Makoto asked with a deliberately serious expression, "How dare you steal from my ship? What do you think I should do with you?"
Seeing his stern expression, Nami and Carina, who were just a couple of petty thieves after all, were terrified.
Carina, being the quickest thinker, quickly spoke up: "Commander, we've stolen many treasures over the years. We can hand them all over to you in exchange for our freedom."
She added, "I can go get them. Let Nami stay here and wait for me."
Hearing this, Makoto laughed even more.
'Wasn't this the same as the original plot?'
He then asked, "What if you run off and don't come back?"
Carina answered without hesitation, "I won't! Nami is my partner! I'll use those treasures to come back and redeem her!"
Hearing this, Nami looked at Carina with deep emotion, her eyes reddening slightly.
Then Carina said the treasures were located rather far away and asked for three days' time.
Makoto agreed with a smile.
"Fine, three days."
Yu signaled Robin with a glance.
Robin stepped forward, took out a key from her pocket, and unlocked Carina's shackles.
"Go on."
Carina rubbed her reddened wrists, glanced at Nami, turned, and walked out of the tavern.
It was then that Makoto noticed Robin in the corner, as well as the bespectacled, blonde, blue-eyed woman next to her, dressed in a black business suit.
"Are these companions you've recruited over the years?"
He asked Yu.
Yu glanced at Robin and Kalifa and answered respectfully, "Not exactly companions. They are gifts for you, Senpai."
Hearing Yu's words, many of Makoto's wives shot him disapproving looks.
'Kid, are you trying to make things difficult for us?'
Makoto smiled and pacified his girlfriends: "I only have physical lust for them, not the same kind of interest I have in you."
Hearing this, the expressions of Utaha and the others improved somewhat.
This classic scumbag speech still startled Robin and the others.
The corner of Kalifa's mouth twitched slightly.
Robin, however, quickly calmed down. After all, if she hadn't been under Yu's command, she could never have lived peacefully and safely for over twenty years.
To be honest, if the only cost was her body, it was already a very good deal.
Subsequently, Makoto, Yu, and the others sat down at the bar counter.
"Barkeep, some drinks."
Makoto beckoned to the owner.
Makino quickly stepped forward, her hands still trembling slightly. Still, she managed to maintain a smile and poured drinks for everyone.
Makoto took the cup, took a sip, and then talked with Yu about what had happened during the twenty years he was away.
When he heard that Ai's Dark-Dark Fruit had the power to extract Devil Fruit abilities from others, Yu's eyes lit up.
"Then we can just kill all those Four Emperors and take their Devil Fruits."
Hearing this, even Robin, Nami, and Kalifa, who knew something of Makoto's past deeds, shuddered inwardly.
They hadn't expected that, in Yu's eyes, the Four Emperors were treated like pigs awaiting slaughter in a farm… killable at will.
Kalifa quietly swallowed, glancing at Ai, standing beside Makoto in a maid's outfit, ready to serve at any moment.
She hadn't imagined this woman possessed such a terrifying ability.
She would have to find an opportunity to report this to the World Government later.
Makoto glanced at Kalifa with a knowing smile.
He knew this girl was being planted as spies right beside him.
But he found it quite interesting.
As they chatted, their glasses were emptied.
Makino quickly came over to refill them.
Makoto, holding his glass, casually asked, "Barkeep, is Monkey D. Luffy not here?"
Makino was momentarily surprised, not expecting the King of the World to know Luffy's name.
"Luffy went to Mt. Colubo to pay respects to his sworn brother, Sabo."
Mt. Colubo was the mountain between Windmill Village and the Goa Kingdom.
It was also the base of Dadan the mountain bandit, Ace's foster mother in the original work.
Makoto was genuinely curious about what went through Garp's head, leaving Roger's son with a mountain bandit to raise?
Since he kept saying that he wanted to raise Ace and Luffy to be Marines in the original work, he should have raised them like the [Deserting King].
How could he possibly want them to become Marines if he leaves them to be raised by a mountain bandit? What kind of twisted logic is that?
To celebrate their reunion after twenty years, Makoto decided to hold a party in Windmill Village.
They would use the money handed over by the three East Blue pirates.
Makino's tavern was too small for so many people.
The party was set directly in the clearing at the village center. Long tables were arranged in a row, laden with food and drink. The villagers were initially afraid, but seeing the pirates driven away and Makoto's group's lack of ill intent, they gradually relaxed.
At the party that night, somewhat unexpectedly, Nino, Reze, and Chika performed a dance together for Makoto.
Reze and Chika weren't surprising.
They had danced for Makoto before, and the [Reze Dance] and [Chika Dance] had taken the world by storm in his past life.
Seeing Nino also dance, Makoto remembered that in the original work, Nino had danced during the school festival, though it hadn't been nearly as popular as the other two.
Regardless, Makoto generously applauded them.
After the dance, Chika and Reze eagerly snuggled into Makoto's arms, one on each side.
"Makoto, Makoto! How did I do?"
Chika looked up, her eyes sparkling.
Reze didn't speak, but her eyes clearly said 'Praise me'.
Makoto didn't hold back his compliments.
"Mm-hmm, all great. Lovely dances, even more lovely dancers."
Chika smiled so wide she couldn't close her mouth.
Reze also blushed slightly, her lips curling upwards.
Reze didn't forget her junior. She turned to look at Nino and added, "Nino choreographed the song and the dance today."
Makoto also praised Nino.
"I didn't expect you to have this kind of talent."
Nino's face flushed slightly.
This was also the first time she had received genuine praise from Makoto.
Summoning her courage, she moved closer to Makoto and began to chat with him.
The other four Nakano quintuplets watched this scene.
Ichika's lips curled slightly. "Nino is finally going on the offensive."
They all knew Nino's personality well.
Once she set a goal, she charged towards it like a locomotive.
[Runaway Locomotive] was a fitting nickname.
Miku was a little unhappy.
Nino's feelings had never been well hidden.
Although she had anticipated this day, seeing Nino, the sister she got along with least, so close to their man still bothered her.
With that thought, Miku started to walk over, wanting to compete for his affection.
After all, Miku had always had a hero complex. Her favorites were the heroic tales of Japan's Warring States period.
When with Makoto, she often imagined herself as the consort of those heroes, and couldn't help but want to vie for his attention.
And at such times, Makoto often played along, holding her in his arms and doting on her.
However, Ichika grabbed her third sister's arm and whispered, "Miku, let her have this one."
Nino had held back for so many years, and Ichika, as the eldest sister, had seen it.
To be honest, in Ichika's view, Nino had already been very generous to Miku and Yotsuba by waiting this long to make a move.
Miku pressed her lips together, but eventually nodded and stepped back.
Itsuki, hearing Ichika's words, felt somewhat uncomfortable.
'I've also been holding back for quite a while. Why aren't you giving me any help?'