"Join Roger's pirate crew? Am I dreaming?" Reid swallowed hard.
"Roger, are you serious?"
"Hahaha, of course! We can't move forward without you!" Roger grinned widely at Reid.
"Well, even if I didn't want to before, I guess I have no choice now. You better keep me safe, Brother Roger..."
You couldn't blame Reid for being timid, he was just a young man who had suddenly crossed over into this world.
Without someone powerful backing him up, who knows when he might die. After all, he knew exactly what kinds of terrifying things existed in the world of One Piece.
"Alright! Hahahaha!"
Roger laughed heartily, showing off his perfect rows of teeth.
Meanwhile, on different parts of the sea, the fleeing figures like Mihawk and Moria looked shocked.
"Who was that just now?! That kind of powerful Haki..."
Hawk-Eye Mihawk's pupils narrowed to needles, and the giant sword on his back trembled slightly.
"That person... who is he? Never mind, I better retreat for now. Looks like Roger is really going to be rescued. Things just got interesting." Smoker, still too young, had been knocked out and hadn't regained consciousness yet.
Doflamingo's face twisted with rage, his fists cracking audibly.
"Fufufufu... Hehehe~ What kind of monster is this? That Conqueror's Haki isn't weaker than mine! Now that Roger's rescued, I'd better make a quick exit."
After a few sinister laughs, Doflamingo vanished into the sky.
"I'll keep my distance. Looks like a good show is coming." Crocodile's expression turned uneasy as he sensed a bit of danger. After blowing out a puff of smoke, he turned into sand and fled.
Roger had noticed those people leaving earlier, but didn't pay them much mind. His full attention was now on Reid.
"This young man's medical skills are insane... absolutely unbelievable. Hahaha! That Whitebeard guy would be thrilled if he found out."
"What's your name?" Roger asked, still grinning.
"My name?" Reid thought for a moment and then looked at Roger seriously. "My name is Reid, also known as the Child of Destiny."
"Reid... the Child of Destiny. Destiny, huh? Is that your ability?" Roger asked, testing the waters.
"My ability... you'll find out soon enough."
Reid smiled energetically, scratching his nose.
"Oh? Hahaha, I like your style. With Reid on the Roger Pirates, not even the Celestial Dragons or the Five Elders could stop us!" Roger beamed, showing all his teeth.
"Hehe, Brother Roger, that's a bit too bold. You're making me blush."
Reid scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed.
"Wait a second, Roger... didn't you disband your pirate crew?"
"How do you know that...?" Roger's eyes widened.
"Uh… I… Let's not talk about that right now. We need to escape fast. The Navy will be here any second."
"They're already here." Roger turned to look in a certain direction.
Reid followed his gaze and saw a thick cloud of smoke rising, accompanied by the sound of many footsteps.
Seeing it firsthand was completely different from reading it in the manga. Reid couldn't help but feel a deep sense of dread.
His voice trembled a little as he spoke to Roger, "R-Roger, aren't we... aren't we going to run?"
"Run? Hahaha, Reid, you've got such strong powers, why are you so timid? Where was that bravery when you jumped in earlier?"
"Yeah, but... I've never been in a real fight before!"
That was Reid's honest thought. He only acted on impulse before, he didn't actually expect the system to work. Now that things had calmed down, that burst of courage was gone.
"That's easy—just use your Haki to quiet them down."
Roger said casually, glancing at the unconscious Shanks and Buggy nearby.
"That's right... I am strong now."
Reid muttered to himself. "Alright, watch me."
His expression turned sharp as he focused completely on the noisy group approaching. Floating cards appeared in his view.
Marine Soldier: Weapon - Gun, Sword. Rank: Private First Class
Marine Soldier: Weapon - Gun, Sword. Rank: Second Class PrivateMarine Soldier: Weapon - Gun, Sword. Rank: Third Class Private
Marine Officer: Weapon - Gun, Sword. Rank: Sergeant
Marine Officer: Weapon - Gun, Sword. Rank: CorporalMarine Officer: Weapon - Gun, Sword. Rank: Lance Corporal
"Pirate King, don't think you can escape!"
"Surrender immediately! Capture him!"
The crowd surged forward, shouting while waving guns and swords.
Reid gathered all his mental energy. His eyes reddened slightly, and his expression grew solemn. A wave of invisible pressure surged from his body and swept toward the marines.
Inside, Reid shouted: "System, help me! Knock them down!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
As soon as Reid's thoughts echoed, the nearby marines all rolled their eyes back and collapsed, unconscious.
"There it is again… that bloody aura. I sensed it before, but this time it's clearer. Odd though—it doesn't feel exactly like regular Conqueror's Haki."
Roger stared at Reid intently, his curiosity growing. Part of the reason he asked Reid to unleash his Haki again was to confirm this mysterious sensation.
"Hahaha! I did it! I really am the Child of Destiny! I'm amazing!" Reid stood with his hands on his hips, savoring the moment he had once only dreamed of.
"No matter what, I need to keep this miracle doctor by my side." Roger's eyes shone brightly, and his smile widened.
"Brother Reid, let's get going. These marines aren't a threat, but if Garp or Sengoku return, we won't get away so easily. Hahaha!"
"Garp? You mean that's Luffy's grandfather?"
"Luffy's grandfather?! Since when does Garp have a grandson?" Roger looked absolutely stunned. He knew Garp well but had never heard about a grandson.
"Oh… um… never mind, I was just joking, haha..."
Reid waved one hand and scratched his head awkwardly with the other.
"Weird guy," Roger muttered silently to himself.
"Let's go. I still have something important to take care of."
"You're worried about your wife, Rouge, right?"
Roger froze, then pointed at Reid like he had seen a ghost.
"How do you know what I'm thinking?!..."
"Hehe, I'm the Child of Destiny, I can guess things. Not always right, but I get close."
Reid's grin nearly reached his ears as he proudly boasted.
"Reid, you must be heaven-sent."
"Haha, Brother Roger! Let's run already!"
"Right, but you better keep up. If you get caught, don't blame me! Hahaha!"
Whoosh!
Before he even finished speaking, Roger shot off at lightning speed, grabbing Shanks and Buggy each with one hand and sprinting away with a huge grin.
"Wait for me, Roger!" Reid panicked.
"System, help me! Time to run, Physical Ability! Mental Strength!" Reid took off running, chest heaving with effort.
He quickly caught up to Roger, heart pounding with excitement.
"So this is what it feels like to be chased by the Navy... hahaha, this is awesome!"
"By the way, Roger, I have a few questions to ask you later."
"Ask away. I'll tell you whatever I know."
"You said it! If you lie, I'll get flamed by fans later."
"Oh? Hahaha, don't worry, I've got no secrets I can't share." Roger laughed heartily. He was in a fantastic mood, his illness was gone, and he felt completely free.