Chapter 61: Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King

──Wano Country, the Flower Capital.

It was that time of year when the air carried a slight chill.

Autumn. In Wano, a land with distinct seasons, the winds grew cooler, and the leaves began to tinge with red. And as always, the same scene played out in the Flower Capital.

"The fool lord of Kuri, Kozuki Oden♪"

"──Here we go♪"

A giant of a man, clad in nothing but a loincloth, pranced about in public—a so-called "naked dance."

Passersby rolled their eyes and muttered—"He's at it again."

"Stared down by a snake, he wets himself♪"

"──Hup, hup♪"

Before he knew it, even children were laughing at him, and enough time had passed for songs to be made about it.

Kozuki Oden, the daimyo of Kuri in Wano… and the rightful heir to this country, had now been performing his weekly naked dance for a full cycle of the seasons.

For better or worse, the people of Wano were starting to get used to it.

"Laugh and you lose♪ Pfft!♫"

"──Heeeyah♪"

"GYAHAHAHA!! Look at him!! He’s at it again today!!"

"Yeah, what a disgrace!! A shame to the Kozuki name… no, to all samurai!!"

"Here, today’s tip!! Fool Lord!!"

"Whoops…"

Oden’s naked dance was a weekly spectacle, rain or shine, snow or wind, never missing a single performance. And every time, a small crowd gathered.

The children loved it. The adults watched with barely concealed anger. But among them were those who mocked him openly—the officials under Orochi, his collaborators, and the underlings of Kaido.

Everyone had once believed Oden would put an end to their tyranny. But now, that hope was long gone. What expectations could they possibly place on a man who groveled naked, clowning for scraps of coin before slinking home?

High hopes had given way to crushing disappointment, and rapidly, the people of Wano—especially the Flower Capital—lost all faith in Kozuki Oden.

"──AHAHAHA!! Another great performance today~!!"

"!"

Amidst it all, a shadow approached Oden as he made his way back to Kuri.

A shadow that floated in midair—a black-haired girl with strange red and blue wings. The people of Wano who recognized her either watched from a distance, whispering among themselves, or simply left. None dared approach her willingly.

And why would they? She was one of the top executives of the Beasts Pirates, the crew that now ruled Wano in all but name. The very woman hailed as Kaido’s right hand, his partner—the Vice Captain herself.

When she called out to him, Oden’s brow furrowed ever so slightly, but he didn’t even glance her way as he kept walking.

"……What do you want?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing much! Just wanted to say I enjoyed your dance today. And also—here! A little tip for you!"

"! Money…"

But Nue paid no mind to his cold demeanor, cheerfully handing him the tip—and not a meager sum at that.

As always, Oden was conflicted about accepting it. True, he danced for tips—from Orochi’s men to the Beasts Pirates’ crew. But those were always paltry amounts, barely enough to buy a single bowl of soba before vanishing. By all rights, Oden should have been earning nothing.

Yet thanks to Nue, he was making what could actually be called a living. She would occasionally drop by his performances, laugh along with the children (and the crew), and afterward, strike up a conversation while handing him a decent sum.

At first, he had hesitated to take it. Even now, that brief moment of hesitation still crossed his face. And when Nue noticed, she’d say:

"Hmm? Not happy? But if I enjoyed the show, I gotta pay up, right? I don’t carry small change, so this is all I’ve got… unless you don’t want it?"

"……No, I’ll take it."

And so, Oden would accept the money—the only real income he had left.

Then, as if to preempt the inevitable, he spoke first. He already knew what was coming.

"I’ll say it now—I ain’t joining your crew."

"Ehhh?! Why not?! You’re strong! You’d make way more as a pirate!! Plus, you’d get a top executive position right now if you joined!"

Here we go again, Oden thought. Then he replied:

"I like pirates. But only when they’re the right kind… Besides, I’ve already done what I set out to do as a pirate."

"You mean sailing around the world with Roger? Pfft, that’s no reason to quit!! You’ve got pirate talent! You belong on the seas!! You’ve got zero talent for politics anyway!!"

"……Yeah, I ain’t cut out to lead… But I’ve still got a goal. And I ain’t leaving Wano till I see it through."

"Ehhh… Fine then! How about this—special premium tickets to my next concert in the Flower Capital, AND an exclusive fan club membership card! And right now, as a bonus—my autograph!!"

"Nah, I don’t need any of that…"

"WHAT?! WHY NOT?! …Then how about my nail clippings? Feed ‘em to a kid, and they’ll grow up to be a beauty just like me—"

"THE HELL I WILL!! HOW FULL OF YOURSELF CAN YOU BE?!"

Pulling out tickets, cards, and even autographed boards from who-knows-where, Nue kept pushing until Oden, exasperated, finally snapped back.

With a sigh, he couldn’t help but ask the enemy who kept messing with him:

"……Why do you bother? No matter how many times you ask, I ain’t joining you. And I sure as hell ain’t looking to be friends."

"Tough luck~! Because I don’t care about your wishes one bit♡ I’m interested in you. So I’ll keep bothering you, and I’ll keep inviting you. What kinda pirate holds back on what they want? That’s lame. Roger didn’t."

"! ……Now that you mention it… Yeah, I remember. You used to be on Roger’s ship, didn’t you…?"

"Huh? Just realizing that now? Yeah, well, back in my apprentice days, I hitched a ride for work. Wasn’t part of the crew, but I spent enough time with ‘em to know how they rolled."

"……So you’re that ‘weird kid’ Roger talked about…"

The moment Roger’s name came up, Oden recalled what the man had said about Nue—"A kid, but through and through a pirate. Pure, in a way. Her sense of right and wrong is all twisted. A real oddball."

But her abilities were fascinating, and she wasn’t bad company. Roger had even tried recruiting her back then.

Nue confirmed as much, but then, grinning, added:

"Just Roger? Didn’t Whitebeard say anything about me?"

“……Hah? Why’s Shirohachi’s name coming up here…?”

“Oh my, so he really never told you? —Kaido and I used to sail on the same ship as Whitebeard, you know♪”

“!!? W-what the… You’re lying!! Shirohachi never said a damn word about that!!”

“Well, of course not… None of the old crew from that ship got along, and most of ’em would rather forget those days. Even Kaido, who kinda enjoyed it, keeps his mouth shut. And Whitebeard? Oh, he was especially unpopular.”

“Shirohachi… unpopular!?”

“Ahaha, look how shocked you are!! But it’s the truth. Kaido and I were just apprentices, and Whitebeard was the captain’s right-hand man. The rest of the crew? A bunch of absolute monsters… Fufufu, wanna hear the names? Linlin, Shiki, just to start… A whole lineup of the most notorious pirates still ruling the seas today. A real All-Star crew♡”

“Tch…!!”

Nue’s playful tone carried no hint of a lie. She was clearly toying with him, relishing his reaction as she dropped one unbelievable truth after another.

Then, Oden suddenly remembered something Whitebeard had once said—back when they’d first met, and Oden had begged to join his crew.

“You ain’t the type to follow anyone. I learned that the hard way in my last crew—how teams fall apart when they’re full of guys like you!! Get your own damn ship!!”

“So that’s what he meant by ‘last crew’…!!”

Nue’s words finally made it click. It hadn’t been something Oden dwelled on, but it had lingered in the back of his mind. Though, given his adventurous life, it had slipped away as just another trivial detail.

As Oden paused, Nue flitted around him, grinning nostalgically.

“Ahhh, good times. Absolute chaos back then—fighting the whole world, brawling to the death on deck every day. One slip-up, and you were done for. Hell, even if you didn’t slip up, you were still done for. And the Navy? Oh, they were ruthless. Garp was a monster in his prime… Well, he still is now!!”

“Yeah… Garp’s strong as hell—wait, hold up!! How old even are you!?”

“Tsk tsk. That’s a no-no. I’m an adult, but let’s just say I’m at that age where it starts to sting~”

He’d suspected it, but this “Nue” clearly wasn’t as young as she looked. She cackled and dodged the question, leaving Oden unsure of her exact age—just that she was younger than him.

Yet her appearance was undeniably that of a girl. And the more they talked, the more she felt… normal. Unlike Kaido or Orochi, who oozed villainy, she could’ve passed for any ordinary girl.

And that was what unsettled him. Without realizing it, he’d let his guard down. Nue was a remorseless monster, yet she gave off none of that aura—no, it was almost like she wasn’t evil at all. Her presence wavered, elusive, as if she were some kind of yokai.

Noticing his unease, Nue smirked.

“Fufufu, maybe I’ll stop here? I’m sure you’re dying to hear more about Whitebeard, but where’s the fun in spoiling everything? Besides… it might hit harder than you think. —Back then, he was just like us. Hurt and killed innocent people without a second thought. Had a blast doing it, too.”

“!!”

Oden stiffened. Whitebeard—torturing innocents like Kaido and the Beasts Pirates?

It was hard to believe. The Whitebeard he knew didn’t raid towns or slaughter civilians. He clashed with pirates, avoided the Navy—never preyed on the weak. Yet according to Nue, he’d once been just like them.

Sure, pirates were trouble by nature, but still… Oden wrestled with the thought before forcing himself to rationalize it. There’s gotta be more to it. Once this mess is over, I’ll ask him myself.

“—Oh? You’re taking this better than I expected.”

“…We done here? I’ve got work to do. Kuri won’t rebuild itself.”

Turning his back on Nue, Oden strode toward Kuri. He’d already resolved to rebuild what she’d destroyed—with his own hands if needed.

No time to waste. Once this ridiculous dance was over, he’d get straight to work.

Which meant no more humoring her. But just as he took his first step—

“…Guess I’ll head out too. Wouldn’t wanna miss Roger’s execution, after all.”

“—…What?”

Those words cut sharper than anything else she’d said. Oden whirled around—

“See you next week~♪”

“H-hey, wait!! Roger’s execution!? What the hell are you—!?”

But Nue was already gone, leaving Oden alone, her words echoing in his skull.

Dazed, he trudged forward.

From that moment on, no matter how he spent his days, that single phrase gnawed at him—until the truth finally came to light.

---

It's been about a year since Gol D. Roger achieved the impossible—conquering the Grand Line—and the world began calling him the 'Pirate King.

But then, the Roger Pirates vanished without a trace. The Navy, the World Government, even other pirates—everyone hunted for Roger, yet no one could find him.

In the chaos that followed, clashes between rival factions vying for Roger’s head turned into a bloody carnival, claiming the lives of countless pirates and Marines. But the frenzy died down as quickly as it began, leaving only silence in its wake.

According to scattered Cipher Pol intel, a man resembling Roger was spotted in the South Blue—but by the time the reports surfaced, he was already gone.

The world buzzed with speculation. Where did Roger go? Where is he hiding? But a year later, the Pirate King made headlines again—this time, splashed across the front page:

"PIRATE KING GOL D. ROGER CAPTURED!!"

"…Pfft. ‘Captured’? As if. The man turned himself in. Typical World Economic Journal spin. The WG’s propaganda machine never misses a beat."

I smirked, tossing the newspaper aside before picking up another recent headline. This one was even juicier.

"Golden Lion Shiki, Fleet Admiral of the Roger Era, Attacks Marineford Solo—Half the Town Destroyed Before Capture by Vice Admiral Garp and Admiral Sengoku! Now Imprisoned in Impel Down!"

"Tch. Shiki, you damn fool. I get you were pissed, but charging Marineford alone? Should’ve brought your whole fleet. Could’ve started a proper war."

"…Then again, that’d have been our chance to join the fun."

That’s right—Shiki, one of the four emperors of the New World, had flown into Marineford in a rage, taking on Garp and Sengoku single-handedly. And lost. Hah. Even a legend like him couldn’t handle those two monsters. Shame. If we’d been faster, we could’ve put him down ourselves.

But timing was everything. That’s why I’d already set things in motion with Kaido—prepping our forces to move at a moment’s notice.

Of course, we’d taken precautions. No telling what Oden might try while we were gone from Wano. He should stay put, but with that fool, nothing’s guaranteed. Best to keep him distracted.

Right now, the news of Roger’s execution should be consuming his thoughts. Perfect timing for us to make our move.

Orochi, ever the coward, still clung to that freakish bodyguard of his, Semimaru. Not like he’d dare start a war after rejecting our earlier proposal. Unless something pushed him past his limits—and let’s be real, nothing will—we had all the freedom we needed.

I reached for a Den Den Mushi—not a cheap knockoff, but the real deal—and dialed.

"So? Everything ready?"

"Locked and loaded, Nue! Ships are prepped to sail!"

"Good. Move out. Without Shiki, the Golden Lion Pirates are just fodder. Toss Kaido at ’em and watch the fireworks."

"You’re using our own captain like a damn bomb?! I mean… yeah, that’d work, but—"

On the other end, Queen stammered, thrown off by how casually I’d suggested using Kaido as a wrecking ball. I chuckled, gazing down at the town below.

"Just clean up the mess. Oh, and I’ll relay the action live once it starts. Pass that along to Kaido."

"Aye-aye! —HEY, YOU DOGS!! WE’RE HITTING THE SEA!!!"

"YEEAAAHHH!!"

"QUEEN! QUEEN! QUEEN!"

I hung up, amused. Our crew was rowdy even by pirate standards, and Queen’s men were the loudest of the bunch. Reminded me of my own concert crowds.

But business came first. With two of the New World’s four great powers—Roger and Shiki—gone, the balance of power was in freefall. Intel said Whitebeard was lying low, guarding his turf, while Linlin was already eyeing expansion. No time to waste.

Yet, for now, the New World held its breath.

The Pirate King’s arrest—and his impending public execution—had the world’s attention. Pirates, civilians, everyone was flocking to witness history.

And of course, I arrived early.

---

East Blue—Loguetown

"Fifteen years since I last set foot in East Blue… Damn, I forgot how peaceful this place smells."

I swung my legs lazily from a rooftop, soaking in the nostalgia. East Blue—the weakest of the four seas.

And the birthplace of the Pirate King.

I’d crossed the Red Line, sailed the first half of the Grand Line, then braved the Calm Belt just to get here. Took days of non-stop flying, but it was worth it. Honestly, not as exhausting as I’d feared. I even squeezed in some sightseeing, booked a nice hotel, and enjoyed a leisurely lunch.

But my real goal?

To witness Roger’s execution.

And to meet the man himself—before the end.

"The Navy’s ships’ll roll in soon… Till then, I’ll play nice."

I stretched, then cloaked myself in my ability, gliding back to my hotel. No point causing chaos—not yet.

This was the Pirate King’s final stage. His grand exit. Ruining it would be… boring.

…Well, unless it got interesting**.

But more than anything—I want to see it with my own eyes.

The death of the man who conquered this era.

---

—One day remained until the execution of the Pirate King, Gold Roger.

"Listen up!! This is a state of maximum alert!! Not even the slightest chance of escape can be permitted!! Don’t let so much as a rat slip through!!"

"YES, SIR!!"

The voice of a Marine officer, bearing the weight of "Justice," echoed through the town. The elite forces of Marine Headquarters had arrived in the weakest of seas—East Blue—to transport and guard the prisoner under the strictest security.

The naval warships had finally reached Loguetown, the town where the execution would be held. Among them was the ship carrying the Pirate King himself.

In just one more day, the execution would take place. The Marines carried out their duties with palpable tension.

After all, this execution was the most crucial mission for the World Government and the Marines—to crush the spirits of countless pirates. The public execution of the Pirate King, the ruler of all pirates, would serve as the ultimate deterrent.

That was precisely why failure was unthinkable—it would disgrace the World Government and Marine Headquarters. If Roger were to escape, every last one of them could lose their heads. The stakes were that high.

And so, not even a rat was allowed inside the cell. Even Marines couldn’t enter without an officer’s permission.

Yet, within that solitary confinement—where even the strongest would succumb to despair—stood a man brimming with vitality, defying the aura of a dying man.

He was the ruler of these seas. The "Pirate King," Gold Roger… or rather, Gol D. Roger. Though shackled, his expression showed no trace of pessimism.

"Heh heh heh…"

Instead, his face bore a fearless smirk, as if lost in thought. To an ordinary observer, he might seem like a madman laughing in the face of death—but that wasn’t the case. He was laughing purely because something amused him.

He didn’t look like a man about to die. No—this man had already seen through it all.

"—Still as good at hiding as ever, huh, Nue?"

"…As expected of Roger—no, the Pirate King. You haven’t lost your touch. Or rather, you haven’t weakened at all, have you?"

As Roger called out, a black-haired girl appeared beyond the iron bars, raising her hands in mock surrender with an exasperated expression. Their exchange was casual, the familiarity of old acquaintances allowing them to face each other without pretense.

Yet, while Nue—the girl—wore no smile, Roger grinned as always.

"What brings you here? You’re not here to take my head at this point, are ya?"

"…Well, there’s no point in taking the head of a dying man who’ll be executed tomorrow anyway."

"Heh heh heh… Fair enough. So, just here for a chat?"

"Pretty much. Consider this an exclusive interview with the Pirate King, Gold Roger, on the eve of his public execution in his hometown waters. So—how do you feel right now?"

"—It’s Gol D. Roger. Wahaha, you never change, do ya?"

Nue conjured a UFO with her powers, using it as a chair as she posed her question. Roger laughed, correcting her—not "Gold Roger," but Gol D. Roger. Hearing this, Nue narrowed her eyes.

"Hmm… So the 'D' really is important, huh?"

"Ain’t nobody who doesn’t care about their own name. …Wait, you know somethin’ about it?"

Roger’s initial response was typical pirate banter, but his tone shifted slightly as he probed further. Nue, however, just shrugged.

"Nah, I don’t. I just get the feeling it’s connected to something—like the Void Century or the Poneglyphs… I can make some guesses, but the truth? No idea."

"Figured. I never would’ve imagined… heh heh heh…!! Never would’ve guessed the truth was hidden like that…!!"

"…Could you stop with the nostalgic chuckling? I’m already holding back from asking, y’know."

Nue shot him a mildly annoyed glare, and Roger’s laughter subsided—though his grin remained.

"Right, my bad. But… so that’s it. You wanna go to Laugh Tale too, huh?"

"…Mmm… Well, if I had to choose, then yeah. Sounds like the kind of place that could turn the world upside down."

After a brief pause, Nue answered honestly. She wanted to go—but only because it seemed like a surefire way to throw the world into chaos. Forming the world’s strongest pirate crew with Kaido was her goal, and while Laugh Tale wasn’t strictly necessary for that, it might make things easier.

Hearing this, Roger grinned—but his next words carried a hint of skepticism.

"You and Kaido won’t make it. It’ll be my son who finds it."

"…Your son, huh? Even if he survives and evades the government, who’s to say he’ll carry on your will? He might not even become a pirate."

"Wahaha, true enough!! But hopin’ costs nothin’, right? A kid of me and her… He’ll live freer than anyone, maybe even more than me. Whatever path he chooses, it’s fine by me."

"—So even if we steal it from him, or kill him… that’s fine too?"

Nue deliberately prodded, testing the limits of Roger’s parental instincts. Under normal circumstances, such words would’ve enraged him—Roger, who once annihilated an entire kingdom’s army for mocking his crew. If he were still the man they called "Demon," he would’ve snapped right then.

But Roger didn’t get angry. Instead, he flustered slightly.

"Hey, hold on. That’s a problem. At least wait till he’s grown up. Knowing you, you’d actually do it."

"…Nah, I probably wouldn’t… Maybe."

"‘Maybe’ ain’t good enough!! Now you’re makin’ me nervous!!"

At Roger’s frantic reaction, Nue sighed. It was clear—he really intended to die here.

If he planned to keep living, he’d have stopped her himself. That’s how Roger had always been. But the fact that he was pleading instead proved it—he wanted this execution.

She’d suspected as much since he turned himself in, but the reality left a bitter taste. She wasn’t even sure if she should be glad. Resting her chin on her hand, she exhaled, her venom drained.

"…Well, I never got to repay you for saving my life, so I’ll let it slide. Not like I enjoy picking on kids anyway."

"! Wahaha… You’re as principled as ever. A debt, huh… Yeah, if you wanna repay me, do it for my son instead. As a father, I ain’t got much to offer ‘im. Just help ‘im out once or somethin’. That’d make me look good too!!"

"…Maybe. If I feel like it."

To Roger’s request—who knew how serious he was—Nue responded with unexpected sincerity. This man meant everything he said. He was genuinely asking a favor from an enemy, genuinely believing she’d honor it.

Whether she actually would was another matter, but for now, she agreed. It felt wrong to refuse a dying man’s request, especially one who’d saved her. Acknowledging it was enough. The rest depended on her mood and circumstances.

"Yeah, I’m countin’ on ya."

"...Sigh... What a fool. How could someone like him become the Pirate King..."

"Wa-ha-ha! Don’t say that! Pirates live for freedom. The will to be free is—ah, that’s right. Now that I think about it, he was too..."

"Him?"

Nue tilted her head as she questioned Roger, who had muttered as if something had just come to mind. Then, a name neither expected nor taken lightly left his lips.

"...Rocks."

"!! ...What do you mean?"

"Nah, it’s nothing big... Looking back now, he was just like us. Yeah, we were simply... too early."

"Too early..."

To Nue, that name couldn’t be ignored. And to Roger, he was the first—and greatest—enemy. Roger spoke the name with quiet weight, as if implying it held meaning far beyond just the man himself, something crucial to the world itself.

"Wa-ha-ha... Guess that’s the end of our talk."

"!!"

As Roger lifted his face and said that, Nue also noticed—the marines were headed their way.

So they’d been found out after all. Despite the disguises and efforts taken to sneak in, maybe it had been overdone. Too unnatural to pass inspection.

Sensing this would be the last conversation she’d ever have with the Pirate King, Nue chose her words carefully. After a pause, she spoke.

"...Well, whatever else happened, the sea you sailed was a fascinating one. You win. We’ll watch as the losers... so make sure you enjoy the end of your story."

"Yeah!! Watch closely...!! I won’t die...!! My will too... will be inherited by someone else...!!!"

Hearing Roger’s words, Nue finally smiled, and like smoke on the wind, vanished from the spot.

---

—East Blue. Loguetown.

On this day, in this place... an era comes to an end.

"So he’s really going to die... Roger..."

"This is the end of the age of pirates..."

It was a moment of historic gravity.

"Look—there he is! Roger’s coming out...!!"

"What the...? He’s laughing... Has he lost his mind?"

People from all over the world had gathered to witness this moment. Citizens. Marines. Pirates.

"Hurry!! Don’t miss it!!"

"This is big, big—BIG news!!! I have to get this in print!!"

Some were broadcasting it live, others scribbled furiously in notebooks, ready to publish it to the world.

"So that’s Gold Roger... No—Gol D. Roger...!! Fufufufu..."

"A turning point in history, huh..."

"Kishishishi... That’s not the face of a man who's about to die peacefully...!!"

"..."

"Uwaaaahhh~~~!! Captain Roger~~~!!!"

Among the crowd were the future giants of the sea, those destined to make their names echo through the world.

And in the center of it all, one man slowly ascended the execution platform, led by the executioners.

He was a criminal—but the way he carried himself, with calm dignity, was more like that of a king.

And indeed, that’s what he was—the King of the Sea. The man who rose to the pinnacle of piracy.

The crowd held their breath, watching in silence, waiting for the moment.

The people did not know what his death would bring to the world. They only waited.

The marines believed this would be a warning to all pirates, and that order would be restored through them.

The pirates? Their feelings varied. Some burned with ambition, eager to claim the now-empty throne. Others trembled, unsure of what lay ahead.

—

Roger knelt atop the scaffold, executioners at both sides. Shackled hands. Blades crossed before him.

His life had only a few seconds left. In just a moment, the flame of his soul would be extinguished.

—But then, a shout rang out from the crowd.

"Hey!! Pirate King!!! Your treasure—where is it!? Where's the One Piece!?"

"!"

That single question—was perhaps the spark that changed the fate of countless lives to come. For in response, he opened his mouth and declared:

"My treasure? You want it? It’s yours—if you can find it!! I left everything this world has to offer... in one place!!!"

"────"

The words spread like wildfire through the plaza—and out into the world.

In the next instant, the execution was carried out. His head fell.

The man died with a smile on his face. And in the silence left by his final words, the crowd erupted.

—

Wealth, fame, power. The man who had it all—Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King.

—

And the words he left behind in death—sent people all over the world rushing to the sea.

—

"My treasure? You want it? It’s yours—if you can find it!! I left everything this world has to offer in one place!!!"

—

And thus... this new era was given a name.

—

The Great Pirate Era.