Chapter 2: 2. Sneak In And Get Float-Float Fruit

A few days after the Golden Lion's imprisonment, news arrived that shook the world: the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, had been publicly executed in Loguetown, East Blue. In the final moments before his death, Roger's last words turned the tides of history. Overnight, the seas teemed with new pirates—more than had emerged in a full year before. His mention of the legendary treasure, the One Piece, ignited the dawn of the Great Pirate Era, its wild waves sweeping across the globe. Not even the fortified walls of Impel Down could block the world-shattering impact of this news. In Eternal Hell, the innermost and most secure level, even the most infamous criminals felt a surge of excitement. They were impatient, eager to break free and chase after the legendary treasure themselves. But one man lay quietly amid the unrest, sneering at the chaos outside: the Golden Lion. To him, the world meant little now that Roger was gone. "Look at you now—a living legend, reduced to this." Shiki's dark reflections were interrupted by a voice outside his cell. Glancing up, he saw a guard in standard uniform—an ordinary, unremarkable young man peering through the bars. Shackled in seastone and weakened beyond recognition, the once-mighty Golden Lion Shiki was barely able to respond. Seeing that his presence had caught the infamous pirate's attention, Alex pressed on, determined to provoke him further. "Legends like Gol D. Roger and the Golden Lion Shiki... both of you brought low by the Marines. It seems that even the greatest eventually become history." Shiki gave a soft snort at this, but didn't respond, his pride visibly stung by the young man's words. Though he had once ravaged Marine Headquarters, today he lay here defeated, his power bound and body worn to the bone. In his current state, even an ordinary man could have ended his life. Alex saw the flicker of irritation and leaned in, seizing the moment. "But did you know, Shiki? Rumor has it that Roger turned himself in. They say he willingly surrendered to bring about this new age." Shiki's eyes snapped open, a sudden fury flaring within them. Like a wounded beast given a second wind, he lunged forward, gripping the bars of his cell with surprising strength. His glare bored into Alex, his face twisted in rage. "What did you say?!" he spat, his voice charged with disbelief. "Roger... surrendered himself?!" Alex had expected this reaction but couldn't help feeling a shiver as he stared into the wrathful eyes of the once-mighty pirate. However, after spending over a year in Impel Down, Alex maintained his composure and continued, "If the Pirate King hadn't turned himself in, then why did Roger's crew stay quiet until his execution without attempting a rescue?" He let the question hang for a moment, watching Shiki's reaction. "And doesn't it strike you as strange that, after years of eluding capture, the Marines suddenly managed to bring him in so easily?" Shiki's face shifted, then he grinned, almost with a hint of relief. "Ha! I knew it—Roger would never be captured by those Marine weaklings!" For him, Alex's words had hit home. His emotions, tangled and raw from Roger's death, made him receptive to anything that spoke to his heart. Alex sensed the effect and pressed on, knowing Shiki's pride in Roger wouldn't allow him to believe otherwise. "Roger! You conquered the sea... but why would you die just to start such a meaningless era?" Shiki's voice grew angrier, his tone bitter. "If only you'd joined me back then, we could have ruled the world! Why did you throw it all away?! Pirates are meant to reign over the seas!" Fueled by Alex's words, Shiki's suppressed emotions erupted, filling the dark cell with his voice. In his weakened state, he appeared almost frenzied, his pride and grief over Roger's death twisting his expression. Seeing Shiki lost in his emotions, Alex suppressed the urge to overplay his hand and instead leaned closer. Slowly, he reached behind himself with his right hand. "Because... Roger was already terminally ill." Shiki's eyes widened, barely registering the gun now pointed at his head, his focus fully on Alex's revelation. "Roger... was sick?" he managed, his voice unsteady. Alex didn't hesitate. "Yes. He had little time left. But after discovering the secret of Raftel, he couldn't let it die with him. His last act was to start this age of piracy, hoping that one day, someone would bring that secret back to light." He didn't allow Shiki much time to respond. The gun, equipped with a silencer, flared in the dark cell, the single muffled shot filling the silence. Boom! Shiki's body went still, his weakened form collapsing to the ground. His lifeless eyes stared forward, almost as if frozen in disbelief. Perhaps he couldn't accept dying at the hands of a mere prison guard, or maybe he couldn't bear the weight of Roger's fate. When it was done, Alex released a shaky breath and took a step back, feeling the tension leave his body. Even though the Shiki had been weakened, shackled in seastone, and injured from the Marine battle, he was still a legend, feared across the seas. Alex had taken every precaution, even going so far as to obtain venom from Magellan as a last resort. Failure would have meant certain death, but that seemed preferable to spending decades rotting in this prison. To his relief, it had worked. Roger's memory had been enough to distract Shiki, giving Alex the opening he needed. It was no wonder that even after his defeat by Luffy in that distant future, Roger's legacy was still the last thing on Shiki's mind. With the task complete, Alex reached within himself and summoned the mysterious fruit he possessed. As soon as he brought it close to Shiki's body, the fruit began to transform. Within moments, intricate patterns and a golden hue appeared on one half of the fruit, and he felt the Float-Float Fruit's ability settle within him. A thrill of victory washed over him, his hands trembling with excitement. But there was no time to savor the feeling. He needed to act quickly. Suppressing his emotions, Alex hurried to the next special cell.