Watching Roger's Execution at the Start

Watching Roger's Execution at the Start, by Sixi Dao

Synopsis:

[One Piece + Twelve Talismans + martial arts + master swordsman + gradual buildup + unstoppable growth]

He arrived in the world of One Piece and gained the Twelve Talismans!

He stole the Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Model: Nika from Who's-Who!

He trampled Kaido of the Beasts and became the Strongest Creature on land, at sea, and in the air!

He became a devil feared by pirates and a hero revered by Marines.

I!

Kanos Atlas!

I'm the man who will bring the Great Pirate Era to an end!

[The synopsis doesn't do it justice. Please give the story a read.]

P.S. The Talismans in this book have been reworked by the author to fit the world of One Piece better. Their powers differ somewhat from the originals. If that bothers you, please bear it in mind. Thank you!

Wind Rises in Loguetown

Sea Circle Calendar, year 1498. East Blue, Loguetown.

Lightning flashed across the dark sky. The oppressive weather seemed to make it hard to breathe.

People packed Loguetown's square shoulder to shoulder. Occasional thunder seemed to join the crowd's uproar...

"Hey, Pirate King! Where did you hide all the treasure you found?"

"Is it really on the Grand Line?"

"You found it, didn't you? That one-of-a-kind treasure—the One Piece!"

A nondescript man in the crowd suddenly shouted at the figure kneeling on the Execution Platform, whose commanding presence had not diminished in the slightest.

That man would later be jokingly called the true founder of the Great Pirate Era on countless online forums. Whether Roger had planted him there was anyone's guess.

As soon as he spoke, the crowd before the Execution Platform fell silent. People even slowed their breathing without realizing it.

No one wanted to miss the answer. The Executioners on the platform grew tense too, afraid something else might go wrong.

"Hahahahaha... You want my treasure? If you want it, it's yours. Go find it!"

"On the Grand Line! I left everything the world has to offer there—the One Piece!" Roger roared from where he sat cross-legged on the Execution Platform.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!"

An Executioner's face changed. He drove his spear down without hesitation, piercing Roger's chest in an instant.

[Pirate King Roger—dead!!!]

"Wooooh!!!"

At those words, both the crowd below the platform and the people watching the live broadcast around the world erupted.

Some cheered and vowed to find the One Piece. Others watched calmly, already nursing ambitions, while still others observed from the sidelines... The tide of the age was about to turn.

The Great Pirate Era... had begun!

"Damn it...!!!"

In an attic not far from the Execution Platform, a middle-aged man wearing frog-shaped glasses and a braided beard on his chin glared at the chaos and cursed.

His grip crushed the windowsill beneath his hand. He knew the world was about to be turned upside down.

Marine Headquarters Admiral! Sengoku!!

"Mm..."

In an alley not far from the noisy crowd, a figure sprawled on the ground like a dead dog stirred, apparently awakened by the uproar.

He slowly lifted his stiff neck, revealing the delicate face of a boy of about eleven or twelve.

His bewildered eyes swept his surroundings, then landed on the face of the man who had met death with such composure. His pupils contracted in shock.

"Gol D. Roger!?"

As a One Piece fan, he knew Roger's wild face all too well. Those two things that might have been mustache hairs or nose hairs were unmistakable, even rendered in flesh and blood.

Yes, the boy was a transmigrator, and of all places, he had ended up in the world of One Piece.

In his previous life, he had been an ordinary orphan. He had finally graduated from university and found a stable job, only to wake up one morning in this godforsaken world.

To him, One Piece had been fun to watch as an anime. Actually living in its world would probably be a bloody struggle just to survive.

Celestial Dragons lorded it over everyone, while pirates burned, killed, and plundered wherever they went, constantly threatening ordinary people's lives.

Luffy and his crew were exceptions among pirates. They should not even have been called pirates—explorers would have been more accurate. But they disrupted the established order all the same.

Having grown up in an orderly modern society, he felt no sense of security here whatsoever.

"Kanos Atlas, huh? I guess I'll have to live in this world under your name." The boy—Atlas—muttered to himself. He scraped together what little strength he had left, struggled to his feet, and tried to leave this place of trouble.

After all, it would soon become dangerous. Powerful figures had gathered here: the future Red-Haired, one of the Four Emperors; Dracule Mihawk; Doflamingo; Gecko Moria; and others.

Some had yet to achieve the fame they would later enjoy, but they already showed glimpses of the great pirates they would become.

The Marines would not pass up a chance to snuff out these threats before they grew, and pirates and ambitious men chasing their so-called freedom would not surrender quietly.

This place would become a battlefield of blood and fire. A weakling like Atlas could be killed by the shock waves of a fight at any moment. That would make him the most miserable transmigrator in history.

He staggered toward the Loguetown Marine Base, following the route in his new body's memories. His desperate need to live drove him to wring out every last bit of strength...

His leaden legs and stomach, which felt as though it were burning, reminded him with every step how weak this body was.

But growing up an orphan had taught Atlas one thing: whether he survived was up to him. Respect for life and the will to live were etched into his bones...

Time crept by. The journey should have taken only a dozen minutes, but to Atlas it felt like a century. At last, the Marine emblem ahead and the Marines nearby told him that his chance to survive was within reach.

Finally, after a journey that felt like eighty-one trials, Atlas reached the Loguetown Marine Base and looked up at its seagull-and-scales emblem.

For some reason, relief washed over him. Then the adrenaline keeping him upright faded. His vision blurred, and he could only faintly hear cannon fire mixed with startled cries...

"I..."

Before he could say another word, everything went black. His battered body could hold on no longer, like a string snapping under too much strain.

"Quick! There's a boy collapsed over there..."

Hurried footsteps followed, distant and unreal, as though he were dreaming...

Atlas

A shaft of sunlight broke through the thick clouds and fell on Loguetown, where traces of the fighting still remained. It seemed to herald new life amid the destruction...

Inside the Loguetown Marine Base...

A handsome young boy lay in bed. His furrowed brow and the sweat on his forehead showed that his sleep was far from peaceful. Suddenly, Atlas opened his eyes. He slowly took in his surroundings, then curled his weak fingers into a fist.

"So it wasn't a dream... I really came to the world of One Piece."

Atlas wished desperately that everything he had experienced had been nothing more than a dream, but reality had dealt him a harsh blow.

As things stood, he could not go back. All he could do was make the best of it.

Determination slowly appeared in his eyes.

I have to get stronger! Stronger than anyone else!

He understood that in a world where the law of the jungle ruled, his own strength was the only thing he could rely on.

So he intended to join the Marines.

Granted, in the One Piece anime, the Marines were little more than the Celestial Dragons' lackeys. They even had people like Captain Nezumi, who worked with pirates to oppress civilians instead of protecting them. Still, the Marines were the force that maintained order across the seas. In a world this chaotic, every option was flawed, and the Marines as a whole at least believed in justice.

As for the Revolutionary Army, he did not even know whether it had been founded yet. Judging by its organization and ideals, it was still an immature revolutionary movement.

He had never considered joining the pirates.

Raised under the red flag and having completed nine years of compulsory education, Atlas could not bring himself to become a pirate. Even if he never burned, killed, or plundered, he could not accept it. A thief was still a thief.

Besides, after growing used to the comforts of modern life, he could hardly imagine drifting across the sea with no stable home and death always close at hand.

As for those disgusting Celestial Dragons, he could avoid them as much as possible. Perhaps that was burying his head in the sand, but right now he was just an ordinary person struggling to survive. Saving the world was hardly his concern.

The Marines also had an established way to train recruits. They could protect him while he was weak and give him enough time to grow.

And in the chaos earlier, seeking their protection had been his only choice. Otherwise, his time in this world might have ended before it had truly begun.

Knock, knock, knock...

A sudden knock at the door interrupted Atlas's thoughts.

"Come in..."

Atlas forced the words through his dry, hoarse throat.

The door clicked open, letting in a beam of light. A broad-shouldered man with a stern face and a coat bearing the word "Justice" appeared before Atlas.

Atlas was startled. He could not read the rank insignia yet, but he knew only officers of ensign rank or above were entitled to wear that coat. The man was at least an ensign!

Atlas tried to struggle upright out of respect...

"Heh, don't bother, kid. You're still recovering."

The man waved a hand, a glimmer of approval in his eyes.

"Let me introduce myself. I'm Marcus Wright, a captain at the Loguetown Marine Base. You can call me Captain Wright."

Marcus Wright smiled as he spoke.

"Yes, Captain Wright! I'm Atlas, an orphan. My goal is to become a Marine who upholds justice."

Atlas did his best to stand beside the bed and answered as loudly as his current strength allowed.

"Oh? A Marine who upholds justice..."

Satisfaction crossed Marcus Wright's face. That damned Roger had used his life to usher in the Great Pirate Era, and the first signs of chaos were already appearing. The Marines needed more people committed to justice if they were to maintain order on the seas.

If only every young person were like Atlas...

The thought dimmed Wright's expression. But he quickly rallied. That was all the more reason to fight for justice with everything he had!

"Then tell me, young man. What does justice mean to you?"

Captain Wright's face grew serious, and he looked straight into Atlas's eyes.

"Justice... Justice means fighting evil and protecting civilians!"

A flush spread across Atlas's pale face as he spoke with excitement.

Of course, he was putting on an act. It was the sort of passion expected of a hot-blooded boy. If he had suddenly declared, "I believe in Absolute Justice," who did he think he was, Akainu? His answer had to fit his age and experience. That way, the Marines could shape his sense of justice into one that suited them.

"I see... That's a fine sense of justice."

Captain Wright did not disagree. He gave Atlas a knowing smile. Plenty of Marines believed the same thing. Many young recruits started out that way, himself included.

The thought passed, and Wright continued, "Atlas, I understand what justice means to you. But the Marines don't recruit twelve-year-old kids. I can take you on as a Handyman at this base, though. Just remember, the Marines have no place for dead weight. If you don't do your job well, I'll dismiss you. Understand, Atlas?"

"Handyman Atlas reporting for duty, sir!"

Atlas gave an excited salute. This time, his excitement was genuine. He had finally found a place in this world—and a path that would let him keep growing stronger.

Grrrr...

His stomach suddenly growled, breaking the spirited mood. Atlas scratched his head awkwardly. He had not eaten in days. The only reason he had lasted this long was that people in the world of One Piece seemed to have extraordinary constitutions.

"All right. Go to the base cafeteria later and eat your fill. You need a full stomach to uphold justice."

Wright could not help laughing. Atlas was only a child, after all.

"Yes, sir!"

Atlas answered loudly.