"Everyone! Goodbye! Next time we meet, we'll definitely snatch your first mate away!"
At the bow of the oro jackson, Roger waved his arm vigorously, laughing loudly at everyone on the Perfume Yuda, his heroic voice echoing across the sea.
"Keep dreaming! I, Shakky, will never yield to anyone!"
Shakky leaned against the ship's railing, waving back with a smile on her lips, the sea breeze blowing through her hair.
"Shoo-hahahahahaha! Even so, I, Roger, will never give up! Boys!" Roger stood with his hands on his hips, full of spirit.
"Here!" the Crew members on the deck responded in unison, their voices thundering.
"Start rowing! Let's get out of this hellhole!"
"Heave-ho! Heave-ho! Heave-ho!"
To the rhythmic chanting of the crew, the oro jackson relied on the power of its oars to slowly sail out of the Calm Belt, its silhouette gradually shrinking.
*Pfft!*
Seeing their hilarious way of leaving, Tritoma, who was beside Shakky, couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Suddenly, she remembered something, her expression changed, and she exclaimed:
"Oh no! They're making too much noise rowing like that; it'll attract Sea Kings!"
Shakky exhaled a faint smoke ring, watched the direction where the Roger Pirates had disappeared, and shook her head with a smile:
"No need to worry, Tritoma. The strength of those guys is much deeper than you imagine. This little bit of trouble won't stop them."
Tritoma froze for a moment, then realized:
"True, they were able to cross half the Calm Belt to find us; this short trip back will definitely be no problem."
She breathed a sigh of relief and turned her attention back to her own Captain.
Gloriosa was completely immersed in her own world, squatting in a corner of the deck with her face in her hands. Her flushed cheeks could be seen through the gaps in her fingers, and she kept muttering under her breath:
"How was I so bold last night... I actually fell asleep on top of Lady Linlin..."
"Will Lady Linlin think I was too rude, too offensive?"
"But... Lady Linlin's abdomen is really so warm, so soft, and gives such a sense of security..."
Tritoma walked over and vigorously shook the completely out-of-it Gloriosa:
"Captain! It's time to set sail! Give! The! Order! Already!"
However, her roar was like a stone sinking into the ocean; Gloriosa remained immersed in her pink bubbles, unable to extricate herself.
Tritoma looked helplessly at Shakky:
"Sister Shakky, what on earth is wrong with the Captain? She's been acting this weird since she woke up this morning. She's not sick, is she?"
Shakky glanced at Gloriosa, a knowing and slightly teasing "auntie smile" appearing on her face:
"Yes, she is sick. But it's alright; this is a normal reaction to having just taken 'medicine'."
"What sickness? How can the medicine's effect be so strange?" Tritoma was even more confused.
Shakky withdrew her gaze and looked back toward the direction where the oro jackson had left, her tone carrying a hint of distance:
"A type of... illness that has no permanent cure. It can only be temporarily relieved. I hope you don't catch this disease in the future, but if you're unfortunate enough to get it, I hope you can find a'special medicine' to relieve it, just like your Captain."
Tritoma wanted to ask more, but Shakky had already turned around, walked to the command post, and gave a loud order:
"Kuja Pirates! All hands—return to base!"
"Yes!" the Crew members replied in unison.
Tritoma had no choice but to swallow her questions, tilting her head and muttering to herself:
"What kind of weird disease is it? It's actually incurable?"
...Meanwhile, on the deck of a Marine warship.
"Report to Rear Admiral Zephyr! After a night of salvage and searching, we found nothing else except for some unidentifiable ship wreckage."
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