"Gurararara!!!"
"Roy, it's time for us to change ships."
"Yeah, we really should. This one can't hold us anymore."
"Then-"
"No money."
"Don't be like that. I know you have money."
"None of your business."
"Your money is my money, and my money is everyone's money."
"Stop talking nonsense. Be realistic."
Unknowingly, in the blink of an eye, five years had passed.
Whitebeard was now 41 years old, and Roy was 14. From a pirate crew of just three, they had grown to six, then ten, and eventually more and more—except all of them were still kids.
The oldest, Thatch, had just turned 15. The youngest, Jozu, was now 9.
Though Roy was only 14, he was the leader of these kids. If Whitebeard was the father, then Roy was the mother, taking care of these brats while also making sure they studied.
Marco, Jozu, Thatch, Vista, Whitey Bay, Blamenco, Rakuyo—these names that would one day shake the seas were now just a bunch of rowdy children.
The crew had expanded to over 40 members, and they had finally entered the Grand Line from the West Blue.
After five years of sailing at sea, their ship was on its last legs, no longer sufficient. It was time for a new one. Though it was bittersweet—they had outgrown this old vessel, a secondhap ship they had traded for with Marine weapons.
"Pops is borrowing money from Big Bro again," Jozu whispered as he and Marco hid nearby, watching Roy and Whitebeard argue.
"Pops always borrows from Big Bro. How much do you think he'll get this time?" Vista grinned.
"One gold coin," Epoida guessed.
"Two," Rakuyo countered with a laugh.
"You're all wrong. This time, Pops is gonna take all of Big Bro's treasure stash," Marco said slyly.
"You serious?!" Thatch gasped.
"Dead serious. Our ship is five years old, and it was already used when we got it. Pops has wanted a new one for ages, but we never had the money. Big Bro's the only one with savings—Pops is gonna make him cough it up." Marco explained.
"We're finally getting a bigger ship?! I've had enough of being crammed in with you guys!" Whitey Bay huffed, hands on her hips.
"Big Bro spoils you the most. Why don't you go convince him to take out the money?" Marco teased.
"No way! Pops can handle it himself," Whitey Bay shot back.
"Do you think Pops will actually succeed in getting us a new ship this time?" Vista asked.
"Probably," Thatch chuckled.
"Why?"
"Because Big Bro's been planning to change ships for a while now. He's just been saving up."
"Wait, how do you know that?!" Marco and the others gasped.
"After we looted that merchant ship last time, Big Bro wanted to get a new ship. Too bad you guys wrecked that one. He even asked where it was built. Honestly, Pops didn't even need to bring it up—Big Bro already had it in mind," Thatch said.
"So Pops is wasting his effort?" The others burst out laughing.
Sure enough, Roy took advantage of Whitebeard's desperation, forcing him to agree to a series of unfair conditions before finally handing over his savings.
"Jozu, go get the chest from my room." Roy turned and called out to the peeking Jozu.
"Got it, Big Bro!"
Jozu dashed into the cabin.
CRACK!
His heavy footstep shattered a rotting plank in the deck and broke a huge hole. The wooden ship had deteriorated badly—Jozu wasn't the only one growing bigger. Whitebeard, Atmos—all of them were massive, putting immense strain on the old vessel
Jozu, already used to it, pulled his foot out and continued inside. After a moment, he came back carrying a metal box.
Roy had forged this chest four years ago, and it was secured with a heavy lock.
Everyone knew it was Roy's treasure chest. Although his combat power was the weakest in the group—even weaker than Whitey Bay—he had a special ability: he received one small gold coin every day. According to Roy, it was the power of his Devil Fruit.
Just how much was inside? They had always been curious.
Roy pulled out a key and unlocked the chest. A blinding golden light shone from inside.
"So much money!" Marco and the others gasped.
"Let me count it."
Roy tallied them up. There were exactly 1,231 gold coins. Assuming each coin weighed 100 grams, that would be 123,100 grams of gold.
At 5,000 berries per gram of gold… That was 615.5 million berries.
No one expected Roy to have that kind of money. Even Whitebeard gasped.
"You really had that much!?"
"Big Bro, give me some money," Whitey Bay clung to Roy's arm and pouted.
"Get off." Roy placed a hand on her face and pushed her away, but she clung even tighter.
"Fine, here's one." Roy finally caved, handing her a single coin. She was the only little sister in the crew, after all.
"Thank you, Big Bro!" Whitey Bay took it with both hands and gave Roy a kiss on the cheek.
Roy wiped off the slobber as Marco and the others stared with puppy-dog eyes.
"None for you guys. Even if I gave you money, it'd be wasted.
"I've already looked into ship prices. A brand-new vessel capable of carrying us across the world costs at least 300 million berries. Given how fast Newgate recruits, we'll need a big one, massive. The estimated cost is 500 million Berries. The remaining 115 million will go toward supplies," Roy explained.
Roy had planned this long ago. He'd been saving for this exact moment.
In five years, he should have had 1,825 coins. But after deducting 594 coins spent on food, parties, damages, and other miscellaneous expenses.… this was what remained.
Without Roy, their lives would've been far harder.
"So where are we going now?"
"Water 7. In the first half of the Grand Line, no one builds ships better than them."
"I've heard of it, but never been," Whitebeard nodded.
"I've already prepared." Roy pulled out an Eternal Pose.
"I bought a permanent Log Pose to Water 7 from the underworld. We can head straight there," Roy said.
"So you really had everything planned," Whitebeard said, impressed.
"If we left it to you, we'd never get a new ship," Roy snorted.
"Gurararara! That's why I can relax with you around." Whitebeard stood up, grinning. "Alright, brats! Set sail—we're heading to Water 7!"
"YEAHHH!!!"
The crew erupted in cheers.
"Big Bro, let's have a party!"
"No money."
"But we still have 115 million berries left!"
"That's MY money, you bastards—Newgate, teach them a lesson for trying to steal!"
"NOOO, POPS! IT WAS MARCO WHO STOLE IT!"
"YOU TRAITOR, THATCH! POPS, IT WAS ALL HIS IDEA!"