Um… Yi‑ge, are you sure it's okay to give away that miraculous fish bait? Shanks asked, watching Fang Yi hand it out and looking worried.
They hadn't been using much of it recently, so Fang Yi had quite a stock again.
"I explained myself clearly. If they want it, they can take it," Fang Yi hesitated slightly.
"Sachi, didn't you say it doesn't work?" Shanks teased, and Sachi joined in.
"It's not that it doesn't work—it works too well," Fang Yi sighed. "Sachi, you're the cook, right? Tell me you haven't faced food shortages at sea before! This bait guarantees a catch. As for what shows up—it's anyone's guess!"
"Seriously?" Sachi blinked, astonished.
Since Fang Yi sounded so serious, people believed him.
"Not just fish—you could attract a giant Sea King!" Fang Yi warned. "It could wipe out an entire crew. If I read in the newspaper tomorrow about the Whitebeard Pirates getting wiped out by a Sea King… you'll know why."
"Can it attract Sea Kings?" Whitebeard's crew looked shocked.
"Yeah—more than once. But my crew is strong enough to handle small ones. Yours? Might be a problem. So think carefully before swapping," Fang Yi said, head held high.
The voice of Whitebeard boomed back: "If it does all that, I'll take it—price it."
"Don't blame me if your crew vanishes," Fang Yi replied with a half-grin.
Hearing that, Roger leaned over too: "Think carefully, Newgate. Last time we nearly lost everyone!"
Whitebeard and Oden stiffened, realizing Roger and Shanks had overheard.
"Yes, Fang Yi's gizmo is powerful—but risky," Roger added with a laugh. "It once attracted a 'Devouring Goldfish' from Food Island. It almost swallowed our ship alive!"
Multiple crew members shuddered hearing that.
That legend—it had almost come true for Roger's crew. Whitebeard's curiosity piqued.
"Marco—trade your treasure for this bait. One chest of gold. If he refuses, you can beat him for me!" Whitebeard joked with Marco.
Fang Yi and Marco both froze—Fang Yi at the low offer, Marco because he only had one chest to begin with.
Yet despite reluctance, the exchange went through.
Later, Buggy pulled Fang Yi aside: "That guy… hasn't slept in days!"
"Maybe he's on watch duty," Fang Yi teased. "He's never slept once in his life!"
"A living legend!" Shanks mused, amazed.
"Oh, shut up! He's a monster!" Buggy shivered.
Fang Yi shook his head. "Keep it quiet. We're not fighting them—yet."
Meanwhile, Roger stirred in his seat, holding a rubbing copy of a strange ancient text, and asked Oden: "Can you read this?"
"Yes!" Oden nodded, surprised.
"And not just read—it's your Kozuki clan's secret code. How did you get it?"
Roger grinned: "About a decade ago, I landed on the uncharted island that was supposed to be the final point—Water Star Isle. Instead, the navigation pointer broke down. We realized the real final island hadn't appeared yet."
"But I knew it existed. Only by reaching it could you truly circumnavigate the world." He revealed the rubbings: four red stone tablets inscribed with that forbidden ancient script.
"They were banned by the World Government long ago. I thought they were mere cultural relics—but they turned out to be a map."
Whitebeard and Oden listened closely.
"This final island is the legendary last point. If we reach it, we'll be the world's greatest pirate crew," Roger said, eyes alight.
"World's strongest?" Whitebeard and Oden exchanged looks.
"Exactly. And I intend to become… the Pirate King."
They stared, disbelief writ on their faces, as if Roger had uttered a myth.
Whitebeard broke into roaring laughter: "Roger, you're joking, right? You're no teenager anymore!"
Legends of great treasure islands were common, but no one had ever found them. Becoming Pirate King was a joke whispered at sea.
Yet something in Roger's tone felt genuine. Suddenly, he stood up and knelt before Whitebeard, saying, "Newgate—lend me Oden for one year. With him, we'll reach that final island. This is my request for all my life."
The action stunned both Oden and Whitebeard, and Roger's crew watching were speechless.
"Captain? He's your enemy—why genuflect?" one crewmember whispered.
But Roger stayed kneeling, pleading: "Please, Oden. One year—travel with us for just one year."
Oden stammered, flustered: "Captain… why are you kneeling? You're stronger than me—this is undignified!"
Whitebeard, enraged, exploded: "What sort of joke is this? Planning to snatch my family away?"
The sea seemed to shake beneath that fury. Meanwhile, Roger's loyal crew felt their jaws drop.
Oden paused—and then said quietly, almost to himself—but loud enough that Whitebeard and Roger heard: "Wait… let me go with him."
That single line stunned Whitebeard. Oden's own decision defused his anger, and something changed in the air.