Shakky's Rip-off Bar
Luffy pushed the door open and looked around curiously.
Behind the counter stood a woman still full of charm, a cigarette between her lips as she wiped the bar with a cloth.
Who would have imagined that this seemingly ordinary woman had once been a legendary beauty of the seas?
Rumor had it Golden Lion Shiki once chased after her endlessly.
Even Gol D. Roger couldn't win her heart… and eventually turned his attention to Portgas D. Rouge.
"Ah! Little Monkey!" she said happily.
"I've wanted to et you for a long ti—my idol!"
Shakuyaku (Shakky) quickly mixed three glasses of alcohol and placed them on the counter.
"Oh! Thanks!" Luffy said cheerfully.
Luffy, Zoro, and Nami sat down and raised their glasses.
"I've heard all about what happened with the Celestial Dragons," Shakky said while smoking casually.
"From Alabasta to Enies Lobby, from Thriller Bark to the Sabaody Archipelago…"
"You've really done sothing incredible."
Her eyes sparkled with interest.
Suddenly—
Knock knock.
"Shakky! I'm back!"
The door opened.
Silvers Rayleigh walked in.
Behind him ca Sanji, Usopp, Chopper, Robin, Franky, and Brook.
The Straw Hat crew had reunited.
"Luffy! You're back already?!"
Usopp spotted Luffy rummaging through the refrigerator.
He imdiately rushed over.
"We were fighting for our lives out there and you didn't even help—and now you're just eating?!"
Usopp shouted wildly, spittle flying everywhere.
anwhile Luffy stuffed food into his mouth, eyes darting around guiltily.
Then suddenly—
Luffy pulled out a Devil Fruit.
And shoved it straight into Usopp's mouth.
Usopp froze.
His teeth reflexively bit down.
Juice splattered everywhere.
His expression instantly turned into sothing like soone eating literal poison.
Usopp's body trembled violently.
He tried to spit it out—
But Luffy clamped his mouth shut.
Monts later, Usopp's face turned blue-purple as he collapsed on the floor.
Luffy calmly turned back to the refrigerator.
"What happened to Usopp?"
Nami's gentle voice sounded behind him.
She stared at the unconscious Usopp in confusion.
"Oh, him?"
"He just ate a Devil Fruit. Nothing serious."
Nami: "…?"
anwhile…
Sanji and Zoro were already arguing.
"Well, well… if it isn't our great swordsman."
Sanji sneered.
"How co we didn't see you at the auction house? Don't tell you got lost again."
Zoro frowned.
His hand pushed Sandai Kitetsu slightly out of its sheath.
Cold light flashed from the blade.
"Curly-brow… want to cut you down?"
"Tch."
Sanji rolled his eyes.
The bar obviously wasn't the place for a fight.
He shrugged.
"Next ti."
Rayleigh's Story
"What a lively bunch," Rayleigh chuckled.
"It's been a long ti since I've seen sothing like this."
"Young people really are wonderful."
He raised his glass.
The golden liquor reflected his aged face.
"Monkey D. Luffy."
"I was the first mate of the Roger Pirates."
"Silvers Rayleigh."
"Nice to et you."
"First mate?!" Sanji spat out his drink.
"You're telling the Pirate King's right-hand man ended up being sold at an auction?!"
"And Roger was executed 22 years ago."
"Why weren't you executed too?"
Rayleigh took a sip of his drink.
mories flickered in his eyes.
"Because…"
"Roger turned himself in."
Brook tilted his skull thoughtfully.
"Gol D. Roger… I feel like I've heard that na before… maybe…"
Rayleigh gently swirled his glass.
"Roger liked everything to be grand."
"Feasts."
"Battles."
"And one day, with a single order…"
"The Roger Pirates disbanded."
"One by one, the crew disappeared."
"The comrades who once fought side by side with …"
"I have no idea where they are now."
"Then Roger surrendered himself."
"And before the entire world…"
"He said those words."
"And thus…"
"The Great Age of Pirates began."
Rayleigh slowly closed his eyes.
Tears ford in the corners.
"But I didn't attend the execution."
"Because Roger once told …"
"I'm not going to die, partner!!!"
Rayleigh laughed softly.
"I've never laughed harder than I did that night."
"And never felt such pain."
"And never drank so much."
He looked upward, as if seeing blue skies beyond the ceiling.
"Our captain…"
"Really lived an extraordinary life."
The room fell silent.
Only the ticking of the clock could be heard.
Shanks' ssage
Rayleigh turned his gaze toward Luffy.
"I once t Shanks on this island."
"He had lost his straw hat… and his left arm."
"When I asked him why…"
"He happily told about you."
"Rayleigh, I was shocked."
"There's a kid in the East Blue who said the exact sa words as Captain Roger."
"The very sa words."
"From that mont on…"
"I wanted to et you."
"Monkey D. Luffy."
Rayleigh smiled warmly.
Luffy touched his straw hat.
"Is that so?"
"Shanks…"
"I'll definitely et him in the New World!"
Rayleigh laughed.
"He's probably been waiting for you."
Then his eyes turned serious.
"But tell …"
"Can you really do it?"
"The Grand Line is far beyond your imagination."
"Can you conquer these seas?"
"Conquer?"
Luffy grinned confidently.
"I've never wanted to conquer anything."
"The person with the most freedom on the sea…"
"Is the Pirate King!"
Rayleigh froze for a mont.
In Luffy—
He saw Roger's shadow.
A smile slowly appeared on his face.
"I see…"
Robin's Question
Robin suddenly stood up.
"Rayleigh… what exactly is the Will of D?"
"On the Poneglyph in Skypiea, I saw Roger's na written in the ancient script."
"Why did he have that letter?"
"And…"
"Do you know what happened during the Void Century?"
Rayleigh smiled slightly.
"Yes."
"We know."
"We know all of history."
"But young lady…"
"Don't rush."
"Discover the truth with your own ship."
"Perhaps after the Ohara Incident, you scholars beca too impatient."
"Even if you reach the end of the world…"
"Your conclusion might be different from ours."
He paused.
"If you still want to know…"
"I can tell you everything right now."
Robin closed her eyes and smiled.
"No."
"As an archaeologist…"
"How could I learn history from soone else's words?"
Preparing the Ship
Rayleigh slung a large bundle of coating tools over his shoulder.
"Your ship is docked at Grove 41, right?"
"I'll coat it."
"It will take about three days."
He handed Luffy a piece of paper.
"My Vivre Card."
Luffy accepted it.
"Thanks, Rayleigh!"
Zoro tilted his head.
"Huh? Isn't our ship at Grove 1?"
"YOU IDIOT!!"
Usopp Awakens
At that mont—
Usopp suddenly sat up.
"DAMN YOU LUFFY!!"
"What did you make eat?!"
Then suddenly—
Information about his Devil Fruit ability flooded into his mind.
Usopp's eyes shone with golden light.
Luffy watched calmly with his arms crossed.
"Luffy… you're amazing!"
"From today on, you're my second father!"
Everyone stared at him speechlessly.
The Admiral Arrives
Suddenly—
Luffy's eyes flashed red.
Rayleigh's body tensed as well.
Their gazes t.
"…The Admiral has arrived."
The Shoreline
BOOM!!
Marine warships fired artillery toward the lawless zone.
A yellow figure stood on a cannonball—
Hands in pockets.
Riding it through the sky toward Sabaody.
BOOM!
The cannonball exploded.
A tall figure appeared before the pirates.
He raised a Den Den Mushi.
"Hello, hello."
"This is Kizaru."
"I've arrived."
"Report."
The pirates froze.
Their bodies trembled.
Eyes wide.
"…An Admiral!!!"
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