That's right, it's not that he deserves to die, but the system does!
Xiano had been holding it in for a long time!
The most frustrating thing about this damn system is that you can only see the point value and appraisal comments after the sacrifice is successful.
He wasn't present earlier and thought it was just an ordinary old photo used for signing, not worth much.
Who would have thought it held such significant meaning for Tashigi?
He had a pretty good impression of this sword maniac girl from the manga. Like Smoker, she was someone in the Navy who could steadfastly uphold her own sense of justice.
Now, due to various coincidences, she and Smoker weren't very familiar yet, but she had already become his loyal fan girl.
This suddenly made his conscience ache a bit, something he hadn't felt in a long time.
He had to make it up to her properly!
After some thought, he came up with a plan.
He quietly got up and went to the first floor, took a bamboo sword from his backpack, signed his name on it, and handed it to the female shopkeeper.
"Could you please keep this for me and give it to that Navy girl when she comes back? Tell her that I've kept her photo as a memento, and this is a training sword that has accompanied me for many years. I hope she will cherish it as a return gift."
"No problem, that girl has already told me about it. Please rest assured!"
The female shopkeeper smiled and took it.
Xiano felt at ease and returned to his seat by the window on the second floor, eating heartily.
As for Tashigi, this should count as making amends, right?
As for where the bamboo sword came from...
It was several years ago, he happened to see it in the trading market. It was cheap, so he bought it as a souvenir and had been keeping it in his backpack, rarely taking it out.
Now it was just the right time to put it to good use—
[Sakata Gintoki's Lake Toya]
[Type: Equipment]
[Price: 30 Points]
[Description: An ordinary factory-produced wooden sword, purchased by Sakata Gintoki for 1000 yen, including shipping, while watching a TV shopping program.]
[Seller's Note: I waited in the Odd Jobs Gin closet for three days and nights, and finally got my chance! Huh, it seems like there's someone else in the next closet?]
...
After finishing the meal, it was already past one in the afternoon.
The view from the second floor was excellent, almost capturing the entire square, including the execution platform.
So, they weren't in a hurry to leave and quietly enjoyed the rain by the window.
"Huh, that's strange."
Nojiko frowned, "Even though the rain is getting heavier, why are there more and more people gathering in the square instead of fewer?"
The others also noticed this.
Looking across the square.
More and more people were gathering towards the execution platform.
Many of them were carrying weapons, with burly builds and fierce faces, clearly not ordinary folks.
"Wasn't it around this time eighteen years ago that Roger was executed?" Zeff guessed, "During these days, more and more pirates come to Loguetown to pay homage. It's not strange that they're all gathered here today."
"It's also related to the island's weak defenses, isn't it? That Colonel Smoker hasn't returned yet."
Kuina shrugged and added, "I heard that when he was around, the pirates who came to the island were all terrified, afraid of being exposed and caught by him. Now, most of the marines have been transferred to the docks to welcome some big shot, so the pirates on the island naturally have no more worries and have gathered together on their own."
Xiano glanced over, scanning the crowd, but after not finding any familiar faces, he withdrew his gaze.
His purpose for coming to Loguetown had always been the execution platform itself.
As for these small fry, as long as they behaved themselves, he couldn't be bothered to deal with them.
Of course.
If these pirates didn't know their place and really took advantage of Smoker's absence to start looting and harming the people here.
Then he wouldn't hesitate to show no mercy.
"By the way, Captain..."
"Hmm?"
Xiano turned his head to look at the person who spoke.
It was Kuina.
She seemed to have been holding back a question for a long time, and now, spurred by the sound of the rain, she finally couldn't resist:
"It's been so long, but you've never mentioned it to us, have you? What exactly is the dream you're chasing at sea?"
It's no wonder she was curious.
The wind that a young man chases in pursuit of his dreams is more precious than gold.
Xiano is eighteen this year, an age when he should be filled with infinite aspirations and dreams.
He had indeed said a lot about dreams, such as taking her to challenge all the swordsmen in the world and becoming the world's recognized number one Master Swordsman;
He also said that he must fulfill Mr. Zeff's lifelong dream and find the All Blue that has haunted his dreams for decades;
He even said that since Nami, that little girl, had boldly boasted about mapping the entire world's seas, it would be up to him, as her older brother, to help her achieve it...
Almost all the crew members' dreams had been shouldered by this man.
But... he had never mentioned what his own dream, as the Captain, was!
Nami, Nojiko, Zeff... even Agin, all turned their gazes to Xiano's face.
They had been curious about this for a long time too.
Under everyone's gaze.
Xiano shrugged, picked up his after-meal black tea, and took a sip.
"I've always thought that dreams are something that come in stages," he said.
He looked at Nami and Nojiko and smiled, "When I was a kid and didn't know any better, my dream was just to figure out how to make these two mischievous little rascals call me 'big brother' willingly."
"Later, my dream slowly became to protect my family, to become strong, very strong, so strong that all the pirates who came looking for trouble in the East Blue couldn't withstand a single punch from me!"
"What about now! Don't try to brush it off, Captain!"
Kuina stared intently into his eyes, "You're already strong enough now, aren't you? You've achieved all your previous dreams! So what is the dream you want to chase now, in the future?"
The dream now...
Xiano was silent for a long time.
He turned his head, his gaze passing through the rain, and looked out the window at the execution platform.
After eighteen years of wind, rain, and sun, it still stood tall, facing the sea.
The crowd was still bustling, filling the square just as it had eighteen years ago, making him momentarily feel as if he could see the figure of that man who knelt on the execution platform yet laughed wildly with his head lowered.
"The man who possessed wealth, fame, and power—everything in this world—the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, spoke a single sentence before his execution, which drove people all over the world to the seas."
"'Do you want my treasure?'"
"'If you want it... then go to the sea and find it! I've left it all there!'"
...
Eighteen years ago.
The Pirate King Roger, suffering from an incurable disease, turned himself in after sharing a drink with Whitebeard under the cherry blossom tree.
Before his execution, he shouted these words to the world.
And thus, the Great Pirate Era officially began.
Now, eighteen years later, aside from the seas becoming even more chaotic and turbulent, with more and more Pirates setting sail, it seemed nothing had changed.
The Celestial Dragons and the World Government still stood high above, looking down upon the masses, while the people remained caught between the Celestial Tribute and Pirate raids, suffering in silence.
What was everyone waiting for?
What had Roger seen on Laugh Tale that made him throw his head back and laugh with such relief?!
Could it really be that everything was just waiting for that destined child from eight hundred years ago?
Waiting for him to turn white-haired six years later, laughing like a madman no matter the circumstances, to overthrow this shitty old order?!
Nonsense about bloodline and destiny!
Xiano refused to believe it!!!
"Since everyone is so eager to know, I might as well say it early. My dream is..."
He glanced around the table, grinning, about to speak—
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion of a cannonball suddenly tore through the rain, erupting in everyone's ears!
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