One Piece: Surrounded at Marineford? Just kidding!

Chapter 251: Damn Fate!

The night breeze in the new world is not strong.

On the deck of the Moby Dick, the smell of gunpowder had long been washed away by the aroma of alcohol and roasted meat.

This is a survivor's celebration.

A drinking party that would surprise anyone.

The huge campfire illuminated the flushed faces of the Whitebeard Pirates members.

The barrels were piled up like a small mountain.

Many liquid grenades spilled from wooden bowls, covering the deck, and no one paid any attention.

There are no enemies tonight.

There is only the relief of escaping death and the awe of the strong.

Zefa sat cross-legged in the main seat, holding a wine bowl the size of a human head.

Opposite him was the "world's strongest man," Whitebeard.

Two remnants of the old era.

A naval chief instructor who once struck fear into the hearts of pirates.

One is one of the Four Emperors, who stand at the pinnacle of pirates.

On any other day in the past, there would have been only one outcome if these two had met.

A desperate, earth-shattering battle.

But now, what separates them is not a knife, but a jar of freshly opened strong liquor.

The pirates around them were still playing drinking games, but their eyes kept glancing this way.

That's "Black Wrist" Zephyr.

That mad dog who chased them all over the world is now sitting across from Dad drinking.

This surreal reality sent chills down the spines of many young pirates.

I felt inexplicably excited again.

"Glug glug"

The white-bearded man grabbed the wine jar with one hand, tilted his head back, and gulped it down like a whale sucking in water.

The wine flowed down his crescent-white beard, wetting his chest.

"ha"

The white-bearded man slammed the wine jar down, roughly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and roared deafeningly.

"That's exhilarating! Absolutely exhilarating! Zefa, back in the day we fought tooth and nail, practically ready to tear each other apart and feed the bones to the fish. Who would have thought that at this age, we'd be sitting here drinking like old friends?"

Zefa stared at the firelight reflected in the bowl, his gaze somewhat unfocused.

Alcohol relaxed the nerves that had been tense all his life.

The shackles called "stance" seem to have been thrown to the winds.

"Yes, Newgate."

Zefa shook his head with a wry smile, a self-deprecating expression on his weathered and scarred face.

"Who could have imagined this? Fate is such a damn joke. Just a few hours ago, I was thinking of dragging the whole world down with me, and now I'm drinking my life-saving wine on the enemy's ship."

"That means you old fool have finally figured things out!"

The white-bearded man laughed and raised the wine jar in a gesture.

Zefa didn't hesitate, raised the giant bowl, and the two containers collided heavily in mid-air.

"Bang!"

The crisp sound of the impact seemed to shatter decades of past grievances.

Zefa tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

The spicy liquid rolled into his stomach, burning like a ball of fire, making his eyes hot.

Is this what it feels like to be alive?

Zefa put down the empty bowl and let out a long sigh.

His gaze passed through the noisy crowd and landed not far away.

There, Chen Ye, a young man draped in a cloak of light, was surrounded by several captains, including Jozbista.

Chenye accepted all the notorious pirates from the New World.

His every move exudes the air of a king.

It was as if he was born to stand at the center of the world.

"That guy Chen Ye..."

Zefa's voice was deep and complex.

"That's incredible."

The white-bearded man followed his gaze, his arrogant eyes now revealing an undisguised pride.

"Gurara! Yes, that's my son! This ocean will be his sooner or later. Neither you, Sengoku, nor Roger can do what he wants."

Zefa remained silent for a moment.

"You've adopted a fine son, Newgate. His strength is monstrous; even the Navy and the World Government fear him greatly. What's even more terrifying is his magnanimity and strategic acumen... His perspective on the world is even more frightening than yours or mine."

Zefa remembered what Chenye had said when he saved him.

This young man seems to be playing a much bigger game.

Even the Navy Admirals and the Four Emperors are just pawns.

"Of course!"

The white-bearded man laughed so loudly that the deck shook.

"This is all thanks to Chen Ye, otherwise I would have torn your old bones to shreds today! Zefa, stop lamenting. Now that you've survived, you better keep a close eye on things! Watch the massive changes that are about to happen to this ocean!"

The two laughed and clinked glasses again.

An eerie atmosphere pervaded the air.

There is another kind of harmony that belongs only to the strongest.

Transcending factions is a pure tribute to the era and the strong.

Beyond the hustle and bustle of the banquet, in another corner of the deck.

The sea breeze seemed to have gotten a bit colder.

Aokiji Kuzan leaned against the ship's railing alone, a glass of sherry in his hand.

His tall figure cast a long shadow in the moonlight, looking somewhat lonely.

He didn't join in the revelry; he just stared blankly at the dark sea.

The ice cubes clinked softly in the glass.

"What? A former Marine Admiral, not used to pirate banquets?"

A gentle voice rang out.

Chen Ye shook off Jozu and the others, and walked over with a glass of red wine, naturally leaning against Aokiji.

Aokiji didn't turn around, but swirled the wine in his glass.

"Oh dear... it's not that I'm not used to it. It's just that I'm thinking... where should I go next? I'm a homeless fugitive now, Chenye-kun."

His tone remained languid, but the confusion beneath was undeniable.

From the bombardment of Ohara to Akainu's rise to power, and now to Zephyr's madness.

Kuzan's "lazy justice," which he upheld for half his life, has been shattered.

He took off his admiral's uniform, but hadn't yet found the next outfit to wear.

Chen Ye took a sip of red wine, letting the sea breeze tousle his black hair, and turned to look at Aokiji.

"Do you remember what I said to you two years ago, when your battle with Akainu for the position of Fleet Admiral ended?"

Aokiji paused slightly in the hand holding the wine glass.

"I said that when you feel hopeless about the justice we have now, I will help you find a true home."

Aokiji finally turned around and leaned against the railing.

He took off his signature round sunglasses, revealing eyes that were usually sleepy but were now sharp as knives.

He stared intently at Chen Ye, as if trying to see through the man's soul.

"Oh? You mean this..."

Aokiji's lips curled slightly, a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

"I've waited two whole years. Back then, I thought you were joking. Stop keeping me in suspense, Chen Ye. You know, ordinary places can't accommodate someone as great as me."

This is not arrogance, it's the truth.

A Logia-type Ice-Ice Fruit user, formerly the Navy's top combatant.

Aokiji's existence is a huge problem in itself.

Become a pirate? That goes against my nature.

Recluse?

The world government will not let him go.

Chen Ye put down his wine glass, his smile fading, replaced by an unprecedented seriousness.

He took a step forward, closing the distance between himself and Aokiji, and spoke in a voice that only the two of them could hear.

"That place should be familiar to you as well."