The entire world was plunged into deep shock.
Both the capture of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, and his impending public execution one month later in his hometown of Loguetown sent the world into a frenzy.
Suddenly, some were ecstatic, while others grieved as if they had lost a parent.
Undoubtedly, the true impact of this event had yet to fully spread to the common people of the sea.
Except for one place.
This place was Loguetown.
This town, once obscure and known almost exclusively to people in the East Blue, was a vital hub guarding the entrance to the Reverse Mountain waterway. It was now famous throughout the world.
Everyone now knew this city was the Pirate King's birthplace, the beginning of his legend, and in one month, all stories would end here.
In this town, some people were enraged by Roger, feeling shame that such a great villain originated from their city.
Yet, others felt a sense of pride. This ordinary small town had produced an earth-shattering figure. Regardless of whether he was good or bad, he was certainly great!
However, for the children living in this town, the title of Pirate King was still too distant; they couldn't yet grasp its meaning.
The children, as always, ran through the streets and alleys, scattering laughter throughout the town that raised them, just like the child named Roger did many years ago.
While playing, the children noticed that in the central plaza of Loguetown, workers had brought in a large amount of steel and were constructing a tall platform.
A curious six- or seven-year-old white-haired brat couldn't help but go up and ask, "What are you making?"
The sweating workers glanced at the children and replied casually, "It's the execution platform for the Pirate King."
"Execution platform?"
The white-haired brat blinked.
A worker wiped his sweat and chuckled. "That's right! The legend will come to an end right here!"
A legend?
The little boy's eyes slowly widened.
Egghead Island.
Inside an office on the island.
Roa leaned leisurely on a soft sofa, holding a Transponder Snail (Den Den Mushi).
"Ahem," he cleared his throat. "Is everyone here?"
"It's rare for you, Roa, to initiate a call."
Charlotte Linlin's voice came from the Snail's mouthpiece.
"I didn't have a choice, did I?"
Roa spoke with a sense of deep emotion. "Roger's been captured. Doesn't that mean our plan to hunt the Roger Pirates and seize the Grand Treasure is completely bankrupt?"
"It does! That despicable Roger!"
Silver Axe's voice was filled with frustration. "He'd rather benefit the World Government than us!"
"Our strength is, after all, concentrated in the New World," Wang Zhi's sigh immediately followed. "The Roger Pirates left the New World, making them hard for us to find, but the World Government is different."
"Actually, there's something fishy about this incident."
Captain John's voice was as drunken as ever.
"Fishy? What do you mean?"
Roa's dearest big brother, Kaido, impatiently pressed the issue. "Right, John, your territory is next to Marineford. Nothing that happens there can be hidden from you!"
"The newspapers say the hero Garp arrested Roger," Captain John drawled slowly. "But the intelligence I received is that Garp has been staying at New Marineford this whole time. He never left. So where exactly did he capture Roger?"
"I thought you were going to say something important," Kaido scoffed. "Isn't it the same as at God Valley? The World Government is just giving all the credit to that old mad dog, Garp!"
"Mama-mama! This time, it really doesn't seem to be the case!"
"Hmm? Linlin? What do you mean?"
"What I mean is, I also received intelligence that Roger apparently attacked Marineford."
"What?"
Several simultaneous gasps were heard from the Transponder Snail, coming from Kaido, Wang Zhi, and Silver Axe.
Even Roa couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly.
Aunt Linlin's intelligence network is certainly something. No wonder she's considered the best in the business in the original story.
While thinking this, Roa glanced at Uncle Shiki sitting on a windowsill nearby.
He originally had the chance to share Charlotte Family's intelligence system, but unfortunately, he lost shamefully to the Roger Pirates, leading to the failure of that incident a year ago.
Too bad, Uncle Shiki. If you'd put in a little more effort, maybe you would have won.
"Roa! What the hell is going on?" Kaido urgently demanded. "Linlin knows Roger attacked Marineford, so you must know more!"
"Big Brother Kaido, you really have faith in me," Roa chuckled. "Normal people wouldn't know about such secretive things."
"You're not a normal person! So do you know?"
"I know too well."
Roa said, "Roger went to Marineford alone, and then he chose to surrender."
"What?"
The simultaneous chorus of voices returned, this time with Aunt Linlin included.
"Roa, are you serious? Roger surrendered?" Kaido was the first to question him.
"That's the situation. I'm not sure exactly why, but Roger definitely has his own reasons."
Roa smiled. "That's why I made this call. Uncle Shiki and I are planning to go watch the public execution in a month. Anyone want to join the group? This might be the only chance to get the Grand Treasure."
"Of course I'm going!"
Big Brother Kaido, true to being Roa's close ally, was the first to support him. "I want to figure out what that bastard Roger is up to!"
"Shiki is with you? No wonder he hasn't said anything."
Charlotte Linlin scoffed. "But are you serious? Won't the World Government be prepared? I'm not interested in joining your reckless antics!"
"Exactly," Wang Zhi added. "Our year-long pursuit of Roger couldn't have been hidden from the World Government. They might have already set up an ambush, just waiting for us to show up."
"I'm not going either!" Silver Axe declared. "While I want the Grand Treasure, this is too dangerous."
"Same here," Captain John echoed.
"Hmph," the Golden Lion (Kinshishi), sitting on the windowsill, couldn't help but sneer at their words. "Fearing the World Government like a tiger, yet still speaking of Haki."
"Say what you like," Wang Zhi said dismissively. "Our agreement was only to defend against a World Government offensive. This situation is outside the scope of the agreement."
"Ultimately," Aunt Linlin's laughter held a hint of mockery, "even if that fool Kaido wants to join your shenanigans, the vote is currently four to three. It's clear which side is the popular choice."
"I'll go too."
But at that moment, another voice rang out.
"Huh?"
Charlotte Linlin was instantly surprised.
This voice did not belong to any of the people who had been speaking.
"Red? You're here too?" Wang Zhi asked in surprise. "This is a real rarity! You've completely vanished over the past year. I thought I'd never hear your voice again!"
The person who suddenly interjected was none other than Patrick Redfield, who had helped them destroy Marineford over a year ago.
After seizing the New World, the man took a huge sum of money and vanished without a trace. No one knew where he went.
Roa smiled. "I thought Red might also be interested in this, so I pulled him into the call."
"Even I cannot ignore this incident," Redfield said calmly.
"So, Red, you lonely man are also going to join the fun?" Charlotte Linlin asked with genuine interest.
Redfield replied, "I'm very curious about what Roger intends to do. Even if I can't figure that out, wouldn't it be interesting to witness the Pirate King's end firsthand?"
"Excellent! Now it's four to four!" Roa laughed heartily. "With Redfield joining us, there's absolutely nothing to fear, is there?"
I absolutely have to go. I need to ensure Roger can successfully deliver his final words.
Otherwise, if some butterfly effect causes him to be taken down before he can speak, wouldn't all this effort have been for nothing?
And to ensure safety, I need to bring the heavy hitters with me.
This current level of combat power should be completely sufficient, shouldn't it?
Even if the World Government had genuinely stockpiled a large force in Loguetown, if they couldn't win, couldn't they still run away?
"Alright, Big Brother Kaido, and Redfield, please prepare yourselves. The departure time is set for three weeks from now. Uncle Shiki and I will come to pick you up then."
Loguetown wasn't far; it was just over the other side of Reverse Mountain.
One week of travel time was more than enough.
In the meantime, they should rest up.
Barring any surprises, a big battle was likely on the horizon.
And so, the call ended.
Roa and the Golden Lion returned to their respective lairs for final preparations.
Meanwhile, at the Sabaody Archipelago.
"Uncle Rayleigh!!" The red-nosed brat shouted frantically. "What do you mean, 'it's the Captain's own decision'? I don't care! Just go save him now!"
"Roger," Silvers Rayleigh, whose cheeks were flushed from drinking a bottle of sake, shook his head. "He surrendered."
"What?"
Buggy was instantly struck by lightning. "S-surrendered?"
Beside him, the equally anxious Shanks's face also completely froze.
"What do you mean, surrendered?!" Buggy cried out in disbelief. "Uncle Rayleigh, what is going on? I don't understand anything anymore!"
"Roger was waiting for a public execution like this," Rayleigh explained. "He has one last thing he wants to do, and he gambled his life for it."
"Buggy, isn't it cool when a man makes a decision and sees it through?"
"To interfere now would be an insult to his resolve."
"..."
Buggy's body trembled. His legs gave out, and he fell to the ground.
"So, so..."
His breathing became ragged, as if he were suffocating. "So we just have to watch the Captain go to his death and do nothing?"
Rayleigh silently nodded.
"..."
Buggy's face was ashen, utterly devastated.
"Mr. Rayleigh!"
Shanks, who had remained silent, placed his hand on the straw hat atop his head. "I want to go, to see the Captain off on his final journey!"
"That's right! That's right!"
Buggy paused, then instantly regained his vigor. He looked up, his face full of excitement. "Uncle Rayleigh! Even if we can't do anything, we can at least go see the Captain off one last time!"
"I don't want him to go so lonely!"
Looking at the two youths whose eyes were red and streaming with tears, Rayleigh finally sighed helplessly.
"Let's be clear then: we absolutely cannot reveal our identities. We can't do anything at all. We will quietly see Roger off on his final journey, and that's it."
"Yes!"
In the North Blue.
"Dragon, are you really going to Loguetown?" The large-headed man asked with concern. "The World Government will surely have heavy forces ambushed there!"
"As long as we don't expose ourselves to them, we'll be fine. The Final Island holds more than just treasure. The legendary Grand Treasure must conceal something even more astonishing!"
Monkey D. Dragon's green cloak fluttered in the wind. "Mr. Zephyr said Roger surrendered to protect his crewmates, but I have a feeling the matter is far more complicated than that!"
"Even if a temporary truce was reached on the surface, would the World Government truly tolerate the Roger Pirates in secret?"
"The World Government only pretended to compromise because they couldn't track their movements. And Roger must be aware of that!"
"He might have another objective!"
"Alright! I'll go with you too!" The man with the large face nodded firmly.
"Ivan?" Dragon asked, surprised.
"After going to the East Blue, I'll take a detour to the South Blue to see family I haven't seen in years!" Emporio Ivankov laughed loudly. "I wonder how Ginny and Kuma-chan are doing these days!"
A certain sea area on the Grand Line.
Huge battleships cut through the waves.
Inside a luxurious room on the massive central warship, which resembled a small island.
"Saint Marcus, I did not expect even you to personally take action."
Zephyr, with one arm tucked into his pocket, looked at the figure standing with his back to him, facing the porthole, his eyes inscrutable.
The old man, one of the Five Elders—Saint Marcus Mars, the Warrior God of the Environment—dressed in a dark blue suit, draped in a coat, with long white hair, a long goatee, and a pristine white mustache, did not turn around. He simply spoke calmly,
"The monsters of the New World have been tracking the Roger Pirates for the past year. This might be an opportunity to draw them out."
"Understood."
Zephyr nodded slightly.
This was indeed an opportunity.
With this Elder personally present, it meant he could summon the other Five Elders or the Holy Knights at any moment.
Add to that himself, Garp who was currently guarding Roger, and the accompanying Borsalino and Sakazuki.
If those pirates dared to show up, hell awaited them!
In the brig at the bottom of the ship.
Roger was still tightly bound by thick Sea-Prism Stone chains.
Outside the jail cell, Hero Garp sat cross-legged on the floor, his arms crossed, his eyes never leaving Roger.
"Can't you loosen these a little?" Roger complained in the dim cell. "I've already been fed a Devil Fruit. I can't and won't run away now. Why am I still tied up so tightly? I can't even turn over."
"Cut the nonsense," Hero Garp didn't even raise an eyelid. "Do criminals get to ask for perks?"
"We're old friends, aren't we? Don't be so harsh with your words, Garp." Roger said cheerfully. "To be honest, I even considered entrusting my wife and daughter to you."
"Ha?"
Garp's cold expression was instantly replaced by shock. "What kind of foolishness are you talking about, you bastard!"
"Wahahahaha! Even though we're enemies, I respect your character!" Roger roared with laughter. "But then I thought against it. Olvia is already famous. It wouldn't be easy to hide her, so I decided not to cause you any trouble."
"If you were so worried about your family, you shouldn't have become a pirate in the first place." Garp snorted. "At this point, nothing you say matters."
"I couldn't help it," Roger laughed. "After all, the World Government couldn't tolerate my freedom!"
"Freedom?"
Garp shook his head. "Freedom never means disorder, and it certainly doesn't mean you can do whatever you want."
Then, to Garp's complete surprise.
"Exactly, exactly!"
Roger nodded repeatedly. "You're absolutely right, Garp! Freedom is always within a certain framework! Complete chaotic freedom only turns into chaos!"
"Huh?"
Garp was dumbfounded.
Are those the words Roger should be saying?
"Therefore," Roger's smile instantly vanished, replaced by extreme seriousness,
"Garp, you must be careful of Roa! That guy is truly dangerous!"
"What?"
Garp was taken aback and instinctively pressed the issue. "Roger, what happened between you and that guy?"
"Nothing," Roger shook his head gently, only smiling. "Isn't the sea area under his command quite infamous? That level of madness makes even me feel uneasy. If he's allowed to continue expanding, who knows what this world will turn into."
Garp frowned tightly.
Is that the only reason?
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