CHAPTER 41

At the Same Time – Somewhere in the New World

On a remote desert island, the Roger Pirates gathered around a roaring bonfire, feasting on roasted meat and drinking barrels of sake. The atmosphere was lively, filled with laughter and boasts of their recent exploits.

"Hahaha! Captain, we've been making waves ever since we arrived in the New World!"

"It won't be long before our reputation matches that of the Rocks Pirates!"

"That's right! The moment we stepped into the New World, the Marines immediately labeled us as a dangerous pirate crew!"

"Captain Roger's bounty is already 1.8 billion Baileys! He's officially one of the most notorious figures in the entire New World!"

Before they had even reached the New World, the Roger Pirates had already earned an infamous reputation across the first half of the Grand Line.

In truth, they had been strong enough to enter the New World years ago.

However, due to certain events concerning Roger, they had spent extra time in the first half of the Grand Line before finally deciding to advance.

Once they set foot in the New World, they thrived.

The crew expanded, recruiting formidable new members, and in a short span, they had already secured a place among the New World's giants.

Jabba, one of Roger's trusted commanders, leaned back, grinning.

"Come to think of it, our journey has been pretty smooth so far."

The reason?

The Rocks Pirates.

With Rocks' crew repeatedly attacking World Government-affiliated nations, the Marines' focus had been entirely on them.

As a result, the Roger Pirates had less pressure from the Marines, allowing them to grow at an unprecedented pace!

However, while Jabba was cheerful, Rayleigh remained cautious.

"The New World isn't the Grand Line, Jabba," Rayleigh warned. "We need to stay alert. The Rocks Pirates are far more dangerous than the Marines."

While the Roger Pirates were gaining fame, their overall strength was still leagues behind the Rocks Pirates.

Jabba waved him off. "Rayleigh, you're overthinking it. The New World is vast. What are the chances we'd randomly run into the Rocks Pirates?"

"Besides, the Marines are targeting them. Rocks himself wouldn't want to make more enemies right now."

Rayleigh sighed, shaking his head.

"That may be true, but those guys are still trouble."

Meanwhile, Roger remained silent, sipping his drink while studying the latest Marine bounties.

---

Bounty Poster List:

Rocks D. Xebec – 4 Billion Baileys

Edward "Whitebeard" Newgate – 2.3 Billion Baileys

Golden Lion Shiki – 2.1 Billion Baileys

Charlotte Linlin – 2.55 Billion Baileys

Ochoku – 1.53 Billion Baileys

Captain John – 1.35 Billion Baileys

Silver Axe – 1.2 Billion Baileys

Ayr – 900 Million Baileys

Roger's own bounty was already 1.8 billion Baileys—an impressive sum.

But Rocks' bounty?

4 billion Baileys.

A staggering 2.2 billion Baileys more than Roger's own!

The difference was overwhelming.

---

Suddenly—

A pirate sprinted toward them, gasping for breath.

"C-Captain Roger…! Bad news…!"

The crew immediately turned toward him, sensing urgency in his voice.

Roger placed the bounty sheet on the ground, an uneasy feeling creeping over him.

"What happened?"

The pirate, still panting, blurted out:

"On the coast… we spotted a ship… flying the Rocks Pirates' flag!"

"What?!"

The Roger Pirates froze.

Jabba's expression turned grim.

Just moments ago, he had been insisting they wouldn't run into the Rocks Pirates…

And now?

A ship had already arrived.

Talk about bad timing.

Rayleigh's eyes darkened. "This is bad." He turned to Roger. "What should we do? The strength gap is too large."

Roger was about to respond when the pirate quickly clarified:

"No, Captain! It's not the entire Rocks crew! Only two members are onboard!"

Rayleigh's eyes narrowed. "Just two?"

If it were the entire Rocks crew, their only option would have been to retreat immediately.

But if it was only two members…

That was a different story.

As long as it wasn't Rocks himself, they could stand their ground.

"Who are they?" Roger asked.

"I saw Charlotte Linlin… and Ayr."

Rayleigh took a drag from his cigarette. "What do you think, Roger?"

Roger grinned. "If they came all this way, it'd be rude not to welcome them."

With that, the entire Roger Pirates rose to their feet, heading toward the shore.

---

Meanwhile, on the Coast…

Ayr stepped onto the sand, his eyes scanning the island before him.

"So this is the place." He chuckled. "Not bad. At least our search wasn't a waste."

Rayleigh, watching them from a distance, frowned.

"Looks like they didn't find us by accident… They've been tracking us."

This was the first time the Roger Pirates had ever encountered members of the Rocks crew.

So Rayleigh wasn't sure if they were here as enemies… or for another reason.

He cautiously asked, "We've never had any conflicts with the Rocks Pirates before. So… what exactly do you want?"

Charlotte Linlin ignored him, instead setting her sights on Roger.

"You're Gol D. Roger, aren't you?"

Her eyes gleamed with curiosity.

"You have the D. in your name… just like Rocks." She tilted her head. "I've always wondered… what does the D. even mean?"

At this point in the story, Roger himself didn't know the truth behind the Will of D.

That knowledge only came years later, when he finally reached Laugh Tale.

Right now?

He had no answer.

Roger smirked. "Who knows? But either way… If you're just passing by, I won't stop you. But if you came looking for a fight…"

His grin widened.

"…then we won't be backing down."

Charlotte Linlin threw back her head and laughed.

"Mamamama… What an impatient man."

She locked eyes with Roger, her smirk growing sharper.

This was just the beginning.

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