Paper Note

Time rewound to not long ago—

Oro Jackson, somewhere at sea

Sunlight laid a golden path across the sea as the Oro Jackson sailed into the wind. The deck was livelier than usual.

The pirates had gathered in a circle, chattering excitedly about the latest news.

"It really was just like Rock said!!"

"Shakuyaku actually opened a bar on Hachinosu?! And it's doing incredibly well?!"

"I thought we'd never see her again!"

"Now that we know where she is, can't we just go find her?!"

At that moment, a timid newcomer quietly reminded them, "But... isn't Hachinosu Rocks's territory?"

The air fell silent in an instant. Everyone turned in unspoken agreement to look toward the railing at the bow.

Roger, wearing his Straw Hat, was slumped over it as though life had beaten the stuffing out of him, his face filled with the dejection of someone who had lost all his dreams.

Rayleigh stood behind him with an odd expression, as though he wanted to explain but had no way to.

Just then, Gaban, the Roger Pirates' resident gossip, sidled over with a sleazy grin.

He threw an arm around Rayleigh's shoulders. "Hey, hey~ Rayleigh, did you think I hadn't noticed?"

Cold sweat immediately beaded on Rayleigh's forehead, and his mouth twitched. "W-what?"

Gaban lowered his voice and glanced at Roger, who was draped over the railing.

"Roger started acting like this... after you two went into the captain's cabin."

"What did you say to him?"

Rayleigh looked out at the sea. "N-nothing..."

Gaban narrowed his eyes. "Oh? That sounds awfully suspicious—"

—A short while earlier, inside the captain's cabin—

With a serious expression, Rayleigh called Roger into the captain's cabin. After closing the door, he lowered his voice.

"I don't want the others to know about this... I'm only telling you, Roger."

Roger stood with his back to him, his expression unusually calm. "What you want to talk about... is that clash with the Kuja Pirates before Shakuyaku stepped down, isn't it?"

He suddenly spun around and slapped both hands on the table. "I knew something was off about Shakuyaku back then! Then she suddenly announced she was stepping down, and I thought she was sick...!"

"But then—"

Roger's pupils shook. "You actually received something like this?!!"

Cold sweat streamed down Rayleigh's forehead. "I... I really don't know how to say it..."

Roger pointed at the slip of paper in Rayleigh's hand, his finger trembling. There was only one short sentence on it:

—Come pick me up.

Signed: Shakuyaku

Roger exploded. "Rayleigh!!! Didn't you say you weren't interested in her—?!!"

Rayleigh backed up two steps and raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, hey! Calm down! Saying I'm not interested at all... would be a lie. I... just don't want to be tied down!"

Roger covered his face and crouched down in agony. "You don't want her... but I do!!! I do, Rayleigh!!!"

Rayleigh: "???"

Roger roared in despair, "You bastard! Do you have any idea how many people envy you?!"

He lunged forward. "Give me the letter!!!"

Rayleigh turned and ran in fright, stuffing the paper behind his back. "Not a chance! It's for me!!!"

Roger chased after him like a madman, pouncing wildly. "Rayleigh! Let go of that letter!!!"

The captain's cabin immediately descended into chaos.

Hearing the crashing and banging from outside, the crew murmured, "What's wrong with Captain Roger...?"

"Did Rayleigh beat him up?"

The scene returned to the deck of the Oro Jackson.

The sea breeze was gentle, and the sky was clear. The only abnormal thing was Roger, slumped over the railing with a melancholy expression.

Then, as if he had been jolted awake by a hundred thousand volts of lightning, he sprang up with a slap!!!

"—Everyone!!!"

He threw both hands high into the air, his voice piercing through the sea wind. "I will never give up!!!"

The crew were all stunned. He had looked half-dead just moments ago, and now his fighting spirit had suddenly shot through the roof?

"Huh? Captain... has his energy back?"

Rayleigh watched Roger's inner fire reignite and merely smiled faintly, his eyes hiding the helpless resignation of here we go again.

Roger abruptly turned around, his face filled with the fervor of someone ready to seize back the world.

"Listen up! What is a pirate's true desire?!"

"It's plunder—!!!"

"If you want something, go take it! Can't take it? Then keep at it!! Never give up until you get it!!!"

"Am I right, boys!!!"

The crew behind him immediately erupted. "You mean Shakuyaku, right!!!"

"Hahahaha!!!"

"Why should we be afraid of Rocks? Everyone is equal before competition!!!"

"Charge!! Let's go take Shakuyaku back right now!!!"

Roger said, "Could you guys stop putting it so bluntly...?!"

The crew completely ignored his feeble resistance born of embarrassment.

Just as their momentum reached its peak, Roger suddenly rubbed his stomach and instantly broke character. "I'm hungry! Marcus! Is the food ready yet?!"

Marcus poked his head out from the kitchen. "It's done! Time to eat!"

"Ooooooh—!!!"

The entire crew's excitement instantly surpassed even what it would have been if they were preparing to fight Rocks.

The center of Hachinosu, Shakuyaku's Extortion Bar

This was the only place on Hachinosu where pirates obediently lined up, not daring to make a fuss or act out.

The queue stretched around the block three times, and brutal pirates stood as properly as kindergarteners lining up for milk.

Occasional shouting could be heard—

"Hey! You cut in line! Wanna fight?!"

"This is Shakuyaku's place! Don't start anything!"

"Sorry, sorry! I'll get back in line!"

Every pirate knew that on Hachinosu, they could provoke anyone—but they absolutely could not provoke Shakuyaku.

The bar itself was just as lively.

"Huh? Why is this drink so expensive?! I didn't bring that much Berry!"

Behind the counter, Shakuyaku held a cigarette between her lips and lazily exhaled smoke. "Then go work in the kitchen for two years to pay off your debt~"

"Huh!? Two years?!"

The pirates crowded around the bar, their eyes turning into clusters of heart-shaped bubbles.

"I came all the way from the North Blue! I heard you can drink delicious whiskey here and eat food made by Miss Shakuyaku!"

"Yeah! They say that if you get even one bite of Shakuyaku's cooking, you'll go to heaven!!"

Shakuyaku smiled faintly, elegant and deadly. "Hehe."

"I'm glad you feel that way."

The corner of her lips curled up. "Unfortunately, I will never cook for any of you."

"No—!!!"

The pirates collapsed in unison, dropping to their knees in a heap.

Yet their eyes still sparkled. "She rejected us so decisively... she's so charming!!!"

Just then, a shout came from the kitchen. "Boss Shakuyaku! We're out of whiskey!"

Shakuyaku lazily flicked off some ash. "Then substitute the cheapest rum instead~"

"!!!"

In an instant, the hearts in the pirates' eyes went wild. "Just like I imagined! That's so awesome!!!"

"What terrible service—this is absolutely fantastic!!!"

"Thanks for the meal—!!!"

The other bars on Hachinosu: Please stop coming to our places. We can't handle freaks like you.

Shakuyaku's Extortion Bar: The more freaks there are, the better business gets.