One Piece: sign-in to Ryujin Jakka

Roman didn't concern himself with what Sengoku would do about Doflamingo.

Whatever punishment the World Government decided on, one thing was certain—if Doflamingo wanted to regain his freedom, it would come at a steep cost.

Meanwhile, Roman's actions were already beginning to stir waves across the sea.

The name "White Dove" began to carry new weight—protective to the extreme, terrifyingly powerful, and absolutely not someone to mess with!

Especially for Silvers Rayleigh, and Shakky, who now had a much deeper understanding of just how fearsome White Dove truly was.

Rayleigh, ever sensitive to spiritual pressure, had caught a glimpse of it.

Even though Roman had restrained his Reiatsu, focusing it solely on Doflamingo, Rayleigh still sensed it.

—The bone-chilling Conqueror's Haki that made his heart shudder.

"Admiral White Dove... such astonishing talent," Rayleigh murmured to himself. "At this age… even Roger probably didn't reach such heights."

He shook his head, casting the thoughts aside.

Now wasn't the time for reminiscing.

He still had a job to do—coating a warship. And he had promised to finish it within a single day.

No time to waste.

Back at the Marine base on Sabaody Archipelago, Roman was already in motion.

He had awakened the rescued slaves one by one, bringing them to the base for proper investigation and records for documentation.

His plan was simple—send each of them back to their respective homes.

As the rescued slaves registered, one after another, it was finally Stella's turn.

Ain, holding a pen and a clipboard, looked up.

Before her stood a striking woman with golden hair—yes, the very same woman who had escaped from a hidden, cloth-covered cage and revealed the secret slave ring.

If not for Stella, Ain wouldn't have discovered the operation at all.

She shuddered to think of what might've become of them.

"Stella, where is your hometown?" Ain asked gently.

Stella's eyes dimmed, moisture welling up in the corners.

She shook her head slowly.

"I don't have one... I was born a slave."

'Born... a slave?!'

Ain's heart clenched.

If that were true, then her parents were likely slaves too.

She turned her gaze to Roman, who was resting nearby.

"Admiral Roman, about Stella, maybe we should—"

Before she could finish, Roman had already stood up and walked toward them.

His smile was gentle, calming.

"Stella, was it? I just happened to be short of a cook on my ship. If you're willing... would you like to join us?"

Stella blinked.

And then, without hesitation, she nodded with excitement.

"Yes! I'd love to!"

Roman chuckled.

"Then I'll be counting on you."

"Please take care of me, White Dove..."

"Just call me Roman. Same as Ain."

Stella's cheeks flushed.

"Okay... Roman."

Time flew by. After resting for a full day at the base, Roman brought Ain and Stella to Shakky's Rip-off Bar.

Neither Ain nor Stella recognized the old man coating ships.

To them, Rayleigh was just a normal and ordinary craftsman.

"Here's the ship, old man Rayleigh. I'll be counting on you to finish the coating within the day," Roman said casually.

After all, this wasn't just any vessel—it was an Admiral-class warship, massive beyond comparison.

Calling it a project was no exaggeration.

Rayleigh let out a booming laugh as soon as Roman called him "old man."

"Hahaha! What an honor! To coat a ship for an Admiral!"

Ain leaned closer to Roman, whispering softly.

"Lord Roman... this old man feels different from others. His aura, his presence... he's not ordinary."

Stella nodded in agreement.

Roman, inwardly, could only roll his eyes.

Of course, he feels different... He's the Dark King, Silvers Rayleigh!

Even in his retirement, his strength remained formidable.

Soon, the group boarded the massive warship.

Stella stared in awe at the colossal vessel.

She and Ain were close in age, so she naturally sought to get along through conversation.

"Ain... do you usually pilot this huge warship alone? That's amazing!"

Ain shook her head.

"No, Lord Roman's Devil Fruit power is both bizarre and insanely practical."

As if on cue, Roman snapped his fingers.

In an instant, one hundred phantom illusion clones identical to Roman appeared across the ship.

Stella's jaw dropped in shock.

Ain chuckled at her reaction, remembering her own first time seeing this power.

'That must've been the same expression I had when I first saw it…'

"Alright, everyone," Roman said calmly. "Let's set off now. Let's try to reach Fishman Island in two days."

His system countdown had now dropped from three days... to two.

With a hundred illusion phantoms at the helm, the enormous warship began its voyage.

It gradually sank into the depths of the ocean, swallowed by seawater.

Darkness closed in.

Both Ain and Stella, being young girls, felt slightly uneasy in the deep-sea gloom.

So, Roman flipped a switch.

Suddenly, every light on the ship lit up, cutting through the darkness like a beacon.

What came into view was a dazzling, vibrant, underwater paradise.

"Wow! What kind of fish is that?!"

"It looks so cute!"

"Yeah, yeah! Who would've thought the ocean beneath the surface was so magical!"

Excited chatter filled the ship.

Roman stood on the deck, gazing out through the coated bubble surrounding the ship.

A soft smile played on his lips.

This was his first time in the deep sea.

The strange sea creatures, the Sea Kings lurking nearby—everything reminded him of one name.

Shirahoshi.

If fate allowed, he truly hoped to meet her... and perhaps form a bond.

In a world ruled by the ocean, the Sea Kings were truly invincible.

Forming a connection with them...Could change everything.

Time passed quickly.

The initial excitement settled into calm.

Stella made her way to the ship's kitchen.

She was confident—cooking was her gift, her art.

Any cuisine, any style—she could learn, adapt, and master it.

As Roman had said, he'd picked up a treasure.

Not long after, a table full of delicious dishes was laid out.

But then...

From the distance, perhaps due to the irresistible aroma of the food, a dark shadow flashed in the distant ocean, swiftly swimming toward Roman's warship—It darted rapidly toward the ship.

In the blink of an eye—

It appeared right in front of them...