Two years was long enough for a boy to shed his immaturity—
…well, not really.
But it was long enough for a ship that looked like it might fall apart at any second to evolve into something that could at least pretend it wouldn't sink immediately.
This new medium-sized sailboat had been "donated" by a particularly unlucky pirate crew.
Right now, its deck was absolute chaos.
"Drink! Drink! Drink!"
A short, thickset man with a Viking-style beard was chugging rum straight from the barrel.
His name was Miller Pine, and his weapon was a massive spiked warhammer.
His opponent was Gaban, and the mountain of empty barrels between them was proof that neither man was backing down.
"Hic… Miller, you're done. Your face is pale," Gaban said calmly, patting his own stomach.
"Bullshit! This is… excited blushing!" Miller snapped, swaying.
Nearby, a man with an X-shaped scar on his forehead and a cigar permanently in his mouth was polishing his pistol.
That was Colonel Mugren, a former Marine officer who had become their companion after a wild brawl on a base island half a year ago.
"Two drunk idiots," he muttered.
"Isn't this youthful energy wonderful?" a gentle voice said.
A refined red-haired swordsman in aristocratic clothing, Spencer, sipped wine elegantly by the rail. He'd originally been hired as a merchant ship's guard—before Roger "recruited" him.
Up in the crow's nest, their chubby sniper Pitarm yelled down,
"Hey! Shut up! You scared off all the seagulls in my scope!"
Kyle sat on the figurehead, watching it all with tired eyes.
Two years.
Roger's crew had grown from four lunatics into more than a dozen true companions—
each one with a story, each one with a place.
He'd helped recruit them all in one way or another.
His "network"… was real now.
Rayleigh sat beside him and handed him tea.
"Quite a bunch of monsters we've gathered."
Roger jumped onto the rail.
"Monsters? We're the best monsters!"
"Crew! That island looks fun! Let's go party!"
Everyone cheered.
Kyle sighed.
…Yeah.
It was exhausting.
But damn if it wasn't the happiest life he'd ever had.
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