During the busy hour of the day, a small sneaky figure scurried out of the village's main road. this smooth criminal was none other than Sear.
As has become a norm for him, Sear "borrowed" a newspaper from the old shopkeeper.
Its contents immediately grab attention..
"it's finally time, since their discovery of the legendary One Piece treasure, there hadn't been any news on the Roger Pirates, but it appears, today is different."
After around a year of speculation by the general public, Gold Roger, against all odds, has been found, captured by the marine hero; Monkey D. Garp.. the world has been turned over its head with the single biggest plot twist..
Though Sear obviously knew the real truth of the matter, which is that Roger had actually turned himself in, out of his own volition..
Having discovered long ago that he suffered from an incurable disease, he would be dying soon anyways, therefore he's going to make a grand spectacle out of his own death. Soon the greatest pirate in living memory is set to be publicly executed, in his own hometown no less.
Sear had just the right plan to witness this event firsthand.
A week and a few more days go by as the boy patiently waits for the appropriate time to come.
He doesn't have to wait longer, as the person he was waiting for, arrives.
It is none other than Mashaku, the Marine who had previously come to fetch Jacob.
He regularly visits the village, every few months. the reason being, so as to personally deliver the government allowance to Sear.
It's the money allocated to the family of dead soldiers who were of and above the rank of lieutenants, Sear barely meets that requirement..
At the courtyard in the middle of the dojo, Mashaku cheerfully greets the boy..
"how have you been?"
"it's been fine," Sear replies, smiling rather awkwardly, not yet accustomed to exchanging regular conversations with people.
"i am glad!! just being fine is already very nice... oh! i nearly forgot, here you go!! this is for you" Mashaku takes out an envelope from his pocket.
"Sorry for the trouble"
"haha! really it's nothing of that sort. in the past, when I was a rookie, Jacob-san saved my hair multiple times, this much from my part is nothing worth mentioning. besides I have other errands to attend to while coming to these parts."
Saying so, he hands over the money envelope to the boy. The money he receives isn't much, and besides, there's little to spend it on in this small village, thus he is saving it for now.
. . .
After paying his respect at Jacob's gravestone, Mashaku was about to leave, but before the man could enter his sailboat, Sear abruptly asks him to stop for a moment.
"what's the matter, is there something you want to say?" the man halts to hear the boy out.
"umm!! i do have a request.. this time, when returning to Loguetown, could you please take me along with you?. you see..."
Having been prepared with made-up reasons beforehand, Sear expresses his keen interest in wanting to see the marines in action firsthand for himself, how the marines operated.
Adding his fake desires to join the organization in the future, even conjuring up lies on the spot, he conveys how Jacob had always wished to show him around Loguetown, but sadly couldn't do so.
In fact, his father had indeed brought up the topic, but Sear had flat-out refused.
'sorry dad, but i had to use your name this time.. i promise i will make up by placing some extra flowers for you'
Mashaku, after thinking for a while.. "Well I suppose, temporarily it should be fine. something like a short stay at the marine base for a soldier's family isn't unheard of."
Thus he allows the boy to hop onto the boat.
The sailboat seemed to have a capacity to accommodate around half a dozen men.
His first mission in the high seas goes rather comfortably.
Loguetown; entrance to the elusive Grand Line, turns out the journey from the village wasn't as long or arduous as Sear had initially anticipated, being that, they reach the island in only a week of travel with few stops in between.
deep down, as much as his heart desired for an adventure, he understood reaching their destination unharmed is very much a far better outcome.
Loguetown; located on the larger Polestar Island is a place bustling with activity of people and goods alike. There's much to see and much to do here.
Yet the lively atmosphere isn't without its underlying waves. occasional marines and other security personnel could be seen scurrying about at every corner.
Mashaku and Sear quickly move to the marine base.
The base smelled damp and rusty. The walls and floor likely as old as the town itself, still it appeared to be well maintained. except the depressing impression it gave off at first glance, everything was neat and orderly.
Sear is accommodated at one of the rooms in the base. Inside he has a warm bed along with a desk. It's a little dusty but he could manage.
It was already evening by the time they arrived at the island, so Sear takes a quick nap, only to wake up when someone knocks at the door at night.
Eating dinner, he returns to sleep.
The next day he tours the town, the marines who were once acquainted with his father along with Mashaku show him around while they make their way downtown, to a grand open plaza, right at its heart.
Walking further to the other end, they reach near the execution platform where Gol D. Roger is supposed to be executed.
It's a raised platform, intentionally elevated to a height for all to get a better view. a way to send a message to every single one of those who dare to raise a pirate's flag. No opposition to the order created by the government is tolerable.
Here many soldiers kept watch over the execution spot. The marines who came with him take over the shift from those already tired soldiers, who had been here the entire night.
Then, they tell him to comfortably sit at a nearby bench. Readily complying, he does as told. he stays there all day looking at the hustle and bustle. getting to know the people and the place.
Thus, after days pass by in this same manner, the fated hour approaches.
At the moment, an enormous gathering of all kinds of people were in attendance at the plaza.
Minutes near as the atmosphere turns stifling, almost suffocating.
The preparations for today were extensive..
A long freely walkable pathway divided the rabbling masses. Every few meters on the empty path, disciplined soldiers have been deployed to keep a close watch. The tight security measure ensures not a single soul is allowed to barge onto the restricted path.
"hey don't push" Sear, all thanks to his prior arrangements with some of the guards, has been able to get a front view of the path through which Roger will walk shortly.
Though it was hard just not to get crushed by the people behind him, pushing relentlessly.
Soon at exactly noon, with the chorus of bells, sounds of chains rattling across hard stones comes from the very back of the long cleared pathway..
Without most even noticing, a man had exited a big prison cart drawn by an equally large dog, not horses.
Compared to the raw ferocity emanated by the wild-looking man, the dog appeared meek. it seemed to be sweating, which for a dog, should normally be impossible.
In the case of the spectating crowd. Sear could hear people struggling to get a better view. with each passing second the tension in the air is palpable.
But the enigmatic Pirate King remains unbothered by the attention. his steps were heavy yet carefree.
Guards totally flank him from every side, blocking his every potential escape, not that they could actually hold a candle against him if it came to that.
Sear stares right toward the incoming figure. "it wont be easy to get an up-close view." he laments, having a sense of disappointment wash over him.
"right!!" a silver-haired boy standing near him nods in agreement.
Seemingly interested as to who it is, Sear turns to look at the older boy next to him.
"you!! aren't you" he was about to say something but is cut off by the clanking and rattling sound getting ever so closer.
Dragging the chains against the stones, Roger was approaching the patch of path in front of them.. a small window of time would be their only chance to get a proper look.
The two boys, like everybody else, had their eyes locked onto the man.. it was not a certainty.
However, to their astonishment, it happens.. at that split moment when he walks past them, the man, the legend himself, turns his head toward them for a split moment, his enigmatic expression clearly visible.
He lays his gaze at the two and then smiles, revealing a wide set of teeth.
It's that passing grin that will forever be ingrained in them. Nobody could discern what he had in his mind, at that moment.
Time waits for none.
Roger has now been brought up to the platform. there is no resistance as he willingly takes the last steps of his life on those inclined wooden staircase.
Comfortably at the top, he flops cross-legged on the spot.
"All right, lets get this over with, quickly" Roger nonchalantly states. no announcement of his crimes were to be made, there's no need. He was to be executed immediately and effectively.
When the two guards brandish their spears, each of the two individual sharp ends meet in front of him, criss-crossing, while glinting radiantly under the sun.
Some in the crowd brazenly question Gold Roger regarding the mysterious treasure that he supposedly found. for these daredevils, repercussions be damned.
When those questions are put forward, for some reason the surroundings literally plunge into a pin-drop silence, if anything could be heard it was only the sound of people uncontrollably grinding their sets of molars in anticipation.
"My wealth and treasure?" Roger's voice reverberates, loud and clear, "It can be yours if you want it! Search for it! I left everything in that one place"
There's a trance-like silence among the crowd. The marines were no different, they were similarly in a stupor. Quickly, when they come to their senses, the order to carry out the execution is given immediately, but it was a tad-bit too late.
Simultaneously at those orders falling and Roger breathing his last with his heart being skewered by the spears, a fuse goes off. The serene silence transforms into deafening frenzy. A surreal herald for the future that is to come..
Today, here at Loguetown, the island of the beginning and end; a single man died. at his departure, a few cried and a few laughed while many cheered euphoric because of the possibilities he left behind.
For better or worse, that is life at its finest.
The sky starts drizzling, almost like even the heavens are shedding tears.
In no time, a light rain turns into a massive downpour. most people scramble to find shelter while others, a select few individuals, leisurely stroll out, separating them from the herd.
An invisible tide has started to grow and by the time anyone notices, it will have already drowned the world in its madness.
The annals of history will soon immortalize this place. this occasion today, for it turned out, not an execution but a coronation.