Chapter 49

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"Momonga-san, you don't mean..." The Rear Admiral couldn't help but look at me with horror etched in his eyes.

"Yes, it was the kid's handiwork. A skull pyramid that he built after massacring close to a thousand pirates, despite explicit orders from his direct superior. Now, even the island has been renamed Frozen Skull Island. And do you know what reason the kid gave when asked why he went to such extremes?" Momonga paused briefly as the rear Admiral gulped nervously.

"He said he was bored and needed to take a nap, and he couldn't keep an eye on all those pirate prisoners," Momonga shared, conveying the weight of the title that I was granted by the pirates of the New World.

The Rear Admiral, still shaken by the revelation of my actions, couldn't help but voice his disbelief. "But why wasn't the monster punished for such atrocities?" he asked, his voice trembling with a mixture of fear and outrage.

Momonga sighed heavily, his expression grave. "No one exactly knows the reason, except perhaps Garp san," he replied, casting a glance in my direction. "As for his punishment... Vice Admiral Garp strung him upside down from the mast for a week and also had him keelhauled for a week, reminiscent of the punishments inflicted by pirates of old."

The rear Admiral's eyes widened in horror at the severity of the punishment. "And... what happened?" he ventured to ask, unable to comprehend how someone could emerge unscathed from such torment.

Momonga's gaze grew distant as he recalled the events. "The kid just walked out of all this practically unscathed," he admitted with a sense of disbelief. "It's as if punishment has no effect on him. He's a force of nature, unpredictable, and dangerous."

The rear Admiral shuddered at the thought of facing such a formidable adversary. "Then... what hope do we have against him?" he whispered, a sense of dread creeping into his voice.

Momonga's expression darkened, his voice low and ominous. "None, unless we find a way to tame the beast within him. But that's easier said than done," he replied, his words hanging heavy in the air as the reality of the predicament sank in.

As I observed Vice Admiral Momonga and his subordinate, Garp stood next to me, questioning my apparent daydreaming. With a tap on my shoulder, he asked, "What are you daydreaming about, kid?"

"Keelhauling," I replied with a single word, invoking memories of the past punishment.

Garp's expression darkened, his face contorting with a mixture of sadness and anger as he recalled the events of the past. "You're not going to forget that incident, are you?" he questioned me with a gloomy tone.

"Hehe, Garp-san, I was merely following justice, and I got punished for it. You can't really blame me for that incident. If they hadn't done what they did on the island, I wouldn't have had to personally go through the trouble of beheading every single one of them. As for the pyramid, it was more of a joke, honestly. But it sure was a beautiful piece of art once it was completed. A true symbol of justice, don't you think, Garp-san?" I questioned my mentor with a mischievous glint in my eyes.

Garp smacked me hard on the back of my head. "Tsk, forget that incident ever happened. Marine justice is not always corrupted like that. There are a few bad eggs even within the Marines," he admonished, knowing that the incident was not my fault. I was simply maintaining my bottom line as a human by eliminating all those pirates back in Pine Town. The real truth behind the matter would remain buried forever, known only to a select few.

As the last of the supplies were loaded onto the ships and the sails billowed in the wind, signaling the imminent departure, Garp turned to me with a reassuring smile. "Stay sharp, kid," he said, his voice carrying a hint of pride. "This might be a bumpy ride, but I have faith in you."

In the midst of the chaos aboard the Oro Jackson, Little Buggy was in a state of panic, his screams echoing across the deck as the Roger Pirates prepared for the impending clash with the Golden Lion Fleet. With tears streaming down his face, he pleaded with his crewmates against the fight, his cowardice getting the better of him.

"Your life comes first, right?" Buggy wailed, his voice trembling with fear, beside their Captain Roger, who remained steadfast, his gaze fixed on the enemy's main battleship, where the Golden Lion stood defiantly.

"Just this once, we should listen to what the Golden Lion says. We're completely surrounded; we have no way out," Buggy continued to plead desperately.

"In that case, you shouldn't have slept off in the crow's nest during your watch. We wouldn't have been surrounded if you had alerted us of Shiki's fleet," Shanks remarked, unable to resist a teasing jab at Buggy's expense.

"You bastard, Shanks! You were sleeping right next to me. We were both on duty. Why are you only blaming me?" Buggy retorted, his panic escalating as reality sank in.

"Hehe, why are you worried? Your body won't let you die, no matter how many times they cut you. So why do you care?" Shanks taunted, provoking Buggy even further. In a fit of rage and desperation, Buggy lunged at Shanks, attempting to strangle him while lamenting his own vulnerability.

However, Buggy jumped up, attempting to strangle Shanks while yelling, "I still have a weakness, you dumbass! All it would take is a single sea stone bullet or a well-placed hit with haki, and then I would be buried beneath the waves forever! Nooo, I don't want to die so young!" Buggy continued, snot and tears rolling down his face. "I have so much more to accomplish in this world!"

Just then, Crocus, the ship's doctor, stepped out of the cabin carrying a number of harpoons over his shoulders. Seeing him as a lifeline, Buggy rushed towards the man, pleading desperately for assistance.

"Oh, Crocus-san, how is the captain's condition?" Buggy blurted out, attempting to divert attention to Roger's health. Within the Roger Pirates, the knowledge of Roger's terminal illness was common, and it only fueled their determination to realize his dream.

"He'd be better off not fighting, right? Right?" Buggy tried to signal Crocus discreetly, hoping the doctor would agree to relieve Roger from combat duty. However, Crocus paid him no mind and considered the question seriously. "Please, medically relieve him, Crocus-san," Buggy pleaded, hopeful for a sympathetic response. But Crocus shattered his hopes with his next words.

"Unfortunately for you, he is in perfect shape. He is in his peak state right now. He can even fight for ten days straight if he has to," Crocus remarked with a hint of delight, leaving Buggy flustered and disheartened.

With Crocus unwilling to intervene, Buggy turned to his last hope—the one whose words carried as much weight as Captain Roger's: Rayleigh-san, the Vice Captain of the Roger Pirates. But before he could approach Rayleigh, Scopper Gaban caught him by the scruff of his neck, his laughter ringing out as Buggy struggled in vain.

"Just give up, will you, pipsqueak?" Scopper Gaban chuckled, understanding the underlying reasons for Buggy's reluctance. Despite his cowardice, Buggy's concern stemmed from his deep love and respect for Roger. With the threat posed by the Golden Lion Pirates, fighting under Roger's current condition seemed reckless. However, Roger remained resolute in facing Shiki head-on.

"Give up, Buggy. We've never been able to stop Roger once his mind is set," Scopper Gaban reasoned, casting a glance at Roger's determined stance.

"No way! Aren't you guys worried that this battle will harm the Captain?" Buggy cried out, tears streaming down his face.

"Believe in the crew, Buggy. Believe in Tom's ship, the Oro Jackson. We'll make it out of this, just like every other time. We've faced much worse odds and come out alive," Rayleigh comforted Buggy, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"As his crew, we must stand by his side until the end," Rayleigh affirmed, stepping up to stand beside Roger, with the rest of the crew following suit, forming a silent yet steadfast support behind their captain.

Just then, a loud yet majestic voice bellowed from the opposite side. Standing on the main ship, a figure emerged, exuding an aura of dominance and power. It was Shiki, the Golden Lion, his imposing frame casting a shadow over the waters.

"Ahoy, Roger! It seems fate has brought us together once more." Shiki's voice boomed across the sea, carrying a tone of challenge and confidence.

Roger, unperturbed by Shiki's grandiose proclamation, stood tall on the deck of the Oro Jackson, his gaze unwavering as he met Shiki's eyes.

"Fate indeed, Shiki. But this time, it will be our wills that determine the outcome," Roger responded calmly, his voice carrying the weight of determination and resolve.

"How many times have we had this discussion, Roger?" Shiki's laughter echoed like that of a madman, his voice eclipsing even the roar of the seas.

"A lot of things have happened between us, but let's put the past behind us!" Shiki continued, a mix of gratitude and resentment evident in his tone. He was grateful to Roger for taking down Rocks D. Xebec, a formidable obstacle in his path to becoming an overlord. Yet, there lingered resentment, as Shiki desired to personally end Rocks's life to prove his worth. However, Roger had denied him that chance.

Shiki jumped onto the figurehead of his main ship and stretched his arms wide open, as if offering Roger asylum. "Join me, Roger. We will use that ancient weapon you have found alongside my military might. Together, we will be invincible. We can have the entire world kneel before us," Shiki proclaimed his grand dream as if he were already living it.

Roger gave no reply but simply chuckled, amused by Shiki's audacity.

"Join me, Roger! We can conquer the entire world at once!" Shiki bellowed, his conqueror's haki oozing out, trying to pressure the entire Oro Jackson into submission.

"Become my right-hand man, Roger! You will have everything you have ever dreamed of, even the Pirate King!" Shiki clenched his fist while chuckling, releasing his conqueror's haki to its full extent. Even the sea waves were pushed back due to the sheer pressure.

Just then, a more majestic conqueror's Haki surged out of the Oro Jackson, engulfing almost the entire Golden Lion fleet. Even Shiki had to step back to steady himself and clash with Roger's conqueror's outburst. Many within Shiki's fleet couldn't handle the pressure from the two supreme haoshoku. Red and yellow lightning danced around each other as they clashed for supremacy. However, Roger held a clear advantage from the start of the clash. It was like two apex predators vying for dominance.

"I don't want to conquer anything, Shiki. I believe the one with the most freedom on the whole ocean... is the Pirate King!" Roger roared, drawing his cutlass and pointing it at Shiki, who looked at Roger with bloodshot eyes. He felt insulted because he had never given any other man such equal status in life. Shiki was even willing to split the throne with him if Roger agreed.

"If you can't do as you please, there's no point in being a pirate, let alone a pirate king. I have the will to climb the mantle on my own, Shiki. I do not have to depend on anyone to know my true worth." Roger's words ignited the spark of conflict, leaving no room for negotiation. The entire fleet of the Golden Lion readied itself for the epic clash with the Roger pirates.

"No matter how you try to pressure me, Golden Lion Shiki!, I refuse your offer!" Roger stood tall, refusing to join hands with the Golden Lion. The entire sea, feeling the mood, swayed dangerously, sending massive waves around. The burst of Conqueror's haki intensified as the two parties prepared for the showdown. Rayleigh pulled out his blade, and even his own Conqueror's Haki burst out with ferocity, trying to trim the numbers of the Golden Lion fleet as much as possible.