"That's him… the Pirate King."
The whispers spread through the crowd like wildfire.
I stand among thousands of people, yet the world feels strangely silent.Everyone is staring at the same man.
At him.
Gold Roger.
The man who conquered the seas.
The man who laughed in the face of death.
And today… the man who is going to die.
Our Father, who art in Heaven…
Roger walks through the corridor of Marines with his hands bound in heavy shackles.
Yet he smiles.
That same familiar smile I saw almost every day for years.
The same smile he wore when he shouted from the deck of the Oro Jackson:
"Set sail! Adventure awaits!"
My chest tightens.
A foolish part of me still expects to hear those words again.
But the only sound now is the echo of his boots against the stone street.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Each step carries him closer to the execution platform.
Closer to the end.
Hallowed be Thy name…
The Marines escorting him stand tall and proud.
Six of them.
Their rifles rest on their shoulders, polished uniforms shining under the sun.
I almost laugh.
Roger could snap those rifles in half with his bare hands.
Yet they walk beside him as if they've already won.
As if they are the heroes of this story.
Someday they'll brag to their grandchildren.
I was there.
I escorted the Pirate King to his death.
My hands clench.
I lower my head, trying to hide the tears burning in my eyes.
Roger…
I can't accept this.
Thy kingdom come…
Roger climbs the steps of the platform without hesitation.
He sits down cross-legged.
Relaxed.
Calm.
Like he's waiting for a drink in a tavern instead of his execution.
No fear.
No regret.
Just that same stupid smile.
You always said people with the Will of D. greet death with a smile.
But seeing it now…
It hurts more than anything.
Don't leave us, Captain.
The square is packed with thousands of people.
Pirates.
Civilians.
Marines.
Yet no one speaks.
The air feels heavy.
Like the entire world is holding its breath.
Beside me stands Rayleigh.
The Dark King.
Even he looks powerless right now.
His jaw is clenched so tightly I can hear his teeth grinding.
A little further ahead stand two familiar idiots.
Buggy.
And Shanks.
Buggy grips the handle of a dagger with trembling hands.
Shanks holds Roger's straw hat against his chest.
Roger gave it to him himself.
To Shanks, it's the greatest treasure in the world.
He's a good kid.
Maybe one day…
Maybe he'll become something great.
A shout suddenly cuts through the silence.
"Where did you hide the treasure?!"
My blood instantly boils.
I want to crush the idiot who dared to yell that.
Buggy tightens his grip on his dagger.
Shanks mutters a curse.
Rayleigh places a heavy hand on my shoulder.
Without looking at me, he says quietly,
"Easy, Pebble… This is the way of things."
The crowd begins shouting louder.
But then—
Roger speaks.
And the entire world falls silent.
"My treasure?"
His voice carries across the entire square.
Strong.
Confident.
Alive.
"You want my treasure?"
A slow smile spreads across my face.
Buggy laughs weakly.
Even Rayleigh exhales through his nose.
Of course.
Even now…
He's still Roger.
"If you want it… go find it!"
The crowd freezes.
Roger's grin widens.
"I left everything I gathered together in one place."
A moment of silence.
Then—
"Somewhere on the Grand Line!"
The world explodes.
People scream.
Pirates laugh.
Marines shout orders.
Chaos spreads through the square like a storm.
And in that moment, I realize something terrifying.
Roger didn't just die today.
He just started a new era.
I close my eyes.
Roger…
I want to remember you the way you always were.
Laughing.
Drinking terrible vodka.
Shouting about some ridiculous adventure.
But this…
This is real.
You're about to die.
I grab Rayleigh's hand without thinking.
My head drops.
Roger.
Please.
Stand up and laugh.
Tell us it was a joke.
Give me an order.
Call my name.
Tell me what to do.
Because I don't know how to live in a world without you.
"I couldn't have asked for a better captain," I whisper.
My voice trembles.
"I love you… and I'll never stop missing you."
The words get stuck in my throat.
"I'll see you again someday."
The executioners raise their spears.
The crowd erupts.
Someone shouts a single word.
"Dead!"
And the Pirate King dies with a smile.
Tears blur my vision.
Rayleigh wipes his face with the back of his hand.
Buggy is openly crying now.
Shanks lowers his head, gripping the straw hat like his life depends on it.
We all loved you.
You were our captain.
Our king.
Our family.
But now…
You're gone.
And the worst part?
We can do absolutely nothing about it.
And that was the day the world changed.
The day the Pirate King died…
And the Great Age of Pirates began.