Chapter 44: Stussy – Old Men Are the Best!

Onboard the Black Pearl. Aside from the captain of the Red Heart Pirates, who had a 30-million-Berry bounty on his head, the rest of the crew had been knocked out and tossed into the sea by Magnus. If they woke up in time, they'd be lucky. If not—tough luck. After all, Magnus wasn't some bloodthirsty villain who killed without reason. If no one messed with him, he wouldn't mess with them. Wasn't that still a chance at survival? "That'll be 200,000 Berries." "What?! Damn goat, why don't you just rob me?!" Despite grumbling, Magnus still paid the medical bill for Rocks and the others without hesitation. After all, they were old acquaintances. Now, aboard the Black Pearl, besides Magnus's group, were Newgate and his little crew, along with a doctor Magnus had found in town. A doctor who looked like a goat and was less than half Magnus's height. Magnus remembered that the future Straw Hat crew also met a similar-looking doctor, likely of the same race or perhaps a descendant. "So, what do you say? Want to join my crew? We're short on a doctor right now." "No thanks." The goat doctor refused bluntly. "I'd rather not get skinned alive by Kureha. That woman made it clear—on the White Wolf Pirates, there's room for only one doctor." "Hmph, she was the first to bail when we disbanded." Magnus clicked his tongue but there was a nostalgic look in his eyes. "We're all getting older after all." "What about you then?" The goat doctor tilted his head at Magnus. "You're not much younger than Kureha, are you? Even if you're still in fighting shape now, how long can that last?" "Haha, maybe longer than you think." Magnus pointed to his face. "Look at me—do I look like a seventy-year-old man to you?" "..." The goat doctor eyed Magnus carefully, then suddenly pulled out a syringe. "Whoa, hey! What are you doing?!" "Blood sample." The goat doctor's eyes were gleaming with curiosity. "You don't look like someone your age. In fact, you look younger than you did fifteen years ago! As far as I know, you're just a regular human, and no Devil Fruit grants longevity. So what the hell happened to your body?" "If I can figure out the secret behind you, maybe I can extend humanity's lifespan by decades!" The doctor spoke with complete honesty. "Honestly, it's a miracle you haven't been beaten to death yet." "Because if I die, who's going to patch them up?" The goat doctor said matter-of-factly. "Puhahaha! I almost forgot—you're the genius who annoyed Kureha so much she begged me to leave Sphinx faster." Fifteen years ago, this goat had been a shady self-taught doctor. Now, his reputation had spread far across the island. Many injured pirates specifically sought him out. "You came back to retake Sphinx?" "What, you don't like that?" "Even at your worst, you're better than those bastards." The goat doctor shut his medicine box. "Let's go. Don't leave little Stussy alone at the clinic. This island's about to get wild." Little Stussy? The name sounded familiar, but the system didn't react, so Magnus didn't think too much about it. Seventy years was a long time—he couldn't possibly remember every name from the original timeline. He turned his gaze toward Newgate and his companions sitting on the deck. "Well? Have you made up your mind?" Magnus's offer was genuine. Newgate was still young and not particularly strong—he was even weaker than Rocks had been a year ago. But Magnus was confident he could train Newgate to reach Rocks' level within a year. The boy's potential was just as impressive. A crewmate who could master haki was valuable anywhere. And Magnus believed both Rocks and Newgate would only grow stronger over time. He'd endured for so many years. What was a few more to raise these two into true great pirates? "I... I'll think about it." Newgate really wanted to say yes—this was the White Wolf Pirates, the crew he had idolized since childhood. But seeing his wounded friends beside him, he fell silent. He couldn't just abandon them. "If you're worried about your friends, then open your eyes and watch." Magnus wasn't upset by Newgate's hesitation. He smiled calmly. "Fifteen years ago, I changed Sphinx. Back then, I had to compromise with some pirates due to my own lack of power." "But now, things are different." "From today onward, I won't compromise for anyone." He stood up. The sea breeze rustled his shirt, and in Newgate's eyes, though Magnus didn't seem particularly tall, his presence was immense and impossible to ignore. One pirate flag. Two pirate flags. Three pirate flags! Newgate watched as pirate ships around the Black Pearl scattered, their crews moving away in fear of getting caught up in the coming clash. Still, they lingered nearby, eager to watch the show. Then, three pirate ships—each twice the size of the Black Pearl—appeared on the horizon and began entering the port. "The Immortal Pirates!" "The Black Merchant Pirates!" "The Giant Beast Pirates!" The onlooking pirates at the port gulped in awe, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. "C-Captain, aren't we too close? Won't we get caught in the crossfire?" "Shut up!" The mohawked pirate captain grinned wildly. "This is a clash between the White Wolf Pirates and three big-name crews! How often do you get to witness something like this? If we die, it'll be worth the ticket price!" In the shadows... A young girl with golden hair and a white sunhat peeked out, a disgruntled pout on her face. "Hmph! That goat geezer didn't bring me along, so I came myself. This is the White Wolf Pirates! If their captain takes a liking to me, I'll be swimming in money! No more bandaging people for peanuts." Old men? So what? Old men are the best! Once White Wolf Magnus dies, she'd inherit all his riches and never have to worry about money again! So dreamed the innocent girl. (Stussy) (End of Chapter) [Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome] [Thank You For Your Support!]