Shiro quickly adjusted his mindset, giving himself a mental pep talk.
"Forget it. I'm still young. As long as Rayleigh helps me lay the basics, I should be fine. If I train hard, maybe… just maybe, I can create a miracle!"
Rayleigh, fully aware of the immense power Shiro gained from consuming the Paw-Paw Fruit, had meticulously crafted a grueling physical training regimen.
The plan demanded that Shiro increase his daily training load by one percent. If he did 1,000 push-ups today, tomorrow he had to complete 1,010. For a mere four-year-old, this was nothing short of a herculean challenge.
Yet Shiro's desire to grow stronger burned brighter than any obstacle. He gritted his teeth and persisted, day after day, never missing a session.
Beyond training, Shiro also harbored a secret curiosity. He frequently sought out Gaban, bombarding him with questions about his daily meals—from breakfast combinations to dinner ingredients.
Gaban watched the little boy's relentless curiosity with a puzzled expression.
"Little Shiro, why do you need to know all this?"
Shiro scratched his head, cheeks red with embarrassment.
"To grow stronger… to become even more exceptional!"
Gaban, only half-understanding, nodded and shared his usual meals with Shiro.
Days slipped by like this. One sunny afternoon, Shiro was on deck, sweating through squats, when Roger suddenly announced he would be leaving the Oro Jackson for a few days. Without explanation, he rowed away into the vast ocean.
Three days later, as the sun painted the sea gold, Roger returned, cradling a baby with a bright red nose, crying so hard his tiny face scrunched in protest.
Shiro instantly recognized the child: the future notorious "Clown" Buggy.
Every crew member aboard, Shiro included, was baffled—no one understood Roger's intentions or the origin of this child.
Roger silently placed Buggy beside Shanks, his gaze gentle yet commanding, instructing the crew to raise the child together. Despite their questions, no one dared disobey the captain. This was the unique charisma of Roger—the pirate king whose mere presence inspired absolute loyalty.
From that day on, Shiro, Shanks, and Buggy—the "Three Little Ones"—became the crew's constant source of amusement.
Whenever Shiro had free time, he sparred with the crew. Though he was often beaten to the deck, he never gave up. Soon, crew members began betting on how long he could last in each match. Laughter and cheers echoed across the ship.
As Shanks and Buggy grew, the playful crew encouraged them to spar as well. Shanks, five months older, always overpowered Buggy, leaving the little red-nosed boy in tears. The sight was both pitiful and comical, bringing endless laughter from the crew.
However, amid the lighthearted chaos, the crew faced a serious challenge. Under Captain Roger's leadership, the Roger Pirates were approaching bankruptcy. Food was scarce, and expenses had skyrocketed—weapon purchases, child-rearing, and daily supplies strained the coffers.
Though pirates by name, they followed principles and never stole from civilians. And with their reputation spreading far and wide, rival crews avoided confrontation, making it nearly impossible to seize treasure. Yet Roger's penchant for extravagant feasts drained their remaining wealth.
Seeing the crew's worry, Shiro had a sudden idea. He proposed working with bounty hunters: capturing notorious, immobile pirates and selling them at a discount, using the proceeds to cover daily expenses.
Hands behind his back, he addressed the anxious crew like a little adult:
"If this crew didn't have me, it would fall apart sooner or later!"
And thus, a bizarre new phenomenon emerged: the prestigious Roger Pirates capturing and selling other pirates to bounty hunters, who then sold them to the World Government. This unusual tactic became the talk of the seas.
Time passed like a blink. By the year 1490 in the Sea Calendar, six years after the cataclysmic God Valley battle, the pirate world had grown more tumultuous than ever. That battle had permanently altered the power structure of the seas, planting countless seeds for future upheavals.
The once-feared Rocks Pirates disbanded in the aftermath, with each member pursuing their own path.
Rocks D. Xebec, their captain, had suffered grave injuries during the battle and vanished. Rumors of his fate spread across the pirate world—some claimed he had retreated to a mysterious island to recover, waiting for a chance to rise again; others said he had perished at sea, ending his legendary life. Regardless of the truth, his disappearance left a massive void in the pirate world.
The remnants of the Rocks Pirates were formidable figures in their own right:
Whitebeard, Edward Newgate: His grand spirit and unmatched strength commanded respect across the seas.
Gold Lion Shiki: A master swordsman and Devil Fruit user, renowned for his daring exploits.
Charlotte Linlin: Ruthless and eccentric, wielding the Soul-Soul Fruit to build her powerful family and pirate empire.
Others like John, Wang Zhi, and Silver Axe each held significant influence and prowess.
Among these remnants, Kaido of the Beasts rose astonishingly fast. After the God Valley battle, Linlin gifted him the mysterious Fish-Fish Fruit, amplifying his already formidable power. Kaido's meteoric rise allowed him to rival seasoned legends like Whitebeard, Gold Lion Shiki, and Linlin herself.
Meanwhile, other veteran pirates remained ambitious and dangerous:
Red Count Patrick Redfield: Mysterious, powerful, and feared across the seas.
World Destroyer Byrnndi World: Unpredictable and chaotic, sowing terror wherever he went.
Amid this turbulent pirate world, the Roger Pirates continued to face their own unique set of challenges.