The reason Roger was sulking was actually very simple.
In short, it dated back two years ago, before Shakky resigned from her position as Pirate Empress, during the last skirmish between the Roger Pirates and the Kuja Pirates.
In the midst of battle, Shakky had slipped Rayleigh a small note that read: *Come pick me up — Shakky.*
If it were just that, Roger wouldn't have found it unacceptable.
Although he also liked Shakky very much, he was ultimately willing to respect her personal wishes.
The key point was that while everyone desperately yearned to be the one Shakky loved—especially him, Roger, who wanted it super-super-super badly!!—
That bastard Rayleigh actually said he didn't want to be tied down by romantic entanglements!!
What was even more excessive was that Shakky had given him that note two years ago, yet this bastard held onto it for two whole years before telling him!!
As if doing so proved even more strongly that he really didn't want to be tied down by romance.
This bastard completely cared only about his own thoughts. Did he know that this behavior was far more annoying than just keeping the secret for two years?!
Roger's abnormality caught Gaban's attention.
He wrapped his arm around Rayleigh's neck and fished for gossip.
"Rayleigh! I noticed it!"
"Roger's unhappiness started right after your talk in the captain's quarters!"
"What exactly did you say to Roger in there?"
Rayleigh was startled and looked away guiltily.
"N... Nothing..."
How could he tell Gaban about that kind of thing again?
Fortunately, Roger's moods came quickly and went just as fast.
In the blink of an eye, he regained his spirits.
"Everyone! I won't give up!!"
"Plunder! That is the true nature of a pirate!!"
"If you want something! Just snatch it!! Let's set sail for Hachinosu!!"
"Ooooh!!"
The crew of the Roger Pirates responded loudly.
"The opportunity is equal! Go snatch Shakky back!!"
Amidst the shouting and yelling, the Roger Pirates changed course, heading towards Hachinosu.
...
**Hachinosu (Beehive Island).**
After two years of development and the spread of news, "Shakky's Rip-Off Bar" had now completely become a famous landmark in the pirate world.
Any pirate who came to the New World would be embarrassed to say they operated there if they hadn't checked in at this place.
Precisely because of this, the long queue outside Shakky's bar now meant that without waiting for a month, one could hardly dream of entering the bar to catch a glimpse of Shakky's elegance.
"Wow~ Still so many people."
Rocks led his crew members, having just returned from a plundering mission.
As the hosts, the Rocks Pirates naturally didn't need to queue with the other small-fry pirates.
Rocks led the group into the bar and sat down in their exclusive gathering area.
Everyone drank and dined together to rest. Shakky also temporarily abandoned those small-fry pirates and came over to serve Rocks and the others.
"What's wrong, Rocks? You have a satisfied look on your face, but your thoughts aren't on me. How lonely~"
"Huh?!"
Rocks was stunned. He actually hadn't noticed Shakky approaching to talk just now.
No, rather, he had noticed Shakky's approach, but because his heart already belonged to someone else, he no longer paid that much attention to her.
"Mamamama~ Hahaha..."
Charlotte Linlin laughed loudly from the side and reached out to pat Rocks on the shoulder.
"Terrifying, isn't it! A woman's intuition!"
Whitebeard expressed his lack of understanding and asked Charlotte Linlin: "What exactly happened?"
Stussy took a drag on her cigarette, smiling as if she saw through everything: "Of course it's about a woman! That's the happy expression of someone whose child was just born!"
As her words fell, her expression instantly dimmed.
Her beautiful eyes first looked to the right at Whitebeard. This man remained as stone-hearted as ever over the past two years; her tenderness couldn't soften him at all.
Then she looked to the left at York.
This kid had often attacked her during operations over the past two years. If she hadn't been vigilant at all times, he probably would have succeeded.
It was just that... Stussy actually faintly sensed that although York was attacking her, his drive was no longer as fervent as it was initially.
It was as if this was just normal infighting horseplay between partners.
"Am I really... that unattractive..."
Stussy whispered in her heart, then threw her head back and downed the entire glass of rum Shakky had just served her in one go.
Of course, Rocks couldn't possibly notice Stussy's internal monologue.
Seeing his secret easily dismantled by three women, he instantly flew into a rage.
"You're so noisy! Shut up! This is a secret not to be told to anyone! Keep it strictly confidential!!"
Hearing this, York, who was hugging Gloriosa nearby and thought this was just a joke, was stunned.
"Hey, hey, hey! Rocks! No way! You actually have a child?!"
"Shut up! York!!"
Rocks roared angrily at York, but immediately after, a trace of a smile appeared on his face.
"You kid seem to be slacking off. You've been with Gloriosa for so long, yet there's no movement in her belly at all. Are you impotent?!"
Gloriosa, held by York, instantly flushed red. She straightened up ready to refute Rocks, but York pulled her back by the shoulder.
York, who should have been angry, smiled calmly: "My fruit ability allows me to precisely control when I want a child."
"At the same time, I believe our current team is not trustworthy."
"If I have a child with Gloriosa right now, among you bastards, someone might think of using my child to threaten me!!"
"Rocks, let me offer you a piece of advice: hide your wife and child well!"
"If these bastards here find out their whereabouts, hehehe..."
Rocks stopped smiling, glanced vigilantly around at the members of the Rocks Pirates, and said in a deep voice: "Ah~ Don't worry! I've already done that without you telling me."
"Shakky! I'm here!! It's me!!!"
Suddenly, the bar door was pushed open violently, and a group of people with completely unfamiliar auras rushed in.
"Hi~ Shakky-chan~~"
"Photos! Photos!"
*Click, click.* The blinding flash of old-fashioned cameras shone inside the bar. The Rocks Pirates turned their heads in annoyance.
Everyone was startled, then everyone looked vigilant.
Shakky responded calmly to the intruders: "It's Roger."
*Bang!*
Rocks teleported in front of the leading intruder at some point, and the two pressed their foreheads against each other.
"Roger!! You bastard, you dare come to my island?!"
Roger pressed back against Rocks head-to-head, tit for tat.
"This is Shakky's shop! Don't forget! Fighting between customers is forbidden here! Stop yelling! You porcupine!!"
"There should be a long queue at the main entrance! Didn't you queue up? How did you get in?!"
"There wasn't any queue to begin with, right?! Start drinking! Lads!!"
"Ooooh!!"
York turned his head to look out the window.
The long snake-like queue that previously stretched enough for a month's wait was now lying entirely on the ground, wailing and groaning.
"They were all taken out."
York smiled calmly, not surprised.
Then he looked at the rowdy Roger group again, a glimmer of anticipation flashing in his eyes.
"Qualified opponents have appeared!"