"Finally, we've arrived."
Rody stood at the bow, his crimson coat rippling in the sea breeze as the ship drifted into the harbor.
"The town where it all began and where it all ended," he said softly. "The birthplace of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger… and the place of his death."
Loguetown—the town of beginning and end.
The ship moored gently. Rody and his crew disembarked, splitting into two groups. Mike, Carmen, and her apprentices headed for the markets to buy food and ship supplies, while Rody took Nami toward the execution platform—the place where the era of pirates began.
Standing beneath the towering scaffold, surrounded by the hum of a busy street and the chatter of countless people, Rody looked up. "When Roger was executed here, it must have felt like the end of an era," he murmured. "But for Loguetown… perhaps it was the beginning of prosperity."
Indeed, Loguetown thrived. It was the last port before entering the Grand Line, the final stop for every ship that dreamed of greatness. The fact that Roger had both been born and died here drew tourists, dreamers, and even pirates by the dozens. Yet despite the constant influx, the town remained largely peaceful. The pirates of the East Blue were weak, and those who were strong respected the legend too much to desecrate his memory.
As Rody gazed at the execution platform, his eyes blurred. For an instant, he thought he saw a man sitting there in chains—a tall figure wearing a red captain's coat, his head thrown back in laughter. Two absurdly long nose hairs curved from his nostrils like twin mustaches. Even bound, his laughter was vast and free, like the ocean itself.
"Rody," Nami whispered, "this is really where the Pirate King died?"
"Yes," he replied.
She tilted her head. "It doesn't look that special. Just a tall platform."
Rody smiled faintly. "Exactly. Just a platform… and yet, it changed the world."
He blinked, and the figure was gone—the platform empty once more. Perhaps it had only been a trick of memory and sea breeze.
Rody turned away, arm around Nami's waist. Together, they left the square behind.
…
They wandered through the bustling streets of Loguetown, buying clothes, jewelry, and small trinkets. The town was loud and full of color, with the scent of spice and smoke wafting through the air. When the sun began to dip, Rody decided it was time to meet up with Mike and the others.
But trouble had already found them.
Carmen and her group were finishing their shopping when the day took a turn.
"This South Sea sandfish is incredibly fresh! I can already imagine three different recipes for it," Carmen said, eyes sparkling as Leo carried the fish.
"Looks like we've got everything," Mike said, satisfied.
"Then let's hurry back to the captain," Windfire Wheel urged. Being stared at by every passerby clearly made him uncomfortable. "I hate crowds."
"That's only because you're a walking spectacle," Mike chuckled.
Windfire Wheel folded his arms and struck a pose. "Can't help it. Wherever I go, I'm dazzlingly unique."
"Hey, Captain! Look what we've got here!"
A shout rose from a nearby crowd. A gang of rough pirates had spotted Windfire Wheel.
"It's… it's a walking, talking motorcycle!" one yelled.
"Where? You serious?"
"Move aside, I wanna see!"
They shoved through the onlookers until their leader appeared—a short but muscular man with a cruel grin and heavy fists wrapped in bandages. His presence was loud, his confidence louder.
"If you're lying to me—" he began, but then stopped, eyes lighting up. "Well, I'll be damned. It really is a walking, talking bike!"
He grinned. "Hey, that thing's mine now."
Windfire Wheel stared at him, unamused. "First, I'm not a thing. I'm Windfire Wheel. Second, kid, you'd better hurry home before dinner. Maybe drink some milk while you're at it."
The pirates froze. His crew paled.
"Oh no… the captain's gonna blow."
"Yeah. He hates people mentioning his height."
The pirate captain's smile vanished, his brow twitching. "You… don't seem to know who I am." His tone was cold. "Since I'm generous, I'll forgive you once. I'm Toby the Boxer—bounty, thirteen million Berries."
One of his men puffed up his chest. "Our captain's a big name in the East Blue! Scared now?"
"How about you come quietly, little bike," another sneered. "Don't make us break you for parts."
Windfire Wheel tilted his metal head. "Boxer? Scissors-hands? Never heard of you. And only thirteen million? Hah. Do you even know who my captain is?"
Toby's brow furrowed. "Who?"
"Heh, you'll faint when you hear it."
"Spit it out."
"My captain," Windfire Wheel declared proudly, "is Rody the Slayer—the man with a fifty-million Berries bounty!"
The laughter around them died instantly. The pirates stiffened. Even Toby's expression faltered.
"C-Captain, maybe we should—"
"Yeah, he's not lying! They say that guy wiped out the Krieg Pirates! Fifty ships, five thousand men! Only a thousand survived—and Krieg's head got cut clean off!"
"Let's not mess with that kind of monster…"
But Toby snorted, waving them silent. "Idiots. Use those empty heads for once. How could one man destroy fifty ships? Unless the Marines launched a full-scale assault, it's impossible. And there's been no such report. You know what really happened? Krieg's fleet hit a storm. The Slayer probably found the wreckage, killed the wounded, and took credit."
He grinned smugly. "He's just another braggart who built his legend on lies."
"Really, Captain?"
"Of course! That's why I'm the captain."
Windfire Wheel's eyes flared red. "You fools done guessing yet? I was there! I saw him. He did destroy Krieg's fleet. You think you stand a chance? He could kill you all with one gesture. Leave now if you value your lives."
"Nice try. You're bluffing," Toby sneered. He gestured sharply. Two of his men stepped forward, cracking their knuckles.
Before they could take a step, Mike moved. The butler stepped calmly out of the crowd, cane in hand. With a flick of his wrist—crack!thud!—the two pirates hit the ground, unconscious before they knew what struck them.
Toby froze, his grin fading. "You old bastard… who the hell are you?"