Shaya: Sister-in-law, quickly say goodbye to my elder brother Roger, we should go.

Time flew by...

In the blink of an eye, a month had passed in a flash~

During this month, Shaya maintained his happy three-point life of training, reading, and testing every single day.

Every morning, Shaya would first walk half a lap around the island...

He would make a brief appearance in front of the Marines and World Government agents stationed near the island's dock, letting them feel at ease while continuing to have them wait at the island's perimeter~

At noon, Shaya would go find Garp and Roger to practice physical techniques and swordsmanship. It had to be said, Shaya's learning ability was truly formidable—he could basically master a technique in two to three days~

When evening came, Shaya would go find Stussy! That was when his Level 7 Endurance truly showed its divine might!

However, Shaya's unmatched valor came at Stussy's expense...

She couldn't take it, she really couldn't take it anymore!

To this, Stussy declared: "No way, I need to find this damn stallion a few more outlets to 'vent his fire.' I really can't serve him alone anymore!"

Whenever this happened, Shaya could only sigh helplessly~

What could he do? It wasn't his fault he was so enduring?!

Then, time arrived at one month later...

It was also the moment for Shaya and the others to part ways with Roger~

In front of Roger's secluded cabin.

Shaya, Stussy, Garp, and Rouge were bidding farewell to Roger~

Roger crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking at Shaya before him with a hint of emotion in his expression as he said: "You brat, you really live up to being Shanks's brother! Your swordsmanship talent surpasses even Shanks's! Perhaps one day in the future, you might even become the strongest swordsman on these seas~"

"Heh heh..." Roger paused here, suddenly letting out a cold laugh, a trace of jealousy coloring his expression. "What did the Figarland family do to deserve this? Two such outstanding children from one house? It makes me a little envious of that beast Garin! Tell me, how can Garin, a Celestial Dragon stud, have so many excellent children? Is it because he has so many?"

Sometimes Roger wondered—had he started his love life too late?

Whether it was Garp, his friend-turned-foe, or Figarland Garin Saint, his mortal enemy from the God Valley incident, their children had already displayed astonishing and formidable talent. In time, they would make their mark on these seas and become dominant powers! As for Roger's own child—whether it could even be born was still an open question~

"Heh heh~"

To Roger's complaints and praise, Shaya only gave a light smile.

"Then let's proceed according to plan~"

"Lady Rouge will leave with us first..."

"One month after our departure, you, Roger, will encounter Vice Admiral Garp on a nearby island. After a three-day, three-night battle, you will ultimately be unable to withstand the arriving Marine reinforcements, fall to the Hero of the Marines, and be successfully captured by the Navy. Then it will be a win-win situation for the World Government, the Marines, and you, Roger..."

Shaya looked at Roger, speaking with a smile.

"Mm! Let's do it just as you say~"

Roger listened to Shaya's words and replied with a smile.

Then, Roger personally took Rouge's delicate little hand, and reluctantly, he placed her hand into Shaya's, saying softly: "As for Rouge, I entrust her to you!"

"Rest assured! Your wife and child, I shall care for; have no worries..."

Shaya took Rouge's hand from Roger and replied with a smile.

After responding to Roger, Shaya didn't forget to speak gently to Rouge: "Sister-in-law, from now on, just live peacefully with me and rely on me as you would on Brother Roger~"

"Then I entrust myself to you!"

Rouge's eyes were filled with deep gratitude as she listened to Shaya's words.

Although, during these days, whether it was Roger, Shaya, or Garp, whenever they discussed future arrangements, they deliberately avoided her. When they met her, they always wore smiles, as if unwilling to put too much pressure on her heart~

But Rouge was a clever woman—she understood everything. She pretended to be an innocent white lotus in daily life only because she didn't want the man about to face death to carry worries in his heart, nothing more~

"Sister-in-law, you really don't need to be polite!" Shaya waved his hand repeatedly at Rouge. "Brother Roger and I hit it off from the moment we met—we're sworn brothers. This small favor is the least I can do!"

"Rouge..."

At this moment, Roger seemed to think of something. He took Rouge's hand, his eyes full of tenderness, and said softly: "Forgive me, Rouge~ In this life, I can't grow old with you. The future will be hard on you alone~"

"I am the key to opening a new era! The new era has no ship that can carry me anymore~ My journey ends here! But yours and our child's journey is just beginning~"

Roger paused here, then continued: "After the child is born, if it's a boy, call him Ace; if it's a girl, call her Anne!"

"Mm, I'll remember! Roger, go in peace! Don't have any worries—whatever you want to do, follow your heart and do it! I will definitely give birth to your child, I swear..."

Rouge gazed deeply at Roger's weathered face, wanting to imprint his image in her mind in these final moments~

"The person I've wronged most in this life is you..."

Roger looked at Rouge, a hint of regret in his expression.

"Shaya, this sword has been with me for half my life—take it too!"

"If my child takes a liking to swordsmanship in the future, remember to pass it on to him for me..."

After gazing deeply at Rouge for a while, Roger seemed to think of something. He drew the sword at his waist, Ace, and moved to hand it to Shaya...

But as Roger drew Ace, Shaya could see deep reluctance in Roger's eyes! In Shaya's view, Roger's attachment to Ace was even greater than his attachment to his wife and the child yet to be born~

After all, for a master swordsman of supreme skill, the blade at their side is essentially half their being—let alone Ace, this incredibly sharp treasure sword that witnessed Roger's rise from an ordinary pirate to the universally acclaimed Pirate King, accompanying him from poverty to wealth, from youth to old age, and bearing intimate witness to his legendary, magnificent life!

But understanding aside, Shaya still had to curse: "Roger, you scumbag!"

"As for the sword, not for now~"

Shaya listened to Roger's words and gave a faint shake of his head.

"Why?"

Roger's expression showed a hint of confusion as he looked at Shaya and asked, "Isn't this sword exactly what you wanted?!"

"I did say I wanted your blade, but not right now..."

Shaya smiled faintly after hearing Roger's words.

"Huh?!"

Roger frowned slowly, unsure what Shaya was playing at. Could this little bastard be trying to jack up the price?

But he, Roger, had nothing left to give Shaya now. After entrusting his wife and child to Shaya, he was just a dying man with no lingering attachments, nothing more~

"Roger, you're sick, not stupid..."

"If I took your sword and left right now, your wife and child wouldn't survive!"

"On this sea, who doesn't know that Ace—one of the 'Greatest Grade Swords,' rivaling Whitebeard's Murakumogiri as one of the twin great blades of the sea—is the personal sword of Pirate King Gol D. Roger?!"

"If I swagger off with your blade now, am I trying to tell the world that I, Figarland Shaya Saint, have been in contact with Pirate King Roger?!"

"I just met with you, and then, as luck would have it, I return to the Holy Land with a pregnant woman—do you think the Five Elders won't be suspicious?"

"Roger, use that walnut-sized brain of yours properly. Don't ruin all of us on a whim, alright?! There's a reason I'm not taking anything now—it's not that I won't, it's that I simply can't..."

Shaya looked at Roger as if he were an idiot.

"Ah, well..."

Roger fell silent after hearing Shaya's words.

"So first, sign a contract with me~"

Shaya said, not giving Roger time to overthink, and with a glance signaled Stussy to bring out the contract he had prepared in advance.

The contract was simple in concept, but it filled over fifty pages—Shaya had basically plugged every loophole!

In summary, it only said one thing...

That after Roger's death, Roger's legacy would be held in trust by Shaya and transferred to his child upon reaching adulthood.

"This many pages?"

Roger looked at the contract before him and felt dizzy.

If you asked Roger to fight someone or kill someone, that was fine~

But making him read a document crammed with tiny text, over fifty pages long—that was worse than just killing him outright!

"Stop the nonsense, just sign it!"

"Rest assured, I won't harm you..."

"You're a dying man—there's nothing for me to gain..."

Shaya had Stussy set up a Transponder Snail to record the signing, in case anyone later claimed the contract with Pirate King Roger was a forgery.

Of course, Shaya also brought the Hero of the Marines, Garp, as a witness to ensure the contract's validity—Shaya was nothing if not thorough.

"Well... alright!"

Roger first looked at Shaya, then at his wife Rouge, and finally at Garp, his kindred spirit. In the end, he took the fountain pen Shaya handed him and signed the name Gol D. Roger on every line that needed it~

Roger's heart was heavy. He knew his own condition better than anyone—he had no choice now but to trust Shaya. Besides, with his close friend Garp witnessing the signing, surely Shaya wouldn't screw him over...

Yes, Shaya wouldn't screw him over one bit~

Every single one of those fifty-plus pages was packed with traps!

"Now that the contract is signed, madam, please come with me~"

Shaya's lips curled slightly once he confirmed Roger had signed.

He gestured for Stussy beside him to put away the signed contract, then took hold of Rouge's soft, fair hand and, flanked by Garp and Stussy on either side for protection, walked off into the distance~

"..."

For a moment, only the legendary Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, was left standing alone in front of that desolate wooden cabin~

Roger watched the retreating figures of Shaya and the others with a mix of loss and longing, witnessing his wife and soon-to-be-born child being taken away by Shaya, powerless to stop it~

After all, he had personally entrusted his wife and child to Shaya—he was already terminally ill and about to die~

"Well, at least in these final moments, I still have you with me~"

With that, Roger raised Ace high in his hand and muttered to himself.

If Shaya had heard Roger's words, he would have sneered and said softly: "Roger, oh Roger! Even if you weren't sick, you were destined to die alone! A scumbag like you, knowing you were about to die, burdened with debts, hunted by countless enemies—to find a woman like Rouge willing to bear your child in your old age, you must have burned some serious ancestral incense. But it's fine—Rouge will be with me from now on, and she'll finally live a happy (and pleasurable) life~"

And so...

Under Roger's watch~

Under Garp's protection~

Shaya, with Stussy in his left arm and Rouge in his right, walked toward the World Government ship docked at the edge of the town~

"It's Saint Shaya returning..."

The moment Shaya appeared~

The group of Marines and government agents who had been lounging on the deck of the World Government battleship as usual, yawning endlessly and grumbling inwardly about how long Shaya planned to stay on this godforsaken island, immediately scrambled down from the ship and lined up in two rows before Shaya, welcoming his return.

Of course, these agents and Marines also noticed the two women in Shaya's arms~

That Stussy would become Shaya's woman came as no surprise to these agents and Marines—they had long guessed that Shaya wouldn't let a beauty like Stussy stay by his side without making a move~

They just hadn't expected Shaya to bag two at once...

All they could say was, as expected of a Celestial Dragon—they sure played around~

"From now on, these two are my wives. When you see them, it's as if you see me. Understood?!"

Shaya, holding Stussy and Rouge in his arms, spoke coldly to the surrounding agents and Marines.

"As you command~"

The Marines and agents immediately dropped to one knee and replied respectfully.

"Hmm~"

Shaya was satisfied with their response...

After they knelt, he wrapped his arms around Stussy and Rouge and boarded the World Government battleship~

Once Saint Shaya was on the warship, these World Government agents and Marines finally gossiped to themselves: "So that's why Saint Shaya docked at this godforsaken island for over a month—he was chasing women. That explains it, that explains it!"

For the sake of a woman, making the Hero of the Marines, who should have been out hunting pirates, stand guard outside for a whole month—that really fit the depraved, lawless nature of the Celestial Dragons~

Four-thousand-word chapter, begging for reads! Begging for reads! Begging for reads, brothers~