1st Day of the New Year, Year 1500 of the Sea Calendar.
This was the day decreed by the World Government and Marine Headquarters for the public execution of Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King.
To host this historic spectacle, the Marines had concentrated nearly every available force in Loguetown, primarily to deter any remnants of Roger's crew or ambitious sea dogs from storming the scaffold.
With Fleet Admiral Kong and Admiral Zephyr arriving on site, the full might of Marine Headquarters was brought to bear. Meanwhile, the warship bearing the Pirate King slowly glided toward the docks of Loguetown.
"I see it... It's the Navy warship! The Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, is on board!"
Shouts echoed through the town, igniting an uproar among the dense crowds—many of whom were pirates lying in wait under disguise.
The warship pulled up to the harbor, flanked by ranks of elite Marines. Surrounding the path were Marine Admirals, the Fleet Admiral, and an array of formidable Vice Admirals, all wearing grave, unyielding expressions.
Disembarking from the dock, Roger walked in silence. Marine hero Garp walked quietly beside him as an escort.
Before leaving Impel Down, Roger had entrusted the care of his unborn child and wife to Garp. Having accepted the request of his lifelong rival, Garp was prepared to weather whatever fierce storms would follow that decision.
The two men walked side by side toward the scaffold in silence. Though one was a Marine hero and the other a notorious pirate, they had shared a deep mutual respect throughout their era. Seeing this day finally arrive left Garp with a heavy heart.
Executing Roger would not bring an end to this chaotic era. In fact, Garp felt a deep, ominous premonition that a far more turbulent storm was about to break.
Throughout the journey, Garp had treated Roger with leniency, allowing him to rest on the deck. Though his hands and feet were bound in heavy iron manacles, Roger remained in high spirits, looking out over Loguetown with a broad grin.
"Garp... If it weren't for you back then, the Rocks Pirates probably would've continued dominating the Grand Line, and I might never have become the Pirate King, Hahaha!"
The Rocks Pirates—a colossal force from a bygone era. Garp's legendary title as the "Hero of the Marines" had been forged in that very conflict. Back then, Roger and Garp were mere rising stars, while Rocks stood as an absolute colossus of the high seas.
"Roger..." Garp grunted softly.
As they reached the foot of the execution platform, Roger looked up at the sky and suddenly spoke: "Garp... besides the secret history the World Government goes to such lengths to erase, there are even greater secrets hidden within this world."
Roger seemed to recall something from the final island. But before he could continue, a voice cut in out of nowhere.
"Would you mind sharing the secret of the final island with me... Mr. Pirate King, Gol D. Roger?"
Who's there?!
Garp whirled around instantly. Standing silently beside them was a young man in a white pirate coat, wielding a gleaming silver blade.
Chaos instantly rippled through the Marine ranks. Garp clenched his iron fist, his voice dropping: "Aoki Shiraishi!"
The Great Pirate, Aoki Shiraishi!
The former Rookie King who had vanished for over two years—rumored to have perished in the Calm Belt—had suddenly materialized along the execution route of Gol D. Roger! Every eye in Loguetown turned to lock onto the standoff.
"Bwahahaha!"
Roger burst into booming laughter, his mood visibly brightening: "I never expected to meet such a fascinating rookie right before I die!"
A suffocating aura burst forth from Shiraishi, spreading outward in invisible waves that made the surrounding Marines stagger and faint.
"I'm entirely serious," Shiraishi said, his gaze fixed on Roger. "Can you tell me the secret of the final island?"
Conqueror's Haki!
When on earth did this kid master Conqueror's Haki?!
Roger fell silent for a moment. Then, in a casual, matter-of-fact tone, he murmured: "At the final island... I saw a rift in the sky. And within that rift stood an unimaginable, colossal tree."
A colossal tree...?
Could it be... the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path (Gedo Mazo)?
Before Shiraishi could process the thought, Garp's iron fist came crashing down. The two collided in a violent clash of fists, sending a shockwave tearing through the air as their Conqueror's Haki clashed in a chaotic storm!
This brat has gotten far stronger than last time!
With just one strike, both men gauged each other's depth. Swirling with relentless Haki, Garp stood like an impassable mountain, radiating the pressure of an absolute powerhouse. He would not allow the Sunagakure Pirates to disrupt this historic execution.
"To think Aoki Shiraishi's strength has reached this level..."
As Garp and Shiraishi engaged in their third duel, Roger stepped onto the summit of the execution platform.
"Pirate King! Do you have any last words?!" Shiraishi called out over the din.
Hearing Shiraishi's shout, Roger laughed heartily. Turning his gaze to the vast crowds gathered in Loguetown, he spoke with a voice that echoed through the entire town:
"My treasure? If you want it, you can have it! Go find it! I left everything this world has to offer in that place!!"
Roger's declaration lit a fuse that ignited the entire atmosphere of Loguetown. Even through the live broadcast Den Den Mushi across the seas, countless viewers exploded into wild, ecstatic cheers!
Feeling the sudden shift in the air, Shiraishi looked up at the man standing high above on the scaffold.
Gol D. Roger—the undisputed titan of the pirate world, the man who had ushered in the Great Pirate Era.
Wealth, fame, power—he had once possessed everything this world had to offer, reigning as the supreme ruler of the Grand Line. Even in death, his overwhelming presence would continue to shake the world for decades to come!
Seeing the mass hysteria erupting among the crowd, Fleet Admiral Kong issued the immediate command: "Execute him!"
The two executioners plunged their spears forward, piercing Roger's chest. Blood spilled across the execution platform, yet Roger kept his eyes fixed on the distant horizon, a serene look of anticipation on his face.
"Fuffuffuffu... Roger certainly said something outrageous."
"Kishishishi! The next Pirate King will definitely be me!"
"Captain... sob..."
Standing nearby, newly promoted Vice Admiral Borsalino narrowed his eyes, his expression shifting: "How terrifying... Another troublesome monster has appeared."
Before his words even faded, light flashed. Utilizing the Glint-Glint Fruit (Pika Pika no Mi), Borsalino materialized directly behind Shiraishi.
"Has anyone ever told you that your smile is incredibly creepy?"
A roaring fist of fire suddenly erupted, blasting toward Borsalino. As the Admiral turned into light to block the blaze, a figure wearing Shiraishi's custom Infernape Mask bounded onto the battlefield!
"The masked warrior... So it really is the Logia Flame-Flame Fruit (Mera Mera no Mi). What a terrifying ability."
Ace's chest burned with violent, mixed emotions. He stared up at the man on the execution platform. When their eyes met for a fleeting second, Ace understood everything. He had intentionally waited until Roger finished his final speech before stepping into the fray.
You may be a legendary Pirate King... but you were a terrible husband and father!
Having possessed the ability to hear the Voice of All Things, Roger—in his fading moments of consciousness—looked down at the masked youth with a flicker of realization.
I see...
I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused you.
Roger's final words echoed directly in Ace's mind through the Voice of All Things. Tears welled up behind the monkey mask, overflowing uncontrollably.
"Don't think... I'll ever forgive you... You bastard!"
A massive pillar of fire roared into the heavens, scorching the sky. Seeing the blaze from afar, Sakazuki's right arm began to pulse with surging, molten magma...
"The old era has ended, and a new era has arrived," Shiraishi declared, his wings unfolding behind him to unleash a massive torrent of frost and snow. As roaring icy gales swept across the field, he issued a bold declaration that challenged both Marines and pirates alike:
"And the Sunagakure Pirates... will be the true protagonists who guide this coming era!"
Ice lotuses bloomed across the air, freezing the surface of the sea into an icy domain. Having mastered the frost powers of his Ice Gem transformation, Shiraishi's flash-freezing was faster and more lethal than ever, making Garp's expression darken further.
This kid... can no longer be left unchecked.
Dominance and arrogance merged perfectly in Aoki Shiraishi.