Chapter 151: Raven

The new ship, refitted from a warship, had already been launched several days ago, its speed far exceeding Gao Wen's original expectations.

This also meant that Gao Wen and the others were about to set sail for the Grand Line, searching for a place where they could truly settle down, rather than remaining in a port in the East Sea.

For a pirate ship, Raven Port was large, but for a pirate crew, it was still too small.

This was even more true for the increasingly powerful people on Gao Wen's ship, simply because they could no longer find any opponents in the East Sea.

Thus, tonight's banquet served both as a belated victory celebration for the martial arts tournament and as a farewell.

The Cat Brothers naturally understood this; their eyes were filled with immense conflict:

"Do we want to?"

"How could we not?"

Sam lowered his gaze, his eyes filled with reluctance, and Buchi beside him was the same.

Having joined Gao Wen's pirate crew for over half a year, everything they had experienced was far more wonderful and rich than the first half of their lives.

How could they not look forward to a larger world and more interesting adventures?

But...

The two turned their heads.

Before their eyes were countless pirates who could no longer keep up with Gao Wen's pace; laughter was on their faces, yet tears lingered in the corners of their eyes.

Buchi's gaze gradually became resolute:

"Captain."

"As for me~"

"I don't possess Captain Gin's kind of will, nor do I have that guy Zoro's ambition to become the world's greatest."

"In the past, the first thing I thought of every day upon opening my eyes was where the next small dried fish would be."

Saying this,

Buchi reached up to touch his head, wearing a silly smile, his eyes squinted into slits yet shining at this moment like stars on the horizon:

"If someone is to blaze new sea routes, then naturally someone must stay behind to guard their homeland and protect companions who have lost their strength."

"As for me~"

"I want to become that kind of existence!"

"As long as I can still stand and have not shed my last drop of blood, our flag in Raven Port will never be lowered."

Gao Wen was stunned.

For the first time, he saw something shimmering like gold in Buchi's eyes.

The scene had long since fallen silent.

At this moment, everyone's gaze was fixed on Buchi.

Xiang Keluo set down the wine glass in his hand, raised his hand to adjust his glasses, feeling as though he was meeting Buchi for the first time.

As Buchi's former captain, he considered himself to know this subordinate intimately.

Cowardly and afraid of death, bullying the weak and fearing the strong.

Yet such a person was now radiating a will comparable to gold.

No!

Not only Buchi, but even Sam beside him wore an equally solemn expression at this moment.

"That's right."

"Captain, meeting you in the East Sea was the greatest adventure!"

"We villains, who should have long been dead, have found the motivation and meaning to live on."

Having said this, Sam lowered his head, clenched his teeth tightly, yet tears fell to the ground with a plop.

"Woo-oh~~~!"

"Is this the bond between men?!"

Feng Kelei, who had just been dancing nearby, burst into loud wails, leaped over, and embraced the Cat Brothers, their voices growing louder one after another.

"Woo-oh~~~!"

"Little Feng! Sam! Buchi!"

Xiang Keluo's gaze, however, gradually fell upon Gao Wen nearby, and he sighed inwardly:

"I have lost completely!"

"There is a magic about this fellow, quietly changing everyone around him."

"From those small fries, to the Cat Brothers, to Gin, and then to..."

"Me!"

He looked at his own hands, only then realizing with a start that, unknowingly, he had already changed greatly.

The peaceful life he once craved most was now within easy reach, yet Xiang Keluo no longer cared.

Now, the only things in his mind were clashing with stronger opponents, enjoying the pleasure of slaughter, and...

Letting this man ascend the throne!

Even if it meant wagering everything he had!

Thinking of this,

Xiang Keluo raised the wine glass beside him, clinked it with the bewildered Gin, and then proceeded to drink gloomily by himself.

Sanji, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, looked at the three clowns embracing and weeping in the distance, the corner of his mouth involuntarily curling into a slight smile.

He turned his head and only then noticed that Zoro was wearing an expression just like his own; he had intended to habitually trade a few barbs, but what came out instead was:

"Moss-head... Cheers!"

"Ah, cheers!"

Zoro smiled faintly, yet in his heart a sense of anticipation had already begun — how many more strong men awaited his challenge upon the Grand Line, how many more peaks remained for him to climb.

That excitement flared up so quickly that even his palms grew hot.

Elsewhere.

Gasha watched this scene, and especially as her gaze lingered on Gao Wen, with the corners of his mouth holding a smile, only a thick reluctance filled her eyes.

If the cat-man brothers still had the choice of whether to follow Gao Wen away, then she had none at all.

Or rather, she knew full well that no matter what, she had to stay in Crow Harbor.

For this had always been her territory, and the people living in the port were her subjects.

Just as she had once said to Molly — since she enjoyed her subjects' respect and the power in her hands, she could never abandon them.

What's more, although Gao Wen had set up the framework for the martial tournament, the follow-up still required her to refine and run it.

Only.

When she noticed Gao Wen's back, a deep reluctance filled her gaze.

"Mr. Gao Wen…"

Gasha murmured softly:

"Just like the sun — dazzling and brilliant, yet able to make one feel a warmth from the bottom of one's heart."

Nami scooted over. She glanced at Gasha's flushed face, then at Gao Wen, and from a girl's intuition instantly understood what was going on. She teased:

"Hey~ Gasha~"

"The Grand Line is never short on beauties, you know~"

"Even Captain Gao Wen might, who knows, accidentally fall for some other girl?"

Gasha hugged her knees, shaking her head like a rattle-drum:

"He won't, Mr. Gao Wen, he…"

Halfway through, she instinctively buried her head. Listening to Nami's laughter, her face flushed red all the way to her ears.

Seeing this, the corner of Nami's mouth curved into a mischievous grin:

"I can keep an eye out for you — the moment a pretty woman shows up near the Captain, I'll let you know right away."

"But then again~"

Nami rubbed her fingers together.

Gasha caught on instantly, yet her gaze drifted back to Gao Wen in the distance, wavering and hesitant — where was even a trace of the decisiveness she'd shown when Crow Harbor was attacked by Krieg?

"Then I'm off, then?"

"Don't!"

Seeing Nami pretend to leave, Gasha immediately panicked and hurriedly said:

"Deal!"

Nami's eyes glittered with the gleam of gold coins, and she said:

"One hundred thousand Beri a month!"

"That's way too much?!"

"Two hundred thousand!"

"You're raising the price on me?"

"Three—!"

"Deal!"

Gasha grabbed Nami's hand in one swift motion — not because she feared Nami would keep raising the price, but because she was worried her voice was too loud and would draw Gao Wen's attention.

She glanced at Gao Wen once more, leaned close to Nami's ear, and said through gritted teeth:

"Keep your eyes glued to him!"

"Deal!"

……

After that little farce passed, the banquet quickly returned to its proper course — drinking, singing, chatting about everything under the sun…

Before the parting.

Everyone was reveling to their heart's content, for the next time they met might be many years away.

And for those pirates who had already reached a certain age, this parting might well be forever. They only wanted one more look at the most unorthodox, yet most righteous, pirate captain in their hearts.

Until the sky brightened at dawn and the great majority had passed out drunk, the bonfires in the port had never once gone out.

Gasha had people carry the unconscious, dead-drunk pirates back to their lodgings.

By the time she returned to the port again.

A pirate ship, converted from a Marine Headquarters warship, had already come to berth in the harbor.

Its sails were hoisted high.

The skull-and-crossbones flag, with a round shield as its base, faced the gradually rising morning sun, snapping and fluttering loudly in the sea breeze.

The ship retained the general shape of a Marine warship, but its interior had been reinforced according to Gao Wen's wishes. Standing in the harbor, it looked like a steel behemoth armed to the teeth.

"What's its name?!"

Gasha blurted it out instinctively, yet everyone's gaze converged on Gao Wen.

Naming the flagship was the captain's privilege.

Gao Wen looked back at Crow Harbor.

The gravestones he had once erected for those fallen companions on the hill behind the port happened to be able to see this place.

The companions living on Red Longjie could also see this place.

He looked at Gasha again, a decision forming in his heart:

"Raven. We'll call her the Raven."

"We will carry the wishes of everyone, and create a true utopia that belongs to us."

"Let the name of the Gao Wen Pirate Crew echo through every corner of this world!"

Having said that.

Gao Wen took the lead, leaping straight onto the deck. Xiang Keluo and the others, along with the several dozen pirates sailing with them, boarded the Raven together.

Sailing a pirate ship relying on only a few officers is almost an impossible task — especially for a pirate ship over a hundred meters in length.

Gao Wen had previously selected a group of young, strong, and navigation-savvy backbone members from Red Longjie to follow him into the Grand Line.

Afterwards, they would also be responsible for the Raven's normal sailing, daily maintenance, and other miscellaneous duties — among them were even two ship doctors recruited from Raven Port.

Though the two of them were not quite at the level of top doctors, they had absolutely no problem handling common illnesses encountered at sea.

Very soon.

With the ship fully provisioned, she let out a whistle into the rising sun, then slowly sailed out of the port, setting course for the Grand Line.

Gasha gazed at the Raven, her eyes brimming with tears that never quite fell.

She stood in the port for a long time, and only after Molli's reminder did she return to the Lord's manor.

That's right.

Mr. Gao Wen has Mr. Gao Wen's journey, and I too have things I must accomplish!

……

At the same time.

The news that the Gao Wen Pirate Crew had set off for the Grand Line was also transmitted back to CP organization headquarters through Stussy.

At this moment.

A group of CP organization higher-ups had all gathered here, looking at the intelligence Stussy had sent back in silence. The atmosphere in the meeting room was oppressive and heavy.

It was not until the man seated in the main seat spoke that the silence was broken:

"The Knight Gao Wen has indeed set off from East Blue."

"Should we say it was expected?"

"Of those pirates capable of claiming the title of Warlord, how many are truly content to stay in their place?"

"Fortunately, we were prepared long ago. Stussy has done very well in this regard."

Having said that.

He turned his head to look at Spandam, who was respectfully seated at the lowest seat, and said coldly:

"Roubo Luqi's side can begin operations now."

"Yes!"

Spandam abruptly stood up, his expression utterly deferential, yet the look in his eyes as he glanced around carried an ambition that was hard to conceal.

As long as Roubo Luqi's mission this time was completed beautifully, then there should be a place for him here!

(End of this chapter)