After the Roger Pirates' successful escape, the storm subsided, and the sun shone once more.
"That was too close," Buggy said, lying exhausted on the deck. Though he hadn't directly participated in the fight, the experience had been draining.
Many others shared Buggy's exhaustion, sprawled across the deck. Shirakawa was relieved; it seemed his presence hadn't altered this part of the story.
'If we had faced the Golden Lion now, we wouldn't have escaped,' he thought. 'Even though I can fly, so can Shiki.'
Roger suddenly burst into laughter, and his infectious joy spread through the crew. They had narrowly escaped disaster. If not for that timely tsunami, they might have been wiped out.
The initial excitement faded, and the crew settled down to rest and recuperate.
A day passed, and the Roger Pirates returned to their usual routines, as if the previous day's events had never happened. They were nearing Fish-Man Island, and the weather had calmed down considerably. The tsunami had actually saved them a lot of travel time.
More and more seabirds appeared, some even landing on the ship to rest.
A News Coo landed on the deck. Shirakawa paid for a newspaper and started reading. He had learned enough of the One Piece world's language to understand the basics.
The newspaper contained a backlog of news, including the three-day, three-night battle between Roger and Whitebeard two months ago, and yesterday's clash with the Golden Lion Pirates at Edd War.
'This news is so outdated,' Shirakawa thought. 'Events from two months ago are only being reported now.'
The details of the fight with Whitebeard were vague, as few had witnessed it. The article simply mentioned that the two Yonko had fought on a deserted island for three days and three nights, with the outcome unknown. The Marines had sent Sengoku, Garp, and several elite officers to apprehend them, but had failed.
The report on the Edd War incident was more detailed. There was even a photo of Shiki with the ship's rudder stuck in his head, looking ridiculous.
Shirakawa couldn't help but laugh.
"What's so funny?" Rayleigh asked.
"Our fight with the Golden Lion is in the news. Look at what happened to Shiki after we left."
Shirakawa handed the newspaper to Rayleigh.
Rayleigh burst into laughter upon seeing the image of Shiki. "That's hilarious!"
His laughter drew the attention of the other crew members, who also gathered around to see what was so funny.
"They're calling the battle the 'Edd War.' That's fitting, considering the location," someone remarked.
The newspaper was passed around, and everyone had a good laugh at Shiki's expense.
"It's a shame he didn't die," one pirate said. "If he had, there would be no one left to challenge us."
"That rudder might be stuck in his head for the rest of his life. If he removes it, he'll be in constant danger," Crocus, the ship's doctor, commented.
"Maybe he'll get a new nickname: 'Big Rooster' Shiki," someone joked.
After the newspaper had made its rounds, Shirakawa noticed another stack of papers in his hand. They were wanted posters.
He opened the first one and was stunned. It was him.
The picture was taken during the battle with the Marines two months ago, when he had been watching them retreat. He had to admit, he looked pretty good, capturing his confident aura perfectly.
"Great Swordsman, Adolf K. Shirakawa. Bounty: 50,000,000 berries. Dead or Alive."
"50 million berries? Not bad," Shirakawa said, though he felt it was a bit low. He was strong enough to fight a Marine Rear Admiral to a standstill. Perhaps the Marines didn't want to set the bounty too high for a newcomer.
He was confident that his bounty would increase rapidly with his continuous growth. In just a few months, he had improved significantly, mastering Armament Haki and refining his swordsmanship.
'50 million berries is a bit low for someone who possesses all three types of Haki,' he thought.
"What's that? The 'Great Sword'? That's a terrible title," Shirakawa grumbled. It was because of the Sword of Damocles that appeared when he used his full power. He much preferred nicknames like "Red-Haired" or "Hawk-Eyes."
"What are you frowning about? You seem quite captivated by it," Rayleigh said, leaning over to see the wanted poster.
"Oh, it's you! Congratulations on making it onto the government's wanted list!"
"What? Let me see!" Shanks and Buggy crowded around, eager to see the poster.
"50 million berries!" Buggy exclaimed.
"Wow, 50 million!" The other crew members were also surprised. While their crew had high bounties overall, many of the lower-ranking members didn't have one.
"Damn it! That's not fair! Why does Shirakawa have a bounty, and I don't?" Buggy complained, envious.
Shanks also felt a pang of jealousy. They were both apprentice crew members, yet there was such a huge difference in their recognition.
Shirakawa had inadvertently become the target of envy and resentment from some of the crew.