It was the first time Rogers had ever seen John with such an expression, and also the first time John had spoken to him in such a tone.
Though a little shaken, Rogers still said firmly: "I already said it—I'll die before Aiqi does! That's my promise!"
"That's good." John lifted the bottle on the table again, drinking deeply before slumping back in his chair. His eyes flickered with emotions that no one could read.
Seeing him like this, Rogers felt unsure of what to say. He tried to comfort him: "C'mon, it's just us going out to sea. It's not like we're parting forever."
"Brat, you're trying to comfort me now?" John's face twitched with emotion, but his tone was still gruff. "You'd better worry about yourself first. Morro Island isn't simple—maybe you'll never beat the beasts there in your entire life!"
"That'll be my problem!" Rogers rubbed his hands together, grinning in a fawning way. "So, John-danna, don't you have something you can teach me?"
"Now you know how to butter me up, huh?" John didn't say it out loud, but he looked faintly pleased. Still, his tone grew more serious: "Brat, how much do you actually know about this world?"
"Well enough. It's basically under the control of the World Government," Rogers replied. He wasn't some naïve fool like Luffy—he knew the basics. "Only the second half of the Grand Line isn't in their hands. That's where the big pirates fight for dominance."
"More or less right. But if you want to be Pirate King, strength is essential!" John rummaged through a drawer and tossed Rogers a little notebook. "This has training methods for your body, recipes for medicinal baths, and most importantly—Haki."
Rogers's eyes lit up. This was exactly what he needed. He examined the notebook—worn and old—holding it tightly, excitement bubbling inside him.
"Not going to open it?" John teased.
Rogers shot him a look and flipped it open. The first half was filled with training routines and herb names he couldn't quite read. The second half recorded the three types of Haki and methods to train them.
John didn't interrupt, though his face grew increasingly nostalgic. Rogers, after reading, noticed something odd and asked: "There are lots of different handwritings here. You didn't write this all yourself, did you?"
"Of course not. This was the training legacy of our old pirate crew!" John said proudly, before warning sternly, "Don't you dare disgrace us. If you stay weak like this, hand Aiqi back immediately!"
"Not a chance!" Rogers gripped the notebook tight, unable to hide his excitement. He had everything he needed now. All that was left was training hard—and gathering the herbs for those baths.
John's face softened with a trace of helplessness. He warned: "Idiot, don't underestimate this world. The Grand Line is filled with countless strong ones. A single careless mistake could sink your ship. Brat!"
He knew he couldn't change reality. And this kid Rogers, for some reason, struck a chord with him. Ambitious, reckless, but not evil at heart. For the sake of his precious Aiqi, John had to consider carefully…
"Don't worry, old man. I know how not to sink a ship," Rogers chuckled, remembering something from his past life. "Villains die from talking too much, right?"
"Be wary of certain Devil Fruit users. Some abilities are beyond imagination," John said irritably. Just looking at Rogers's smug face annoyed him.
"Then you can rest easy!" Rogers's left hand turned pitch-black, shadows swirling like liquid. It looked strange even to him. "No matter what ability it is, darkness swallows it whole."
"What do you mean?" John frowned.
"Darkness absorbs all Devil Fruit powers!" Rogers clenched his hand into a grasping motion.
"As long as I touch a user, their ability is sealed. Doesn't matter if it's Logia, Paramecia, or Zoan. Zehahahaha!"
"What? A power like that exists?" John was finally shocked. Just imagining the implications of such a fruit was terrifying.
"For those arrogant bastards who think their fruit makes them invincible, I'll be their worst nightmare! Zehahahaha!" Rogers laughed.
"And aren't you the same—thinking your own power is invincible?" John shot back, oddly irritated by Rogers's glee. "In truth, your nemesis is probably anyone skilled in pure combat, right?"
"Exactly. Darkness absorbs everything…" Rogers's tone grew low. "But in exchange, I feel pain several times stronger than normal. Even if I absorb the damage, the pain doubles. So yeah… hand-to-hand fighters hurt like hell."
That was his greatest fear—facing someone who relied purely on physical might.
"At least you understand your weakness," John said, eyes narrowing, his interest in Rogers's future deepening. "Then train hard with what I gave you. Brat, don't let me down!"
Hearing that hint of expectation, Rogers froze for a moment. Then he grinned, answering firmly: "Of course not. I'll be Pirate King—no one can stop me! Zehahahaha!"
"Pirate King…" John repeated softly, sighing deeply. Memories surged in his eyes as he stared at Rogers. "Tell me, Rogers—what do you think of the World Government? Why do you think they've ruled this world for nearly eight hundred years?"
Rogers's pupils shrank. He'd declared he would be Pirate King, but John was thinking on an even bigger scale. He recalled how the Government was portrayed in the anime… and how he'd just witnessed one of their orchestrated schemes firsthand.
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