Sabaody Archipelago.
"Finally back."
As Sami's ship slowly docked, Aus disembarked with Rouge. This port led straight to Grove 17, surrounded entirely by Sami's operations—no random people around.
Just after returning, Aus spotted several familiar faces.
"Hey!!! Aus!!!"
Before Aus could speak, a figure rushed forward—that red nose was unmistakable.
"Long time no see, Buggy!!!"
Seeing him, Aus lit up too.
Not just Buggy—Rayleigh and Shanks followed close behind. Aus had already given them his address.
"So cool, Aus! We all saw the reports about you!" Shanks came up grinning.
"Well... that was just luck."
Aus felt embarrassed. The newspapers had gone way overboard. Strangers were one thing, but having friends see it was mortifying.
Rayleigh patted his shoulder with satisfaction, smiling as he looked at Aus.
This kid who once couldn't last one round against him, always asking for guidance, had become a great pirate in his own right...
Thinking about it now, it felt like yesterday that bare-chested, long-haired child had been shouting about joining the Roger Pirates.
Pretty moving stuff.
"Oh right, almost forgot introductions. This is Rouge."
Since she was Captain Roger's wife carrying his son, Aus figured he should introduce her.
But before he could continue, all three stared at him with surprise—especially after noticing Rouge's slightly protruding belly.
Aus: ???
"Hey! Aus..." Buggy looked disappointed, throwing an arm around Aus's neck and whispering: "I know you're into red-light districts, but this is way too fast! You've only been off the ship a few months..."
Shanks didn't speak but wore a similar expression, staring with surprise.
Even Rayleigh was the same.
"Being so reckless this young will make it hard to go far, Aus."
Hearing them all say this, Aus's face twisted.
"What the hell are you talking about! This is Captain Roger's wife! The baby's Captain Roger's too!"
All three froze. The air fell silent.
After a long moment:
"WHAT?!?!?!"
Without lingering, after leaving Rouge with Sami, Rayleigh and the others, the three immediately headed for Loguetown.
On the passenger ship:
"Really unexpected~ Captain Roger actually had a wife. But why did he ask you to take care of her, Aus?"
In the dining hall, the three ate while catching up.
Shanks was still surprised by Captain Roger's suddenly appearing wife and child.
Buggy was equally curious, staring at Aus.
"Well," Aus swallowed his noodles, "I discussed it with him when I visited Captain Roger in Impel Down."
Buggy nodded.
"I see... so when you went to Impel Down, Aus..."
Halfway through, his voice grew quieter. Buggy's eyes widened as something clicked.
"Wait..."
"WHAT?!"
"You mean that underwater prison Impel Down?!?!"
Even Shanks gaped beside him, let alone Buggy, whose eyes and tongue bulged out.
"What else? Is there a second Impel Down? Why so shocked?"
Aus replied with amusement.
"Are you insane?! Being shocked is normal! That's the underwater prison—the legendary hell holding countless sea monsters, supposedly impossible to escape!"
Buggy shouted frantically. "You think everyone's a monster like you? No—a monster among monsters!"
Aus shrugged it off.
He might be the first, but there'd be a second soon enough.
His temporary ally from not long ago: Golden Lion Shiki.
The three had plenty to discuss after their reunion, but eventually conversation turned to their trip's purpose:
Captain Roger's execution.
With this topic, the atmosphere grew gloomy.
Only Aus kept stuffing food in his mouth like it didn't concern him.
Shanks looked depressed. Seeing Aus completely unaffected, he couldn't help asking:
"Aus, aren't you sad?"
"Captain Roger's about to be executed... just a year ago we were all sailing free on the sea..."
Aus shook his head.
"Reluctant? Sure, I feel that."
"But more than that, I'm happy. Captain Roger's dying for his dreams—is there anything more badass than that on the sea? If Captain Roger had died suffering in some hospital bed from disease, that's when I'd be devastated."
Both Shanks and Buggy went quiet.
They genuinely felt Aus made sense, but being mentally still kids, even agreeing, they couldn't help feeling sad.
And saying Aus felt nothing would be bullshit.
After years of care, real feelings were definitely involved.
But having seen Captain Roger's execution opening over a thousand times in his previous life, Aus's emotions about this long-expected event were naturally dulled.
Their conversation made ship time pass quickly.
The second morning, the three finally set foot on Loguetown soil.
The execution was that morning—they'd made it.
"By the way, Aus, Shanks—notice all the Marines around here?"
Buggy eyed the warships docked at harbor and Marines occasionally patrolling Loguetown, instinctively nervous.
"Relax, Buggy. You don't even have a bounty."
Aus smiled faintly, scanning the bustling crowds.
Pirates, civilians, nobles... in this tiny East Blue town, practically every type of person had gathered.
The Marines couldn't make a big scene arresting people here.
Once riots broke out, this execution—which the Marines and World Government considered hugely significant—would become a worldwide joke broadcast through Den Den Mushi.
That absolutely wouldn't be allowed.
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