With the return of the Whitebeard Pirates, the turmoil on Hachinosu Island finally came to an end.
The once-bustling pirate town had been reduced to barren land, surrounded by vast rings of rubble and ruins.
Whether it was clearing the debris or rebuilding the pirate town, both were massive undertakings—leaving the pirates of Hachinosu utterly dumbfounded.
Night fell.
Bonfires were lit amidst the ruins.
"Bring all the booze from the ships!"
"And the food!"
"Wahaha, I hunted a Sea Beast!"
Though it wasn't a proper banquet, the drinking atmosphere was lively. After all, repelling a Marine Admiral was worth celebrating.
The division commanders gathered together, raising their glasses to Gurd.
"Brother Gurd, we toast to you!"
"Thanks to you for holding off Kizaru."
"Fighting evenly with an Admiral—that's truly incredible!"
Pirates always respected strength. Even among the many commanders, fewer than three could hold their own against an Admiral, even briefly.
If Gurd's bold personality had earned their goodwill before, now his strength commanded their genuine respect.
Powerful, generous, and fiercely protective of his younger brother—they couldn't find a single reason to dislike him. Even Izo, who had once served the Kozuki family, set aside his prejudices.
Hatred and personal relationships were two different things.
He couldn't let his hatred for Kaido extend to Gurd just because he was part of the Beasts Pirates—even if they might become enemies in the future.
Among the commanders, only Ace knew Gurd's darker side. But Ace couldn't speak up, forced to bitterly acknowledge this "brother" of his.
And this time, they really did owe Gurd their thanks.
"Hahaha, cheers!"
Gurd laughed as he drank with the commanders.
After several rounds, Marco took a bite of pineapple, cheeks puffed, and asked, "Gurd, are you really planning to take on Hachinosu's reconstruction? That'll cost a fortune!"
"Damn right!"
Gurd held an oak mug in his left hand and a massive meat skewer in his right.
"Let me tell you, my family's been in construction for three generations! I inherited the talent—my greatest hobby is buying land and building houses!"
"If you don't believe me, ask Ace! He's been to Wano Country—let him tell you what it looks like now!"
"If you're interested, you're all welcome to visit Wano. I'll cover all your expenses!"
The commanders sweatdropped.
Was this really something to brag about?
But they were indeed at a loss about Hachinosu's reconstruction.
"Ah, right!"
Gurd turned to Izo, his gaze sharp.
"Commander Izo, you're from Wano, aren't you?"
"I was a retainer of Kozuki Oden."
Izo replied calmly.
He had never hidden his identity. When the day of prophecy arrived, he would return to Wano without hesitation.
Gurd nodded slightly.
"If you have time, you should go back and see it. I promise you—as long as you don't cause trouble, the Beasts Pirates won't lay a finger on you."
"..."
Izo fell silent for a long time.
If he had any remaining wishes, aside from avenging Lord Oden, it was to return to his homeland.
He wanted to mourn Lord Oden and see the cherry blossoms of his homeland. This time of year, they must be in full bloom.
"There's one more thing I need to tell you."
Gurd spoke calmly.
"Orochi is dead."
"What?!"
Izo stood up in shock.
Orochi... dead?
His hatred for Orochi ran even deeper than his hatred for Kaido.
Now that he was also a pirate, he had no right to criticize Kaido's pirate actions. His hatred for Kaido mainly stemmed from Lord Oden's death.
But for Orochi, it was a bone-deep hatred—not just because of Lord Oden, but also for the suffering endured by the people of Wano Country.
Orochi, who colluded with Kaido, was the greatest criminal who brought calamity to Wano, the mastermind behind the fall of the Kozuki Clan!
Gurd pointed to Ace beside him.
"Ace killed him. What, didn't Ace tell you about this?"
"Huh?"
Izo turned to Ace in astonishment.
Ace hadn't been with the Whitebeard Pirates for long, and they hadn't interacted much. Moreover, Ace was deeply reluctant to talk about his experiences in Wano, so Izo hadn't pressed him.
"Ace, is this true?"
"Yeah, that so-called Kurozumi Orochi or whatever—I was the one who took him out."
Ace shot Gurd a resentful look.
If Gurd hadn't ordered him, he wouldn't have gone after Orochi and nearly gotten himself killed by that white-haired girl with a single strike.
Just thinking about it made him furious!
Izo sat back down in a daze, momentarily overwhelmed. The news that his long-standing enemy was dead left him unable to contain his emotions. He raised a hand to cover his face.
Plip... plop...
Tears streamed down between his fingers.
Ace was about to speak up to comfort him when Marco, sitting nearby, quietly pulled him back and gestured for him to stay silent.
Everyone fell quiet.
After a long while.
Izo finally composed himself and bowed his head to Gurd in gratitude.
"Thank you."
"No need."
Gurd shook his head.
Telling Izo about this was just a way to deepen trust with the division commanders, prove his capability in groundwork, and prepare for the future.
It never hurt to plan ahead.
After Whitebeard's eventual death, the division commanders would all be left adrift. If he could recruit them, they'd make excellent assets.
His real estate company still needed a group of capable security chiefs—even if they were just assigned to the property management department, it'd still be a win.
Izo took a deep breath and hesitantly asked, "Mr. Gurd, may I ask... who is the current shogun now?"
"My wife, Yamato."
Gurd answered casually.
"Eh?!"
The division commanders' eyes nearly popped out of their heads.
"You have a wife?!"
"What? Is that so strange?"
Gurd smirked disdainfully, swirling his drink.
Bunch of losers!
The commanders were left speechless. In their minds, they automatically pictured a rough, giantess-like woman and exchanged knowing glances.
Gurd's wife must be some hulking, monstrous woman, right?
Definitely!
Probably strong enough to punch out a bear in one hit!
Gurd observed their expressions with amusement and grinned. "She's actually a super cute and beautiful girl!"
"Hah."
The commanders scoffed.
Like we'd believe that!
Just look at what you look like!
Gurd sighed, then pulled out a thick wallet from his pocket. He took out a photo of Yamato and waved it in front of the commanders.
When it came to showing off, he never held back.
Especially in front of a bunch of single men.
"Take a look."
"..."
The commanders stared at the photo of Yamato's cheerful, smiling face. Their mocking expressions gradually twisted into jealousy and rage.
She really was a beauty!
"It's her!"
Ace paled at the sight of the photo.
"Ace, what's wrong?"
"I... I lost to her before!"
Ace turned his head away, barely holding back tears of frustration and anger.
His once smooth-sailing life had taken a complete 180-degree turn since meeting Gurd—either getting beaten up or on his way to getting beaten up.
Even Gurd's wife had beaten him up before!
"..."
The captains' faces darkened one by one.
Not only was his wife a beautiful girl, but she was also stronger than Ace, and so wealthy at that. How did all the good things end up with this bastard?
Gurd seemed to recall something and pointed at Ulti not far away. "Oh right, that girl is also my wife."
"..."
The captains' eyes instantly turned bloodshot.
Not only did he have a wife!
But two of them!!
And both were beautiful girls!!!
"You bastard, let's have a drinking contest!"
"Today, we're definitely gonna drink you under the table!"
"Waaah, I'm not jealous at all!"
(End of chapter)