"Bessermer Reginald," Raleigh said, his voice contemplative. "How long do you think it will take to completely transform the situation in the North Blue?"
Reginald, who was happily buzzing from the alcohol and the thrill of the earlier fight, blinked. He sat up straighter, trying to look smart.
"I don't understand the complexities of politics, Raleigh-sama," Reginald admitted honestly. "But... I believe in you. Under your wise leadership, perhaps by next year, the situation in the North Blue will be completely renewed."
Reginald offered the flattery quickly. To him, it wasn't just sucking up; he truly enjoyed this life.
He had joined the Marines for simple reasons: to fight strong guys and eat good food. Under the previous administration, things were boring.
But with Raleigh? Life was fulfilling. He spent his days eating, smoking, fighting the Mafia, and sleeping. It was paradise for a battle maniac.
"Enough with the flattery," Raleigh interrupted, swirling his drink.
He turned to look at the lanky captain. His eyes were sharp.
"I know what you want, Reginald. You don't care about justice or peace. You want to fight. You want to grow stronger."
Reginald froze, his smile dropping slightly. He felt seen.
"I can provide you with ample combat opportunities," Raleigh continued. "I can give you enemies that will make your blood boil. But... you must guarantee your loyalty."
Raleigh leaned in. "Not to the World Government. Not to Marine Headquarters. But to the North Blue Navy."
Raleigh specifically emphasized the words North Blue Navy.
Reginald wasn't a fool. He understood the implication immediately. Raleigh was building his own faction. He was asking for personal loyalty, separate from the distant bosses in Mary Geoise.
Reginald didn't hesitate.
"Yes!"
Reginald stood up and slammed his heels together. He placed a hand over his heart.
"I, Bessermer Reginald, swear my loyalty to the North Blue Navy! I swear it to you, sir!"
Reginald grinned. He had no connections at Headquarters anyway. The most powerful person he had ever met was standing right in front of him. Following Raleigh meant rising to the top. It was the easiest choice of his life.
Raleigh nodded, satisfied.
He had gained another wolf for his pack.
...
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The peace of the night was shattered.
Massive cannonballs exploded across the sea surface, sending columns of water shooting skyward. The ocean churned as if it were boiling.
The legendary pirate ship, the Oro Jackson, was under heavy fire.
A barrage of iron concentrated on the starboard side. The massive ship groaned, listing heavily to the left as water rained down on the deck.
"Wahahaha!"
A man with a magnificent mustache stood at the helm, wrestling with the wheel. He tipped the seawater out of his captain's hat, put it back on, and cursed with a relaxed, wide smile.
"That Garp!" Captain Gol D. Roger shouted over the noise. "He's like a mad dog that just won't stop chasing! Does he ever sleep?"
Behind the Roger Pirates' ship, a terrifying sight loomed.
A Marine warship with a giant dog's head figurehead had locked onto them tightly. It cut through the waves like a predator.
Standing at the prow of that ship was a burly man in a white suit.
He was throwing cannonballs with his bare hands, laughing maniacally.
"Fire back! Don't let them get closer!"
On the pirate ship, the First Mate, Silvers Rayleigh, was directing the crew. He was calm amidst the chaos, his glasses reflecting the explosions.
"Rayleigh!" Roger suddenly shouted, looking excited. "How about we turn around and take Garp out?"
Silvers Rayleigh paused. He looked at his captain with a deadpan expression.
"Garp has been chasing us for three days and three nights!" Roger complained, though his eyes sparkled with battle lust. "We just can't shake him off. I've noticed their crew has rotated shifts several times to rest. But our boys are tired!"
Roger gestured to the crew. "Why don't we crush Garp right now before we collapse from exhaustion? It's the perfect plan!"
Hearing Roger's utterly unreliable suggestion, three black lines formed on Silvers Rayleigh's forehead.
"Roger," the First Mate said, twitching his lips. "Garp isn't a god, but he isn't a pushover either. Catching the Roger Pirates isn't easy, but fighting Garp to the death right now is suicide."
Silvers Rayleigh adjusted his glasses. "Besides, you bastard... you don't really care about resting. You're just itching for a fight with him, aren't you!"
"Guilty!" Roger laughed. He showed no shame at all.
Instead, Roger grabbed two young cabin boys who were huddled near the mast. He pushed them forward.
"Look at them, Rayleigh! Over these three days, the Marines have slept in shifts. But what about us?"
Roger pointed at the red-haired boy and the blue-haired boy with a big red nose.
"Shanks and Buggy are about to collapse! Even us old-timers are getting worn out. We have to fight!"
The two apprentices, Shanks and Buggy, looked terrible. They had huge dark circles under their eyes.
They were swaying on their feet, clutching their weapons nervously.
Silvers Rayleigh narrowed his eyes. He calculated the situation.
Roger actually made a good point.
For monsters like Roger, Garp, and himself, rest wasn't critical.
They could fight for a week straight if they had to. But the apprentices? They were still kids. Lasting three days without sleep was already a miracle.
"Captain Roger! Rayleigh-san!"
Suddenly, the red-haired boy, Shanks, shouted.
"I can hold on!"
Shing!
Shanks drew his small dagger. Without hesitating, he slashed his own leg.
"Shanks!" Buggy screamed.
"The pain..." Shanks gritted his teeth, sweat pouring down his face. "The pain wakes me up! I can still fight!"
The sharp pain shot from his leg to his brain, driving away the drowsiness instantly. His eyes burned with determination.
"Buggy," Shanks panted, looking at his friend. "If you can't hold on, go sleep in the cargo hold."
Buggy felt insulted. He turned his head and glared fiercely at Shanks.
"Don't mock me, Red-Hair!"
Buggy raised his own dagger. With tears in his eyes, he stabbed the tip into his own thigh.
"OUCH!!! THAT HURTS!!!"
Buggy screamed, jumping up and down. He regretted it immediately. He only did it because Shanks was showing off. Now he was awake, but he was also bleeding and crying.
"See?" Buggy sobbed. "I'm... I'm awake too!"
The explosive sounds from the Marine ship suddenly stopped.
The silence was terrifying.
"We're done for," Silvers Rayleigh muttered, looking back. "That silence means Garp is starting up again."
In this three-day chase, they had learned Garp's habits. When the cannons stopped, it meant the Hero was warming up his arms.
"Get ready for my gift, Roger!" A booming voice echoed across the sea.
On the dog-headed ship, Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp stood next to a massive crate of cannonballs. He grabbed two handfuls.
"Fist Bone - Meteor Shower!"
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Garp began to throw the iron balls with his bare hands. He threw them faster than the cannons could fire.
"Take this! And this!"
The whistling sound was deafening. Thousands of cannonballs filled the sky, blocking out the stars. It looked like a storm of black rain falling at triple the normal speed.
"Roger! Surrender quietly!" Garp roared.
The Roger Pirates looked up in horror. The sky was falling.
"I'll never let you catch me, Garp!"
Roger stuck his tongue out at his rival. Then, his expression changed. The goofy smile vanished, replaced by the aura of the King.
He drew his cutlass, Ace, from his waist.
Dark red lightning began to crackle around the blade. The air grew heavy with Conqueror's Haki.
Roger bent his knees and leaped into the air, soaring toward the incoming storm of iron.
"Divine Departure!"
Roger swung his blade horizontally.
A massive slash of black and red energy erupted from the sword. It was a wave of pure domination.
BOOM!
The slash collided with the meteor shower.
It didn't just cut the cannonballs; it obliterated them. Hundreds of shells exploded simultaneously in mid-air.
The sky turned into a massive fireball. Sparks rained down like fireworks, staining the sea red with their glow. The shockwave pushed the ocean waves backward.
Using the massive explosion as a smoke screen, Roger landed back on his deck.
"Now!" Roger shouted, sheathing his sword. "Turn the wheel! Full speed ahead! Run while he's blind!"