Starting as a Roger Pirates Apprentice

One month after the Battle of Edd War ended,

The Roger Pirates enjoyed one of their rare periods of peace—except for one thing...

"Bang—"

"That guy Bullet is still as reckless as ever."

Charging headlong into battle despite knowing he can't win—that's the kind of stubborn foolishness only he could display.

Orin thought this phrase described Bullet perfectly right now.

What made that guy believe he, a kid under twenty, could defeat Roger?

Especially when he hadn't even mastered Advanced Conqueror's Haki yet. Every time he rushed in, he was instantly taken down with a single slash.

Eventually, everyone on the ship got used to it.

They all thought this farce would go on forever—until one island landing by the Roger Pirates.

That day, after being sent flying once again by a single slash, Bullet's expression changed subtly. It was different from usual—as if he had made a firm decision.

Only Orin noticed.

"You're leaving, Bullet?"

Orin was chewing on a ham leg, leaning against the doorframe as he watched Bullet pack.

There wasn't much to pack—just a few clothes, some headphones, and a bit of treasure.

"Yeah..."

Bullet turned to face Orin, someone whose strength he acknowledged.

"Roger doesn't have long to live. I've lost all hope of surpassing him in this lifetime. It's time to go."

"So what's your plan now?"

Orin asked, even though he already knew the answer.

As the final boss in the movie, Bullet's strength was undeniable. You could even call him a hexagonal warrior—

A man dubbed the "Demon Heir," who faced the Navy's Buster Calls multiple times.

Luffy in Gear Fourth looked completely outmatched against him, and supernovas were like toys in his hands.

What impressed Orin the most was Bullet's overwhelming Armament Haki—enough to cover half an island.

But he went down the wrong path. Instead of focusing on refining his Advanced Haki, he became obsessed with creating a giant fusion mech—

He grew bigger, not stronger, and became a literal target dummy.

If he had focused on Conqueror's Infusion instead of mass Armament and giant forms, he'd at least be Yonko-tier.

"Plans? Not sure yet. Probably just get stronger."

"And once you're stronger?"

"Challenge the next strongest in the world."

Bullet's answer was firm. As he spoke, his gaze drifted toward Orin, stunning him.

"Will you become someone who surpasses Roger? Orin."

"Uh... You're not thinking of..."

Orin raised an eyebrow, a bad feeling creeping into his gut. He was already regretting coming to see Bullet off.

"I can see your drive and talent—you're not below anyone. Once you make your mark on the world stage, maybe we'll fight again."

"Eh? I'm not looking to inherit Roger-san's burdens... Just go challenge Shanks instead."

Bullet didn't reply, but from his eyes, Orin could tell—this guy hadn't changed his mind one bit.

Still...

Roger-san dies, and now you're coming for me? How is that fair?

Orin believed he might one day be among the strongest in the world, but that didn't mean he liked trouble.

Even though he had history with Bullet, killing him just because he challenged Orin felt too extreme.

But if he won, Bullet would latch onto him, just like he did with Roger—constant challenges every few days. It'd be maddening.

Not long after that chat, Bullet disembarked when they docked, and surprisingly, no one stopped him.

Even Roger simply watched him go.

Orin wasn't surprised either. After all, Bullet was never truly one of them.

He didn't believe in comrades—only in his own absolute strength. That mindset clashed with everyone else's aboard. Their separation was inevitable.

Besides, even if Bullet hadn't left, the crew would disband two years later anyway.

Rayleigh stood by the rail, watching Bullet's figure fade into the sunset. Any sentiment was cut short by Orin's voice.

"Vice-captain, when are you going to teach me Advanced Conqueror's Haki?"

"You brat..."

Rayleigh sighed, rubbing his temples. He was regretting that offhand joke from before.

"That power isn't something you learn through technique, Orin. Your Conqueror's Haki has to be strong enough."

"Huh? And how do I make it strong enough?"

"As your overall strength grows, your spirit will too. It's still too early now.

There have been geniuses who awakened Conqueror's Haki young, but have you seen any kids mastering the infusion technique that early?"

Orin was speechless. Now that he thought about it—yeah, that was true.

Doflamingo, Ace, Yamato, Katakuri...

Some awakened earlier than he did, but none of them mastered Advanced Conqueror's Haki while still young.

In the New World, Conqueror's Haki users were common, but only a few mastered the infusion—true monsters whose names echoed everywhere.

Maybe it really did require talent.

After a long silence, Orin gave up on the fantasy of mastering it at age twelve.

Still, Rayleigh wasn't just brushing him off. He explained how, once Orin's Haki was strong enough, he could wrap it around his body or weapons like Armament Haki.

"This is the technique. Whether you can pull it off—that's on you."

He even included techniques like Divine Departure—an interplay of Advanced Conqueror's Haki and master swordsman skills. Valuable learning material for Orin.

Meanwhile, not far away, Shanks and Buggy had seen the whole thing.

Watching Orin and Rayleigh discuss topics they couldn't even touch yet, the two had the exact same thought:

Will we ever catch up to this guy…?

"You two—what are you staring at?"

Orin suddenly threw his arms around both their shoulders, grinning.

"Nothing much... Roger-san said we're resupplying and heading to our next destination."

"Where to?"

"Wano Country."

Wano, huh... So they'd already sailed this far?

It seemed the "final destination" wasn't too far away now.

"My time's running out, Orin."

Behind the trio, Roger walked over with a smile, ruffling the interns' hair. There wasn't even a trace of gloom or resignation in his tone.

"Explore the islands in the second half of the New World. You might just find some surprises."

Orin said nothing.

Because in the end, Roger really did find the place—and the person—who could read the Poneglyphs before time ran out.

It was all guided by fate.

----------------

Pls Drop some Power Stones

+100 chapters and support me on Patreon(.)com/Jixo