Chapter 41: Luffy's Mentor, Master Naguri

Rayleigh expressed regret, mentioning that it's unfortunate they didn't visit the Kingdom of Goa, Roger. Rayleigh's memory is sharp, recalling events from twenty-eight years ago. During that time, Roger learned about his incurable illness. In response, they made the decision to fully explore the entire Grand Line during Roger's remaining days.

If we look at it chronologically, starting from the first island to the last one of the Grand Line, their journey would have concluded over 30 years ago.

The true Raftel is the island where the four historical coordinates mentioned in this article intersect. To uncover the historical information on the signpost, they embarked on another journey from East Blue. Along the way, they encountered Crocus near the Twin Points, and with his assistance, Roger successfully navigated the challenges of the Grand Line.

The following morning, Roja was informed by a crewmate that an elderly man had been rescued from the sea at the port. The comrade shared, "When I found him, he was completely unconscious, lying on a broken board. There was a severe knife wound on his chest, likely from an encounter with pirates."

Upon hearing the report, Roja's attention shifted, and he inquired, "Where is the person? Take me to see."

Shortly after, Roja observed the elderly man, who had been modestly bandaged, at the doctor's residence within the camp.

The individual appeared frail, with long eyebrows partially covering his eyes, grey hair, and an age that couldn't be precisely determined, perhaps in his sixties or seventies.

The wound on his chest continued to seep blood beneath the gauze. As per the doctor's explanation, the injury extended from the right shoulder down to the waist.

The wound was exceptionally deep, a level that would have been fatal for an average person. Yet, the resilience of this elderly man was evidently remarkable.

"Ensure he receives proper care, and notify me once he regains consciousness," Roja affirmed, already having a strong inkling about the old man's identity.

Observing from the doorway, Fujitora had silently arrived, and Roja stepped outside.

"Is that the individual who clashed with Roger yesterday?" inquired Fujitora.

The timing seemed right, and the extraordinary vitality displayed, distinct from ordinary individuals, aligned with the characteristics of a formidable person. Without such strength, an average person in their 60s or 70s would have succumbed to such injuries long before after spending a night immersed in the sea.

"Yeah," Roja nodded in agreement, then added, "Most likely, yes."

"Do you have a sense of this person's strength?" Roja inquired.

"No, when someone is in a coma, their breathing becomes weaker. Moreover, with his severe injuries, his life force is quite low," explained Fujitora.

"However, based on the Conqueror's Haki sensed yesterday and his current aura, he might be slightly less powerful than me, but not significantly," Fujitora offered a relevant assessment.

Roja acknowledged this. Fujitora's current combat prowess undoubtedly reached the level of a formidable pirate, but Roja wasn't certain about the distance from Admiral. To receive such an evaluation from him implied that the frail old man lying on the bed likely possessed the strength of a formidable pirate.

"I appreciate your assistance, Mr. Xiaoxiao, for the last couple of days. Please stay here and keep an eye on things," Roja requested.

"Don't worry," Fujitora affirmed with a nod.

In contrast to Fujitora, who was uncertain about the old man's identity, it had been clarified in the chat room by now.

Luffy: Isn't this the master?

Ace: Indeed, it's Master Naguri.

Sabo: It turns out Master Naguri wasn't just boasting when he said he lost to Roger when he was young. I always thought he was bragging.

Sabo felt a surge of emotions. He had encountered Master Naguri when he was just ten years old. Master Hammer was a gentle elderly man residing in the enigmatic end of things.

Master Naguri asserted that he had once lost to Roger and ended up in the terminus of uncertain matters. Back then, Sabo couldn't help but be sceptical. After all, Roger was already a renowned figure in the world of One Piece, while Naguri lived in a dump, and the idea that they had engaged in a battle seemed implausible.

Kid chimed in, "What's the backstory of this old man? He actually fought against Roger?"

Luffy shared, "This old man is named Naguri. I encountered him in the mountains when I was a kid. Grandpa Naguri is incredibly powerful. He had already mastered Conqueror's Haki and even scared away a massive bear."

Kaido questioned, "A strong individual wielding Conqueror's Haki ends up in the garbage dump of East Blue? Hey, Roger, aren't you the host? Come out and share a few words."

Roger replied, "I apologize, but I don't recall much. There were numerous pirates defeated back then."

Rayleigh added, "It appears there is such a person. I crossed paths with him when I returned to East Blue. Although part of a small pirate group, the captain is remarkably formidable. It's rare to find someone of such strength in East Blue."

Copper Jabba reflected, "I recall encountering him too, but Captain Roger managed to elude me."

Shanks acknowledged, "That's inevitable; it was Captain Roger at his peak."

Indeed, there was no getting around it. Roger, at the height of his power, standing atop the seas, was extraordinarily formidable, almost beyond comprehension.

The fact that this seemingly unremarkable elderly man could prompt Roger to resort to evasive manoeuvres speaks volumes about his strength.

Koala wondered, "Do you think this old man might join Mr. Roja's revolutionary army? If so, that would be a significant development."

Upon hearing this statement, the Five Elders at Mariejois wore grim expressions.

Why? This wasn't a favourable situation.

Roja already had Fujitora, another formidable pirate who wielded Conqueror's Haki and had clashed with Roger. Such strength was nearly on par with the contemporaneous self-propelled army of the dragon, which was far from an ideal scenario.

Despite the reluctance within, they could only observe the unfolding events with ten thousand grievances, resigned to watching the situation unfold.

The elderly man's physical resilience was astonishingly remarkable; he regained consciousness just an hour after receiving the bandages.

Identifying himself as Naguri, he portrayed himself as a small businessman who had encountered a pirate and sought a few days of recovery for his injuries.

Neither Fujitora nor Roja revealed his true identity.

Within a single day, Naguri managed to rise from his bed.

As he ambled out of the medical room with the support of a cane, he couldn't help but feel taken aback.

Gazing into the distance, he observed mountains of refuse and a colossal wall demarcating everything. On the horizon, the Kolber Mountains loomed large.

"Is this truly the endpoint of the Goa Kingdom?" Naguri questioned, finding it hard to believe.

Even after Fujitora confirmed it, Naguri remained incredulous.

"Why was there a mountain of rubbish here before? And why is there only a small amount remaining now, with fields and houses in its place?" he pondered aloud.

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