Chapter 3: SPOP Chapter 3 Farewell
The buildings in Loguetown were dense and chaotic, and there was no order to them, creating many winding alleys. Some of these alleys were so hidden that even the owners of the houses didn't know where they were.
"This way!"
Jinx skilfully guided Rojen and the two squeezed into a narrow passage, pressing their backs against the wall to move forward.
Being young, Jinx often played in these alleys with her friends, so she was very familiar with the area. Who would have thought that would come in handy now?
The two of them moved quickly through the alleys, the sound of footsteps echoing around them. The Marines had increased their patrols in the area, making Rojen more and more anxious.
After half an hour, Rojen noticed that the sounds of the Marines were gradually diminishing.
"Alright, Rojen, we're almost at the harbour," Jinx said with a sigh of relief, although there was an obvious look of reluctance in her eyes.
"Already?" Rojen was surprised. "That quickly?"
As far as he knew, the port was still far away, and half an hour wasn't enough to reach it, unless they were heading for another, less obvious port.
"The main port is out of the question, it's been under Marine blockade for five days," Jinx explained, confirming his suspicion. "The route we're taking is a remote one, perfect for getting a ship out."
As they spoke, they quickly exited the alley and found themselves in a small grove.
The sunlight shone warmly through the trees, the leaves forming a patchwork of light on the ground.
"You have to take care of yourself, Rojen," Jinx said, her face full of concern and reluctance.
She, Rojen, and a group of childhood friends had grown up together, and now, facing the separation, she couldn't help but feel sad.
"Thank you."
The two soon exited the grove, and ahead of them lay a beach with the sea in view. A small wooden boat was docked on the shore, and a boy around Rojen's age, dressed in simple clothes, stood there, his worried eyes scanning the area.
"Ize!" Jinx called out to the boy.
Ize immediately turned his gaze toward them, and upon confirming they were safe, he let out a heavy sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness, you're alright. I was so worried!"
The three quickly met up. Jinx and Ize both wore expressions of reluctance, while Rojen maintained a calm smile.
"It's fine, I'll come back to see you if I have time."
"Take care of yourself, Rojen!" Ize said loudly.
Ever since Roger had been executed yesterday, Rojen's two friends had prepared an escape route for him. Today, it was finally put to use.
"Alright, you should go now!" Ize looked around and urged him on, then handed Rojen a package. "This is ten thousand belly I secretly took from my parents. You'll surely be able to use it."
Rojen's expression changed, and he immediately rejected it. "I can't accept this, Ize."
He was deeply grateful for his friend's help, but he knew Ize's family wasn't wealthy.
"Go quickly. If you can come back, you must visit us."
"Don't forget us, your friends who grew up with you, Rojen!" Ize said earnestly, refusing to take the money back, no matter what.
At that moment, Jinx was silently wiping away her tears, her heart filled with reluctance. In the end, she threw herself into Rojen's arms, crying sorrowfully.
"Rojen, I don't want you to leave."
"I don't want to leave either. What if I just stay?" Rojen joked with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.
"I don't want that, I don't want that!" Jinx immediately pushed Rojen away. "You have to go, you have to go!"
Rojen glanced at Ize, and Ize gave him a deep nod.
"I'm going now. You two take care!"
"Wūūūūū!"
Jinx couldn't hold back anymore and started crying. Ize, standing beside her, patted Jinx's shoulder, trying to comfort her.
Rojen jumped onto the small wooden boat, and Ize helped release the anchor below. In an instant, the sail caught the sea breeze, puffing up, and the small boat began to creak as it slowly moved. The seawater rippled away in layers, and the boat gradually sailed away from the port.
"Take care of yourself, Rojen. You must come back and see us!" Jinx cried out loudly, and Ize also waved his hand forcefully at Rojen.
"I'll definitely come back!" Rojen said seriously, waving back at them.
Soon, the wooden boat, carried by the sea breeze, had drifted far away from the shore. The two figures became smaller and eventually disappeared from Rojen's sight.
"Sigh!"
Rojen sighed deeply, turned, and walked toward the helm. He began steering the small wooden boat. Without a sea chart and unsure of where to go, he could only let the boat drift aimlessly.
On the shore, Jinx and Ize stayed there until dusk, then slowly returned to the house with somber expressions.
"Jinx, do you know? I have this feeling that Rojen... he's going to be really strong in the future."
"After all, he is Roger's brother!"
Jinx sobbed as she walked, "I just hope he stays safe and isn't bullied by others."
Ize shuddered, then said, "Yeah, I hope he'll be okay too."
Thinking back on Rojen's behavior over the past sixteen years, both of them couldn't help but worry.
Meanwhile, on the boat, Rojen was struggling.
He wasn't confused about which direction to sail; he was troubled about what decision to make.
Just now, after an hour of possession time, the system's cold electronic voice finally echoed in his mind.
"Possession time reached. Host has defeated twenty-six enemies and obtained 320 Possession Coins. You may choose to keep the Red-Grade Ghost Ye Wen's abilities or save the possession coins for future use."
Hearing this, Rojen looked at the system interface.
He checked the balance section, which showed 320 Possession Coins. Then, he glanced at Ye Wen's abilities, which immediately made him covet them.
"Red-grade ghost Ye Wen, abilities: Martial Arts, Wing Chun (Martial Grand Master Grade)."
"Martial study realm: Unrestrained Realm (First Gen Martial Grand Master)."
The main abilities were these two, but the price to keep either of them exceeded three hundred coins. Especially the realm ability, which exactly matched the amount Rojen had right now— 320 Possession Coins.
"Which one to choose? Or... none at all?"
Rojen hesitated. Given his poor martial study talent, choosing Wing Chun would certainly be a good option. However, the martial study realm, "Unrestrained Realm," seemed even more tempting to Rojen.
When it came to battle, mental fortitude was incredibly important, and Rojen understood this well.
"Forget it, I'll save them for now."
(End Of Chapter)