"Gurararara! Brother Lind, you're just standing here alone? Why not go join the others for a drink? I'm sure everyone's eager to get to know you!"
A bold, hearty voice interrupted Lind's thoughts. He turned to see a towering figure—more than six meters tall—approaching him.
Whitebeard stepped up beside Lind, giving him a firm pat on the shoulder.
"First time being a pirate, huh? Still adjusting? Don't worry. A few more drinks and you'll feel right at home!"
Noticing Lind standing by the window alone, Whitebeard had guessed he was still not used to the atmosphere of a pirate banquet. So he had come over to offer a bit of comfort.
"Hahahaha, not quite, Captain Newgate. It's just my first time attending a banquet of this scale, and I wanted to soak it all in a little."
"Take a look outside. Isn't it something?" Lind motioned toward the window, where the crowd outside was immersed in rowdy celebration.
"Gurararara! You're right. Among all the pirates out there, only Captain Rocks could throw a party like this."
"Mind if I join you in taking in the view, Brother Lind?"
Moved by Lind's answer, Whitebeard offered to share the moment.
"Hahahaha, I'd be honored, Captain Newgate," Lind replied without hesitation.
Although, he did feel a little awkward—after all, Whitebeard was more than three times his size.
And so, the two of them stood there together, half-chatting, half-savoring the raucous scenery outside the window.
As the conversation drifted, Whitebeard eventually revealed the real reason he had come.
"Actually, Brother Lind, there's something I'd like to ask you to help me with."
Lind wasn't surprised. He had expected this much. After all, with his current strength, only the upper ranks of the Rocks Pirates would have any reason to seek his help.
As for the other pirates, while Lind might be a cultured man, he could still throw a punch when needed. He had no intention of wasting his energy on just anyone.
"Hahahaha, no need to be so polite, Captain Newgate. Just tell me what you need. I'll be glad to help."
"Gurararara! In that case, I won't hold back."
"I heard from Shiki that the speech he made outside Fullalead last time—you were the one who wrote it for him. Could you write something like that for me too?"
Strangely enough, Lind felt that the six-meter-tall Newgate actually sounded a bit shy as he made this request. Maybe it was just his imagination, but he didn't dwell on it.
"Hahahaha, of course. Don't worry, Captain Newgate. I'll have it written in seven days and bring it to you. Just tell me where you live."
After a quick mental calculation, Lind gave his timeline directly.
"Gurararara! That's too much trouble for you, Brother Lind. I'll come visit you instead. We're brothers now—no reason for you to run errands."
"Of course, if you just want to stop by for a drink, I won't turn you down. I've got a few bottles of rare liquor saved up that I haven't touched yet. We can share a few," Whitebeard added, perhaps thinking Lind might misunderstand his intentions.
"Hahahaha, well in that case, I won't be holding back, brother. And just so you know—I can really drink," Lind said with a raised brow and a grin.
"Gurararara! No need to be polite. You've done me a huge favor."
"But I shouldn't keep you any longer. If I hog your time too much, the others won't wait," Whitebeard said, suddenly changing the subject as if he'd noticed something.
"Gurararara! Brother Lind, you're quite the popular one."
It was clear the other division commanders were eager to speak with Lind too. They likely wanted him to write something for them as well.
"Oh, and Shiki must have mentioned Big Mom to you, right? Be careful around that woman. Don't let her face fool you."
"Of course, with your strength, if you're… curious, I'm sure you'll be fine."
"Gurararara! I'm off, Brother Lind!"
Without waiting for Lind to reply, Whitebeard turned and strode away—his steps oddly rushed.
Neither of them had made any effort to conceal their voices. And with nearly everyone present being proficient in Observation Haki, their conversation had been heard clearly from the very beginning.
At first, no one reacted. They simply watched with interest, their eyes suggesting they wanted to strike up a conversation with Lind too.
But when Whitebeard mentioned Big Mom at the end, the atmosphere shifted. The others glanced back and forth between Lind and Charlotte Linlin, wearing strange, awkward expressions.
Fortunately, while the whole exchange had been overheard, it was still just a personal chat between Whitebeard and Lind.
The tension in the room rose slightly, but nothing broke out. Apart from Linlin shooting a sharp glare at Whitebeard, no conflict occurred.
Soon enough, one by one, the upper ranks of the Rocks Pirates began approaching Lind—asking him to compose their personal slogans and declarations.
Lind had expected this, but even so, it gave him a bit of a headache. Thankfully, his strength meant he didn't have to rush. He could take his time with it.
And given the principle of fair exchange, he figured he'd be able to get some good things out of these pirates in return.
In no time, Lind had entertained several of the division commanders, including Flower Flame and Shakky, both of whom were close to upper-ranking officers themselves.
Seeing the rest of the restless cadres inching closer, Lind decided it was best not to linger alone anymore.
He quickly went off to drink with Whitebeard, Shiki, and a few others.
This time, Lind was determined not to be defeated. Unlike last time, when Shiki had easily gotten him drunk, today Lind came prepared—with a hangover-resistance artifact that boosted his alcohol tolerance by several levels.
Facing off against the old boozehounds of the Rocks Pirates, he didn't flinch in the slightest. He drank steadily all the way to the end of the banquet without collapsing once.
In the days following the banquet, Lind finally settled down comfortably on Fullalead Island.
Each day, he sparred and drank with Whitebeard, Shiki, and other high-ranking pirates of the crew. Whether it was swordsmanship or the three types of Haki, he absorbed structured knowledge and improved rapidly.
Every day, Lind could feel his strength increasing by leaps and bounds.
"Maybe this is what it means to build power slowly, then unleash it all at once," he often thought to himself.
And truth be told, Whitebeard's collection of fine wines really did live up to their reputation.
In this pirate stronghold known as Fullalead, Lind finally experienced something he hadn't had in his two and a half years since arriving in this world—a stretch of carefree, indulgent peace.
Until Whitebeard came to visit again.
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Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 200, 400 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!