One Piece: I'm not Roger

While the performance on the stage continued, Bont, standing beside Robin, suddenly asked,

"You're the Devil Child, Nico Robin, aren't you? What's your relationship with that Roger kid?"

Robin's reserved smile stiffened for a brief moment. Although her delicate expression quickly recovered, it did not escape the notice of the world-weary Bont.

After a short pause, Robin gave the most cautious answer she could.

"Aether and I are just ordinary friends."

"Oh, is that so?"

Having seen enough of the world, Bont easily picked up on Robin's subtle reaction. He had not expected that now that the Roger kid had reappeared, so many rumors would surround him. Back then, the woman he had heard about, Rouge, had also been involved in similar rumors, and now history seemed to be repeating itself.

Time changed everything, yet some things remained the same.

Bont looked back toward Aether on the stage. With Roger, Ace, and the name Gol D., the bloodline would not end so easily. His long years of waiting had finally felt meaningful.

As if something within him had been fulfilled, Bont suddenly felt his body grow light. At the same time, his remaining strength drained away at an alarming speed. His legs began to tremble uncontrollably, and his vision blurred.

"Is this…"

To accept his fate?

Without anyone noticing, Bont stepped back and sat down on a nearby flower bed, slowly closing his eyes. He looked as though he had simply fallen asleep.

Robin glanced at him once, assuming the old man was merely resting. She continued focusing on recording the scene of the Execution Platform being destroyed.

On the stage, Aether had already finished speaking.

He directly released his overwhelming Conqueror's Haki onto the Execution Platform. The pressure of his Haoshoku Haki caused the entire structure to creak and groan under its weight.

Crack after crack spread across the platform.

Finally, after holding for only a brief moment, the Execution Platform collapsed completely. Aether's figure vanished amid the shocked cries of the crowd.

Dust surged into the air, swallowing the stage.

The people below retreated in panic as they witnessed the collapse. Only after confirming Aether's disappearance did they erupt into chaotic discussion.

"The Execution Platform collapsed!"

"So Pirate King Roger's goal really was to destroy it. That makes sense, since he came back to life."

"Sigh, why destroy the Execution Platform? Loguetown just lost its landmark."

"Exactly. That damn Roger. Now the customer flow in my shop is going to drop."

A mechanical notification echoed in Aether's mind.

"A, B, C, and D-rank individuals have generated ordinary emotions and moderate shock toward the Host. Reward: 48,753 Experience."

The tens of thousands gathered in Loguetown provided a considerable amount of experience. From this day onward, Loguetown would enter a new phase.

Amid the noisy crowd, Aether returned to Robin's side and looked silently at Bont's motionless figure.

The man who had been so full of life moments ago now sat still without movement.

Aether remained quiet for a long moment. A faint heaviness settled in his chest as memories of Bont's old boasting resurfaced.

"Haha, little Roger, your uncle once fought an Admiral in a great battle!"

Robin covered her lips, equally surprised. The old man who had seemed so energetic only moments ago had passed away just like that, and he had been Aether's elder.

Aether exhaled softly and lifted Bont's body onto his back.

"Uncle Bont lived to ninety-six. Aside from not getting married, he should have no regrets. Let's go. I'm going to bury him in the family cemetery."

"Mhm."

Robin followed behind Aether as they walked toward the house buried deep in memory. Uncle Bont's home was right next door.

As they left, Aether glanced briefly at Commodore Kujaku, who had also noticed them. The Marine Headquarters officer's heart tightened, and she quickly looked away.

A bead of sweat ran down her cheek. Kujaku pressed a hand to her chest, her heartbeat rapid.

"What a terrifying man. I would not last a single exchange against him. No, I could probably withstand one move. No, maybe five…"

After a moment of internal struggle, she slapped her own head in frustration.

"It's meaningless how many moves I can last. I still can't beat him. Also, who is that old man Roger is carrying?"

Unable to recall Bont's identity, Kujaku decided to report the matter to Headquarters. This was beyond the scope of a Commodore. Her priority now was to control the spread of information.

Compared to remaining in the Marine Headquarters, she was more inclined toward joining the secret special force, SWORD. At least there, she would have more freedom.

On the outskirts of Loguetown, in a backyard surrounded by several modest houses, a small family cemetery stood neatly maintained. The tombstones belonged to Roger's relatives.

Aether first cleaned the cemetery carefully before digging an empty grave. He placed Bont's coffin inside and set a white lily on top.

Before closing it, Aether noticed the faint curve at the corners of Bont's mouth. The old man had left this world with a trace of peace.

"Uncle Bont, I'm leaving. If I have time in the future, I'll come visit you. As for the family grave, don't worry. I'll make sure Ace comes back every year to sweep the tombs. Even if he took his mother's surname, he is still a descendant of the Gol family."

With the Execution Platform destroyed and his last elder laid to rest, Aether's final tie to Loguetown remained only this cemetery.

He turned his gaze toward the house on the far left. Inside, the furniture was still arranged exactly as it had been when Roger first set sail. He had only asked Bont to keep it safe back then, never expecting it to be preserved so well.

Beside him, Robin watched silently. She could sense the weight in the man's heart.

After covering the grave with soil, Robin stepped forward and embraced him gently.

Aether accepted the moment, then leaned in and stole a brief kiss from her lips before speaking.

"It's time to set sail. This time we go through the Calm Belt. The Marines already know I've appeared alone in the East Blue. They will not waste this chance."

"Mhm."

---

At Marine Headquarters, Marineford, reconstruction work was still underway.

Inside a large conference hall beneath the Marine seagull emblem, a group of high-ranking officers gathered. At the front stood Akainu, now Fleet Admiral. Rarely, even Sengoku and Garp were present, drawn in by the gravity of the situation.

A report was read aloud.

"Roger has appeared in Loguetown in the East Blue. The Gorosei have ordered the Marines to surround and eliminate Roger. What are your thoughts?"

Akainu's top subordinate, Aramaki, immediately stood up and pounded his chest.

"Don't worry, big sister. Leave it to me. I will bring Roger's head back as a gift."

A tense silence followed.

Even Akainu's expression twitched slightly. While Aramaki's strength was respectable, facing the Roger described in the report made victory uncertain and survival even more so.

Still, to preserve his subordinate's dignity, Akainu responded diplomatically.

"Aramaki, you will be assigned another mission. This operation is not yours."

"Is that so? What a pity. I really wanted to present Roger as a birthday gift to big sister."

The room fell silent once again.