The entire square fell deathly silent.
After a long silence, the Gorosei finally spoke:
"...Shichibukai."
"Accept the first Warlord position, and you may take Roger's body."
Rhett laughed.
"Deal."
Turning, Rhett walked toward the execution platform. Marine soldiers instinctively stepped back—no one dared to stop him.
He reached out, gently picking up Roger's severed head. Using his mist, he reattached it before hoisting the long-cold corpse onto his back.
Roger's head lolled slightly, as if merely sleeping against his shoulder.
Then—
"BOOM!!"
Rhett stomped down, shattering the execution platform!
The entire scaffold collapsed in an explosion of splinters. Swinging his Black Tide greatsword with one hand, he sent a blade wind whipping through the air, hurling wooden shrapnel like a storm toward Loguetown's harbor!
"BANG! BANG! BANG!"
The fragments embedded themselves precisely into the harbor's ground, stacking into a crude yet solemn pyre.
Walking on air with Moon Step above Loguetown, Rhett adjusted Roger's body on his back. "Captain, you're so light."
But of course, no answer would come.
Arriving at Loguetown's harbor, he gently laid Roger's remains upon the pyre.
Dark clouds pressed low, lightning flickering within.
Rhett looked up at the sky. "Captain, this weather's no good for adventures."
"Mist Realm: Rebirth Flower."
Raindrops evaporated instantly upon touching the crimson mist.
A spectral flower bloomed within the fog, each petal glowing with bloody radiance as it cradled Roger's body aloft.
Rhett stood before the pyre, Black Tide planted beside him. Reaching into his coat, he pulled out a bottle of rum.
"Last drink, you old bastard. Up there, drink however you want."
He poured the liquor over the wood, the sharp alcohol mingling with the sea breeze's salt. A snap of his fingers sent a Rebirth Flower drifting down—the moment it touched the rum—
"WHOOSH!"
Ghostly blue flames roared skyward!
No ordinary fire—this was the transmigration flame, woven from blood mist and haki.
Within the flames, the silhouette of the Oro Jackson appeared. Roger smiled at Rhett, giving him a thumbs-up.
Memories echoed in Rhett's mind:
"Pirate King?! Hahaha, sounds fun!" Roger wiped tears of laughter. "Then it's decided! We'll become the Pirate King!"
"Haha, little Rhett, you're already plenty strong!"
Rhett met Roger's gaze firmly. "Captain, I'll get even stronger!"
"Oh? Hahaha, I believe you." Roger patted Rhett's head with visible pride.
The storm clouds gradually parted, sunlight breaking through to illuminate Roger's form.
As the pyre became a towering pillar of fire, Roger's body slowly dissipated within the flames.
Ocean winds howled, carrying ashes out to sea.
Rhett stood at the harbor, his hair whipping wildly in the heat.
"The new era our Captain began..."
"I'll bear witness to it."
Doflamingo's sunglasses reflected the azure flames, his grin stretching ear to ear. "Fufufu... what an interesting funeral."
Shanks clutched his straw hat, tears mixing with rain. Buggy bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.
Drawing Black Tide, Rhett raised the blade toward the sky. "Crimson Dawn Pirates—set sail!"
He'd noticed Shanks and Buggy earlier but didn't acknowledge them. They lacked the strength to casually leave through the Marine encirclement now.
Passing the burning pyre, Rhett murmured softly, "Safe travels, you damn brother."
The Gorosei's orders prevented the Admirals from pursuing Rhett.
By the time Marine forces breached the blood mist blockade, only a smoldering ash pile remained at the harbor.
When the Oro Jackson sailed into Water 7's port, the setting sun stretched its shadow long across the docks.
Fresh plating on the hull reflected orange light—polish made from Adam Wood scraps by Tom. The old shipwright said it would "let the old girl go out in style."
At Water 7's docks, Rhett stood at the bow, blood mist swirling around him. Spotting the figure in a plain cloak ashore, his throat tightened.
He didn't know how to face Rouge—didn't even know what emotion to approach her with.
Portgas D. Rouge stood waiting, a bouquet of sunflowers in her arms. The sea breeze lifted her hair, revealing a gentle yet resolute smile—though her eyes held sorrow too deep to conceal. She'd clearly wept her share.
The moment Rhett disembarked, Rouge hurried forward.
His prepared words caught in his throat as she embraced him, sunflower fragrance enveloping them both. "I saw everything. That was enough. You've worked hard, Rhett." Her voice was soft. "You must be hurting too, right?"
Rhett froze. He'd come to comfort Rouge, yet she'd seen through him first.
"I'm fine." He turned away, voice hoarse. "The Captain, he—"
Rouge hugged him tighter.
Though he didn't rest his forehead on her shoulder, he caught the scent of sun-warmed cotton and faint medicinal herbs—the same aroma from the year's worth of medicine Rhett had prepared for Roger after he left the ship. Boiled to perfection, this was exactly how it smelled.
"Cry," she urged, patting his back like soothing a child. "No Marines here. No enemies. Just family."
When the first tear hit the sand, Rhett heard his heart shatter.
His body began trembling violently, fists clenching Rouge's cloak.
"That... that bastard..." His voice broke, tears soaking her shoulder. "He promised... we'd see... the new era... together..."
Rouge gently stroked his hair, feeling his violent tremors.
Rhett's crying grew louder, building into wrenching sobs—the first time in decades he'd wept so uncontrollably.
Twenty years of pent-up emotions burst forth—the agony of knowing the outcome yet being powerless.
He'd pretended nonchalance to honor Roger's wishes, but the truth was unbearable. From the moment Rhett arrived in this world, he'd always been Roger's crewmate.
"How could he... just leave like that..." Rhett's voice was raw.
Blood mist leaked uncontrollably from him, forming a crimson domain around them.
Rouge's cloak grew damp with tears, but she only held the much larger man tighter.
"Even at the end... he was smiling..." Rhett whispered. "That idiot... must've been so proud of starting a new era."
"I should be strong—too old for this. But I couldn't stop crying. I'm Shanks and Buggy's big brother, so at Loguetown I acted composed. But in that moment, I wanted to slaughter every Marine, destroy the World Government, kill every Celestial Dragon. 'Age of Sin'? All I knew was my brother was being executed before my eyes, and I couldn't do anything."
Rouge felt the wetness spreading across her shoulder as Rhett's wails gradually subsided into quiet hiccups.
She began humming an East Blue lullaby—one Roger used to sing for them.
"Did he... did he say anything at the end?" Rhett finally lifted his head, eyes red-rimmed, voice still thick.
Rouge gently wiped away the tears on his face and softly said, "He said, 'If you get the chance, take care of my stubborn younger brother for me.'"
Rhett froze for a moment, then cursed through his tears, "Damn that older brother of mine..."