[The Next Morning]
"Captain Roger... sniffle... Please let me go with you!"
"Come on, don't make a scene! I'm retiring, not heading off on another adventure. What kind of sense would it make for you to follow me?"
"Captain Roger... sniffle, sniffle..."
Reno, still fast asleep, was abruptly awakened by the noisy sobs and chatter outside. Slowly opening his eyes, he glanced toward the noise and muttered under his breath, "A bunch of grown men bawling like babies. If I didn't know better, I'd think it was a group of women mourning at a funeral."
Deciding that skipping out on drama was for cowards, Reno floated lazily toward the deck, still barefoot. He noticed the ship had docked, and a nearby island loomed on the horizon—destination reached.
Roger, noticing Reno, called out with a cheerful wave, "Good morning, little Reno! Sleep well last night?"
Reno, still half-asleep, replied instinctively, "It was fine until I got woken up by all the crying from a bunch of grown-up crybabies."
"Hahaha!" Roger roared with laughter. "Did you all hear that? Crying like a bunch of babies! Even little Reno here is more of a man than you lot!"
The crew's sorrowful mood quickly shifted as Reno's remark cut through the atmosphere like a knife. An awkward silence hung in the air as every single one of them shot Reno a fiery glare, their expressions promising vengeance.
Feeling the intensity of their stares, Reno's sleepiness evaporated in an instant. He donned a wide-eyed, innocent expression and quickly pivoted, saying, "Uncle Roger, can I go with you instead?"
Sensing the danger, Reno expertly changed the subject, his innocent childlike demeanor diffusing the tension. He was getting increasingly skilled at playing the role of the harmless kid.
Roger raised an eyebrow at Reno's unexpected request. "I'm done sailing the seas. I'm just retiring, you know? If you come with me, all you'll get to do is watch me grow old and lazy. Why would you want that?"
The rest of the crew exchanged confused looks. If anyone else had asked to go with Roger, they might have believed it. But Reno? No way.
Everyone knew Reno had always maintained a certain distance from them, as if he were carefully avoiding getting too close. His relentless drive to collect training notes from everyone only made his ambitions more obvious.
Did he really want to tag along with Roger just to... settle down and live a quiet life?
Yeah, right.
Still, Reno kept a straight face as he responded, "I never really liked running around the seas anyway. A quiet life with you sounds great."
What he didn't say was that he had already looted the ship's treasure vault the night before. Sticking with Roger until they reached his next destination was merely convenient. He could always slip away once his true goals were met.
The truth was, Reno's cautious behavior around the crew stemmed from his refusal to be associated too closely with Roger's name. With Roger's upcoming death and the subsequent dissolution of the crew, most members would end up living in hiding—some even retreating to the farthest reaches of the East Blue. Reno had no intention of ending up like that.
Until he was strong enough to stand unchallenged, he would avoid attracting unnecessary attention. Better to bide his time, cultivate power, and enjoy his little schemes from the shadows.
Roger considered Reno's plea for a moment, then said, "Fine. But if you come with me, I'll only help you find a place to settle down. After that, you're on your own."
"Deal!" Reno agreed instantly, not missing a beat.
What he didn't voice was his real motivation: Roger's planned meeting with Whitebeard. If encountering Roger's crew had triggered a system task, who was to say meeting Whitebeard wouldn't do the same?
This opportunity was too good to pass up.
Roger turned back to the rest of the crew, addressing them one final time. "Thank you all for your loyalty and companionship over the years. This is where we part ways."
"Captain Roger...!"
"Please let us follow you!"
Reno watched silently from the sidelines as the emotional farewells played out. When Roger had said his goodbyes and leapt onto a waiting small boat, he turned to Reno and called out, "Well? What are you waiting for?"
"Coming!" Reno snapped back to attention, floating over to join Roger.
But before he left, he couldn't resist one last jab. Turning to the tearful crew, he yelled, "Goodbye, uncles and aunties! Don't die too soon, okay? I'm saving you for later—so I can grind your bones to dust!"
"Reno, you little...!!"
Ignoring the outcry of rage behind him, Reno chuckled and settled onto the boat.
He left the Roger Pirates the same way he had joined them: without a single possession to his name.
Except this time, his system space was filled to the brim with treasures.
Boarding penniless, disembarking filthy rich.
It was a tale he'd enjoy telling for years to come.
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