One Piece: Bai Ye Deputy Captain of the Straw Hats

Translator: PapaSmurf0700

The Straw Hats speculated that the resources on Birka might not have been sufficient to sustain all the moon people, possibly sparking another energy crisis or other conflicts. Those with larger wings opted to remain on Birka, becoming the ancestors of the priests. The moon people with tentacle-like features ventured to other sky islands, with many settling near Angel Island, where they became the forebears of Conis and her kin.

Those adorned with animal head masks might have ventured down to the blue sea, sparking the rise of a ancient kingdom. The crew pondered that towards the end of the mysterious void century, a massive war might have involved not just the blue sea but the moon people on Sky Island as well. Ancient weapons named Uranus, Poseidon, and Pluton came into play during this turmoil, with the ancestors of the Celestial Dragons emerging victorious.

This defeat was so complete that it erased nearly all traces of the Moon People's history. Yet, remnants like Shandora, guarded by the Shandia, and the legends of Fairy Vearth in Birka persisted.

Bai Ye wrapped up the discussion, "Of course, these are merely theories. The simplest way to verify them is to find the last treasure left by Pirate King Roger — One Piece. And fortunately, that's exactly what we're aiming to do."

-----

As the Straw Hats wrapped up their exploration of the ancient moon city, they stumbled upon some intriguing finds. The city, now energized, revealed hidden areas and treasures. Franky found a robot production line complete with materials and blueprints. This meant they could start producing robots without waiting for more knowledge from Karakuri Island—a pleasant surprise for Bai Ye.

Meanwhile, Chopper and Robin unearthed what seemed like a library. Though mostly empty, it held some valuable books. Chopper found a potion-mixing manual to enhance his Rumble Ball research, while Robin discovered a science book that deepened her understanding of the moon's history.

Zoro ventured into an armory and came across unfamiliar metals. Excited, he planned to have Bai Ye assess their potential for strengthening his swords. Each crew member found something useful, though none of the discoveries were earth-shattering.

The only exception was Nami, who hadn't found anything of value, which dampened her spirits. As they prepared to leave, her disappointment was evident, contrasting sharply with Luffy's undimmed enthusiasm about sharing their moon adventures back in the Blue Sea.

Robin, noticing Nami's gloom, looped an arm around her shoulders, reassuring her, "Our adventure isn't over yet, beautiful Miss Navigator. There's still treasure out there for us to find."

Luffy, ever the optimist, chimed in, "That's right, Nami! Next, let's head back to the Grand Line!" His cheer rallied the crew, and they all echoed, "Aye Aye!!" marking the end of their lunar expedition.

The journey back to the Blue Sea was set to be smoother than their outbound trip. Bai Ye planned to help Merry open a spatial door near Water 7, where their log pose had last recorded the magnetic force, ready to continue their grand adventure from there.

-----

As the Straw Hat Pirates geared up for their return to the Blue Sea, a pivotal encounter was brewing near Water 7, on the small island of Banaro. Amid raucous laughter, a notorious figure exited a tavern, his displeasure with the drink evident. "Zehahahaha, the apple juice here is terrible!!!" This was none other than Blackbeard, also known as Marshall D. Teach, whom Luffy had previously encountered in Mock Town.

Following close behind was his comrade, the Demon Sheriff Laffitte. "Captain, we should be setting sail soon," he remarked, glancing at a newspaper. "There are quite a few new pirates with bounties over 100 million. The Kidd Pirates, for instance, are nearby and fit our plans."

"Zehahahaha, then gather the crew, and let's prepare to set sail. We're also awaiting further instructions from the Navy," Blackbeard responded with a grin, revealing his broken teeth without a hint of self-consciousness as he casually set their course.

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by a familiar voice from above. Perched on a rooftop, a man in a cowboy hat called out, "Hold on, Teach. I've been looking for you."

Blackbeard looked up, his face splitting into a grin at the sight of Ace. "Oh?! Ace, Captain!" he exclaimed, stepping forward with open arms.

"Shut up. I'm not a captain to you," Ace retorted sharply, halting Blackbeard's approach. "That title is reserved for those worthy of respect. How dare you?"

Undeterred by the chill in Ace's voice, Blackbeard chuckled. "Hahahaha, Ace, it's been too long."

"Enough, Teach. You've been around long enough to know what's at stake here," Ace cut in, his tone icy.

Pausing, Blackbeard's smile faded slightly as he made one last proposition. "Before we get into that, let me ask—Ace, why not join my crew? Let's conquer the world together!"

P.S I've noticed the last chapters are pretty short, I wonder if they'll keep being that way or change back.