On the waters off Loguetown in the East Blue, a pirate ship slowly approached – the Donquixote Pirates, having journeyed from the White-White Sea. The various crews already ashore paid them little mind; they had witnessed the arrival of far greater figures, and their initial excitement had long since settled.
Aboard the Donquixote ship, Doflamingo, lounging on a deck chair and enjoying a massage from Ibes, sensed Loguetown in the distance. He promptly signaled for Ibes to stop.
"Loguetown is here. Get ready to disembark."
With that, Doflamingo vanished – likely using Soru – to find Vergo, leaving Ibes standing there momentarily unsure of what to do.
Soon, Doflamingo appeared before Vergo.
"Vergo, my brother," Doflamingo began, his tone sincere as he looked at the man before him. "Loguetown is just ahead. This is where we part ways. I hope everything goes smoothly for you. Come back soon."
"Doffy, I understand," Vergo affirmed. "I won't let the Marines uncover my identity. What the Navy has… I will obtain it. You have my word. Don't worry."
"I believe in you. You will succeed, my brother." Doflamingo turned to leave, offering those simple words. Though brief and unadorned, they warmed Vergo's heart.
Their conversation concluded, the two began preparing to go ashore. This would be their final meeting for some time. To avoid raising Marine suspicion, they would separate here. Once ashore, Vergo would slip away unnoticed amidst the chaos, find a suitable opportunity, and enlist. With this move, the very foundations – the 'front teeth' – of the Marines would begin to loosen.
Soon, the ship docked. The harbor was already packed with pirate vessels, making it impossible to find a prime spot. Unconcerned, Doflamingo found a place to tie up, and they went ashore.
Doflamingo led his crew through the bustling streets of Loguetown. The town teemed with people of all sorts, creating a lively atmosphere. For now, the various pirate crews maintained an uneasy peace, each keeping to themselves. This was a critical moment; no one wanted to be the nail that stuck out. Patience, after all, is a quality of the strong.
Ibes gazed around with wide eyes, fascinated by everything so different from the Sky Islands. Their previous brief stop at the White-White Sea hadn't allowed her time to explore a Blue Sea town properly. Now, the sights completely captivated her, especially the goods offered by the street vendors.
Snap. Doflamingo flicked his fingers in front of her face. "Back with us?" he teased. "There'll be plenty of time to wander later. Right now, let's find a hotel."
Ibes blushed slightly at his actions and murmured, "Mm."
"Let's go."
After so long at sea, finding a hotel to relax was essential. Doflamingo certainly wasn't short on Beli, so ensuring comfortable arrangements was a given.
He led the group towards the hotel district. Along the way, Doflamingo scanned the crowds but didn't spot any truly significant figures. Perhaps they haven't arrived yet, or maybe they're keeping a low profile, he mused. He wasn't disappointed; he knew he'd see them eventually. There was no need to rush.
They soon reached a hotel and checked into several rooms without incident – none of the clichéd fanfiction scenes of arrogant thugs trying to steal their reservations occurred. While a fair number of pirates opted for hotels, there was ample space. Doflamingo instructed his crew to rest up and await the Marines' arrival – or rather, the arrival with their prisoner.
Having spent so long at sea, Doflamingo disliked the lingering salty smell clinging to him. He took the opportunity to enjoy a proper bath.
Later, he headed to a tavern. These places, hubs for all walks of life, were popular spots for pirates to unwind, drink, and boast. Doflamingo went alone, finding a seat and nursing a drink, quietly listening to the circulating rumors and occasionally glancing around for familiar faces.
Unfortunately, after lingering for quite some time, he saw neither Hawkeye nor Old Sand, the two he was most interested in encountering.
Boring. Doflamingo drained his glass and left the tavern without a backward glance. Having heard no interesting news and seen no one of note, he had no desire to stay longer.
Exiting the tavern, Doflamingo wandered aimlessly through the streets, observing the endless stream of pirates and the merchants enthusiastically hawking their wares. He found a certain peculiar charm in the scene.
"Help! Someone needs help!" "The ship! It's been cut in half!"
The sudden commotion caught Doflamingo's attention. Hearing the shouts, he immediately thought of one particular individual. Could it be him? He certainly has a penchant for slicing ships.
Indeed, a man emerged, striding calmly through the parting crowd: floral shirt open to reveal his chest, a cross-shaped necklace (concealing a small knife) around his neck, and a massive black sword strapped to his back. His sharp, hawk-like eyes swept over the onlookers, sending chills down their spines.
"It's Hawkeye!" "Everyone, make way!" "He's incredibly strong..."
The murmurs reached Doflamingo's ears, but he ignored them, focusing his curious gaze on Mihawk. Even now, though he seems younger, he already carries the Black Blade, Yoru – the sword that will become world-famous, Doflamingo noted internally. It won't be long before he claims the title of World's Strongest Swordsman.
So, it really is him, Doflamingo thought. Seeing is believing. Finally laid eyes on the man himself.
Mihawk sensed the intense stare and turned his gaze towards Doflamingo. His eyes were as cold and impassive as ever, radiating the dangerous aura of a master swordsman. However, Doflamingo remained unfazed. Such intimidation tactics might work on ordinary folk, but he was hardly susceptible.
"The aura of the strong," Mihawk registered silently, taking a long look at Doflamingo as if committing his face to memory. Then, losing interest, he turned and walked away alone.
"Better just wait patiently, then," Doflamingo muttered to himself with a wry chuckle, turning away from the street's commotion.
Out on the water, a warship slowly sailed into view. Everyone knew: the true main character had arrived.
The massive Marine battleship finally docked. Several Vice Admirals, along with Garp, disembarked, escorting a man in a striking red captain's coat. He had a small tuft of hair on his upper lip (which was, in fact, nose hair) and his hands were bound in heavy shackles.
Disciplined Marines quickly cleared the congested area, forming a path for the group to proceed.
The shackled man walked with a smile, his presence commanding. Despite the restraints and the grim procession, he exuded the undeniable aura of a king surveying his domain.
Garp, walking behind him, maintained a stony, unreadable expression. The other Vice Admirals diligently performed their escort duty, yet their presence was utterly eclipsed by the prisoner's charisma; they looked less like guards and more like his subordinates.
"Is that… the Pirate King, Roger?" "The first man to circumnavigate the entire world!" "What incredible presence…" "He truly is a powerful man." "His aura… it's almost suffocating."
The onlookers murmured amongst themselves, awestruck.
Doflamingo, having already secured a good vantage point with his crew, observed the unfolding situation. The crowd was too dense for sight alone, so he unleashed his Observation Haki, casting it wide. He wasn't the only one; the entirety of Loguetown was currently blanketed by various forms of Observation Haki.
So many powerful individuals… quite the turnout, Diamante thought grimly, the oppressive, heavy atmosphere preventing him from speaking aloud.
"Look at Red-Hair," Doflamingo mused internally, scanning the crowd with his Haki. "So young, a proper pretty boy. Hard to imagine he becomes such a imposing figure later. Tsk. And Crocodile, that arrogant bastard, still looks the same. Hmm, there's Hawkeye again, nothing more to say there. Eh? Gecko Moria… his figure hasn't gone to ruin yet. Did he let himself go after Kaido defeated him, eating too well in the Florian Triangle?"
Doflamingo briefly noted them before continuing his search. Many future famous figures were present today; he had to spot them all. Scanning methodically, he soon located Clown Buggy and a young, scowling Smoker in the crowd.
"Clown Buggy! Possessor of Conqueror's Luck?" Doflamingo mentally shook his head and moved on.
Soon, he identified other notable individuals, like Marco and members of the Whitebeard crew.
At that moment, Roger, flanked by two soldiers, calmly ascended the final steps to the execution platform and knelt.
Even upon the scaffold, Roger's expression remained unchanged. Simultaneously, the Marines' vigilance peaked, constantly scanning for any potential rescue attempt.
A pity, Doflamingo thought, observing the tense Marines with a dismissive shake of his head. They're watching in the wrong direction. The real danger isn't someone storming the platform… it's Roger himself. The fuse for the coming era of chaos was about to be lit.
"Come on, let's get this over with," Roger said calmly, devoid of any fear of death, only acceptance and a magnanimous air.
Truly worthy of the title Pirate King. That bearing… the legends don't do him justice, Doflamingo praised silently.
The two executioners were visibly nervous, sweat beading on their faces as they prepared to carry out the sentence.
"HEY! PIRATE KING!" a voice suddenly yelled from somewhere in the crowd. "WHERE DID YOU HIDE THE TREASURE YOU FOUND?! IT'S IN THE GRAND LINE, ISN'T IT?! YOU FOUND IT, DIDN'T YOU?! THAT LEGENDARY GREAT TREASURE?!"
A collective cold sweat broke out among the onlookers. Even the executioners on the platform began to shout, "YOU! BE SILENT!"
"THE ONE AND ONLY GREAT TREASURE! 'ONE PIECE'!" the fearless questioner pressed on, completely disregarding the Marines.
Ah, the perfect shill. Right on cue, Doflamingo thought, amused.
Hearing the question, Roger threw back his head and laughed heartily, his voice booming across the square. "My treasure? You want it? You can have it! Go seek it out! I left everything I own... there!"
As the words that would ignite an era echoed out, the executioners immediately moved.
"EXECUTE!"
Roger died. The Pirate King was dead.
And yet… somehow, he wasn't.
Though Roger's body was pierced through, every single person who heard his final words erupted. The crowd boiled over!
Every man with ambition in his heart would now set sail for the sea!
And every Marine present felt a chill colder than death itself.
Hidden aboard a warship, Sengoku, having witnessed the entire execution, felt dizzy. Gazing at the roaring crowd, his heart churned with a mixture of frustration and rage.
"DAMN YOU, ROGER!" Sengoku roared, slamming his fist down and shattering a table. "IS THIS YOUR GRAND SCHEME?! TO SPITE US EVEN IN DEATH?!"
"Fuffuffuffuffu!" Doflamingo laughed aloud, surveying the frenzied crowd. "The curtain on the new era has finally been raised! And I got exactly what I came for."
While most were caught up in the wild excitement, two figures wept openly for the man who had died – Shanks and Buggy, seeing their captain off on his final journey.
The other great pirates present merely sighed, acknowledging the passing of the Pirate King.
The throne was finally vacant. Ahead lay only mountains of corpses and rivers of blood. Who would be the next to claim the seat of the Pirate King?
The Will inherited through generations, the swells of the changing times, the dreams of people… These things are unstoppable. As long as people continue to seek the meaning of freedom, these things will never cease.
Those who understood the world's true nature knew the real cause of the coming Great Pirate Era lay with the corrupt World Government and the decadent Celestial Dragons. Roger's death merely raised the curtain.
If not for the fact that most people simply couldn't survive otherwise, who would willingly risk their neck sailing the seas as a pirate? Wouldn't a quiet life at home with a loving family be far preferable?
Having witnessed the final act of this grand play, the various major figures began to depart. However, the numerous Marines present weren't mere decorations. They wouldn't let wanted men simply walk away.
The fighting was about to begin.
_______
+40 chapters on: patreon.com/Shinobi_Scrolls