"Didn't you already achieve your dream, Roger?!"
Shiki's shout rolled across the cliff, blending with the thunderous crash of waves against the reef.
Roger lifted his gaze to this old rival of his, the corners of his mouth curling upward as he burst into loud laughter. He popped open another bottle of rum.
Then, lightly tapping the bottle with his fingers, producing a crisp tap-tap, he said,"Why don't you guess?"
"Don't play riddles with me, bastard!" Golden Lion snapped, springing to his feet as his cloak snapped violently in the wind."Roger—we were enemies, but we're also old acquaintances. Tell me the truth!"
Roger finally raised his head. Beneath the brim of his hat, his eyes gleamed with a tangled, unreadable light."The truth…" he said softly, "…is sometimes far crueler than a lie."
"Hmph!" Shiki snorted coldly. "You think I'd be afraid of that?"
Roger stared at him for several seconds, then suddenly smiled."Alright. Since you want to know that badly…"
He stood up, brushing sand from his trousers."On Laugh Tale lies this world's answer."
"An answer?" Shiki narrowed his eyes. "What answer?"
"The answer is…" Roger's voice dropped to a near whisper, yet it cut like a blade straight into Shiki's heart."…we aren't the people it was waiting for."
Golden Lion's pupils shrank violently, his breath catching for a split second.
"Heh… so that's how it is." But soon, that familiar arrogant expression returned to his face."I never thought you'd be the one to deny yourself, Roger."
Roger shrugged. Suddenly, a wave of agony surged through his body—but in front of Shiki, he couldn't reveal that he was terminally ill.
He endured it head-on, deliberately choking on his drink to cover it up.
"Cough—cough—cough… Shiki, my adventure is over."
"So what?" Golden Lion didn't notice anything amiss. Instead, he grinned savagely, ambition blazing in his eyes."You're the Pirate King now! I acknowledge your strength!"
Roger shook his head."Shiki, the era has changed.You—alone—what do you have to fight the World Government and the Marines?"
"Who said I'm alone?" Shiki spread his arms wide, the raging wind whipping his golden mane like a lion's crest."As long as I raise my banner, the pirates of the New World will answer once again!
"Roger, join me! With your title as 'Pirate King,' we could—"
"No." Roger cut him off without hesitation, his tone resolute."My journey is finished."
Shiki's smile froze."What are you saying? Even now, with your dream fulfilled, you still won't help me?"
Roger didn't answer. He simply tilted his head back and drained the last of the rum in one gulp, then hurled the empty bottle toward the sea.
The glass traced a graceful arc through the air before vanishing into the churning waves.
"Roger!" Shiki's voice burned with anger."Are you really content with this?! You're the Pirate King!"
"Pirate King?" Roger chuckled softly. He removed his hat, letting the sea wind mess his hair."That's just a title."
He turned away, his back to Shiki, his voice low and firm.
"Shiki, our legendary era is over.The stage ahead… belongs to the people of the next generation."
"Then it should be you and me together who open that new era!" Shiki glared at his back, fists clenched until they cracked.
Roger didn't turn around. He merely waved a hand casually."Think whatever you like."
He took a step forward, his voice slowly dissolving into the sea wind.
"And besides—I'm not retiring. I just want to rest for a bit."
He paused, lifting his gaze to the night sky where stars had begun to emerge.
"And then… personally open the true era."
With that, Roger hesitated for a fraction of a second—then kept walking. His figure gradually faded into the twilight.
On the cliff, only Golden Lion Shiki remained.
The moment he heard Roger speak of opening a new era, Shiki stomped down hard. Cracks spiderwebbed across the ground beneath his foot.
"A new era?" He sneered, madness flashing in his eyes."Hahahaha! I knew I wasn't wrong about you, Roger!!
"When you finally open the era you're talking about… I'll come find you again!"
With those words, Golden Lion activated his Devil Fruit power and shot skyward. His floating figure quickly shrank into a black speck, vanishing into the clouds.
Only after his Observation Haki confirmed that Shiki's presence had completely disappeared did Roger—who had been forcing himself the entire time—finally collapse to his knees.
Blood burst from his mouth, splashing onto the ground in a vivid, shocking red.
"Hahahaha!!"
He fell onto his back, staring up at the star-filled sky, suddenly laughing out loud.
His laughter, mixed with blood, echoed across the empty coastline.
"Shiki…" He raised a hand as if trying to grasp something, but it fell limply back down."This is probably… the last time we'll ever meet."
The waves continued to crash against the shore, as though playing a requiem for the end of an era.
...…
Grand Line — the Kingdom of Nikaialo.
The streets of the royal capital were thick with the smell of smoke. Revolutionary Army flags snapped violently atop ruined buildings.
Civilians wielding crude weapons filled the streets, their eyes burning with a hope they hadn't felt in years.
Urban combat raged on. The remnants of the royal army were collapsing line by line—and at the heart of this storm stood the man in a dark green cloak.
Monkey D. Dragon.
He stood beside a shattered fountain in the center of the plaza, his expression cold as he directed the Revolutionary Army's movements.
"The eastern gate has been breached, but the palace guards are still holding the palace!" a revolutionary soldier ran up to report.
Dragon gave a slight nod, his voice low and steady."Have the Third Unit lead troops through the sewers. Ivankov will handle the frontal engagement."
"Yes!"
The Revolutionary Army's offensive surged like wildfire. Victory seemed within reach.
Then—suddenly—
A cold, unfamiliar voice cut through the chaos of the battlefield.
"Long time no see, Dragon."
"…That voice?!"
Dragon's pupils shrank as he spun around.
On the rooftop of a nearby building, three figures stood silhouetted against the light.
At the front stood Gern Reginald Sigmar, hands in his pockets, the black blade Bahuang slanted at his waist, his Justice cloak billowing fiercely in the wind.
Beside him, Lipo's rabbit ears twitched as she curiously surveyed the battlefield below. Tesoro stood with arms crossed, golden rings on his fingers reflecting a cold, metallic gleam in the sunlight.
"…Gern." Dragon's voice sank instantly, and the surrounding revolutionary soldiers raised their weapons in alarm.
Gern leapt lightly down from the rooftop. Lipo and Tesoro followed close behind.
The three of them landed squarely in the open ground between the Revolutionary Army and the royal palace.
"Well, this is lively," Gern said as he glanced around, a playful smile tugging at his lips."No wedding invitations… and now you're making this kind of spectacle…"
He looked straight at Dragon.
"Dragon—you're really becoming… more and more rebellious."
..
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