"It looks like Shiki turned disaster into a blessing!"
Over a hundred kilometers from the storm, Roger, who had escaped with his life, looked back at the now-calm sea. Sensing the terrifying aura faintly emanating from that direction, he gave a wry smile.
"That's right. The next time we run into Shiki, we're probably in for trouble!"
Rayleigh, who sensed much the same thing, grimaced helplessly at Roger's words.
Buggy, who had spent the entire battle hiding in a corner to stay alive, hesitated when he heard the two captains. But remembering Roger's earlier instructions, he kept his mouth shut.
"Hahaha, don't worry! I gained a lot from fighting Shiki this time, too. Maybe by the time we meet him again, I'll have broken through myself. I'm Roger, after all!"
Seeing his crew's low spirits, Roger laughed heartily, trying to raise their morale.
"That's right, Captain! You're the man who's going to become the Pirate King! We're going to Laugh Tale with you!"
At Roger's words, their flagging spirits finally lifted a little. The Roger Pirates shouted out, voicing their faith in their captain.
"Good! Then let's pick up the pace and reach Laugh Tale sooner! At the very least, we need to get out of the first stretch of the New World. Beyond that lie Linlin's and Newgate's territories. Shiki won't be able to attack us so easily there."
Seeing their spirits rise, Roger waved a hand and ordered the Oro Jackson deeper into the New World, hoping to reach Laugh Tale as soon as possible.
Roger believed that even if he did no training in the meantime, he would naturally break through once he reached Laugh Tale!
And that breakthrough would be one of raw strength, without relying on a Devil Fruit. Roger would become the first person