In the office, Admiral Sengoku's reaction was unusually agitated the moment he learned that Roger had been captured by Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
But who could blame him? News this shocking would rattle anyone.
The Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.
He was Sengoku's contemporary, someone who had vanished from the seas after reaching the top, but whose strength was beyond question. Sengoku had clashed with him several times in the past, and even with Garp and other high-ranking officers assisting, they had never once succeeded in defeating the Roger Pirates.
And now... someone was telling him that Yoriichi Tsugikuni had captured Roger?
No matter how much faith he had in Yoriichi's genius, it was a lot to swallow.
"Fake news…"
He muttered inwardly, staring at the receiver in his hand. Still, he couldn't ignore it.
The one reporting was Kyros, someone Sengoku remembered as rigid and precise, a soldier who wouldn't lie, especially not about something of this magnitude. And if it was a lie, it'd be easily uncovered.
After calming his heart with a deep breath, Sengoku hung up and left his office.
This wasn't something he could handle alone.
Summoning the Admirals
Moments later, Sengoku arrived at the office of Fleet Admiral Kong, relaying everything exactly as Kyros had reported.
Kong was stunned.
"What did you just say?"
"Roger? Caught by Yoriichi? Which Roger?!"
The disbelief was so great that Kong had to hear it again to process it.
"Gol D. Roger. The Pirate King."
Sengoku repeated firmly. "Reported by Kyros of the Dawn Division."
Kong went silent. He tapped his fingers against the table, lost in thought, before finally asking:
"Did you confirm with Yoriichi himself?"
Sengoku shook his head. "Not yet. According to Kyros, their division is under heavy pressure. The news is spreading fast in Dressrosa. Yoriichi is too busy."
But Sengoku still believed the report. Neither Yoriichi nor Kyros would joke about something like this.
Kong nodded. He trusted Sengoku, but more importantly, he needed to believe this was real.
"Sengoku, summon Garp, Tsuru, and Zephyr. Bring them here, immediately!"
This matter was too large to delay.
Gathering the Legends
Soon, the summoned veterans arrived. Garp strolled in first, arms full of "Marine snacks," grinning casually.
"What's the rush? Huh? You called Tsuru and Zephyr too? Looks like something big."
He plopped down in the chair, the grin slowly fading as everyone else turned serious.
"So what's this about?" Zephyr asked, folding his arms.
Sengoku stood up and got straight to the point.
"We've received a report from the Dawn Division..."
Zephyr interrupted, "From Yoriichi?"
"Yes. His division has captured Gol D. Roger."
The words had barely left his mouth before Garp sprang to his feet, shouting:
"What?! Roger? Captured? By them?!"
Ignoring Garp's outburst, Sengoku addressed the others.
"The message came from Kyros. I haven't reached Yoriichi yet, but I don't doubt its accuracy."
Tsuru, ever the tactician, immediately began analyzing next steps, assuming the report was true. Zephyr, meanwhile, blinked in disbelief, then burst into joyful laughter.
"HAHAHAHA!!"
"That brat really did it again! Yoriichi's pulled off another miracle!"
Kong sighed at their reactions, already rubbing his temples.
"Alright. The report is likely accurate. Next step, bring Roger to Marineford."
"Sengoku, Garp, I'm sending you two to Dressrosa. No one else will do."
"If this is true, we've achieved the greatest victory in a decade. The fall of the Pirate King... is a milestone in the war between Marines and pirates."
Everyone nodded solemnly. The gravity of the situation was clear.
Unexpected Disruption
Suddenly, a loud knock interrupted the meeting.
"Fleet Admiral Kong! Urgent news!"
Sengoku opened the door, revealing a young green-haired officer, Brannew, panting, gripping a newspaper in hand.
"What's the meaning of this, Brannew?! Calm down!" Sengoku barked.
"Apologies, Admiral! But this, this is big!"
He placed the newspaper on Kong's desk. One look, and Kong's pupils shrank.
The front page photo was unmistakable.
A red-haired Marine in uniform stood in the center, his chest marked by a deep wound, but behind him… a shackled man with wild facial hair.
There was no mistake.
Gol D. Roger.
"Looks like we don't need to confirm it anymore," Kong muttered.
"The whole world already knows."
Kong picked up the paper, tossed it onto the table. Garp and Zephyr both leaned in.
"New Marine Legend Rises: Pirate King Roger Captured!"
It was an exaggerated headline, but no one in the room thought it was inaccurate.
"Sengoku, Garp, depart at once. Dawn Division is under massive pressure now."
"Yoriichi has made history."
Everyone stood.
Around the World…
Within an hour, over ten warships set sail from Marineford under Sengoku's command.
Yet no one knew how Morgans got wind of the news so quickly. Within a single day, the story had reached every corner of the seas.
In the New World, atop an isolated island, the Whitebeard Pirates had just received the newspaper.
Whitebeard glanced at the boy in the photo, Yoriichi.
"Roger… was this your choice?"
"Gurarararara… you damn fool."
His laughter was hollow. He had seen Roger before the surrender and knew his time was near.
To go out like this... it was unbecoming of the Pirate King.
Elsewhere, Roger's scattered crewmates received the same news.
In the East Blue, Shanks clutched the paper with trembling hands, eyes filled with tears.
"Captain Roger…!!"
His hoarse cry echoed through the trees. He had always seen Roger as a father.
Across the Grand Line, chaos brewed.
Douglas Bullet, another former Roger crewman, went into a blind rage, destroying everything in his path. And he wasn't alone. Many pirate crews, inspired by Roger, began converging toward Dressrosa.
A storm was brewing.
Back in Dressrosa...
Rain fell.
Yoriichi sat quietly by a window in the nearly completed Dawn Division base, watching the downpour. His expression unreadable.
"You seem troubled, kid."
Roger's deep voice broke the silence. The Pirate King lay casually on a stone bed in the corner, looking relaxed.
"Of course I am."
"You, the Pirate King, are here. I haven't had a good night's sleep in days."
"There are strange people appearing in Dressrosa. I can't attack them without proof… but I'm on edge all day."
Yoriichi sighed.
Roger chuckled.
"Being a Marine sure is constraining. Hey, wanna become a pirate? Try living free?"
He laughed heartily, arms behind his head, gazing at the ceiling.
Yoriichi didn't respond.
A long silence.
Then Roger spoke again.
"I really think highly of you, kid."
"Want me to tell you a secret?"
Yoriichi didn't react, but Roger continued anyway, smiling.
"If you ever come across a Devil Fruit called the Gomu Gomu no Mi… eat it."
"If it's you…"
His smile deepened.
"That fruit might actually help you."
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