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(It would be appreciated if you could provide more power stones and help elevate your favorite story back to the top ten.)
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"I feel a strange sensation every time I look at Old Rayleigh, as if rare moments have been captured. I can sense the profound loneliness in his desolate eyes."
As Roger uttered those words, his gaze met Rayleigh's.
"Of course, he has endured a great deal - losing his captain, his crew members vanishing, and facing a life of solitude at an early age. But as a man, he refrains from complaining," replied Rayleigh.
Roger shook his head, wearing a smile, and said, "Not disbanding our crew after the end of our journey was the best decision I ever made, isn't it?"
"What do you mean, Roger? Our journey is far from over; it has just begun..."
"Yes, Captain!"
"Who said our journey was finished?"
"Is it merely because we've found the One Piece and uncovered the truth of the world?"
"Our journey will only end when our lives do!"
"I refuse to live as a lonely old man, accompanying a fake young woman, and subjecting myself to being a slave for entertainment! I want to remain at sea, battling pirates, hunters, and the World Government and Marines! We are the crew of the Pirate King, damn it!"
"What did you say, Gaban?"
"Huh? Did I say something wrong?"
The members of Roger's crew were more enthusiastic than ever, rendering Roger momentarily speechless.
"Wait, everyone, I never said I was dissolving the crew..."
"Then when will we go and fight the World Government? We'll avenge Ace in the manga!"
"Huh?" Both Roger and Rouge were stunned upon hearing that...
...
•———•———•———•———•———•
"One Piece" Events:
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"But it's not like Roger understood those words." Rayleigh was still talking to Robin about what she mentioned earlier.
"We were pirates... We didn't have intellects like the genius Clover or the scholars of Ohara..."
"He just... heard the voice of 'all creation'... That's all it was..."
"..." Undoubtedly, Robin did not understand what Rayleigh meant by the voice of 'all creation'...
"Are you okay with that, Robin!!? Aren't you letting a huge opportunity go here!?" At that moment, Usopp spoke up.
He exclaimed, "Um, Old Man!! I have a question too! The one great treasure, 'One Piece,' is it really on the last island...—"
Before Usopp could finish speaking, the whole building shook with Luffy's loud voice, "USOPP!!!"
"I don't want to hear where the treasure is!!!" "I don't even want to know if it exists or not!! I don't know anything about it! But that's how we all set out on this journey!!!"
Luffy continued speaking angrily: "If the Old Man tells you anything here, I'll stop being a pirate!" "I'm not going on a boring adventure!!!"
Usopp trembled upon hearing that and quickly apologized, "I... I'm sorry! I get it! My mouth just... went off on its own!!! I… I don't want to hear it either!! Yeah, that's right, I've got a disease that'll kill me if I find out about One Piece!!"
"Hey Old Man, don't say anything!!"
"AHAHAHA..." Shakky laughed cheerfully upon seeing this scene.
"Can you do it…? What the Grand Line has in store for you is beyond your imagination!! Your enemies will be strong. Can you control this wild sea!?" Rayleigh said to Luffy.
"I don't want to control it." This time, Luffy began speaking with a smile.
"The Pirate King is just the freest man on the sea!!!"
"..." Rayleigh smiled after hearing that. "Is that so…?"
"I'm definitely a fan of yours, Monkey-chan," Shakky said with a bright smile.
•———•———•———•———•———•
"Wahahahaha! What a wonderful man Luffy is."
"That's for sure! This boy is a Joy Boy, Wahahahaha!"
"The Pirate King, the free man on the sea, is that the reason why he aspires to become one?"
"Rayleigh seems to have gotten the answer you wanted to hear; I'm sure you will save them in the heat of the crisis."
"Certainly, Rayleigh will not let the boy who will change the world die at the hands of an admiral or others."
"He also won't let their journey stop here... what a fun crew."
"Hahahaha! Usopp almost got his pants wet; Luffy's voice must have been too loud."
"He has a new disease that will kill him if he hears about One Piece... Hahahaha!"
Both Shanks and Buggy laughed until tears came out of their eyes at this scene.
"But really, every time I see Luffy's actions, he reminds me of myself... I should have eaten that rubber fruit back then, maybe I would have become the next Joy Boy, really."
"Don't feel sad, dear," Rouge comforted.
In the past, immediately after Roger set sail and met his first companion, Rayleigh, fate led them to come across a strange purple fruit – a devil fruit. Roger knew of its power and offered it to Rayleigh to eat, but he declined, fearing the loss of his ability to swim. This was the same reason why Roger chose not to eat it as well.
In the end, they left the fruit aside and forgot about it. Neither of them knew what became of the fruit; they left it on the ship and didn't dispose of it.
Several years passed, and upon reaching the final island, they discovered that the devil fruit they had left aside in the past held all the secrets they were seeking.
It was at that moment that Roger realized that, despite having the qualifications, he was not the chosen one.
And now, with Luffy having eaten the fruit, it means he's the one destined to fulfill that role.
(Note from the author: I understand, but this part is irrelevant to what Oda has written. This story is purely my creation.)
...
Back on Syrup Island in East Blue:
"Sigh~ this kid with a long tongue like his nose is causing trouble again."
"His captain is really angry..."
"Well, how can he not be angry? Usopp nearly spoiled down the whole story."
"I'm also angry, just like Luffy!"
"Hahahaha! Your son is quite a character, he came up with a new disease so quickly."
Usopp's actions left Yasopp and Banchina sighing helplessly, while Beckmann laughed heartily.
The other readers were left speechless.
"But we can't entirely blame Usopp; anyone would be curious to know the truth of the world if it were within reach."
"I admire this guy's determination, Luffy... even the Dark King acknowledged him... he would truly abandon the pirate way, his dream, and everything if there was no fun along the journey."
"That's how life should be."
"There's no motivation without the thrill of adventure, without the joy of discovering the unknown."
"What an exciting life this boy is living," Beckmann commented with envy... who wouldn't want to live a life like Luffy?
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 555: Marine Headquarters Admiral — "Kizaru"
Chapter 556: Capone 'Gang' Bege – Castle man.
Chapter 557: Basil Hawkins – Straw man.
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