Chapter 780: Sugar's Sharp Tongue
As Ian had said, seniors never set limits on their expectations for juniors.
When Luffy arrived at Whole Cake Island and met Red-Haired Shanks, Shanks wasn't disappointed in him as Luffy had feared. On the contrary, he felt quite gratified.
That straw hat had passed from Roger to Shanks, and from Shanks to Luffy. Luffy had not disgraced the meaning the hat represented. Although due to Ian's involvement, the Straw Hat Pirates' achievements weren't as high as in the original history, after the Battle of New Edd War, the Straw Hat Pirates had still become a fairly well-known pirate crew.
Most importantly, regardless of achievements, the Straw Hat Pirates were indeed the freest and happiest pirates on this sea... and that was enough.
This was a grand reunion, so how could it be complete without a banquet? Thus, the largest banquet ever hosted by the Dragon Hunter Pirates began on Whole Cake Island!
As for the participants, there were the Dragon Hunter Pirates, the Whitebeard Pirates, and the Red Hair Pirates — three crews totaling over ten thousand people. It was an absolutely massive celebration.
Led by chefs Sanji and Matthew, along with chefs from the Red Hair Pirates, the Whitebeard Pirates, and over three hundred from Mary Geoise, a grand culinary showdown unfolded on Whole Cake Island. All kinds of delicious food, grilled dishes, and desserts were produced like flowing water, supplied to the reveling crowd. Everyone sang and danced, weaving through the banquet grounds, making new friends, and then starting drinking contests, guzzling alcohol without restraint.
Luffy was in an eating contest with a group of big men. He had already defeated twenty-one opponents, his rubber stomach stretched round and full. Even Diamond Jozu had fallen to him. But now his real rivals were Ace and Lucky Roux, the fat man from the Red Hair Pirates. The three of them were competing to see who could eat one hundred meaty bones in the shortest time...
Dorry wasn't around, or else the Dragon Hunter Pirates would definitely have had a place in this contest...
Zoro's record wasn't bad either, but he was in a drinking contest. He had already taken down thirty people and still looked eager for more. However, before he could wipe the alcohol stains from his mouth, a massive beer mug slammed down in front of him with a crash. Giant Sardin had come to challenge him. Staring at the mug, which was about the size of a barrel, even Zoro couldn't help but twitch his face.
Fujitora was happily gambling with a crowd. Marco and Ben Beckman joined him for fun. The three of them initially planned to play Landlord, but too many people wanted to join, so they switched to dice rolling...
Reiju, Robin, Nami, Konenai, and Baccarat — five stunning beauties — gathered together, eating the delicious snacks Sanji had specially made for them, smiling as they watched a group of children in front of them.
These children were, of course, Walnut and Sugar, plus Chopper and Little Ian. Little Ian was currently surrounded by Walnut and Sugar, who were curiously examining him. Chopper was also nearby, curiously extending his hoof to poke the two smaller swords at Little Ian's waist.
"How is it, Chopper?" Robin asked, resting her chin on her hand and smiling. "Is it real?"
"Yeah!" Chopper nodded. "It's real metal!"
At first, when Nami appeared carrying Little Ian, Reiju and the others were, unsurprisingly, shocked. They almost jumped to the wrong conclusion, thinking Ian had gone out and come back with a son. After Nami explained, they quietly sighed in relief. Then, as if discovering some treasure, they gathered around Little Ian. Even the lively banquet couldn't stop their curiosity about him.
"Why does this child have a tuft of hair like that?" Reiju extended her index finger and gently pressed down on the cowlick on Little Ian's head. The cowlick bent down, and when Reiju let go, it sprang back up. Press down, spring up — Reiju found it fascinating, feeling that this tuft of hair inexplicably hit her cute spot.
Robin and the others felt the same. Whenever Reiju pressed down Little Ian's cowlick, he would giggle, and when it sprang back up, he would stop — like a toy switch. They found it so much fun.
Sugar, eating grapes nearby, asked, "I wonder if the little young master can change clothes? I think he'd look great in a bear costume!"
But Walnut shook her head. "No! The bear costume hood would cover this tuft of hair!"
The two little girls imagined that scene and nodded vigorously, deciding it was best as it was. Then, looking at Little Ian's rosy little face, they couldn't hold back anymore. They hugged Little Ian from both sides and each gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Then they exclaimed happily, "We kissed him! We kissed him! Warm and soft — it's real skin!"
"Oh! Me too!" Konenai saw this, stood up immediately, picked up Little Ian, and gave him a kiss as well.
"And me!" Baccarat eagerly joined in. So, the group of women surrounded Little Ian, taking turns kissing him until his face was covered in lip prints...
"Ian? Ian?" Little Ian didn't understand why these people kept wanting to kiss him. He finally uttered his third sound, making the girls' eyes sparkle with stars...
...
In a corner not far away, Kanjuro and Kin'emon sat with Momonosuke, eating alone, a stark contrast to the lively atmosphere of the banquet.
It wasn't that no one came to drink with them, but the problem was that Kanjuro and Kin'emon weren't used to this kind of pirate banquet atmosphere. Every time someone came to drink with them, they would thank them formally, making others feel awkward. Over time, everyone just let them eat and drink on their own.
Kanjuro and Kin'emon didn't mind. They were discussing how to find a way to get to Zou.
Momonosuke, however, was dejectedly staring at Little Ian's group, feeling like his entire life had lost its color...
There were so many beautiful big sisters over there, but they were all fussing over that kid with the tuft of hair. He couldn't get in at all.
"Kin'emon! Kin'emon!" Momonosuke thought for a moment and tugged at Kin'emon's sleeve. "I want that kind of standing-up tuft of hair too!"
But Kin'emon sternly refused. "That won't do, my lord! The topknot is a symbol of a samurai. How can it be changed casually!?"
Momonosuke was disappointed. He squatted on the ground, drawing circles in despair. Being unable to fit into others' circles made him feel especially lonely...
Kin'emon noticed Momonosuke's mood and felt that as a retainer, he needed to cheer up his young lord. So he advised him, "My lord, you must be proactive! And have courage!"
Thus, Momonosuke mustered his courage, put on a brazen face, and walked over, hoping to play with Walnut and Sugar.
Reiju, Robin, and Nami didn't object. In their eyes, Momonosuke was also a child, so they watched him approach with smiles and didn't stop him, only whispering to each other, "Who is this kid?"
Only Nami warned Momonosuke, saying, "Peach Boy, if you want to play, play nicely. Don't bully Little Ian, okay!"
Hearing this, Momonosuke almost burst into tears. Heaven knows, how could I bully him!? He bullies me more like it!? Why do you all always think I'm the one bullying him!?
But remembering Kin'emon's words, Momonosuke mentally replaced "courage" with "thick skin." He pretended to be shy and said, "I won't. I just wanted to play with the two little sisters!"
Then, Momonosuke asked Walnut and Sugar, "Do... do you want to play house?"
However, Sugar, with her cheeks bulging as she chewed grapes, stared at Momonosuke for a long time before suddenly saying, "Your hairstyle is really ugly!"
Walnut nodded in agreement. "It's weird!"
Really ugly! Ugly! Ugly!
Momonosuke froze, as if hit by a critical blow of one hundred thousand points!
Not only did the beautiful big sisters ignore me, but even these two little girls are this... sharp-tongued!
Momonosuke burst into loud wails and ran off...
Sugar watched him run away, calmly popped another grape into her mouth. Mm, really sweet...
Walnut curled her lip. "And he calls himself a boy. So fragile. Little Ian doesn't cry, right?"
"Ian! Ian!" Little Ian looked at Walnut talking to him and happily responded.
Baccarat watched Momonosuke run off and asked worriedly, "Will he be okay?"
Although they didn't know where Momonosuke came from, since he came ashore with Ian and the others, he must be someone they knew. So they felt a child running off crying wasn't ideal.
"Don't mind him, that little pervert!" Nami said. "Let him learn a lesson!"
Nami wasn't stupid. Every time Momonosuke threw himself into her arms, she could feel what he was doing. Even Sanji, that perverted cook, was furious... She had just thought he was a child, so she let it slide. But after holding Little Ian, the contrast was clear!
Children are cuter when they're innocent at heart...
Momonosuke ran off crying, but not toward Kin'emon. Instead, he blindly ran toward Fujitora's dice table.
Fujitora was happily gambling when he sensed the child running over and crying. He reached out and caught him, feeling the samurai topknot on Momonosuke's head.
Fujitora was originally from Wano Country, so he didn't find the samurai topknot strange. Fond of children, he couldn't help rubbing his bearded face against Momonosuke's cheek to cheer him up. "Little one, don't cry. Come on, let Uncle teach you how to roll dice!"
Momonosuke was disgusted by the stubble on Fujitora's face, but before he could break free, Fujitora turned him around and plunged him into a crowd of muscular, sweaty men...
"Help... help me..."
A weak cry for help came from the crowd, quickly drowned out by the shouts of the dice game...