Upon hearing this, Shiki was also taken aback.
Of course, he’d already heard news that Whitebeard’s son had been captured.
It wouldn’t be long before the world heard the follow-up.
And that follow-up?
A public execution—what else?
Originally, he had planned to find a good seat and enjoy the show.
But who would’ve thought this old bastard would catch him by the tail?
When the time came, the Marines would undoubtedly deploy their most elite forces.
If he went, it would be no joke.
One wrong move, and he might really end up dying there alongside this old geezer.
On one side: a return to his prime.
On the other: a bottomless abyss.
Now this was a real dilemma for Shiki.
But it wasn’t like he was actually torn between the two.
If given the choice, he wouldn’t hesitate a second—of course he’d choose to reclaim his peak.
But the problem was…
He might be getting played like a fool.
What if this old bastard died there?
Wouldn’t that mean he’d get nothing out of it and just end up working for free?
No benefits, no rewards, just played like a damn pawn.
Whitebeard clearly noticed his hesitation.
With a grand wave of his hand, he laid out the most generous terms possible.
“Listen here, you old cat! Don’t say I’m not giving you a fair deal! I’ll sweeten the pot even more!”
“First, let my miracle doctor friend heal you. Then, you can join me in battle. How about that?”
Whitebeard’s voice boomed with power and confidence.
There was something about that deep rumble—it made people want to believe him.
A confident grin spread across his face.
And when Shiki heard that—
His expression completely changed.
He could no longer keep calm.
Because that offer… wasn’t just good—it was damn near perfect.
More importantly, was that old bastard really placing this much trust in him?
Didn’t he worry Shiki would bolt the moment he got healed?
Just take off and ghost him completely?
The old man was marching into a near-suicidal war anyway.
There’d be no revenge to fear.
So how the hell could Whitebeard dare make this kind of deal?
Did he really trust him that much?
Or was it… desperation?
Was Whitebeard losing his mind, so eager for an edge in the coming war that he’d throw all caution to the wind?
Shiki had no clue what kind of crazy scheme the geezer had in mind.
But with terms like this…
There was no reason to say no.
It was the ultimate win-win.
Even if he did fight, he could retreat the moment things got dicey.
Absolutely zero risk.
This old man’s lost his damn mind! The older he got, the dumber he became.
With that thought, Shiki agreed on the spot.
Said he had no issue at all.
If he could be cured before the battle, he wouldn’t go back on his word.
Whitebeard responded with a devil-may-care smile, the kind that could win over entire fleets.
He could tell Shiki was only half on board.
But did that matter?
Not at all.
“Gurararara! Good! Then here’s to a pleasant partnership!”
Whitebeard extended his hand.
Shiki grinned brightly—couldn’t have looked more pleased—as he reached out to shake it.
He was already dreaming about getting everything for free.
But the moment their hands met—
A stench hit him.
A pungent, musky stench!
Old, foul, nose-curling musk!
It hit Shiki so hard he nearly choked on the snack in his mouth.
He struggled to swallow it down.
Then immediately took a step back from Whitebeard, a horrified look on his face.
“No way I’m wrong! It’s coming off you! What the hell is that stench!? It reeks!”
Whitebeard’s face turned a little stiff at that.
But he didn’t say much in reply.
Why had he proposed this kind of deal?
Because he trusted Vir, of course.
Healing Shiki would be a piece of cake for him.
But… Vir’s treatments came with side effects.
Just like the stench Whitebeard now carried…
Still, Whitebeard was sure—that wasn’t even Vir’s final form.
That kid definitely had nastier tricks up his sleeve.
He’d have to give him a heads-up—maybe prep something especially spicy for Shiki.
He wondered how good Vir was at brewing poisons.
If he was decent, maybe he could whip up something for Shiki too.
Let’s see if that guy can really endure it.
Want to remove the side effects? Win the fight first.
Want the antidote? Finish the job first.
Wasn’t that the perfect leash?
But he was racking up more and more favors from Vir.
Would need to pay him back, no question.
Soon, Whitebeard shared the basic details about Vir with Shiki.
When Shiki found out Vir was just the Straw Hat Pirates’ doctor, it hit him right in the gut.
How could a genius doctor like that not be snapped up by some major power?
And just like that, Shiki started thinking about recruiting him.
But that idea was doomed to fail from the start.
Not long after, Shiki took off.
Flying straight toward the Sabaody Archipelago.
Whitebeard, meanwhile, called Marco.
He learned Vir was busy working on a new drug—had been for several days already.
So he told Marco not to disturb him.
After briefing Marco on what had happened, Whitebeard hung up.
He had only asked Marco to relay the details—poison-making, medication plans, and so on—once Vir resurfaced.
Also, to tell him: if this plan worked out, the Whitebeard Pirates would owe him a big one.
Marco thought it was a bit much, but… honestly, it made sense.
Vir had already helped them a lot.
And standing nearby during the call, Yamato had heard everything.
She stood there, dumbfounded.
When she found out the call was from Whitebeard, her jaw practically hit the floor.
Whitebeard had just asked Vir to treat someone.
And in return, the Whitebeard Pirates would owe him a favor.
This…
This felt way too casual!?
Wasn’t the Whitebeard Pirates one of the top crews in the world?
How could they just casually owe some ship’s doctor a favor!?
That didn’t sound right at all.
Unless…
Vir’s medical skills were really that precious?
Even a Yonko had to request his help?
That… that was insane!
Then what about when she was treated by Vir?
If he’d charged her money, would it have been some astronomical amount!?
Wait… did that mean…
She’d gotten treated… for practically nothing!?
That didn’t make sense, right?
Who would want to go through that kind of treatment anyway?
Even if it had made her stronger—
It hardly felt worth it!
Yes, in innocent little Yamato’s eyes…
Vir’s horrifying treatments did not match the boost in power.
But Whitebeard’s request made her realize just how skilled Vir really was.
That guy… was seriously something else.
And so—
Two more days passed.
Vir came out once during that time.
Just to make a meal.
And that meal?
It nearly sparked a war.
Those two lunatics fought like maniacs over a single dish.
Neither gave an inch.
In the end, Vir had to make a second plate to get them to stop.
Marco also told Vir everything about Whitebeard’s plan.
At first, he was worried Vir might say no.
But seeing Vir’s smug grin—he knew his concern was unnecessary…
—–
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