What… exactly happened here?
Looking at the countless wrecked pirate ships scattered across the sea, Garp frowned in confusion. "Don't tell me… Did Roger and his crew defeat Shiki's Flying Armada?"
He acknowledged Roger's strength—but even then, with only a couple of dozen people in the crew, it was almost impossible to believe they could stand against Shiki's massive fleet and win.
"Vice Admiral Garp, I heard that just before we arrived, there was an unprecedented superstorm in this area," said Kuzan thoughtfully. "I suspect the battle was interrupted by the storm."
"Hm? Are you saying… Roger and Shiki both perished in the storm?" Garp raised an eyebrow.
"It's just speculation. But given how violent the weather was, I think it's possible neither side could escape unscathed," Kuzan replied.
"Tch. Don't be ridiculous—Roger's not the type to die so easily! And Shiki's no pushover either," Garp scoffed. "Let's contact Sengoku. His team arrived before us—maybe they've got more intel."
After contacting Sengoku, they received a more accurate report:
Roger's and Shiki's crews had indeed clashed at Edd War, but their battle was interrupted almost immediately by a massive storm. Shiki's fleet suffered catastrophic losses—over half of his ships and men were destroyed. The Roger Pirates, meanwhile, were reported missing—but a few eyewitnesses claimed they had managed to escape the storm safely.
Upon learning that Roger might still be alive, Garp immediately ordered a full-scale search, determined to catch the crew while they were still vulnerable.
At that moment, aboard the Oro Jackson, the Roger Pirates were all lying scattered on the deck, fast asleep, exhausted from surviving the terrifying storm.
"Thanks, Mr. Rayleigh," said Rowen, the helmsman, who had bandages wrapped around his arms. He smiled as Rayleigh helped steer the ship.
"You've recovered?" Rayleigh asked with a warm smile.
"Yeah, I'm good now. Crocus already checked me out. A few days of rest, and I'll be fine," Rowen replied cheerfully.
His injuries weren't from combat—they were caused by the intense strain of steering the ship through the storm.
Several other crewmates were also injured, either from being thrown around by the ship's violent movements or struck by flying debris. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt.
As Rayleigh and Rowen chatted, laughter and noise suddenly erupted from the main deck.
"Looks like the captain's up," Rayleigh chuckled.
"Of course," Rowen laughed. "That guy can't stay quiet. Always has to go big, no matter what we're doing."
"Wahahaha! Yoichi, let's throw a party!"
Sure enough, Roger was already awake and celebrating. As always, he used any excuse—this time, surviving the storm—to start a feast.
Head chef Yoichi sighed but complied. After all, an order from the captain was an order. He gathered the crew to start preparing ingredients for a banquet.
"Ahahahaha! If it weren't for Captain Buggy's heroic rescue, that brat Fang Yi would've been done for!"
A slightly drunk Buggy was loudly recounting the story of how he rescued Fang Yi and Sambell during the storm. Even though everyone had witnessed it, they still listened with amusement.
"Thank you so much!" said Sambell, his torso wrapped in bandages. He walked over to Fang Yi and bowed sincerely.
"We're crewmates, aren't we? I didn't do much," Fang Yi replied with a modest smile.
When he had realized Sambell was missing, Fang Yi immediately began searching and soon found him struggling in a chaotic current.
As it turned out, Sambell—who had been assisting Fang Yi from behind by clearing currents and sending signals to the Oro Jackson—had been struck by wreckage from one of the destroyed pirate ships.
Most of the debris was just broken planks, but the intense current had turned them into high-speed projectiles. One hit Sambell's fin, throwing off his sense of direction and sending him spiraling into the turbulent sea.
Despite the injury, Sambell managed to resist being pulled too far, allowing Fang Yi to locate him quickly.
Rescuing him wasn't too difficult. Fang Yi used a Freezing Arrow to briefly freeze the surrounding current, giving Sambell the chance to break free.
The ice didn't last long, but it was enough. The two surfaced soon after and began searching for the Oro Jackson—eventually spotted and rescued by Buggy, who proudly used his ability to pull them aboard. This, of course, fueled Buggy's boasting at the party.
After this ordeal, Fang Yi felt his bond with the crew had deepened even further.
But near the end of the celebration, Roger made a shocking announcement—he revealed the truth about his condition.
"What?!"
The crew couldn't believe it. Roger didn't look like someone terminally ill, supposedly with only a few years left to live.
"Hahahaha! Don't be like that, guys. No one lives forever. But inherited will, the winds of change, and dreams—those are eternal! So don't worry about me!" Roger said with a big laugh.
He didn't seem the least bit concerned about his illness. What mattered most to him was achieving his dream while he still could.
After the party ended, several crewmates sought out Crocus to confirm what Roger had said.
"Doctor Crocus, is there nothing we can do?" one of them asked anxiously.
"There's not much I can do," Crocus replied seriously. "I'm doing everything I can to keep the captain alive long enough to fulfill his dream. But…"
He hesitated, then added, "Fang Yi once mentioned a theory. He said there's a Devil Fruit called the Ope Ope no Mi—the Operation Fruit. If eaten by a skilled doctor, its powers could heal more than 90% of the diseases in the world."
"The Operation Fruit?"
"Fang Yi said that?"
That was when they noticed—Fang Yi hadn't been among those asking about Roger's condition. Nor had Shanks.
"Wait… you're saying Fang Yi already knew about this?" asked Rowen.
Crocus smiled. "Don't underestimate him. That kid figured it out all by himself."
Now understanding, the crew stopped dwelling on it. If anything, they gained new respect for Fang Yi—no longer seeing him as a mere kid, but someone perceptive and mature.
"So… the Operation Fruit is our best bet to save the captain?" someone asked.
"It's uncertain," Crocus replied. "It's just a theory. None of us has seen the fruit's power firsthand. We don't even know if it could cure what Roger has."
The room fell silent.
Suddenly, Buggy burst in, panting.
"Guys, bad news—Barrett wants to challenge the captain!"
"Huh?!"
Everyone was stunned. Why now?
Typically, crew members only challenged the captain when they fundamentally disagreed, usually when they wanted to leave but were denied. Winning meant they could leave; losing meant obeying the captain.
And those who challenged the captain usually didn't stay aboard much longer.
Without asking more, everyone rushed to the deck. On the way, Buggy explained what happened.
After learning about Roger's condition, Barrett had taken it hard. He couldn't accept it—Roger, his rival, the one he could never beat, was supposed to be invincible.
If Roger was terminally ill, what did that make Barrett? What did all his defeats mean?
Driven by confusion and frustration, he had challenged Roger—perhaps to prove something.
But Fang Yi stood in his way.
If Barrett hadn't known Roger's condition, Fang Yi might have said nothing. But now? Challenging a dying man was unacceptable. Fang Yi couldn't allow it.
He also knew that if Barrett went through with it, the other crew members would likely turn on him. Barrett wouldn't be able to stay on the ship after that.
Still, Roger had accepted the challenge with a smile. He saw Barrett as just another confused young man.
By the time the crew reached the deck, Fang Yi was already confronting Barrett. Rayleigh and Jabba were watching quietly from the side, not intervening.
"Barrett! If you want to challenge the captain, beat me first!" Fang Yi shouted. "Or have you forgotten the last time you lost to me?"
He used every trick he could—even taunts—to block Barrett.
And it worked. Barrett had never forgotten that loss. His face twisted with anger.
"Fine! Then I'll defeat you first! Let's settle this once and for all, Fang Yi!"
"Phew…"
Fang Yi exhaled silently in relief. "Alright. If it's a fight you want, I'll give you one. But you know I'm an archer. Fighting on the ship limits me. How about we wait until the next island?"
Barrett hesitated, then nodded. Fine. Next island, we'll fight.
With that, he turned and returned to his cabin.