Chapter 123: Swimming to the Final Point

The second half of the Grand Line, the New World.

Beside the helm of the Donghai Dihuang.

Only after the entire jar of dandelion wine was empty did Mihawk, emboldened by a bit of drunkenness, take out the gift box tied with a bow.

"I didn't do well a few days ago."

Even Whitebeard gave Saint Saint Saiwen a birthday gift; how much more so the companions by his side? It's just that Mihawk had been torn for days about what to give.

Finally, with Jin Ni's unintentional hint, Mihawk personally sewed a black-and-red captain's hat, perfectly matching the color of the Donghai Dihuang's hull.

Opening the gift box, Saint Saint Saiwen gently placed it on his head.

"Thanks, Mi-san."

This birthday, Saint Saint Saiwen received quite a few gifts.

Including the most simple and unadorned treasures from the Five Elders, numerous eternal compasses from Whitebeard, and kitchen knives from Brother Xiao Ma and others.

But if asked which he liked most, it was still this pirate captain's hat from Mihawk.

In the original timeline, Mihawk lived alone for many years in a castle on Kuraigana Island, personally planting vegetables and cooking all his own food.

Truly an all-around otaku.

With the captain's hat, if the flying bamboo dragonfly is listed on the trading platform again, Saint Saint Saiwen will definitely equip it with a gravity-defying device.

Glutton, Divine Godly Power, Steel Balloon, Lunarian bloodline—Saint Saint Saiwen's physique and bloodline are already maxed out.

Once all configurations that can be maxed out, such as the three-color Haki and divine equipment, are also maxed out.

Little Imu, I have the army of travelers from all heavens and worlds standing behind me; what do you have to win with?

"The strongest man Jia Ba you mentioned earlier should be on Elbaf, right?"

When the Whitebeard Pirates visited Honeycomb Island, Saint Saint Saiwen used his captain's privilege, causing Mihawk to miss the chance to fight Whitebeard, which was a great regret.

This trip to Elbaf is to meet Jia Ba, whom Saint Saint Saiwen admires greatly and who is known as the strongest man in history and the left arm of the Pirate King.

Mihawk naturally cannot miss this opportunity.

Hearing of the strongest man, Saint Saint Saiwen immediately showed a look of longing, wishing he could tear through space and descend upon Elbaf to ask exactly how it was done!

Could it really be swimming to the final point, then unleashing a Getsuga Tensho?

If that is truly the case, such a feat would be far more awesome than Captain Luo Jie finding the final island.

"Yes, Jia Ba is living in seclusion on Elbaf."

Calculating the time, Uncle Jia Ba's wife should have given birth to a son older than Jia Ba himself in recent years.

A family of three is quite interesting; without looking closely at the photo, you can't even find where Jia Ba is.

At this moment, Shiki floated over gently.

"Are you planning to invite Jia Ba aboard?"

Having fought the Luo Jie Pirates countless times, Shiki naturally knows Luo Jie's Wings of the King quite well; if he could truly gather figures like Rayleigh and Jia Ba, they might even be able to attack the Holy Land Mary Geoise!

"You're overthinking it, Senior Shiki."

Saint Saint Saiwen took out another jar of dandelion wine and poured a cup for Shiki.

"Senior, everyone has already realized their dreams; it's time to enjoy themselves properly. I don't want to disturb their retirement life too much."

When the Luo Jie Pirates arrived at the final island, Laugh Tale, although there was some regret, it was ultimately an unprecedented feat accomplished.

If the crew had intended to continue sailing back then, they wouldn't have left after Captain Luo Jie disbanded the pirate crew.

"Each generation has its own dreams; the era of the Luo Jie Pirates has passed, and new dreams will naturally be realized by the new era."

Shiki silently picked up the wine jar and floated away lightly while Saint Saint Saiwen was lost in reflection.

Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen really has a lot of good things.

This is Shiki's biggest discovery recently; he can't bring himself to ask for the flying cape, since he was the one who sternly refused to change his cape back then.

But the dandelion wine is different.

He must provoke Mihawk, Master Tenghu, and others to add dandelion wine to the Morning Star Pirates' crew benefits, with unlimited daily supply.

Shiki's little move was naturally noticed by Saint Saint Saiwen; he pretended nothing happened, treating it as a way to strengthen the bond between companions.

After all, he is the Perfect Lion, and a jar of dandelion wine costs only three points.

Worth it.

A short while later, Big Mom arrived beside the helm again.

"Captain, let me take the helm."

Saint Saint Saiwen was about to praise him, thinking he truly is the gentlest man who knows how to care for the captain, but then heard Big Mom continue: "Jin Ni is hungry."

Damn it! Saint Saint Saiwen grunted.

Showing off their love, so annoying!

Most members of the Morning Star Pirates can cook; Mihawk and Jin Ni's culinary skills are especially excellent, but everyone agrees on one thing regarding cooking—

It must be left to the captain.

Even Shiki highly approved, once remarking: Luo Jie was a fellow who knew how to enjoy life.

Saint Saint Saiwen decided: he would find time to take on an apprentice and teach all his culinary skills.

Big Mom smiled, took the helm, and steered according to the eternal compass embedded in the center of the helm.

The compass embedded in the center of the helm is not fixed; it is replaced according to the sailing destination. Some of these compasses come from—records Saint Saint Saiwen made while following the Luo Jie Pirates, and others were gifts from Whitebeard.

Whitebeard sailed the seas for many years, so the recorded compasses are naturally very numerous; there are some islands that even Saint Saint Saiwen had never reached with a ship before.

This gift is extremely precious.

Although days of sailing at sea can sometimes feel boring, one can see different scenery.

While Saint Saint Saiwen sailed the Donghai Dihuang through wind and waves toward Elbaf, the Buggy Pirates had already arrived at the first half of the Grand Line, Paradise.

Paradise, the Sea of Small Flowers.

"Captain Buggy, we adore you!"

After once again turning danger into safety, the little underlings of the Buggy Pirates finally realized just how heaven-defying their seemingly unreliable captain truly was!

It was simply an explosion of luck!

A month ago, the Buggy Pirates sailed from Orange Town in the East Blue to Reverse Mountain, and finally reached the Grand Line.

Just as they were preparing to hold a celebratory banquet, they were immediately taught a lesson by the violent and changeable climate of the Grand Line—

successive gales, torrential rains, towering waves, attacks from other pirate crews, naval patrol fleets' cannon fire, and the occasional Sea King...

Yet, even when encountering the most perilous situations, the Buggy Pirates always managed to turn bad luck into good.

They even had unexpected gains.

Not long ago, three pirate ships, including the Buggy Pirates, were struck by a giant wave, but the results were not the same: the Buggy ship only had some seawater flood the deck, while the other two were destroyed with all hands lost.

"Captain Buggy, we salvaged an ugly fellow from the sunken ship."

Buggy squinted closely at what his crew called the ugly fellow: a split forehead, a red nose, inverted eyebrows, and triangular eyes; he inexplicably felt a sense of kinship.

Red nose... red nose... red nose.

Rarely meeting a man with a red nose like his own, although not as big as his red nose, but this feeling of meeting a kindred spirit—

at just one glance, made Buggy silently resolve: no matter what, he would claim this crew member.

"Wake him up!"

Foxy slowly woke up, and the first thing he saw was a red nose bigger and redder than his own; this feeling of meeting a kindred spirit...

Some people feel a sense of kinship at just one glance, even feeling they met too late.

This crew member, Foxy would claim.

"Thank you for saving me. I am Foxy the Slow-Slow Man, who ate the Slow-Slow Fruit."

"No need to be polite." Buggy grinned.

"My name is Buggy. I am preparing to join my brother."