Chapter 15: First Errand

The New World — A Certain Island

A notorious pirate crew, feared across the seas, had just docked on a remote island. For reasons of their own, they’d decided to retrace their path through the Grand Line, setting sail once more on their grand adventure.

Their ship wasn’t especially large. And for a crew with their reputation in the New World, their numbers were surprisingly small—just over thirty members.

But every one of them was a monster.

Just moments ago, they’d crushed a pirate crew three times their size, barely breaking a sweat. Proof enough that strength doesn’t come from numbers alone.

And now, at the center of their boisterous victory feast, surrounded by overflowing barrels of booze, stood their captain—

“WAHAHAHA!! Rex or Lux or whatever the hell his name is—WE WON!!”

“Oi, Roger, it’s Rocks. Rocks. How do you mess up a name that famous?”

“He’s just an idiot.”

“THE HELL YOU SAY, GABAN?! RAYLEIGH!! You expect me to remember the name of some guy I’ve never even met?!”

Draped in a blood-red coat and pirate hat bearing his jolly roger, a fierce grin under his thick mustache, the man yelling at the top of his lungs was none other than Gol D. Roger—captain of the Roger Pirates.

Feared as a demon across the seas, Roger was a pirate whose strength had earned him both infamy and awe. A true monster of the New World.

Beside him were two more legends—

Scopper Gaban, loud and rowdy with an axe slung over his shoulder.

And Silvers Rayleigh, the crew’s golden-haired swordsman and Roger’s oldest comrade.

Together with a few dozen other hardened pirates, they formed the crew that regularly shook the world—the Roger Pirates.

Yet, even with all their might, the name on everyone’s lips lately was someone else’s.

“Roger being reckless is nothing new… but lately, more and more pirates are flying the Rocks flag.”

“Yeah. It’s been years since we first turned down his alliance and crushed one of his sub-crews. Since then, his influence has only grown. At this rate, a direct clash with Rocks himself might be unavoidable.”

Gaban and Rayleigh spoke with unease. The Rocks Pirates were a looming threat, their name often absent from the papers, but always whispered in fear on every island.

Rayleigh frowned as he looked at the trampled flag of the defeated crew.

“With Rocks running the seas now, searching for the Poneglyphs is gonna be a real pain.”

“ROCKS’ ERA?! BULLSHIT!! I’M STRONGER!! I’LL SMASH THAT GUY TO PIECES MYSELF!!”

Roger, ever the battle freak, didn’t seem fazed. If anything, he looked excited—like he couldn’t wait for the chance to prove himself. His crew didn’t doubt him. They’d seen that grin before. And every time, he made good on it.

Gaban let out a sigh. “Assuming we even find the guy.”

“That’s the problem,” Rayleigh said. “Not even the World Government knows where he is. Unless he comes to us—or we stumble into him by chance—we might never cross paths.”

“EH?! THAT’S NO FUN!!”

“Just calm down. We’ll deal with whoever shows up next, same as always.”

Roger groaned, clearly disappointed, but Gaban had already moved on. Then—

Rayleigh looked up.

“Hm? What’s up, Rayleigh?” Roger asked.

“…You guys see that?”

“Huh? See what?”

“Over there.”

Rayleigh pointed toward the sky, and the whole crew turned to follow his gaze.

A figure was soaring above them—distant but clearly visible.

“…A girl?”

“A bird?”

“A UFO?”

“Some new species?”

“WAHAHAHA!! THAT’S HILARIOUS!! HEY, RAYLEIGH!! LET’S CATCH IT!!”

“And do what with it…?”

As they watched, the flying figure drew closer—until something burst from the sea below.

“WHOA! A SEA KING?!”

“That thing’s huge… Looks like a squid!”

“Wait—is it attacking her?!”

“Oh crap—she’s dodging—AH, SHE GOT HIT!”

“That’s bad, right?!”

The girl spun out of the sky, struggling to stay aloft as the Sea King’s tentacles flailed.

Rayleigh narrowed his eyes.

“…Should we help?”

“HELL YEAH!! SHE’S A KID AND WEIRD AS HELL!! I AIN’T LETTING HER DIE!! LET’S GO, RAYLEIGH!!”

“Right.”

In the next instant, Roger and Rayleigh dove into the sea.

Roger’s blade flashed, cleaving through the Sea King in one clean stroke. Rayleigh swooped in just after, catching the girl and dragging her back to shore.

Gasping for breath, soaked and shaking, the black-haired girl clutched her chest.

“Hah… hah… I—I thought I was dead…! Th-Thanks for saving me…!”

“WAHAHAHA!! DON’T SWEAT IT! THAT THING WAS A MONSTER!!”

“You can’t swim?” Rayleigh asked, eyeing her carefully. “Devil Fruit user?”

“Yeah…”

Then she paused, taking in the ship, the crew, the unmistakable jolly roger—and her eyes widened.

“Wait… Are you guys… the Roger Pirates?!”

“Hm? You know us?”

“Idiot, Roger. We’ve got bounties. Of course people know us.”

“OH, RIGHT! WAHAHAHA!!”

Gaban rolled his eyes, but the girl cut in sharply.

“No, I mean—I know you. I came here to meet you!”

Rayleigh’s expression turned serious.

“…And why’s that?”

The girl puffed out her chest, voice full of pride.

“My name is Nue the Sealed Beast! I’m a pirate of the Rocks Pirates… well, an apprentice.”

“…………Hah?”

Silence.

Everyone stared.

This kid? A Rocks Pirate?

And more importantly—

Why the hell was she here?

With a dramatic spin and a raised voice, she made sure every ear heard what came next:

“I’M HERE AS A MESSENGER FROM CAPTAIN ROCKS!! HIS MESSAGE IS THIS—

JOIN THE ROCKS PIRATES… OR FIGHT AND DIE!!

CHOOSE NOW!!”

“!!”

The entire crew froze.

And the reason for this sudden showdown—

—could be traced back to just a few days before.

"To Roger’s crew...? What do you mean by—"

That day, I was summoned to the captain’s quarters, left blinking in confusion at the order I’d just received.

Rocks Captain sat behind his desk, grinning like always—vicious and amused. A book lay open beside him. Looked like he’d been reading before I came in. Not unusual.

Honestly, for someone with a reputation like his, his quarters were… normal. A modest bed, shelves filled with books and liquor, a desk covered in maps and globes, some treasure chests and safes probably stuffed with loot. A few guns. His Jolly Roger hanging on the wall.

No piles of bones. No blood-soaked floors. None of the horror stories people told about him.

Because at the end of the day, Rocks Captain was just a man.

…A man who happened to be terrifyingly strong.

Even as I stood there trying to process everything, he didn’t yell or get impatient. He just grinned wider and said:

“Nothin’ complicated... Just need ya to run a little errand for me...!! GYAHHAHA!! That Roger bastard’s been causin’ too much trouble lately...!”

“Oh, right... he’s been wiping out our allied crews one after another…”

“Damn right. I never gave a shit about Roger before—let the idiots under me deal with him. But if he keeps cuttin’ into my forces, that’s a problem. Time to make him choose... Join my fleet... or get crushed where he stands!!”

It made sense. Rocks Captain wasn’t the type to micromanage. If a few subordinates died, so what? But even he had limits. He needed strength—and strength required numbers.

So now came the ultimatum: submit or die. Classic Rocks.

“So your job’s to deliver that message—then drag Roger’s ass to me.”

“…Wait. So even if he says no, I’m supposed to bring him back anyway? So you can kill him or recruit him yourself?”

“Bingo. GYAHHAHA! Sharp as ever—saves me the trouble of explainin’!”

Got it. Nailed the logic. And hey—praise from Rocks? That felt good.

He always kept his strongest close. Sure, he recruited anyone willing, but the real monsters? He pulled them straight into his core crew. The turnover rate was ridiculous—betrayals, backstabbing, freak accidents… it was rare to last long here.

That’s why he kept tabs on potential recruits. Posters. Newspapers. Intel. Roger had been on his radar for a while, but they’d never crossed paths.

Until now.

If Roger wouldn’t bend the knee, Rocks would crush him himself.

I understood that.

But there was still one thing I didn’t get.

“…Why me?”

“Ya can fly—don’t need a ship. And yer smart. Perfect for a solo job. Send Kaido, and he’d start a fight before the words left his mouth!! GYAHHAHA!!”

“…Yeah. Fair.”

Kaido couldn’t even say “diplomacy.” He’d just punch someone mid-sentence. Or pass out drunk before the “mission” even started.

But me? I could fly. No ship. No crew. No distractions. Straight to the target.

“Got everythin’ ya need. Log Pose. Eternal Pose. Den Den Mushi. My Vivre Card. Don’t lose it. Use it to find your way back.”

“…Understood, Captain! Leave it to me!!”

“GYAHHAHA... Don’t disappoint me. Get the job done—and bring him to me!!”

A direct order from Rocks. A big deal—even if it was “just” a messenger mission. But it was my job now. And I’d see it through.

I packed my things and left that same day.

Kaido, of course, completely misunderstood: “A raid?! Take me with ya!!”

Whitebeard just grunted, “Don’t die.” Typical tsundere behavior. Clearly worried.

(I said that out loud. He punched me.)

The kids—Katakuri, Perospero, and the rest—cheered that I’d be gone for a while. I played with them before leaving, summoned UFOs and snakes. They danced like maniacs.

I promised to play again when I got back.

(They shivered when I said that. No need to be scared! It’s just fun.)

---

A few days later…

My first solo voyage.

Well, not exactly “sailing.” I was flying. But still.

Following the coordinates, I scanned island after island, checking for strong Haki signatures.

Then—

“…Hm? That ship…”

I spotted a pirate vessel docked near one of the islands. Observation Haki picked up monstrous presences on board.

I flew closer—

And got careless.

“!? S-Sea King?!”

A massive squid-like beast lunged up from the water as I skimmed the waves. I tried to summon my Blue UFO and snakes, but—WHAM!—a tentacle swatted me out of the sky.

I plunged into the sea.

Devil Fruit users can’t swim. If no one pulls you out… you die.

But someone did pull me out—hauled me up and back onto the island.

Coughing and gasping, I looked up—

And froze.

Oh.

The Roger Pirates.

Right. Them.

Still sputtering water, I remembered the mission—and delivered the message.

But—

“Those wings are weird as hell… What kinda power is that?”

“Looks like a bird to me.”

“Nah, see the snake parts?”

“Kid like you, travelin’ alone… Want some candy?”

“Wha—?! I’m not licking—YOU’RE the ones licking things!!”

“Kid’s got spirit…”

It was a deadly ultimatum—join Rocks or die—and they were just... poking at my wings.

Completely unfazed. Annoying. And worse—patronizing.

But I was ready for this.

I pulled out my secret weapon.

“You guys don’t believe I’m with the Rocks Pirates, do you?”

“Well… I mean…”

“Even if ya say so, kid… sounds like a bad joke.”

Tch. Rude. But fine.

Smirking, I reached into my bag.

“…Still think I’m joking after this?”

“Hm? A bounty poster?”

“‘Nue the Sealed Beast’… 74 million Berries. This kid?”

That’s right. My bounty.

I hopped up on a barrel to make myself taller. Gotta sell it right.

“So? Still think I’m kidding?”

Silence.

Then—

“WAHAHAHA!! I LIKE THIS BRAT!!”

Roger’s laugh boomed across the island.

Mission: back on track.

"Exactly! Apprentice of the Rocks Pirates! The infamous, enigmatic super rookie causing a stir across the seas—none other than me, the Sealed Beast Nue-sama!!"

"Hoh... Seriously? Pretty impressive for a brat."

"That's right! I'm amazing! So you'd better fear me—the enigmatic Nue-sama! Now, choose! Will you submit to the Rocks Pirates... or die?—"

"WAHAHA! What a fun little girl! Alright, got it!! JOIN MY CREW!!"

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT AT ALL!! I'M NOT JOINING!!"

Just when I thought things were going well, Captain Roger suddenly started trying to recruit me with the most absurd, off-topic pitch imaginable. I refused with everything I had. Tch. I’m used to dealing with drunk Kaido’s nonsense, but this was a whole different kind of not listening—more like too much freedom or something!

But one man remained relatively calm—the golden-haired swordsman with an air of dignity, Rayleigh. Even when he saved me earlier, I could tell... this guy was a monster. I’m used to strong fighters in the Rocks Pirates, but he felt like he could easily rank in the top five among them.

Roger seemed even stronger than that, and the rest of the crew... while fewer in number than the Rocks Pirates, were no slouches either.

"Oi, Roger. What the hell are you thinking, trying to recruit a kid who’s already with another crew?"

"Hmm... Right, she’s already on a ship. Damn, what a shame. A weird, fun, cute little girl like this would’ve livened things up. WAHAHA!"

"Hahaha! Rayleigh’s right, Roger. Besides, she clearly doesn’t—"

"—Eh... c-cute? Me? Really?"

"DON’T GET DISTRACTED!!"

—Hah?! Gaban’s sharp retort snapped me back to reality. Phew, that was close. I almost let the word "cute" get to me. Back in my crew, nobody calls me cute. Most of them don’t even like kids, and the ones who might say something like that... well, they don’t. The only ones who’ve ever called me cute are Linlin (but she says it with malice) and Captain Rocks (which is fine, I guess). Oh, and Shakky, but she quit being a pirate a while ago.

So yeah, I’m starved for compliments. Sue me.

"Ahem. Anyway—me being cute is obvious, so let’s move on! What’s your answer?! Either way, you’re coming with me to meet Captain Rocks! That’s his order!!"

"...So? What’ll it be, Roger?"

Rayleigh shot Roger a look, and the crew fell silent. Finally, they’re taking this seriously. But my relief was short-lived.

Roger grinned—a fearless smirk that reminded me of my captain—and declared:

"WAHAHAHA!! Sorry, kid—but NO DEAL!! I do things MY way!! I ain’t bowin’ to nobody, and I ain’t makin’ nobody bow to me!!"

"......!"

I flinched.

I expected this answer... but the sheer force behind his words—the conviction—hit me like a tidal wave.

It was like facing Rocks Captain himself.

I knew, instantly, that no amount of arguing would change his mind. Even if Rocks stood here right now and demanded it, Roger would refuse.

But Rocks is the same.

For pirates who defy him, there’s only one outcome.

Two men who’ll never see eye to eye... which means there’s only one path left.

"...Then tell him that to his face. Captain Rocks wants to meet you."

I said it, even though I was sure he’d refuse. No way a man like Roger would go out of his way to meet us on our terms.

But that was my mistake—because I didn’t really know Roger yet.

His grin widened.

"Sure. I’ll meet him."

"......Huh?"

I let out the dumbest noise.

Wait, he’s actually agreeing?!

"......Eh, wh—r-really?! He’s gonna kill you, you know?! Do you get that?!"

"WAHAHA! Dyin’ sounds like a pain, but if it comes to that, we’ll just fight!"

He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. N-No way... I mean, yeah, I want him to come, but this is way too easy... What’s his game?!

I stared at him, conflicted, then asked again.

"...You’re serious? You guys are strong, but... we’ve got monsters you can’t even compare to. Rocks alone is bad enough, but then there’s Whitebeard, Linlin, Golden Lion... You got a death wish or something?"

"WAHAHA! Sounds like a hell of a party!!"

"…………Idiot?"

"Succinct, but... yeah, that’s Roger for you."

Gaban and the others laughed, clearly enjoying my bewilderment. Uh... this isn’t funny?! No matter how strong the Roger Pirates are, I can’t see them beating Rocks and our crew’s monsters.

But... this means I’ve completed my mission.

For me, this is the best outcome.

No problems here.

"...Fine, whatever. Then I'll guide you—get your ship ready and follow me."

"—Nah, not happenin’."

"…………Huh?"

For the second time, I was left speechless. Wait, what? Didn’t you just say you’d come?

"...Eh? Hold on... I don’t get it... So you’re not coming after all?"

"Nah, I’ll meet him!! I’m aiming to be the world’s greatest pirate crew!! So if someone’s in my way, I’ll fight and win!!"

"Th... Then you are coming with me?"

"—I SAID NO!!!"

"I GIVE UP ON THIS GUY!! I HATE YOU!!!"

"Ah... uh... sorry 'bout that..."

Completely lost, I whipped around to glare at Rayleigh, Gaban, and the others—only to be met with awkward, apologetic looks. Seriously?! How can he say something so blatantly contradictory with zero shame?! It makes no sense! He’s impossible!

"Ain’t nobody tellin’ me where to sail!! I already got my next adventure planned!! Fightin’ comes after!!"

"Dude, you were just complaining about not being able to find a fight..."

A crewmate’s mutter only deepened my confusion. So you want to fight, but not now when I’m literally offering?! Ugh, what am I supposed to do here?!

Struggling, I turned back to Roger.

"...Then what do you want me to do? You can’t find Captain Rocks without me. I’ve got his Vivre Card, but he explicitly told me not to hand it over to anyone else, and since you don’t know where to go, I have to guide—"

"Hmm, that is a problem... Oh! Got it!!"

When I explained that meeting Rocks was impossible without me, Roger scratched his head for a second—then grinned like he’d just had a brilliant idea.

...Why do I feel nothing but dread?

I braced myself.

Then Roger took a breath, looked me dead in the eye, and—

"Hey, Nue!! Just join my crew instead!!!"

"…………Eh, ehhhh...?"

At his second, even more forceful attempt at recruiting me, my face twisted into a strained smile.

...I’m sorry, Captain Rocks... Kaido... My first big mission... is gonna take a while...