As he spoke, Borsalino stood up directly, hands in his pockets. "Also, it's quite dangerous outside. If there's nothing important, I hope you'll hurry back to the West Blue."
With that, he did not hesitate any further, turned around, and walked straight outside.
Ian did not say anything about it. It was as if nothing had happened just now.
Looking at Aria, who had also dozed off, he smiled helplessly and said to the relieved Robin and Ain: "Let's go. We're heading back."
Then he looked at the waiter beside him and shouted loudly: "Check, please!"
"Yes, sir! Your total comes to thirty-six thousand belly."
Ian: "...?"
He froze and looked at the waiter in surprise. "Is there a service charge here?"
"Hello, sir. Any restaurant in Water 7 does not charge a service fee."
"Then why is there an extra three thousand belly?"
"The table next to you ordered a bowl of miso ramen for two thousand five hundred belly and a cup of ginger tea for five hundred belly. He said he is your friend."
"... Alright, I understand."
Ian silently looked at the ramen bowl and cup placed on the table behind him.
After paying the money directly, he shook his head and smiled helplessly. "That guy, honestly."
…
On the other side, Borsalino, who had left the restaurant, flashed away and entered a dim, enclosed alley.
When he came to a stop, a figure appeared directly in front of him.
Borsalino flicked the cigarette in his hand, sighed helplessly, looked at the figure before him, opened his strange mouth, and said: "Ahh, what a scare! Zephyr-sensei."
As the words fell, the figure in front gradually became clearer under the faint light.
It was none other than Zephyr, who no one knew where he had gone off to have fun.
He let out a hearty laugh, smiling as he looked at Borsalino. "Hahaha, have I been discovered already? I didn't expect to see you here, of all places. Were you sent by Marine Headquarters to carry out a mission?"
"Ahh, I didn't expect to run into my former teacher here either. This is really troublesome."
Borsalino replied. Although he said it was troublesome, his expression remained calm as he met Zephyr's gaze.
Then he spoke leisurely: "But why didn't you show yourself just now? Oh, right, the miso ramen there tastes pretty good."
"I originally did want to appear."
Zephyr said with no concern for Borsalino's words while continuing to smile. "But seeing that the children were already sleepy, if I had shown up, who knows how long we would have ended up chatting. So I simply waited for you here. Looks like our luck is really bad, running into each other at a time like this, in Water 7."
"How very understanding of you, Zephyr-sensei."
Borsalino could not help but exclaim in admiration. "You really caused me quite a lot of trouble!"
"To think they even dispatched an Admiral, this looks like a rather troublesome mission!"
"It is indeed quite troublesome."
Borsalino nodded.
After saying just that, his expression suddenly became serious. His hands remained in his pockets, and his tone turned cold. "But you are no longer the Chief Instructor of Marine Headquarters. Zephyr, as an important wanted criminal of the World Government, this is not something you should be asking about!"
...
At the same time, inside Blueno's Bar, after the three finally reunited, the promised round of drinks began.
Although Ace's appearance had caught Teach completely off guard, when he saw the Straw Hat crew arrive, his heart was still filled with excitement.
The Dark-Dark Fruit... Was right within reach!
Next, as long as he could secretly obtain the Dark-Dark Fruit from the Straw Hat crew, his dream could finally begin.
However, that guy Ace was there, and there was also Ian, the God of Sun... Although that guy was not here, Teach still could not be certain whether he would intervene if he were discovered stealing the Dark-Dark Fruit.
One had to know that he was a powerhouse on the same level as Whitebeard.
Once that guy made a move, even if he immediately ate the Dark-Dark Fruit, Teach had no confidence that he could escape from such a terrifying monster.
Therefore, although his heart was bleeding, when facing the Straw Hat crew, Teach still put on the same righteous and loyal demeanor he had shown back in the East Blue, warmly inviting everyone to drink and declaring that tonight, he, Teach, would treat everyone.
No matter what, as long as the Straw Hat crew was here, he had a chance.
Perhaps Ian, the God of Sun, really was just traveling with his family and would leave in a few days. And once that guy left, Luffy's brother might leave as well.
After all, once the drinking was done, what reason would there be to stay here any longer?
So now was not the time. Teach also wore a foolish grin as he continued to urge everyone to drink.
And perhaps because of the reunion, everyone looked quite happy. Even Luffy was the same.
After several cups, Luffy was even a little drunk, grinning as he slung an arm around Teach.
"Teach, when we were at Sanji's place, I thought you were a bad guy! I didn't expect you to be such a good person!"
Teach: "...?!"
As soon as those words fell, Teach's originally chuckling smile froze stiff on his face, but it quickly recovered.
Still wearing a foolish grin, he said, "Is that so? Maybe I just look kind of bad, brother Luffy…"
However, a trace of disbelief was hidden in his gaze as he looked at Luffy, and a wave of relief surged in his heart as well.
Seeing that the Straw Hat kid still wanted to say something, he hurriedly poured him another cup of wine.
With a solemn expression, he raised his glass and said, "I didn't expect that we would be able to meet again here. Perhaps this is fate! I'll drink it all, you guys do as you like!"
As he spoke, he directly downed the wine in his hand in one go. Seeing how bold and straightforward Teach was, the others did not hesitate either, raising their glasses and drinking heartily.
Everyone once again immersed themselves in this reunion banquet among brothers, and Teach was no exception.
Cup after cup, brimming with bravado, he toasted everyone.