Chapter 160 Exchange
The banquet lasted for three full days.
Following the conclusion of the celebration...
With the conflict against the Whitebeard Pirates resolved, Zane led the members of the Hunting Team back to Fishman District.
He still needed to further cultivate the loyalty of the new members.
Oh.
More importantly, he needed to properly accompany Robin and Baby 5 on a tour of Fishman Island.
As a man of his word, Zane spent the next three days touring Fishman Island with Robin and Baby 5 as promised.
Somehow—he didn't know which loudmouth had leaked the secret—Robin found out that Zane had visited Mermaid Cove.
Because of that, Robin specifically dragged Zane back there for another visit.
However, this certainly wasn't so Zane could enjoy himself again.
Instead, Robin and Baby 5 had secretly conspired to cosplay as mermaids, making it crystal clear to Zane that mermaids were entirely replaceable; he could have them by his side anytime.
"The members of the Whitebeard Pirates are truly impressive. These past few days, I've seen Wyper and his group—even Manlong—returning covered in injuries every time they go to exchange pointers with them."
Nico Robin sighed, crossing her arms and resting her cheek on her right hand as she watched Manlong and the others, clearly bandaged but lively, head out again from the street below.
"That's what it means to be the Four Emperors. 'Emperor' doesn't just refer to their captain being a sovereign of the sea; their subordinates are equally formidable." Zane approached from behind, wrapping his arm around Robin's waist.
He watched the departing figures of Manlong and the others with a faint smile in his eyes.
Although the initial meeting with the Whitebeard Pirates hadn't been very pleasant, the subsequent developments had turned out well.
Take the present, for example.
Compared to the Whitebeard Pirates, the Hunting Team was still quite green.
Given the chance to learn, the ambitious Manlong and his companions hadn't missed the opportunity, even without Zane's orders.
Though surprised by the Hunting Team's intense desire to grow stronger, the Whitebeard Pirates hadn't turned them away.
Over the half-month following the banquet...
Zane had been silently monitoring Manlong and the others.
Although they returned wounded every time...
They gained a wealth of experience with every bout.
This half-month of exchange with the Whitebeard Pirates had firmly taken root within the Hunting Team, needing only the passage of time to blossom into something even more brilliant.
"When Manlong and the others return, go let them know to focus on recovering for now. It's time for us to set sail."
Once Manlong's group had vanished from sight, Zane turned and gave the order to Nico Robin.
Nico Robin looked at Zane in surprise.
'Are we setting sail?'
That made sense.
The new members were finally starting to look the part.
After lingering on Fishman Island for nearly a month, it was indeed time to move on.
However...
"Speaking of which, are you really not interested in the Mermaid Princess at all? I thought you'd at least find a chance to go see her," Nico Robin teased.
The Mermaid Princess was incredibly famous.
Rumors of her beauty were sung across the world; she was said to be a match even for the Pirate Empress, the world's most beautiful woman.
Not to mention her suspicion of being the Ancient Weapon, Poseidon.
And yet...
Since arriving at Fishman Island, Zane had acted as if he were completely unaware of her existence, making no effort to see her.
"What's there to see in a child?" Zane replied succinctly.
He didn't deny her beauty.
But in his eyes, Shirahoshi was just a little girl who cried all the time.
Regardless of her looks or her unparalleled strategic value as the Ancient Weapon Poseidon, he found it hard to muster the interest to amuse a child.
Another week passed.
Having received Nico Robin's notice, Manlong and the others stopped seeking out the Whitebeard Pirates for combat practice.
Under the care of the medical team led by Chopper...
The energetic Manlong and his peers quickly recovered.
On this day...
There were no farewells.
The Hunting Team boarded their three warships and sailed out through the dual-layered membrane of Fishman Island, heading toward the other end of the passage beneath the Red Line.
"Have they left already?"
"Finally gone. I've been exhausted lately."
"You're telling me? You should have seen that Wyper kid who kept challenging me. Talk about high energy."
"It wasn't just you. That Bones guy I fought was the same. He doesn't say much, but he fights like his life doesn't matter."
"Izo, why are you so quiet?"
"Shut up!"
"Hahaha! Izo had it the worst. That Bon Kurei guy kept trying to talk to him about the 'Way of the Okama.' I nearly burst out laughing several times."
"Wait... don't shoot! I'm just joking!"
...
Seeing the other man break into a cold sweat and settle down, Izo let out a huff and lowered the pistol he was pointing.
Unlike the others' playfulness...
...Marco approached his father upon learning of Zane's departure.
"Pops, they're gone. Should we head out too?" Marco asked.
The reason they hadn't left yet was actually to prevent Zane and his group from causing more trouble if they were to depart first.
To avoid any incidents, the Whitebeard Pirates had put up with the Hunting Team's constant requests for sparring matches.
"Marco, contact Ace. If he hasn't found that bastard Teach yet, tell him to come back for now. I'm afraid the New World is about to face some significant turbulence." Whitebeard's movement as he poured wine into his mouth paused slightly. He looked at Marco with a calm expression and gave the order.
Whitebeard's hesitation was subtle, but Marco was a doctor and knew his father's physical condition better than anyone else in the crew.
"Pops, you should really cut back on the drinking. Your body—"
"Gurararara! What kind of pirate doesn't drink?!" Whitebeard laughed boisterously.
He acted as if the stinging pain in his chest at that moment didn't exist.
Marco scratched his head in frustration.
His father was simply too stubborn. Even though his health was deteriorating, he refused to give up his bad habits.
That's Pops for you.
Marco eventually gave a helpless smile.
"Fine, Pops. I'll contact Ace in a bit!"
Teach was certainly detestable, but considering the storm Zane would stir up once he entered the New World, Marco understood why his father wanted Ace back.
Zane...
Just remembering the scene of the head-on clash between Zane and his father made Marco feel a heavy sense of pressure.
*
*
*
The New World.
Splash...
A torrential downpour cascaded down like a waterfall.
Violent winds swept across the sea, whipping up terrifying waterspouts from the surface.
Various natural disasters played out relentlessly.
The whole world appeared murky and chaotic in that moment.
It felt as if an earth-shattering destruction was imminent.
Yet, under the shroud of such terrible natural disasters, three warships—one large and two small—plowed through the waves, leaving the calamities unable to hinder their progress.