Regarding the time experiment I mentioned earlier about 'V me 50'.
The good news is, the experiment was a success.
The bad news is, time passed even faster.
In the blink of an eye, the month the Red-Haired Pirates stayed was over.
For the first half of the month, Bai Yun received 'special training' from the Red-Haired Pirates' cadres.
Then they set sail, also for half a month, making it exactly one month. This time they returned to say goodbye... "I will become the King of the Pirates!!"
Luffy's excited voice echoed from the Windmill Village dock.
After a month, Shanks and his crew were setting sail again, and this time they wouldn't be returning to Windmill Village. Not that they would never come back, but at least not for a while. Their year-long journey with Windmill Village as their base was over.
"Heh... you want to surpass us?"
"Then..."
"I'll leave this hat with you for now."
"This is a hat I cherish very much."
"Next time we meet, you must return it to me, when you've become an excellent pirate..."
A famous scene.
Shanks took off his straw hat, knelt down, and placed it on Luffy's head. This was an inheritance.
Hidden by the hat, little Luffy was already in tears.
On the other side, Bai Yun and Benn Beckman, who had spent half a month as master and apprentice, quietly watched this scene.
In the latter half of the month after Shanks and his crew left, Bai Yun's leg had recovered. But as a small child, standing next to Beckman, he only reached his waist. That position was easy to poke.
Shifting his gaze from Luffy and Shanks, Bai Yun looked up and met Beckman's eyes, then slowly lowered his gaze to the flintlock pistol tucked into Beckman's waist.
"What are you looking at? This is how I make a living. What do you want, kid?"
Beckman blocked Bai Yun's view. You really know how to choose, kid.
Bai Yun didn't answer, turning his head to look back at Luffy and Shanks, then let out a slight sigh, as if saying nothing, yet saying something.
"You brat!"
Beckman, of course, knew that Bai Yun was hinting at him.
After thinking for a moment, he pulled a bullet from his pants pocket.
"I call this the 'last bullet'."
"The sea is mysterious, interesting, but also full of dangers."
"If you want to be a pirate, you'll definitely have enemies."
"This bullet I'm giving you."
"It's either a fatal shot to an enemy."
"Or a desperate struggle in a dead end."
"Or a quick end for yourself."
"It's very meaningful."
Tucking the bullet into Bai Yun's palm, Beckman explained at length the meaning of this bullet.
Bai Yun looked at the bullet in his hand, then looked up at Beckman.
"Thank you, Master."
"But it must have been hard for you."
"To just grab a random bullet and have to think of so many words to fool me."
"..."
"You're the only one who can talk, huh!"
"At your age, can't you be like Luffy, crying and hugging my leg to express your farewell?"
Beckman's complaint came. Look at others, how emotional!
Bai Yun glanced at Luffy, who was saying goodbye to Shanks and tearing up as he spoke.
"I'm not that sentimental."
Luffy: ???
It wasn't that Luffy was sentimental; Bai Yun had a 7-year-old body and an 18-year-old soul. If he were truly Luffy's age, he would cry too... "Anchor aweigh!"
"Hoist the sails!"
"Set sail!"
Farewell always comes.
Bai Yun and Luffy stood on the dock, waving goodbye to Shanks and his crew.
As the ship turned, Bai Yun threw something, and it flew towards Beckman.
Beckman, holding a cigarette between his fingers, quickly reached out and caught it. Opening his hand, he saw a silver lighter.
He looked up at Bai Yun, who was smiling at him.
"Smoke less, Master."
Having spent half a month with Beckman, Bai Yun felt like he was almost marinated in smoke.
Beckman smiled and asked.
"Where did you get the money to buy it, kid?"
"Who said I bought it? I 'borrowed' it," Bai Yun replied.
Beckman paused, then burst out laughing.
"Hahaha, you really have the makings of a pirate, kid! Hahaha!"
"We'll be waiting for you on the high seas, in the future!"
"If you don't achieve something outstanding, don't blame us for laughing at you!"
Shanks was also very happy, showing a mouthful of white teeth.
"That's right, you must become excellent pirates next time we meet! Luffy, Bai Yun!"
"We'll meet again!"
Their voices echoed on the dock of Windmill Village, echoing in the hearts of the two boys.
The ship left them with its back, slowly sailing towards the sunset, towards the distant horizon.
On the ship.
Beckman looked at the lighter in his hand, flicked the half-smoked cigarette he was holding into the sea, took out a new one, and lit it with the lighter.
For some reason, this puff of smoke felt even better.
"Look how happy you are."
Shanks said.
"Who wouldn't be happy to have a good apprentice?"
"And that kid Luffy, I've known him for a year."
"These two kids will make something of themselves!"
Beckman replied, looking up at the sky.
"Indeed."
"After all, that kid Luffy is exactly like me when I was young."
"And with Bai Yun helping him, it's even more certain."
"Isn't this just a miniature version of you and me! Hahaha."
Shanks suddenly realized that Luffy and Bai Yun were very much like him and Beckman.
Beckman pulled his head back and quickly denied, "How am I like that 'eloquent' kid?"
Although he said that, he looked at the lighter again and showed a relieved smile.
His crewmates found their vice-captain's expression amusing.
"Enough talk!"
"Let's have a feast!"
Shanks raised his remaining 'two' hands (｢･ω･)｢, announcing the news of a feast!
His crewmates cheered in agreement; the Red-Haired Pirates were professionals at feasting.
As some well-known sayings go:
Whitebeard was adopting sons.
Kaido was creating artificial Devil Fruits.
Big Mom was building Totto Land.
And Shanks was throwing parties.
...
A/N: The journey continues! If you're eager to read far ahead and support this story, consider joining the Eternal Phoenix community. You can find me on Patreon by searching for "Eternal_Phoenix".
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