Thirty Years Ago
The Kingdom of Croach had just suffered a brutal raid by pirates.
Their Heavenly Tribute Gold—the tax paid to the World Government—had been plundered, leaving the kingdom unable to meet its crushing obligations.
After his pleas for mercy from the World Government went unanswered, the King of Croach turned his desperation upon his own people, seizing their last stores of food and wealth.
In the end, the enraged citizens rose in rebellion, stormed the royal palace, destroyed the royal family of Croach, and declared their withdrawal from the World Government.
Ten days later, a Marine fleet responded to a Buster Call, bombarding the Kingdom of Croach into oblivion.
When the bombardment ended, the surviving able-bodied men were rounded up and sent to the Bridge Kingdom as slave labor—to continue the construction of that colossal bridge that had already taken seven hundred years.
Afterwards, the World Government publicly announced that it had been vicious pirates and human traffickers who destroyed the Kingdom of Croach.
Monkey D. Dragon: "That is what happened thirty years ago on the island of Croach. Even today, on the Bridge Kingdom, there are still survivors from that tragedy."
Sabo: "Admiral Fujitora probably assumed there were no survivors because he didn't consider the existence of slaves. As for the boy in the flames… that's where the two worlds diverge."
Fujitora: "It may be as you say. When I reached the burning port back then, there wasn't a single living soul left."
Nami: "That truth… it's far too cruel."
Golden Lion Shiki: "My dear navigator, did you really think the World Government was a benevolent and righteous organization?"
"If a nation cannot pay the Heavenly Tribute, do you think it merely becomes a 'non-member state'?"
"The laws of the World Government do not apply to non-member nations. Do you know what that means?"
"In the New World, you'll find many such nations—but have you ever seen one in the Four Seas? Especially the East Blue?"
"Even in the weakest of the Four Seas, there are no non-member nations. Do you know why?"
"Because the Kingdom of Croach was one such example."
"The World Government reserves the right to send troops against any non-member nation."
"Do you think righteousness and goodwill alone could convince member nations to pay enormous sums of Heavenly Tribute—while their own people starve?"
"What a joke."
"Jiehahahaha! In the end, it is power that dictates every rule in this world."
Shiki's laughter echoed in everyone's mind.
No one could argue against it.
Even men like Sengoku and Garp, who still held to a sense of moral integrity, remained silent. They did not try to justify what happened in Croach.
As for the Five Elders—sure, they could shift the blame among themselves.
But it wouldn't matter.
Former Admiral Zephyr was also here, and with this group present, no truth could be hidden for long.
Amid the heavy silence, the projection continued to play.
[Young Fujitora carrying a boy away from the inferno]
[Above the raging flames, storm clouds gathered thick as a shroud. Moments later, raindrops the size of beans began to fall.]
[The torrential downpour quenched the fire, revealing beneath it a scene straight out of hell.]
[Burned corpses everywhere. Craters gouged by cannon fire.]
[Fujitora stood on a small rise, gazing at the devastation before him, eyes filled with grief and rage.]
[No one could tell whether the streaks running down his face were raindrops—or tears.]
"The strong are meant to protect the weak… The World Government was built to uphold order and shelter the people… So why has the world come to this?"
[He murmured softly, as something within his heart seemed to shatter.]
[Time passed. The rain ceased. Fujitora cast one last, lingering look at the desolate ruins—then drew his sword-cane.]
[A flash of steel. Blood trickled down his face.]
"To be blind may be a mercy… There is too much in this world that is unbearable to behold."
"...This man."
Everyone who witnessed that scene was shaken—especially the strongest among them.
Because of the nature of the vision, they could feel Fujitora's power surge the moment he blinded himself.
His spirit, his Haki of Perception, ascended to a new realm entirely.
Roger couldn't help but praise him.
Who else could summon the resolve to destroy his own eyes?
It wasn't mere escapism. It was a vow—a declaration carved in pain.
He blinded himself to never forget the world's darkness.
And in doing so, he did not weaken. He grew stronger.
That was a man. That was a true warrior. His will was iron.
To be honest, had the system not already revealed the truth, Roger would have thought this man named Fujitora was the real leader of the Revolutionary Army.
["I will change this world."]
[The boy rescued by Fujitora seemed to have regained clarity, his voice low but resolute.]
["I will change this world."]
[His voice rose with conviction. The rain had washed away the blood from his face, revealing a child reborn from fire.]
[His features were firm and determined—nothing like those of a mere seven- or eight-year-old.]
["How will you change this world?"]
[Fujitora's voice was deep, twin streams of blood running from his eyes like tears.]
[He had not expected such awareness from the boy he'd pulled from the flames.]
["Revolution."]
[The boy's gaze was sharp and unwavering. "Only through revolution."]
["This world is rotten to its core. We must destroy the old order entirely and build a new one from its ashes—to forge a new world."]
["A world of freedom and equality."]
[Fujitora was taken aback. Never would he have imagined such words from a child.]
[Curious, he asked, "My name is Issho. What's yours?"]
[The boy paused, then said quietly, "From this day on, my name is Roya—Askeladd Roya."]
["Askeladd" means 'child covered in dust.' He would never forget the day the Kingdom of Croach was destroyed—nor the ashes clinging to his own skin.]
[He was a child born from the very soil of the fallen world.]