One Piece: I'm not Roger

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Charlotte Linlin, pulled back from her thoughts, gradually grew serious after recalling the performances of Gol D. Roger and Silvers Rayleigh during the Marineford War.

Unlike Kaido, she was not obsessed with battle. When faced with overwhelming strength, she preferred cooperation. This mindset was one of the reasons her Totto Land had expanded so steadily.

Standing beside her was Charlotte Perospero, her eldest son and the Candy Minister among the thirty-four ministers. At the mention of Roger, even he felt a trace of unease.

He had encountered the Roger Pirates several times in the past, and those encounters never ended well. Even his Mama had suffered losses, forcing the Big Mom Pirates, who were still rising at the time, to remain cautious.

"Mama, should we still move on Whitebeard's territory? I heard his final words from the broadcast. It sounded like he entrusted Roger with protecting his lands. If we act recklessly, Roger might take everything for himself."

The thought of having Roger as a neighbor instead of Whitebeard darkened Linlin's expression. Still, she no longer feared him. She was one of the Four Emperors now.

"Ignore Roger. Send our forces to take Whitebeard's territory immediately. If we hesitate, Kaido will seize the opportunity. Also, inform the Fish-Men on Fish-Man Island that Whitebeard is dead. They will raise my flag and come under my protection."

Fish-Man Island, the only route between the first half of the Grand Line and the New World, was too valuable to ignore.

"Yes, Mama. I'll handle it."

As Perospero turned to leave, Linlin called out once more.

"Prepare portraits of your sisters and send them to Roger. Tell him I want a marriage alliance. If his son marries one or more of my daughters, it will be my gift for his return, as long as we join forces to divide the New World."

"Yes, Mama."

This time, she did not stop him again. Whether Roger agreed or not did not matter. If he did, the gains would be enormous.

She could gather the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates and align with both Roger and Rayleigh. Such a force would rival any Emperor crew. After all, the strength of the Whitebeard Pirates was not only due to their captain. Their sixteen divisions were superior to most crews, something Linlin had long envied.

---

Several hours later, on a small island in the East Blue, loud laughter echoed from a modest hut.

The man laughing had golden hair shaped like a cockscomb and a frail frame. His legs were gone, replaced by two swords. His face carried the weight of age and decay, yet the newspaper in his hands brought back a spark of life.

"Hahahaha! Roger, you bastard, you were alive all along and never told me. I have to see you!"

The laughter spread far across the island.

This man was Shiki, the Golden Lion.

Not long ago, his long-prepared plan had failed when he was defeated by a man from the East Blue. After losing consciousness, he was captured by a Marine Vice Admiral, only to escape due to an unexpected turn of events.

Having suffered defeat twice in the same sea, he had lost much of his ambition and waited for death. Yet the news of Roger reignited something within him.

He had never believed a man like Roger would fall to the Marines. That belief had driven him to attack Marineford alone, clashing against Monkey D. Garp and Sengoku.

In less than half a day, his obsession led to defeat. After destroying half of Marineford, he was imprisoned in Impel Down. Less than two years later, he escaped at the cost of his legs.

Back then, escaping would have been easy with his Devil Fruit, but Roger meant too much to him.

"If Roger and Rayleigh can still shake Marineford, then my journey isn't over yet."

As his voice faded, the ground beneath the hut rose into the sky.

---

In the New World, within the massive golden city of Gran Tesoro, owned by the Gold Emperor Gild Tesoro, the atmosphere was vastly different.

Once a slave of the Celestial Dragons, he now controlled twenty percent of the world's Berries, working closely with both the underworld and the World Government.

Inside a luxurious hall, the sound of high heels echoed.

A beautiful woman with long orange hair and a black evening gown followed behind him. This was Baccarat, the user of the Luck-Luck Fruit.

Two weeks earlier, she had struggled to reach Sabaody. There, she met a man who left a lasting impression on her, Aether.

At first, she was cautious around him. Yet his openness, his knowledge of the sea, and his sharp advice slowly changed her view.

They spent two days together, each trying to gain something from the other. Under the influence of alcohol and impulse, they shared a bed. It was not love, just mutual benefit, yet she did not dislike him. There was even a faint sense of fondness.

Still, she had her own ambitions. Aether, an information broker in her eyes, could not help her reach them. Compared to her, he seemed weak.

After obtaining intelligence that her Devil Fruit could secure her a place in Gran Tesoro, she left without hesitation, not even saying goodbye.

Everything changed after the broadcast.

The man who stole the spotlight at Marineford, revealed as Pirate King Roger, was now known as Augustus D. Aether.

That revelation left her conflicted. If she had stayed with him, perhaps things would be different.

"Baccarat, why are you distracted today?" Tesoro asked as they entered the grand casino hall. "From today onward, you are the manager here. Do your job well."

"Understood, boss. I won't disappoint you."

Tesoro nodded and left.

With a charming smile, Baccarat began her work. Moving gracefully through the hall, she used her powers to strip gamblers of everything they had.

The wealth, the influence, the control, all of it filled her with satisfaction.

Then, without warning, her thoughts returned to Aether.

She remembered his words clearly.

"Don't worry, Baccarat. We will meet again."

When she had asked if he would come here as Tesoro's subordinate, he gave an answer she dismissed at the time.

"I am not joining him. I am coming to rob the place. The World Government has fattened it enough, so it might as well be harvested."

A faint unease settled in her chest.

Was he serious?

She believed he would not lie, yet she had no intention of losing everything she had gained.

After a brief hesitation, she made her decision.

She would say nothing.

Whether his words were true or not, informing Tesoro would only bring trouble upon herself.

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