"Yahahahaha!" On the deck, Roger laughed loudly. "Boys! Your captain is back from the dead again! Rejoice!"
"He's really back!" Everyone looked overjoyed, faces flushed and energized as they cheered, "That's amazing, Captain!"
"Hooray!"
"We can keep adventuring again!"
"Yeah!"
Cheers rang out from the pirate ship.
At that moment, Roger grinned and walked toward Rayleigh, who was drinking alone.
Smack!
"Rayleigh! Why are you drinking all by yourself!" Roger slapped him on the back.
Cough cough! Rayleigh choked and coughed. "Captain, can you not slap my back when I'm drinking?"
"Yahahahaha," Roger laughed. "I came to tell you, I've made up my mind."
"Made up your mind about what?" Rayleigh asked.
Roger smiled. "Of course, to have Qingcheng be our ship doctor! He's such a great doctor—how could we let him get away?"
Rayleigh sighed. "Then good luck with that! By the way, where are we headed next? Are we going to the Grand Line?"
"Nope." Roger grinned. "Since we're already in the North Blue, we might as well tour around first."
Rayleigh shrugged. "You're the captain—you decide."
"Yahahahaha."
"Oh right, I almost forgot to tell you something." Rayleigh suddenly remembered, "That Doctor Qingcheng has a symbol of the Whitebeard Pirates on him. Although he says he's an enemy of Whitebeard, I don't quite buy it."
Roger's expression changed slightly but quickly returned to normal. "Oh? Is that so?"
――――――――――
Time passed quickly. The setting sun had left only the final glimmer of light, turning the western clouds golden, and even the sea horizon glowed with a dazzling brilliance.
On Roger's pirate ship, Qingcheng stood by the railing, admiring the beautiful scene. It was his first time on a ship, and everything was new and fascinating to him.
"Yahahahaha." Roger walked over with a smile and extended his hand. "Doctor Qingcheng, I've already heard about your bounty and your grudge. Be our ship doctor! We can protect you from the Navy, and even help you find Whitebeard to settle the score."
Smack! Qingcheng slapped Roger's hand. "I refuse."
Wait, what kind of development is this?! Roger stared blankly at his hand. "You refused… but still slapped my hand? What's that supposed to mean?"
Qingcheng laughed. "While I refuse to be your official ship doctor, I agree to cooperate with you."
"Cooperate?" Roger was puzzled.
"Yes." Qingcheng explained. "My grudge with Whitebeard is my own business. Just take me to him. You don't need to worry about anything else."
"Everyone, did you hear that?" The moment Qingcheng finished, Roger shouted loudly, "Doctor Qingcheng has agreed to be our ship doctor! So as a welcome… shouldn't we throw a party?!"
"Are you stupid?" Qingcheng scolded. "I said temporary ship doctor."
"Party time!"
"Party time!"
"Yay! We finally have a doctor onboard!"
"Welcome aboard, Doctor Qingcheng!"
"Where's the cook? Get the food ready—we're throwing a party!"
In an instant, everyone started cheering.
"Yahahahaha," Roger laughed. "A doctor's a doctor! What's with that 'temporary' stuff? No need to be shy!"
"Shy your sister!" Qingcheng yelled.
Rayleigh laughed. "Don't waste your breath. Once our captain makes up his mind, he never changes it."
Roger: "Yahahahaha."
Qingcheng: "..."
"This guy… whatever. I'll just stay on their ship for now. I want to see if Roger can really match up to Garp. After all, Garp now has regenerative powers. If Roger gets caught, that'll be no fun. My main mission still depends on Roger triggering the Great Pirate Era," Qingcheng thought, watching everyone cheer around him.
"Doctor Qingcheng! Doctor Qingcheng!" At that moment, a figure ran over. "Now that you've joined us, don't you think you should give me something?"
Qingcheng looked at Buggy and laughed. "What do you want?"
Buggy's eyes lit up. "Just give me a pill that grants eternal youth!"
Qingcheng smiled. "You must've read that in the newspaper, huh? That's all fake news. I really don't have such a thing."
"That's impossible! If you don't have the pill, how do you explain your appearance? The data says you're already 59, but you look even younger than Senior Rayleigh! You must have that kind of pill!"
"That's due to a Devil Fruit power," Qingcheng explained.
Buggy: "Really?"
Qingcheng: "Really."
"Um, Doctor Qingcheng…" Shanks stepped forward. "Since you carry a sword, are you also a swordsman like the captain?"
"That's right!" Qingcheng smiled. "I've already thought of my title—'Windblade Swordsman.' How's that for cool?"
"Mhm! Super cool!" Shanks nodded seriously.
Time slowly passed, and night eventually fell. On Roger's ship, loud cheers echoed again—they were throwing a banquet.
"How do you feel?" Rayleigh asked Qingcheng.
"The vibe's great… It's pretty fun." This was Qingcheng's first-ever banquet—and the first time he'd dined with so many people.
At that moment, a red-faced, obviously drunk Roger leaned against Qingcheng and slurred, "Come on… let's drink… a few… more rounds…"
"Your captain's a total lightweight," Qingcheng said, snatching the bottle from Roger's hand and turning to Rayleigh.
"He's not that bad," Rayleigh replied.
"By the way," Qingcheng suddenly asked, "where am I sleeping tonight? Did you arrange a room for me?"
"O-Of course… at my… my place…" Roger mumbled drunkenly. "I… I still have so much to… to tell you…"
"I'd rather not. I'm afraid you'll try to eat me," Qingcheng said with a blank stare. After all, this guy acts like a total dog.
"Eat you? You're not food, why would I eat you?" Roger muttered as he pulled on Qingcheng's arm. "Come on, come on, come to my room, let's talk."
Qingcheng: "..."
――――――――――
Inside the captain's quarters, Roger asked seriously, "Doctor Qingcheng, can you tell me your true relationship with Whitebeard? Don't give me that enemy stuff—I don't buy it. Otherwise, you wouldn't just ask us to find him."
Looking at Roger—completely sober—Qingcheng was at a loss. "Damn it… I treated you like a friend, and you set me up like this? You sure this is okay?"
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