"Goodbye, Newgate."
After Oden boarded Roger's ship, the Oro Jackson immediately set sail. With only three years left to live, Roger couldn't afford to waste a single moment.
"Hey, Pops, Roger and his crew left a ton of food behind!" Marco called out, staring at the crates of supplies that Roger had gifted to Whitebeard in gratitude for letting Oden join his crew.
"What?"
When Newgate turned around, his eyes widened at the mountains of food left on the ground.
"You idiots! Get that food back on board immediately! What if Oden doesn't have anything to eat out there?" Whitebeard barked, his deep voice echoing across the deck. Without hesitation, the crew scrambled to load the food onto the Moby Dick and set sail, following Roger's departing ship.
Watching the Moby Dick fade into the horizon, Kaoru Tsubasa let out a sigh."That guy, Newgate… didn't even bother saying goodbye."
Aboard the Moby Dick
"Pops, look at this!" Vista came running up, holding a wooden box in his hands.
"This is…?"
Whitebeard opened the box and found several bottles of wine nestled inside. A folded note sat on top.
"Newgate, this is my special wine. I've only ever brewed this one box. I'm giving it to you to try. Don't drink it all at once."
It was Kaoru Tsubasa's handwriting.
That wine was Moutai, something Kaoru had won through his system's lottery store — bought with the last of his remaining spirit points. Since Kaoru's abilities had already reached their peak, he hadn't earned new points in years.
"That brat…" Newgate chuckled, shaking his head as he read the note. "Smelly little kid."
"Pops, this is the wine Brother Kaoru gave us!" Marco said eagerly, holding one of the bottles up to the light. "The ones he served during the banquet in Redoria were amazing! This must be even better!"
"Stop talking nonsense! This was a gift from Kaoru to your old man, not you brats!" Whitebeard snatched the bottle back, returning it to the box.
"Come on, Pops, don't be so stingy! We always pay for drinks when we're out. What's wrong with sharing just one bottle?" Marco grumbled. He knew Whitebeard often donated his money to islands in need, but that didn't make him any less stingy when it came to booze.
Whitebeard sighed, scratching his head. "Fine. Three bottles. You can share those."
"Seriously?!"
Marco and the others cheered. Their usually tight-fisted captain had actually given in! They grabbed dozens of cups and began pouring the golden liquor, sharing it among the entire crew. The Whitebeard Pirates were still small then, so three bottles were enough for everyone to have at least a taste.
"This is incredible… Brother Kaoru's wine never disappoints.""Yeah! Next time we pass Redoria, I'm asking him for more!""Same here!"
Meanwhile, back on Redoria, Kaoru sneezed and muttered, "You guys are dreaming. That was the last box."
Redoria
Since Roger and Newgate's departure, Kaoru had returned to his quiet life.
In the year 1496 of the Sea Circle Calendar, the world was shaken — the Roger Pirates had reached the final island, Raftel, completing the Grand Line's ultimate voyage.
Their captain, Gol D. Roger, was crowned Pirate King.
Then, in January 1497, another shock spread across the seas: the Roger Pirates had officially disbanded.
By June 1497, Roger came to Redoria alone.
"What's this? The Pirate King himself visiting my island — I'm honored," Kaoru said with a faint smile. He had sensed Roger's presence long before the Oro Jackson arrived, and he waited for him on the shore.
Roger laughed as he pulled the small boat onto land. "Hahahaha! Pirate King? Don't joke — I'm just a dying man."
Kaoru didn't argue. He led Roger back to his cabin and brought out two bottles of wine. They sat facing each other across the table.
"So," Kaoru began, "why come here, Roger?"
Roger leaned back and took a drink. "I've been to Raftel. I've seen what's there. Want me to tell you?"
Kaoru shook his head. "No. You know I'm not interested in that sort of thing."
Roger chuckled softly. He wasn't surprised. Kaoru had already refused his offer to join the crew years ago.
"Well," Kaoru continued, "you should know by now — my only dream is to see the world's scenery with my own eyes."
It was a simple dream — born from his past life as a shut-in who had rarely stepped outside. When he came to this world and gained his mysterious system, that dream became his purpose.
Roger nodded, smiling faintly. "Yeah… that's just like you."
Then his eyes narrowed, studying Kaoru's face. "You know, you look exactly the same as you did back at the Valley of the Gods. Don't tell me you don't know why. I'm not as easygoing as Newgate."
Kaoru scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Actually… I once met someone with the Ope Ope no Mi and received the immortality surgery."
Roger's eyes widened slightly, then he laughed. "Ah, that explains it. I've heard of that power — the legendary eternal life operation."
He took another sip of wine, then suddenly unsheathed the sword from his waist — Ace — and tossed it across the table.
"Is this your sword?" Kaoru asked, catching it. "Why give it to me?"
"I offered it to Newgate before, but that stubborn fool refused. Said he didn't need it." Roger smiled wistfully. "A sword like Ace shouldn't be buried with a dying man. So I'm giving it to you instead."
He raised his cup again. "Don't let that sword's name be forgotten."
Kaoru stared at Ace in silence, then asked quietly, "Are you planning to turn yourself in to the Navy?"
"Hahahahaha!" Roger roared with laughter. "I'm a dead man walking anyway. Might as well use my life to spark a new era!"
He gazed out the window, a flicker of nostalgia in his eyes. "You know… maybe we found Raftel too soon. But it's too late now."
Kaoru said nothing. He could already sense what Roger's next steps would be. "You've got something else you want to tell me, don't you?"
Roger hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "No… nothing at all."
The two men drank late into the night. The next morning, Roger quietly departed.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have obtained the Supreme Blade Ace and unlocked the skill — Full Collection of Dual Blades!][Ding! Dual Blade Mastery has been upgraded to its maximum level!]