Luffy turned another corner.
Then stopped.
His eyes lifted slowly, curiosity creeping into his expression.
A sign hung crooked above a narrow doorway, its paint cracked and faded by time.
Bar Gold Roger
"…Huh."
Of all the names.
Luffy stared at it for a long moment before a small smile tugged at his lips.
"Well," he muttered, "that's interesting."
He pushed the door open.
The hinges groaned in protest.
The bar was dead.
Not metaphorically—literally.
Dust blanketed every surface. Chairs were flipped upside down atop tables. Cobwebs stretched lazily between shelves once stocked with liquor. The air smelled old, stale, untouched by laughter for years.
Only one table was occupied.
A short, elderly man sat there alone, wearing sunglasses indoors, his posture slouched but deliberate. In front of him rested two glasses of liquor.
One for himself.
One for a skull.
The skull was massive—far too large to belong to any normal human.
The old man raised his glass.
"To you," he muttered, clinking it gently against bone before taking a sip.
Luffy stepped further inside.
"Excuse me," he said calmly. "Do you work here?"
The man didn't answer.
"The sign outside says this place is called Gold Roger," Luffy continued, glancing around.
"How'd a bar get a name like that?"
The old man slowly turned his head.
Behind the dark lenses, his eyes assessed Luffy carefully—sharp, experienced, weighing.
"…Scram," he said gruffly.
"This ain't a place for kids."
He poured himself another drink.
"We're closed for good anyway."
"For good?" Luffy echoed, pulling out a stool and sitting down uninvited.
"You're going broke?"
The old man snorted.
"I'm not broke. I chose to close it."
He sighed.
"I'm retiring."
"Oh." Luffy nodded. "That makes sense."
He set his own glass down, pulled out a bottle of whiskey, and poured himself a drink without asking.
The old man didn't stop him.
"I'm looking for the execution platform," Luffy added casually.
"But I got lost."
His eyes drifted back to the skull.
"…Where'd you get that?"
The old man smiled.
"Killer Giant," he said proudly, tapping the skull.
"One of the most feared monsters to ever terrorize the Grand Line."
He raised his glass again and clinked it against bone.
"He sent hundreds of pirates to their graves."
Luffy leaned forward.
"…And?"
"And it took one strike for Gold Roger to kill him."
Luffy's eyes widened.
"Gold Roger did that?"
"With lightning speed!" the old man barked, slamming his hand on the table.
"The fight was over before the giant could even lift his sword."
He pointed at a hole in the skull.
"That's where it ended."
Then, softer—
"That monster took off his hat before he died."
The old man chuckled.
"He said, 'Gold Roger… I take my hat off to you. You will forever be the Pirate King.'"
Luffy felt goosebumps race down his spine.
A grin split his face.
"That's incredible," he said, voice bright.
"Tell me more."
The old man blinked.
"You… want to hear?"
"Yeah!" Luffy leaned closer, excitement bleeding through.
"All of it."
For the first time, the old man truly looked at him.
"…Hah."
He swirled his drink.
"Eric Dowd, the so-called King. Silver Silver—the greatest shooter alive. The Grounds Brothers. Monsters. Demons."
He exhaled slowly.
"They all fell."
"But not Roger."
The bar felt warmer somehow.
"Back then," the old man continued, "the Grand Line was a cursed sea. Ships entered and never returned. People feared it."
He smiled faintly.
"Roger came here the night before he sailed. Drank every bottle I had."
He chuckled.
"Left the next morning like he was taking a stroll."
Luffy listened like a child hearing a bedtime story.
"When I heard he conquered the Grand Line," the man said quietly,
"I wasn't surprised."
He looked down.
"I was happy it was him."
His voice roughened.
"Twenty-two years ago… he died on that platform."
He gestured vaguely outside.
"And the world went insane."
The Great Pirate Era.
"Look at this city now," he scoffed.
"Cowards. Scum. Pretenders."
Luffy took a slow sip.
"…Couldn't have said it better."
The old man nodded.
"There are no real pirates left," he said sadly.
"That's why I closed this place."
Luffy set his glass down.
"I'm going to the Grand Line."
The old man stiffened.
"…What?"
"Back to it," Luffy corrected calmly.
The man stared.
"Gold Roger showed the world what a pirate should be," Luffy continued.
"That's why I'll conquer the Grand Line."
He smiled—simple, absolute.
"Find One Piece."
"And become the Pirate King."
Silence filled the bar.
Then—
"…Big words," the old man said quietly.
"Especially spoken here."
"I'm just saying what I believe."
The old man laughed.
A real laugh.
"Kid… if people like you still exist," he said, stepping closer,
"maybe I shouldn't close this bar after all."
Luffy shrugged.
"Maybe it's just me."
The old man grinned.
"Then let's drink."
He moved behind the bar.
"I only drink whiskey," Luffy said.
"Good," the man replied, setting two glasses down.
He removed his hat.
"To the immortal Pirate King."
Luffy took off his straw hat as well.
"To the Pirate King."
Their glasses clinked.
The bar, for just a moment—
Was alive again.