"As expected, changing history isn't as simple as it sounds."
Ozz crouched beside a flushed and feverish Buggy, shaking his head with a touch of regret.
Despite all the precautions—nagging Buggy about healthy eating, exercise, and staying fit—he still ended up falling ill just before the journey's end.
There wasn't much Ozz could do. He couldn't possibly ask Buggy to risk his life just to see things through to the end.
And as if fate were following the script, Shanks volunteered to stay behind and care for Buggy.
Ozz wasn't too worried—he knew that as long as Buggy didn't push himself to land with the others, a few days of rest on the island would be enough for him to recover.
After saying his goodbyes to Shanks, Ozz knew the moment he'd been waiting for was finally near. The end of his rookie protection period was upon him.
In those final days, he spent more and more time with Rayleigh and Jabba, trying to squeeze out every last drop of knowledge he could, anything that could give him an edge once he set out on his own across the seas.
If it weren't for the fear that fighting Roger might kill him before they reached Laugh Tale, Ozz might've even challenged the Pirate King himself—to test his strength, to measure the distance between himself and the summit of the world.
But that opportunity never came.
When Uncle Jabba finally finished sketching out the map, and the island labeled "The Final Island" appeared on the parchment, Ozz couldn't stop his heart from pounding.
They made landfall.
Ozz walked forward with the crew, Roger leading at the front.
But as they stood there, staring into the heart of the island, laughter erupted among them.
"Looks like we were too early after all!"
Ozz had his suspicions about what they'd find, but seeing it with his own eyes, he couldn't help but smile.
"So this is the One Piece, huh? You sly bastard, Oda."
…
As the ship slowly pulled away from Laugh Tale, Ozz sat at the stern, holding what looked like a bracelet in his hand.
Embedded in it were several glass spheres, each housing a pointer—an eternal pose.
Roger stood nearby, gazing silently at the island fading into the horizon.
"Captain, I'm recording a pose. Hope you don't mind."
Ozz wasn't trying to sneak it in. He said it plainly, without hiding it from the pensive Roger.
He'd fully expected to be turned down, but to his surprise, Roger didn't object.
"Go ahead. Just make sure you don't let that thing fall into the wrong hands, Ozz."
"It's just a keepsake," Ozz replied with a smile.
Just like on the way there, the crew filled the return voyage with laughter, drinking, and chatter. No one seemed burdened by the journey's end.
But Ozz felt a growing heaviness in his chest.
He knew…
The time for farewells was near.
He lay quietly at the ship's edge, tossing the eternal pose in the air and catching it over and over again.
Jabba, noticing his mood, strolled over with a bottle in one hand and a newspaper in the other.
"Ozz, want a drink?"
Ozz blinked in surprise—Uncle Jabba wasn't the type to offer booze lightly. Still, he accepted the bottle and clinked it with Jabba's.
"…Bitter as hell."
"A man of the sea proves his mettle with booze!" Jabba grinned.
"I don't get it…"
But despite his words, Ozz clinked bottles with him again.
They downed most of the bottle in a few gulps and tossed it into the sea. Then Jabba handed Ozz a small slip of paper.
"Here. My vivre card."
"Huh?"
"If you ever change your mind… and finally figure out the joy of drinking, come find me. We'll share another bottle."
"You might be waiting forever for that."
Ozz chuckled. He hadn't expected this side of Jabba—the usually stern and serious elder of the Roger Pirates—showing such warmth.
He kind of liked it.
And who knew? Maybe someday he really would drop by, maybe after a detour to Elbaf—he'd always wanted to see that land up close, especially to find out how the hell Jabba managed to father a giantess.
Seriously, how did he even… fit?
Ozz's curiosity burned.
Elbaf—he was definitely going.
Ten or so days passed.
As they neared their destination, Ozz stood at the bow, watching the island slowly rise into view. Beside him were Oden, Rayleigh, and Roger.
Compared to Roger's towering 2.7-meter frame, Ozz looked barely taller than a kid.
"Ozz, do you remember what you said when you first came aboard?" Rayleigh asked, his eyes on the horizon.
"Of course I do."
How could Ozz forget? Even if it had been a line crafted just to get a spot on the ship.
"I said something similar to Rayleigh, too, back in the day," Roger interjected. "By all rights, you're the one who should inherit my will. But I get the feeling… you're not the type to let fate decide your path, Ozz."
Roger smiled, gently ruffling Ozz's hair. But the meaning behind his words ran deep.
Ozz didn't refute him. He simply nodded.
"I'm good at reading people. That's why I left Shanks and Buggy behind—but brought you with me, Ozz. You're not the one the world's been waiting for."
Roger's gaze sharpened.
"But your talent, your strength… they remind me of someone I once feared—a man who once ruled the seas: Rocks D. Xebec."
Roger sighed, almost wistfully.
"So, as a favor to me, Ozz… leave the future to 'hope.' Just like what we saw back on Laugh Tale."
Ozz hadn't expected this. For all his bombastic, carefree bravado, Roger had depths beneath the surface.
Hope…
He thought of the era Roger would give his life to usher in, the age to come.
Ozz fell silent.
"…Alright, Captain. I promise."
Truth be told, he'd never had any plans to support the World Government—but he wasn't particularly interested in tearing it down either.
All he wanted was power. Absolute, untouchable strength—to live however he pleased, free of rules, free of chains.
He lived for himself and no one else.
Shouldering the burden of the world? That wasn't him.
But if a promise to Roger could keep the balance… that much, he could do.
Roger lit up with relief, as if a weight had been lifted from his heart. He turned to Rayleigh, and the two old friends fell into tales of their youth.
Before long, the ship reached the shore.
From a distance, Ozz saw Shanks, waving excitedly. Then he called out, dragging Buggy along with him.
The two rushed over, full of energy and laughter. Buggy tackled Ozz in a tight embrace as the crew burst into chatter.
But the joy didn't last.
From behind them, Shanks suddenly began to cry.
The sound broke through the reunion like a storm.
Ozz didn't need to listen to know what was being said.
Roger must've told him.
The Roger Pirates were disbanding.