— — — — — —
New World — Whitebeard Pirates
"Gurarara… That brat really pulled off something earth-shaking this time." Whitebeard bellowed with laughter, a massive cup of sake in his hand. "Even Roger himself probably never expected to walk away alive! Gurarara~"
"Unbelievable. Rimuru actually went and saved Roger…" Marco stared at the newspaper, disbelief written all over his face.
"Gurara… And his friend—now that one's something else. Even I wouldn't be able to pull off a stunt like that." Whitebeard's eyes narrowed, his tone carrying rare gravity. Kong, Garp, and Zephyr—each one a monster on the level of an Admiral. Against them, even he would've had no choice but to retreat.
---
Near Loguetown — a quiet island
"The Captain's been rescued!!!!" Rayleigh's hands trembled as he sat back, voice unsteady. Though Roger had chosen death on his own terms, as crewmates they could never truly accept it. But now? With Roger alive, there was still a chance. The Roger Pirates might yet sail again.
"Roger, you stubborn bastard… hurry back to us."
---
Marine Headquarters
"This failure has dragged the Navy's reputation through the mud." Kong's voice thundered across the strategy chamber, his expression grim. "Yes, the enemy was beyond anything we've faced, but we cannot allow our morale to collapse!"
"Morale?" Garp let out a bitter laugh. "How do you fight something like that? The difference in power… it was like staring into an abyss."
At his words, silence fell. Every officer present knew the truth of it.
"Enough!" Kong slammed his fist against the table. "This isn't the time for despair! Stand tall, all of you! Sengoku—give us your assessment."
"Yes, sir." Sengoku pressed his palms together, his tone measured. "Pirate activity is spiking everywhere, and our forces are spread thin. Reinforcements are urgently needed. But that's not the biggest threat." He paused. "What worries me most is—what do Roger's rescuers actually want? If they intend to use him to reach…"
"The One Piece?" a Vice Admiral muttered darkly.
No one knew what the treasure truly was. But the fact the World Government feared it enough to guard its secret at all costs… that alone said everything.
Kong's expression hardened. Even he couldn't hide his unease.
— — —
Back to Tensura World
"Alright, everything's set. Time to put the plan into action."
"Aye~"
...
"So, Roger," Rimuru leaned forward after the meeting, curiosity plain on his face. "What is this legendary treasure, anyway?"
"The One Piece?" Roger gave him a weary smile, almost pitying. "Just the filthy secrets of a rotten age, written down for the world to see."
"Proof of the sins of an old, undying bastard, that's all."
"Well, it's like this..."
— — —
One Piece World — A few hours later...
Somewhere in the East Blue, the surface of the sea rippled unnaturally as a jagged rift split open in midair. From it, several figures stepped into the world of pirates.
"So this is the area we're in charge of?" Shion gazed out at the endless expanse of ocean, then turned to her companions. "We'd better not betray Lord Rimuru's trust."
"Relax. The East Blue's probably the easiest sea to handle. For us, this should be nothing," said Hakuro with casual confidence.
Shion gave a small nod. "That's true enough."
At the same time, rifts were appearing all across the seas—the West Blue, the South Blue, the North Blue, the Grand Line. Rimuru's subordinates and the Demon Lords' followers were all spilling into the One Piece world, scattering to begin their operations.
Roger stepped out from one of the shimmering portals, his face twisted in disbelief. "Unbelievable… your guild even has the power to cross between worlds?"
"If we didn't, how do you think I got here in the first place?" Rimuru deadpanned.
Roger scratched his head, looking sheepish. "Well, it's my first time crossing worlds, so a little shock's normal, right? Wait... I didn't even know there were other worlds."
"Alright, enough chatter," Rimuru cut in. "Everyone, you've got your assignments. I'll be heading to contact old man Whitebeard. If we can bring him in, that'll be a huge win."
"Whitebeard, huh?" Roger rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Yeah… with his personality, it's not impossible. Add in his influence in the New World, and he'd make a powerful ally."
"The more allies we have, the less bloodshed there'll be… on my world's side, of course."
"Then I'll be off." Rimuru sprouted wings and shot into the sky, vanishing over the horizon in an instant.
"I'd better get moving too." Roger grinned suddenly, his eyes gleaming. "I can't wait to see the look on Rayleigh's face when he finds out. That'll be priceless." With that, he oriented himself and set off.
.
.
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