Shanks fell into deep thought, a look of reminiscence on his face. But back then, he was just a teenager, mostly childish, and wouldn't have considered the purpose behind sailing or the preparations required.
Children are only interested in fun adventures, who they want to fight, and when they want to have a big party. They can't really get involved in things like Poneglyph!
"I remember you didn't make it to Laugh Tale back then because you had to take care of sick Buggy, right? Were you in such a hurry? Couldn't you have waited until Buggy recovered before going together?"
I think there's definitely something you don't know about this. Try to think it through and see if you can figure it out!
Shanks is now nearly fifty years old. Although he is more rugged and unkempt, he also looks more Haki and composed. He gives people a very powerful and reliable feeling at first glance!
However, now that so much time has passed since Roger became the Pirate King, Vic is worried that Shanks might forget some details as time goes by. Many clues are often hidden in small details, so Vic has to pay attention to them!
"A hidden reason? Yes! Captain Roger would never look down on us and Buggy just because we were apprentices and didn't take us. There must have been a reason why Captain Roger had to abandon us. What could it be?"
After being reminded by Vic, Shanks finally remembered the inconsistency from back then. It wasn't that Buggy's illness was untimely, nor that it was wrong for him to stay and take care of Buggy, but rather the timing!
The illness will get better eventually, why can't we wait? It's not like other pirate crews are trying to steal it from them.
Back then, no one set sail to become a pirate for the One Piece. Laugh Tale was the first to deduce and discover Roger Tale. Roger officially confirmed the existence of the One Piece for the first time on the Execution Platform after returning from Laugh Tale, which then ushered in the Great Pirate Era!
So back then, nobody knew the truth about the One Piece, and no other pirate crews would try to steal it. Most pirate crews were after territory, power, and enjoyment, like Rocks and Golden Lion. So why did Roger and his crew abandon Buggy and Shanks?
"They must be in a hurry! Buggy's illness came at the wrong time, clashing with Laugh Tale's arrival, so Mr. Roger had to abandon you!"
Vic couldn't help but say, "That's the most reasonable guess!"
"That's right! How come I didn't think of that? It must be like that. Laugh Tale only appears at specific times. Let me think... Right, it's around mid-August. You can tell Luffy this information; it might help him!"
Shanks suddenly Satori why Captain Roger was in such a hurry back then. He also remembered what time it was when Buggy was sick. If they searched the waters behind Lodestar Island during that period, their chances of success would be much greater!
"Is that all? What did Mr. Roger say to you? Was there anything particularly meaningful? Whether it was before going to Laugh Tale or after returning from Laugh Tale, it's fine."
He even gave you that straw Straw Hat! That's a special treatment that neither Mr. Rayleigh nor Mr. Gaban received!
Vic believes that the clue to the last Road Poneglyph is most likely related to Shanks, because Shanks ' mission is to pass on Roger's will; he is Roger's chosen torchbearer!
Such an important character couldn't possibly have such a simple role, but judging from Shanks's appearance, he seems to know nothing at all. Therefore, Vic thinks that Roger must have been hiding important information!
Or perhaps it was told to Shanks in the form of a riddle, but Shanks was too young at the time to understand its true meaning!
At this moment, Vic couldn't help but recall the tattoo he had seen on Shanks' back when he was soaking in the hot springs. He had asked around and learned that Roger and Oden had tattooed it on Shanks after they returned from Laugh Tale!
Vic even speculated at the time whether Roger and Oden had tattooed the events of the Void Century onto Shanks' back?
Then Vic memorized the tattoo on Shanks' back, and fearing he might forget it over time, he drew it and put it into his Dimensional Space.
The fourth Road Poneglyph has yet to be found. Could it be that Shanks has the inscription from that Road Poneglyph tattooed on his back? And then the real red Road Poneglyph was destroyed by Roger and Oden?
The Poneglyph are made of a special material that makes them difficult to destroy, but just because others can't destroy them doesn't mean Oden can't. Keep in mind that the Poneglyph were carved by Oden's ancestors, so it's not surprising that they could find a way to destroy them!
The tattoo on Shanks' back is too messy, and without a way to decipher it, it's really hard to know what it means. So Vic really wants to know what Roger said to Shanks, because maybe the solution lies in those ordinary words!
"Something particularly meaningful? Let me think about it..."
Shanks never quite remembered what Roger had said to him, which of his words had a deeper meaning, or which one was telling him to eat meat and drink alcohol. Shanks can be really naive sometimes, especially when he's younger!
"Alright! Let's not talk about this anymore. Are you going to get your arm treated or not? I made a special trip just for this. If you want it treated later, you'll have to wait until I have some free time!"
This was Vic's real purpose in coming to Shanks, and it could be considered as fulfilling the promise he made back then!
If Vic just wanted a clue about the Road Poneglyph, he could have simply used Den Den Mushi to ask. Why bother coming all the way here in person? Shanks doesn't have any good food or drink here; it's not attractive at all!
"Won't the newly grown arm be the same one as before?"
Shanks asked hesitantly. He hadn't wanted to restore his arms before because he was at the peak of his strength improvement, with an indomitable spirit. Now that the improvement period was over, his intact hands would definitely be stronger!
"Of course not, it grew back, it has nothing to do with the previous one, just like a gecko's tail!"
Vic didn't know why Shanks asked that, but he still explained that it was the result of cells re-dividing and differentiating. However, it seemed that there was no cell theory in this world, so Vic could only use an analogy.
"Since you've made the special trip, we can't let you come for nothing. Come on, what do you need? Let's get it ready now!"
Shanks felt it was time for him to regain his complete body. He hadn't considered it before because even using his Devil Fruit powers would require finding that severed arm to potentially heal it!
But his arm was eaten by the Lord of the Coast, and he never even thought about getting it back. By the time he did, it was too late; the Lord of the Coast had already digested it!
He only had hope again after Vic told him that his arm could grow back. He wanted to wait until his rapid growth period was over before starting treatment, but now he felt that the time was about right!
"Alright! Then have your chef prepare a feast of Sea Kings. We'll need it for the treatment later. An arm can't just appear out of thin air; it requires energy to convert, and only Sea Kings flesh can support that!"
Vic was already very experienced in this; for him, regenerating a severed arm was only slightly more difficult than treating a cold!
But for other doctors, this was a miracle. Even a surgeon as skilled as Law could only find someone else's arm to replace Shanks!
While such an arm can be used, can it be compared to one that grows from the division and differentiation of one's own stem cells? The difference is vast!