Chapter 128.5 – Roger’s weapon

"Alright, enough shouting."

"If you're so attached to him, take his body with you."

"Anyway, the Navy won't allow me to exchange his body for a bounty."

"Hurry up and get off my ship, I need to head to my next destination."

Arton waved dismissively at Buggy.

"Of course, I won't give Shiki's body to Buggy. Since I said I'd find a place to bury Shiki, I'll make sure to do it properly."

"Wait, bounty exchange?" Nami stepped forward, excitedly grabbing Arton's arm.

"Arton, we can have them help us exchange the bounty."

"They are Navy, they can do it, right?" Nami looked over at Tashigi and Hina.

"I helped you earlier; this is the least you can do for me, right?"

Hina and Tashigi looked conflicted. They understood they owed Nami a favor and wanted to repay her in their way. But Nami's request was beyond what they could manage.

"You two are still here, huh?" Arton glanced at Hina and Tashigi, then turned to Nami.

"Don't make it hard for these two women."

"Even if the Navy could exchange a pirate's head for a bounty, Shiki's bounty was canceled long ago."

"Even if they took his body to the Navy, they wouldn't get any reward."

Nami frowned and looked at Hina and Tashigi.

"Is that true?"

Hina and Tashigi nodded repeatedly.

"Ugh, that's no good at all," Nami pouted, looking very displeased.

Arton then looked at Buggy.

"Buggy, do you need me to send you off?"

"No, no need. I'll leave right away."

"Wait, don't be in such a hurry. Take Shiki's body with you."

"No way, if I take his body, all the dangerous people on the sea will target me. I want to stay as low-key as possible."

Buggy frantically waved his hands, speaking to Arton.

"Fine, in that case, I'll handle Shiki's body myself."

Arton had been joking with Buggy and had no real intention of giving him Shiki's body.

"By the way, before you leave, I have a question for you, Buggy."

Arton grabbed Buggy's big red nose, temporarily preventing him from flying his head away from the ship.

"Ow, Arton, stop pinching my nose."

"Just ask your question directly, alright?"

Buggy winced in pain, his expression grimacing.

"Sorry, sorry, your nose is just too prominent."

"I couldn't help but grab it."

Arton laughed, letting go of Buggy's nose.

Buggy forced a smile, hearing Arton mention his name, he didn't dare to complain. After all, Shiki's body was lying right there on the deck of the Sylvan.

"Ar... Arton, your current strength, could it be as strong as my captain? No, you probably haven't seen Captain Roger."

"Let me ask another way, is your strength now comparable to the Navy hero Garp?"

Buggy leaned his head closer, looking at Arton curiously and flatteringly.

"Am I asking you questions, or are you asking me?"

"Fine, let's call it an equal exchange, I'll answer your question."

Arton rubbed his chin with one hand and continued:

"Let me put it this way, Shiki has definitely neglected his training over the years."

"His strength has severely declined."

"He's no longer a match for your Captain Roger, nor for the Navy hero Garp."

Speaking of Garp, Arton felt a sense of seriousness. Judging by Garp's performance when he rescued Coby on Beehive Island, if Garp had exerted a bit more effort during the Summit War, the original outcome might have been different.

"So that's how it is, I figured you couldn't be as strong as Captain Roger, haha."

Buggy laughed loudly.

"Hey, do you really think it's okay to say that in front of me?"

"How many years has your Captain Roger been at sea compared to me?"

"By the time I reach the New World like Roger, I might have far surpassed him."

Arton crossed his arms, speaking to Buggy in a somewhat annoyed tone.

"Arton, I admit you're very strong."

"But you have no idea how powerful Captain Roger was..."

Buggy, who held Roger in high esteem, earnestly explained to Arton.

However, before he could finish, Arton interrupted him.

"I know exactly how strong Roger was, more clearly than you can imagine."

"I saw him use the move 'Divine Departure' when he fought Shiki."

Arton waved his hand dismissively.

When Arton had projected Shiki's swords, he had caught glimpses of the battle between Shiki and Roger.

In those glimpses, he had seen Roger use 'Divine Departure'.

It was far more direct and shocking than what was depicted in the anime when Roger used 'Divine Departure' against Kozuki Oden.

That was true power, capable of splitting the sea in half.

"What? You saw Shiki fight Captain Roger?"

"You look so young… how old are you?"

Buggy's eyes widened in surprise as he asked.

"I saw it using a special method."

"And now, you need to answer my question."

Arton said.

"Uh, alright, what do you want to know from me?"

Buggy sighed and asked.

"It's nothing major, just wondering if you know where your captain's supreme-grade sword is?"

As soon as Arton finished speaking, both Tashigi and Hina looked over.

Though they didn't know why Arton was asking, it was, after all, the sword of the Pirate King, Roger. It was something they couldn't ignore.

"Huh? You want Captain Roger's sword?"

"Not to have it, just to see it in person."

"I... I don't know!"

"Really don't know?"

"R-really!"

"Alright then, seems like it's too much for you. Fine, you can leave."

"Leave? Really?!"

Buggy blinked, and seeing that Arton wasn't stopping him, he cast one last deep glance at Shiki's body and then quickly left.

As for Alvida, she stood on the deck of Buggy's ship, looking at Arton with tender eyes.

But Arton didn't even glance at Alvida; instead, he focused his attention on the diary.

[What a pity, I thought I could see the Pirate King Roger's supreme-grade sword through Buggy.]

[If I could have recorded that famous sword, maybe I could also record Roger's sword techniques. If I could replicate Roger's swordsmanship and use 'Divine Departure' against Garp next time we meet, his face would be priceless.]