Chapter 9 – Arrival at Rogue Town
"Navigation complete. Destination: Rogue Town. Please dock carefully. Watch out for ships behind you!"
After three days drifting at sea, the Smile finally arrived at Rogue Town—the birthplace and execution site of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. This city marked the most pivotal turning point in the history of piracy.
For young pirates, Rogue Town held legendary significance. Many renowned figures across the seas had come here just to stand where Roger once stood, to see the place where the man who conquered the Grand Line was born and died.
It was a city where dreams began. And in many ways, it was also where the tides of the world first began to shift.
All it took was one sentence from the Pirate King—and the seas surged. The Great Pirate Era began, paving a path for those seeking freedom… while also plunging ordinary people into chaos. Most pirates don't build—they pillage. They survive by robbing others. And in their wake, fire and blood often follow.
"Attention, Unit 356! Pirates are making landfall. It's the Smile Pirates, currently gaining attention across the East Blue. Their captain has a bounty of 30 million berries."
"Received. Unit 356 in position. I'll report this to Colonel Smoker."
In a hidden alleyway, a Marine disguised among the civilians finished speaking into his Den Den Mushi. Monkey D. Ash was no longer a nameless rookie—his name was spreading like wildfire.
And Smoker, wielder of the Logia-type Smoke-Smoke Fruit, was nearly untouchable in the East Blue. Ever since he took office here, Rogue Town had been unusually peaceful. Petty pirates who dared step foot here were taught swift lessons, either beaten into submission or imprisoned for "rehabilitation."
"(*⊙o⊙) Whoa! This place is huge! Boss, I'm gonna explore every inch of it!" shouted Tuan Tuan, his eyes sparkling. Having grown up in a forest, the biggest place he'd seen was Windmill Village. Now, with a crowd bustling and cotton candy for sale, he was drooling in awe.
"Go ahead. Just be back by afternoon. There are even bigger places waiting for you later," Ash chuckled, watching his little crewmate dash off.
As for Ash himself, there was only one place he was going first—the execution platform. Visiting such an iconic landmark in the world of pirates was a must. And with his system active, he hoped to get a new reward from it.
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[Ding! Random Task Generated]
Objective: Stand atop the Rogue Town execution platform and experience the Pirate King's perspective for 1 minute.
Reward: +1 Lottery Draw Ticket, +50 System Points
—Tracking: Active—
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"Gin, Carina—you two go walk around. See if there's anything useful in town. We'll regroup at the ship this afternoon," Ash instructed casually before heading toward the center of town.
"Don't even think about running, or I'll toss you into the sea to feed the sharks," Gin warned Carina coldly, not even glancing at her.
"H-Haha, don't be silly! I'm the most trustworthy thief in the world," Carina forced a grin, though she couldn't help flinching. In just a few days, she'd learned Gin was the type to carry grudges and had a face that looked like he hadn't smiled in decades. He treated everyone like they owed him treasure—except Ash, of course.
Still, Carina wasn't stupid. She'd play along until the right moment. After all, Ash had taken the treasure she worked hard to earn. She wouldn't leave without getting something in return.
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Meanwhile, in the Marine base of Rogue Town…
"Colonel Smoker! Bad news! That rookie crew that defeated the Black Cat and Kongo Pirates—they've landed on the island. Their captain's bounty is 30 million berries. Only you can stop them!"
The Marine burst into Smoker's office, only to choke on the thick fog of smoke inside. There stood Smoker, shirtless, two cigars clenched between his teeth, surrounded by mist from his Devil Fruit powers.
"Why are you panicking over something so small?" Smoker said with a frown. "Have any pirates escaped this town since I took command?"
He walked to the window and opened it, letting smoke billow out as he examined the wanted poster.
"30 million, huh… That's high for East Blue standards."
In the "weakest sea," this kind of bounty was top-tier. Smoker grabbed his coat, slung his seastone-tipped jitte across his back, and headed for town, smoke trailing behind him.
More than the bounty, he was intrigued by the name: Monkey D. Ash.
The "D"... and the shared surname with the legendary Marine hero, Garp… It was too much of a coincidence.
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Mt. Colubo, secret base of Ace and Luffy.
Ace stood at the cliffside, holding a bounty poster in his hand. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Ace! Look, it's Ash! His bounty's already 30 million berries! I'm gonna catch up to him someday!" Luffy shouted, trying to snatch the poster.
"Yeah… We'll become great pirates together," Ace replied.
"But we gotta keep training. Ash said Haki is the key to becoming truly strong. We've barely touched the basics," he added, his tone more serious.
"Right! I'm not letting you hit me with your Haki again!" Luffy yelped and chased after Ace.
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Back in Rogue Town…
Ash stepped into an old tavern. The wooden door creaked behind him.
"Give me a barrel of rum," he said, approaching the bar.
"This ain't a place for kids. Scram," the grumpy old bartender barked.
Ash just smiled. "Isn't this the tavern Roger used to drink at? Old man, it's rude to turn away a guest like that."
"You know our history. So… you're a pirate?"
"Damn right," Ash grinned. "Bring me that barrel. I'm heading to the execution platform next. I gotta raise a toast to the man who started this whole era. Then it's off to the New World. That's where I belong."
The bartender blinked, then nodded and retrieved a barrel of rum.
"Hey, kid," he asked as Ash was heading out. "What's your name?"
Ash looked back and smiled.
"Monkey D. Ash."
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To be continued…