Luffy was pressed down onto the execution platform.
Many people below witnessed this scene and stood frozen in shock. Some had been expecting entertainment, others had been curious about the commotion, but nobody had anticipated seeing an actual execution about to take place.
After struggling for a moment against the specially made restraints, he realized he couldn't break free.
A gentle breeze blew across the platform, causing his straw hat to sway unsteadily on his head. For a moment, it looked like it might blow away entirely.
In that moment, he thought about his dream and the man who had once made a promise with him. His eyes became firm as he drew in a deep breath.
Then he shouted the words that would echo through history.
"I am the man who will become the Pirate King!"
The declaration rang out across the square. But more than just his words, something else radiated from him in that moment, a faint aura of a born king.
A man about to be executed had just proclaimed his intention to claim the greatest throne in the world from this platform where the previous Pirate King had died.
The crowd was shaken. Some sneered and shook their heads, others stared, but without exception, everyone felt their pulse quicken. The weaker people in the audience seemed overwhelmed by some invisible pressure, their legs giving out as they sank to the ground.
"Then it's time for your execution, Pirate King!" Morgan snarled, though he too felt his heart racing from whatever it was. He didn't bother denying Luffy's dream. Instead, he grew excited at the thought of chopping off the boy's head. What a trophy that would be.
When Luffy saw the axe, he struggled briefly against his restraints one more time. Then, seeming to accept his fate, he grinned and said, "Sorry, everyone... looks like I'm about to die."
Even facing death, he was still smiling.
Zoro, who had been fighting his way through the crowd, saw the scene unfolding on the platform. His expression darkened immediately, and he quickened his pace, preparing for a rescue attempt. But he was still too far away, and there were too many people between him and the platform.
Marcus was also watching from somewhere in the crowd, confused by what he was seeing.
Wasn't Buggy supposed to be the one doing the execution? How the hell had it turned into Morgan instead?
As he thought about it, pieces started clicking into place. Because of his interference in the timeline, Buggy hadn't encountered Alvida as originally planned. Instead, he'd run into the escaped Morgan?
But that raised even more questions. Morgan had been a Marine captain. How could he accept becoming a pirate? And where was Buggy in all this?
He scanned the crowd and quickly spotted the red-nosed clown standing beneath the execution platform. What surprised him was the conflicted expression on Buggy's face.
Why would he look like that?
Just then, another breeze blew across the platform. The straw hat that had been wobbling on Luffy's head finally slipped off and drifted down through the air, landing directly in Buggy's hands. He stared at the hat, seemingly lost in memories. Although this wasn't the first time he'd held this hat, the circumstances were completely different from before.
"Shanks..." he whispered. "Looks like your choice was a mistake after all."
Marcus realized he couldn't just stand there watching anymore. If this really ended with Luffy's head rolling because of his butterfly effect, that would be one hell of a development.
On the execution platform, Morgan's axe was already raised high, ready to fall.
That's when Usopp's slingshot cracked from somewhere in the square. An Exploding Star shot through the air and hit Morgan directly in the chest. The explosion engulfed him in flames and smoke. But Morgan's tall, robust frame wasn't just for show. He tanked the explosion without even staggering, and his axe didn't slow down.
Just as the blade was about to make contact with Luffy's neck, a wave of overwhelming Conqueror's Haki surged forth.
Cabaji and Morgan's eyes rolled back instantly, and they collapsed unconscious on the platform.
Then storm clouds gathered overhead with supernatural speed, and a massive bolt of lightning struck the execution platform.
Seeing this, Marcus let out a breath. Dragon was indeed here. Looking around the square, he saw that almost everyone had been knocked unconscious by the Conqueror's Haki.
Only he and Zoro were still conscious, though the swordsman's eyes were dim and his condition clearly wasn't great.
Marcus just felt the scene in front of him twisting and warping, making him dizzy and nauseous.
He checked his status bar:
Nausea I - Duration: 29:59
After chugging a bucket of milk, he felt much better. One of the advantages of Minecraft mechanics, status effects could be cleared with the right items.
From the smoking ruins of the execution platform, Luffy stood up, brushing debris off his clothes.
"Shishishi! That was close, I almost got executed for real!"
"You can still laugh about this?"
Bonk.
A crisp knocking sound rang out as a fist connected with his skull.
"Ow! That hurts!" Luffy clutched his head, then looked up to see who had hit him. Instinctive fear made him stagger backward.
"Grandpa? Oh no!"
Garp instantly snatched the boy before he could run away, pinching his cheeks.
"Luffy! Do you have any idea that you almost had your head chopped off just now?!"
"Ah! Sorry!"
"A handful of small fry nearly killed you, and you're apologizing? That's it, no excuses this time. You're coming with me to Marine Headquarters. I'm going to train you properly before you get yourself killed doing something stupid."
Zoro, who had been preparing to jump in and help, froze when he heard the word "grandpa."
Meanwhile, Luffy thrashed violently against Garp's grip.
"No way! I'm going to become the Pirate King!"
"What did you say?!" Garp's expression grew harsher, and he raised his other fist threateningly.
"I'm sorry, but I will become the Pirate King."
Even facing his grandfather's legendary Fist of Love, he wouldn't back down from his ambition.
Garp's face darkened at his Luffy's stubbornness. The hand gripping Luffy's face quietly relaxed.
Seizing the opportunity, Luffy broke free and hurried back toward where Zoro and Marcus were standing.
"Guys, run!"
Just then, a violent gale swept across the square.
A powerful whirlwind lifted both Luffy and Marcus into the air, along with anyone else who seemed to be part of the Straw Hat crew. Everyone else remained lying peacefully unconscious on the ground.
"Ah! My hat!" Luffy panicked, frantically reaching for his straw hat as the wind threatened to carry it away.
But at that exact moment, the hat settled perfectly back onto his head.
The hurricane raged across the plaza.
A calm voice followed them through the wind.
"Your identity isn't suited to being seen associating with pirates in front of everyone."
It was Dragon speaking, though Marcus couldn't see him.
---
Back on the ground, Garp glanced sideways at where his son stood hidden. He walked over to Dragon's position and, without warning, slammed his fist into his son's uninjured side.
Now Dragon had matching lumps on both sides of his head. He said nothing in response to the assault.
In the distance, Marine reinforcements began arriving at the scene.
"Take that escaped prisoner into custody," Garp ordered before turning to leave.
The arriving Marines saluted and immediately set to work securing the unconscious former captain.
Throughout this entire exchange, Buggy had been lying on the ground, breaking into a cold sweat as he overheard fragments of conversation.
What had he just witnessed? The leader of the Revolutionary Army and the Marine Hero were... family?
He absolutely couldn't let anyone realize he was still conscious. That kind of knowledge would get him killed for sure.
Quietly activating his Devil Fruit power, he split his body apart and slowly inched toward a nearby building. Along the way, he managed to grab the charred and barely breathing Cabaji.
As for Morgan, there was nothing he could do. The man had been called out by Garp himself in front of everyone. Saving him would be impossible.
Once safely hidden in a small alley, Buggy finally breathed again.
"The Captain entrusted that straw hat to you," he whispered to himself. "Now you have passed it on to this kid. You've given up your claim to the next era's throne, haven't you, Shanks?"
He paused.
"But that brat even showed signs of Conqueror's Haki... Still, he is Garp's grandson. If Captain Roger knew about this, how happy would he be?"
He had definitely sensed the faint kingly aura when Luffy made his proclamation. Weak though it was, he had once been a trainee on the Pirate King's ship, he'd been around enough top-tier monsters to recognize the real thing when he saw it.
And he wasn't the only one who'd noticed. Walking away from the scene, Garp was chuckling to himself.
"No doubt about it, definitely my grandson! Bwahaha!"
At the harbor, Bogard stood waiting beside a Marine warship.
"Are we returning to headquarters now?"
"Mission done. Oh, by the way, what about those two recruits?"
"Koby and Helmeppo are still cleaning the deck."
"Good. Let's go. By the way, did you remember to bring those rice crackers I bought?"
Bogard pulled a bag from his coat pocket.
Garp immediately snatched the bag and began crunching happily on the treats.
"Nothing beats Loguetown's rice crackers. Best in the East Blue!"
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Every 400 PS = +1 bonus chapter
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40+ Advance chapters!