Cough cough...
"So I've been exposed and sentenced to death—fine, whatever. I'm already a man on the brink of death.
But still... I want to see—who dares publicly execute my son!"
Roger covered his mouth, staining his palm bright red with blood.
But despite coughing up blood, the light in his eyes never dimmed.
In fact, it burned even brighter than ever.
In the depths of those eyes, it was as if a lion lay in wait.
A sleeping dragon hidden beneath the calm.
Suddenly, Roger saw strange glowing symbols appear in the air before him.
And in that moment, he understood why he had arrived in this era.
"If the 'What-If' Transponder truly grants power to make dreams come true...
Then it wasn't some Devil Fruit that brought me here—
It was my final wish before death...
My wish to see Ace again.
That's what summoned me to this place."
Roger nodded, as realization dawned.
"What if? A what-if world? What if I had been there when Ace was executed?
Is this all a dream... or is it real?"
He murmured softly to himself.
His thoughts aligned with Sabo's.
But quickly, confusion turned to conviction.
Whether it was a dream or reality—he didn't care.
There was only one thing he had to do:
Go to Marineford. Rescue his son, Ace.
That would be his final atonement.
"Hey! You over there! Who are you?!"
A Marine at Loguetown's naval base noticed Roger acting suspiciously and stepped forward to question him.
Roger didn't panic. He took a single step forward.
Boom—
An invisible wave of Conqueror's Haki exploded outward.
The approaching Marine froze instantly.
Only after Roger had left the plaza did the Marine collapse, eyes rolled back, unconscious.
"Officer! Are you okay?!"
"Someone get help!"
Chaos erupted.
Roger didn't look back.
He quickened his pace, heading for the harbor.
There, he found an unattended small boat.
Without hesitation, he set sail.
Straight for the Grand Line.
Straight for Marineford.
---
"Hey, look over there!"
"Doesn't that guy on the boat look... familiar?"
"Yeah, I thought so too! Where have I seen him before?"
At the edge of the harbor, small groups of townsfolk began murmuring among themselves.
They stared as the small boat faded into the distance.
The figure on board looked hauntingly familiar.
Until finally—
"Ah!"
One man shouted, as if struck by lightning.
"I remember now!"
"What is it?"
"That man… He looks just like the Pirate King Roger!"
The words fell like thunder.
All of Loguetown's harbor fell silent.
One second later—
"HA HA HA HA!"
Laughter and ridicule erupted.
"You're insane!"
"The Pirate King Roger?! As if!"
"Roger died 22 years ago!"
"Right here in Loguetown! Public execution!"
"The execution platform still has his bloodstains from all those years ago!"
"There's no way! Not a chance!"
"Anyone could be out there—but definitely not him!"
People laughed it off. One by one, they shook their heads and dismissed the idea.
Even those who had seen Roger with their own eyes started doubting themselves.
Maybe... I was just seeing things?
Flap flap!
Just then, a flock of News Coo birds flew across the Loguetown sky, capturing everyone's attention.
Moments later—
When they saw the headlines those birds had brought...
All of Loguetown was shaken.
---
"W-What the hell?!"
"This can't be real!"
"If it is... something massive is about to go down!"
---
Sea Circle Calendar, Year 1520. Fall.
The winds grew fiercer.
The gears of fate began to turn.
Signaling the arrival of an unprecedented storm...
---
One Week Later — Marineford.
The Navy announces the public execution of Fire Fist Ace, commander of the 2nd Division of the Whitebeard Pirates!
World Government Statement:
The entire world is in uproar!
From the first half of the Grand Line to the chaotic New World...
Countless pirate crews and powerful factions are shaken to their core!
---
"Hey, what's going on? Is this real?!"
"They're really executing Fire Fist Ace?! Isn't that basically a declaration of war against that man?!"
"They're provoking the strongest man in the world—have the Marines gone mad?!"
"This isn't a provocation—it's a full-blown declaration of WAR!"
"After all these years of peace... the Navy is finally going to war with a Yonko?!"
"But will Whitebeard really come for just one division commander?"
"Don't be stupid! That monster Whitebeard will absolutely show up!"
"He's a devil, sure—but he never abandons his crew!"
"Perfect! If the Navy wins, it'll be the most uplifting victory in decades!"
"HAHAHAHA! This is amazing! The most thrilling news I've ever heard!"
"One more week? I can't wait that long! I want to see Whitebeard clash with the Marines NOW!"
"This might be the greatest battle of the entire era!"
---
All across the world—from beggars in the streets to kings in palaces—
Everyone buzzed with excitement and anticipation.
---
New World. Clouds churned. Storms brewed.
In Dressrosa—the nation of passion, emotion, and toys—
"Fufufufufu... FUFUFUFUFU!"
"Subarashii! Truly... Subarashii!"
"Whitebeard vs. the Navy in all-out war?! What a magnificent spectacle!"
"To live in the age of pirates... it's the greatest time to be alive!"
At the highest point of Dressrosa's royal palace stood the Shichibukai known as Heavenly Yaksha—Donquixote Doflamingo.
Wearing his iconic flamingo coat, he laughed wildly, covering his forehead with one hand.
"This sea has been calm for too long! The age of Whitebeard has dragged on for too long!
This war will reshape the entire world!"
"The old man's era... ends here!"
His body trembled with excitement.
"Doffy, wait—you think Whitebeard will lose?!"
Pica, one of Doflamingo's top officers, screeched in disbelief.
"Whitebeard... the monster who reigned after Roger—the Pirate King! The strongest man in the world! He's legendary!"
"But still—" Doflamingo interrupted, his tone turning sharp.
"Whitebeard may be strong, but in the end...
He's just a sea emperor—a warlord ruling a corner of the ocean.
The one who has truly ruled the world for 800 years...
Is the real monster—the World Government!"
"The World Government is the only true ruler of the seas!"
"Eh?! Doffy!"
Just then—
One of his slime-coated officers, Trebol, rushed into the hall.
"What is it, Trebol?" Doflamingo asked.
"A Vice Admiral from HQ just arrived—they want you to fulfill your Shichibukai duties...
Join the war at Marineford!"
"Fufufufu…"
Doflamingo's grin widened.
"Just as expected. I knew this was coming."
"You're actually going?!" Pica asked.
"Of course I am! This is the Summit War!"
Doflamingo threw his arms wide open, facing the sea.
His laughter echoed like a storm:
"That's the center of this era—how could I possibly miss it?!"