Inside the inn's room, darkness reigned. Issho sat by the table, hands wrapped around a teacup, sipping calmly. For a blind man, light or darkness made no difference.
Suddenly, his expression shifted. Sensing something, he stood up smoothly, drew his blade, and once again activated his Devil Fruit power. The gravitational force surged through the ceiling and into the sky.
Moments later, another meteor came hurtling down from above, rapidly descending toward Patrilia Island.
Outside the inn, the CP9 agent assigned to watch them was still examining the last meteor's crater. As he looked up again, a second fiery light streaked through the sky.
Another one?
The man in a black suit stared dumbfounded at the heavens.
What's with these meteors?
He wasn't questioning himself, he was questioning the meteor itself.
"Why am I so unlucky?!"
Cursing aloud, he jumped back to evade the falling meteor. At that exact moment, two black shadows darted from a street corner and vanished into the inn's darkness.
Boom!
A second meteor crashed down, shaking the town. This time, the blast was too loud. Lights lit up in nearby houses as the locals were finally roused from sleep.
Through their windows, people peeked out in confusion. The CP9 agent leaped onto the rooftops, evading public scrutiny.
Inside the inn, the room remained dark. Kyros and Mihawk stepped in, swiftly closing the door behind them.
"You're back already?" Issho asked. "Did you find the location?"
Kyros yanked off his cloak and replied, "No. The place is already under CP9 control. We didn't enter."
He fumbled around in the dark for a glass and poured himself water, still adjusting to the room's lack of light.
Issho nodded. "So what's the next step?"
Kyros sat across from him and pondered. "We may have to rely on luck now. Vice Admiral Yoriichi described Roger's wife's appearance to me. Pink hair, freckles… he said she was a bone-structure beauty. Wears flower hairpieces and prefers loose dresses. That should help narrow it down, right?"
Mihawk frowned. "Bone-structure beauty? If she's pregnant, would she still look like one?"
That question stopped Kyros in his tracks. "I… I'm not sure."
Issho chuckled. "If she's only a few months along, you won't see much change. Besides, the other features should be enough to identify her."
He paused. "Though, I may not be able to help much from now on."
Kyros blinked. "Why not?"
Issho smiled. "I'm blind, remember? I can't go around identifying people by appearance."
Kyros and Mihawk exchanged glances and sighed. They had indeed forgotten. Issho moved so naturally, it was easy to overlook that fact.
"There's another problem," Mihawk pointed out. "Even if we find her, how do we approach? We can't just walk up and ask 'Are you Portgas D. Rouge?' That'd get us flagged instantly."
Kyros grinned and removed the large sword from his back.
Mihawk and Issho looked puzzled as Kyros peeled away a black cloth from beneath the blade, revealing another weapon, well-hidden until now.
Mihawk's eyes narrowed. "That sword… it looks familiar."
Kyros answered with pride, "It's Ace. Supreme Grade Sword, one of the 12 Saijo O Wazamono. Roger's own weapon."
"With this, we'll know based on her reaction."
He gestured toward the southern red-roofed district of town. "That's where we search. Issho, I need you to head east and act like you're searching too, just to divide CP9's attention."
Issho and Mihawk nodded. Finally, some progress.
Morning sunlight poured through a second-story room, warmly decorated with cream-toned furniture and white gauzy curtains fluttering in the breeze. A pink-haired woman sat quietly in a rocking chair, hand gently stroking her belly, enjoying the peace.
Beside her, a small table bore a vase full of fresh flowers and a steaming teacup resting on a newspaper. Its front page screamed the headline, "Pirate King Roger to Be Publicly Executed in Loguetown!"
She glanced at the calendar on the wall. "It's already the 26th…"
With a soft sigh, she stood and entered the kitchen, but supplies were low. She fetched her basket and quietly left the house.
This woman was Portgas D. Rouge, wife of the Pirate King Roger.
Ever since learning that World Government agents had landed on the island, Rouge had kept to herself. But to survive, she occasionally had to venture out for supplies.
Today was one such day.
She walked through the early morning bustle, ignoring the crowd while her peripheral vision scanned the street for anything out of place. CP9's search had yet to yield anything, so the townsfolk were still largely unaffected.
She bought fruits, vegetables, and meat from familiar vendors and turned to leave.
Just then, a towering man with a greatsword on his back "accidentally" bumped into her.
Rouge stumbled, dropping her basket, but before she could fall, a firm hand caught her by the shoulder.
"Ah, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!" the man apologized and crouched to retrieve her fallen goods.
As Rouge looked down at him, her eyes fell on the sword at his hip. In that instant, her pupils dilated and her face froze.
The man looked up, watching her closely.
He smiled. "Let me help carry your things home, miss. You shouldn't strain yourself with such heavy groceries."
Then his tone lowered.
"Right, Miss Rouge?"
His hand tapped the hilt of the sword.
She didn't speak, but in that moment, she understood. Whoever he was, he was looking for her, and if he meant harm, she wouldn't be able to run.
After a brief pause, she nodded.
Kyros's eyes lit up. He'd gambled, and won.
He followed her in silence, carrying the basket, until they reached her home.
Once inside, she shut the door and turned to face him.
"Who are you?" she asked. "Why do you have Ace?"
Her tone was unnervingly calm. No panic, just quiet resolve.
Kyros was surprised. "I'm with the Marines. Vice Admiral Yoriichi sent me. Roger entrusted you, and your child, to him."
He gently offered her the sword.
Rouge stared at it for a long moment. "So he entrusted me to a Marine…"
She didn't take it. But she didn't question Kyros either.
There was no point in doubting. She had nothing to fight with, and something about him felt… safe.
Time passed swiftly.
As Roger's execution day drew near, Loguetown grew crowded. The Pirate King was transferred from Marine Headquarters to the East Blue.
Nearly twenty warships docked at Loguetown's harbor, with dozens more patrolling offshore. The town became the most heavily guarded place in the world.
Roger stood on the deck, flanked by Sengoku and Garp.
"It's been a long time since I returned to Loguetown," he said, smiling. "Thanks, Sengoku. Thanks, Garp. I'm glad to spend my final moments in my hometown."
Garp grunted. "Take a last look then, Roger."
Sengoku was about to descend the gangplank when a loud ringing interrupted him.
Brrrrp brrrrp,
Garp reached into his coat and picked up the den-den mushi.
"Hello? Oh, Yoriichi. What is it?"
Sengoku and Roger both turned toward him curiously.
Whatever Yoriichi said, it made Garp pause. When he hung up, he stared at Roger in confusion.
"What did he say?" Sengoku asked.
Garp turned toward Roger and said, "Yoriichi wanted me to tell you… he said, don't worry. Face your execution in peace."
Sengoku raised an eyebrow, confused.
Roger, on the other hand, burst into laughter, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.
"That kid… hahahaha!"
The next day, the plaza was packed. Journalists, onlookers, and pirates from around the world had gathered.
Under global scrutiny, the Pirate King walked through layers of security and mounted the execution platform.
At the Marine base in Dressrosa, Yoriichi and Borsalino sat silently on the couch, watching the live broadcast through the wall projector.
Back at Marineford, even training at the academy was suspended.
Zephyr led the latest class of cadets into the main auditorium to watch the stream.
As Roger slowly stepped onto the execution stand, murmurs spread throughout the hall.
"So that's the Pirate King Roger? He looks strong!"
"I heard Vice Admiral Yoriichi captured him! He's one of Zephyr-sensei's students!"
"Whoa, can we become like that too someday?"
Zephyr smiled and nodded. "If you work hard, you absolutely can."
Some of the younger cadets nodded earnestly, fired up by his words. The older ones just chuckled.
At last, Roger uttered his final words to the world:
"You want my treasure?"
"Go ahead, find it! I left everything I have… in one place."
"In the Grand Line!"
With that, Roger's last words shattered the illusion of stability in the world.
And the Great Pirate Era… began.
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