Chapter 228: A Man's Dream Will Never End!
Just as Ralph was pondering how to be more imposing, the standoff between Teach and Lufia was ended by the Boss.
"Both of you."
The Boss said helplessly, "It's fine if you want to compete, but if you're ordering takeout, you have to consider how many ingredients we have."
Teach and Lufia stopped simultaneously.
"Limited ingredients?"
"Right! Are you still eating or not?"
The two exchanged a glance.
Then they shouted at the same time:
"Eat! We must eat!"
Teach picked up the packaged cherry pie and stood up.
Before leaving, he looked at Lufia.
"Little girl, are you a Pirate too?"
Lufia puffed out her chest:
"Of course! I'm a great Pirate with a bounty of 30 million Berry!"
Gasps echoed through the tavern.
"30 million?!"
"This little girl?"
"Bragging, right?"
The Boss silently pulled out a stack of wanted posters and flipped through two of them.
One was Lufia's, 30 million Berry.
The other was Ralph's, 35 million Berry.
"..."
Everyone fell silent.
Teach was also taken aback for a moment, then laughed.
He looked at Lufia, then at Ralph.
"Interesting."
"Looking forward to meeting you on the sea."
He turned and pushed the door open to leave.
Ralph wanted to follow him.
A resentful gaze came from behind.
He turned around and met Lufia's aggrieved eyes.
"Ralph, my bounty still hasn't increased."
Ralph: "..."
So that's what it was.
He quickly comforted her:
"Don't worry, we did such big things in Alabasta, it's bound to increase!"
"Let the bounty fly a little longer!"
A customer nearby snorted disdainfully upon hearing this.
"Increase bounty? It's not that easy."
"For Pirates, bounty is a label of strength, proof of reputation."
He pointed at Bellamy lying on the ground.
"You two, one 30 million, one 35 million."
"And Bellamy, whose face you just humiliated, is worth 55 million."
"I advise you to leave quickly, otherwise when he sobers up, he won't let you off."
Lufia widened her eyes in surprise.
"This drunkard? 55 million? That's so unfair!"
Her shout was particularly loud.
Bellamy, lying on the ground, slowly woke up.
Everyone gulped.
The atmosphere became eerily quiet.
Like the calm before the storm.
Bellamy shook his head and stood up.
He didn't remember what had just happened at all.
But he remembered one thing.
He had received a report from his subordinates that two promising rookie Pirates had arrived in Mock Town.
The Straw Hat Girl with a 30 million Berry bounty and the unknown Ralph with a 35 million bounty!
In the Great Pirate Era, what is most valuable?
Talent!
He had come specifically to test the mettle of this pair!
Bellamy looked at Lufia and Ralph.
"You two are quite good."
"My Pirate ship needs fresh blood like yours to help me usher in a new era of Pirates!"
Lufia tilted her head and looked at him.
Then she shook her head.
"We don't have time to help you usher in any era.
We're going to Skypiea next!"
As soon as these words were spoken.
Bellamy froze.
Then, "Hahahahahaha!"
He erupted into earth-shaking laughter.
Everyone in the tavern joined in laughing.
"To Skypiea? Hahahaha!"
"What nonsense is this girl saying?"
"Skypiea doesn't exist at all!!"
Bellamy laughed until tears came out.
"I thought you two were outstanding rookies, but it turns out you're just another pair of fools chasing dreams!"
He wiped away tears of laughter.
"The old Pirate era of passion for adventure, treasure hunting, and chasing dreams is over!"
He spread his arms wide and declared loudly:
"The new Pirate era of pursuit, plunder, and destruction will be led by me, Bellamy!"
The smile faded from Lufia's face.
She looked at Bellamy, her eyes filled with both disdain and pity.
"If that's the kind of Pirate you are, then we have nothing more to say."
She turned to leave.
"Stop!"
Bellamy called out to her, "How can there be nothing to say? Do you know what we do to fools like you?"
He reached out and picked up a bottle.
Ralph's eyes sharpened.
Was the humiliating scene from his memory about to happen again?
How could he let that happen!
He took a step forward—
"Ralph."
Lufia's voice rang out.
"Don't make a move."
Ralph paused, but after a moment's thought, he realized this was exactly the kind of thing Lufia would say.
"They're not worthy of fighting us."
Lufia said, "That's an order from your captain."
Ralph looked at her.
She stood there, her small back carrying a weight that seemed immense.
This was what Red-Hair had taught her through action: there must be a reason to fight.
If there's no reason, it's better to take a beating than to fight back!
Hearing this, Bellamy laughed even louder.
"Not worthy? Hahahaha!"
"I think you're just scared!"
"Cowards! Just admit you're cowards!"
He swung the bottle, aiming for Lufia's head.
And then—
He hit nothing.
The Straw Hat Girl was gone.
The nameless swordsman was gone too.
Bellamy stood frozen in place.
"Where'd they go?"
On the main street.
Ralph carried Lufia on his shoulder, running steadily.
Lufia lay over his shoulder, completely bewildered.
"Ralph, we didn't do anything wrong, so why are we running?"
"Yeah, we didn't do anything wrong."
Ralph didn't look back, "So why should we get beaten up?"
Lufia blinked.
"Even though they're not worth fighting, we don't have to just stand there and get hit either."
Ralph continued, "If they're disgusting, why not just avoid them?"
Lufia was taken aback.
Then, a smile spread across her face.
"Ralph, you're right!"
She lay over his shoulder, shaking with laughter.
"Those people are so disgusting! I don't want to get hit by them!
"So we just ran."
"Hehehe! That works too!"
"Of course it does."
Ralph slowed his pace to a stroll.
Lufia didn't get down, letting him carry her as they swayed leisurely along.
The evening glow spilled onto the street, stretching their shadows long and thin.
"Ralph."
"Hmm?"
"Why do those people hate dreams so much?"
Ralph thought for a moment.
"Because they don't have dreams."
"So when they see people with dreams, it hurts their eyes."
"That's so sad for them."
"Yeah, really sad."
The two continued walking.
The street gradually grew emptier.
Suddenly, Lufia said:
"Ralph, I'm going to become the Pirate King."
"I know."
"Will you stay with me all the way?"
"Yes."
"That's good."
Lufia buried her head in his shoulder and fell silent.
Ralph carried her, walking slowly.
Savoring this moment of peace.
Until—
A loud shout came from the next street over.
"A man's dreams—will never die!"
Ralph's footsteps halted.
That voice.
Carrying Lufia, he launched into the air with Geppo.
Leaping onto the rooftop, I looked toward the neighboring street.
The surrounding Pirates had cleared a space.
A burly figure stood there.
Blackbeard Teach.
In one hand, he held a bottle of liquor; in the other, he dragged fifty servings of cherry pie. Opening his mouth wide, missing several teeth, he laughed uproariously toward the sky.
And standing opposite him—was a man.
Fire Fist Ace