"As expected of the Pirate King... even with life nearing its end, his Observation Haki is still terrifying." Rosinante exhaled deeply, his heart still pounding as he watched Gol D. Roger being escorted away by the Navy.
Just now, with a single casual glance, Roger had spotted Rosinante's hidden presence. It truly lived up to the legend: the strongest Observation Haki capable of "hearing the voices of all things."
According to the myths, Roger possessed a form of Observation Haki so refined that he could perceive the voices of all living—and even non-living—things. In comparison, ordinary Observation Haki, once awakened, could detect a creature's aura and presence. With further refinement, it could sense shifts in the surrounding air to predict incoming attacks. Mastery could even let one interpret the tension of muscles and bones to anticipate a foe's next move.
Most top-tier experts reached only this level. Even Enel, famed for his formidable Observation Haki, only reached that stage by leveraging the electromagnetic waves of his Rumble-Rumble Fruit to read minds. True perception of weaknesses, and even glimpses of the future, required either extraordinary talent or insane levels of training—and often both.
Rosinante, thanks to the fusion of two souls, had an exceptionally strong spirit, which granted him outstanding potential in Observation Haki. But due to his age, he could currently only foresee short-term movements.
His ability to sense gravity, kinetic force, Devil Fruits, and even life itself wasn't solely due to Observation Haki—it was a unique result of his mutated soul, which granted him a perception far beyond the limits of ordinary beings.
As his Haki grew, so did these special sensory abilities. With targeted training, he managed to grasp the subtle phenomena that most couldn't even perceive. These weren't standard applications of Haki; they were personal powers born from his soul's uniqueness.
Roger, on the other hand, had transcended even this. His "Voice of All Things" wasn't just the pinnacle of Observation Haki—it was something divine. He could commune with the hearts of creatures and the will of nature itself. It was said he could even converse with inanimate objects.
He could speak with wild beasts, kings of the sea... just imagine, in a naval battle, if Roger commanded a Sea King to fight by his side? That was no longer a fantasy but a terrifying strategic reality.
Rosinante even suspected Roger had spoken directly to the will of the heavens. How else could one explain the legendary Sea Battle of Edd War, when a sudden storm annihilated Golden Lion Shiki's massive fleet while Roger's ship remained untouched? Coincidence? No. Rosinante believed it was the will of the world itself answering Roger's call.
"If I could train my Observation Haki to that level, combined with the Silent-Silent Fruit... then no one in the world would be my equal," Rosinante muttered with envy.
Even with his soul fusion, training Observation Haki to the level of the "Voice of All Things" required a specific, rare talent. It wasn't something that could be forced, no matter the effort.
After Roger was escorted into Loguetown, an eerie calm settled over the city. With heroes like Garp and Fleet Admiral Sengoku stationed there, even veteran pirates dared not act rashly.
Then, the day of Roger's execution arrived.
Roger climbed the execution platform with relaxed, easy steps. He looked like he was out for a stroll rather than walking to his death. His expression remained calm and untroubled.
"That's the man who once had all the world's fame, wealth, and power?" someone below the scaffold gasped in awe.
"Pirate King Gol D. Roger, do you have any last words?" asked the Navy officer conducting the execution.
"Take this thing off, will you? It's itching like crazy," Roger smirked, gesturing to his restraints.
"That's not happening," replied the executioner coldly.
"Come on, you think I'm going to run?" Roger chuckled.
The executioner didn't respond.
"What a bore," Roger sighed, then casually walked forward and sat cross-legged atop the platform like it was his throne.
"Alright, let's get this over with," he said nonchalantly, as if he were just talking about running an errand.
Even the executioners were drenched in cold sweat from his composure. One raised his blade high, preparing to bring it down.
"Hey, Pirate King! Where'd you hide all your treasure?" someone suddenly shouted from the crowd. "Was it really in the Grand Line? You found it, didn't you? The legendary treasure...!"
"Shut up!" another yelled.
Roger began to chuckle. "Hehehe... hahaha!"
"Looking for my treasure?"
"Don't speak!"
"You can have it all... if you want it."
Roger's smile widened.
"Go find it! I left everything... in that place!"
The executioners realized too late what was happening. One swung down his blade—!
But the moment had already passed.
For three heartbeats, the square fell into dead silence.
Then came an earth-shattering roar from the crowd!
The Great Pirate Era had begun!
Rosinante turned and walked toward the bay, his heart stirred by the thundering chorus behind him. All around, dreamers, adventurers, and madmen surged toward the ocean. The seas were about to erupt into chaos.
"That damn Roger! He played us all!" Sengoku snarled furiously.
"Hahahaha! That's Roger for you!" Garp roared with unbothered laughter.
"Garp! This is a global disaster! The seas will plunge into chaos—damn that Roger!" Sengoku shouted angrily.
"What's the big deal? If anyone dares set sail, they'll just have to taste the wrath of my Iron Fist," Garp replied casually.
"Kurararara! Farewell, Roger!" On the deck of the Moby Dick, Whitebeard raised a sake cup toward the sky in salute.
"Boys! We're heading back to the New World!" he shouted, chugging the drink in one powerful gulp.
"Yes, sir!!" his crew roared.
"Fufufufu... this world is about to spiral into madness," Doflamingo sneered. "In this new era, as long as you have power, you can have everything."
"Hehehe! Doffy, let's lead the charge and take the Pirate King's treasure! Let's rise to the very top!" Diamante cackled.
"Doffy, you're destined to be king," Trebol echoed fanatically.
Elsewhere, in a small village, blood splattered the walls as pirates stormed in, blades raised high over trembling civilians.
"I'm going to be the next Pirate King! How dare you resist me?! Kill them all—leave no one alive!" one pirate bellowed, as carnage swept the land.
And so the sea boiled.
The world had changed forever.