Chapter 966

As the two powerful pirates clashed, their crews charged toward each other to fight and pillage each other, and the battle lasted for three days and three nights. Afterwards, however, the fighting died down and turned into a gift exchange. Marshall D. Teach examined Shanks and Buggy, and Buggy told Shanks that he heard that Teach had never slept in his life, including during the ceasefire the last couple of nights. Meanwhile, Roger talked with Whitebeard and Oden, and presented a transcript of a Poneglyph, which Oden confirmed that he could read.

Roger revealed that 13 years ago, his crew reached Lodestar Island, the final island in the New World accessible by Log Pose. However, the crew knew that there was one last island, and Roger had figured out that he needed the information on the Poneglyphs to reach it. He stated that it was his greatest ambition to reach this last island and become the greatest pirate in the world, and his proclamation stunned Oden. Roger then humbly asked Whitebeard to let him borrow Oden for one year in order to decipher the Road Poneglyphs, but Whitebeard angrily refused. However, Oden decided that he wanted to go with Roger and so asked Whitebeard to oblige, which he did reluctantly. Oden bid farewell to Izou, Inuarashi, and Nekomamushi, and the Roger Pirates left behind their treasure and food as repayment for taking Oden, though Whitebeard told his subordinates to give the food back so Oden would not starve. As the Roger Pirates sailed away, Roger and Rayleigh met Momonosuke and Hiyori. The crew then discovered stowaways, and Oden was shocked to see that Inuarashi and Nekomamushi had followed him. The Roger Pirates were not keen to accept Oden as a comrade, but Oden managed to start getting along with them very quickly. Crocus told Roger that he had a year left to live, and Roger decided to make the most of it. The crew sailed up the Knock Up Stream to Skypiea, and they climbed Giant Jack to find the Shandorian Golden Belfry Bell. Soon afterward, Roger found the Poneglyph there by hearing the voices inside it, and told Oden to write a message on it that he had come.