One Piece: Start by Saving Roger, I Was Invited to Join the Crew

"Hahaha! I already warned you—be more careful next time."

Whitebeard laughed heartily. "As their father, of course I'll discipline my sons. Don't worry—Teach won't get the better of Reid. Honestly, he doesn't even have the ability."

Roger understood why Whitebeard was so confident. Teach appeared completely ordinary—no Haki, no flashy abilities. If Reid went all out, one blow in his transformed state might be enough to finish Teach.

Bounty Hunters Descend on Badelila

Elsewhere, pirates and bounty hunters all over the world had received the latest bounty orders and newspapers from the World Government and news agencies. Countless ships were now racing toward Badelila Island, all hoping to catch Roger and Reid.

Even in North Blue and West Blue—where direct routes to the South Sea didn't exist—some pirates paid the high tolls demanded by the Celestial Dragons just to cross the Red Line via Mariejois, all for the glory or the gold.

No one cared whether they could actually defeat these legends. Most were blinded by ambition, rushing toward a confrontation with two of the most legendary pirate crews in the world.

Shanks and Bucky's Curiosity

Meanwhile, Shanks and Bucky were sharing drinks.

Shanks was still reflecting on Reid's release of Conqueror's Haki. He was shocked and confused.

"I heard the captain say Reid used the Conqueror's Haki… But why weren't we knocked out?" Shanks wondered aloud. "Has our willpower really grown that much?"

"Hey, Shanks! What's on your mind?" Bucky noticed Shanks zoning out.

"I was just thinking about Reid's Haki earlier. It didn't affect us at all."

"Oh right! I forgot about that!" Bucky said excitedly, then struck a proud pose. "Hahaha! I get it now—it's because I got stronger! I've improved a lot by training under Mr. Rayleigh!"

"Maybe," Shanks replied with a slight smile. "We've both been training hard. I almost died a few times…"

He recalled one particular encounter with a massive tiger that nearly ended his life.

CP Agents on the Island

In the heart of the island, six CP agents continued to lie low, waiting for Roger and the others to return.

Agent Foz Fozzi frowned.

"What's taking them so long? Aren't they coming back to the island center?"

"Foz, remember—when you're forging, every strike of the hammer must be sincere. That's how you make weapons that never break."

The speaker was his old blacksmith master.

"Yes, teacher. I'll remember that," Foz Fozzi replied with humility.

"Good. With your size and strength, I believe you'll become a great blacksmith."

Nearby, a young Rob Lucci was walking down the street, thinking to himself.

"I can't waste more time. I'm just a kid—if I keep my head down and don't act suspicious, no one will notice me. They won't be using Haki 24/7 to observe a six-year-old."

Resolute, Lucci moved to slip away from the group.

"Lucci, where are you going?" asked Bruno.

"I'm going for a look around. Just stay here—keep quiet and stay alert."

"Hmph, bossing me around again. Don't get caught," Bruno muttered under his breath.

The Storm Approaches

Suddenly, there was a loud commotion outside.

"Lots of ships incoming. Looks like they're here for you," Marco said calmly, sipping his drink without turning around.

"They're fast," Reid remarked, sitting back down without panic.

"You're not scared?" Marco asked, genuinely surprised by Reid's composure.

"It's nothing. Just a bunch of little birds chirping."

Reid tried to stay calm, though deep down, he was still a little tense.

"Haha! That's the spirit!" Nozdon laughed and raised his bowl.

At the same time, Dorlingo rushed to Roger, pointing to the sea.

"Captain Roger! A ton of pirate ships are approaching!"

"Haha! Fools, risking their lives for bounty and treasure," Roger said, unfazed, continuing to drink.

Whitebeard laughed loudly and lifted his own bowl. "I came here to help you fight. Guess I made the right call."

"Hahaha, much appreciated, Whitebeard!" Roger replied. "Dorlingo, go talk to Rayleigh. Have him protect the Oro Jackson. Handle the rest however you want."

"Got it, Captain!" Dorlingo grinned and took off.

Roger's Mysterious Secret

Whitebeard turned to Roger, curious.

"Roger, there's something I don't get. How do you know Oden's life will be in danger in a few years?"

"Heh… that's a secret I can't tell."

"Then it must be serious—maybe even more important than One Piece itself."

Roger had once told him about One Piece. If he kept this a secret, it had to be even bigger.

What Whitebeard didn't know was that Morgans, the news mogul, had exaggerated the reports to boost sales.

"Whitebeard, I know you trust your crew completely. But even in your family, there are people like Teach. That's why I can't tell you everything."

Whitebeard scowled. He hated when anyone questioned his family.

"You didn't tell me about that cure-all secret before… and now this about Oden. Is there a connection between the two?"

Whitebeard stared at Roger, piecing it together.

"Could it be…"

"Don't say it." Roger cut him off quickly.

But it was too late—Whitebeard had figured it out.

"I knew it…" he muttered, standing in shock.

"Please, don't tell anyone—not even your family," Roger said seriously.

Whitebeard exhaled deeply and sat back down. "Fine. I get it. This isn't something to take lightly."

"And don't worry about your illness. Everything will work out."

"Thank you, Roger." Whitebeard's voice was sincere. This was a gift more precious than any treasure.

"Hahaha! Now you understand why I look so lively."

Roger smiled proudly.

"Well, I guess I owe you one. But are you sure about Oden's fate?"

"Absolutely. The intel is solid. All we need to do is take down Orochi and Kaido."

"Kaido, huh…" Whitebeard's tone grew serious.

"Roger, Kaido's not someone to underestimate. He was already tough 18 years ago. The reports say he might've eaten a mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit around that time. He's probably mastered it by now."

Roger grinned. "What, are you scared of Kaido?"

Whitebeard scoffed. "Of course not. I'm just saying… he's not someone you take lightly."

"Rocks was the one who had me recruit him," Whitebeard added. "He always had a sharp eye."

Roger didn't seem impressed. "Doesn't matter. The Rocks crew never trusted each other—that's why they fell apart."

"Yeah," Whitebeard agreed. "Even the captain couldn't be trusted. It's no wonder the rest were constantly on edge."

He thought back to when Oden wanted to join his crew. At the time, Whitebeard had seen him as reckless and simple-minded.

More than that, he feared someone as strong as Oden might turn out like the Rocks pirates—too dangerous, too unpredictable. He didn't want instability in his family.

Support me at patreon.com/Revoltas and read up to 30 Advance Chapters!