The Earth-Shattering Strike

The man on the wanted poster wore a blue shirt, a red hat, and a red coat. His mustached face wore a foolish grin.

This not particularly bright-looking fellow was none other than the Pirate King, Roger, recognized as such by the entire world.

Roger was the captain of the Roger Pirates, the first and only pirate crew in history to conquer the Grand Line.

He was the man who stood at the pinnacle of all pirates, and the owner of the legendary treasure, One Piece.

In Garp's memories, Roger was a man who was easily provoked.

When Roger was angry, he could be extremely impatient and willful, but his actions were as guileless and innocent as a child's.

Roger treasured his companions, and as a result, they trusted him deeply.

To keep his companions safe, Roger would unhesitatingly shield them from powerful enemies. Until they were safe, he would never flee, no matter how strong his opponent was.

What's more, Roger would never allow anyone to speak ill of his companions. In the past, when someone slandered them, he had destroyed an entire country's army.

Garp had also said that, although he was a Marine, he couldn't bring himself to hate Roger. That was why he'd agreed to Roger's request to take good care of Ace. It showed just how much personal charm Roger had.

Aside from all that, when people thought of Roger, most of them remembered his execution in Loguetown.

By then, Roger had little time left to live. He told Rayleigh, "I'm not going to die," then went and surrendered to the Marines.

Before his execution, Roger said a few words that sent countless people rushing wildly out to sea: "You want my treasure? You can have it all! Go find it! I left everything I own in one place."

Those words gave new hope to people oppressed by the Celestial Dragons and nobles. One after another, they chose to set sail in search of One Piece.

The number of pirates surged, and the order established by the World Government and the Celestial Dragons began to waver.

As pirates fought over One Piece and carved up the New World, the Great Pirate Era began.

Mosen had some fondness for Roger.

For one thing, there was no doubt that Roger wasn't a good person. Even setting everything else aside, he had sparked the Great Pirate Era, causing countless ordinary people to suffer. That alone had nothing to do with being a good person.

But Roger wasn't a bad person, either. He chose to give his life to change the world, giving new hope to ordinary people oppressed by the Celestial Dragons and nobles. How could someone like that be called a bad person?

In Mosen's view, Roger had sparked this magnificent new era with his life because he had no other choice.

Roger and his crew had reached Laugh Tale too early. As Roger himself had said, they were more than twenty years too soon.

In other words, the true opportunity to change the world wouldn't come until more than twenty years later.

By then, Roger was already terminally ill. There was no way he could last another twenty years.

That was why Roger chose to surrender. He used his life to usher in a new era, drawing more people to the Grand Line and preparing for the upheaval more than twenty years in the future.

Of course, Roger wasn't a fool, nor was he someone who selflessly gave everything for others. He didn't want the chance to change the world to fall into someone else's hands, either.

So, in the final moments of his life, Roger left behind a child. He hoped his child would become the one to lead the world's transformation—the new Joy Boy.

Unfortunately, Roger's hopes ultimately came to nothing. His child didn't become Joy Boy, but his will was inherited by someone else.

The so-called Will of D had never been passed down through blood.

Thinking of that, Mosen grew even more eager to meet the legendary Pirate King. He handed the wanted poster to Mia.

Mia excitedly rubbed her hands together, then took the poster and used the power of the Phantom Fruit.

In the blink of an eye, a hazy figure appeared out of thin air. He looked exactly like the man on the wanted poster.

But merely standing there, he made everyone feel immense pressure. Paddy stepped forward to shield them, assuming a defensive stance.

"Mia, can you control this phantom and make it attack?" Mosen asked cautiously.

Mia nodded.

"Then let's see the strength of the legendary Pirate King Roger!"

Mia focused, and Roger's phantom drew the sword at his waist.

The next moment, an overwhelming aura burst from the figure, and blood-red lightning swept out in every direction.

The prisoners in Extreme Cold Hell all sensed Roger's Conqueror's Haki.

After all, Extreme Cold Hell held only criminals with bounties over a hundred million. They weren't about to be knocked unconscious by the pressure of Conqueror's Haki.

But they didn't dare make a move, either. They just stood there, staring blankly in the direction the Haki came from.

"Th-this is Conqueror's Haki?"

"How is this possible? How can someone's Conqueror's Haki be this powerful?"

"My Conqueror's Haki is on a whole different level from this person's!"

"Why does this Conqueror's Haki feel so familiar? It's just like Roger's!"

Back with Mosen, faced with Roger's Conqueror's Haki, he couldn't help remembering what had happened when he'd gone with Garp to Infinite Hell. Redfield had used Conqueror's Haki on him alone then.

Mosen felt something similar now. He felt like a small blade of grass in a storm, liable to be uprooted at any moment.

But the next moment, something even more terrifying happened. The phantom swung the Supreme Grade Sword Ace in his hand.

Black lightning erupted, and a slash wrapped in dark lightning shot straight into the sky.

The slash, infused with Roger's Conqueror's Haki, completely scattered the dark clouds above Extreme Cold Hell. Snow fell without pause there all year long, but at that moment, it stopped!

Then the ground began to shake violently, like an earthquake.

Above Extreme Cold Hell lay Scorching Hell. Magellan, who was taking a dump, suddenly felt a violent jolt and nearly got tossed off the toilet.

Magellan hurriedly pulled up his pants and ran outside. "What happened? Did a giant Sea King crash into Impel Down? Or was it an earthquake?"

"Magellan, I-it should be an earthquake. We haven't detected any giant Sea Kings approaching," Argo said, arriving just then to deliver a report.

Magellan breathed a sigh of relief. "It wasn't a giant Sea King crashing into us? That's good!"

"Magellan, what should we do now?"

"What else? Find the source of the earthquake immediately, and check whether it damaged any of Impel Down's facilities!"

"Yes! I'll take care of it right away!" Argo saluted, then turned and ran off.

I got a recommendation today, but it was only a web recommendation. It feels like I've advanced, but not quite. I'm a little confused.