Shaya: Look, Roger Not Only Has to Entrust His Wife and Child to Me, He Even Has to Thank Me

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"Garp is unreliable, Oden is unreliable—who else can I rely on?"

By this point, Roger's brows had already furrowed tightly.

"Isn't it obvious? You can rely on me."

Shaya stopped playing dumb and directly addressed Roger's doubts. He pointed at himself and said softly.

"Rely on you?"

Roger froze for a moment, clearly not expecting Shaya to be someone he could depend on.

"Of course you can rely on me. If not me, who else can you rely on?"

"Is there anyone in this world more worthy of your trust than I am?"

As Shaya said this, his expression was utterly sincere.

"You? Worthy of my trust?"

Roger looked Shaya up and down, his eyes filled with suspicion.

Although Shaya and Shanks looked almost identical, their temperaments were worlds apart. Compared with the carefree, rough-and-ready Shanks, Shaya's gaze seemed murkier and far more calculating.

"I am naturally worthy of your trust."

Shaya nodded.

"Besides, right now, apart from me, there is no one else you can trust or depend on!"

Shaya spoke to Roger earnestly.

"How so?"

Roger seemed somewhat interested as he questioned Shaya.

"Roger, do you know what position you hold in the eyes of the World Government?"

Shaya began by asking Roger a question.

"Hm? I'm not entirely sure, but I imagine it isn't low!"

Roger thought for a moment, then laughed.

"It isn't a matter of being low. You are the World Government's greatest threat..."

"Roger, do you know?! From the moment you and the Roger Pirates reached Raftel, from the moment you learned what was recorded in the Poneglyph on that island—a history that absolutely could not be known by anyone—you yourself became an existence capable of shaking the World Government's rule over the seas, capable of shaking the Celestial Dragons' status as the privileged class of this world."

Shaya bluntly exposed just how dangerous Roger was.

"So the World Government will absolutely spare no effort to erase every trace of you! Especially when your name contains that crucial letter, D. That only makes your crime even worse!"

Shaya brought up the legends surrounding The D.

"Uh..."

Roger clearly understood his own identity, so when Shaya mentioned The D., his brows drew tightly together, and a hint of vigilance toward the World Government appeared in his eyes.

"While you are alive, perhaps the World Government will still be restrained by your personal strength and the military might of the entire Roger Pirates, forcing them to use gentler methods..."

"But once you die, the Roger Pirates will become like scattered sand. The last shred of threat you pose to the World Government will vanish without a trace! At that point, do you think the World Government will allow a child carrying your accursed bloodline to be born into this world?"

Without waiting for Roger to answer, Shaya continued questioning him.

"Obviously, the World Government will never allow your bloodline to grow freely out in the world. Therefore, once you die, the government will wipe out this entire Baterilla Island where you lived, along with every single person on it..."

"Roger, don't think I'm exaggerating. Don't think the government is incapable of such insane acts as slaughtering an entire island! Everyone here personally experienced the God Valley Incident. No one understands the darkness of this world better than you do."

"So believe me, if destroying one island and killing hundreds of thousands, even millions of people could erase the final traces Pirate King Gol D. Roger left in this world, then the World Government and we Celestial Dragons would surely be happy to do it. They would consider it a worthwhile trade! After all, ever since we Celestial Dragons began ruling these seas eight hundred years ago, this is how we have always done things..."

Shaya paused here.

When Shaya saw Roger's expression grow increasingly grim, he looked toward Garp beside him and softly said, "At that time, do you think Garp would rebel against the World Government for your child? The justice behind him has already crushed him until he can barely breathe, hasn't it?!"

"Then answer me now, Gol D. Roger—the Pirate King who conquered these seas, the living legend. In this world, apart from me, a member of the Celestial Dragons and the privileged class itself, who else can help you?"

Having said that, Shaya looked at Roger and asked in a deep voice.

"That is true, just as you said..."

"If things develop to the worst possible outcome..."

"Other than you, a Celestial Dragon who can use your own privilege to protect my child and wife, it seems there is no other way..."

Roger followed along with Shaya's words.

However, Roger's tone suddenly shifted. He slowly narrowed his eyes and looked down at Shaya as he coldly asked, "I understand everything you have said! But, Shanks' brother, what does any of this have to do with you? You are also a Celestial Dragon, aren't you? You are also my enemy, aren't you?"

"So, as Shanks' younger brother, on these seas where the World Government, Celestial Dragons, Marines, pirates, and every major force gather, which side have you chosen to stand on?! Answer me! Tell me, what exactly do you want from me?!"

As Roger's words fell, scarlet Haki began to pulse faintly in his eyes!

At that moment, Roger was like a lion waking from slumber, his overwhelming presence spilling forth.

"Uh..."

Stussy, who had been following behind Shaya and waiting for an opportunity, suddenly realized she could not move at all the instant Roger unleashed his Haki!

It felt as though she had been locked onto by a man-eating beast, and terror rose from the depths of her bones! At that moment, she was like Monet when Zoro had fixed his gaze upon her on Punk Hazard—Ice Fire Island...

Only, the Haki Roger unleashed now was in an entirely different league from the Haki Zoro had unleashed on Ice Fire Island.

If Zoro's Haki was a newborn lion cub opening its eyes for the first time, then Roger's Haki was a lion king at the height of his power, undefeated in battle.

"I can't move! I can't move at all..."

"I'll die! If this continues, I really will die!"

Stussy knew she had still underestimated Roger, the Pirate King.

If Roger truly intended to get serious, then not only would she and Shaya have no chance to escape, they would not even have a chance to use a Den Den Mushi to notify a nearby marine warship and call for reinforcements.

They were simply not on the same level as Roger.

"You ask which side I stand on?" A smile appeared on Shaya's lips after hearing Roger's words. "Isn't it obvious? I stand on my own side!"

"Roger! Tell me everything you know!"

"Where exactly is the final island marked by those four Road Poneglyphs? And what exactly is recorded on the stone monument on that island?"

"I know it cannot merely record the history of the Void Century that the World Government erased..."

"If it were merely an ordinary Poneglyph, then the Poneglyphs carved on the other stone tablets already recorded more than enough! There would be no need to record it separately..."

"So I conclude that there must be something special on that final island known as Raftel..."

Ignoring Roger's Haki, Shaya spoke to him in a deep voice.

"I see. So you truly are Shanks' brother?"

Roger was momentarily stunned after hearing Shaya's words, then suddenly laughed.

Then, as though he had thought of something, he added, "Celestial Dragons, Marines, pirates—in the future, countless people from different social classes and identities will gradually awaken! For all kinds of reasons, they will set out to search for Raftel and compete for One Piece! It will surely become an unprecedented golden age!"

"So I will never tell you..."

"If you want to know something, go find it yourself! You brat of the Celestial Dragons!"

"I left everything you want to know there..."

Roger crossed his arms and directly refused Shaya's request.

"Hey, Roger! Do you know you have no right to refuse me now?!"

"Do you really understand your current situation? The lives of your wife and your unborn child are still in my hands!"

"Even if you have a terminal illness and do not have much time left, you should still think a little about your child and young wife, shouldn't you?!"

"Roger, you wouldn't want your wife and child to get hurt because of this, would you?"

Shaya threatened Roger.

"Still not telling you..."

"That Shanks fellow intends to find it himself."

"Even though our pirate crew already brought him near the final island..."

"That child still decided that in the future, he would form his own pirate crew and personally search for One Piece through his own strength!"

"So since you are Shanks' brother, you should also go out to sea and search for it yourself!"

"Everyone's dreams must be achieved with their own two hands!"

After saying this, Roger strode over to Shaya. Ignoring the trembling Stussy, he raised his rough hand and heavily patted Shaya on the shoulder.

"You bastard..."

Shaya froze for a moment. Roger's words seemed to awaken him...

That was right! His dreams had to be achieved through his own efforts!

He understood. Shaya would go back right now and learn every bit of Vegapunk's knowledge!

He would firmly store all that knowledge in his own brain!

Then he would turn around, make a hundred Little Empresses, and throw a massive party.

Working tirelessly every day and night, 'working' the Little Empresses...

Ahem...

"Let's go back, Stussy."

"There is nothing else here that we need."

"Oh, right. Remember to tell Fleet Admiral Kong that Roger is on this island..."

"Tell them to prepare one hundred warships immediately!"

"No, tell them to prepare one thousand warships, surround the entire island, then launch a Buster Call! Completely destroy this fool who dared defy the orders of the Celestial Dragons..."

Shaya ignored Roger before him. He merely turned his head slightly, looked at Stussy behind him, and spoke with faint anger.

"Huh? Me?"

Stussy was completely stunned by Shaya's words.

Was he seriously joking with her?

Shaya actually wanted her to notify Fleet Admiral Kong right in front of Roger?

Was he sure Roger would not cut her down with one slash?!

"Hey, no, don't..."

"Although I truly cannot tell you what is recorded on Raftel..."

"I can give you something else!"

"How about this? I'll teach you my Kamui."

"That move can be used by that brat Shanks as well!"

"You can't possibly be worse than your older brother, can you?"

A trace of anxiety flashed through Roger's eyes as he looked at Shaya.

Roger's principles and ideals were higher than those of ordinary Celestial Dragons.

Especially after gaining a wife and child, he had become much gentler.

"He took the bait."

A look of triumph flashed in Shaya's eyes.

That was right. All of this had merely been Shaya's scheme.

Whether in Shaya's previous world or this one, people in every world seemed to love compromise...

Look, as long as Shaya made a demand that Roger could never accept, one that went against Roger's beliefs, then without Shaya needing to say another word, Roger himself would offer Shaya what he wanted.

And after Shaya's little back-and-forth...

Not only would Roger beg Shaya to take away Roger's wife, Portgas D. Rouge, and Ace, who had yet to fully form in Rouge's womb...

He would even hold Shaya's hand and thank him.

"I'll consider it!"

"You know, protecting your child and wife is also quite troublesome for me as a Celestial Dragon! You have no idea how much the Five Elders hate you!"

"Since you cannot satisfy my first demand right now and cannot tell me the truth about Raftel, I need to seriously consider whether this is worth doing."

Shaya continued to bargain with Roger.

"You kid, stop always calculating gains and losses!"

"As a man, you should be a little more romantic..."

Roger's brows furrowed tightly after hearing Shaya's words.

Compared with Shanks, Shaya, Shanks' younger brother, seemed much sharper.

And much harder to fool.

"Heh heh."

Shaya merely chuckled softly.

Then Shaya looked at Roger and softly said, "Roger, I think you misunderstood me. What I mean is, saving your wife and child is not impossible. After all, I am a Celestial Dragon. For me, it is not exactly effortless, but it is only a small matter! But you have to pay more. Handing over Kamui alone is clearly not enough bargaining power."

As Shaya said this, he silently stared at Roger with the faint, hungry gaze of a wolf, looking as though he wanted to devour every last bit of wealth Roger possessed.

At the same time, Shaya thought, Roger, you may be the Pirate King, but you are too honorable, too inexperienced. Or rather, apart from relying on me, you have reached a complete dead end. You only have a few months left to live, and time will not allow you to seek help from anyone else! So please forgive me for threatening you before your death.

After all, everything I told you is the truth. If you entrust your wife and child to Garp, then both of them will die. But if you entrust them to me, they can both live, including Ace! Ace can become my son. I will carefully raise him for you and make his name resound throughout the world! Only, he will become a member of CP0 and the Divine Knights, directly obeying and serving me...

As for Shaya, this was merely standard procedure.

He had learned these tricks for scheming against people from books in his previous life.

Shaya could be considered well-read in "Great Love Immortal Venerable."

Although he had only learned a tiny fraction of the Immortal Venerable's methods, it was more than enough.

A four-thousand-word chapter! Please keep reading! Please keep reading! Please keep reading, brothers~