The Roger Pirates celebrated the Marines' retreat, and the ship's doctors from both crews began tending to the wounded. The fallen pirates and Marines were given proper burials by those who remained unscathed.
By the time everything was settled, it was already night. The two crews gathered around a bonfire, singing, dancing, drinking, and feasting together.
Even the usually reserved Shirakawa was caught up in the festive atmosphere, joining in the singing and dancing. He even attempted to sing a song from his past life, but the crew couldn't understand the lyrics. However, music transcended language, and they could tell whether it sounded good or not.
"Shirakawa, while I appreciate the effort, I'm pretty sure that's not the right tune. You're way off-key," Shanks teased, unable to bear Shirakawa's singing any longer.
Shirakawa's face flushed, either from embarrassment or the firelight.
"Okay, okay, I'll stop," he said, admitting defeat. 'I guess I'm not musically talented. Some things don't change, even in a new world.'
He joined the others, drinking and watching their performances. The two crews engaged in friendly banter and boasts.
"I didn't expect someone like you to be tone-deaf," Marco said, approaching Shirakawa with a toast.
"Why would you expect me to be good at singing?" Shirakawa asked. Although they weren't exactly friends, he was willing to chat with Marco since he had initiated the conversation.
Shirakawa hoped to sail with Whitebeard someday and knew he shouldn't be too standoffish.
Marco was taken aback by the question. Why had he assumed Shirakawa would be musically inclined?
"Aren't you a noble? Don't nobles learn things like music and dance from a young age?"
"Have you ever seen a Celestial Dragon learn those things?" Shirakawa countered.
"No... And you're not a Celestial Dragon, are you?" Marco asked, wide-eyed.
"What? Do I not look like one?" Shirakawa teased.
"No, you're nothing like the Celestial Dragons I've met."
Marco and his crew had encountered Celestial Dragons a few times. They were arrogant, entitled, and treated everyone else like slaves. If they ever met one again, and the Celestial Dragon acted out of line, the Whitebeard Pirates wouldn't hesitate to sink their ship.
"You're really not a Celestial Dragon, are you?" Marco asked again, still suspicious.
"Of course not. I was just messing with you."
"Even if you were, the Captain might accept it, but the rest of the crew wouldn't. No pirate wants a Celestial Dragon on their ship."
"Alright, alright. I'm done talking to you. You have nothing nice to say," Shirakawa said, playfully annoyed.
"Haha, but don't call me a kid. You're only a year or two older than me, maybe even the same age."
"I'm old? How old are you?"
"Twenty."
Marco was surprised. "Twenty? I thought you were sixteen or seventeen."
"I just look young. Not like you, looking like a pineapple."
"A pineapple? Me? You need your eyes checked."
"Bring it on!"
They both rolled up their sleeves, ready to fight.
"Hey, look! Shirakawa's going to fight Marco!" the Roger Pirates shouted.
"Marco's fighting that guy again!" the Whitebeard Pirates echoed.
They didn't know Shirakawa's name, but his performance had left an impression.
"You Whitebeard Pirates are shameless!" one of the Roger Pirates yelled.
"What's wrong?"
"It's shameless to send your prominent member to fight our apprentice!"
"Apprentice? He's still an apprentice?" The Whitebeard pirate was surprised.
"That's right!"
"Then you guys are pathetic! Your apprentice is stronger than you!"
"What did you say?!"
"I said you're trash!"
"Say that again!"
"Trash."
"I'm gonna kill you!"
The two pirates lunged at each other, and just like that, another brawl erupted between the Roger and Whitebeard Pirates, sparked by Shirakawa and Marco's playful challenge.
Since they had just been partying together, neither side used weapons. It was a chaotic melee of punches, kicks, and grappling. Some even resorted to biting, their mouths stained with blood.
Suddenly, a loud boom echoed from the nearby island, followed by two powerful bursts of Conqueror's Haki. The weaker pirates and those with weaker wills fainted instantly. Even those who remained conscious paused their fighting.
"Look at the sky! It's cracking!" Jozu exclaimed, pointing upwards.
The sky above the island where Roger and Whitebeard were fighting had split open, lightning flashing within the rift. The weather had been stormy ever since their battle began.
"They're finally getting serious," Rayleigh muttered, taking a sip of wine as he observed the ominous sky.
"Pops is going all out. Tonight's going to be a long night," Marco said, also looking up.
"Our Captain is amazing," Shirakawa said, his eyes shining with excitement. He longed to be part of such a battle.