Everyone fell silent at Rengoku's words.
The only sounds left in the tavern were the soft clink of Shakky calmly preparing his sweet potato latte and the deep gulp of Rayleigh drinking straight from a bottle.
"Listen carefully from here on, Monkey D. Luffy," Rengoku said quietly. "I'm only telling you this because you're the grandson of my benefactor, Vice Admiral Garp—and because, as a pirate who's never harmed civilians, you've at least kept some honor as a peace main."
He accepted the latte from Shakky, took a sip, and continued.
"Gol D. Roger? The Pirate King? What a joke. Do you even realize what kind of world his final words created?"
"…"
"You're the kind of captain who acts first and thinks never. If I gave you an example from someone else's life, you wouldn't understand. So instead, I'll use your own crewmates as examples."
The insult to Luffy's intelligence stung, but no one dared to interrupt.
"Let's start with Nami," Rengoku began, his tone steady and sharp. "If the Great Pirate Era hadn't begun, your homeland might never have been crushed by Arlong. Belle-mère—she might still be alive today."
Nami froze, her fingers tightening.
"Usopp. Your father, Yasopp, joined one of the Four Emperors—the Red-Haired Shanks. He left behind a sick wife and a young boy, all alone. Even when he stayed for a long time in Foosha Village, close to your home in Syrup Village… even then, he never came to see you. Not when your mother died. Not when you started telling lies to cope with your loneliness. And while you endured it, believing 'that's what pirates do,' your father was drinking and celebrating on the neighboring island."
Usopp's eyes widened, trembling.
"Franky," Rengoku went on, turning his gaze. "If the Great Pirate Era hadn't begun, would your master, Tom, have been executed? No. You and Iceburg could have become world-renowned shipwrights representing Water 7—in peace."
He set the cup down and sat upright, his expression serious but composed.
"Of course, I understand that because of this era, you've all met, formed bonds, and pursued your dreams with pride. I don't deny that. But think of it from the other side—because you are the exceptions. What about everyone else?"
He looked around at the silent crew.
"In this so-called Great Pirate Era, how many fathers abandoned their families chasing 'One Piece'? How many sons and daughters went to sea and never returned? How many innocent civilians lost their families to pirates?"
He leaned forward slightly, voice low but cutting.
"Romance? Friendship? Those are luxuries only a handful of pirates can afford. The rest of the world is drowning in pain. Villages fear the sight of a ship's flag. Fathers hang themselves when their sons become wanted men. Some pirate's son even sold his own mother for money."
He paused, eyes cold.
"Even if not every pirate is evil, Roger's words pulled the trigger that unleashed the worst in men. For that one final boast, how many families were torn apart? How many people died, Luffy? How many more suffered?"
Then, slowly, Rengoku turned his gaze to the man sitting beside him—the Dark King himself.
"Silvers Rayleigh, former first mate of the Pirate King… am I wrong?"
Rayleigh silently finished an entire bottle, wiped his mouth, and finally answered.
Everyone in the bar fell silent.
The only sounds left were the faint clatter of Shakky making the sweet potato latte and the soft glug of Rayleigh drinking straight from the bottle.
Rengoku spoke again, his voice steady but sharp.
"Listen well, Monkey D. Luffy. I'm saying this only because you're the grandson of my benefactor, Vice Admiral Garp—and because you've never attacked civilians. You're a peace main, so I'll speak plainly."
He took the latte from Shakky, sipped it once, and continued.
"Gol D. Roger? The so-called Pirate King? What nonsense. Do you even know what kind of hell his dying words unleashed upon the world?"
"…"
"You're impulsive and reckless. You won't understand if I talk about others, so I'll explain this in a way even you can grasp."
Luffy stayed silent, his jaw tightening.
"Tell me, are you planning to break into Impel Down to rescue Ace? Suppose you do succeed. What then?"
"…"
"You haven't thought that far, have you? The moment you open those gates, you'll be freeing not only Ace, but also the world's most dangerous criminals—mass murderers, warlords, and demons in human skin. The Great Pirate Era still has a few decent souls like you, but Impel Down is home to nothing but monsters—pure evil. Compared to them, that fish-man Arlong is a harmless child."
Rengoku finished his latte and set the cup down.
"If not Impel Down, then are you thinking of storming Marineford itself? With your current strength, you couldn't even handle my apprentices, let alone me. You know about them, don't you? Lieutenant Coby and Sergeant Helmeppo—the ones trained by Vice Admiral Garp. They're two of my students. Either of them alone could capture the weakest two members of your crew without trouble."
Luffy and Zoro stiffened at the names. Coby and Helmeppo had improved drastically since Water 7—strong enough to threaten Nami or Usopp with ease.
"And even if you all fought at full power," Rengoku said flatly, "you'd still be stopped by me. So tell me, what chance would you have at Marine Headquarters, where people stronger than I am are waiting?"
He listed them one by one, his tone unshakable.
"Sengoku. Garp. Sakazuki. Borsalino. Kuzan. That's five officers above me—just among the Admirals and Commanders. Then there's Zephyr, the retired Admiral who still rivals my strength. Tokikake and Gion, both once Admiral candidates. And below them—Vice Admirals Momonga, Onigumo, and Doberman. Rear Admirals Hina and Smoker. Even officers like Captain Tashigi, Commander Vivi, and Colonel T-Bone could hold their own against one of your main fighters."
The list hit like a hammer. Each name was a reminder of the impossible gap between their worlds.
"In the face of such overwhelming power," Rengoku continued, "you'd still drag your friends into war? Lead your so-called crew—these 'small fish'—into a slaughter just to satisfy your pride as captain? There's no word for that but irresponsible."
He walked toward Luffy, placed a hand gently on his shoulder, and spoke more softly.
"I know it's painful. I know you see Ace as your brother, and I respect that bond. But accept the truth, Luffy. Ace is as good as dead."
He turned, heading for the door.
"The latte was good," he told Shakky with a faint smile. "But the information on this place will reach the Navy soon. You'd best relocate before long."
As the door shut behind him, Shakky exhaled a thin stream of smoke.
"…He's gone."
Neither she nor Rayleigh said anything more.
They both understood—and, in part, agreed with Rengoku's words.
The Great Pirate Era had brought far more suffering than freedom.
And with their current strength, the Straw Hats could never hope to rescue Ace.
The bar fell into heavy, suffocating silence once again.
------------------
Want to read 20 advance chapters ahead?
Go to my patreon: patreon.com/Kinglass