The Roger Pirates didn't stay long at their previous stop. After watching Roger and Reno leave, the crew sailed away.
With the Roger Pirates officially disbanded, each member was preparing to disembark, heading to their chosen destinations. Since the island they had just left wasn't anyone's intended stop, no one left the ship.
Rayleigh, now steering the ship, was tasked with delivering everyone safely to where they wanted to go Roger's final command as their captain.
[Half a Day After the Roger Pirates' Departure]
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
"First Mate! It's bad really bad!!"
Bang! Bang!
A flurry of frantic shouts shattered the calm aboard the pirate ship as Buggy came running out from below deck, crashing into objects scattered on the deck. His body, split into pieces by the collisions, sent his head flying to Rayleigh's feet, while the rest of his body lay sprawled a few meters away. The scene was both horrifying and slightly comical.
Rayleigh, seeing Buggy's clumsy and chaotic state, frowned and asked in exasperation, "Alright, spit it out. What's going on?"
Buggy's head hovered in the air, looking up at Rayleigh with a tearful expression as he wailed, "The treasure vault! It's completely empty! That was all the treasure I worked so hard to gather!"
Among the Roger Pirates, most had little interest in treasure. Each time they obtained loot, it was Buggy, the self-proclaimed hoarder, who enthusiastically collected it all. Amused by his miserly nature, the others entrusted him with managing the crew's finances.
In every battle, while the others fought, Buggy the weakest member busied himself scavenging for treasure. His claim of working hard to gather it wasn't far off the mark.
Hearing Buggy's outcry, Rayleigh looked skeptical. "We haven't made port in days. There's no way someone could've stolen the treasure. Are you sure you didn't just imagine it?"
Buggy, desperate for someone to believe him, pleaded, "First Mate, I'm telling the truth! Go check the vault yourself! There's really nothing left!"
By now, the rest of the crew had heard the commotion and gathered around, expecting an enemy attack.
Oden Kozuki, seeing Rayleigh and Buggy but no signs of danger, asked in confusion, "What's going on here?"
Rayleigh, seeing the questioning looks from everyone, gave Buggy a glance before explaining, "Buggy claims the treasure vault is empty."
Scopper Gaban, uninterested in treasure, shrugged and said, "If you're so curious, just go check it out."
The crew, though not particularly invested in the treasure itself, were keenly aware of its practical importance it paid for food, drink, and other essentials. Without it, how would they survive?
Rushing to the treasure vault, the crew found it completely empty, leaving everyone stunned.
"What the hell happened?" someone muttered.
The pile of treasure they had worked so hard to gather gone, just like that.
Oden, recovering from his shock, turned to Buggy and asked, "Buggy, what's going on here?"
Buggy, still teary-eyed, replied, "It was already like this when I got here. I have no idea!"
Rayleigh, now convinced, adjusted his glasses with a grim expression. "No need to speculate anymore. On this ship, only that little rascal's abilities could've pulled this off."
Oden's face darkened as he pieced it together. "Of course it's him. That brat doesn't let grudges go easily. Even before leaving, he had to mess with us one last time!"
Hearing this, the rest of the crew remembered Reno's power to control objects, including entire ships. Moving the treasure would've been child's play for him.
Realization dawned on everyone: You can guard against external threats, but how do you defend against one of your own?
"Damn it, Reno! You bastard!!"
The ship erupted with angry roars that echoed for a long time before finally subsiding.
[Snowpeak Island]
"Achoo! Achoo!"
Far away on Snowpeak Island, Reno sneezed repeatedly while wandering aimlessly with Roger. It was their first time landing on this snowy island.
Roger, noticing the freezing surroundings, assumed Reno was cold and asked, "Reno, if you're feeling cold, how about I get you some clothes?"
Reno shook his head without hesitation. "Go buy whatever you need. My body might not be super strong, but my powers let me block out the cold. I don't need clothes."
Of course, Reno's sneezes weren't due to the weather. It was probably the angry shouting of the crew discovering the empty treasure vault.
Roger, hearing Reno's reply, observed closely and noticed a faint green energy enveloping his skin, confirming the claim.
"Your ability really is incredible," Roger remarked, clearly impressed. "You can control objects, fly, and even use it for combat. Any one of these would make someone a powerhouse, but you've got them all. It's so versatile and borderline broken."
Reno, rolling his eyes, shot back, "If you're so impressed, why don't you eat a Devil Fruit yourself?"
Roger shook his head vigorously. Curiosity was one thing, but he had no intention of losing the ability to swim.
Changing the subject, Reno asked, "So, what are we doing here?"
Roger, continuing to walk forward, replied, "I'm here to meet Whitebeard. There's a tavern on this island that has excellent liquor. When meeting him, I can't show up empty-handed, can I?"
Hearing this, Reno's thoughts raced: Roger really is going to meet Whitebeard. After this meeting, he'll probably go find Portgas D. Rouge. I wonder if he already knew her before or if they'll meet because of Whitebeard? Only they'd know.
[Ding!]
[New Task Available: Check Task List for Details]
Just as Reno was mulling over his thoughts, the system chimed in, announcing a new task.
His eyes lit up with excitement, and he immediately opened the task list to see what it entailed.
----------
Patreon Advance 30 Chapters: patreon .com/FicVibe