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On the coast of Autumn Island, known for its year-round autumn weather, Baterilla, two great ships were unusually anchored side by side.
Here, behind the island, in the forbidden area where the residents of Baterilla dared not set foot due to the legends of strange and terrifying creatures inhabiting the backside of the island.
The island's natural harbor was located in its first half, where all commercial ships from various sea routes and numerous fishing boats docked. However, it was impossible to see a pirate ship docked here, as the era of pirates in the Four Seas had already ended.
Yet, the two ships standing side by side at the back of the island were pirate ships!
The first resembled a giant white whale — the ship that gained massive fame after the Summit War Arc in the manga — the Moby Dick.
The second was the ship that had been anchored here almost all year round and was currently the most famous pirate ship in the seas: the ship of the Pirate King, Oro Jackson!
Of course, at this moment, both ships were empty, as most of their crews were inside the miniature art stores located in the last cabin of each ship.
Naturally, the space inside the art store was vast compared to an ordinary cabin at the stern of a ship. For this reason, it could accommodate thousands of pirates, let alone a few members of Roger's and Whitebeard's crews.
While the crews, separately, were enjoying the new manga volume inside their respective art stores, the captains and their deputies were away at this moment.
…
"So this is Ace as a child… So adorable, Gurararara!"
Rouge smiled from the side as she watched Whitebeard hold Ace, laughing warmly with an unmistakable look of joy on his face.
"Of course, my son is the cutest of all! Wahahahah!!" Roger also laughed proudly as he looked at the boy cradled gently in Whitebeard's massive arms. After all, Whitebeard was considered half-giant, and the size difference between them was immeasurable.
"Technically, I could be considered his father too! I'm his adoptive father! And when he grows up and reads the manga, he'll definitely be moved and come looking for me," said Whitebeard with a confident smile.
"Wahahaha! I have no problem with that at all. Having a second father like you, Newgate, would be a blessing for my son."
Roger accepted it openly, not annoyed in the slightest, and even seemed happy.
Hearing this, Whitebeard smiled and set Ace down, saying, "Go, child, join your brother."
He looked at Sabo, who was reaching out his hands, wanting to hold Ace — a very heartwarming sight.
"Gurararara! Looks like he's upset with me for stealing his brother away."
"Well then, here you go."
Rouge smiled as she embraced both boys and stepped back. Edward Newgate had come all the way here after spending the last month in the West Blue, all just to see Ace. This made her very happy. Her impression of Whitebeard had always been amazing because of the events in the manga, and now it had surpassed that.
After all, he was Whitebeard — the Commodore of Pirates — who was by no means weaker than her husband.
…
"So, what do we have here, hmm?"
"It seems Rayleigh has gotten emotional for some reason…"
Roger, Rayleigh, Newgate, and Marco were gathered, resting in the open space in front of the house, enjoying the manga that had just begun.
At this moment, a certain scene began — a scene Roger and Rayleigh would never forget for the rest of their lives.
"This…" Rayleigh's eyes widened at the scene.
"Really…?" Roger hadn't expected it either.
— — — — — — — — — — — —
Chapter's Events:
— — — — — — — — — — — —
"… Are you… remembering something, perhaps, Ray-san?" Shakky noticed that Rayleigh was lost in thought, gazing contemplatively at the sea.
"Yeah… I suppose so… Hehehe…" Rayleigh's memories drifted back to his youth, even before he became a pirate.
At that time, while resting on a small boat he used as a home, a young man wearing a straw hat approached him.
("Hey!! That's some ship you've got there!")
"…Oh, this? I stole it… My house was burned down, so this is where I live now."
"I see! What's your name?"
"…Rayleigh."
"Well, I'm Roger!!! This meeting must be fate, Rayleigh!!" Roger smiled broadly as he introduced himself, immediately expressing his desire for Rayleigh to become the first member of his crew.
"What do you say to turning the world upside down with me?!!"
That voice still echoed in Rayleigh's mind, as if he were reliving the moment.
He wiped away a tear of nostalgia, where his shocked voice was the last thing he remembered.
("The world?… Hahaha! Who the hell are you, anyway? Get outta here!!")
"…It may just be that there is no such thing as coincidence in this world. As though it was always meant to be, mysterious bonds slowly but surely weave their forms…
At any rate… Luffy has taken another step toward becoming a man worthy of the hat he wears…!!" Rayleigh smiled as he spoke with confidence.
"That boy makes me feel like living on for a while longer…"
— — — — — — — — — — — —
Whitebeard and Marco looked at the duo, deeply immersed in that scene.
"It seems the manga brought you back to your first meeting, didn't it?" Whitebeard smiled.
"Was it really drawn that way in the manga?" Marco asked.
"Exactly… I'll never forget that day," Rayleigh answered, his gaze full of nostalgia.
"At that time, he said those exact words, 'What do you say to turning the world upside down with me?' And my response was just like in the manga. Then he star—"
Before Rayleigh could finish, Roger burst out laughing.
"Wahahahaha! I started laughing and told you that your refusal would only make me keep bothering you, so you should just give up! That made you mad, and we started an epic fight!"
"I'll never forget that day… So One Piece manga can even revive the past… I remember that scene happened 15 years ago…"
Roger was deeply immersed in his memories, and Rayleigh agreed.
"I can feel what my counterpart in that scene was feeling…" Rayleigh smiled.
"I can feel it too… After all, that memory is among his most precious treasures. What do you think now, Rayleigh? Didn't we turn the world upside down after you joined me?" Roger asked with a smile.
"You're right…" Rayleigh smiled back.
…
In Ohara:
"To think that the beginnings of the Pirate King and his right-hand man were like that… It's truly amazing."
"They were so simple… Rayleigh was living on a boat, and Roger looked so young… Oh man, he really resembles Luffy!"
"He resembles him!? I thought it was Luffy!"
"There must be a huge secret behind that straw hat!"
"I agree. Rayleigh wouldn't tell Luffy to prove himself worthy of wearing that hat for nothing."
"It must be deeply connected to the Void Century…"
The readers in Ohara were deeply engrossed in discussion after the scene that revealed the memories of Silvers Rayleigh — the first meeting with the man whom fate had destined to be his captain.
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 908: The Astonishing World of the Deep Sea!
Chapter 909: Bartholomew Kuma, The Ally.
Chapter 910: Life as a Pirate Is So Exciting!
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