The execution platform had already been set up in Loguetown Square. Elite Marine Headquarters soldiers lined the edges of the square, and a separate platform with several seats had been erected beside the execution stand for the Marine higher-ups.
The square was packed with people, mostly Pirates and civilians, most of them men. Bright sunlight shone down as sparse white clouds drifted slowly through the sky on the breeze.
Carlos stood at the front of the square, a cigarette hanging from his lips as he quietly waited for Roger to arrive and the execution to begin, ready to witness the dawn of the Great Pirate Era.
Roger was a complicated man. To Pirates, he was great—not only was he the One Piece, but he had also ushered in a golden age for Pirates. But to the countless ordinary civilians, Roger was terrifying and vile.
The explosive, endless increase in Pirates had put civilians across the world in danger. Pirates like Roger and Luffy were ultimately rare. Most Pirates were greedy, bloodthirsty, and unreasonable. They produced nothing, lived by plunder, and the impact they had on the world was obvious.
In Carlos's view, it all came down to differing positions. The world was not simply black and white; there was far more gray. Conflicts born of different positions and beliefs could sometimes be even harder to resolve than hatred.
Carlos was no savior, nor did he want to be one. The history of the Void Century, overthrowing the Celestial Dragons, the Clan of D—he did not care about any of it.
His only position was himself. Whichever side benefited him, that was the side he would stand on. Pirates, Marines—it made no difference to him.
This world gave him no sense of belonging. If it had been his previous life, he would definitely have stood with his own country, right or wrong. But that country did not exist in this world, so he would only stand by his own position.
Half an hour later, Fleet Admiral Kong and Sengoku had escorted Roger to the outskirts of Loguetown. They split into two groups. Roger was escorted by a Vice Admiral and Marine Headquarters soldiers, while Kong and Sengoku hid in the shadows, guarding against any possible accidents.
Wearing handcuffs and shackles, Roger was escorted by a squad of Marines from Loguetown toward the execution square, one step at a time. He held his head high and chest proud, like a straight pine tree, a smile on his face. Every step brought him closer to death, yet he showed not the slightest hesitation. He did not look like a man heading to his execution, but like a king inspecting his subjects, radiating a unique charm from head to toe.
That unique charm captivated the Pirates in Loguetown and the Pirates around the world watching the live broadcast. Even those ambitious Pirates were filled with admiration.
Roger's position as the One Piece was recognized by everyone. It was not merely because the Roger Pirates had reached Raftel; his influence among Pirates was unmatched. No Pirate could compare to him.
If Roger had not been terminally ill, there would have been no place for Luffy. As the first One Piece, if he had been willing to take the time, Pirates all over the world would have obeyed his commands. Even figures like Whitebeard and Golden Lion would have been no exception.
Tap, tap, tap...
The crisp footsteps drew closer and closer before entering the square. Everyone's eyes were drawn to that seemingly unremarkable figure, their gazes moving along with him. Excitement, grief, worship, sympathy, ambition—there was everything.
On the raised platform beside the execution stand, Fleet Admiral Kong, Marine Admiral Zephyr, Vice Admiral Garp, Chief of Staff Tsuru, and a host of other Marine higher-ups had gathered together. A Marine Admiral stood before the platform, presiding over the execution.
Logically, Fleet Admiral Kong should have presided over it. Executing the One Piece was a great achievement and an excellent opportunity to gain prestige, yet he had handed it to Sengoku. This also signaled the choice for the next Fleet Admiral—Kong was paving the way for Sengoku.
Carlos smiled as he looked at this man, terminally ill yet walking toward death with a smile, and who had still viciously tricked the World Government and the Marines before dying. A trace of admiration rose in Carlos's heart. No matter what impact he would have on the world, this man was extraordinary, destined to be recorded in the annals of history.
Tap, tap, tap...
Step by step, Roger approached the execution platform. His pace remained as steady as ever, neither speeding up nor slowing down, calm and composed.
People watched with different expressions as Roger climbed onto the execution platform and knelt there.
"Roger, where did you put your treasure?"
"Where did you put ONE PIECE?" Carlos's heart stirred. Hidden among the crowd, he shouted first, Internal Energy gathering in his throat as his voice rolled like thunder through the entire square!
"You bastard! This is bad—execute him immediately!"
The moment those words rang out, the Marine higher-ups' expressions changed drastically. The Five Elders watching the execution broadcast also changed color. Sengoku immediately gave the order and roared.
Roger was slightly stunned when he heard the voice. This wasn't one of the actors he had arranged? But it did not matter. It did not matter who had said it. He only needed a trigger.
He released the last of his strength—a burst of Conqueror's Haki. It was not especially powerful, but it was enough to temporarily intimidate the two executioners beside him, preventing them from acting and giving Roger enough time to say what he wanted to say.
"Ahahaha... My treasure?"
"ONE PIECE?"
"If you want it, go take it. Go find it! I left everything in this world there!" Roger said with a smile. His voice was not loud, yet it strangely rang in everyone's ears, piercing straight into their hearts. Even Carlos felt the urge to head for Raftel, though he quickly suppressed it.
Those words spread across the world through the broadcast. What had originally been a worldwide live broadcast meant to crush the Pirates' morale and display the Marines' might instantly reached every corner of the world. At the end of his life, Roger had used the stage built by the Marines and the World Government to viciously trick them both, causing them enormous trouble!
The entire square fell utterly silent. People watching the broadcast all over the world, regardless of identity, were stunned... The next moment, cheers that shook the heavens erupted from the square and every corner of the world!
"Kill him!" The order came again, this time personally given by Fleet Admiral Kong.
The executioners snapped out of it, their faces turning incomparably ugly. Humiliated and enraged, they drove their razor-sharp execution blades straight into Roger's body. Blood sprayed out. Roger's head drooped, but his face still bore a smile—relieved and satisfied...
A generation's One Piece, Roger, was gone. He had left like a true king—no, he had left as a true king!
Rumble...
Crash...
It was as though the heavens themselves mourned the fall of this One Piece, this legendary man who could be called the child of destiny. Before anyone realized it, the sunlight vanished, dark clouds blanketed the sky, thunder roared, and dense raindrops fell, soaking the entire world in an instant...
The square and the world gradually fell into a feverish atmosphere of excitement. The lifelong treasure of the One Piece, everything he possessed, was calling to countless greedy people, people filled with ambition and dreams!
In short, it tempted all kinds of people—except those without ability, those content with their current lives, and those who lived like salted fish!
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