"Captain, thank goodness, you're really okay!" The moment Shirakawa leapt aboard the ship, all the crew members immediately swarmed him, patting him up and down to make sure he was real.
"Of course I am. Did you think I was a ghost?" Shirakawa didn't stop them. He figured it was just the emotional overflow of surviving a near-death experience. Of course, he was just as happy to see his crewmates again.
"The Navy was just making things up. It's absolutely despicable," Jora said bitterly. If the Navy hadn't spread the news that Shirakawa was dead, they wouldn't have been so grief-stricken these past few days. At least they would've held on to a sliver of hope.
"Oh? What did the Navy say?"
Shirakawa was rather curious. He hadn't read a newspaper these past two days and had no idea what the Navy was saying about him.
"The Navy claimed you were killed in action."
Jora held up a newspaper the Navy had released a couple of days ago and showed it to Shirakawa.
"The Navy thought that after I jumped into the sea, there was absolutely no chance of survival?" Shirakawa muttered to himself after reading the report.
"What? Captain, you actually jumped into the sea?"
Jora caught Shirakawa's quiet remark and exclaimed in surprise.
"What else could I do? Jumping into the sea was the only way out."
Fighting head-on on the island would have only ended with him being captured once he was exhausted. Flying into the sky wasn't an option either with Kizaru blocking the way. The ocean was the only path to survival.
"But honestly, it's a good thing the Navy reported it this way."
Looking over the Navy's account, Shirakawa nodded in approval.
"Why? Shouldn't we make a big scene and slap the Navy right in the face?"
"If we did that, we'd probably end up under siege by the Navy again. And next time, we might not get away so easily."
Shirakawa shook his head.
"Then what should we do? Just keep a low profile forever? I can't stand that."
"That's why I've decided to disband the Silver Pirate Crew. Temporarily."
"What?"
Shirakawa's words instantly shocked every crew member on the ship. None of them had expected him to say something like that.
"Captain, if the crew disbands, what do we do? Where do we go?"
Moore's voice was choked with emotion. The Silver Pirate Crew was his home now. If it disbanded, wouldn't he lose his home too?
"Yeah, Captain, the crew can't disband," Riddle chimed in hastily. Life in the Silver Pirate Crew wasn't as carefree and comfortable as when he had been captain of the Tyrannosaurus Pirate Crew. But here, he felt a powerful sense of honor and belonging. Not even an invitation from the Whitebeard Pirates could tear him away now.
"The Captain just said temporarily disband."
At that moment, Eustein spoke up, deliberately emphasizing the word "temporarily."
"That's right. Looks like Eustein is the only one who actually understood what I said."
"Temporarily? For how long?"
Jora turned to Shirakawa and asked.
"Now that's the right question to ask." Shirakawa held up one hand and spread out five fingers.
"Five years?!" Most of the crew gasped in shock at the gesture.
"That's right. I originally had two years in mind, but two years simply isn't enough for us. I want to enter the New World with overwhelming strength. That's why I extended it to five."
"But five years is way too long," Jora complained.
"It's because it's long that you'll be able to build real strength. I'm sure none of you want to go through the kind of despair we experienced a few days ago ever again."
Hearing those words, every member fell silent. He was right. None of them wanted to experience that kind of helplessness a second time. Even if they could match the Navy's mid-tier forces, it meant nothing if they couldn't contend with the top fighters.
"So these five years aren't just for you to desperately improve. Even I need to start working twice as hard."
"Alright then."
In the end, all the members of the Silver Pirate Crew agreed with Shirakawa's decision. For who they were right now, it was probably the most fitting choice.
"So where do I go?"
Eustein, Jora, and the others were all adults. They had places to go. But Moore didn't.
"You're coming with me. I'll find a place for you to train as a better navigator. And while I'm at it, I'll make sure you learn how to defend yourself."
Shirakawa said to Moore.
"That works." Moore let out a breath of relief.
"Then where do we meet up in five years?"
Eustein asked the most critical question of all.
"I've already thought about that. We gather at Water Seven."
"After we disband, I'll head to Water Seven first and commission a pirate ship of our very own. While I'm at it, I'll have one made for the Giant Pirate Crew too."
Shirakawa hadn't forgotten about the two giants waiting for them on Little Garden.
"It seems the Captain had this plan all along," Eustein remarked. Commissioning a custom pirate ship would certainly take quite a bit of time.
"That's right. The Navy just forced me to start the plan earlier than intended."
"Then let's hold a banquet tonight. The next time we see each other might not be for another five years."
Riddle suggested.
"Sounds good. Tonight, we drink until we drop."
Though it was supposed to be an evening banquet, the festivities kicked off right then and there. They carried on well into the dead of night before finally winding down. Everyone was dead drunk, sprawled across the deck and snoring away.
At a time like this, they had completely let their guard down. Even if someone ambushed them right now, they probably wouldn't have noticed. They had simply drunk far too much.
There wasn't a single sober soul left on the ship. Even Moore, who was underage, had downed a few cups of fruit wine before passing out cold on the deck.
It wasn't until the middle of the next day, with the sun hanging high overhead, that they began waking up one after another.
"Since everyone's awake, I'll start saying my goodbyes."
As he spoke, Shirakawa tucked Moore under his arm like a sack and flew straight up into the sky.
"Farewell, everyone. See you in five years."
"Bye-bye!" Moore shouted at the top of his lungs, waving down at the crew below.
"The Captain really doesn't waste any time, does he?"
Watching Shirakawa's departure, Eustein sighed helplessly.
"Since the Captain's already gone, we should figure out our own plans for the next five years."
Shirakawa hadn't given them any specific instructions on what to do during those five years. But there was no doubt about the one underlying requirement: get stronger.
After discussing for a while, they ran into a problem. There was only one ship.
Then they turned dangerous eyes toward the passing vessels.
/-\
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