One Piece: King of the World

Chapter 78: Chapter 78: The Great Era of Pirates Begins!!!

Roger's footsteps were steady, unhurried, with a faint smile lingering on his face. He seemed at peace, as if life and death had already ceased to matter to him. Each step he took reverberated through the square, his presence pressing on the hearts of everyone watching.

As he passed by Claudius, Roger turned his head slightly and glanced his way, a playful smirk appearing on his face as if sharing a private joke. Claudius returned the look, rolling his eyes and mirroring Roger's smile with one of his own.

This brief, subtle interaction went unnoticed by the crowd. Finally, Roger reached the foot of the execution platform.

The eyes of Sengoku, Garp, and the other Marines were fixed on him, but Roger didn't pay them any attention. Just before ascending the steps, he murmured softly, "Farewell, Garp."

Sengoku, overhearing this, looked at Garp, but Garp simply closed his eyes, a flicker of melancholy crossing his face.

Sengoku opened his mouth as if to speak, but Garp cut him off in a low, firm voice. "Shut up, Sengoku. Don't say a word."

Sengoku, taken aback, decided to remain silent, watching Roger continue his ascent.

Roger climbed the stairs to the platform, where two executioners with long blades waited for him. Standing tall, he cast his gaze across the massive crowd, a faint chuckle escaping his lips. "So many people came just to watch me die? I'm honored."

Without any sign of fear or regret, Roger crossed his legs and sat down on the platform, settling himself comfortably. He placed his shackled wrists on his knees, relaxed, as if he was merely a spectator at his own execution.

Looking out across the square, Roger took in the sights of Logue Town, his birthplace. The sun was shining brightly, and he squinted slightly, remarking, "Still feels the same... this heat. It hasn't changed since I left all those years ago."

He thought back to his journey, the adventures, and ultimately, his decision to end it all here. "Starting and ending here... maybe that's how it was meant to be," he whispered to himself.

For a fleeting moment, Roger's mind drifted south, across the vast ocean, to a small island in South Blue. There, he imagined Rouge, his beloved, watching toward the east, her gaze reaching across the sea to meet his in spirit. He closed his eyes and whispered, "Farewell."

The moment passed, and Roger refocused on the present. One of the executioners stepped forward and asked, "Do you have any last words, Roger?"

Roger grinned, rattling the shackles on his wrists. "Mind taking these off? My wrists are itchy."

The executioner scowled, clearly irritated. "What nonsense are you talking about? That's impossible!"

Roger sighed, smiling. "Relax. Do you really think I'd run now?"

"If you have nothing to say, then savor these last few minutes in silence," the executioner replied curtly.

Sitting on the platform, Roger glanced out into the crowd. His eyes landed on two familiar faces hidden within, a young man wearing a straw hat and a red-nosed clown by his side.

"Oh, Shanks and Buggy... they came all this way to see me off?" he thought, a fond smile playing on his lips.

Both Shanks and Buggy noticed Roger's gaze, and a wave of grief washed over them. This simple, heartfelt smile from their captain was almost unbearable.

"Captain Roger..." Buggy whispered, his voice choked with emotion.

Shanks clutched his straw hat, tears welling up in his eyes.

Elsewhere in the crowd, a white-haired boy watched Roger intently. Despite his youth, he was struck by the calm, smiling man on the platform. He couldn't understand why a man about to die would smile like that, but the sight etched itself deeply into his memory.

"Smoker! I told you not to run off!" a man's voice called from behind the boy.

The white-haired boy, Smoker, reluctantly stepped back, casting one last look at Roger.

The square remained silent, the entire crowd holding its breath as the clock tower's minute hand crept toward noon. Then, in the final seconds before the execution, a voice broke the silence.

"Roger! You're about to die! Tell us—where did you hide all your treasure?! The One Piece!!!" someone shouted.

The square erupted with murmurs, as others echoed the question. Sengoku's face darkened. "Prepare to execute him! Don't let him say another word!" he commanded.

But Roger, as if he had been waiting for this question all along, threw his head back and laughed. "You want my treasure? If you want it, you can have it! Go and find it! I left everything this world has to offer there!"

"Execute him! Now!" Sengoku roared, his voice filled with urgency.

But it was too late. Roger's words had already pierced the hearts of everyone present.

The executioners brought their blades down, crossing them into Roger's chest. The sun was at its zenith, and at that precise moment, the bell in the clock tower rang out. The Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, was dead.

Yet with his death, he had planted a seed that would change the world. His final words ignited a flame in countless hearts. Men across the seas set their sights on the treasure he left behind, dreaming of adventure, glory, and wealth. This was the dawn of a new age, an age known as the "Great Pirate Era."

In the square, pandemonium erupted as the realization set in. Men who had merely come to witness an execution now felt a surge of ambition and hope.

Laughter broke through the crowd as Claudius watched the chaos unfold. "Ahahahahahaaha! You really knew how to go out with a bang, Roger!"

Beside him, Doflamingo chuckled darkly, his eyes gleaming. "It seems the World Government's attempt to quash the pirate spirit has backfired spectacularly. This sea is going to be thrown into chaos! Ahahaha! I think I made the right choice in becoming a pirate."

Claudius smirked, the thrill of the new era lighting a fire within him. "You're right, Doflamingo. With all these changes, how could we not play our part?"

Doflamingo turned to him with a grin. "What's this, cousin? Are you planning to sail under a pirate flag too? A Celestial Dragon pirate? Now that's a sight."

Claudius laughed, shaking his head. "No, not quite. I just meant... now is the perfect time to put my plans into motion."

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