Countdown to Fire Fist Ace's public execution — 6 days and 22 hours.
Time: 5:00 p.m.
The sun was slowly setting in the west.
The clouds in the evening sky blazed a brilliant red, reflecting over the vast horizon.
Even the sea itself appeared to glow, bathed in vibrant hues.
Two hours earlier...
Pirate King Roger, having stolen a small ship from 22 years in the past, caught the wind and sailed out to sea, determined to find a way to save his son.
But that heroic departure didn't last long.
Roger suddenly realized... he had gone the wrong way.
For the next two hours, he wandered aimlessly back and forth—until he finally found the entrance to Reverse Mountain.
"Yare yare, I really am getting old."
Roger scratched the back of his head with a self-deprecating chuckle.
Then, his eyes focused on the thick storm clouds ahead—
—on the ocean current climbing the great Reverse Mountain.
As if piercing the thick Red Line, the distant Twin Cape came into view.
A nostalgic light rose on Roger's weathered face.
The East Blue side of Reverse Mountain and the Twin Cape held countless memories for him.
More than fifty years ago, he'd passed through here once with Rayleigh.
About thirty years ago, when he fell terminally ill, he returned in search of a doctor who might ease his condition.
Later, Oden boarded his ship, and they all set out to find the final island—riding the Oro Jackson down this very path.
And now, this was his fourth time.
"Let's go!"
Roger snapped out of his memories and steered his small boat straight ahead.
Boom!
A torrential downpour struck without warning.
The sea roared violently; waves crashed one after another.
Had this been a younger, less experienced Roger, he might've been overwhelmed.
But now? He was the Pirate King—
Even the stormy seas of the New World couldn't stop him.
A bit of rain and wind like this? Nothing.
Before long, the towering red walls of the Red Line appeared on both sides.
In the center, a narrow canal—carved by magnetic forces—rose like a waterfall in reverse.
The legendary Reverse Mountain current.
A breathtaking sight, no matter how many times one witnessed it.
"Here we go~"
Roger muttered, guiding the boat dead-center into the canal.
He ascended the mountain amid fierce winds and pounding rain.
The closer he got to Twin Cape, the wider his smile grew.
Excitement glimmered on his weathered face.
Because he knew—
If nothing unexpected happened,
he'd soon see an old friend.
To him, the disbanding of the crew and their parting was just over a year ago.
But to the people of this era,
it had been over 20 years.
More importantly,
this was a reunion that defied both time and death.
"I wonder… what kind of expression Crocus will have when he sees me?"
"Ahahahaha! I really can't wait!"
Roger laughed heartily, anticipation brimming in his eyes.
Finally—
Driven by the uphill current,
Roger's small boat burst through the storm clouds.
Sunlight poured through, illuminating the horizon.
Brilliant rays danced beside the clouds, a sight of breathtaking beauty.
But the moment to appreciate it lasted only a second.
A moment later—
under the pull of gravity,
his boat dropped sharply onto the descending current on the Grand Line side.
Accelerated by the force of the water, it shot downward like a missile.
For first-time travelers, Reverse Mountain was a test of courage.
But for a seasoned veteran like Roger, it was routine.
Standing firmly at the bow, hands clasped behind his back,
his cloak billowed wildly in the wind—
yet his stance didn't waver even slightly.
In less than a minute,
the boat reached calm waters.
He had arrived.
The starting point of the Grand Line—Twin Cape.
Roger stood at the bow, scanning the surroundings.
Everything looked just like he remembered.
The lighthouse still stood tall—
But the person and the whale who used to be here… were nowhere to be seen.
Roger frowned slightly.
Closing his eyes, he activated his powerful Kenbunshoku Haki, sensing the area.
In moments, he detected a disturbance from beneath the sea.
BOOM!
A thunderous noise erupted from the depths.
The once-calm ocean rippled with waves—
And then, a massive shadow surged upward, like a sea monster rising from the deep.
The waves it stirred pushed Roger's boat back over a hundred meters.
Finally, the massive creature surfaced—
Towering like a wall on the ocean, it let out a deep cry.
"Gyaaaaooo!!!"
The giant whale Laboon roared,
its enormous eyes locked on Roger standing atop the mast.
"Gyaooo!!"
It cried again—this time, with a hint of joy.
It was the joy of reuniting with an old friend.
Unlike normal fish, whales—especially intelligent ones like Laboon—remembered people.
It remembered how, decades ago, this man and his crew had sung Bink's Sake together,
bringing laughter and song to the seas.
Roger, too, was a dear friend.
"Ahahahaha! Laboon, you've grown even bigger!"
Roger laughed, waving.
"Gyaooo!"
Laboon responded, its joy more pronounced.
Roger's gaze shifted—
to the massive scar across Laboon's forehead.
He knew what it was.
Laboon, missing the Rumbar Pirates, had repeatedly rammed into the Red Line, seeking them.
The memory pained Roger.
They had once searched for the Rumbar Pirates too—
But in the end, all they found was tragedy.
The Rumbar Pirates were likely… gone forever.
"Laboon, you…"
Roger was just about to say a few comforting words—when his eyes widened in shock.
He leapt from his boat and climbed onto Laboon's head—
and saw the scar in full.
What he thought was a strange wound—
was actually a symbol carved into Laboon's head.
A pirate flag.
A skull… wearing a straw hat?
It looked awfully familiar.
"Laboon… what's the meaning of this drawing on your head?" Roger asked.
"Gyao gyao gyao!"
Laboon explained in whale language.
"Ahh, I see!"
Roger nodded in understanding.
Thanks to his unique ability to hear the voice of all things,
he could understand sea kings—and even special whale dialects like Laboon's.
"So, you made a promise with the straw hat kid, huh?
That's wonderful! Keep that promise, okay?"
Roger gently patted Laboon's head.
"Gyaooo gyaoo!"
Laboon cried out excitedly, as if making a vow.
Just then—
Click!
A door opened from the vent on Laboon's back.
Out stepped an old man with a flower-patterned shirt,
climbing the stairs slowly.
"Gyao gyao gyao! Laboon, what is it now?!
I told you already, if there's a ship below, let them in!
No need to block the path every time!"
The grumbling old man was Crocus, caretaker of the lighthouse.
But then—
He caught a glimpse of the man standing on Laboon's head.
In that instant—
Crocus froze, rooted to the spot.
"Yo, Crocus. Long time no see. I'm back."
Roger waved, grinning brightly.
"You… you… YOU—
ROGER, YOU'RE A ZOMBIE!!!"