One Piece: I'm not Roger

"..."

Aether's body stiffened once again, a faint chill running down his spine.

The moment he had been dreading had finally arrived.

Even though he had prepared himself mentally long ago, actually facing it still made him panic slightly, even more than when facing the combined pressure of Sengoku and Garp.

Without hesitation, Aether pulled Rouge into his arms and spoke instinctively.

"Although Hancock is beautiful, I still think she can't compare to..."

Before he could finish the cheesy line he had picked up from dramas in his previous life, a slender finger pressed gently against his lips.

"Don't lie to me."

Rouge looked at him quietly.

"I've seen pictures of the Pirate Empress. She's truly beautiful, the kind of woman capable of captivating an entire nation. It's normal for you to like her. Besides, I wasn't resurrected back then, so I can't blame you for meeting other women."

Hearing that, Aether secretly let out half a sigh of relief.

As expected of Rouge, she was still as understanding and tolerant as he remembered.

Unfortunately, the next sentence immediately shattered that thought.

"Other than Hancock, there's also Marine Hina, right? She's beautiful too."

Aether's expression froze.

"This... Rouge, it's already late. We should get some rest and continue this tomorrow."

"No."

Rouge's voice became softer, yet somehow carried even more pressure.

"I want an explanation now."

Aether suddenly sensed something strange.

The long crimson hair within his sight seemed to glow faintly with a scarlet aura. Rouge's appearance became even more stunning than before, her pale skin flawless, her features sharper and more alluring.

Then she raised her head.

Her eyes no longer looked gentle like flowing water. Instead, flames seemed to dance within her pupils.

Before Aether could react, Rouge suddenly pushed him onto the bed.

Her slender arms contained shocking strength, easily comparable to a veteran pirate from the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

Naturally, that level of power could never suppress Aether, but he had no intention of hurting the woman in front of him.

Looking up at Rouge as she pinned him down, Aether subconsciously swallowed.

At this moment, Rouge was no longer just the gentle and elegant woman he knew. She carried a dangerous charm that made her impossible to ignore.

Her eyes burned with passion as both hands grabbed his clothes and forcefully tore them open.

"Rouge, what are you doing?"

"You leave affection everywhere," Rouge said while tracing a finger across his chest. "So I'm leaving my mark on you too."

"...Hey, not there."

Aether grabbed her wrist and narrowed his eyes.

"You started this, woman. Don't regret it later."

Very soon, the room was filled with heated sounds that lasted deep into the night.

In the early hours of the morning, Aether looked down at the exhausted beauty sleeping peacefully in his arms and smiled with satisfaction.

"So you wanted to play the role of an overbearing queen..."

Five days later, both Rayleigh and Golden Lion Shiki had already departed from Black Spear Swordfish Island.

Rayleigh left with four new crew members to begin their training. Ace and Luffy would also arrive one after another, with Rayleigh personally guiding them during the first month.

Afterward, Golden Lion Shiki would take over for the second month following his visit to Trafalgar Law's Heart Pirates.

As for the third month, Aether himself would handle their training personally.

Rouge also left alongside Rayleigh because she wanted to see Ace again.

During the past few days, she and Aether had practically been inseparable like newlyweds. Especially at night, Rouge's bold and passionate side constantly left Aether both surprised and entertained.

Compared to her usual gentle personality, this version of Rouge carried a completely different kind of charm.

Once everyone had departed, only Aether and several subordinate pirate crews remained on the island.

Today was the agreed day to exchange Kaido and transfer the treasure.

At the port of Black Spear Swordfish Island, the Beasts Pirates arrived with a single pirate ship alongside three cargo vessels.

Leading the group was King the Wildfire, one of the All Stars. His black leather outfit and imposing presence were especially eye-catching.

Standing at the port with the restrained Kaido beside him, Aether suddenly spoke calmly.

"I didn't expect King to come personally. Looks like he's the one you trust the most."

Aether glanced toward the approaching ships before smiling faintly.

"But aren't you afraid I'll kill him too? If that happens, the Beasts Pirates really will lose their backbone."

"Hmph."

Kaido snorted coldly.

"If you want to kill him, then do it. Nobody here can stop you."

After a pause, Kaido continued proudly,

"But you guessed correctly about one thing. King is indeed the companion I trust the most."

It was obvious just how important King was to him. Perhaps even Yamato could not compare.

Although Kaido was still bound by Seastone chains, several days of rest had already restored him to peak condition. The moment those restraints were removed, he would immediately recover his terrifying combat strength.

Aether said nothing more and simply handed Kaido over to King.

Throughout the exchange, neither side acted rashly.

Even after the Seastone restraints were removed, Kaido surprisingly restrained his temper.

"Roger," Kaido said coldly, "I'll repay today's humiliation sooner or later."

Aether smiled casually.

"If you're capable, then take revenge right now."

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

Both men stared at each other, their Conqueror's Haki faintly clashing invisibly in the air.

However, neither side made the first move.

For now, both parties maintained a fragile balance upheld by their temporary agreement.

In the end, Kaido simply snorted and boarded the ship with King before departing.

Watching the ships sail away, Aether sighed with disappointment.

"That muscle-brained idiot actually held himself back. I was looking forward to fighting him again."

The world had already changed.

Four days ago, the news regarding the War of the Three Emperors spread across the seas completely, causing countless system notifications to appear continuously before Aether.

In only four days, he harvested an enormous amount of experience points.

[Moderately changed the fate of SS-rank character Kaido, reward points: 20,000]

[SS-rank character generated moderate hostile emotions toward the Host, reward experience: 320,000]

[S-rank figures generated moderate hostile emotions toward the Host, reward experience: 710,900]

[A-rank and B-rank figures generated moderate hostile emotions toward the Host, reward experience: 2,117,532]

[C-rank and D-rank figures generated moderate hostile emotions toward the Host, reward experience: 3,586,953]

[Total Experience Earned: 6.82 Million]

[Level Up]

[Current Level: 95]

[Current Experience: 1.21 Million / 4.5 Million]

Rising two levels significantly increased Aether's overall strength.

After returning to his room, Aether casually opened the latest newspaper while the financial staff at the port handled the treasure exchange.

The headline immediately made him laugh.

"New Warlords of the Sea Confirmed!"

"Buggy the Clown and Edward Weevil appointed as the newest members."

Aether stared at Edward Weevil's photo for several seconds before speaking with a strange expression.

"So that ridiculous creature really was created by Miss Buckingham Stussy?"