As Cudius and Garp returo Mariejois with Roger in tow, the Wover officially firmed the arrest of the Pirate King. Roger had been captured. This news, unpreted and world-shaking, quickly spread across every er of the globe. Neers immediately printed special editions, with bold headlines prog: "CP-X Revealed: Pirate King Ger Captured in South Blue!"

  In the Sabaody Archipego, within Shakky's Rip-off Bar, Rayleigh, the once-first mate of the Roger Pirates, leaned against the ter. His blond hair fell over his shoulders as he casually flipped through the special edition of the neer. The headline, "CP-X Arrests Ger in South Blue," stared back at him.

  "They're pnning to execute Roger in Loguetow Blue, two months from now," Rayleigh murmured to himself, his voice calm but his eyes refleg a deep uanding.

  Shakky, holding a gss of wine, pced it o Rayleigh. "Roger's been caught, huh? Is that CP-X group really that powerful?" she asked, her tone filled with a hint of .

  Rayleigh set the neer aside and took a sip from his gss, smiling slightly. "Maybe they are, or maybe Roger just let himself be caught. It wouldn't surprise me if he surrendered ohey found him."

  "Surrendered?" Shakky echoed, her surprise evident.

  "Yeah," Rayleigh replied, "he had this pn for a while. Perhaps he wao make a statement with his death. You know her is, he'd enjoy watg the Woverhink they've won, only for something ued to happen ter."

  There was a brief silence as Rayleigh's words hung in the air, his casual tone making it seem like he didn't care aber's fate. But knowing him, Shakky wondered what emotions really stirred beh that calm facade.

  "So, the rest of the Roger Pirates... you're not pnning to save him?" Shakky asked, raising an eyebrow.

  Rayleigh shook his head. "No. This was Roger's choice. Besides, he wouldn't have lived much longer anyway."

  Shakky smiled, taking a sip from her own gss. "Well, I thought you'd be running off for a while. Guess not."

  ---

  In the New World, aboard the massive Moby Dick, Whitebeard, Edward e, sat silently on his throne-like chair. A sake fsk dangled from his rge hand, his expression unreadable.

  Suddenly, Marco, one of Whitebeard's closest anders, came rushing across the deeer in hand and shock written all over his face. "Pops! Big news!" he shouted, breathless.

  Whitebeard raised an eyebrow, his deep voice rumbling. "What is it, Marco? What's got you so worked up?"

  "Roger... Roger's been captured! By that same CP-X group that captured Shiki!" Marco excimed, thrusting the neer toward Whitebeard.

  Whitebeard's eyes widened in surprise as he took the paper and carefully read the headline. After a long silence, he finally spoke, his tone low. "It seems we've uimated this Cudius... that Celestial Dragon is being quite a force to be reed with."

  Marco frowned. "Do you think it's true? Could CP-X really have captured Roger?"

  Whitebeard took a deep sip from his fsk before nodding. "If Roger's been captured, it's likely true. As for this CP-X... we might've thought too little of them before. They've already proven themselves by capturing Shiki."

  Marco looked ed but didn't dwell on that. Instead, he asked, "The paper says they're pnning to execute Roger in two months i Blue. Shouldn't we go and save him?"

  "No," Whitebeard responded without hesitation.

  Marco's brows furrowed in fusion. "Why not? Shouldn't we at least go and see him off? He's going to die, Pops."

  Whitebeard looked at Marco, his eyes softening for a moment. "I've already said my goodbye ter. There's o go."

  ---

  Elsewhere, on a ship sailing through the first half of the Grand Line, Dragon, leader of the Revolutionary Army, was staring at the same neer in disbelief. Less than two months ago, he had mocked Cudius when they met in South Blue, teasing him for thinking he could casually catch Roger. And now, here was the undeniable proof that Cudius had done just that.

  "How is this even possible?" Dragon muttered, rubbing his in thought. "Roger, caught by just a few men? What in the world happened?"

  Ivankov, the fmboyant Revolutionary and Dragon's close ally, leaned over Dragon's shoulder, gng at the headline. "Maybe Roger surrendered? Could be that Cudius just got lucky."

  Dragon chuckled softly. "If that's the case, Cudius has got to be the luckiest man alive. To stumble uper at the perfeent in South Blue? It's hard to believe."

  Bartholomew Kuma, the rge, silent figure standing nearby, finally spoke. "Roger's choice, perhaps. But even so, Cudius mao pull it off."

  Dragon houghtfully. "Indeed. Whatever the reason, Cudius has proven himself capable. CP-X isn't the 'stuffed shell' he made it out to be. If they were able to catch Roger, then what does that say about the Navy and the CP agehat have failed all these years?"

  Dragon's eyes narrowed. He knew Cudius had more power and influeha on. "There's no way he's shown all his cards yet."

  Ivankov adjusted the ship's rudder, turning them towards a new course. "So, Boss, what now? Weren't we headed to Water 7?"

  Dragon smiled faintly. "There's still time. Roger's execution is two months away. We'll head to East Blue."

  Ivankov looked puzzled. "Why? Roger's death doesn't really the Revolutionary Army. What's the point of watg his execution?"

  Dragon's smile grew slightly. "I have a feeling it won't be that simple. I'm expeg some... ued developments."

  Ivankov ughed, "Fine, fine. You're the boss, after all. East Blue it is."

  ---

  Dragon wasn't the only one curious aber's impending execution. Across the seas, other major pyers began shifting their attention to East Blue. In North Blue, Donquixote Dofmingo grinned as he read the news, already plotting to be present at Roger's final moments. Elsewhere, Dracule Mihawk, in the midst of challenging swordsmen across the world, also decided that he o withe execution of the Pirate King firsthand.

  The sea was alive with movement as tless figures—pirates, revolutionaries, and swordsmen alike began making their way toward East Blue. The looming execution of Gol D. Roger had sparked a massive surge in activity, setting the stage for ahat would ge the world forever.

  Back at Marine Headquarters, Sengoku stood in silence for a moment, holding the test report in his hands. He turo the gathered officers and said, "His Highness Cudius stayed in South Blue for nearly four months. We all thought he was taking a vacation, but now... it seems like he was ying the groundwork for something far bigger."