Loguetown.
The plaza was packed with people. Darth Bai Gui had arrived, but his slender body couldn't push through the crowd.
Helpless, he could only find a higher spot to observe.
He didn't dare go too high; Darth Bai Gui could vaguely see Marines in white uniforms guarding the area.
Darth Bai Gui sat on a shelf, looking left and right, trying to spot some future big shots, but after searching for a long time, he didn't see a single one.
Just as he was looking around, a group of Marine Admirals sat in the building next to him.
Sitting at the head was the bun-haired Marine Admiral Sengoku!
On his left and right were Marineford Staff Officer Tsuru!
Marineford Vice Admiral Sakazuki, Akainu!
Marineford Vice Admiral Kuzan, Aokiji!
Marineford Vice Admiral Borsalino, Kizaru!
A large group of people were holding a meeting there.
Kizaru: "Oh, how scary, Admiral Sengoku. It seems some extraordinary big shots have arrived."
Akainu: "No matter who comes, we'll just round them all up after the execution."
Aokiji: "We should separate the civilians, otherwise innocent civilians will be hurt."
Akainu, with the demeanor of a gang boss, said, "At necessary times, we can disregard the consequences. Otherwise, if those damned pirates escape, they will harm even more people."
"You brute, how many people will you hurt like that?" Aokiji loudly retorted to Akainu.
"Am I supposed to be indecisive like you, with the consequence of letting most of the pirates escape?" Akainu also loudly retorted to him.
As their argument grew more intense, Sengoku, sitting at the head, slammed the table.
"Enough! What kind of decorum is this, bickering like market vendors? You are Marineford Vice Admirals, not street stall grandmas."
Aokiji and Akainu exchanged glances and sat down, saying nothing.
Sengoku clutched his head, feeling a headache. As their ranks rose, their disagreements grew, and the Marine was subtly splitting into two factions.
Tsuru, from the side, spoke, "Alright, let's discuss how to deal with the pirates gathered here after Roger's execution."
Akainu: "I suggest blockading the sea exit and then sending troops to surround them. We'll round them all up and leave no one alive."
Aokiji: "I suggest separating the civilians and pirates first, then striking them once they're at sea."
Kizaru: "Oh, how scary."
A "crunch, crunch" sound of chewing came from nearby, and Sengoku's brow furrowed into a frown. He immediately cursed.
"Garp, can you please not eat during this serious meeting!"
"Oh, come on, don't be so serious, Sengoku. This old man only knows how to use his fists, not his brain, hahaha."
After speaking, Marineford Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp, casually picked up the senbei in his hand and started eating.
"Damn Garp."
Sengoku had no way to deal with this old rascal, so he just let him be. After all, he had been doing these things for a long time.
Next, the group of Marineford Admirals discussed various tactics, treating Garp as if he wasn't there.
On the street, as the crowd grew larger, Darth Bai Gui saw that the time was approaching, so he calmly watched the entrance.
Gradually, the sky grew dim, and the wind stopped. It felt as if the heavens were waiting for someone to arrive. Suddenly, the entire plaza became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
At the plaza entrance, as the escorts brought Pirate King Roger, almost everyone silently made a path.
Darth Bai Gui's gaze was fixed on Pirate King Roger, who walked in the middle. He observed him carefully: a head of black hair, a burly and robust physique, and a faintly emanating aura that made him feel fear.
"Is this the Pirate King? One of the men standing at the peak of this world," Darth Bai Gui thought to himself.
Darth Bai Gui's throat moved as he watched Roger walk past him. A soft "Captain" was heard from nearby.
Darth Bai Gui turned his head to see who was so fearless as to shout those two words.
It was the combination of Face King and Luck King.
The two also noticed Darth Bai Gui watching them and both grinned at him.
Seeing those smiles as if their fathers had died, Darth Bai Gui silently turned his head and watched Roger walk step by step onto the execution platform.
Watching Roger sit down on the execution platform with a mysterious smile, Darth Bai Gui knew that the climax was coming, and the Great Pirate Era, or rather, the era of pirates, was about to begin.
All forces were watching the man on the execution platform—some swallowing, some laughing madly, some silent, some crying. Darth Bai Gui searched for Roger's 'plant' in the crowd but couldn't find him anywhere.
Darth Bai Gui strongly suspected that person might have been Garp in disguise, looking so similar, to resolve the confusion for fans back home.
In the command center, Sengoku gave an order via Den Den Mushi, "Prepare for execution."
The executioners' swords were crossed and placed before Roger.
Just then, a voice suddenly came from the crowd.
Darth Bai Gui's eyes lit up, and he quickly looked in the direction of the voice.
Damn it, I've been looking for him for ages, and he just pops up. Can this old man teleport underground?
"Hey, Pirate King! Where did you put all the treasures you found?
Is it really in the Grand Line? You got it, didn't you, that legendary Great Treasure?"
"ONE PIECE!"
Everyone on the scene was startled by the sudden voice, staring at the person with wide eyes.
Roger on the execution platform suddenly laughed, "Hmph hmph hmph, ha ha ha ha ha ha, my treasure!"
The executioners quickly pointed their swords at Roger: "You are not allowed to speak without permission."
Sengoku's expression drastically changed, and he immediately ordered: "Execute!"
"If you want it, you can have it all."
The two executioners no longer hesitated, immediately thrusting their twin blades towards Roger.
"Go find it, I've put all my treasure there."
With a *thud*, two weapons plunged into Roger's body.
The scene fell silent for a moment.
Then, the crowd suddenly erupted.
"Oho, the Great Treasure! It's mine, ha ha ha ha!"
"Pirate King, I'm coming."
Darth Bai Gui just watched the scene from the shelf.
He said nothing.
He watched some people laugh and leave the crowd, some look stunned, some cry loudly, and some exclaim in surprise.
Darth Bai Gui was like a bystander at the scene, expressionless.
It started to rain.
It seemed to be crying, seemed to be laughing.
Darth Bai Gui didn't know how he felt. Looking at Roger's corpse, he had left with a smile.
What a Pirate King, what a grand scheme.
Using his last life as a price to open an era?
Should I call you a hero, or the greatest villain?
Lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the entire plaza.
Darth Bai Gui saw the future big shots he hadn't seen before.
"Gekko Moriah!"
"Donquixote Doflamingo!"
"Swordsman Hawkeye!"
"Four Emperors Red-Haired Shanks!"
"Buggy!"
"Future revolutionary, Monkey D. Dragon"!
Darth Bai Gui just watched. The crowd gradually dispersed, but he didn't leave. Leaving at this time would easily lead to being treated as a pirate and dealt with.
When it was almost clear, he got up and walked towards the port. There was probably still a big battle there; he wanted to see the battles of those big shots.
As he walked, Dragon suddenly appeared beside Darth Bai Gui.
Dragon: "Have you thought about it? Do you want to come with me?"
Darth Bai Gui shook his head: "No need. I have my own path to walk."
Dragon: "Alright, I wish you good luck."
Darth Bai Gui looked at him: "I wish you smooth sailing too, Dragon."
Dragon glanced at him, smiled, and left.
Gradually, Darth Bai Gui was almost at the port, hearing the shouts and pleas for mercy from the pirates ahead.
And the shouts of the Marines.
Looking at the frozen sea ahead, terrifying magma flying everywhere, and scattered yellow lights.
Darth Bai Gui asked himself, "Do I want to become a pirate? Go with the flow?"
Or become a Marine?
Darth Bai Gui stopped, feeling someone beside him. He turned his head and found an old man picking his nose standing next to him, looking at him openly.
The old man Garp looked at him: "Kid, are you also going to become a pirate?"
"...Why is the first thing you Marines ask when you see someone, 'Are you going to become a pirate?'"
Hahahaha, Garp laughed loudly, looking at Darth Bai Gui: "You're an interesting kid. If you're not going to be a pirate, then come be a Marine! This old man guarantees he'll train you into the strongest Marine!"
Darth Bai Gui could guess why Garp approached him; he probably saw him talking to Dragon.
It was pretty much as Darth Bai Gui thought. Garp sensed that the person in the green cloak had an aura very similar to his son's; the more he looked, the more alike they seemed.
After Dragon left, Garp simply walked with Darth Bai Gui, watching him remain silent the whole way, before finally striking up a conversation.
Darth Bai Gui looked at the old man speechlessly, thinking, "Hang out with you, Garp?"
Your son rebelled against the Marine and vowed to overturn this world.
Your first disciple defected from the Marine and joined the pirates.
Your second disciple became the King of Deserters, and your grandson became the Pirate King!
If I hang out with you, what kind of king will I end up being?
Darth Bai Gui looked at him with a strange gaze.
Suddenly, Garp exploded.
"Damn brat, what do you mean by looking at this old man with such a disdainful look? Are you looking down on this old man?"
"...Well, old man, you've misunderstood. This is my thinking face, absolutely not what you're imagining!"
Garp: "Damn brat, do you think this old man is an idiot?"
Darth Bai Gui: "Doesn't look like it."
After he finished speaking, Darth Bai Gui took a punch to the head.
Hiss... the feeling was indescribable.
To sum it up, it hurt, it hurt a lot. Darth Bai Gui finally understood Wang Luffy.
Darth Bai Gui crouched on the ground, clutching his head and grimacing. Garp looked at his own fist, then at him:
"This old man didn't even use much force. Why are you so useless, kid?"
Heh heh, don't you know your own strength? This was what he thought in his heart, but he didn't dare say it out loud.
Otherwise, if he blurted it out like just now and got hit again, he'd probably transmigrate back.
Just then, Garp looked up at the battlefield ahead. "It's almost over."
Darth Bai Gui quickly stood up, clutching his head, and looked forward, only to see large amounts of magma flying into the sky.
Holy crap, that's Akainu's Meteor Volcano! Good heavens, it feels completely different from watching the anime.
It's so shocking, oh my goodness, is this the power of a Natural Type Devil Fruit? It's unbelievably awesome.
Chunks of magma stones fell from the sky, smashing into the pirates on the other side. Instantly, countless shouts and wails merged into one.
Is this what it means for the victor to be king and the loser a bandit? The lucky ones escaped as the ice on the seawater melted.
The unlucky ones are probably cooked!
Darth Bai Gui once again felt the benefit of 'might makes right.' At this moment, he felt only intense envy.
Of course, it wasn't just that; he also saw enormous sword energy soaring into the sky, cleaving through chunks of magma, and a massive sandstorm blowing away several magma pieces.
Strength, I need strength. As long as I have strength, this young master can survive in this man-eating world.
Darth Bai Gui looked ahead with an envious expression, and Garp watched him without speaking.
Footsteps came from behind: "Oh my, Vice Admiral Garp, so you're here!"
Garp laughed as he turned around: "Hahahaha, well done, Kuzan, you've improved again!"
"Now, now! Vice Admiral Garp, if you say that, I'll get arrogant, hahaha."
The person who arrived was, of course, the burning justice, Marineford Vice Admiral Aokiji.
Kuzan looked down: "Well, Vice Admiral Garp, who is this young friend?"
Garp picked his nose and said: "I don't know him, just met him. Hmm, what was your name again?"
Darth Bai Gui looked at the old man speechlessly. What do you mean, 'don't know him, just met him,' and then you ask my name?
Well... to avoid another beating, Darth Bai Gui could only honestly say,
"My name is Darth Bai Gui, and I am a resident of Loguetown."
The two looked at Darth Bai Gui's ragged clothes and thin body, saying nothing, waiting for him to continue.
Darth Bai Gui stared back at them. The three of them just stared at each other in silence.
Garp: "And then?"
Darth Bai Gui looked at Garp and said, "There is no 'and then'."
Neither of them spoke. In this world, a person who is alone, ragged, and frail—you can guess what's going on without even thinking.
"Hey, kid, do you want to join the Marine? This old man can definitely train you to be the strongest Marine!"
Garp grinned, showing his big white teeth as he looked at him and said.
This time, Darth Bai Gui didn't look at him. He looked up at the Marines cleaning up the battlefield ahead, and the scattered pirates still running away.
Join the Marine? Go confront pirates? Be a Celestial Dragons' watchdog? Saying 'justice' with their mouths, yet helplessly cleaning up the mess for those high-and-mighty Celestial Dragons.
Do I have justice in my heart?
As a 28-year-old transmigrated salaryman, do I truly have justice in my heart? Or rather, does the Marine's justice truly exist?
But today, what Darth Bai Gui saw was power... this power was captivating, intoxicating.
In this world, might makes right. With power, one can do whatever one wants. With power, one has everything.
Perhaps Darth Bai Gui was too engrossed in his thoughts, completely unaware that another person had joined them.
With that person's arrival, the three of them also stopped speaking, just watching him. Sensing the aura slowly rising from Darth Bai Gui, they all showed surprised expressions.
Darth Bai Gui also felt the changes in his body, feeling as if a surge of power was about to erupt.
Darth Bai Gui suddenly turned his head, a fierce look appearing on his young face:
"Vice Admiral Garp, can I join the Marine even if I don't have justice in my heart?"
Garp froze for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter: "Hahaha, a Marine without justice in his heart, that sounds interesting, hahahaha."
"Then I'll join! I want power! I don't want to be an ordinary person, I don't want to be arbitrarily slaughtered.
I don't want to be trampled underfoot, I want to be a free person.
I don't want to be bound, I want to see the scenery from the mountaintop, I want to see this world like you guys!"
Darth Bai Gui suddenly extended his right hand, almost roaring: "I want power! I want my fists to make others feel pain!"
A powerful aura suddenly erupted from Darth Bai Gui, a black Conqueror's Haki directly enveloped half of Loguetown.
Some ordinary people immediately rolled their eyes and collapsed, and even some Marine soldiers couldn't withstand this Conqueror's Haki and fainted directly.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, is this for real? This guy has this kind of power!!" Kuzan said with a surprised expression!
"What a terrifying young man, he's so scary that this old man doesn't even dare to move!" The later Kizaru said.
Garp's eyes lit up as he looked at Darth Bai Gui, then burst into laughter.
As this Conqueror's Haki was released, all the big shots on the battlefield turned their heads to look in that direction.
Sengoku: "This power? Who's there? What is Garp doing?"
Tsuru: "I don't know, we'll just ask later."
Akainu turned his head coldly: "Hmm?"
...This is my first time writing, and I feel like I'm not writing well anywhere. I've been constantly revising. Please bear with me. I will take my first work seriously from now on and will definitely not disappoint everyone. Thank you for your support.
