After the Going Merry hastily set sail, Nami re-evaluated everything and quickly realized—Sandy had been lying!
She walked up to him and said suspiciously, "Sandy, did Luffy and his brother really steal alcohol? Then why do you and Zoro reek of booze too?"
Sitting lazily on the deck, Sandy looked up and explained, "We were eating when Colonel Smoker from Loguetown showed up. We had to deal with that, understand now?"
"Hmph, that sounds more like it," Nami muttered.
Glancing at Luffy, Ace, and Zoro passed out nearby, she sighed. "You should move them inside."
When Sandy didn't budge, Nami turned to Sanji and Chopper. "Well? What are you waiting for? Move them to the rooms!"
Sanji, with hearts in his eyes, instantly replied, "Hai, Nami-swan! It's my pleasure!"
Meanwhile, Usopp shouted, "Nami! I can install your weapon upgrades now—they'll be ready to use soon!" Then he ran off to his workshop.
Vivi stepped forward, her expression soft. "Sandy, you drank a lot too. Are you okay? Maybe you should get some rest."
Sandy smiled. "Thanks, but I'm fine. Just enjoying the sea breeze."
As he spoke, he raised an eyebrow and glanced teasingly at Nami as if to say, See how gentle she is?
Duang!
His response was Nami's fist slamming into his head.
After that, Sandy leaned against the mast and unknowingly drifted off to sleep, enjoying the salty air until Nami nudged him awake.
"Sandy, wake up! Everyone's up—it's dinner time!" she said impatiently.
Still groggy, Sandy muttered, "Nami? What's wrong?"
She frowned, "Get up already, and—mmph!"
Before she could finish, Sandy leaned in and kissed her.
Nami froze, feeling that familiar rush again before she quickly realized everyone was nearby.
She pushed him away, cheeks burning. "Go wash up, you stink!"
As she stormed off, Sandy sighed and rubbed his face. Damn it, couldn't hold back again.
At the dinner table—
Ace was helping Sanji serve dishes like a polite assistant.
Seeing this, Sanji waved his hand. "Ace, you're a guest! Go sit down and relax."
Ace smiled warmly. "Don't worry about it. My little brother causes enough trouble already. I should at least help out a bit."
Everyone laughed awkwardly. "Hehehe… it's fine!"
Zoro asked curiously, "So, you're really Luffy's brother?"
Nami snorted. "Impossible. Someone this sensible can't possibly be related to Luffy!"
Sanji puffed on his cigarette. "The sea truly has everything…"
Usopp nodded solemnly. "Today has really been an eye-opener."
Chopper's eyes teared up. "Such brotherly love—it's so touching!"
Vivi, amused, shook her head. "You guys…"
"Shishishi!" Luffy grinned. "Ace, my crewmates are fun, right?"
Just then, Sandy walked in and smirked. "What are you all talking about? Yo, Luffy, Ace—still have headaches? I told you, if you can't drink, don't drink. I even had to carry you two back with Zoro!"
Both brothers glared. "What did you say!?"
Sandy grinned. "I said your alcohol tolerance is about the same as Smoker's—weak!"
"Smoker?!" everyone shouted in shock.
Sanji exclaimed, "You mean that Smoker—the Smoke Man from Loguetown!? He chased us here?"
Nami groaned. "Great. Just what we needed—a persistent Marine."
Usopp scratched his head. "Why does he keep chasing us? From Loguetown all the way here?"
Everyone exchanged helpless looks.
Then Luffy said casually, "Yeah, it's that Smoker. We were even eating and drinking together today before we got drunk, hahaha!"
Zoro cut in, "Correction—you, Ace, and Smoker got drunk. Not us."
Vivi blinked. "Wait—Smoker's supposed to be hunting you! Why would he eat with you!?"
Chopper and Usopp shouted together, "Yeah! What the hell happened!?"
Luffy laughed. "Sandy invited him to eat, and the Smoke Man got drunk!"
Nami glared at Sandy. "You invited a Marine officer to eat?"
Sandy rolled his eyes. "He was about to arrest us. I figured getting him drunk would make it easier to escape. Worked perfectly, didn't it?"
Luffy's eyes lit up. "Wow, that's genius! Nami, give me some Belly—next time a Marine chases me, I'll invite him to dinner too!"
Duang!
Before he could finish, Nami smacked him flat.
Sandy waved it off. "Alright, enough. We're pirates—no fixed home, no rules. Stop worrying and just eat!"
Everyone laughed and cheered.
After a moment, Sandy turned to Ace. "So, Ace, I heard you're chasing someone?"
Ace nodded. "Yeah. His name's Marshall D. Teach. He killed a crewmate and ran away. I came here to settle the score."
"Killed a crewmate?"
"What a bastard!"
"Seriously? On Whitebeard's ship?!"
Sandy frowned. "I've heard of him. He fought with Red-Haired Shanks, one of the Four Emperors. The scar near Shanks' eye—that was Teach's doing."
Luffy was about to ask about the Four Emperors, but Sandy stopped him.
Ace, however, raised his hand to interrupt Sandy. "I know what you're thinking. You're worried I'll lose, right?"
He stood up, eyes burning with conviction. "That man was under the Old Man's care for over twenty years, and now he's tarnishing Whitebeard's name. As his subordinate—and as a man—I'll take responsibility."
"If I let fear stop me from doing what's right, then I'm no man at all."
"If that's the case, my life would be meaningless!"
Everyone went silent.
Sandy looked at him and couldn't help but smile. As expected of a true man. No wonder so many people admire him.
He took out a bottle of er guo tou from the [pheromone system] and poured small bowls for everyone.
Raising his cup, he said, "Then I'll toast you. But remember, for Teach to dare this, he must have confidence. He's not simple. You should at least talk to Whitebeard before going after him… Hey, don't glare at me—it's just advice."
Everyone stared at Ace in admiration.
Ace smiled, downed the drink in one gulp, and said lightly, "Don't worry. If something happens to me, you can come rescue me, right?"
Sandy smirked. "Deal."
Luffy raised his bowl. "I don't believe that guy Teach can beat Ace! He's the strongest!"
Sandy laughed. "Then it's settled—welcome aboard, Ace. Cheers!"
"Cheers!" everyone echoed.
"Hey, Sandy," Luffy grinned, "why is there only one bottle? Bring out more! Don't be stingy!"
No one knew it yet—but because of Ace's little joke that night, the future would forever remember this moment.
Because one day, during the Marineford War, the man known as the world's strongest—Whitebeard—would be chased for debt.
All because Sandy, in front of a hundred thousand Marines and the entire world, had the guts to demand:
"Whitebeard! You owe me two hundred fifty Belly!"
Was it the decay of morality? Or the distortion of human nature?
No—Sandy had simply gone mad.
And with that madness, he became a legend.