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South Blue, Baterilla Island.
Pink flower petals, gentle music, blood-red wine glasses, and a pristine white wedding dress adorned the green lawns of this modest wedding celebration, where laughter and joy were intertwined.
In this small, unremarkable town, a newlywed couple walked hand in hand, smiling happily, as they stepped into the hall of matrimony.
Today, a cheerful wedding ceremony was taking place on Baterilla Island.
On the stage, a man with an eight-shaped moustache stood beside a young woman in a wedding dress. Both were smiling as they went through the simple exchange of vows under the officiant's guidance.
Every guest was immersed in the festive atmosphere. However, no one noticed the three men in plain clothes who had quietly taken seats at a round table in the corner of the venue.
Kojin gazed at the couple on stage, his eyes narrowing slightly.
They had arrived in the South Blue seven days ago and, after making inquiries, had only reached this island today.
By sheer coincidence, they had come across a wedding.
The atmosphere was lively but Kojin's eyes remained fixed on the couple on stage.
No one could have imagined that the world-famous Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, was standing on the wedding podium at that very moment, holding another woman's hand and taking the first steps into the happiest chapter of his life as an ordinary civilian.
Opposite him, Crocodile stared in astonishment at Roger's face, unable to believe what he was seeing.
"How did you know?" Bullet asked from the other side with a heavy and serious tone.
No one in the world would have expected the Pirate King to be hiding on a remote island in the South Blue, in a small town with only a few hundred inhabitants, let alone holding a wedding right in front of them.
Yet, from the moment he arrived in the South Blue, this man had come straight to this island.
'How did he know?'
"Call it... guidance from fate." Kojin smiled faintly ashe replied.
After a pause, he looked back at the couple on the stage.
"For now, just enjoy the banquet. It's only right we take part in your old captain's wedding, don't you think, Bullet?'
Bullet remained silent. Beneath the table, his hands had clenched unconsciously into fists.
He couldn't accept it.
The man who had once sailed the seas, overcome countless hardships, and risen to become the Pirate King and was just one step away from ruling the world was now about to enter a wedding ceremony on such a tiny, unknown island.
"You've fallen. Roger."
Alongside his anger, a deep, inexpressible sorrow welled up in Bullet's heart.
Even a king who once stood at the pinnacle of strength and his life had no escape in his twilight years from returning to the ordinary and quietly waiting for death.
"A Roger like this… I'd rather personally send you out of this world!"
Bullet clenched his teeth and glared at the stage.
At that moment, Roger, who was in the middle of the wedding ceremony, looked towards the corner and noticed the three men sitting there, causing his expression to shift slightly.
"What's wrong, Roger?" Rouge noticed the change in his face and asked immediately.
Then she, too, saw the three men below.
"Are they your friends?"
Roger smiled faintly and tightened his grip on her hand.
"Friends?"
"I suppose you could say that."
He was also a little surprised. Compared to the vastness of the world, his hiding place was like a drop of water in the ocean, so how had the Marines found it so quickly?
Roger didn't dwell on it further.
Since they hadn't caused any trouble upon arrival and were quietly attending the wedding, he decided that whatever else there was could wait until after the ceremony.
The wedding atmosphere soon reached its peak. The entire venue erupted in cheers and applause. Roger appeared completely composed, as though he hadn't noticed the three men at all.
He even brought Rouge down during the final toast so that they could clink glasses.
"How's your Sensei doing?" Roger asked with a smile.
"Very well. He's gone to East Blue," Kojin replied.
"That's a shame, he didn't come to my wedding." Roger laughed heartily.
"Perhaps that's a good thing as well." Kojin said with a smile.
The two men spoke to each other calmly, as if they were old friends. Roger showed no abnormal reaction at all, which made Rouge truly believe that the three men before her were her husband's friends.
"Bullet, I didn't expect to see you here." Roger smiled again.
Crack!
Bullet remained silent, but the glass he was holding suddenly shattered.
Rouge's expression changed and she immediately called for someone to bring paper.
"No need!" Bullet said stiffly, then dropped down onto a chair.
"Congratulations on your marriage." He forced out that single sentence, then fell silent once more.
"And you are?"
Roger watched the scene unfold, his smile never fading, before turning his gaze to Crocodile.
The latter felt somewhat flattered and raised his glass.
"Congratulations on your wedding! You can call me Crocodile."
"Haha! I hope you enjoy the banquet too!" Roger laughed.
After that, the couple left to greet the other guests.
The wedding banquet wasn't large. Each table seated about a dozen people, mostly Rouge's relatives and friends from the town. Roger himself had very few close friends present. Consequently, the three of them were soon surrounded by enthusiastic villagers.
Overall, the atmosphere was lively and cheerful.
Kojin didn't rush to make a move.
Instead, he silently observed Roger. From appearances alone, there was no sign of serious illness, as he looked perfectly fine. But the domineering, overwhelming presence he once had as Pirate King had vanished without a trace.
The Pirate King hiding on Baterilla Island seemed utterly unremarkable and like an ordinary civilian.
Before long, the wedding came to an end.
Guests said their goodbyes in twos and threes, and the venue quickly emptied.
"When do we make our move?" Bullet gritted his teeth as he asked.
He was consumed by an indescribable fury, he couldn't accept that the once-mighty king had become so utterly insignificant.
"Wait. He'll come looking for us." Kojin said softly.
At that moment, Crocodile hesitated, feeling torn in his heart.
"Are we really going to make a move against him?"
That man was Pirate King Roger! He was one of the three greatest legends in the world, the strongest of them all!
'Could the three of them really take down someone like that?'
Kojin merely smiled at this question and didn't answer.
Thus, the entire afternoon passed until dusk.
The three of them saw a man in plain clothes approaching slowly. A long blade hung at his waist, and an eight-shaped moustache framed his calm smile.
"Roger!" Bullet growled through clenched teeth.
Roger stopped in front of them and suddenly started laughing. His right hand rested on the hilt of his blade.
His gaze snapped towards Kojin.
In this moment, that smile became imposing, overwhelming, and oppressive, causing all three to feel their hearts jolt.
"You Marine brat, in your eyes... I see a flaming, burning ambition!"
Hearing this, Kojin laughed as well. His fists collided as black-red lightning of Conqueror's Haki surged forth as his gaze sharpened.
"I have a question. Why did you give up everything, disband your pirate crew and come to this nameless little island?"
Roger bared his teeth in a grin and drew the blade from his waist. His aura surged violently in that instant.
"Because... I have absolutely no interest in ruling anything or anyone!"
(End of Chapter)