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Chapter 498: The End of the Illness Outbreak
Amidst the Storm, the Oro Jackson quickly departed from the location of the Island Ship.
However, they didn't plan to leave immediately.
They needed time to recover, especially Roger, who had reached his limit and lost his combat strength.
They would stay for at least one or two days to recuperate before leaving.
At this moment, the Storm Domain also served as protection.
Outside, who knew how many were coveting them, ready to strike while they were down.
Especially the Marines.
Based on Roger's understanding, the Marines would absolutely not miss this opportunity.
The gale carried a biting chill, making one's blood turn cold.
The usually lively ship was silent.
The atmosphere on the ship was somewhat somber.
Crewmates quietly looked at the corpses on the Deck that had lost their life force.
These were their companions they had spent day and night with, now sacrificed like this.
Roger knelt on the ground, drinking alcohol gulp after gulp.
War is cruel, everyone knew that.
When they decided to confront the Flying Pirates, they were prepared for sacrifice, as the Flying Pirates were indeed stronger than them.
But when reality was laid bare before them, they still couldn't hide the grief in their hearts.
After years of sailing, the Roger Pirates were not without casualties.
In the previous Marine ambush, the Roger Pirates had Combatants sacrificed, but the number was small, only a few.
This battle was the most tragic sacrifice the Roger Pirates had experienced since their establishment.
Originally, the Roger Pirates had over seventy Crewmates, but now only close to sixty remained.
Young and helpless Shanks and Buggy knelt on the ground, weeping bitterly.
They stayed on the ship and did not participate in this battle.
Watching their companions, with whom they spent day and night, died in battle, they could do nothing.
If the battle between the Crewmates on both sides hadn't stopped with a tacit agreement later, leaving only the great battle between the Top Tier Combatants and even the two Captains, the casualties of the Roger Pirates would have been even more tragic.
This battle was a major blow to the Roger Pirates.
However, people must always move forward.
No ship sails all the way without experiencing casualties, unless they are cheating.
Even the Pluto Pirates, the Cadres valued by Hades, basically managed to grow up successfully.
In the early days, one Cadre also died in battle during a war.
"Cobra" Woshi, now with a Child remaining, was a matter of great regret for Hades, and he had been paying some attention to him in secret.
Over the years, he had also grown up and joined the Pluto Pirates, possessing potential no less than Worthy.
At the Royal Military Academy, the Kronos Kingdom would selectively reward Devil Fruits to members with outstanding potential.
Eating a Devil Fruit earlier allows one to develop their ability sooner, providing more time.
At least in the Kronos Kingdom, there wouldn't be the problem of being too dependent on Devil Fruits, leading to an imbalance.
The Son of Worthy performed excellently, had a stubborn personality, trained hard, and due to his father's connections, received a good Zoan Devil Fruit, the Snake-Snake Fruit, Black Mamba Form.
All in all, this hurdle had been crossed.
In the final voyage ahead, the Flying Pirates would no longer be an obstacle to them.
Suddenly.
"Cough cough!"
Roger, who was drinking, coughed violently.
The alcohol in his mouth sprayed out, mixed with some dark blood.
His body, which had reached its limit, coupled with his inner grief, caused his Terminal Illness to suddenly flare up, leading to a partial collapse of Roger's body.
Roger lost consciousness and fell onto the Deck.
The sudden upheaval startled everyone.
"Roger!"
"Captain!"
The ship doctor, Crocus, rushed to Roger immediately to examine his body.
Roger was the spiritual pillar of the Pirate Crew.
If something truly happened to him, they wouldn't know what to do afterward, especially having just gone through a great battle.
On the other side, using the Island Ship to block the rain, the Flying Pirates also departed after the battle.
"Admiral, we could have won this battle."
Reinhardt looked at Shiki, somewhat not understanding Shiki's thoughts.
If it weren't for Shiki's tacit approval, this war would not have stopped later on.
Although many Fleet Captains and Cadres under his command didn't fully submit to Shiki, fighting to the death against a powerful Pirate Crew like the Roger Pirates was something they were certainly unwilling to do in their hearts.
But if Shiki had insisted, unless one side surrendered or faced downfall, this battle would have continued.
After all, the Flying Pirates had the advantage.
Compared to their losses, the Flying Pirates' would definitely be smaller than the Roger Pirates'.
Because their strength was greater, every Roger Pirates Combatant had to face the ambush of several Strongmen.
If the battle had continued for a few more days, how could the Roger Pirates have so many people survive?
At most, only ten or twenty people would remain.
But Shiki didn't do that.
He had been fighting Roger fiercely just moments before, and Reinhardt didn't know why such a change occurred.
This was what puzzled Reinhardt.
"The losses would have been too great that way."
Shiki explained casually, but Reinhardt knew this wasn't the real reason.
Controlling the Island Ship and the Pirate Ship didn't put much stress on Shiki.
The consumption of stamina from using his ability couldn't even keep up with his recovery speed.
Perhaps it was his pride at work, Shiki didn't want to defeat Roger in such a manner.
It was the same when he faced John, Silver Axe, and Wang Zhi back then.
Shiki didn't want to rely on external force; he wanted to defeat Roger solely with his own strength.
Only then would he consider it a victory.
Unfortunately, in the end, he didn't succeed.
The two were evenly matched until the end, with no outcome decided.
"It's only interesting this way.
Otherwise, this World would be too boring."
Thinking of this, a smile appeared on Shiki's face.
On The Great Sea, if there wasn't a truly comparable Strongman to himself, what would be the point?
Roger was clearly that Person.
Whitebeard was too, but he had fallen behind.
He didn't take the Whitebeard Pirates seriously.
Hades was also one.
Last year, Hades attended the World Expo hosted by the Flying Pirates, but he didn't show up publicly.
He arrived secretly, and not many people knew.
Facing Hades, Shiki only felt that he was even more terrifying, impeccable in all aspects.
If they were to truly fight, who would win was still unknown, but Hades had a higher win rate.
At least in close combat, Shiki had no confidence.
Since joining the Rocks Pirates over twenty years ago, as he grew up and became stronger, the people he took seriously became fewer and fewer.
On the entire Great Sea, they numbered no more than the fingers on two hands.
And there was also That Person, the Monster Swordsman who had secretly claimed the title of "World's Strongest Swordsman".
And "The Lone Red" Redfield, whose whereabouts had not been seen on The Great Sea for a long time.
Roger didn't have much time left.
Shiki didn't know how long Roger could last.
As an opponent he truly gave recognition to, Shiki also didn't want to leave Roger with any regrets.
So, he decided to let go.
As for any grudges, there was nothing a great battle couldn't resolve.
Shiki's anger had dissipated during his battle with Roger.
No matter what Roger planned to do.
Of course, he was also right.
Fighting the Roger Pirates to the death, even if they ultimately won, it would be a pyrrhic victory.
At least one-third, or even nearly half, of the combat strength with him would be lost.
If his right-hand man died in battle, he would truly have nowhere to cry.
Such huge losses would be very difficult to recover from, so Shiki didn't want to see that scene occur.
Moreover, Shiki didn't fully trust his other members.
They had different intentions, and who knew if someone would suddenly betray him.
He had climbed up from being an ordinary Crewmate of the Rocks Pirates, so he had naturally experienced a lot.
Essentially, the current Flying Pirates were no different from the Rocks Pirates.
Apart from only a few Crewmates, it was impossible to achieve the same unity and cohesion as the Roger Pirates.
That was something Shiki envied, and the path he was on now was also Shiki's own choice.
(end of chapter)
Amidst the Storm, the Oro Jackson quickly departed from the location of the Island Ship.
However, they didn't plan to leave immediately.
They needed time to recover, especially Roger, who had reached his limit and lost his combat strength.
They would stay for at least one or two days to recuperate before leaving.
At this moment, the Storm Domain also served as protection.
Outside, who knew how many were coveting them, ready to strike while they were down.
Especially the Marines.
Based on Roger's understanding, the Marines would absolutely not miss this opportunity.
The gale carried a biting chill, making one's blood turn cold.
The usually lively ship was silent.
The atmosphere on the ship was somewhat somber.
Crewmates quietly looked at the corpses on the Deck that had lost their life force.
These were their companions they had spent day and night with, now sacrificed like this.
Roger knelt on the ground, drinking alcohol gulp after gulp.
War is cruel, everyone knew that.
When they decided to confront the Flying Pirates, they were prepared for sacrifice, as the Flying Pirates were indeed stronger than them.
But when reality was laid bare before them, they still couldn't hide the grief in their hearts.
After years of sailing, the Roger Pirates were not without casualties.
In the previous Marine ambush, the Roger Pirates had Combatants sacrificed, but the number was small, only a few.
This battle was the most tragic sacrifice the Roger Pirates had experienced since their establishment.
Originally, the Roger Pirates had over seventy Crewmates, but now only close to sixty remained.
Young and helpless Shanks and Buggy knelt on the ground, weeping bitterly.
They stayed on the ship and did not participate in this battle.
Watching their companions, with whom they spent day and night, died in battle, they could do nothing.
If the battle between the Crewmates on both sides hadn't stopped with a tacit agreement later, leaving only the great battle between the Top Tier Combatants and even the two Captains, the casualties of the Roger Pirates would have been even more tragic.
This battle was a major blow to the Roger Pirates.
However, people must always move forward.
No ship sails all the way without experiencing casualties, unless they are cheating.
Even the Pluto Pirates, the Cadres valued by Hades, basically managed to grow up successfully.
In the early days, one Cadre also died in battle during a war.
"Cobra" Woshi, now with a Child remaining, was a matter of great regret for Hades, and he had been paying some attention to him in secret.
Over the years, he had also grown up and joined the Pluto Pirates, possessing potential no less than Worthy.
At the Royal Military Academy, the Kronos Kingdom would selectively reward Devil Fruits to members with outstanding potential.
Eating a Devil Fruit earlier allows one to develop their ability sooner, providing more time.
At least in the Kronos Kingdom, there wouldn't be the problem of being too dependent on Devil Fruits, leading to an imbalance.
The Son of Worthy performed excellently, had a stubborn personality, trained hard, and due to his father's connections, received a good Zoan Devil Fruit, the Snake-Snake Fruit, Black Mamba Form.
All in all, this hurdle had been crossed.
In the final voyage ahead, the Flying Pirates would no longer be an obstacle to them.
Suddenly.
"Cough cough!"
Roger, who was drinking, coughed violently.
The alcohol in his mouth sprayed out, mixed with some dark blood.
His body, which had reached its limit, coupled with his inner grief, caused his Terminal Illness to suddenly flare up, leading to a partial collapse of Roger's body.
Roger lost consciousness and fell onto the Deck.
The sudden upheaval startled everyone.
"Roger!"
"Captain!"
The ship doctor, Crocus, rushed to Roger immediately to examine his body.
Roger was the spiritual pillar of the Pirate Crew.
If something truly happened to him, they wouldn't know what to do afterward, especially having just gone through a great battle.
On the other side, using the Island Ship to block the rain, the Flying Pirates also departed after the battle.
"Admiral, we could have won this battle."
Reinhardt looked at Shiki, somewhat not understanding Shiki's thoughts.
If it weren't for Shiki's tacit approval, this war would not have stopped later on.
Although many Fleet Captains and Cadres under his command didn't fully submit to Shiki, fighting to the death against a powerful Pirate Crew like the Roger Pirates was something they were certainly unwilling to do in their hearts.
But if Shiki had insisted, unless one side surrendered or faced downfall, this battle would have continued.
After all, the Flying Pirates had the advantage.
Compared to their losses, the Flying Pirates' would definitely be smaller than the Roger Pirates'.
Because their strength was greater, every Roger Pirates Combatant had to face the ambush of several Strongmen.
If the battle had continued for a few more days, how could the Roger Pirates have so many people survive?
At most, only ten or twenty people would remain.
But Shiki didn't do that.
He had been fighting Roger fiercely just moments before, and Reinhardt didn't know why such a change occurred.
This was what puzzled Reinhardt.
"The losses would have been too great that way."
Shiki explained casually, but Reinhardt knew this wasn't the real reason.
Controlling the Island Ship and the Pirate Ship didn't put much stress on Shiki.
The consumption of stamina from using his ability couldn't even keep up with his recovery speed.
Perhaps it was his pride at work, Shiki didn't want to defeat Roger in such a manner.
It was the same when he faced John, Silver Axe, and Wang Zhi back then.
Shiki didn't want to rely on external force; he wanted to defeat Roger solely with his own strength.
Only then would he consider it a victory.
Unfortunately, in the end, he didn't succeed.
The two were evenly matched until the end, with no outcome decided.
"It's only interesting this way.
Otherwise, this World would be too boring."
Thinking of this, a smile appeared on Shiki's face.
On The Great Sea, if there wasn't a truly comparable Strongman to himself, what would be the point?
Roger was clearly that Person.
Whitebeard was too, but he had fallen behind.
He didn't take the Whitebeard Pirates seriously.
Hades was also one.
Last year, Hades attended the World Expo hosted by the Flying Pirates, but he didn't show up publicly.
He arrived secretly, and not many people knew.
Facing Hades, Shiki only felt that he was even more terrifying, impeccable in all aspects.
If they were to truly fight, who would win was still unknown, but Hades had a higher win rate.
At least in close combat, Shiki had no confidence.
Since joining the Rocks Pirates over twenty years ago, as he grew up and became stronger, the people he took seriously became fewer and fewer.
On the entire Great Sea, they numbered no more than the fingers on two hands.
And there was also That Person, the Monster Swordsman who had secretly claimed the title of "World's Strongest Swordsman".
And "The Lone Red" Redfield, whose whereabouts had not been seen on The Great Sea for a long time.
Roger didn't have much time left.
Shiki didn't know how long Roger could last.
As an opponent he truly gave recognition to, Shiki also didn't want to leave Roger with any regrets.
So, he decided to let go.
As for any grudges, there was nothing a great battle couldn't resolve.
Shiki's anger had dissipated during his battle with Roger.
No matter what Roger planned to do.
Of course, he was also right.
Fighting the Roger Pirates to the death, even if they ultimately won, it would be a pyrrhic victory.
At least one-third, or even nearly half, of the combat strength with him would be lost.
If his right-hand man died in battle, he would truly have nowhere to cry.
Such huge losses would be very difficult to recover from, so Shiki didn't want to see that scene occur.
Moreover, Shiki didn't fully trust his other members.
They had different intentions, and who knew if someone would suddenly betray him.
He had climbed up from being an ordinary Crewmate of the Rocks Pirates, so he had naturally experienced a lot.
Essentially, the current Flying Pirates were no different from the Rocks Pirates.
Apart from only a few Crewmates, it was impossible to achieve the same unity and cohesion as the Roger Pirates.
That was something Shiki envied, and the path he was on now was also Shiki's own choice.
(end of chapter)
