One Piece: Buggy the Great King of the Sea

Shanks, the captain doesn't have time to train you—but I do," Rayleigh said, a sly glint in his eyes. "Why don't you consider training with me for a while? Buggy's already on board. If you pass this up, don't come crying later when Buggy's stronger than you.

Rayleigh was teasing, but he was also using Buggy to push Shanks a little. Truthfully, he wanted to train both of them. It would be good for them to improve during this transition period so they could eventually survive and thrive in the dangerous world ahead.

"Hah! Come on, Uncle Rayleigh. Buggy? He'd need ten years—at least—just to be on par with me now. Beat me? That'll never happen in his lifetime."

After thinking for a moment, Shanks said seriously, "Alright, Uncle Rayleigh. I'll train with you too."

He wasn't convinced that Buggy could surpass him, but he didn't mind going along with Rayleigh's offer. He had no plans to set out on his own just yet. He wasn't ready. His strength wasn't there. Learning alongside Buggy under Rayleigh's guidance sounded like a pretty good idea.

Roger chimed in with a wide grin. "Shanks, I believe in you! There's no way Buggy could ever surpass you—but hey, don't slack off! If you do fall behind, your old captain's going to laugh at you!"

Always one to stir the pot, Roger added a little extra flame to the fire.

After that, Roger waved to Buggy, who immediately came running over.

Once he was close, Roger repeated everything Shanks had said earlier—that Buggy could never surpass him.

"Hmph! Just you wait, Shanks," Buggy snapped. "I'm going to train hard, and in one year, I'll have you under my foot!"

He tilted his head up dramatically, refusing to even look at Shanks.

Roger and Rayleigh both laughed. This was exactly what they wanted—a friendly rivalry. Competition was the best fuel for growth. Shanks responded with a smirk and a dramatic pose of his own, silently accepting the challenge.

And with that, it was decided: both Buggy and Shanks would begin training under Rayleigh.

Time passed quickly. In just a few days, the inevitable moment of parting arrived.

Roger chose a remote island in an unpatrolled sea to be his disembarkation point.

After saying goodbye, he left the ship carrying a large stock of medicine prepared by Crocus.

No one cried—not outwardly. They all smiled, but the mist from the sea clung heavily to their faces. Because the crew of the Pirate King... doesn't shed tears.

The second to leave was Kozuki Oden. Again, no one wept.

One by one, in the following days, the crewmates disembarked at predetermined locations. Until finally, only a handful remained.

Eventually, the Oro Jackson reached the Sabaody Archipelago. With the ship now nearly empty and no longer protected by powerful figures like Roger, the risk of sailing it any further had become too great.

Since Rayleigh planned to stay at Sabaody as well, the remaining crew decided they'd all disembark here. From there, they would each find their way to wherever they needed to go.

They chose a secluded spot on the island and built a massive bonfire. Then they set the Oro Jackson ablaze.

This had been decided long ago—by all of them, with Roger making the final call.

None of them would sail it again. The ship that had carried their dreams and history didn't deserve to rot away with time. That would be an insult. Instead, they chose to give it a glorious farewell while it was still at its peak—an ending as grand as its journey.

Though hearts were heavy, they all agreed it was the right thing to do.

They stood smiling as they lit the flames—sorrow hidden behind laughter. Sea mist once again turned into droplets sliding down their cheeks.

As the fire blazed, it felt as if a great spirit was rising from the flames, giving them a silent, final farewell.

This goodbye… it was the most painful. The most permanent.

But still, no one cried. Only the sea mist betrayed their emotions.

After parting ways with the others, Rayleigh, Buggy, and Shanks made their way to Area 13 of the Sabaody Archipelago.

Soon, the three of them stood outside a bar made entirely of wood. A sign above the door read:

Shakky's Rip-Off Bar

The moment Buggy saw the name, he knew where they were. Just as he'd guessed, Rayleigh had come to find Shakky.

"Once we're inside, watch your mouths," Rayleigh warned. "The woman in there? She's terrifying. Even I don't dare mess with her. You piss her off, I'm not protecting you."

Rayleigh was playing it safe—he was here to ask for a favor, after all.

As they stepped inside, Buggy and Shanks saw a beautiful, curvy woman standing behind the bar, staring straight at Rayleigh without blinking.

And who else could she be?

It was Shakky. The moment their eyes met, the air changed.

Buggy and Shanks both instantly understood the mood and felt like they'd just been force-fed a giant dose of romantic tension.

After a long, silent stare, the two finally snapped out of it.

"Oi, you damn old man," Shakky said, glaring at Rayleigh. "Don't tell me you've brought your two sons here to meet me. I'll kill you."

Rayleigh gave a sheepish laugh. "What are you talking about? I don't have sons. These two brats are just our crew members. They're here to train with me for a while. After that, they'll be gone."

He looked completely embarrassed, not at all like the legendary Dark King of the seas. Right now, he seemed more like a flustered teenage boy.

If the rest of the crew had seen him like this, they'd probably burst out laughing.

"We're not his kids! We're just here to train, that's all," Buggy jumped in quickly, trying to smooth things over. "Once we're done learning from Uncle Rayleigh, we'll be on our way."

He knew the nature of Rayleigh and Shakky's relationship. And since they needed Rayleigh to train them, Buggy made sure to support him, not wanting Shakky to misunderstand. If their relationship got strained, Rayleigh might not stick around to train them at all.

Rayleigh gave Buggy a subtle thumbs-up behind his back.

"You little brat," Shakky said, turning her eyes to Buggy. "Who are you calling auntie, huh? Do I look that old to you?"

Buggy flinched. Of course! A woman's age was a landmine. He'd crossed the line.

"Sorry! Sister—sister, I meant sister! I was just flustered because of Rayleigh, that's all. You're way too young and beautiful to be called an auntie!"

Buggy knew better than to argue. Arguing with a woman about her age was a one-way ticket to disaster.

Hmph. That's better, Shakky replied, a smile finally curling on her lips. Come on, have a seat.