One Piece: Peace Shattered By Roger (Completed)

After a busy day, the cabin on the beach was finally completed.

From a distance, it looked exquisite.

"Wow! Like a delicious piece of cake," Enel clapped his hands happily, even though he had never seen or tasted cake.

Kaizen put his hands on his hips, proudly admiring his masterpiece.

"I'm such a genius! Hahahaha!"

Enel laughed too.

Their laughter rose into the cool night air, mingling and separating.

Late at night, only the taverns in town were still brightly lit.

The dim light was truly alluring.

Before getting close, you could hear the lively atmosphere inside, like a bowl of boiling fish soup.

"Yo! Good evening, everyone."

When Kaizen stepped into the tavern, it suddenly became quiet. He felt responsible for the abrupt silence, so he greeted everyone with ease.

The entire tavern seemed frozen in time, everyone staring at Kaizen silently. Once he walked in and sat at the bar, people resumed their activities.

The next second, half the tavern's patrons got up and left, while the rest sat far from Kaizen.

"Boss, if you can, please serve me something with alcohol!"

Kaizen said casually, like someone returning home after a long absence.

Behind the bar stood a middle-aged man with short hair, a beard, and a striking scar over his eye, full of life's experiences.

The man carefully wiped a glass while observing Kaizen.

He had seen many people and many things in his life. No insidious or cunning person could escape his notice, and he wouldn't miss any hint of kindness.

Finally, the middle-aged man placed a glass of rum in front of Kaizen.

"Thank you." Kaizen accepted it with a smile.

However, the other guests seemed concerned.

"Boss, you shouldn't give alcohol to outsiders."

Someone said seriously.

"Those who come here are guests, and if they are guests, they will have wine to drink. This is our tavern's rule."

The middle-aged man stood with dignity and spoke elegantly.

"But he's a pirate!" Someone finally said the taboo word.

As soon as the word "pirate" was mentioned, Kaizen finished his drink in one gulp.

"Ha! What a good wine!" Kaizen said happily, putting down his glass.

Then, without a word, he placed all his remaining money from selling wood on the table and got up to leave.

The tavern owner seemed like a decent person, and Kaizen didn't want to cause trouble for him.

"Wait a minute." The middle-aged man's hoarse voice stopped him.

Kaizen turned to see a bottle of rum tossed to him. He caught it easily and stared at the man, seemingly asking what it meant.

"The money you left can buy another bottle," the middle-aged man explained.

"Boss, you don't have to do this." Kaizen gratefully weighed the bottle in his hand.

"Those who run a tavern must keep their accounts clear, or they aren't worthy of running one." The man spoke with conviction, showing his principles.

"Thank you." Kaizen smiled slightly and shook the bottle in farewell.

"I hate pirates, but I don't hate you. Next time, come late at night, and I'll treat you."

The middle-aged man watched Kaizen's every move, finding him decent and gentle, and spoke with admiration.

Kaizen nodded and walked out of the tavern.

"Boss, I advise you not to get too close to that guy. It won't end well!"

"That's right, pirates are pirates, and no amount of effort can cover their crimes."

"We should find a way to drive him away."

"Don't be foolish. He has strange powers and can make people faint suddenly. Better not to mess with him."

"Hey! Why are the bad guys always strong, and the good guys powerless?"

The patrons, after a few drinks, discussed the world's ugliness and human nature's sinister side to appear wise. Yet, they were as entangled in life's intrigues as anyone else.

Only the tavern owner, the middle-aged man, remained sober and silent, elegantly wiping his glass.

He had many stories, needing neither alcohol to reveal nor embellishment through rhetoric.

He hated pirates initially but learned to discern which ones deserved his hatred.

Yes, pirates have their kinds. He learned this from a pirate over ten years ago.

That pirate was the future Pirate King, Roger. It was an interesting coincidence.

When he was young, his family was killed by pirates. He barely survived and vowed to become a Marine.

As an adult, he fulfilled his wish and began his career hunting pirates.

Among his peers, two Marine companions stood out the most: Garp and Sengoku. They were exemplary, almost casting a shadow over all Marines of that era.

In an unexpected operation, their warship ran aground on a small island.

It was a desolate, lifeless island with no food or fresh water, and no way to send a distress signal.

They were trapped for over a month, and all his companions died one by one. Only he lingered on.

When he lost hope, a pirate ship appeared on the coast.

He thought he would die at pirates' hands, a cruel twist of fate.

But the pirates didn't harm him—they saved him.

He remembered opening his eyes to Roger's smiling face, warm like the first morning sun.

At that moment, he felt Roger was his savior.

Beside Roger stood a man with hands in his pockets, calm and composed. This man, later known as Rayleigh, the Roger Pirates' vice-captain, cautiously reminded Roger.

"Hey! Roger! Think carefully, you're saving a Marine."

Roger replied frankly: "What about Marine? He's almost dead. If the opponent is dead, where's the fun?"

That was over ten years ago, before the God Valley incident, when Roger was just making his mark.

To this day, this incident haunts him. He wishes he had died instead of being saved by Roger.

Because after Roger saved him, he reported Roger's location to Marine HQ, leading to a siege by Garp and Sengoku.

The siege nearly killed Roger.

Though Roger escaped, it left a permanent scar on him. Unable to forgive himself, he left the Marines, settled on this small island, and opened a tavern in obscurity.