The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

Rayleigh keenly noticed the gold-embossed "BR" lettering on the frontispiece of the logbook.

"The Rumbar Pirates?" Rayleigh pushed up his glasses.

Roger suddenly stood up, his straw hat fluttering in the sea breeze: "Are you waiting for them to come back?"

“It was Laboon who was waiting for their appointment.” Crocus’s fingers traced the yellowed photograph on the page.

In the photo, a young man stands amidst a group of smiling pirates, with Laboon among them.

“So.” A cold glint flashed in Crocus’s glasses.

"I'm waiting for someone who can find their whereabouts for me—even if it's just their skeletons."

He pushed the logbook in front of Roger, saying, "Take me out to sea, and I'll be your ship's doctor."

And the condition is that you have to help me find the Rumbar Pirates.

"No problem!" Roger laughed loudly, his laughter making the lighthouse glass vibrate.

"They must have already gone to the New World. We're just about to head back to the New World!"

After saying that, he grabbed the logbook and stuffed it into his pocket. "So, it's settled then!"

Rayleigh watched his captain skip and hop out of the house, and sighed helplessly, "Don't mind him, he's always like this..."

"His pain during his attacks was unbearable for most people... He shouldn't have so much energy, sigh!"

Crocus took out the syringe and began preparing the medicine, his tone eerily calm.

“Starting today, he will need to receive three injections of painkillers every day.”

……

"What?! This old man wants to get on board?" Bucky yelled, grabbing Shanks by the collar. "We're not a retirement home!"

Shanks was about to retort when he was suddenly enveloped in shadow.

Crocus looked down at the two boys, the syringe in his hand gleaming coldly: "First, hand over your stash of rum."

"Why?!"

"The patient needs to abstain from alcohol."

"A patient? Is Roger really sick?" Jabba paused in his act of wiping his axe.

Barrett's expression was enigmatic, as if he had already guessed something.

In an instant, all the crew members looked toward Roger, who was holding the record pointer and shouting.

"What are you looking at me for?! The banquet is starting! Welcome Locuskas!" Roger suddenly jumped onto a barrel and shouted.

"Welcome to our pirate crew's new ship's doctor!"

At dawn the following day, the Oro Jackson slowly sailed away from Twin Points.

Crocus stood at the stern, watching the lighthouse gradually disappear into the distance.

A giant island whale leaped out of the water, letting out a long cry.

"Rabu, wait for me to come back."

I will find them.

Chapter 122 The Legend of Encounter

Several days later, Gern's warships completely left the area of ​​the West Sea 133rd Branch...

On the warship, Gern stood at the stern, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the hilt of the Black Blade Eight Desolations.

"Major General Gern." At that moment, the sergeant strode over, carrying a nautical chart.

We have now left the patrol range of the West Sea Navy.

The next route should follow the naval-specific currents, but the route you marked...

“I’m going to take the dead-end route.” Gern’s fingertip traced an arc on the map.

"We won't take the naval route; we'll take the pirate route."

This also serves as a chance for our "new recruits" to get acquainted with the area.

“This…” The sergeant wasn’t stupid, so he hesitated, glancing at Tesoro, who was dry heaving at the edge of the deck.

The man, who had only been wearing the uniform for a few days, was now gripping the ship's railing tightly, his face paler than the sea fog.

"Ugh!" Another wave of nausea and vomiting erupted as Tesoro's gold ring gleamed comically in the sunlight.

"Hey! Don't spit out the ring! This is one of your few remaining gold pieces!" Gern suddenly appeared behind him, grabbing him by the back of his collar and lifting him up.

"I didn't expect you to get seasick so badly. Have you never been on a boat before?"

"Sorry... Young Master Gern... Ugh!" Tesoro wiped his mouth.

"I've never been on a boat before, and I never imagined it would be ten times worse than a casino hangover..."

"Get used to it first! There will be pirates who need your help soon." Gern released his grip and turned to the sergeant.

"Tell the kitchen to make some ginger soup; after all, he can't let his guard down tonight."

Otherwise, it wouldn't be good if Teacher Zephyr disliked you after I handed you over."

After all, Tesoro is not Ribo.

Furthermore, Gern didn't have time to train Tesoro step by step, so handing him over to Zephyr was the best option.

As the saying goes, if you give Zefa a good seedling, Zefa will give you a good one in return!

"Yes!" The sergeant nodded knowingly.

Ever since Stella was placed in the officers' family cabin, Tesoro's nightly Devil Fruit training sessions have caused small-scale disturbances, especially among the Gold Saints...

In the dead of night, the warship resembled a floating island, with moonlight spreading a silvery path across its deck.

When Gern pushed open the iron door of the training pod, Tesoro was panting heavily in front of the target, with solidified golden arrows scattered all around.

“You’re expending too much energy too quickly. You simply can’t maintain the power of the Gold Fruit at this rate.” Gern kicked away the gold nugget at his feet.

"There's nothing I can do. I didn't expect using Devil Fruit powers to consume so much of my stamina..." Tesoro replied, his bangs stuck to his forehead with sweat, panting.

"Then let's stop developing the fruit for now, train the basic physical skills, and grow directly in actual combat."

After all, only in this way can one grow quickly!

So in the days that followed, whenever Gern encountered a small pirate crew, he would leave Tesoro to deal with it alone.

Tesoro went from being flustered at the beginning to gradually adapting and even beginning to become familiar with his naval identity.

This delay by Gern also resulted in him being separated from another group of pirates returning from the New World.

Their flight paths gradually overlapped, until finally, there was no way to avoid them...

.........

On the first half of the Grand Line, the Oro Jackson sailed through the azure sea.

On the deck, the Roger Pirates crew were enjoying a rare moment of leisure.

Bucky and Shanks were chasing and playing on the bow of the ship. Bucky waved an orange he had stolen from somewhere and shouted triumphantly.

"Come on, Bucky Red Nose! Whoever gets it first wins!"

"Hey! Shanks." Bucky's forehead vein throbbed. "Who's Red Nose?!"

Rayleigh leaned against the ship's railing, holding a glass of rum in his hand, and shook his head helplessly.

Jabba grinned, a cigarette dangling from his lips, and said, "Young people are so energetic."

The other members were also enjoying themselves, until Rayleigh, leaning against the ship's railing, suddenly focused his gaze on the distant horizon.

"Hmm?" He frowned slightly. "A warship?"

"Is it the Navy?" Jabba followed his gaze.

Sure enough, a warship flying a naval flag was approaching from an unconventional route.

"It really is the Navy?! Could it be Garp and Sengoku again? This is going to be a real problem!" Jabba said with a look of disgust.

It was obvious that everyone in Roger's crew believed that the only force in the Navy that could pose a real threat to them was Garp and Sengoku working together.

"Impossible, Garp isn't on the Grand Line."

"A patrol ship of the naval branch? Or perhaps heading to the New World..."

“That’s not right!” Rayleigh stroked his chin. “Why would a normal navy take this route?”

This is a common route pirates take to the Sabaody Archipelago; doesn't the Navy have its own dedicated current routes?

Jabba grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth: "Who cares? Maybe he's confidently taking a gamble to capture the captain?!"

Jabba and Rayleigh's words quickly caught the attention of Buggy and Shanks, who immediately came over.

"A warship?!" Bucky's eyes lit up, and he rubbed his hands together excitedly.

"Hey, hey, could it be that 'Skyquake' Gern again?"

"He was the one who handled the last incident of the Celestial Dragons disappearing in the West Blue!"

Shanks pressed down on his large red captain's hat and squinted. "If it's him, that would be really interesting."

“I’m telling you two…” Rayleigh sighed helplessly, “Stop thinking about fighting all the time.”

However, Roger had already strode over, a signature smug smile on his face.

"Oh? A navy? That's perfect! Let's see who's coming to play with us this time!"

Jabba laughed heartily: "Captain, you didn't say that last time when you were being chased by Sengoku and Garp!"

Roger laughed, hands on his hips: "That's different! Those two guys were too serious, it wasn't interesting at all!"

After saying that, he turned around and looked at Crocus, blinked, and said, "Crocus, is everything alright?"

Seeing Roger's expectant gaze, Crocus adjusted his glasses and said expressionlessly.

"A fight? Ha. Compared to that, my job would be much easier if you could drink less."

……

Meanwhile, on the lookout tower of Gern's warship, Rayleigh could see the warship, and the naval soldiers could naturally see the pirate ship as well!

"Ship spotted at 45 degrees to port!" The observer's hoarse voice boomed through the megaphone in the command room.

"It's...it's the Oro Jackson!!!"

The glass slipped from the sergeant's hand and shattered on the teak floor.

The entire warship fell into a deathly silence, and even the steam turbines seemed to stop running.

"Is it... is it correct?" The sergeant's voice changed, sounding like a rooster being choked.

The soldiers on the lookout tower were slumped in their baskets, the binoculars tumbling off the deck.

"Two mermaids supporting the figurehead... red sails... and that flag, that's definitely it!"

"The Roger Pirates?!"

In an instant, chaos erupted on the deck, with hurried footsteps echoing across the deck.

"Silence!" Seeing this scene, Gern gave a cold shout, and the pressure he released froze everyone in place.

He then slowly fastened the buttons on his cloak, and fastened the Black Blade Eight Desolations to his waist: "Now, I want to hear the standard combat report."

"Reporting to Rear Admiral Gern!" the observer's teeth chattered. "The enemy ship is five nautical miles away, without guns, and appears to be... appears to be holding a banquet..."

"I see!" Gern suddenly laughed.

That smile sent chills down Tezzolo's spine; Gern now looked like a casino dealer revealing his hole cards.

Arrogant madman!!!

"No need to retreat, maintain course, all ships—forward!!"

Chapter 123 Clash of Kings

On the azure sea, Pakistani's hand, which was holding the binoculars, suddenly began to tremble violently.