Chapter 173: The World He Left Behind 1
Volume 2 Begins :)
This is part of the main story!
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Roronoa Zoro lived a tumultuous life.
Of course, how many swordsmen, especially pirates, didn't live tumultuous lives on the sea? However, his life left quite a significant mark in history.
At the young age of 19, he made a name for himself in the East Blue as the "Demon" and "Pirate Hunter."
Ironically, despite his past of hunting pirates, he joined Monkey D. Luffy to form a pirate crew and was the first after the captain to have a bounty placed on his head.
As the first mate of the Straw Hat Pirates, he fought and defeated numerous strong opponents on the sea.
Together with his captain, Monkey D. Luffy, he completed the first half of the Grand Line, becoming one of the rookies with a bounty over 100 million berries, known as part of the Worst Generation.
After a two-year hiatus, he reappeared having lost an eye, but despite the injury, his strength had grown terrifyingly compared to two years prior.
He defeated the top commanders of both the Beasts Pirates and the Blackbeard Pirates.
"Everyone… it's bad. Robin and Chopper…!"
When they found out, after their battle with the Blackbeard Pirates, that Nico Robin and Tony Tony Chopper had been captured by Cipher Pol and taken to Mariejois, Roronoa Zoro, like his captain and crew, decided to invade Mariejois without a moment's hesitation.
Of course, the Navy did not sit idly by, and soon the conflict escalated to a full-scale confrontation between the Straw Hat Pirates and the combined forces of the Navy and the World Government.
"Sabo. And Dad."
"Yeah."
"We'll have to join forces here."
At this point, the Revolutionary Army, led by Luffy's father, Monkey D. Dragon, and with his foster brother, Sabo, as Chief of Staff, decided to ally with the Straw Hat Pirates and join the battle, having already declared war on the World Government at the Reverie.
Thus, an anti-World Government alliance was formed.
The Straw Hat Pirates aimed to defeat the Navy Headquarters and rescue their comrades.
The Straw Hat Grand Fleet, pirate crews allied or friendly with the Straw Hat Pirates.
The Revolutionary Army, which had already declared war on the World Government at the Reverie.
Nations protected or connected to the Straw Hat Pirates.
Pirates and other factions with their own agendas.
The forces of the Navy and the World Government were formidable as well.
Numerous Navy officers and soldiers, including the Fleet Admiral and the three Admirals.
Civilians newly conscripted from various World Government member countries to prepare for war.
The Pacifista army created by Vegapunk.
The espionage agency of the World Government, Cipher Pol.
The Five Elders who lead the World Government.
The Holy Knights, the military group of the Celestial Dragons.
…and even Imu, who had ruled the World Government from the shadows for centuries.
When a full-scale war erupted between these colossal forces, people hoped it would be the final war of the Great Pirate Era. They named it the "Final War."
And this Final War...
"Give us back Robin and Chopper!!!"
...surprisingly ended in a massive victory for the "Anti-World Government Alliance."
The war took place in none other than the front yard of the Navy Headquarters, New Marineford.
It wasn't the old Marineford, which had been left in ruins after the War of the Best, but the new base moved to the New World to better control the increasingly rampant pirates after Whitebeard's proclamation.
Defeating the World Government and the Navy at such a place naturally shook the world to its core.
Despite the overwhelming numerical superiority of the Navy and the World Government, and despite the sacrifices on the side of the Anti-World Government Alliance...
"We've come to help!"
...the reinforcements for the Straw Hat Pirates were far more numerous, diverse, and powerful than expected.
"Pacifista army! Cease operation!!!"
The Pacifista army was neutralized by its creator, Vegapunk.
"I will never lose to you again, Akainu!!!"
Most importantly, with the defeat of the World Government and the Navy in the crucial battles among their top leaders, victory belonged to the Anti-World Government Alliance.
The sight of the Navy, the army of justice, and the World Government, which could be considered synonymous with the world itself, being defeated by a coalition of revolutionaries, pirates, and some nations was broadcast to the entire sea via Transponder Snail.
"The Navy has lost—!!!"
"Waaaah! Mommy, mommy!!"
"Please calm down, dear. Please, please…"
"What on earth is happening? The Straw Hat Pirates wouldn't really invade Mariejois, would they?!"
"A pirate victory? The world is ending!!!"
People were thrown into chaos, fear, despair, and shock by the defeat of the Navy and the World Government, who had been their protectors.
"Let's go to Mariejois!!"
The Straw Hat Pirates and the Revolutionary Army, riding the momentum, invaded Mariejois, the home of the descendants of the creators of the world, the Celestial Dragons, before the Navy Headquarters could regroup.
Having already dealt with Cipher Pol, the Holy Knights, the Five Elders, and even Im, there was virtually no resistance left in Mariejois.
"Freedom, we are free!!"
"I thought I would die as a slave to the Celestial Dragons…!"
"Thank you, thank you! You are our eternal benefactors!"
While searching for Robin and Chopper, the Straw Hat Pirates ended up destroying the Celestial Dragons and Mariejois, liberating all the slaves there.
"Rooobin!!! Chopper!!!"
"Luffy!"
"Luffyyyyyy!!"
In the underground of Mariejois, they rescued their two kidnapped comrades.
"Luffy, the fourth Road Poneglyph was here."
They also acquired the final Road Poneglyph there.
On the Route to Laugh Tale
"Shanks—! It's been a while!!!"
The Straw Hat Pirates encountered an alliance between the Cross Guild and the Red-Haired Pirates.
"You've finally surpassed me… Roronoa… Zoro."
Roronoa Zoro had at last defeated his master and the previous world's strongest swordsman, Mihawk.
"As promised, I'm returning it. I've become a pirate who surpasses Shanks!"
Monkey D. Luffy returned the straw hat to Shanks.
After a long journey, they finally reached Laugh Tale.
The Straw Hat Pirates discovered the ultimate treasure that connects everything, One Piece.
"Ahahaha!"
Roronoa Zoro, like his captain and crew, laughed so hard he cried when he saw One Piece.
Gol D. Roger had found One Piece too early and couldn't use it, but Monkey D. Luffy could.
Luffy used One Piece and, with his crew, saw the 'End of the Dream' they had longed for.
"Guys, look! This is the 'End of my Dream'!"
As the 'Pirate King' and 'Joy Boy.'
Luffy's 'End of the Dream' was simple yet incredible. It was something that would overturn the entire world and its history.
"It's going to be a funny world."
Roronoa Zoro thought so while drinking an excellent liquor at the grandest feast ever held on Laugh Tale, celebrating the discovery of One Piece.
"It'll also be an amazing world."
And, just as he predicted, it happened.
"Is… Is this really… the original history?"
Robin, having read the Rio Poneglyph, revealed the truth of history to the entire sea through the media.
"A world map? Really?!"
"With this, sailing uncharted seas won't be a problem! Anyone can go anywhere!"
As Nami's completed world map was sold globally, the sea ceased to be an unknown space where one had to risk their life.
Ordinary people could now set sail, and through trade and interaction with neighboring islands, they formed allied nations to resist pirates.
Seeing the rapidly changing world, pirates around the globe realized that Monkey D. Luffy had obtained One Piece. They also understood that he had used it to create the current world.
"If there's no One Piece, is there any reason to keep sailing the seas?"
Since One Piece was the main reason for the Great Pirate Era, people lost their incentive to become pirates. Most existing pirates, who had gone to sea in pursuit of One Piece, either disbanded their crews or quietly disappeared.
"We paid the Heavenly Tribute to feed those devils?!"
The World Government lost all its power after the history of the Void Century, the truth about the Five Elders, Imu, and the Celestial Dragons, who were worshipped as gods, was revealed to the entire sea.
"You talk about an 'Equal Round Table' and that no one sits on the 'Empty Throne'. It was all lies! By royal decree, our country will withdraw from the World Government today!"
"We don't need apologies or negotiations. Money! Return the money we paid as Heavenly Tribute!"
The member countries hastened to withdraw, and some even demanded the return of the Heavenly Tribute they had paid to the Celestial Dragons.
The Celestial Dragons lost everything and fell to a state more miserable than the slaves they had controlled.
With the world government taking a major hit, the Navy's situation also became difficult.
"Over 20% of the 100,000 officers are incapacitated!"
The Navy had already suffered a crushing defeat in the final war, losing many troops.
"Where are the forces to defend the branch?!"
"Well, due to delayed pay, there have been desertions…"
"What?!"
The funds the world government used to maintain the Navy were completely cut off, and they couldn't even properly provide the remaining soldiers' salaries or meals, let alone replenish the troops.
"I thought I was fighting for justice…"
Even the soldiers who survived the final war and preserved their strength were shocked to realize that the justice they had upheld was merely a tool to guarantee the wealth and power of the Celestial Dragons, who were not gods but filthy humans.
In the end, part of the Navy staged a coup.
After a disorganized fight, some died or were injured so badly they could never fight again, some returned to civilian life, and some joined the Revolutionary Army.
Afterward, the Navy effectively disbanded.
The Revolutionary Army succeeded the position of the former world government and established the "World Federation."
"Article 1: All member states and their citizens of the World Federation have equal status.
Article 2: All citizens of member states of the World Federation have the freedom of movement and travel.
Article 3: All member states of the World Federation prohibit racial discrimination.
Article 4: All member states of the World Federation prohibit slavery.
Article 5: All member states of the World Federation recognize freedom of the press, expression, learning, and research.
Article 6…"
Unlike the former world government, which did not interfere in internal affairs as long as heavenly tribute was paid, the World Federation established various rules.
"Master? What are you doing? If our research is discovered…!"
"The world government has fallen. If there's a moment to publish our research, it's now."
The World Federation fully permitted the research and development of sciences that the world government had previously banned or monopolized. Research in various fields that had been suppressed by the world government, such as history, culture, technology, and science, was released to the world.
In summary, it was the end of the Great Pirate Era.
The beginning of a new era.
However, Roronoa Zoro couldn't just leisurely watch the new era unfold.
A few days after using the One Piece and witnessing the world's upheaval, Luffy gathered all his comrades, and with a bright, innocent smile, he said:
"Guys!"
Seeing the captain's radiant smile and cheerful call, Zoro had a strangely ominous feeling. When he glanced at the ero cook, his face was also pale.
In an instant, a scene flashed through Zoro's mind of Luffy smiling like this with the cook.
Two years ago, in Loguetown.
On the execution platform where the Pirate King was beheaded, in the rain.
Luffy, his neck on the line, was smiling brightly under Buggy's impending blade.
And he had said the same thing.
…Exactly the same words as now.
"Sorry, I'm gonna die."
...
[Author's Note]
Vote with your power stones, it motivates me to keep posting chapters.
If you're interested, you can read 20 advance chapters on my Patréon.
patréon.com/fumiaki
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