Whitebeard Pirates

For a while after that, Buggy kept working hard to familiarize himself with his Devil Fruit powers. After all, they had become part of his body—and his means of staying alive.

Shirakawa hadn't been idle lately either. He'd been training like his life depended on it. And it did. All he did was train and eat; the crew never saw him sleep.

"If you keep training like this, you'll wreck your body sooner or later. Then you won't achieve what you're training for," a crew member warned Shirakawa.

"Don't worry. I know my own body."

The pirate who'd warned him shook his head helplessly. He'd already decided Shirakawa was beyond reason. Once he suffered the consequences, he'd have plenty of time to regret it.

But to his utter astonishment, Shirakawa kept training like this, yet he remained full of energy, and there was no sign that his body was about to give out.

"What kind of Devil Fruit did he eat? It's incredible." Watching Shirakawa train as if he didn't care whether he lived or died, the crew members couldn't help feeling envious. If only they had a Devil Fruit like that.

"What got into that kid? Has he gone crazy?" Roger stood off to the side, enjoying the sea breeze and drinking beer as he watched Shirakawa train.

"Those recent fights must've gotten to him. He hasn't had a chance to fight any other pirate crew's officers, and can only deal with minor characters. He's not as good as the best, but better than the rest."

"So he's trying to break through?"

"Yeah. I heard he's been learning Observation Haki from Gaban lately. I wonder how he's doing."

"There's only one way to find out." Roger downed a bottle of beer, then threw the empty bottle at Shirakawa, who was training nearby.

Unsurprisingly, Shirakawa dodged it.

"Not bad. Looks like you haven't been studying Observation Haki for nothing." Roger praised him when he saw Shirakawa dodge.

"Hey, Captain, you threw that bottle way too obviously. Even without Observation Haki, I could've dodged it."

With his training interrupted, Shirakawa decided to take a break.

"Is that so?" Roger gave an awkward laugh. He'd only tossed the bottle casually, without adding any force or speed.

"By the way, Rayleigh, I want to learn Armament Haki." During his break, Shirakawa looked over at Rayleigh, who seemed completely unconcerned.

"Then learn it from Gaban. He knows Armament Haki too."

"But I feel like your Armament Haki is stronger than his."

"Is that right? Well, if you put it that way, I suppose I have no choice." Rayleigh laughed. There was always a bit of friendly rivalry aboard the Roger Pirates.

Although he was the Roger Pirates' second-in-command, Gaban's standing was every bit as high as his.

"Then why are you learning Observation Haki from Gaban? Do you think my Observation Haki is inferior to his?"

"You said it yourself. I never said that." Shirakawa spread his hands, looking innocent.

"You little brat." Rayleigh laughed as he chided him.

"Captain, this is bad!" Just then, a crew member came running over in a panic, sweat streaming down his forehead.

"What is it?" Roger's expression grew serious. There weren't many things that could make one of his crew look like that.

"Captain, up ahead—we spotted the Whitebeard Pirates!" the crew member shouted.

"Newgate?" Roger's face lit up with excitement he hadn't shown in a long time, and he headed toward the bow.

Sure enough, the Moby Dick was floating just ahead of them, as if it had been waiting for them.

Shirakawa wanted to see for himself what the man known as the World's Strongest Man was like, so he followed Roger to the bow.

There he saw Whitebeard, young and at the height of his power, standing at the front of his ship. In his hand was his signature sword, one of the Twelve Supreme Great Fast Swords: Murakumogiri.

Behind Whitebeard stood the commanders of his divisions. They looked much like Shirakawa remembered, except that the second division commander was a samurai.

"Long time no see, Whitebeard!" Roger called out in greeting.

"I've been waiting for you a long time, Roger!" Whitebeard called back, unwilling to be outdone.

"So that's Whitebeard Newgate, the man known as the World's Strongest Man?" Shirakawa marveled. He could feel Whitebeard's imposing presence from far away. That one shout had even kicked up some sizable waves.

"Is that so? I'd like to see him too."

As soon as Roger finished speaking, the atmosphere between the two pirate crews grew tense. A battle could break out at any moment.

"Is it about to start?"

Shirakawa murmured to himself. Just then, Rayleigh patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't be nervous. Whitebeard and we go way back. But when the fighting starts, don't hesitate to finish off anyone you have to."

"Understood." Shirakawa nodded seriously, taking Rayleigh's words to heart.

The Roger Pirates sailed onward and stopped just before they would have collided with Whitebeard's ship. Both crews disembarked and gathered on the nearby island.

There was no way they could fight aboard their ships. One careless blow might destroy them.

"Long time no see, Oden," Roger greeted another pirate standing beside Whitebeard. Oden's full name was Kozuki Oden. He was the head of the Kozuki Family of Wano Country and the current commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' second division.

But Roger had taken a particular liking to him and had always wanted to recruit him to his own ship.

"Hey, Roger, I'm right here!" Whitebeard said with a dark expression. It wasn't right to try to poach someone else's crewmate right in front of them.

"Newgate, you wouldn't be waiting here for me without a reason. So, what is it?"

"You should already know what I want."

As soon as Whitebeard finished speaking, he suddenly raised his polearm with both hands and swung it at Roger. Roger drew his sword and met the attack.

A tremendous burst of Conqueror's Haki erupted where their weapons clashed. The once-clear sky turned gloomy in an instant, as if a thunderstorm were about to break.

And so, the battle between Whitebeard and the Roger Pirates began. Each chose a familiar opponent: Rayleigh fought Kozuki Oden, Gaban fought Marco, and the other officers faced off against one another.

Meanwhile, word reached the Marines as well. The report had come from the Marines keeping watch on Whitebeard.

"Roger and Whitebeard have run into each other again? Sengoku, take Garp and go. Bring those three little monsters along too," Kong, who was still Fleet Admiral, ordered.

Garp had already set out as soon as he heard the news about Roger.

Those three little monsters were, of course, the future Three Admirals of the Marines: Aokiji, Akainu, and Kizaru.