Benn Beckman let out a short laugh, his eyes never leaving the smaller vessel. "Aren't you guys even a little worried she might be an enemy?"
"How could that be, Benn?" Shanks replied, grinning. "Look, there are only a few people on her ship. It doesn't look like a warship at all. Besides, I don't feel a shred of hostility from her. She is definitely just coming over to say hello."
Shanks wasn't being naive; if Yamato had arrived with bloodlust or ill intentions, his Observation Haki would have picked it up instantly. After a brief pause, he added with a smug look, "Maybe she's just a big fan of mine and came specifically for a visit."
"Eww... Boss, you're way too narcissistic," the crew members said, looking at him with pure disdain. "Take a look in a mirror—you look like a scruffy uncle. You aren't exactly a hit with the young girls, okay?"
Hearing his own crew tear him down so bluntly, Shanks felt utterly defeated. "You're all just jealous!"
"What do we have to be jealous of? We're just stating facts. Why are you getting so worked up, Boss?" the crew teased, their laughter echoing across the deck.
"Damn you guys..." Shanks muttered, stomping his foot in mock frustration.
Watching the scene unfold, Benn Beckman lit a cigarette with practiced ease. He turned his gaze toward the pirate ship that had now closed the distance to just a few meters. At the bow stood Yamato, her golden haori fluttering dramatically in the sea breeze, with Haruko standing faithfully by her side.
This level of Haki... it's truly astonishing, Beckman thought, his expression turning serious for a moment. To see someone so young possessing such a powerful and refined presence was proof that she was a true monster of the New World. To him, the aura Yamato gave off was almost on par with Red-Haired Shanks himself.
In other words, the world knew about Kaido, the Great Pirate and Yonko, but the Beasts Pirates were also hiding a second, "Hidden Emperor" in his daughter. Having two Emperor-level powerhouses in one family was a terrifying rarity.
Soon, Yamato's ship was right alongside the Red Force.
"Hey, Red Hair! You've got a distinguished guest!" Yamato shouted toward them, completely bypassing any formal greetings.
"Young Mistress, you can't just yell at them like that," Haruko whispered, frowning. It felt incredibly rude to start shouting the moment they arrived at a Yonko's doorstep.
Yamato laughed heartily. "It's fine, Haruko! A real Emperor of the Sea wouldn't be so petty over a loud voice. Don't worry about it."
"That's not really the point..." Haruko sighed, realizing she couldn't win this argument.
Hearing Yamato's boisterous shout, Benn Beckman's eyelid twitched. That familiar, headstrong energy... it reminded him of someone. Shanks and the rest of the crew were also drawn to the railing. "Kids these days really aren't shy at all, are they?"
"Hey there, little girl! Are you here because you're an admirer of mine?" Shanks stepped forward, calling out to her with a wide grin.
"Admire my foot! Why would I admire an old uncle like you?" Yamato replied, her mouth twitching in annoyance. She thought this Red-Haired Shanks seemed a bit... simple-minded.
"O... old uncle? Did you just call me an old uncle?" Shanks stood there, dumbfounded, looking as though he had been physically struck by her words.
"Pfft... Hahaha! Boss, did you hear that? The girl called you an old uncle!" The crew burst into uncontrollable fits of laughter.
Haruko stood stunned. So this is the Red Hair Pirates? She couldn't believe her eyes. The crew was openly mocking their own Captain. It was a complete contrast to the terrifying, hierarchy-driven atmosphere of the Beasts Pirates. Was an Emperor like Red-Haired Shanks really this easygoing?
"Stop laughing! A great beauty is visiting your ship. Are you going to welcome her or not?" Yamato shouted again.
Hearing herself referred to as a "great beauty" so boldly, Haruko felt her face burn with embarrassment. Isn't that being a bit too thick-skinned?
"Welcome! Of course we welcome you!" Shanks and his crew shouted back immediately, their mood shifting back to high spirits.
Benn Beckman stood quietly to the side, leaning against the rail and smoking. A faint smile played on his lips; he clearly had no objection. Everyone could see that Yamato was just there for a social call, carrying no hidden blades or hostile intent.
"Haruko, come on. Let's go up and sit for a while," Yamato said. She gave a quick nod to her guard and then leaped through the air, landing gracefully on the deck of the Red Force. Haruko followed closely behind. Just like that, the two of them boarded the flagship of one of the most powerful men in the world.
"Boys, bring out the good booze!" Shanks barked.
"Come on, sit down. This is a famous liquor from a very special island," Shanks said, playing the gracious host as he invited Yamato to join them.
"Famous liquor, huh? You really know how to live. My idiot old man is also a world-class drunk, but I never see him seeking out refined stuff like this. He really has no idea how to actually enjoy the finer things," Yamato said, reaching out to take a wine cup.
Watching Yamato accept the alcohol so readily, Haruko was caught off guard. In all her time serving her, she had never seen Yamato touch a drop of alcohol. She wondered if the Young Mistress could even hold her drink, or if she would collapse after a single sip.
Before Haruko could intervene, Yamato had already raised the cup and downed the contents in one go. "Hmm... it tastes a bit like rice wine, and a little like shochu. If you savor it carefully, it actually has a nice depth to it."
She usually avoided drinking simply because she didn't care for the taste, not because she lacked the tolerance for it.
"Right? Here, fill it up again!" Shanks was enthusiastically hospitable. Anyone watching would have thought he and Yamato were old friends catching up.
"Boss, you can't be the only one drinking with a guest!" several other crew members chimed in, joining the circle.
Yamato was perfectly casual, drinking alongside them without any hesitation. Perhaps because these pirates were so straightforward and honest, she felt she could finally let loose and be herself. Haruko watched with a twitching eye, wondering if her Young Mistress had inherited Kaido's legendary constitution for alcohol after all.
"You're really impressive. Drinking like that... most men couldn't even keep up with you," Shanks and his men said, genuinely astonished.
Yamato waved her hand dismissively. "Of course. Although I'm actually much better at smoking, drinking is no problem for me at all."
"Wow! Not only can you drink, but you smoke too? You're quite the little troublemaker, aren't you?" Shanks and the others laughed.
"How could that be? I usually don't even touch alcohol. At most, I have a smoke now and then. I don't have any other bad habits. I'm the perfect mix of refinement and beauty," Yamato said, rolling her eyes.
"Hahaha! You really have the guts to say that out loud!" the crew roared with laughter.
"What are you laughing at, you uncles? Am I wrong?" Yamato pouted.
"Uncles?" The crew members immediately stopped laughing. Following Shanks' lead, they had now all been lumped into the same category.
Now it was Shanks' turn to laugh the loudest. "Serves you right for gloating! You guys look even more like uncles than I do!"
Seeing the group banter and joke so freely, Benn Beckman and Haruko shared a look from the sidelines, both feeling like the scene was almost too ridiculous to watch. Before long, Yamato, Shanks, and the rest of the group had finished an entire large jar of the premium liquor.
"Yamato... want to join my pirate crew?" Shanks asked, clearly riding the buzz of the alcohol as he extended the invitation.
"What are you thinking? How could I possibly join you? Even if I were actually willing, aren't you afraid my old man would lead the entire Beasts Pirates fleet here to kill you?" Yamato said, rolling her eyes again.
This guy really had a mouth on him. Even being naturally carefree should have its limits. After a brief pause, she added, "Besides, this is our very first meeting. You actually dare to invite me? Your heart is way too big, Red Hair."
"What does that matter?" Shanks said with his usual carefree grin. "Aren't we already good friends, drinking and chatting together?"
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