Chapter 76: The Prologue of Loguetown

East Blue's Loguetown, once an unremarkable place, had now become the center of attention. East Blue, often called the "weakest sea," rarely saw any notable figures pass through. But things had changed. This small, quiet town was now filled with big names from all over the world. The reason? The impending execution of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.

A massive Marine warship was docking in the harbor, and among its passengers stood Claudius. Garp, Sengoku, and several other high-ranking Marines were also present. Kuzan and a few others had already gone ahead to organize the security arrangements within Loguetown.

"It's quite the spectacle here today," Claudius remarked with a smile, gazing out at the crowded harbor.

Garp, born in East Blue's Kingdom of Goa, frequently returned to his home sea and had visited Loguetown many times due to its convenient position near the entrance to the Grand Line. Nodding at Claudius's comment, he replied, "Yeah, it's way busier than usual. Looks like a lot of people want to witness Roger's execution."

Claudius then pointed to a nearby ship, which had recently docked. "Speaking of which... aren't you Marines going to do something about that?" he asked, grinning slightly. The ship wasn't particularly remarkable, but the pirate flag fluttering from its mast was impossible to ignore.

It was a rare sight, a pirate ship casually moored not far from a Marine warship. The audacity of these pirates was something to behold.

Sengoku sighed heavily, his expression troubled. "If we go after these pirates now, it'll stir up chaos among the others who've come to Loguetown. The town would descend into complete disorder. Today isn't about catching pirates, it's about executing Roger. For now, we'll turn a blind eye."

"Fair enough," Claudius shrugged, unconcerned. "I'm not the one in charge of catching pirates. That's your Marine business."

"You don't seem bothered by much," Sengoku said with a faint smile.

There was a brief moment of silence before Sengoku pulled out a Den Den Mushi and made a call. Kuzan's voice quickly came through.

"Everything set?" Sengoku asked.

"All prepared. The execution platform is built and secured. We're just waiting for you," Kuzan replied, his tone lighthearted.

"Good. We're heading over now," Sengoku confirmed before hanging up.

He then turned to a nearby Marine Rear Admiral and gave orders, "Move into the town. Organize the crowd in the square and make sure the path to the execution platform is secure. We can't afford any mistakes."

"Yes, Admiral Sengoku!" the Rear Admiral responded, quickly organizing a group of Marine soldiers. They disembarked and began forming ranks, moving efficiently into Loguetown to establish order.

Sengoku, satisfied with the preparations, turned to Claudius. "Let's head into town."

Claudius waved him off with a smile. "You go ahead. I don't want to draw too much attention. People know about CP-X now, but not many are familiar with my face. I haven't exactly let my image circulate. If I walk into town alongside the top brass of the Marines, I'll blow my cover. CP-X thrives on its discretion, after all."

Sengoku hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Fair point. Do as you wish, then."

With that, Sengoku, Garp, and the other Marines disembarked, leaving Claudius on the ship. There were still a few hours before Roger's execution at noon, so Claudius wasn't in any rush. He strolled off the ship, blending into the crowd.

This time, Claudius hadn't brought his usual entourage. Nia was still in Mariejois, while Stussy had already infiltrated Loguetown in advance. Crocodile, who was eagerly awaiting Roger's execution to gain his "freedom" from Claudius's watch, had also gone ahead to explore the town. With so many pirates gathering in one place, Crocodile couldn't resist scoping out the scene.

The only person accompanying Claudius was Enel. The young man looked around in awe, wide-eyed and curious about everything. As they walked through the crowded streets, Claudius enjoyed the anonymity of the moment.

Loguetown wasn't large, but with so many people flooding in from all over the world, it felt cramped. As Claudius wandered with Enel at his side, his eyes caught a familiar figure in the distance, one that was both recognizable and outlandish.

Donquixote Doflamingo, his cousin, was as flamboyant as ever. Today, the future "Joker" of the underworld looked like a walking spectacle. Draped in his iconic pink feathered coat, wearing lace-trimmed orange sunglasses, and dressed in checkered pants with peasy shoes, Doflamingo didn't look like a pirate at all. If anything, he resembled a pop idol more than anything.

Around Doflamingo, a group of lackeys helped clear a path for him, keeping the crowd at bay. Claudius smiled and, with Enel in tow, made his way over.

As they neared, one of Doflamingo's men Vergo, as serious as ever—stepped forward, blocking Claudius's path. "Stop," he said coldly, his face still stained with remnants of a doughnut he'd recently eaten.

But before Vergo could say more, Doflamingo's familiar laugh rang out. "Furufurufurufu! Cousin, it's been too long! I figured you'd show up here, so I saved you a spot. Come, join me!" Doflamingo greeted Claudius warmly, a wide grin on his face.

Vergo froze for a moment, realizing who stood before him. "My apologies, Saint Claudius," he said quickly, bowing with respect. Vergo understood that there was only one person Doflamingo would call cousin, a Celestial Dragon, and more specifically, Claudius, the leader of CP-X.

Claudius waved the apology away. "It's fine," he said, before walking over to Doflamingo.

"Doffy, it's been a while. You've grown, haven't you? Almost catching up to me," Claudius said with a grin.

Doflamingo laughed. "I couldn't let you leave me behind, cousin. But you... you've outdone yourself. First, you capture the Golden Lion, and now, you've even managed to get your hands on the Pirate King himself! How did you pull that off? I'm dying to hear the story."

Claudius chuckled. "It's a long tale, and it starts with me being on vacation in South Blue..."

As Claudius began recounting his adventures to Doflamingo, the square around them continued to fill with notable figures. Hawkeye Mihawk, carrying his massive cross-shaped sword on his back, stood nearby, his hawk-like eyes scanning the area. He, too, was here to witness the execution of the Pirate King.

In another corner of the crowd, two familiar figures, Shanks and Buggy, squeezed through the throngs of people. Their expressions were a mixture of sadness and anxiety, knowing what fate awaited their captain.