Kuzan, the Navy's rising star, had been defeated, and it dealt a heavy blow to the Marines' morale.
The members of the Roger Pirates seized the moment, driving back the Marines who had boarded the Oro Jackson one by one.
In the sky, Roger's Observation Haki picked up on the shifting tide of the battle below.
"Haha, Garp, thanks for your disciple looking out for my intern!"
Amid the thunderous clash, Roger's hearty laughter rang out.
His legendary blade, wrapped in Conqueror's Haki, collided with Garp's fist. Borrowing the force of Garp's counterattack, Roger landed back on the Oro Jackson.
"Alright, you little rascals, time to make a break for it!!!"
"Hell yeah!" n
From beneath the waves, Sunbell unleashed a Fish-Man Karate move: Ocean Current Shoulder Throw. The sea roared with Haki-infused currents, propelling the ship skyward at breakneck speed!
"Roger, you bastard, don't run!!!"
Garp, unwilling to let them escape, started to give chase but was interrupted by a report from his Marines—Kuzan had fallen into the sea.
The man feared by countless pirates as a demon shot a fierce glare at the fleeing Roger, then tore off his cape and dove toward where Kuzan had gone under.
From the crow's nest, Sakura Haruno watched it all through Buggy's telescope.
Once she confirmed Garp and the others had given up the chase, she waved a flag to signal safety to her crewmates below.
Hanging the telescope around her neck, Sakura leapt from the crow's nest, grabbed a dangling rope, and slid down to the deck.
"Nice work, Sakura," Roger said, sheathing his sword and ruffling her hair.
"Heh, I didn't do much. Buggy's the one who really helped out," Sakura replied, lowering her head and twirling her foot on the deck, tracing little circles.
Buggy, sitting on a barrel nearby, choked on his bread when he heard his name, rolling his eyes dramatically.
"Sakura Haruno, that little—!!!"
Buggy swore to the heavens that beneath her innocent exterior hid a heart as black as coal.
—Pink-haired girls, every single one of them, are black-hearted when you cut them open!
---
"Oh, so that's how it is? Great job, Buggy!"
Hearing Sakura's humility, Roger waved at Buggy in the distance.
"Of course! This victory is all thanks to the great Buggy!"
Praised by Roger, Buggy got carried away, rubbing his thumb across his nose with a smug grin.
"Haha, you're something else, Buggy," Shanks said, laughing as he gave Buggy a playful punch.
"Alright, since we shook off Garp, let's throw a party!!!"
Roger raised his arms with a joyful shout, completely unbothered that their last party had ended less than three days ago.
It was this whimsical captain, with his carefree commands, who could bend the entire world to his will.
—As if everything was in the palm of his hand.
"That's what I'm talking about! I'm in…"
Watching Roger laugh so freely, Sakura couldn't help but join in his infectious joy.
She raised her arm, reaching toward the shimmering king and the boundless world reflected in his clear eyes.
"Pretty charismatic, huh, Roger?"
A voice snapped Sakura back to reality.
Turning, she saw Rayleigh standing beside her, arms crossed.
Catching her starry-eyed moment, the Roger Pirates' second-in-command gave her a teasing look.
"Yeah, no wonder a guy like you, Rayleigh, would fall for him~"
Unfazed, Sakura covered her mouth with a girlish giggle, firing back playfully.
"Fall for… cough? What's going on in kids' heads these days?"
Rayleigh sighed helplessly, then, with a mischievous glint, scooped Sakura up and headed toward the gathering crowd.
With the hero of the hour joining in, the party's energy soared.
The feast lasted all night, until dawn broke.
The rising sun illuminated the Oro Jackson's mermaid figurehead, gently casting light over the sprawled-out pirates, passed out in all directions.
Sakura, gripping a standard-issue Marine sword left behind, wove through the crowd toward the platform at the ship's stern to practice her swordsmanship.
Creak!
Behind her, the wooden cabin floor groaned under someone's footsteps.
Sakura spun her sword, propped on her elbow, its blade pointing toward the source of the sound.
Clatter!
Startled by her sudden move, the person stumbled and fell, knocking over someone else behind them.
"Buggy, Shanks, what are you guys doing here?"
Sakura's emerald eyes locked onto two familiar figures, and she called out their names.
"I-I was just… just checking out the view!"
Buggy stammered, his red nose practically steaming as he turned his head away.
"Buggy and I wanted to see how you train!"
Straightforward as ever, Shanks spilled their real intentions.
This sent Buggy into a frenzy, jumping up and shaking Shanks by the collar.
"Tsundere, huh? Must be tough on you, Shanks," Sakura teased.
"Yeah," Shanks said, shrugging off Buggy with a grin.
"Wanna train to get stronger? How about I coach you?"
A slightly drunken voice cut into the trio's banter, punctuated by a hiccup.
They looked up to see a man perched on the sail's support beam.
"Rayleigh!"
The three shouted his name in unison.
Rayleigh leapt lightly from the beam, landing in front of them.
"So, what do you think of my offer?"
He repeated himself, but Buggy and Shanks' faces paled.
While Sakura wasn't looking, they scurried to the corner of the platform, as if fleeing a monster.
"Hmm…" Sakura tapped her chin, thinking. "Can you teach me Haki?"
"No can do," Rayleigh said firmly, shutting her down. "You've got Conqueror's Haki, but using it too early could stunt your growth."
"Why not?"
Sakura's face scrunched up, her lips pouting.
Rayleigh pushed up his glasses (master mode: activated) and began explaining to the trio.
"Conqueror's Haki represents ambition, Armament Haki represents self, and Observation Haki represents connection. At its core, Haki is the power of will."
"When strong wills clash with Haki, it's a battle of resolve, and it usually doesn't stop until one side comes out on top."
"But kids' willpower is still developing, and your physical strength isn't on par with adults."
"If you lose in a clash of wills, it could leave lasting damage to your mind and body."
Rayleigh's gaze grew intense as he raised a finger, coating it in glossy black Armament Haki.
He motioned for Sakura to come closer, then flicked her forehead lightly.
"Ow, that hurts!" Sakura yelped, a bump swelling on her forehead as she glared at Rayleigh. "What was that for?!"
"To show you what it feels like to have your will crushed," Rayleigh said with a wicked grin, slowly retracting his finger.
"If you can't handle a defeat in a clash of wills, you might sink into despair, stalling your growth—or worse, your strength could regress."
"What if someone grows up constantly facing these kinds of will-based challenges?"
Sakura suddenly thought of a certain rubber-man beaten down by fists of love and asked.
"If they don't break, they'll rise to become one of the greatest on the seas," Rayleigh replied, a thoughtful look crossing his face.
Sakura's idea, if guided by someone skilled in controlling Haki, might actually have potential?
"So, Sakura…"
Rayleigh's face broke into a 'kind' smile.
"Observation Haki doesn't have those risks. Wanna learn? Ready for my training?"
His words coiled around her like a devil's whisper, tempting her to give in.
—Come on, learn it! The vice-captain wouldn't steer you wrong, would he?
—Time's short, and Rayleigh's the teacher—you can't go wrong with him!
—He's one of the greatest on these seas. His coaching's gotta be top-tier, right?
"I'm in!"
Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Sakura straightened up, hands on her hips, and bowed to Rayleigh.
"Awesome!"
Rayleigh's grin widened as he swept his arm.
Suddenly, Sakura felt like she'd been hit by a category-eight gale.
She spun through the air, crashing into the deep blue sea.
(Buggy: Yes! This is exactly what I wanted to see!)
"You jerk, what the hell?!"
Choking on seawater, Sakura flailed her arms and legs to stay afloat.
"This is my special training method—swimming!"
Rayleigh stood on the ship's stern, cheering her on.
"Keep going! Swim hard, or you'll fall too far behind and get eaten by a sea king!"
Realizing she'd been duped, Sakura could only thrash and roar, her furious cry waking the entire ship.
"Damn it—!!!"
…