Chapter 10: Inheritance

As mentioned earlier, the time experiment with the V50 was a success. The bad news? We moved faster than ever.

In the blink of an eye, a month had passed since the Red-Haired Pirates had settled in. For the first two weeks, Kaito Sakamoto underwent "special training" from the crew members. Afterward, they set sail again, and now they were back to say goodbye.

"I'm going to become the Pirate King!!"

Luffy's excited voice echoed through the dock in Windmill Village. After a month, Shanks and his crew were ready to depart once more, and this time they wouldn't be returning to Windmill Village—not that they wouldn't come back forever, but at least not for a while, as their year-long journey, anchored from this village, had come to an end.

"Ha... are you going to surpass us?" Shanks teased.

"Well then..."

He took off his straw hat and squatted down to place it on Luffy's head. "This is my treasured hat. When we meet again, you must return it to me when you become a great pirate…"

A memorable scene.

Under the hat, little Luffy was already in tears.

On the other side, Kaito Sakamoto and Beckman quietly watched the scene unfold after spending two weeks together as master and disciple. Kaito's legs had recovered over the past half month, but standing beside Beckman, he was only up to his waist—an easy target to poke.

As his gaze shifted from Luffy and Shanks, Kaito looked up to meet Beckman's eyes, then slowly lowered his gaze to the flintlock gun tucked at Beckman's waist.

"What are you looking at? This is my tool for making a living. What do you want, kid?"

Beckman blocked Kaito's line of sight. "You really know how to pick your moments."

Kaito didn't answer. He turned back to watch Luffy and Shanks, letting out a quiet sigh that felt like he had said nothing at all.

"You brat!" Beckman clearly understood Kaito was hinting at him.

After thinking for a moment, he pulled a bullet from his pants pocket.

"I call this the 'last bullet.'"

"The sea is mysterious, exciting, but also full of dangers. If you want to be a pirate, there will definitely be enemies."

"This bullet I give you—"

"Is either a guaranteed kill shot against an enemy, a desperate struggle in a deadlock, or a way to end things for yourself. It carries great meaning."

He placed the bullet in Kaito's palm and explained the significance of it. Kaito looked at the bullet in his hand, then raised his eyes to Beckman.

"Thank you, Master."

"But you made it difficult for yourself. Just taking one bullet and having to come up with all this talk to bamboozle me."

"...."

"Can't you be more like Luffy, shedding tears and clinging to my leg, expressing your feelings about parting?"

Beckman's complaints came as he glanced at Luffy, who was saying goodbye to Shanks, tears streaming down his face.

"I'm not that sentimental."

Luffy: ???

It's not that Kaito thought Luffy was sentimental; at seven years old with the spirit of an eighteen-year-old, he would have cried too if he were the same age as Luffy.

.....

"Anchor up!"

"Raise the sails!"

"Set sail!"

The moment of farewell always arrives.

Kaito and Luffy stood on the dock waving goodbye to Shanks and the others. As the ship turned to leave, Kaito tossed something toward Beckman.

Beckman, holding his cigarette in one hand, quickly reached out to catch it. Opening his hand, he found a silver lighter.

Looking up at Kaito, he saw the boy smiling back at him.

"Smoke less, Master."

After spending half a month with Beckman, Kaito felt like he was almost getting used to the smoke.

Beckman smiled, asking, "Where did you get the money to buy this?"

"Who said I bought it? I got it for free," Kaito replied.

Beckman was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, you really do have a pirate's spirit! Hahaha!"

"We'll be out there in the sea, waiting for you!"

"If you don't achieve something impressive, don't blame us for laughing at you!"

Shanks chimed in, his white teeth gleaming.

"Yeah, make sure you both become outstanding pirates when we meet again! Luffy, Kaito!"

"We'll see each other again!"

Their voices echoed on the dock in Windmill Village, resonating in the hearts of the two boys.

The ship left them with a parting silhouette, sailing towards the sunset, towards the horizon.

On the ship, Beckman looked at the lighter in his hand and flicked the remaining half of his cigarette into the sea before taking out another one and lighting it with the new lighter.

For some reason, this smoke tasted even better.

"Look at you, all happy," Shanks remarked.

"Who wouldn't be happy with a good apprentice?"

"Plus, that kid Luffy—I've known him for a year now."

"Those two boys will definitely make something of themselves!"

Beckman looked up at the sky and replied.

"Yeah."

"After all, Luffy is just like I was when I was young."

"With Kaito helping him, that's even more assured."

"Isn't this just a smaller version of you and me? Hahaha."

Shanks suddenly noticed how much Luffy and Kaito resembled him and Beckman.

Beckman shook his head, quickly denying it, "How am I like that 'smooth-talking' kid?"

Even so, he couldn't help but smile fondly as he looked at the lighter again.

His crewmates found Beckman's demeanor amusing.

"Enough chit-chat!"

"Let's start the feast!"

Shanks raised his remaining hand and announced the start of the celebration!

The crew cheered in agreement; the Red-Haired Pirates were known for their feasts.

Some things are just true:

Whitebeard was gathering his sons.

Kaido was after artificial devil fruits.

Big Mom was building her country.

While Shanks was just here to throw a party.