Although Bullet didn't get along with everyone, he had been with the crew for a few years. His departure left a noticeable void, especially for Shanks and Buggy, whom he had saved.
"Captain, is it okay to leave Bullet on that island?" Shanks asked, worried about his safety.
"Don't worry. You know how strong Bullet is. Besides, he can always go to the Mole Kingdom and ask for a ship. I'm sure King Mole won't refuse, considering our friendship."
Roger then addressed the entire crew. "As you all know, we're heading back to the Grand Line to finish what we started. Our next destination is the legendary Sky Island!"
He pointed towards the sky, his enthusiasm infectious despite his weary appearance.
"Captain, does Sky Island really exist?" a crew member asked, incredulous.
"I don't know for sure, but I believe there's truth to every legend. We'll find out if we go there."
Roger's words ignited the crew's excitement.
"They say the people there have wings. Is that true?"
The crew members chattered amongst themselves, sharing the legends they'd heard about Sky Island.
"Isn't it too soon to be returning to the first half of the Grand Line?" someone asked. They were the closest pirate crew to reaching the end of the Grand Line.
"Yeah," others agreed.
"Alright then, let's set sail once more!" Roger declared, and the crew erupted in cheers.
"The Captain's really good at getting everyone fired up," Shirakawa remarked to Rayleigh, leaning against the railing.
"Indeed. But he's right. Leaving with unfinished business would be a true regret."
"The last voyage, huh?" Shirakawa said quietly. More and more people on the ship were aware of Roger's illness. It wouldn't be long before everyone knew.
"Is there really no cure for the Captain's illness?"
"You know Crocus's medical skills. Even he can only slow it down," Rayleigh replied, his voice tinged with sadness.
Shirakawa sighed.
Over the next month, the Roger Pirates encountered several battles, each more challenging than the last. Even though they were one of the Yonko crews, those who reached the New World were no pushovers. Luck alone wouldn't get you far here.
Occasionally, they faced opponents with unique Devil Fruit abilities, even pushing Roger to his limits.
After one such grueling battle, the crew was celebrating with a feast, letting loose and enjoying themselves.
"Hey, why are you two soaked? Did you fall into the sea?" Shirakawa asked Shanks and Buggy, noticing their wet clothes.
"Buggy fell in somehow, so I jumped in to save him," Shanks explained.
"Shanks! It's all your fault!" Buggy yelled, grabbing Shanks' collar.
"What did I do?"
"You made me lose 100 million berries! And now I'm a Devil Fruit user!"
"You ate a Devil Fruit?" Shirakawa asked in surprise. He hadn't realized until now. He had assumed there might be a butterfly effect due to his presence, but it seemed the timeline was still on track.
"Yes!"
"But what does that have to do with me?" Shanks asked innocently.
"If you hadn't startled me, I wouldn't have fallen in and grabbed that Devil Fruit!"
"I was just telling you to keep an eye on the feast! Who knew you'd be sneaking around somewhere?"
Their argument attracted the attention of the other crew members. Devil Fruit users were rare, even among the Roger Pirates.
"Buggy, what kind of power did you get?" someone asked.
"I don't know!" Buggy was too frustrated to answer.
"We have a Devil Fruit Encyclopedia on the ship. You can look it up," Rayleigh suggested.
Buggy calmed down, intrigued by the possibility of gaining new strength. He quickly found the book and started flipping through it.
"What? The Bara Bara no Mi? A Paramecia-type?" Buggy exclaimed in disbelief. He seemed disappointed.
"The Bara Bara no Mi? That's a very powerful fruit," Rayleigh said, adjusting his glasses.
"Really?" Buggy's eyes lit up with hope.
"Of course. It makes you immune to slashing attacks. No matter how many times you're cut, you won't die."
"Really?"
"Try it, and you'll see." Shirakawa stood up, drew his sword, and approached Buggy.
"Hey, Shirakawa! What are you doing? Stop! I'll get mad if you come any closer!" Buggy shouted, backing away in fear.
"I'm just helping you test your new power," Shirakawa said with a grin that looked menacing to Buggy.
"No! I'll die!" Buggy yelled, closing his eyes, anticipating the pain.
"Really? Is he okay?" Shanks exclaimed, along with the other crew members.
Buggy opened his eyes and saw a hand lying on the ground.
"Whose hand is that? Wait... that's my hand!" Buggy looked at the disembodied hand in horror, then fainted.
"Hey, Buggy, are you okay?" Shanks shook Buggy's body, tears in his eyes. It was clear they were close friends.
"Let me see," Crocus, the ship's doctor, said, approaching them.
Shanks stepped aside, and Crocus examined Buggy. "He's fine. Just fainted from shock."
"What about his hand?" Shanks pointed to the severed hand on the ground.
"Who knows? Maybe he can reattach it when he wakes up." Crocus picked up the hand and studied it with interest. It was a rare opportunity for medical research.
But as he placed the hand near Buggy's arm, it reattached itself.
"Fascinating," Crocus said, his eyes gleaming as he looked at Buggy's body.