On the edge of a deserted island in the Calm Belt of the New World, a small boat was quietly moored.
A small, round table sat on the deck. Beside it, Redfield (known as the Red Count) crossed his legs and elegantly sipped a cup of black tea. He looked nothing like a pirate; his graceful demeanor was more befitting a grand nobleman from some country. It just goes to show how diverse the pirating profession is, filled with all sorts of people.
"Hmm?"
Redfield's brow twitched. He set down his teacup and looked up. A large ship was slowly descending from the cloudless sky.
"Finally here."
Redfield stood up.
"Yo! Red! We've come to pick you up!"
A figure leaned over the rail of the large ship, smiling and waving at Redfield below.
Redfield didn't hesitate. He launched himself up, quickly stepping on air to land on the ship's deck. As he landed, his eyes swept across the deck.
There were only three people.
Kaido, sitting cross-legged on the deck.
Shiki the Golden Lion, leisurely clipping his fingernails.
And Roa, leaning against the ship's rail.
"You took your sweet time getting here," Redfield said indifferently.
"The freeloader can shut up," Shiki snorted without lifting his head. "You could've just swum here if you wanted."
"If Roa hadn't invited me," Redfield retorted, "do you think I'd willingly step onto your ship?"
"Then get off!" Shiki countered with a cold laugh.
Truly, the friction between these two hadn't completely vanished.
"Alright, alright. You fought side-by-side last year, and now you're sailing on the same boat again. Why all the hostility?"
At this point, Roa (The Social Butterfly) stepped in with a conciliatory smile. "We were a bit slow because we had to pick up Brother Kaido. But Red, you completely vanished for over a year. Did you run off to the West Blue?"
This was the Calm Belt bordering the New World and the West Blue, and Redfield had just returned from the West Blue.
"I have no desire to get caught up in your expansions," Redfield stated. "Do you think any of you would welcome me wandering around your territory?"
If he had stayed in the New World over the past year, he likely would have ended up fighting someone by now. Camraderie from fighting together? Pirates don't talk about camaraderie.
"I welcome you very much," Roa chuckled heartily. "As long as you don't cross me, you can do whatever you want."
Redfield immediately scoffed. "Do you think I don't know the situation in your seas? The freest sea in the world? Ha, it's the most chaotic sea in the world. If I went there, I doubt I'd ever find peace again."
"Hahaha, it's not as bad as you make it sound," Roa scratched his head a bit sheepishly. "I only made a tiny, insignificant contribution."
Redfield's mouth twitched. "No one was praising you!"
"Ze ha ha ha ha!" Shiki burst into loud laughter. "You still don't fully grasp the madness of this kid, Red!"
Though he disliked Shiki intensely, at this moment, Redfield couldn't help but nod in profound agreement. He had never seen anyone as insane as Roa. Roa could easily have gained much greater profit, but he only seemed interested in seeing his territory descend into utter chaos.
"Hmph, what do you know?"
Fortunately, the Great Ship floating in the sky had Roa's close ally. Kaido snorted, "The strong trampling the weak is the fundamental rule of this world! I think Roa is doing a great job!" If the Beast Pirates weren't still far weaker than the Calamity Corporation, and he didn't need to meticulously squeeze every bit of strength from his territory, he would have done the same as Roa.
"Good brother!" Roa gave Kaido a thumbs-up. Truly a kindred spirit.
"Alright, enough of the nonsense," Shiki put away his nail clippers and smirked. "Next, let's go see what trick that bastard Roger is up to!"
He was grateful Roa had stopped him before, or he'd be rotting in some prison cell right now. And the force gathered by Roa now gave him a great sense of security.
With that, the large ship floating in the sky sped up again, heading straight for the Reverse Mountain.
A few days later.
It was the day before the execution.
Loguetown.
A week ago, numerous Marine warships arrived at the island and began a rigorous sweep. The island's security certainly improved drastically, but at a cost. The entire island was now crawling with patrolling Marine soldiers. The slightest sign of suspicion earned residents an interrogation, greatly disrupting daily life. Worse, many black-hearted Marines, transferred from various branch bases, took the opportunity to extort money. If residents didn't pay up, they were slapped with a charge of "intending to cause trouble," causing no end of suffering.
But these matters didn't concern the children. They still shouted and played in the streets. Marines generally ignored them; what trouble could children cause?
Smoker was one of them. Though tomorrow was the day of the execution, today he was playing hide-and-seek with his friends in the street.
Until...
"The ships are here! The Marine ships are here!"
Someone shouted excitedly in the street. "Right outside the Marine Base port!"
Smoker and his friends exchanged glances, then bolted toward the port. The legendary Pirate King, Roger, whose name had been on every adult's lips for the past month—even the children were curious. He must be on those arriving ships!
Smoker was much fitter than his friends, so after a wild sprint, he quickly left his companions behind. Then, around a corner, he slammed headfirst into another person coming the opposite way.
"Whoa!"
The person he hit cried out in surprise and landed hard on their butt. Smoker didn't fare much better, also falling to the ground and wincing from the pain in his rear.
"You brat! Watch where you're going!" The person who was hit scrambled up, yelling angrily at Smoker. "You hurt my ba—you hurt my lord's butt! How are you going to pay for that!"
Smoker instinctively looked at the guy. He didn't look much older than Smoker himself. He had handsome blue hair, and his nose looked injured and was bandaged up, swollen high.
"Why are you making such a fuss over a kid?" Standing beside the blue-haired punk was a red-haired boy wearing a wide-brimmed sun hat, thick-rimmed sunglasses perched on his nose. The boy said with a grin.
"He's a kid, but I'm not?" the blue-haired punk retorted, gesticulating wildly at his companion.
"In the end, it's just that Ba—it's just that you're too weak, isn't it? Easily knocked down by a child." The red-haired boy shook his head.
"Huh? How dare you say that! You bastard, I won't forgive you!" The blue-haired punk lunged at the red-haired boy. The red-haired boy easily dodged, smiled, and ran off, with the blue-haired one yelling and chasing after him.
Smoker watched, bewildered.
"My apologies, kid," a hand patted his shoulder. "My kid is in a bad mood. Please don't mind his offense."
Smoker subconsciously looked up. His eyes met a man wearing a floral shirt and shorts, with a thick beard, a sun hat, and a pair of tinted glasses, looking exactly like a tourist.
The man smiled at him. "But kid, there are a lot of people on the island right now. Don't run too fast, and be careful."
Leaving those words, the man hurried off to chase the two boys who had run ahead.
Smoker watched his retreating back and cocked his head.
Wait!
This wasn't the time for that!
Smoker scrambled to his feet. He didn't even stop to dust off his pants before sprinting toward the Marine Base.
By the time Smoker reached the Marine Base, it was too late. Though Marines were maintaining order, forming a human wall to prevent people from getting too close, the area outside the base was already packed.
Smoker's eyes darted around, and he ducked into a small alleyway. He and his friends spent their days running wild across the island and knew many secret spots unknown to adults. Soon, he used a hidden staircase to climb onto the roof of a private residence outside the Marine Base.
From here, he could get a great view of the base's port.
But to Smoker's surprise, someone was already here.
Smoker only saw the figure's back: clad in a thick fur coat, hair slicked back, and seemingly puffing on a cigar.
Noticing the newcomer, the figure turned slightly, glancing at Smoker out of the corner of his eye, and murmured, "I still have to wait until tomorrow?"
With that, his body dissolved into thin air, vanishing completely into the wind.
"Huh!!"
Smoker was dumbfounded. Vanished into thin air! A ghost! It had to be a ghost! The boy instinctively turned to run.
But at that very moment, he saw the enormous warships on the distant sea, moored outside the Marine Base port.
So huge!
They were too big!
Smoker was once again lost in profound shock. The largest ship was bigger than Loguetown's entire Marine Base!
Roger, was he locked up on that ship?
Meanwhile, inside the Marine Base.
"I am temporarily taking over the command of this town."
The Justice coat flapped. The sole Admiral of the Navy, Black Leg Zephyr, stood with a grave expression.
"Yes, Admiral Zephyr!" The Headquarters Colonel stationed on the island didn't hesitate. "All Loguetown Marines await your command!"
Zephyr nodded slightly, then looked back. "Sakazuki, Borsalino (Kizaru), take your men and conduct a final, thorough sweep of the town! There must be no mishaps during the execution tomorrow!"
"Yes, Teacher Zephyr!"
On the sea outside the base, in the most luxurious room of the largest warship.
One of the Five Elders, Saint Marcus Mars, the Godhead of Environment, stood quietly by the window, gazing at the town before him.
"Will those pirates from the New World take the bait?"
If they didn't come, there would be fewer complications. If they did, it might be an opportunity to eliminate the threat of the New World.
A win-win!
Regardless, all they could do was wait for tomorrow!
Meanwhile, in the brig at the bottom of the ship.
"Loguetown, huh?"
Roger lay on the damp floor, unconcerned that tomorrow was his execution day. He said with a sigh of longing, "It's been so long since I've been back. I really miss it."
"The residents of this island probably don't miss you," Garp snorted from outside the cell. "Cherish your last hours, Roger. Tomorrow is the day you die."
"Is that so?"
Roger, however, raised the corner of his mouth, saying leisurely, "That truly makes me look forward to it."
Night fell.
In the office atop the Marine Base.
Zephyr was checking the defense maps against the possibility of any oversight.
Just then, the office window was quietly pushed open, letting in a gust of wind.
Zephyr abruptly lifted his head. "You shouldn't have come, you brat!"
The time finally arrived for the next day.
Today was the day of the execution.
Many Loguetown residents, as well as outsiders who had flocked to the island to witness the end of the Pirate King, had stayed up all night. They excitedly left their homes early, eager to secure the best vantage point for the execution.
However, the Marines were even earlier.
The Marines had already blocked off the roads leading from the base to the execution platform in the plaza. Sailors from Headquarters formed human walls to isolate the residents, clearing the necessary path. Officers and their subordinates patrolled non-stop, ensuring no disorder.
The time reached eight o'clock.
Inside the Marine Base.
"Wahahaha! I'm full, I'm full!"
Roger wiped his mouth. "So this is what Loguetown Marine Base food tastes like? It's much better than a Devil Fruit! Now, I won't have any regrets even if I die."
For his final day, the restraints on him were fewer, only handcuffs and shackles on his hands and feet. However, to ensure security, the shackles were forged from a specialized alloy mixed with high-purity Seastone, leaving Roger completely drained of strength, barely able to move.
"Time's up. Let's go, Roger!"
Garp, sitting across from him, stood up. "It's time for the road."
Rumble.
The heavy Marine Base gates slowly swung open.
The people waiting outside the base instantly erupted into a frenzy.
"They're coming! They're out!"
"The Pirate King! Has he finally arrived?"
When Roger was escorted out of the base by Garp, he saw a tumultuous sea of people.
"Wahahaha! It's quite a party!" he roared with laughter.
"Pirate King! Look here!"
"Roger! Look this way!"
"That's Vice Admiral Garp! Quick, take the photo!"
Journalists who had camped out all night to secure the best spot immediately raised their cameras and began snapping photos of Roger and the Marines.
Roger, like a leader making an inspection, struggled to lift his bound hands, waving and smiling in response as he advanced along the broad road toward the end of his life.
"Roger! You disgrace to Loguetown!"
"Great criminal! Just die already!!"
"Long live the World Government! Long live the Marines! Pirates deserve to die!"
On one side of the road, people cursed.
"Hahaha! The King of Pirates! I finally saw him!"
"Roger! You're an incredible man!"
There were also cheers.
"Pirate King! Where is your treasure?"
"Roger! Where exactly is the final island!"
And questions.
"..."
On the side of the road, seven-year-old Smoker stared blankly at the man walking past him. He was about to face death, yet why was he still smiling?
"Is this the charisma of the Pirate King?"
In the crowd, the slick-backed youth with the cigar watched, his gaze hotter than the lit cigar.
"What will happen next?"
On the roof of a nearby building, two figures in cloaks watched quietly. "Let's wait and see, Iva."
Also in the crowd, the red- and blue-haired youths had tears welling up in their eyes. Behind them, Rayleigh reached out and ruffled their hair.
And many others were lost in a flood of thoughts.
Amidst the curses and the cheers, Roger finally reached the final destination of his life. He ascended the stairs built behind the platform, step by step, until he reached the execution scaffold.
Zephyr was already waiting on the platform, and Garp personally escorted him up.
"Wahahaha! We're finally here?"
Roger sat down on the platform, looking down at the dark mass of people held back by the Marines on one side of the plaza. Although his strength was suppressed by the Seastone, making his Observation Haki difficult to use, he would never forget the aura of his companions.
Rayleigh, and the kids... did you come to see me off?
Roger raised his lips high. "What are you waiting for? Let's get this over with!"
Garp and Zephyr exchanged glances. Was he truly so eager to die?
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