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The gentle rocking of the sea accompanied the golden hue of dawn. Rael stood near the mast, arms crossed, eyes on the horizon. His expression was calm, but there was a sharpness behind his gaze—as if his mind never truly rested.
Kaya approached from behind, her footsteps light. She clutched a small leather-bound book to her chest, her brown hair tied back loosely. She hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Rael… I've been thinking."
He glanced at her.
"There's a place we should go. Loguetown."
"Why?"
"It's the last town before the Grand Line. But more importantly… it's where the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, was executed."
Rael raised an eyebrow. "Pirate King?"
Kaya nodded. "He was the man who conquered the Grand Line and supposedly found the greatest treasure in the world. His last words started the Great Pirate Era."
Rael stared at her for a long moment, then looked back at the sea.
"He died there?"
"Yes. On a platform in front of a crowd. They say he smiled at the end. Like… he was proud."
"Smiling before death…" Rael muttered. "Takes a certain kind of madness."
"Or conviction," Kaya said softly.
Rael didn't reply. He simply nodded once.
"Alright. Let's go."
Marine Headquarters – New Marineford
A Vice Admiral sat heavily bandaged in a chair, his face grim as a Cipher Pol agent stood beside him, flipping through papers.
"You're saying this man—Rael—singlehandedly defeated you?"
The Vice Admiral didn't flinch. "Not just defeated. He overwhelmed me. He didn't even try to kill me. He… spared me."
The Cp1 agent narrowed his eyes. "That's almost worse."
Another marine stepped in, holding a newly printed bounty poster.
The agent took one look and grunted. "Sixty million? That's not even close to what he deserves."
"Orders?"
The agent didn't hesitate. "Increase it. Quietly. One hundred and fifty million, minimum. Do not go public yet. The moment he gets too famous, he'll vanish."
Loguetown – Arrival
The town was bustling with life as Rael's ship pulled into the dock. Fishermen yelled across the pier, merchants wheeled crates down stone paths, and young children chased one another with wooden swords.
Kaya took a deep breath and smiled. "Smells like sea and spices."
Rael exhaled slowly. "Feels… alive."
The moment Rael stepped off the ship, heads began to turn. Whispers passed between dockhands and merchants. His face, his presence—it carried weight.
"That's him," someone muttered. "The guy with the sixty million bounty…"
Rael ignored them, walking steadily as Kaya followed close behind.
They wandered the streets for a while, with Kaya pointing out famous landmarks.
"That's the square where Roger was executed. That platform over there… that's the one. They rebuilt it to look the same."
Rael stopped and stared at the execution platform. He said nothing for a long time.
"To die in chains, but still wear a smile…"
"Maybe he knew something no one else did," Kaya said. "Something worth dying for."
Rael gave a faint, almost unseen smirk. "Maybe."
They passed a few taverns, some of which seemed filled with shady men. Rael noticed a bounty hunter watching him, but the man quickly looked away when Rael met his eyes.
Later that afternoon, they sat at a small outdoor café, sipping tea. Rael leaned back in his chair, listening to the chatter of the town.
"You know," Kaya said, "for someone so intimidating, you've been quiet today."
Rael shrugged. "I'm just thinking."
"About?"
"This place. The Pirate King. What it means to be free."
Kaya smiled. "You're a strange man, Rael."
Before he could respond, an explosion rang out in the distance.
Both of them stood instantly.
"That's near the docks," Rael muttered.
They rushed back through the crowd, cutting through panicked civilians. Smoke rose in the sky. A group of masked assailants—some with crude weapons, others with rifles—were storming the pier.
"MARINES!" someone shouted.
Kaya drew the pistol from her belt—an old weapon Rael had modified for her. Rael walked straight into the chaos without a word.
One of the attackers pointed. "That's him! Rael! The guy who took out Vice Admiral Garent!"
A dozen of them rushed him.
Rael met them like a storm.
A fist cracked one skull. A kick shattered another's ribs. He disarmed three men in under five seconds and tossed them into the ocean. The crowd could only watch as he tore through the Revolutionaries with terrifying precision.
Kaya fired at those who tried to flank him. Her aim was improving.
As the fight ended, the other marines finally arrived—too late.
Rael stood in the center of the wreckage, blood on his knuckles, clothes torn, but eyes calm. The crowd was silent.
From a shaded alleyway, a figure in a black trench coat watched quietly. He lifted a Den Den Mushi and spoke in a hushed voice.
"This is Cp1. Target Rael confirmed in Loguetown. Preparing Phase Two."
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