One Piece: Peace Shattered By Roger (Completed)

"Hey! Friend, could you spare me some water? My throat is parched."

Kaizen staggered into the unfamiliar town. He leaned against a wall, barely able to stand, and spoke haltingly to a man in strange attire on the street.

"Huh? What did you just call me?"

The man turned toward Kaizen with a shocked expression, as though he'd just heard something extraordinary.

The man's face was heavily painted, resembling a tragic clown, his eyes filled with sorrow. The wind blew back the hem of his tattered women's clothing, revealing unkempt and hairy legs beneath.

"I said, friend! Tomo!"

Kaizen, having long been desensitized to oddities, mustered his strength to repeat the word, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Why?"

The man's shock deepened. He stepped forward, grabbed Kaizen by the collar, and demanded, "Why would you call me a friend? Everyone else calls me a monster or trash! Are you mocking me? You bastard! If so, I'll cut you to pieces!"

Tears streamed down the man's face as he spoke, his despair evident as if his last shred of hope had been torn apart.

Kaizen, having lost an excessive amount of blood, had used up every ounce of energy just to reach this place. The shaking from the man's grip was the final straw. His consciousness faded, and he collapsed.

"Oi! Don't die! I still have questions! Get up and answer me before you go!"

The man panicked as Kaizen fell, revealing the famous sword still embedded in his chest. His blood-soaked figure painted a grim picture.

"Y-You're in this bad of a shape?!"

The man, struck by a sudden resolve, crouched down and picked up Kaizen.

---

The Night Before: Marine Headquarters, Marineford

The fierce battle had concluded, leaving half of Marineford in ruins. Marines worked tirelessly to clear the battlefield, but the aftermath remained terrifying.

The legendary Golden Lion, Shiki, armed with his dual swords, had stormed the Marine Headquarters.

He failed.

Defeated in one of the world's most brutal confrontations, his tenacity and pride as a man shone through until the end.

Using his final strength, Shiki saved Kaizen, ensuring he would live on to play a pivotal role in the world's future. The fall of one star inevitably gives rise to another.

This pattern of fate brings joy to some and despair to others.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, we've dispatched an advance team led by Vice Admiral Borsalino to pursue the escaped pirate, Kaizen," a Marine captain reported respectfully.

"Alive or dead, I want him found! Relay to Borsalino that this mission is critical and must not be underestimated."

Sengoku's tone was stern. He knew that if Kaizen survived, he would undoubtedly become a significant threat in the future. Such incidents had occurred too many times in the past.

Had the Marines eradicated Rocks D. Xebec's crew at God Valley, the current generation of tyrannical overlords terrorizing the seas would never have emerged.

"Understood!" The Marine captain saluted sharply before departing.

Moments later, an ensign approached Sengoku, holding a document.

"What is it now?" Sengoku frowned. He had received nothing but bad news all day and was in no mood for more.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, sir, this is the bounty poster for the pirate Kaizen. Please review it."

The ensign, visibly nervous, handed over the document. The poster depicted Kaizen in a striking and commanding pose, exuding a sense of righteous determination.

"What nonsense is this? Who approved this photo? We're portraying him as a hero, not the devil he is! Redo it immediately!"

Sengoku threw the poster aside in frustration. The image failed to capture the intended aura of menace and would not provoke the hatred of the public.

"I... I'm terribly sorry, sir! I'll handle it right away!"

The ensign hastily gathered the discarded documents, trembling.

"Increase the bounty to two billion berries while you're at it."

"Yes, sir!" The ensign saluted again and scurried off.

"A rogue like him must be stopped. Otherwise, the world will never know peace," Sengoku muttered, gazing at the bleak night sky. The pale moonlight cast a somber glow over his weary face.

---

Kaizen crash-landed on an island controlled by the powers of the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi. After flying for an entire day and night, he found himself far from Marine Headquarters, at least temporarily out of their reach.

Struggling to his feet, Kaizen stumbled forward aimlessly. His thoughts were muddled, his lips pale from blood loss, and his throat burned with an unbearable thirst.

Barely clinging to life, he wandered into the town, asking the first person he saw, "Friend, can you give me a sip of water?"

But instead of a straightforward answer, he received a flood of questions. Overwhelmed, he finally collapsed.

The man Kaizen spoke to, however, turned out to be peculiar in his own right. Rather than dismiss him, the man went out of his way to find a doctor.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A series of loud knocks rang out on Dr. Federman's door.

"Oi! You damn quack! Get out here! Someone's dying, and they need your help!"

The man shouted impatiently, pounding on the door.

"Who dares disturb my sleep so early? Don't you know interrupting a man's rest is the gravest sin?"

A melodious yet sarcastic voice responded from inside. Moments later, the door swung open, revealing a disheveled, drunken middle-aged man.

---

TO BE CONTINUED...