aircannonsinc Page 12
Page 12
Liu Jiu was wringing out the last damp cloth he used to wipe the deck.
He paused for a moment upon hearing the commotion around him.
He straightened up and looked around.
The sea is still the same sea, the sky is still the same sky. The ship is still the same ship, and the people are still the same people.
Aside from the battles, storms, strange islands, and eerie darkness that appeared from time to time along the way, it seemed... nothing special?
He lowered his head, continued wringing the cloth dry, and hung it up.
Then, even more outrageous news spread.
Like a thunderclap, it exploded over all the seas.
"Roger... has been found!"
"That legendary place! Laugh Tale!"
"The Pirate King! Gol D. Roger is the Pirate King!"
The whole world seemed to be calling out this name. Newspapers flew everywhere like snowflakes, and the calls of newsbirds were filled with unprecedented excitement.
Wherever the Oro Jackson went, they were greeted by countless gazes of fervor, awe, or fear. They were regarded as living legends.
The ship erupted in cheers.
The revelry continued day and night. Drinks were consumed like seawater, and the singing and laughter were almost constant. Every crew member's face beamed with pride and excitement.
"The Pirate King! Our captain is the Pirate King!"
"We made it to the end! We witnessed history!"
Bucky, with his red nose held high, strutted around as if he were the one who had found Laugh Tale. Shanks, too, was too excited to sleep, his eyes shining like stars.
Even the usually composed Rayleigh had a genuine smile in his eyes when he raised his glass.
Roger remained the same, drinking heartily, laughing loudly, and accepting the admiration and worship of his crew.
He sat on the pile of cables in his usual spot, holding a piece of jerky in his hand, chewing it slowly.
Looking at the hustle and bustle and frenzy before me.
He tried to recall.
In the past two years, he has cleaned the deck many times, participated in some battles, seen some strange islands and weather, and experienced that darkness...
That legendary final island?
He seems to... have absolutely no recollection of it?
When did we dock for supplies? Or after we passed through that darkness? Or was it on some ordinary day when he was cleaning up water in the hold or catching up on sleep after keeping watch the night before?
What did he miss?
He carefully recalled every possible point in time and every detail that might have been overlooked.
There is no memory of "landing on a special island", "discovering a huge treasure", or "learning the secrets of the world".
It's as if... that most important journey was erased from his memory, or perhaps it never even happened?
He swallowed the dry, hard jerky in his mouth.
I feel a little choked up.
He picked up the water pouch next to him and took a sip.
In the past two years, he has traveled around the Grand Line with this ship.
Then, the captain became the Pirate King.
He put down the water bag and looked at the straw-hatted man in the center of the deck, surrounded by a crowd and laughing loudly.
So... what exactly did he miss?
Liu Jiu blinked.
His face remained expressionless.
For the first time, a subtle feeling stirred within me about this familiar world...
It was an evening that was no different from any other.
The setting sun dyed the sea a familiar warm orange. The crew members, having just finished a day's work, sat in twos and threes on the deck to rest and wait for dinner.
Roger walked to the bow of the ship, turned around, and faced all the crew members.
His face didn't have his usual carefree smile; it was very calm, a calmness that made people uneasy.
"Hey, guys."
The sound wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.
The noisy deck fell silent instantly. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at their captain.
Roger's gaze slowly swept over every familiar face: Shanks, Bucky, Rayleigh, every comrade-in-arms... Finally, it lingered briefly on Liu Jiu, who was leaning against the ship's railing not far away.
Liu Jiu was also looking at him.
"Our voyage has come to an end."
In short, it was like a boulder thrown into calm water.
Absolute silence.
Even the sound of the waves seemed to have disappeared.
Everyone was stunned, their faces filled with pure, incomprehensible bewilderment.
"The...the end?" Buggy was the first to scream, his voice piercing. "Captain! What did you say? We're the Pirate King—"
"The pirate crew is disbanded, effective today."
Roger interrupted him, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
The word "disband" is like two cold awls, piercing into everyone's heart.
"Why?!" Shanks jumped to his feet, his clear voice trembling with disbelief. "Captain! We've only just begun! There are so many places on the sea..."
His eyes instantly welled up with tears.
The other crew members also realized what was happening and excitedly surrounded the area, chattering amongst themselves with panic and anger.
"Captain! You can't do this!"
"We'll follow you! Wherever you go, we'll go!"
"What happened?!"
Roger simply stood there, letting the questions and pleas come crashing down on him like waves. He offered no explanation, and his face remained largely expressionless.
"This is an order."
There are only these four words.
Heavy, beyond question.
Shanks rushed to Roger, tilted his head back, and finally couldn't hold back his tears. He gritted his teeth and choked out, "Captain... why... aren't we comrades...?"
Roger looked at the red-haired boy he had watched grow up, a complex and indescribable emotion flickering deep in his eyes. He reached out and roughly ruffled Shanks' hair, the movement still rough, yet carrying a rare gentleness.
Then, he did something that surprised everyone.
He took off the straw hat that had accompanied him throughout his seafaring career, a hat that was slightly torn and stained with sweat and sea breeze.
Solemnly, it was placed on Shanks' head.
The straw hat was a bit too big, obscuring Shanks's moist eyes.
"Here, keep this hat for now."
Roger's voice lowered.
"Give it back to me when you become a capable pirate."
Shanks froze, staring blankly at Roger through the brim of his straw hat. He seemed to understand something, yet also seemed to understand nothing at all. Tears welled up even more profusely, but he straightened his still frail spine with all his might.
The surrounding crew watched this scene, and the noise gradually subsided. A heavy, sorrowful silence spread. They looked at Roger, at the straw hat being handed over, as if witnessing the end of one era and the vague beginning of another.
Liu Jiu stood on the periphery of the crowd, watching quietly.
Watching Roger place that seemingly ordinary straw hat on the head of the crying red-haired boy.
Looking at Roger's calm face, one could see the hidden determination and...entrustment beneath.
Disband the pirate crew.
To place the new era... on the shoulders of a crybaby with red hair?
Liu Jiu's gaze fell on Shanks' shoulders, which were still trembling slightly, covered by an oversized straw hat.
He could probably guess what Roger was planning to do.
You can also guess the weight that this straw hat carries.
He looked away, gazing at the setting sun sinking into the sea in the distance.
The golden afterglow shone on his face, but it was not warm.
It's better that they've disbanded.
He thought to himself silently.
In the future, we probably won't need to clean the deck of such a large ship anymore.
It saved me a lot of trouble.
Chapter 12 The Pirate Crew Disbands, Wandering the World
That island became their final resting place.
There was no grand farewell ceremony, no tearful plea to stay. Like dandelions scattered by the wind, the crew members silently packed their meager belongings, and then, one by one, went in different directions.
Someone patted their companion heavily on the shoulder, their eyes reddening, but said nothing, then turned and disappeared into the island's jungle.
Someone bowed deeply in the direction of Roger and Rayleigh, wiped his face, and walked towards the small boat moored on the shore.