"Shiki? You're actually awake?" Roger said in surprise as he looked at the blond-haired man before him.
When the Roger Pirates had arrived on Oran Island two days earlier, they had made a special trip to the hospital to visit Shiki. His condition then had left a deep impression on Roger and the others.
After the nurse caring for Shiki told them he had been like that for a long time, they had all felt sorry for him, thinking he might remain that way for the rest of his life.
Yet only a few days later, Shiki was standing right before him, alive and well.
"I have you to thank for that, Roger! If you hadn't suddenly shown up, I might not have woken up so soon."
As Shiki spoke, a reminiscent look appeared in his eyes.
It had been a very long dream. Ever since Shiki had exhausted his body, fallen into the sea, and lost consciousness, his soul had been immersed in an incredibly realistic dream.
In that dream, Shiki seemed to have traveled to another world, similar yet different.
That other world also had Rocks, Newgate, the World Government, the Marines, and the rest. Only Lind was missing.
In that world, just as in reality, Shiki had joined the Rocks Pirates, taken part in the God Valley Incident, and established the Flying Pirates after Rocks died in battle.
However, compared with reality, the Rocks Pirates in the dream world had clearly been countless times weaker. They were nothing like their real counterparts, who could even stand against the World Government to a certain extent.
Naturally, the Dragon-Slaying Order that had made Rocks's name resound across the seas had never been issued. After Rocks died in battle, the World Government's efforts soon erased both him and the Rocks