Togi instantly noticed the change in atmosphere.
The once-lively feast fell eerily silent. He raised an eyebrow and tapped his knuckles lightly against his wine bowl, the crisp sound cutting through the stillness like a blade.
"What's wrong? Not supposed to talk about it?" he asked casually.
Roger blinked, then suddenly burst into booming laughter so loud that the bonfire trembled. "Hahahaha! Of course we can talk about it!"
He slapped his knee hard, still laughing. "I just didn't expect to meet someone other than the Rocks Pirates who could talk about killing Celestial Dragons like it's nothing more than gutting a fish!"
"The Rocks Pirates, huh?" Togi's eyes glimmered faintly. "Interesting."
He swirled the amber liquid in his cup, watching it catch the firelight. Somewhere deep in his gaze, something old and unyielding flickered—a memory carved into his very bones.
In that other life, the belief that no one should ever be enslaved had already been forged harder than seastone. Even after crossing into this twisted world, that conviction had never faded.
Of course, Togi had no problem enslaving others if they deserved it. But he would never, ever allow anyone to enslave him.
"Listen, Togi," Roger said suddenly, lowering his voice. He dipped a finger in the spilled wine and traced the emblem of the World Government onto the wooden table. "Those pigs are worthless, sure—but they hold…"
"Privilege?" Togi interrupted with a mocking laugh.
He touched his fingertip—still wet with liquor—to the candle flame. The alcohol caught fire, and in a brief flare of blue light, the emblem on the table burned to ash.
"There's a saying where I come from," he said, lifting the bowl and drinking deeply. "Are kings and nobles born with royal blood?"
Rayleigh's pipe froze midair. Gaban drew in a sharp breath, the hiss of it cutting through the sea breeze.
Roger's pupils contracted slightly—he'd noticed that as Togi spoke, the bowl in his hand pulsed with Conqueror's Haki, branding a deep mark into the wood beneath it.
"But if you kill them, admirals will come after you…" Roger began, then stopped halfway, laughing at himself.
Because Togi was looking at him like he was an idiot. That look said it all: You're a pirate. Since when did you care about the Navy?
"Tch." Togi snatched up the wine jug and refilled his cup. "And what, if you spare the Celestial Dragons, the Navy will leave you alone?"
As the fiery liquor slid down his throat, he remembered the ruins of a burned village—the image of a Marine ship sailing away on the horizon. A cold wind swept across the island.
"This world's full of trash," Togi said softly. "And trash needs to be cleaned up."
Roger was silent for a heartbeat, then slammed his cup down on the table. "Well said!"
Their laughter roared together, echoing through the island and startling the beasts deep within the forest.
Above them, through the crack in the clouds still lingering from their clash, the stars shone quietly—witnessing the strange resonance between two men born in different worlds.
....
The next morning, sunlight spilled over the beach, illuminating a battlefield of sprawled "corpses." If not for the chorus of snores, one might have thought everyone had perished in the night.
Rayleigh kicked awake a few of the snoring crew members before turning to Roger. "Captain, it's time to go."
Roger stretched and glanced at Togi. "Sure you won't come aboard with us? We'd get along great."
Togi almost choked at the phrasing. "Thanks, but no. We've got our own business to handle."
"Hah! Fair enough." Roger grinned. "Next time we meet, we'll drink for three days straight!"
He waved to his men. "All right, everyone, let's go!"
Ginn watched the legendary Oro Jackson set sail, his eyes shining. "So cool… Captain, we really need to build a ship like that."
Togi leapt back onto their small, battered vessel. "Alright, you two, set sail."
Ginn and Aiden exchanged a helpless glance, then chased after him.
....
Days passed in a blur. Ginn zipped through the air, flying in circles above the deck, while Aiden stared at him wide-eyed. "How the hell are you flying?"
Ginn landed proudly and pointed to his boots. "I embedded iron plates in the soles. That way I can use my Devil Fruit ability to propel myself through the air."
Just then, Togi stepped out of the captain's cabin. "Training time."
Ginn groaned like a dying man. Aiden, on the other hand, looked eager.
Once they stood ready on deck, Togi released his Conqueror's Haki, enveloping both men in invisible pressure. "Feel it. Adapt to it. Then attack me."
Seconds turned to minutes, minutes to hours.
When Togi finally withdrew his Haki, he punched both of them squarely in the chest, sending them flying into the sea.
A while later, Aiden dragged a half-drowned Ginn back onto the deck. Both collapsed in exhaustion, gasping for air.
"Pure torture…" Ginn wheezed, spitting out seawater.
Aiden gave him a tired grin. "Having the captain as your sparring partner isn't a bad deal. You'll thank him when you meet someone else with Conqueror's Haki. That'll be worse."
"Thought I was gonna die…" Ginn muttered weakly.
"There's no such thing as a free meal," Aiden said, rolling his eyes.
Togi wiped sweat from his forehead and nodded approvingly. "Not bad. You held out for three hours this time."
Aiden knew full well Togi hadn't used his full strength—not even close. Neither had they. Their small ship probably wouldn't survive it if he did.
The real goal was to help them adapt to Conqueror's Haki; the hand-to-hand part was just a bonus.
Togi hadn't relaxed his training at all, even after fighting Roger to a standstill. He knew Roger hadn't gone all out—and neither had he. He was far from strong enough to dominate the seas. There was still a long road ahead.
If a man like Luffy could rise from nothing to the Summit War in just two months, then Togi, who had been honing himself since childhood, had no reason to doubt he could shake the world within two years.
The mystery of God Valley still gnawed at him. The alliance between Roger and the Marines had left far too many Celestial Dragons alive. Next time, he vowed, there would be no mercy.
"Captain!" Aiden suddenly shouted. "I can see it—Sabaody Archipelago!"
"Full speed ahead!" Ginn cried, already activating his ability.
The ship's stern, reinforced with sheets of iron, roared as his power ignited. The tiny vessel shot forward at incredible speed—far too much for its frail frame. It shuddered dangerously, as if threatening to come apart at any moment.
If they didn't make repairs soon, their ship might sink before they ever built a new one.
"So beautiful…" Aiden murmured.
They finally docked at Port 51. The Sabaody Archipelago stretched before them—bubbles floating through the air, sunlight glinting off the mangrove trees.
Togi smiled. "Ginn, exchange some of our treasure for beli, then repair the ship. The rest of you, gather supplies and look for news about Adam Wood."
It didn't take long before Ginn returned, arms full of money.
Togi called the crew together and explained the layout of the archipelago:
"Areas 1 to 29 are for human auctions, slave trades, and other shady dealings.
30 to 39 have amusement parks.
40 to 49 are sightseeing and souvenir districts.
50 to 59, where we are, have shipyards and coating craftsmen.
60 to 69 are Marine bases and government checkpoints.
70 to 79 are filled with inns and hotels."
"If anything happens, use the Transponder Snail to contact me. We'll regroup here in a week."
"Got it!" Ginn and Aiden cheered in unison, throwing their hands up in excitement.
After all, it was finally time for a little fun—and they intended to make the most of it.