Aboard the Red Force, Shanks picked up a Den Den Mushi and excitedly made a call.
"Brother, I've got the Tremor-Tremor Fruit! Come pick it up. I'm currently at..."
After ending the call, Buggy, who had been listening nearby, looked unusually pale.
"Hey, Shanks... are you really sure you want your brother to come here?"
Shanks tilted his head.
"Yeah. He's visited plenty of times before. There's no need to be nervous."
"Don't say it so casually!"
Buggy immediately exploded.
"What pirate isn't terrified of your brother these days?!"
Shanks laughed.
"Relax. You were practically released by him yourself. He won't do anything to you."
Although Shanks offered some reassurance, it did little to improve Buggy's mood.
Leaving the cabin, Shanks walked onto the deck and looked toward Teach, who was tightly bound with Seastone restraints.
Truthfully, even without Seastone, Teach was in no condition to cause trouble.
At the moment, moving a finger was already a difficult task.
Chiffon had not been restrained.
She knelt beside Teach, tears filling her eyes as she stared at his battered, blood-covered body.
Teach lay sprawled across the deck, breathing heavily.
After forcing his eyes open, he looked at Shanks.
"Red Hair... what exactly do you want from me?"
Shanks spread his hands.
"The thing we're after isn't on you anymore."
Teach froze.
"What?"
His eyes suddenly widened.
"Could it be... the old man?!"
Shanks offered no answer.
Before anyone else could speak, Buggy suddenly rushed forward and kicked Teach hard in the waist.
"You're already a prisoner and you're still talking so much!"
Buggy pointed angrily at him.
"Just wait until that person gets here. Then you'll know exactly what's waiting for you!"
"Ah!"
Teach groaned in pain.
At the same time, Chiffon hurriedly grabbed Buggy's leg.
"Please don't hurt my husband!"
Buggy looked down at her and frowned.
He had to admit that Teach's taste in women was certainly unique.
Seeing Chiffon cling to him without letting go, Buggy finally lost patience.
"Let go!"
He pointed at her angrily.
"Do you really think I won't hit a woman?!"
Seeing the situation escalating, Shanks stepped forward and pulled Buggy away.
"Alright, Buggy."
A grin appeared on his face.
"You're starting to look like a villain who finally got his revenge."
"What?!"
Buggy nearly jumped into the air.
"Shanks!!!"
Teach glanced at Buggy and suddenly sneered.
"I remember you now."
His cracked lips curved upward.
"You're that red-nosed idiot from back then."
"So many years have passed, and that ridiculous nose still hasn't changed."
"Zehahaha... cough! Cough!"
The moment those words left Teach's mouth, Buggy's composure shattered completely.
His face turned bright red.
His nose seemed as though it had been heated in a furnace, becoming even redder and more eye-catching than usual.
The sight was so ridiculous that Shanks burst out laughing.
Buggy nearly fainted from anger.
After getting his insult out of his system, Teach seemed to feel much better.
Unfortunately, the moment he remembered his current circumstances, his mood immediately sank to rock bottom.
Nearby, Chiffon's expression was equally miserable.
Just then, an excited voice suddenly rang out across the deck.
"Chiffon!"
Chiffon froze.
She instinctively turned her head.
The next moment, her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Brulee?!"
A figure rushed toward her.
Brulee immediately wrapped her arms around Chiffon and pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Chiffon!"
Her voice trembled with excitement.
"I never thought we'd meet again!"
Before Chiffon could recover from the shock, another figure entered her field of vision.
A tall and familiar man slowly approached from behind Brulee.
Katakuri.
Chiffon instantly froze.
Her entire body became stiff inside Brulee's embrace.
Katakuri walked over quietly.
His gaze first landed on Teach lying on the deck.
Then he looked at Chiffon.
His usually stern expression softened slightly.
"Chiffon..."
Even Shanks was surprised by the reunion unfolding before him.
Only now did he fully realize that Chiffon was also one of Big Mom's daughters.
Finally recovering from her shock, Chiffon tightly grabbed Brulee's shoulders.
"Brulee, why are you and Brother Katakuri here?"
Brulee quickly explained everything that had happened since they left Totto Land.
The more Chiffon listened, the more stunned she became.
Teach and the others nearby were equally dumbfounded.
Because they had just learned an astonishing piece of information.
Red Hair Shanks, one of the Four Emperors, was actually the younger brother of Fleet Admiral Black Dragon.
Buggy folded his arms and snorted disdainfully after seeing their reactions.
"What's there to be surprised about?"
"I, your great Buggy-sama, noticed something strange between those two over twenty years ago."
Shanks immediately exposed him.
"But Buggy, when you first heard the truth, weren't you so shocked that your body split into several pieces and you couldn't put yourself back together?"
"..."
Buggy's face darkened instantly.
"Shanks, you are unbelievably annoying."
Ignoring their banter, Chiffon suddenly grabbed Brulee's collar.
Tears streamed from her eyes.
"Brulee, please save my husband!"
Brulee immediately looked troubled.
Before she could answer, Katakuri frowned slightly and turned his head away.
"Chiffon..."
Brulee hesitated.
"Are you asking me to plead with the Captain?"
Chiffon nodded repeatedly.
"Please!"
Brulee bit her lip.
"Chiffon... I'm afraid I can't help with that."
"But..."
"Chiffon!"
Katakuri's voice suddenly thundered across the deck.
Everyone was startled.
Even Chiffon froze.
Katakuri stared at her seriously.
"At a time like this, you should be thinking about yourself first."
His eyes shifted toward Teach.
"As for your husband..."
His voice became colder.
"I can tell you clearly."
"He is definitely going to die today."
The words struck Chiffon like a bolt of lightning.
Before she could react, Katakuri pulled her to her feet.
"Get a hold of yourself."
At that moment, Shanks, who had been silently watching the entire exchange, finally spoke.
"Katakuri."
Katakuri immediately turned toward him.
"Take your sister below deck."
"Keep her in Brulee's room and don't let her come out."
Katakuri's body trembled slightly.
A moment later, gratitude appeared in his eyes.
He clearly understood what Shanks was doing.
This was Shanks giving Chiffon a chance to avoid what was about to happen.
After all, the person arriving soon was Fleet Admiral Black Dragon.
Brulee quickly realized the same thing.
Her eyes immediately became red.
She bowed deeply toward Shanks.
"Thank you, Captain!"
Shanks waved dismissively.
"What are you thanking me for?"
He smiled.
"And what's with the 'Captain' stuff?"
"Aren't we comrades?"
The simple words hit harder than any speech.
Even someone as emotionally reserved as Katakuri found it difficult to remain unaffected.
As for Brulee, tears nearly burst from her eyes on the spot.
In the end, Katakuri picked Brulee up under one arm.
With his other hand, he firmly held Chiffon.
Then he bowed deeply toward Shanks.
From that moment onward, he truly regarded himself as a member of the Red Hair Pirates.
Compared to his own mother, Shanks was unquestionably a captain worthy of loyalty.
Ignoring Chiffon's continued protests, Katakuri turned around and headed toward the cabin.
After they disappeared below deck, Buggy clicked his tongue.
"You're still the same as ever."
Shanks simply smiled and shook his head.
At that moment, Teach suddenly struggled to speak.
"Wait... wait a minute..."
His voice was weak and trembling.
"Red Hair... no, Shanks-san..."
A forced smile appeared on his bloodied face.
"I finally understand."
"You want to help your big brother obtain the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, right?"
"It's not on me anymore."
"Look..."
Teach swallowed hard.
"For the sake of the days when we fought together..."
His voice became increasingly desperate.
"Spare me."
"I surrender."
===
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