In One Piece, as Hashirama Senju

[65] Arlong Pirates (3)

As it was nearing evening, the sun was almost down. The bar wasn't dark yet and rather created quite the melancholic feel.

Hashirama's eyes roamed to find a seat, and to his surprise he found a guy waving his hand at him and pointing at the empty seat by his side.

It was the same man who had stitches all over his body, whose name Hashirama couldn't exactly remember.

"Ah, hey there."

He walked over and took the seat. Hashirama greeted the man with a smile, and the man returned with a simple nod.

"It's Genzo, the town's sheriff. You are not from around here, are you, kid?"

The man in his late 30s who looked about a decade older didn't waste time and got right to the point.

Hashirama could already see the upcoming conversation. He raised a fist close to the man's hand.

"Name's Hashirama Senju. Have you heard about the Kingdom of Alabasta in Grandline? I'm from there."

Genzo looked a little confused at the gesture of his fist, but when he heard what Hashirama just said, the confusion vanished in thin air as his eyelids jumped up.

He forgot about the fist and shot Hashirama a shocked look.

"You're from the Grandline? Are you not lying?"

"I don't usually lie, unless when I am lying... Anyway, this isn't a lie."

Genzo didn't find his joke funny and stared at his face with a frown. Luckily they were talking in quite a low voice, so the others around them haven't heard of him. Genzo focused on his face to find it a little recognizable. He didn't know just where he had seen this guy, but he could tell he had seen him recently somewhere.

Sighing softly, Genzo turned to the bartender.

"Brad, bring me the best we have for him. I'll have a simple sake."

"Use the most powerful alcohol, my tolerance is a bit too strong."

Hashirama added after Genzo's words as the bartender nodded.

His body was special. After all, he could grow his leg in seconds. His healing factor was probably on par with crazy comic book characters like Lobo and Deadpool who could regenerate from a blood drop.

While it was good and all for his survivability, it meant he couldn't easily get drunk. His body just plain out purified the alcohol in his system. That's why he needed really powerful shots.

"Strong metabolism, is it? I heard the people in Grandline are super strong, so it wasn't just a mere rumor."

Genzo commented slowly as the drink was delivered to their table very soon. So soon that they might just have been treating a guest.

The island's people believed that since Nami brought him to her home, he must be someone special to her. So even while pretending to be harsh, they were treating him like they would their son-in-law. That was sweet of them to do.

"I guess. The common people are pretty much the same. But if we compare an island sheriff from the Grandline to, let's say, you, then you will certainly see a difference. The top dogs are even stronger. If you aren't strong, you can't survive in a sea as violent as that."

"I see."

Genzo took a sip of his large mug, while Hashirama chugged it down in one go. He liked drinking a lot, be it alcohol or cold drinks... and even unconventional things like a girl's fountain.

Genzo watched a trail of booze leak from the corner of his lips and flow down his neck as he drank. When he finally put the mug down with a loud breath, Genzo went right to the point.