Clink! Clink! Clink!
The boisterous crowd suddenly receded like a tide, and the entire plaza fell into a dead silence.
Accompanied by footsteps and the clanking of chains, Roger walked from the other end.
He wore heavy shackles and leg irons, his steps slow, as two rows of navy soldiers, gripping their weapons tightly and looking tense, escorted him towards the towering execution platform in the center.
Countless gazes focused on Roger—curiosity, fear, hatred, awe… Roger, however, seemed oblivious, his eyes calm, steadily looking straight ahead.
The crowd was silent, even their breathing becoming cautious.
Just as Roger was about to walk past Wayne and Rouge, he slowed his steps and slightly turned his head to look at the hooded figures.
Roger and Rouge's eyes met; nothing was said, yet everything seemed to have been conveyed.
Rouge's tears could no longer be held, rolling down her cheeks in large drops, but she bit her bottom lip tightly, not making a sound.
Finally, Rouge slightly raised her hand and waved goodbye to Roger.
Roger saw it all; he was slightly stunned at first, then grinned and started to laugh.
The next moment, his gaze shifted to Wayne beside Rouge, giving a tiny nod of acknowledgment; no words were needed, as they already understood each other.
Although he had never met Wayne, he knew this was the man who had appeared in his dreams.
"Hurry up! Don't dawdle!" The escorting soldiers pushed Roger to continue forward.
Roger withdrew his gaze, and the lively smile on his face also receded, becoming calm and unperturbed once more, as he stepped forward, never looking back.
Watching her beloved being pushed step by step onto that high platform leading to death, Rouge's taut nerves began to snap; she swayed in place, resting her forehead on Wayne's shoulder, sobbing softly.
Wayne shook his head, pulled a tissue from his pocket, and handed it to Rouge. "Wipe your nose, don't get snot on me."
Rouge cried even louder.
Helpless, Wayne could only let Rouge ruin his freshly stolen clothes. Watching Roger gradually move away, Wayne silently activated the live broadcast.
Impel Down, Infinite Hell.
Shiki's Den Den Mushi projected the image. Watching Roger walk towards the execution platform, Shiki clenched his fist. "Roger…"
Tap… Tap… Tap… Footsteps echoed on the wooden steps of the high execution platform, producing a monotonous yet clear sound. Roger walked calmly, step by step, towards the top of the execution platform, with all eyes from the crowd below focused solely on him.
On Wayne's shoulder, Rouge's body trembled silently, her tears already soaking his clothing.
Somewhere in the crowd, the young Buggy and Shanks were already in tears, biting their lips tightly to keep from crying out loud. The word "Captain" was choked in their throats.
In the corner of an alley, Doflamingo leaned against a wall, a sinister smile on his lips, as if watching a long-awaited grand show.
By a slightly more distant open space, Dracule Mihawk stood with his arms crossed, his golden pupils gazing at the figure on the platform, his face devoid of emotion.
In the crowd, Moriah's still-thin face was filled with excitement, his eyes fixed on the platform.
On the edge of a rooftop, the sweat king in a green hood had an unusually serious expression, his brow furrowed, his gaze deep.
Crocodile exhaled a smoke ring, a slight upward curve to the corner of his mouth.
Roger stood on the high platform, slowly turned around, and looked out at the sea of countless faces below.
Then, to everyone's surprise, Roger casually sat cross-legged on the wooden planks.
"Alright, let's get this over with quickly."
After speaking, Roger looked up and smiled.
"!!"
Countless faces were filled with astonishment. This man was about to die, yet why was he still smiling?
In the crowd, the half-grown Smoker, with his short silver hair, stared wide-eyed, his gaze locked on that smiling face.
"Why did he smile?" This question haunted him for many years, and he never found an answer.
On the execution platform, two executioners held long swords, crossed horizontally in front of Roger's head. The air in the entire plaza seemed to freeze, with millions of eyes focused on that single point.
A heavy suffocating silence, awaited the final command.
Just then, a loud shout came from the crowd.
"Hey!! Pirate King!!"
"Where did you hide your treasure? You got that legendary great treasure, didn't you? That grand treasure, all encompassing—ONE PIECE!!!"
Hearing this, Wayne quickly looked around, trying to see who had shouted, but there were too many people, making it impossible to find them.
If Wayne were a marine, he would definitely send this guy to the sixth level of Impel Down.
The Grand Pirate Era began, and this kid was at least 50% responsible.
Speaking of which, did Roger make a deal with this kid too? To be a shill?
On the high platform, Roger, who had been smiling, let out a hearty laugh.
"Ahahaha~ You want my treasure? If you want it, you can have all of it!"
"I left everything I've ever gathered in this world in one place! All you have to do is find it!"
After a brief silence, the crowd in the plaza erupted in cheers like a mountain roaring and a tsunami, with emotions of excitement, ecstasy, greed, and shock sweeping over everyone like a tidal wave!
On the platform, the responsible officer roared with anger and shock. "Execute!!!!"
Shing!
Pirate King Gol D. Roger thus met his end…
Watching the deceased Roger, Wayne couldn't help but sigh. Roger was indeed a great figure, but unfortunately, he was man born at the wrong time.
In contrast, Rocks, who killed an Admiral, brutally killed Celestial Dragons, and gathered a large group of powerful individuals, was a true King of the Sea.
Actually, there was one thing Wayne never understood: why did Roger and Garp, who hated Celestial Dragons, team up to stop Rocks when Rocks brutally killed Celestial Dragons? Were they afraid Rocks would overthrow the world?
In any case, whatever the reason, the benefits of stopping Rocks were quite obvious.
One became the Marine Hero, and the other became the Pirate King.
Rumble~
The clear sky suddenly became covered with dark clouds, thunder rumbled, and accompanied by the crackle of lightning, heavy rain poured down.
"Ding~ Detected that Roger has died. Acquiring Roger's power (current state). Merging…"
"Ding, current fusion progress 64%. Fusion progress can be increased to 100% through methods such as cultivation or body reconstruction."
Host: Wayne
Swordsmanship: D- → (S)
Martial Arts: F+ → (S-)
Physique: E- → (A) (Dying, disease effects suppressed, estimated remaining lifespan 30 days)
Observation Haki: None → (S)
Armament Haki: None → (S-)
Haoshoku: None → (S+)
Devil Fruit: Float-Float Fruit (Awakened)
Special Abilities: None
Commission Points: 500 (300 already advanced, remaining advance limit 700)
Overall Rating (S): You can now roam the New World, but unfortunately, you're still short-lived. Hurry up and restart.
Feeling the power surging within him, Wayne was excited. 'Forget what I just said, Roger is awesome!'
It's important to know that Roger was in a state of terminal illness, and the fusion progress was only 64%. Yet, even with this, Wayne ascended to the top in one step, directly transforming from a nobody to a powerful figure.
With such power, combined with the Float-Float Fruit, wouldn't attacking Mariejois be child's play?