The streets of Loguetown were packed, bustling with an overwhelming crowd. Today was an extraordinary day—Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King himself, was to be publicly executed here.
People from all corners of the world had gathered in droves, eager to witness this historic event and catch a glimpse of the legendary figure. Even fearsome pirates from the New World had ventured to the East Blue, drawn by the gravity of the occasion.
Inside a room overlooking the execution square, Reno stood by the window, watching the growing sea of people below. He sighed inwardly, relieved at his foresight in renting this room early. "If I were down there," he mused, "with my small frame, I'd probably see nothing but people's knees."
As time ticked by, the tension in the square grew palpable. The Marine officers, led by Fleet Admiral Sengoku, began arriving and ascending the prepared execution platform. Almost all high-ranking Marines were present—only those tasked with guarding headquarters had remained behind. Their overwhelming presence was a precaution against any potential interference from Roger's former crew.
Finally, Sengoku gestured to a soldier nearby and ordered, "Bring the Pirate King to the platform."
"Yes, Admiral Sengoku!" replied the Marine with a crisp salute.
Soon, several soldiers escorted Gol D. Roger into the square. His hands were cuffed, raised slightly in front of his chest, but he walked with steady, deliberate steps.
Despite his ragged appearance, Roger exuded an aura of unshakable confidence. It was as if he were a returning king, not a man heading to his execution.
The crowd gasped collectively.
"That's… the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger?"
"This is the man who ruled the seas?!"
"Even on the brink of death, he's so calm, so composed!"
"He doesn't look like a condemned man at all. He looks like a king who's come home to claim his throne!"
The sheer presence Roger commanded left everyone in awe.
From his vantage point, Reno observed Roger's slow walk to the platform. He couldn't help but roll his eyes, muttering under his breath, "Seriously? Even while terminally ill, he's still putting on a show. Doesn't he know showing off like this might get him struck by lightning?"
The walk from the square's edge to the execution platform wasn't far, but the procession dragged on like a snail crossing a road. It took several painstaking minutes before Roger finally reached the platform.
Upon reaching the top, Roger casually plopped down as if he were settling into his own home. Raising his cuffed hands, he asked one of the executioners, "Can you take these off? They're itchy and uncomfortable."
The Marine executioner's face darkened, and he snapped, "Of course not! Stay put and behave!" Inwardly, the executioner thought, As if I'd dare remove those cuffs for a monster like you! I still value my life, thank you very much.
Even after Roger was seated, the execution didn't proceed immediately. The Marines seemed to be waiting for something or someone.
From his room, Reno noticed the odd delay. Extending his Observation Haki, he scanned the surroundings and quickly pieced together the situation. The entire square was crawling with hidden Marine forces, and the waters around Loguetown were surrounded by warships.
"Ah, I see," Reno muttered. "They're laying a trap, waiting for Roger's crew to show up and rescue him. Too bad for them they're waiting for nothing."
Reno knew that Roger's capture was intentional. The Pirate King had disbanded his crew long before this and had explicitly instructed them not to come for him if he were ever caught. Roger's surrender wasn't because he was overpowered—it was his own decision.
The Marines' meticulous plan was doomed to fail.
Minutes turned into hours, but no one from Roger's crew appeared. The Marine officers exchanged puzzled looks, wondering if the infamous Roger Pirates truly intended to abandon their captain.
Sengoku, seeing that the scheduled time was nearly up, gave the final order. "Proceed with the execution of Pirate King Gol D. Roger!"
"Yes, Admiral Sengoku!"
The two executioners atop the platform prepared to carry out their orders. They raised their weapons as the crowd below began shouting.
"Hey! Pirate King! Where did you hide your treasure?"
"Is it in the Grand Line?"
The voices grew louder, filled with desperate curiosity. All eyes were on Roger.
"Did you get it?"
The executioners heard a shout from the crowd, their faces darkened, and they yelled, "Shut up! Shut your mouths!"
"That legendary treasure… the one and only great treasure [One Piece]!"
"Ha ha ha ha…"
Roger burst out laughing the moment he heard this and immediately said, "Do you want my treasure?"
The crowd below the platform, hearing Roger's laughter and his words, broke out in a cold sweat, staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed at Roger, who was laughing heartily on the execution platform.
Some were shocked that Roger could still laugh at a time like this, while others were deeply unsettled by every word he said.
Roger: "If you want it, I can give it all to you!"
Executioner: "Damn it!"
At this moment, the two executioners finally realized that instead of silencing the crowd, they should silence the man on the platform. With that thought, they plunged their swords into Roger's body.
Roger: "Go and find it! I left all my treasure there!"
The executioners were still a step too late. Roger had already said everything he wanted to say. His plan had succeeded, and even with swords stabbed into his body, his face remained full of smiles.
At that moment, it was as if someone had pressed the pause button on time. The silence was eerie, like the calm before a storm.
"ROAR!!!"
After a brief moment of this unsettling silence, the entire square erupted into deafening cheers that seemed to pierce the heavens.
Some in the crowd were ecstatic, some were crying, some were confused, and others were worried. All sorts of emotions were on display.
However, everyone present in the square understood one thing: a new era was about to begin.
And not just any era it would be a chaotic one. To pirates, chaos was something to celebrate, while the Marines sought to maintain peace.
In this situation, the Marines present all wore grim expressions.
Many future great pirates, including some Warlords of the Sea, began to leave the scene after the execution. They disappeared into the vast crowds within moments.
From a high vantage point, Reno watched everything unfold, but he didn't intervene. Once the execution was over, he quietly left his spot and blended into the crowd, disappearing into the sea of people shortly after.
Reno initially planned to find a secluded area, open a portal, and return to Windmill Village. However, when he reached the seaside, he saw two people arguing and decided to approach them instead of leaving immediately.
Before Reno got close, he greeted them from a distance: "Hey! Arguing the moment you meet? You two really have endless energy!"
The two people arguing by the shore stopped at the sound of Reno's voice, turning their heads simultaneously. Upon seeing it was Reno, both of them let out a sigh of relief.
These two were none other than Shanks and his perpetually antagonistic friend, Buggy. Every time they met, they would end up bickering, and every time, Buggy would end up on the losing side.
Shanks, seeing Reno, walked over and asked, "Reno, you came to watch the execution too?"
Reno corrected him without missing a beat, "That was your captain, Roger of the Roger Pirates—not my captain. Don't drag me into this, or I'll kill you!"
Despite Reno's warning, Shanks maintained his carefree attitude and slung an arm around Reno's shoulder. "Oh, come on, Reno. We're practically family! Since we're here, why don't the three of us grab a meal together?"
Smack!
Reno swatted Shanks' arm off with an exasperated look. "The Marines are looking for Roger Pirates' crew right now. If I'm seen with you, they'll definitely label me as one of you. Are you trying to get me in trouble?"
Of course, Reno understood Shanks' motives. He probably wanted Reno to be branded a criminal so he could eventually recruit him onto his ship.
Shanks, exposed, showed a fleeting look of awkwardness before quickly recovering and teasing, "Reno, how are you so young yet so cunning? Ever since you boarded our ship, I've never seen you take a loss except when you were overpowered by force."
Buggy, who had been listening, nodded in agreement. "Not only that, but most of the crew suffered under him at some point!"
Buggy added silently to himself: And no one suffered more than I did.
Remembering his unpleasant experiences, Buggy looked resentful. Suddenly, as if summoning all his courage, he grabbed Reno by the collar and shouted...
Buggy grabbed Reno by the collar and shouted, "You bastard, Reno! I haven't settled the score with you yet! Was it you who stole the treasure from the ship's vault? That was the treasure I painstakingly collected over so many years!"
Shanks, reminded by Buggy, finally recalled the incident. Because Reno had taken all the treasure and Beli, the crew had a miserable time during their final voyage. They ate nothing but fish for half a month. To this day, the thought of eating fish disgusted them, and it was all thanks to Reno!
Reno, seeing Buggy's furious expression and the increasingly subtle shift in Shanks' face, rolled his eyes and denied, "What proof do you have that it was me? If you don't have any evidence, you'd better let me go, or I can't guarantee I won't hand you over to the Marines for the bounty!"
Buggy froze at Reno's threat and immediately let go of him. Fully conscious now, Buggy didn't have the guts to face Reno. Without hesitation, he stepped back.
Shanks saw Buggy's cowardice and mocked him, "Buggy, you're such a wimp!"
Buggy, unbothered by Shanks' ridicule, retorted bluntly, "If you're so brave, why don't you try?"
Shanks was at a loss for words. It wasn't that he didn't dare to fight Reno, but knowing he would lose no matter what, he didn't see the point in seeking humiliation.
While the three were chatting, a tall figure appeared in the distance. With his hands in his pockets, he walked towards them with an air of arrogance, followed by a group of subordinates of varying sizes and shapes, each with a distinctive appearance.
Reno had noticed this person approaching long before, but he didn't pay it much mind. Right now, this man wasn't a threat. Even in the future, when he became more formidable, Reno wouldn't take him seriously. In this world, strength was the ultimate authority!
"Fufufufufufu…"
Before the man reached them, his distinctive laugh echoed, followed by his voice, "You kids over there, come join my family! Together, we'll welcome the new era!"
As he spoke, Doflamingo released his Conqueror's Haki, attempting to intimidate Reno and the others into submission so they would join the Donquixote Family.
Doflamingo had approached them because his Observation Haki sensed that these kids were extraordinary. Despite their young appearance, their strength was anything but ordinary, which piqued his interest.
Hearing Doflamingo's words, Reno, Shanks, and Buggy exchanged confused glances. Except for Reno, the other two had no idea who this flamboyant individual was.
Realizing this, Reno stepped forward and sneered, "We came from the New World to be here. You lot, stuck in the Four Seas, actually think we'd join your family? Where do you get that confidence?"
"Hahahahaha!"
Reno had barely finished mocking Doflamingo when Shanks, now aware of the situation, burst into unrestrained laughter.
Hearing that Reno and the others were from the New World, Doflamingo was momentarily startled. However, Shanks' laughter instantly darkened his expression.
Suppressing his growing anger, Doflamingo shouted, "So what if you're from the New World? It's just a different sea. Today, I'll wipe those smug grins off your faces!"
"Fufufufufu…"
With his signature laugh, Doflamingo stepped forward and asked, "Are you ready to face my wrath?"
Boom!
As soon as he finished speaking, Doflamingo launched himself forward, leaving a crater where he stood. In a flash, he appeared in front of Reno and the others.
Seeing Doflamingo's attack and his attempt to use a high kick, Reno became furious. A surge of green energy erupted from his body as he raised his hand and countered.
Bang Boom!
Before Doflamingo could even strike, a giant green energy hand slammed into him, sending him flying. He crashed into the ground some distance away, creating a long trench as he skidded to a halt.
The green energy around Reno grew more intense as he walked toward Doflamingo, taunting him with every step, "Frogs in a well like you, stuck in the Four Seas, dare to challenge me? Where do you get your nerve?"
"You bastard! How dare you hurt the Young Master!"
Doflamingo's subordinates glared at Reno with fierce and vengeful expressions, as if they were ready to pounce on him in the next second.
"Fufufufufu…"
Lying on the ground, Doflamingo suddenly began laughing again. Slowly, he got up and looked at Reno with a sinister grin. "Don't think you're the only one with a Devil Fruit power. I'm a Devil Fruit user too!"
"Overheat!"
With those words, Doflamingo vanished from his spot and reappeared in front of Reno, swinging a whip-like kick toward Reno's head. His leg was covered with razor-sharp threads extending outward, a deadly enhancement to his attack.
Boom—rumble!
Before the strike could land, Reno disappeared from where he stood. Doflamingo's attack hit the ground, leaving a massive crater in its wake.
Reno, who had dodged the attack, reappeared behind Doflamingo. In his hand, an unknown blade gleamed menacingly. Without hesitation, Reno swung the blade viciously toward Doflamingo's back.
Slash!
The sound of tearing filled the air.
Doflamingo's eyes widened as he realized how quickly Reno had countered. Blood sprayed into the air, and a deep gash appeared on his back.
"You're not as untouchable as you think," Reno said coldly, his expression calm as if the exchange was nothing out of the ordinary.
Doflamingo staggered forward but managed to stay on his feet. Turning his head slightly, his face twisted in a mixture of pain and fury. He clenched his teeth and hissed, "You're going to regret this, brat!"
Reno smirked and readied himself for the next round, his blade glowing faintly with the same green energy that had overwhelmed Doflamingo earlier. The fight was far from over.
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