It had been seven full years since the God Valley Incident, and both Shamrocks and Shanks were now standing on the deck of the Oro Jackson. They were helping clean the ship, each with a mop in hand.
Shanks was being childish again, trying to turn the chores into some sort of race. He kept challenging Shamrock, saying that whoever covered the largest section of the deck first would be the winner.
Shamrocks did not respond to him at first, because although he looked like a child, he had the mind of an adult. He simply continued mopping in a calm and steady rhythm.
"If we do a bad job, Ray san will scold us again. I do not know about you, but I do not want to be scolded today," Shamrocks said in a flat and serious tone. Shanks froze for a moment as he remembered the feeling of being lectured by Rayleigh.
The memory made him go quiet. He lowered his head and continued mopping with a much more focused attitude. Shamrocks smiled faintly and resumed his pace.
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During the seven years he had spent aboard the Oro Jackson, Shamrocks observed the people who were closest to him.
Roger, Rayleigh, and Gyaban were the three adults who spent the most time with both him and Shanks.
Roger had always loved children, especially because he secretly wanted one of his own.
The problem was that he had not found the right partner yet, even though he spent much of his life at sea.
Rayleigh seemed to understand Roger's longing, though Rayleigh himself had accepted the fact that his life with Shakky came with risks.
He chose to remain with the Roger Pirates instead of retiring early, even if that meant he might never have a child of his own.
Gyaban, on the other hand, liked spending time with the twins for an entirely different reason. He constantly told them stories about the women he had met and boasted about how he always succeeded with them.
Shamrock and Shanks would listen in silence, since neither of them understood why Gyaban expected babies to react to those stories.
Shamrocks remembered all of this clearly. These early years became his main source of entertainment since he could not do much else in his infant body. He and Shanks were often placed inside a large crib with bars.
Rayleigh built it specifically to stop them from crawling into dangerous areas of the ship, since the two of them had already gained a reputation for being restless.
As Shamrocks grew older, the perks of the Essence of Tsugikuni Yoriichi plus started revealing themselves. His observation haki awakened without any training.
He found himself able to see slight movements in muscles, even the smallest twitches in Roger, Rayleigh, and Gyaban.
By watching their bodies closely, he could understand how their techniques worked and which muscles they relied on. It was as if the knowledge appeared naturally in his mind.
Other perks also surfaced. Shamrocks discovered he had gained Inosuke's flexibility. He could bend and twist every joint in his body. He could also shift his internal organs around to protect them from possible damage.
Shamrocks did not understand how this was possible, but the ability worked without any discomfort. He could watch his organs move inside his body as if it were the most natural thing.
On top of that, he inherited Tamayo's medical talent. This ability granted him an exceptional understanding of the human body.
Every time the crew docked on an island, Shamrocks made sure to ask for medical books of all kinds.
It became one of his favorite activities, and he found that learning medicine felt incredibly simple.
He could observe the human body without tools and understand functions and reactions that normal doctors would need equipment to see.
Because of this talent, he managed to master most medical knowledge within two years. He started learning at the age of five and reached near mastery by the age of seven.
This talent also allowed him to notice Roger's illness early on. He saw the signs of weakness, the changes in Roger's breathing, and the subtle decay inside his body that he could view through his ability.
Shamrocks quickly recognized the disease as tuberculosis. Although it was in the early stages, it made Shamrocks worry.
One day, while reading and studying medicine in the captain's quarters, he approached Roger.
"Captain, I have something I need to speak with you about," Shamrocks said. Rayleigh and Gyaban were relaxing nearby, drinking quietly.
"What is it, Shamrocks?" Roger asked, leaning back in his chair.
"Do you want Ray san and Gyaban san to be here when I say it?" Shamrocks asked directly. He knew Roger always tried to appear strong in front of his crew.
"Of course. Why would I hide anything from them? I trust everyone on this ship," Roger replied. Shamrocks glanced at Rayleigh and Gyaban, both of whom sensed something serious was coming. Rayleigh in particular knew Shamrocks was not the type to joke, not even with Shanks.
"You have a disease affecting your lungs. It is still early in its development. However, I recommend finding a doctor with more experience than me. I have been studying for only two years and there are large gaps in my knowledge," Shamrocks said plainly. Rayleigh and Gyaban both looked shocked. Roger, however, did not react.
"So that is what it was," Roger said quietly, as if a puzzle piece had clicked into place.
"What do you mean that is what it was? You knew something was wrong?" Rayleigh asked angrily. He stood up from his seat and confronted Roger directly.
"I knew I was sick, but I did not want to say anything since I did not know what it was. I did not want to cause trouble over something unclear," Roger replied.
His explanation did not calm Rayleigh or Gyaban. Both began scolding Roger loudly while Roger tried to defend himself, but it was clear he was losing the argument.
After a long exchange, Rayleigh and Gyaban finally turned back to Shamrocks.
"Are you sure it is still early? He does not have any hidden complications?" they asked. They bombarded him with questions about Roger's condition, and Shamrocks answered each one carefully using the knowledge he had.
"I heard there is a doctor near Reverse Mountain who is said to be incredible," Rayleigh said. "Some say he is even better than most of the doctors from Drum Island."
Roger raised his hand weakly. "Should I not be the one deciding where we go? I am the captain."
Rayleigh and Gyaban ignored him completely and left the room. Only Roger and Shamrocks remained.
"Captain, you must take this seriously. If you do not, it could lead to your death," Shamrocks said. Roger smiled gently, then walked toward him.
"Thank you for worrying about me. I will get proper treatment. And who knows, maybe this new doctor will teach you more about medicine. Is that your goal? To become the greatest doctor in the world?" Roger asked.
Shamrocks shook his head. "My dream is to..." he began. Once Roger heard the rest, he burst into laughter. It had been a long time since he laughed that genuinely. Shamrocks looked serious, which only made Roger laugh harder.
"I hope you achieve your dream," Roger said. They stepped outside the room together, only to see pitiful expressions on the faces of the crew. Shanks was standing at the front with tears gathering in his eyes.
"For goodness sake, I am fine," Roger announced loudly. "Shamrocks caught it early. We will just need to find a great doctor, and he will have me walking around like normal again."
The entire crew cheered and promised to help find the greatest doctor in the world.