Roger's sturdy body flew straight out of the island, skipping across the recently calmed sea surface like a stone multiple times.
No one thought Roger would be seriously hurt by this single punch.
They just felt York was smart enough to effectively exploit the opening Roger deliberately left, making him suffer a loss.
However, as minutes and seconds ticked by and Roger still didn't return to the battlefield, everyone finally sensed something was wrong.
"Could it be... Roger was actually beaten to death?!"
"How is that possible!!"
Kaido voiced a guess, and Gaban loudly refuted it.
Rocks scoffed, "That guy, he gave up the fight himself. That's it for today; nothing more to see."
York dispersed the Haki wrapped around his fist, looking in the direction Roger flew off, pouting in annoyance.
He knew he couldn't beat Roger at this stage, but being let off like a child felt worse than getting beaten up properly.
"Roger! You deliberately disgusted me! Next time I'll use my own strength to beat you down!!"
The Rocks Pirates dispersed just like that, and the Roger Pirates didn't linger either.
They quickly met up with Rayleigh, who had been guarding the ship these past few days, raised the sails, and sailed rapidly toward where Roger fell into the sea.
Only when they saw Roger floating on the sea surface...
A silly, goofy smile on his face, eyes glazed over as if seeing some dreamlike scene, murmuring words that made one want to punch him just hearing them.
"Ehey~ Ehehehe~ Shakky, don't be so impatient, it's my first time~ Oho~ Ohohoho~ Shakky~~ Ohohoho~~ So comfortable~ Shakky~~"
Rayleigh, with a dark face, slowly drew the long sword from his waist.
"Gaban, don't stop me! I'm going to hack this bastard to death!!"
Unexpectedly, Gaban had no intention of stopping him; instead, he took out a pair of axes himself.
"You shouldn't stop me either! I'm going to chop this bastard into eight pieces!!"
...
The farce of the Roger Pirates no longer had anything to do with Hachinosu.
Regardless of the reason for Roger's defeat, York had ultimately won this battle.
Just after returning to his room, Gloriosa pounced on York instantly like an octopus.
Her fiery red lips conveyed passionate emotions.
York supported Gloriosa with one hand and closed the door with the other. Holding his beloved wife, the two headed toward the bathroom together.
...
**Shakky's Rip-Off Bar.**
Stussy sat alone in the corner, having drunk away her sorrows all day.
Watching the sun set in the west and the Rocks Pirates members leaving one after another, she suddenly called out to Whitebeard, who was preparing to leave.
"Newgate... I... *hic*~ I'll ask you... *hic*~ one last time..."
Stussy hiccuped drunkenly, asking intermittently: "Are you willing... *hic*~ to marry me..."
Whitebeard stared at Stussy, whose face was flushed from drunkenness, and sighed softly.
"I'm sorry, Stussy. I really don't have feelings for you."
With that, he left the bar without any lingering attachment.
*Thud!*
*Clang clang crash...*
Stussy slumped onto the table, knocking the empty bottles filling the table to the ground, shattering them.
Shakky walked to her side, patting her shoulder gently with heartache.
She said nothing, not knowing how to comfort her.
After all, her own romance had received no response till now, so what qualification did she have to console Stussy?
"I'll take you back to your room."
Shakky grabbed Stussy's arm to prop her up, and the two walked step by step toward the skull mountain.
Along the way.
All the pirates watched them with hearts in their eyes.
Especially seeing the unconscious, drunk Stussy, many felt a stirring in their loins.
However, seeing that the person escorting Stussy back was Shakky, they dispelled their inner thoughts.
After all, compared to Stussy, what they wanted most was Shakky's favor.
The two entered the skull mountain safely and approached Stussy's room bit by bit along the corridors and stairs.
Just then, York, having satisfied Gloriosa and preparing to go to the kitchen for food, spotted them.
He immediately changed his route, turning and walking toward them.
"Need help?"
Shakky was startled, looked up, and instinctively took a step back with Stussy.
"Taking advantage of someone's precarious state isn't good! York!!"
York smiled without speaking, just looking deeply at Stussy.
Stussy swayed and lifted her head.
Looking at York in front of her, his face and Newgate's face kept switching back and forth.
Stussy suddenly struggled free from Shakky's support and stumbled into York's arms.
"Sob... Sob sob..."
Stifled crying sounded, and Shakky fell silent.
York reached out and gently hugged Stussy from behind.
The action wasn't frivolous; it was a normal embrace of affection between lovers.
A long time passed.
Stussy's crying subsided slightly.
She lifted a tear-stained face and said hoarsely: "York! Help me! Help me forget Newgate!!"
"Stussy, you..."
Shakky instinctively took half a step forward to stop it, but since this was Stussy's own request, if she stopped it, would she be helping her? Or harming her?
After all, she was also a victim of lovesickness and knew how painful it was when a beloved man didn't respond.
York looked at Shakky with a smile, gratified that she didn't step forward to intervene.
He bent slightly, reached under Stussy's knees, and picked her up in a princess carry.
The latter actively hooked her arms around York's neck, snuggling obediently like a kitten.
"Shakky, thank you for bringing Stussy here. Leave everything to me now!"
With that, York carried Stussy, turned, and walked quickly to her room door.
Reaching out, the door opened, and the two disappeared around the corner.
Shakky looked at the closed door with a complex expression.
Finally, she sighed faintly and left.
"Hopefully... this is a good ending for Stussy..."
...
In the blink of an eye, the night passed.
Stussy was still hungover. York got up carefully, first went to the kitchen to fill his own stomach, then brought back a breakfast for her.
On the way, York ran into Whitebeard. The two looked at each other, a tacit understanding passing between them.
Just as they passed each other, Whitebeard whispered softly: "Although I don't like her, please don't let her down."
"Don't worry! That's not for you to worry about!"
Returning to the room, Stussy had slowly woken up.
But at this moment, besides the headache common to hangovers, she appeared exceptionally fragile, like a frightened kitten.
She lay on the edge of the bed, extending her hands outward.
"Yo... York... where did you go..."
"I... I still have Newgate's shadow in my mind... help me... help me forget him..."
<><><><><><>
Read Advanced Chapters on: patreon.com/Anna_N1
~Every 150 PS = Bonus Chapter!
~Push the Story forward with your [Power Stones]