As Shanks spoke, the crew all gathered around and curiously looked at Ace.
Ace, infected by their cheerful atmosphere, couldn't help letting a faint smile show on his face.
But he hadn't forgotten the real reason he came.
He politely bowed again toward Shanks and said, "Mr. Shanks, I actually came because there's something I want to ask you."
"Ask me?"
Shanks continued smiling warmly. "What is it? Don't worry. If it's something I can talk about, I'll definitely answer you."
"I heard you were an apprentice on my father's ship back in the day?"
"Your father? The captain?"
The moment those words fell, the previously cheerful Shanks froze. He hadn't expected Ace to bring that up. He looked Ace up and down, and seeing Ace's calm smile, Shanks also revealed a relieved one. "Your heart is stronger than I expected, Ace."
He already had an idea of what Ace wanted to ask. As an apprentice on the King of the Pirates' ship, he had been asked the same questions countless times, such as where Laugh Tale is, what the captain found there, etc.
So he assumed this kid had come for that reason.
Otherwise, what else would someone suddenly come asking him?
"I already know what you want to ask."
"Huh? Mr. Shanks already knows? I haven't even asked yet!"
"It's because countless people have asked me the same thing."
Shanks smiled faintly, not minding the topic at all as he leaned against the railing, gazing out at the sea. "Unfortunately, I don't know either. If you want to know where it is and what's there, you'll have to go find it yourself."
"I have to find it myself? Isn't the King of the Pirates dead?"
"That's why I'm saying you need to find it yourself."
"But weren't you an apprentice on the King of the Pirates' ship? How do you not know—"
"I really don't know. I wasn't with them at the time. Kid, if that's your dream, then press forward to the end of the sea!"
"What dream?"
Ace scratched his head, his reliable demeanor instantly disappearing. He stared at Shanks, confused. "What does that have to do with anything? You lived through that era, didn't you? Don't tell me you have amnesia?"
Shanks: "...?"
What?
Still leaning on the railing, Shanks turned around, dumbfounded. "Amnesia? What are you talking about?"
"Didn't you already know? I heard from Mr. Ian that back then, my father was fighting over a woman with his own brother, and he even got depressed for a while because he lost."
Ace scratched his head, but his eyes sparkled with curiosity, his face full of gossip as he looked at Shanks. "I'm just curious, Mr. Shanks. Can you tell me? And I heard that the King of the Pirates' former crewmates is still alive?"
"You came to ask that?"
"What else would I be asking?"
Ace: "..."
Shanks: "..."
Both fell silent and stared at each other.
Then Shanks suddenly burst into wild laughter, laughing so hard that tears nearly streamed down his face.
But as he laughed, he noticed the rest of the crew gathering behind him with the same gossipy expressions.
He quickly wiped away his grin and barked: "What are you all doing here?"
"Come on, captain, tell us!"
"Yeah! This is way more interesting than Laugh Tale!"
"Who would've thought the King of the Pirates once fought his own brother over a woman? Captain, hurry and tell us!"
"Tell you, my ass! This is just like the Laugh Tale. One of the secrets I'm not allowed to speak of!"
Seeing the entire crew gossiping, Shanks didn't hesitate and cursed while laughing.
Then he raised his cup to change the topic and shouted loudly: "Hurry up and start the banquet! Let's welcome Luffy's big brother!"
"Wooo!"
Instantly, the entire crew drowned him in looks of contempt.
…
On the other side, only thinking that Ace went to thank Shanks for taking care of his little brother, and not knowing that the kid actually went to openly ask him about his father's romantic affairs, Ian was lying on the deck, enjoying the sunlight that was about to set.
He was reading the book Shanks had thrown to him while slowly recovering.
It was written in great detail, even including some usage techniques for Conqueror's Haki.
Ian had to admit that it surprised him.
He didn't know whether that guy did this for Garp's sake or simply because Ace was staying with him.
Ian read very carefully. Although his body's wounds wouldn't heal in a short time, it didn't stop him from reading seriously.
Regarding the techniques for using Conqueror's Haki, he indeed only had a vague understanding.
He purely relied on his own instincts and applied the techniques he learned from Armament Haki and Observation Haki, so he had to say, this manual came at a very timely moment!
One must know that the Conqueror's Haki was extremely important.
In later battles against those who possessed immortal bodies, Conqueror's Haki would be needed.
Of course, at this moment, he only skimmed it, planning to focus on training after returning.
Ian flipped page after page, and soon reached the last one. When he saw that the last page only had a single line, he instantly laughed.
It said: [You are not the God of Sun!]
That guy was really bashful!
But Ian didn't expect that fellow would actually leave a line here to remind him.
Whether he was the so-called God of Sun or not, would he not know himself?
But did that matter?
In this world, only strength was everything.
He still had to pay attention... to that Domi Reversi of Imu's, he still had no idea how to break it.
Even someone as strong as Rocks, a world-class powerhouse, was ultimately plotted against by Imu.
One must know that Conqueror's Haki could resist all Devil Fruit abilities, and Rocks possessed terrifying Conqueror's Haki, yet he was still dominated.
He didn't know whether Rocks' Conqueror's Haki simply wasn't strong enough to break the Domi Reversi, or whether breaking the Domi Reversi required some special method, such as the God of Sun's drumbeats?
This might also be why some strong individuals did not eat Devil Fruits. Perhaps compared to gaining sudden power that might be dominated by others, relying on one's own effort to train power was more reliable.
Just as Ian was deep in thought, a figure suddenly sat down beside him, followed by Ain's voice.