Flame of Revolution

Three days later…

At the Marine Headquarters in Loguetown.

"Everything's been secured, from the prison to the execution platform in the town square. The local base commander is overseeing operations directly.

Even the local gangs have gone silent these past days—and those who sneaked in from the Grand Line to witness the execution… haven't made a sound."

Admiral Sengoku stood by the window, his white coat draped over his shoulders, emblazoned with the word "Justice."

His gaze swept over the street stretching beyond the office.

From this moment forward, Loguetown—the town resting in the East Blue—would become the final stop for pirates.

The execution of the Pirate King, the man who had completed the Grand Line and reached the final island, would be an immense morale boost for the Marines—and an utter catastrophe if they failed.

After all, pirates and Marines alike... were once just ordinary men who had never set sail—just as Roger once had, long ago, before he left Loguetown.

But after this execution... the remaining pirates would be reduced to ashes, scattered across the river of history.

And in twenty years' time—

the Marines would reach a level of dominance never before imagined.

As for the legend of the Pirate King… it would become just that—a legend, nothing more.

Sengoku spoke firmly:

"Has the executioner been decided?"

The communications officer responded immediately:

"Yes, sir. Vice Admiral Kuzan has nominated First-Class Seaman Kevin from the 80th Marine Branch in Lasgab, West Blue. He's completed all preparations."

Sengoku turned toward Kuzan and said:

"The commander of the 80th Branch in the West Blue—is that Luemi? He's the one who recommended that boy to join the Elite Training Camp, wasn't he?"

Kuzan ran a tired hand over his forehead. Had the question come from anyone but Sengoku, he wouldn't have bothered answering.

But that incident—what happened back at Headquarters—had left a scar deep enough to embed even a remote base in the West Blue into a man like Sengoku's memory.

As for Kevin—the supposed executioner—it didn't seem like he'd come to Loguetown for anything more than drinking, watching street shows, and sleeping.

Even after Kuzan warned him of Roger's name—its weight across the pirate world—he'd shown no reaction.

Whether he had something to rely on or not, the boy had been troublesome from the start.

Sengoku glanced at the clock on the wall, then turned to address the assembled officers with firm conviction:

"Men, we are now one hour away… from ending the Pirate Era."

"From this moment on, the entire world will know: Even the one the pirates hailed as King—Gold Roger—was captured by the Marines. And he will be executed in his hometown, here in the East Blue."

"Today… we begin wiping pirates off the face of these seas. We bring this age of chaos… to an end!"

As his final word rang out, silence swept over the room. Every officer nodded solemnly, including Kuzan.

They all understood the weight of executing the Pirate King.

This moment would be the spark that catapulted the Marines to the heights of glory—and the blow that would make pirates flee in despair.

* * *

An hour passed—time flowed swiftly.

In Loguetown's central square, a vast crowd had gathered: pirates, merchants, common folk… Around the execution platform, dozens of Transmission Snails were set up, primed to broadcast the event live across the globe.

From the beginning, the Marines had intended for this to be a global spectacle.

Journalists from the World Economy NewsPaper had already claimed the best spots, awaiting the historic moment.

Then, through the cleared pathway, two men in Marine uniforms escorted a third between them—Gold Roger.

The crowd fell into dead silence at his appearance, as if the wind itself had stolen their breath.

Even Kevin, holding the spear behind him, could only stare.

'The Evil Point score is… shockingly low.'

Activating his Prison Sight, Kevin saw the number hover above Roger's head: 1,635. Far below what he'd expected.

'A man at the peak of power, who forbade his crew from harming innocents… and yet ignited the Great Pirate Era. That number doesn't do him justice.'

He recalled something—in the timeline he remembered, there were two executioners.

'I'll need to move carefully. Roger's worth isn't measured by Evil Points alone. If my "partner" gets ahead of me… This trip to Loguetown will be nothing more than a meeting with Dragon.'

But—

'The Great Pirate Era... hasn't begun yet.'

Kevin flinched slightly—his distracted companion behind him failed to keep pace, leaving a gap.

Clink!

The chains rattled, snapping Kevin back to focus.

He stepped forward to keep in line with Roger.

Roger glanced over his shoulder and whispered:

"Lost in thought, soldier? Nervous? Relax. Everything's going to go smoothly."

'Smoothly…?'

Kevin stared at him—equal parts confusion and awe. A man staring down death, yet his heart was utterly calm.

How could anyone speak of life and death… so lightly?

A flicker of memory burst in Kevin's mind—that fleeting moment from his previous life, when he saw Roger smiling at his execution.

Back then, he hadn't thought much of it.

But now… everything was different.

This man had never bowed to the idea of death. His only regret… was that he hadn't been born twenty years later, to witness the new age alongside Joy Boy.

And if strength in this world was drawn from willpower and the purity of one's soul—then this man was, without a doubt, the ultimate embodiment of dignity and unyielding resolve.

Roger climbed the steps with grace, seated himself on the execution platform upright—no kneeling, no shame.

Admiral Sengoku, his old rival, said nothing… just stared at him in quiet contemplation.

Then Sengoku began reading the charges:

"Gold Roger, in the year…."

Accusations of destroying nations, sinking fleets—heavy, devastating charges.

'They're fabricated, of course',Kevin thought.

Two years from now, they'll blame an eight-year-old girl for sinking five battleships.

The truth is… it's all just inflated lies.

As the list concluded, Kevin gripped his spear tighter, waiting for the moment—the spark that would ignite the flood of dreams.

A voice rang out from the crowd:

"Hey, Pirate King! Where's your treasure?! Is it on the Grand Line?! You found it, didn't you?! The legendary One Piece!"

Roger raised his head—and burst into laughter.

A resounding, thunderous laugh that shattered the silence.

Then he turned to the crowd—and to every Transmission Snail—as though addressing the entire world.