Year 1500 of the Sea Calendar.
On the towering execution platform in Loguetown.
As the executioner's blade pierced Roger's body, the square fell into a brief silence, followed by thunderous cheers.
Some cheered because the "Pirate King," who represented evil, had finally been executed, but more were due to his last words before death.
"Want my treasure? You can have it all if you want it! Go look for it! I've left all my treasure there!"
Cheers rose and fell in the square.
On the wall surrounding the square, nine-year-old Dillon sat, surveying the scene.
"Red-Haired" Shanks, "Tenryubito" Donquixote Doflamingo, "Hawkeye" Dracule Mihawk, "Sand Crocodile" Sir Crocodile, Monkey D. Dragon, Buggy, Gecko Moria.
Some were expressionless, some smiled grimly, some wailed.
Dillon reached out to catch the raindrops falling from the sky, watching those who would become world-famous powerhouses in the near future.
"It begins... the Great Pirate Era."
...
Half a month later, an unknown island in the East Blue.
"Kid, this is a Marine branch, what are you doing here?"
A Marine with a full beard stopped a small, thin figure.
"I want to join the Marines."
"Join the Marines? The Marines aren't a playground. Where's your family? Go home quickly."
Dillon shook his head: "I have no family."
The Marine at the gate paused, seemingly understanding something.
In this era.
Slaughter, plunder, war, oppression. They were everywhere.
Looking at the somewhat silent boy in front of him, whose clothes were worn but not dirty, the Marine guard nodded and said, "Wait here."
When he came out of the base again, he was accompanied by a tall Marine.
"What's your name?"
"Dillon."
"Why do you want to become a Marine?"
Why...
Dillon thought for a moment, probably because after transmigrating, he found that his new body, apart from being physically fit, had nothing else to rely on?
After witnessing Roger's execution in Loguetown, Dillon selected this mediocre and inconspicuous Marine base on the map.
As for why not stay in Loguetown?
In the future, there would be a sucker Smoker, as well as a lot of trouble. It wasn't a good choice.
Moreover, in addition to the East Blue, the West Blue, and even the Grand Line, people would often go to Loguetown to admire Roger's "Town of the Beginning and the End."
Joining the Marines meant getting systematic training. As long as you had talent, you could get enough resources.
Even if he couldn't awaken the Three Types of Haki, he could greatly improve his combat power with Rokushiki (Six Powers).
Except for Tekkai (Iron Body)!
"For peace."
Dillon looked at the Marine flag fluttering in the center of the base and said affirmatively.
"Peace..."
Following Dillon's gaze, the Marine also saw the flag, which was the flag that deterred and protected this sea.
"Register him, Chore Boy, can participate in basic training, responsible for some chores."
"Yes!"
After speaking, the tall Marine turned and went inside, and the Marine who was previously at the door beckoned to Dillon.
"Come with me, kid. We're going to be comrades from now on, hahaha."
...
Year 1512 of the Sea Calendar.
"Lieutenant Commander, HQ reports that traces of the Red-Haired Pirates have been found in the East Blue."
"Shanks?"
Dillon subconsciously reached for the sword next to him. He came to the East Blue?
Red-Haired Shanks, what did he come to the East Blue for?
To see Buggy? To reminisce in Loguetown?
As one of the future Four Emperors, Red-Haired Shanks couldn't possibly not know that Goa Kingdom was Monkey D. Garp's hometown.
So what was he doing in Fooshia Village? Going to have a sword fight with Garp? He shouldn't have that strength yet.
Or... going to Shimotsuki Village?
"What does the base commander say?"
"Report the traces, no need for direct conflict!"
"Understood, tell the base commander, I'll be out for a few days."
"Yes!"
Coming out of the base, Dillon had already changed into casual clothes.
White hair fell randomly over his shoulders, and his height of over two meters made his figure appear even more slender and upright. His handsome face had a hint of coldness.
The black scabbard was casually inserted into his waist. Dillon put one hand on the hilt of the sword and the other in his pocket and boarded the ship to Goa Kingdom.
...
Goa Kingdom waters.
A small boat drifted on the sea.
In the distance was a pirate ship of the same size.
The flag on the ship was a skull with a scar over its left eye.
"Boss, there's someone ahead, looks like they're coming for us."
Yasopp picked up his telescope and looked over, describing the other person's appearance: "Only one person, no flag, no Marine uniform, carrying a very long sword."
"Oh? A swordsman?"
Red-Haired Shanks, wrapped in blood-stained bandages, walked out of the cabin onto the deck and looked in the direction Yasopp was looking.
As if sensing his gaze, the person on the boat looked up at the same time.
"Doesn't seem friendly, Shanks, should I go?" Benn Beckman, who was smoking next to him, said.
"Wait," Shanks raised his right hand: "Let's get closer and see."
When the two ships approached, Shanks stood on the railing and looked at the drifting boat next to him: "Looks like you're waiting for me?"
Dillon looked up and didn't touch the sword placed aside: "Yes."
"Come up and chat? Or should I come down?"
Dillon picked up his long sword, and in a flash, he appeared on the deck of the Red-Haired Pirates' ship.
"Get some sake." Shanks waved his hand to stop the restless crew, and interrupted their intention to advise him.
"This is sake from my hometown, the taste is different from the East Blue, want to try it?"
After a large bowl of sake went down his throat, Shanks asked with a smile, "How is it?"
Dillon nodded without commenting.
Seeing this, Shanks put down the big bowl in his hand, and his expression became serious: "So... what did you wait for me here for? Marine."
Hearing the word "Marine," the others instantly became tense again. Yasopp even slightly raised his long gun, but Benn Beckman pressed it down with his hand.
Ignoring the others' small movements, Dillon stared into Shanks' eyes and asked, "What is someone like you doing in the East Blue? Isn't the New World enough for you to mess around in?"
"Just traveling around the West Blue, that's normal for pirates, isn't it?"
Shanks looked at Dillon with a smile, but his face wasn't relaxed.
Dillon stared into Shanks' eyes, seemingly not believing this explanation.
Shanks met his gaze and laughed: "Sorry, I can't tell you the deeper reason for now."
Hearing Red-Haired Shanks' answer, Dillon stood up and looked around: "Don't stay in the East Blue for too long."
After speaking, Dillon jumped off the railing.
After the boat had sailed a distance away, Shanks seemed to have remembered something and stood on the railing, asking Dillon, "Then what about you? Why are you in the East Blue again?"
Dillon didn't turn around, but raised his hand behind his back to Shanks: "Like you, I won't stay here for too long either."
After Dillon's boat disappeared from view, Shanks still stared blankly at the sea.
"Shanks..."
"Ah ah... I'm fine, what an interesting guy." Turning around, Shanks grinned at the crew: "I didn't expect there to be so many interesting people in the East Blue, is it really the captain's hometown?"
"The East Blue?" Yasopp, who was also from the East Blue, laughed: "The East Blue is known as the 'Weakest Sea'."
Before the others could react, Shanks' expression froze, and Benn Beckman's hand holding the cigarette also froze in the air.
Lucky Roux asked while chewing on a bone, "What's wrong? You two?"
Shanks smiled wryly and didn't speak. Benn Beckman took a heavy drag on his cigarette and said, "We used to think that the reason why the East Blue seemed so weak was because of the sea routes and Garp. But now it seems..."
"Huff!"
After exhaling a thick cloud of smoke, Benn Beckman said, "Besides Garp, there's another formidable guy hiding in the East Blue."