttered.
Then she suddenly froze.
“Bastard!
Did you just call me an idiot?” “I didn’t.
You must have misheard me.” “So you really do think I’m an idiot.” Whitey Bay clenched her fists, her voice turning cold.
As they spoke, more and more people gathered on the deck, and Whitebeard finally emerged from the cabin.
“Pops is about to speak.
Let’s go.” Teach quickly ran off.
“Sly brat!” Whitey Bay glared at his retreating figure, a chilling aura radiating from her clenched fists.
“My sons!” Whitebeard shouted, raising one arm.
“Prepare to set sail and begin a new adventure!” At his command, everyone immediately sprang into action, raising the anchor and hoisting the sails with practiced speed.
As a fisherman, Teach was familiar with such work and skillfully joined in.
His first voyage in this life was about to begin, and his ambition was taking its first step.