One Piece: Start by Saving Roger, I Was Invited to Join the Crew

Rayleigh chuckled and turned to Reid.

"Heh, looks like you've caught the attention of the world, Brother Reid. I'd bet your wanted poster and the newspaper have spread across every sea."

"Brother Rayleigh, does this mean I'm in danger now? You have to protect me!" Ah

"Uh…" Reid joked with a mischievous smile.

Rayleigh was momentarily speechless, taken aback by the unexpected plea.

"Don't worry, Reid!" Bucky interrupted confidently, still chewing on his food.

"The Roger Pirates are the strongest crew on the seas. No one dares to mess with us. If anything, we're the ones doing the bullying! Hahahaha!"

"Bucky's right," Shanks agreed with a grin.

"Our captain holds the highest bounty in the world."

"Benitaro, don't let bounties fool you," Rayleigh cautioned.

"There are dangerous people in the shadows. If some of them were ever exposed, their bounties could easily surpass Roger's."

"Mr. Rayleigh, that's impossible!" Shanks argued passionately.

"Captain Roger's bounty is nearly six billion berries! Who could top that?"

"Bounties don't always reflect true strength," Reid added, nodding in agreement with Rayleigh.

"The World Government decides the amounts. For those they fear the most, they might even understate the bounty intentionally."

"Then Mr. Rayleigh, is there anyone—Navy or pirate—who's actually stronger than Captain Roger?"

Bucky asked, clearly doubtful.

Rayleigh answered calmly, "I don't know for sure. But Whitebeard, Edward Newgate, is said to be on equal footing with Roger."

"Whitebeard? If he's so strong, then why isn't he the Pirate King? And where's his 'white beard' anyway?"

Bucky scoffed mid-bite, clearly unimpressed. He admired Roger deeply, and naturally disliked Whitebeard, especially since their crews had clashed numerous times.

"Maybe Whitebeard just isn't interested in becoming the Pirate King," Reid said thoughtfully.

"He seems more focused on protecting his family—his crew. It probably has a lot to do with his background. His dream is to create a big, unified family on the seas, one that sails together and shares adventures."

Rayleigh quietly watched Reid, surprised once again by how well he understood people—even someone like Whitebeard.

"Tch, that's just an excuse," Bucky muttered.

"He knows he can't surpass Captain Roger. Everyone knows who the true Pirate King is."

"Family, huh…" Shanks echoed, mulling over Reid's words.

The more he listened, the more he respected Reid—not just for his medical skills, but for his insight and depth of thought.

"You're right," Rayleigh finally said.

"Whitebeard's crew is massive. While most pirates sail in one ship, he commands several. He treats every one of them like his own son—he really sees himself as a father figure to all the wanderers at sea."

Rayleigh looked up at the sky, where stars were slowly beginning to appear.

"Still, that's strange," Bucky muttered, chewing meat again.

"Why treat them like sons instead of just calling them crewmates?"

"That might be his will—his dream," Rayleigh answered.

"He's taken it upon himself to bear the burden of protecting them all."

Hearing this, Rayleigh again turned to Reid, his gaze filled with something like admiration.

"His will…" Shanks repeated, quietly glancing at Reid.

For a moment, he found himself wondering just how much Reid truly understood. There was a depth to him that made Shanks uneasy and impressed all at once.

Meanwhile, aboard the Moby Dick…

After hanging up the transponder snail, Whitebeard picked up a huge sake gourd and poured himself a full bowl.

Gulp gulp gulp.

He drank it in one go.

"Dad, was everything Rayleigh said true?" Marco asked.

Whitebeard nodded with a calm expression.

"If both Rayleigh and the wanted posters say so, then it's probably true."

"That means the Roger Pirates are going to face trouble before heading to Wano. With the World Government leaking information about Roger's treasure and Reid's secret that supposedly surpasses One Piece, every pirate will be hunting them. Dad, are we going to step in?"

The speaker was Waidibe, a curvy woman with long hair and a striking figure. She wore a purple pirate hat adorned with a skull and had joined up with Whitebeard again after hearing about the Wano operation.

"Hahaha, Waidibe," Marco teased.

"Are you just looking for an excuse to get close to the Roger Pirates?"

Waidibe shot him a look.

"Don't be ridiculous. I admire you, Dad. I'm only concerned about Oden. If not for the risk of drawing attention, I would've gone to Wano myself by now."

"Then why don't we head to Roger's location now?" suggested Vista, the famed swordsman known as Foil Bista.

"Once his wife gives birth, we can go straight to Wano. Otherwise, we might waste precious time."

Whitebeard glanced at the worried faces of his crew. He felt conflicted. He'd agreed to lend Oden to Roger for just one year. Now he was being told Oden's life might be in danger. No one touched Whitebeard's family and got away with it.

Just then, a voice cut in from the side.

"Dad, if we're going to act with the Roger Pirates anyway, then I agree—we should head to their island now. It'll give us a head start toward Wano."

Whitebeard turned to look sharply at the speaker—Teach.

There was a flicker in Whitebeard's eyes, as if he sensed something beneath the surface.

"Uh… Dad, I think Waidibe and Bista have a point," Teach added nervously.

"If we go now, we'll be ready in case anything unexpected happens."

Beads of sweat trickled down his face. Teach always felt uneasy under Whitebeard's gaze, as though his every hidden thought was being seen through.

"Teach is right," said Jozu.

"We can also keep an eye on Roger's crew and make sure they don't leave without us."

Whitebeard didn't respond right away. His thoughts drifted back to the day he first took Teach in.

Rayleigh chuckled and turned to Reid.

"Heh, looks like you've caught the attention of the world, Brother Reid. I'd bet your wanted poster and the newspaper have spread across every sea."

"Brother Rayleigh, does this mean I'm in danger now? You have to protect me!"

Reid joked with a mischievous smile.

Rayleigh was momentarily speechless, taken aback by the unexpected plea.

"Don't worry, Reid!" Bucky interrupted confidently, still chewing on his food.

"The Roger Pirates are the strongest crew on the seas. No one dares to mess with us. If anything, we're the ones doing the bullying! Hahahaha!"

"Bucky's right," Shanks agreed with a grin.

"Our captain holds the highest bounty in the world."

"Benitaro, don't let bounties fool you," Rayleigh cautioned.

"There are dangerous people in the shadows. If some of them were ever exposed, their bounties could easily surpass Roger's."

"Mr. Rayleigh, that's impossible!" Shanks argued passionately.

"Captain Roger's bounty is nearly six billion berries! Who could top that?"

"Bounties don't always reflect true strength," Reid added, nodding in agreement with Rayleigh.

"The World Government decides the amounts. For those they fear the most, they might even understate the bounty intentionally."

"Then Mr. Rayleigh, is there anyone—Navy or pirate—who's actually stronger than Captain Roger?"

Bucky asked, clearly doubtful.

Rayleigh answered calmly, "I don't know for sure. But Whitebeard, Edward Newgate, is said to be on equal footing with Roger."

"Whitebeard? If he's so strong, then why isn't he the Pirate King? And where's his 'white beard' anyway?"

Bucky scoffed mid-bite, clearly unimpressed. He admired Roger deeply, and naturally disliked Whitebeard, especially since their crews had clashed numerous times.

"Maybe Whitebeard just isn't interested in becoming the Pirate King," Reid said thoughtfully.

"He seems more focused on protecting his family—his crew. It probably has a lot to do with his background. His dream is to create a big, unified family on the seas, one that sails together and shares adventures."

Rayleigh quietly watched Reid, surprised once again by how well he understood people—even someone like Whitebeard.

"Tch, that's just an excuse," Bucky muttered.

"He knows he can't surpass Captain Roger. Everyone knows who the true Pirate King is."

"Family, huh…" Shanks echoed, mulling over Reid's words.

The more he listened, the more he respected Reid—not just for his medical skills, but for his insight and depth of thought.

"You're right," Rayleigh finally said.

"Whitebeard's crew is massive. While most pirates sail in one ship, he commands several. He treats every one of them like his own son—he really sees himself as a father figure to all the wanderers at sea."

Rayleigh looked up at the sky, where stars were slowly beginning to appear.

"Still, that's strange," Bucky muttered, chewing meat again.

"Why treat them like sons instead of just calling them crewmates?"

"That might be his will—his dream," Rayleigh answered.

"He's taken it upon himself to bear the burden of protecting them all."

Hearing this, Rayleigh again turned to Reid, his gaze filled with something like admiration.

"His will…" Shanks repeated, quietly glancing at Reid.

For a moment, he found himself wondering just how much Reid truly understood. There was a depth to him that made Shanks uneasy and impressed all at once.

Meanwhile, aboard the Moby Dick…

After hanging up the transponder snail, Whitebeard picked up a huge sake gourd and poured himself a full bowl.

Gulp gulp gulp.

He drank it in one go.

"Dad, was everything Rayleigh said true?" Marco asked.

Whitebeard nodded with a calm expression.

"If both Rayleigh and the wanted posters say so, then it's probably true."

"That means the Roger Pirates are going to face trouble before heading to Wano. With the World Government leaking information about Roger's treasure and Reid's secret that supposedly surpasses One Piece, every pirate will be hunting them. Dad, are we going to step in?"

The speaker was Waidibe, a curvy woman with long hair and a striking figure. She wore a purple pirate hat adorned with a skull and had joined up with Whitebeard again after hearing about the Wano operation.

"Hahaha, Waidibe," Marco teased.

"Are you just looking for an excuse to get close to the Roger Pirates?"

Waidibe shot him a look.

"Don't be ridiculous. I admire you, Dad. I'm only concerned about Oden. If not for the risk of drawing attention, I would've gone to Wano myself by now."

"Then why don't we head to Roger's location now?" suggested Vista, the famed swordsman known as Foil Bista.

"Once his wife gives birth, we can go straight to Wano. Otherwise, we might waste precious time."

Whitebeard glanced at the worried faces of his crew. He felt conflicted. He'd agreed to lend Oden to Roger for just one year. Now he was being told Oden's life might be in danger. No one touched Whitebeard's family and got away with it.

Just then, a voice cut in from the side.

"Dad, if we're going to act with the Roger Pirates anyway, then I agree—we should head to their island now. It'll give us a head start toward Wano."

Whitebeard turned to look sharply at the speaker—Teach.

There was a flicker in Whitebeard's eyes, as if he sensed something beneath the surface.

"Uh… Dad, I think Waidibe and Bista have a point," Teach added nervously.

"If we go now, we'll be ready in case anything unexpected happens."

Beads of sweat trickled down his face. Teach always felt uneasy under Whitebeard's gaze, as though his every hidden thought was being seen through.

"Teach is right," said Jozu.

"We can also keep an eye on Roger's crew and make sure they don't leave without us."

Whitebeard didn't respond right away. His thoughts drifted back to the day he first took Teach in.

"My body feels insanely strong. I'm fast, tireless… but why do I feel like I've gone a bit crazy?" Reid muttered to himself. It was becoming clearer now: in the world of pirates, everyone—from high-ranking Navy officers and Yonko to petty criminals and common folks—grinned like maniacs and had ridiculously exaggerated expressions.

"So this is how things work here. It's not just the people; even my body's adapting to the culture and rules of this world."

Unaware, Reid found himself grinning as he monologued internally.

"Brother Reid, where are you from?" someone asked.

"Me? Let me think…"

Roger's face turned slightly puzzled. This guy has to think about where he's from?

"I'm from the Eastern Tang Dynasty… wait, no, I meant a small village in the East Blue. Can't recall the name. Maybe pirates wiped it out. Or maybe it was bandits. Hahaha… ouch!"

In the middle of laughing, Reid smacked right into a wall.

"Hahaha, so you're from East Blue too? Interesting guy. I'll be off then," Roger said cheerfully, dashing away like he had wheels on his feet.

"Wait, Brother Roger, don't leave me behind!"

Roger only grinned wider, eyes glimmering as he gazed toward the sky.

"Freedom… that's what this feels like. This time, Celestial Dragons, we're bringing you down."

Though Roger's eyes were shut, his smile wide, he skillfully dodged every obstacle in his path.

Man, I really need to fit in quickly. If I don't, I'll probably end up getting scammed by my own crewmates, Reid sighed inwardly.

"Stop right there! You're not getting away!"

Suddenly, more pursuers appeared behind him—twice as many as before, and clearly more elite by the looks of their uniforms.

[Marine Warrant Officer: Weapon - Dao. Rank: Warrant Officer]

[Marine Warrant Officer: Weapon - Dao. Rank: Ensign]

[Marine Warrant Officer: Weapon - Longsword. Rank: Lieutenant]

[Marine Warrant Officer: Weapon - Dao. Rank: Captain]

Reid raised an eyebrow. "Where the hell did all these guys come from? I've been running forever…"

He frowned, then released a wave of Conqueror's Haki. Instantly, the entire squad chasing him collapsed, unconscious.

That's when reality hit him.

I really charged into saving Roger without even testing if the system was working… That could've been a disaster. Good thing it didn't fail me.

"Hey, Brother Roger! Where's your ship?" he shouted.

"Ship?" Roger laughed. "I wasn't expecting to survive—so why would I bring a ship?"

"Then where are we going?!"

Roger didn't answer. Instead, he leaped high into the air.

Oh, he's heading to the shore… Good thing I've got a system or I'd already be dead in this crazy world, Reid thought as he jumped after him.

Meanwhile, a dazed Shanks rubbed his eyes.

"Huh? Why am I up in the air?! I'm gonna die—wait, CAPTAIN?!"

"Yo, Shanks! If you can't handle your Haki, how do you expect to sail the seas?"

"Wait—Captain, you're alive?!"

As it dawned on him that Roger was holding both him and Bucky, Shanks relaxed. "Haha, today's my lucky day. Kurokas is gonna be pissed when we get back."

Roger landed skillfully on a ship.

"Shanks, take the helm. We're heading back to our old base."

"Captain, wait—what's going on?"

"You'll find out soon. Just start sailing. The Navy's general is almost here."

Roger glanced at his Vivre Card, eyes gleaming. "Good. They haven't found this place yet."

At that moment, Reid landed on the deck as well.

"Yo, Red-Hair, you're awake."

Reid looked at the young Shanks. He was just a kid—kinda cute, actually.

Even when he's older, Shanks still has that baby face when he's not angry, Reid thought with a smile.

"Who are you? You called me Red-Hair? Huh… I kinda like that. From now on, call me Red-Hair, the great pirate Red-Hair Shanks!"

"Haha, Brother Reid, you really gave Shanks a cool nickname!"

Roger raised an eyebrow. Strange… sounds like Reid already knew Shanks?

But his suspicion vanished quickly. He clapped Reid's shoulder with a laugh—he also thought "Red-Hair" suited Shanks perfectly.

"Reid, huh?" Shanks turned to Roger. "Captain, do you know him?"

"Just met him, but he's a good brother," Roger replied, dragging Shanks aside and whispering something in his ear.

"Wha—?!"

Shanks looked back at Reid, visibly shaken by whatever Roger just told him.

Reid gave them a blank look. Seriously? The Pirate King sneaking around like that? And still carrying Bucky like a sack of potatoes.

Roger just laughed heartily.

With a loud thud, he dropped Bucky onto the deck. The guy didn't even wake up.

"Tch, Bucky's totally useless," Shanks muttered, walking over to steer the ship. On his way past Reid, he whispered with a hopeful glint in his eye, "With Reid on board, we'll be unstoppable."

Roger slung an arm over Reid's shoulder.

"C'mon, let's head inside. There should be some wine."

"Wine? Uh… Can Shanks even steer a ship?"

Reid glanced at the young teen. He's not even an adult yet.

"Haha, don't worry. Shanks has potential—and he's nearly old enough. Come on."

Inside, Roger rummaged through storage until—"Aha! Found it!"

He yanked open a wooden crate, revealing bottles of wine. Setting them on the table, he grinned.

"Let's drink, Reid! Tonight, we don't stop until we're drunk!"

"Uh… I don't really drink."

"C'mon! What kind of man doesn't drink?"

Roger popped a cork and handed Reid a bottle.

He's probably going to start asking serious questions soon. Gotta thinks fast…

"Alright, I'll try a sip."

Reid took a drink—and felt a refreshing chill run through his body, relaxing him completely.

Whoa. Is this pirate wine? Why does it feel so good?

Without thinking, he chugged the whole bottle.

Roger's eyes widened. "Reid, you liar! You said you don't drink, but you just downed that like a pro!"

He sat beside Reid, nudging him playfully. "Are you sure you never drank before?"

"Haha, seriously, I haven't. But this… tastes amazing for some reason."

"You're hilarious," Roger said, taking a few gulps himself. His cheeks turned red almost instantly.

"Oh right, Reid, I get why you know me. But Shanks seems to know you too—how come?"

"Ah, well… Maybe I'm the chosen one. Destiny brought us together."

"Hahahaha! I like that answer! In that case, Reid…"

Roger leaned in, suddenly serious.

"I need your help. Your medical skills are incredible. The Roger Pirates need someone like you. I'm officially inviting you to join my crew."

Roger suddenly looked at Reid seriously.