Chapter 7: UPCOMING FUTURE

"Captain!!!" The young man with a red nose expressed sadness on his face as he spoke. Standing at the back, he reached out his hand and shook his head.

"Well, Rogen has safely departed. We should leave now," the middle-aged man with glasses said, smiling with eyes full of life's experiences.

"Let's go. We all have our own paths to follow. I need to visit someone I haven't had the chance to see," he added.

Everyone on the ship looked at each other in silence. Establishing a pirate crew had been filled with hopes for the future, but its end marked the separation of their comrades. They would no longer fight side by side on the ship, and their friendships would never be as close as before.

A small wooden boat slowly approached the shore. Five or six people dressed in black robes disembarked, their faces covered.

"Take care!"

"May your future be smooth."

"Shanks, Buggy, work hard. The future is yours."

The two young men, short in stature, nodded their heads.

At this moment of parting, everyone seemed extremely serious. Shanks and Buggy's eyes shimmered like crystals in the light.

About five minutes later, the remaining crew members embraced one another, their eyes reflecting complex emotions. They nodded at each other before turning to depart.

They went in different directions, each embarking on their own distinct journeys.

From afar, a white-haired man wearing glasses, their former deputy captain, scolded Shanks and Buggy. "What are you two doing here?"

"Deputy Captain!" Shanks and Buggy called out, unable to forget the days they had spent laughing and crying together.

Shaking his head, the white-haired man turned away and continued walking. After a while, he disappeared from their sight.

"Buggy, let's stick together and become partners. We'll form a fun-loving pirate crew," Shanks said, wiping away his tears and speaking seriously and solemnly to Buggy.

At this moment, Shanks made his decision to become a pirate, to reclaim the glory that came with being under the name of Roger.

"Who's coming with this guy?" Buggy shook his head. "Don't forget, you owe me a treasure map!"

"Hmph!" Buggy retorted before turning and running away.

Shanks watched Buggy's departure, shaking his head helplessly. He then gazed out at the sea before him.

The sea resembled a colossal beast, with waves crashing forward, creating thunderous sounds.

"This beastly sea, someone must conquer it!"

"During our journey, who can stop us from moving forward?"

Shanks muttered these words before vanishing from the scene.

Meanwhile, high above the sea, a bird struggled to stay afloat.

"Aoohk!" The piercing cry of the majestic bird echoed through the air. Rogen, suspended halfway atop the white phoenix, placed his right hand on his shoulder, trying to stem the bleeding. Blood seeped between his fingers, and he was unable to stop it.

Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead, falling into the seawater below.

"The night is approaching. I must find a place to rest as soon as possible," Rogen thought, his face cold and serious. He patted the white phoenix beneath him, eliciting another buzzing sound, urging it to flap its wings and accelerate further.

The possession system allowed him an hour, but only 30 minutes had passed, and Rogen already felt his control over the power of the white phoenix slipping away.

He realized that this system was closely tied to his physical state. Sweat poured from his body, and the power of the white phoenix gradually receded.

"Faster! I must go faster!" Rogen urged himself, pressing the internal force within his body. The white phoenix let out a sharp cry, spreading its wings and soaring with incredible speed.

Three minutes later, Rogen felt his strength waning, and the power of the white phoenix dwindling to less than 50%. Exhausted and in pain, he struggled to maintain his energy.

"Come on, I can't die here!" Rogen pleaded, urging the phoenix to persevere and continue its flight.

Five minutes later, small waves formed beneath them, with fish leaping and seagulls soaring in groups. The scene was beautiful, but Rogen's heart sank.

He had yet to find a place to land, and his possession time was coming to an end. With no more than five minutes left, the white phoenix would vanish, leaving him alone.

The wound on his shoulder remained untreated, causing his right hand to grow numb. He could no longer feel anything.

"Keep going, I can't give up like this!" Rogen kept pushing forward, sweat drenching his body, refusing to surrender.

The white phoenix drew nearer to the sea, its speed gradually diminishing.

The magnificent bird that had carried him for so long had reached its limit and could no longer support Rogen.

Three minutes later, Rogen's voice suddenly brightened.

A small black dot appeared on the horizon, catching his eye.

"A boat! It's a boat!" Rogen exclaimed.

The white phoenix also let out a joyous cry, accelerating towards the slowly moving vessel below.

A minute later, the white phoenix whined and descended slowly towards the boat. Rogen reached his limit at that moment, as the power of the white phoenix quietly faded away, and he closed his eyes.