"General, it's bad news. They escaped," a soldier reported, kneeling before a figure in a majestic building.
"What did you say?" The figure's voice was harsh. A red wine glass in his hand shattered, wine dripping onto the floor.
"General, they escaped," the soldier repeated, trembling with fear.
"You useless fools!" The general strode forward, drawing a large sword seemingly from nowhere. He glared down at the soldier, and with a swift motion, blood splattered across the room.
"I might as well keep dogs. At least they're useful. Someone, come here!"
A man entered the room, his eyes unmoved by the sight of the dead soldier. Clearly, this wasn't new to him.
"Clean this up. And bring my horse. I'm handling this myself. These outsiders need to be taught a lesson for meddling in our affairs."
"Yes, General."
The general stepped out of the shadows, revealing his appearance. He was short and obese, adorned with gold and jewels. Rings covered his fingers, diamonds sparkling in the sunlight.
Despite his size, he moved with surprising agility, mounting a scaled horse that looked like a mixed breed, strong enough to carry his weight.
"I'll lead. You follow," he ordered his soldiers.
"Yes, General!"
The townspeople watched the general ride away, their faces filled with worry and pity.
"Looks like Shirakawa and the others are in trouble," Rayleigh said, observing the general from a nearby tea stall. He sensed a strong aura of bloodlust from the man, a sign of countless kills. Only Bullet possessed a similar aura on the Oro Jackson, though Bullet could easily defeat this general in a few moves.
Still, the bloodlust was real. This man had taken many lives.
Rayleigh couldn't help but worry about Shirakawa and the others, but he didn't intervene. He believed they could handle this threat.
As he watched, a figure approached and sat down beside him, pouring himself a cup of tea.
"What are you looking at, Rayleigh?"
"Nothing. Just anticipating that man's unfortunate end."
"Because of Shirakawa and the others?"
"You know everything, Captain," Rayleigh said, recognizing Roger's voice.
"Not everything. But it's hard not to notice after the commotion they caused yesterday. Were you involved?"
Rayleigh chuckled awkwardly. "I was dragged into it. It's been a while since I've been chased. I kind of missed it."
"You're such a troublemaker. And didn't we just escape from Garp a few days ago?"
"That monster doesn't count," Rayleigh said, his expression darkening at the mention of Garp.
"Monster? If he's a monster, what does that make you?"
"At least I'm not as strong as him. Anyway, aren't you worried about Shirakawa and the others?"
"Not really. Even if they can't beat that guy, they can still run. I saw Shirakawa flying with a girl in his arms today. Who is she? What's her relationship with him?" Roger asked, curious.
"I don't know for sure, but she's probably the princess of the Mole Kingdom on this island."
"So they're escorting her back home? Why?"
"To get the Eternal Pose for the next island, and then train on the battlefield."
"I see. Training is good. As for the Eternal Pose, we don't need it."
"What? Are we staying on this island for three years then?" Rayleigh asked, surprised.
"No. I already have it," Roger said, pulling an Eternal Pose from his pocket and placing it on the table.
"Where did you get that?"
"I bought it. They're not rare on this island."
Since the country lacked skilled navigators, Eternal Poses for the next island were readily available in many stores.
"So Shirakawa and the others went through all that trouble for nothing."
"Not necessarily. If they gain something from their experience on the battlefield, it won't be a waste. But this island is truly chaotic."
"Any thoughts on that?"
Roger had a tendency to meddle in other people's affairs. He couldn't stand injustice and always tried to help those in need. War-torn countries like this one were particularly distressing to him.
"We'll see," Rayleigh said.
Roger grinned, revealing his teeth.
Rayleigh sighed, knowing that grin meant Roger was already planning something. While he might complain, Rayleigh would always support his captain, no matter how troublesome the situation.
"Let's go. Drinking tea is boring. Let's go have some real drinks."
Roger paid for the tea and headed towards a tavern, Rayleigh in tow.
Rayleigh had become Roger's first mate not just because he was the first to join the crew, but also because he understood Roger better than anyone else.
'If only things could stay like this forever,' Rayleigh thought, but his joy faded as he remembered Roger's illness.