ONE PIECE: WORTHLESS PROGRESSION

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What was an average day like for Toshi?

Scamming...

Stealing...

And Running a lot of running...

The morning air was brisk, carrying a salty scent from the nearby docks as it weaved its way through the narrow streets of Loguetown. Toshi hunched his shoulders against the chill, shivering as he rubbed his hands together, trying to coax warmth into his fingers.

The streets were quieter than usual, with only a few shopkeepers beginning to set up for the day and some fishermen hauling in the last of their morning catch. 

"Just another day," he muttered to himself, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he made his way through the winding street. As thankful as Toshi was for Raoul giving him a room to sleep in, he didn't want to stay there, uncomfortable with the feeling of owing him. So, out on the streets he went and back to earning profit, still wearing the same clothes as yesterday, not having enough money to spare for a new set.

With only 20,000 beli to his name, he knew he could technically afford new clothes—but saving it for later seemed wiser. It wasn't as if he made 30,000 beli every day; on average, he managed to pull in anywhere between one and five thousand.

How those fools hadn't realized they were being ripped off from the moment they heard the price honestly amazed Toshi. Why would someone sell a "rare" collection for 30,000 beli when they could supposedly get 100,000? They were complete idiots.

How had he scored such a jackpot the other day? He had no idea...the heavens must have been on his side.

"Wait... isn't that Toshi?" A loud whisper sounded from behind, making Toshi freeze mid-step as he walked through the darkened streets. At the sound of his name, his body tensed, and a bead of sweat traced down his forehead as his casual facade slipped.

Toshi's steps paused, his fist clenching tightly, and his pulse quickening. His gaze flickered around the street, catching the shadows stretching in every direction. The voice had come from behind him, hushed but unmistakably meant for him..

"Oi, isn't that the kid who tried to rip us off last time?" another voice hissed, closer than before. Toshi felt his stomach twist, recognizing the rough, familiar tone. His cover was blown.

Swallowing hard, Toshi fought to keep his expression neutral, but the adrenaline surging through him made it difficult. He knew better than to run outright; they'd chase him down like a pack of wolves if he showed any sign of fear. Still, he couldn't help but feel the weight of every second ticking by, knowing he'd have to act fast to get out of this mess.

Turning his head slightly, he forced a smirk and called out, "If you're looking for a refund, you're wasting your time."

A snarl sounded behind him, followed by the scuff of heavy boots. "Refund? Oh, you're gonna pay, alright."

' Ah, shit, I knew scamming those guys was a bad idea… ' he thought, before bolting in the opposite direction without a second glance. In a flash, he kicked up a cloud of dust; one second he was there, the next he was gone.

"SHIT, HE'S RUNNING! CATCH HIS ASS!" the pirate yelled, taking off after him. But despite Toshi's scrawny frame, it worked in his favor. His light weight made him unbelievably hard to catch.

. . . . 

[ HALF AN HOUR LATER. ]

Toshi ran and ran until his legs couldn't carry him any further. He stopped in a narrow alley, pressing one hand against the wall as he bent over, gasping for breath.

After a few minutes, he finally caught his breath and stepped out of the alley onto the street. Despite having been here a numerous times before, the sight still took his breath away. The streets were lined with pristine, elegant buildings made of polished brick, each structure a work of art that would put modern architects to shame. The area was filled with shops and markets on every corner. The streets were jam-packed with people; it was so crowded that you couldn't take half a step without bumping into five other people.

It didn't help that they smelled like shit too. Toshi found himself squashed in the crowd, barely able to breathe. ' Why the hell is it so cramped today? ' he thought, glancing around in frustration as people's shoulders pressed in from all sides. Yet, despite the tight space, a huge grin spread across his face.

With a sly glint in his eye, he licked his lips and dropped to his knees, slipping through the crowd as he discreetly dipped his hands into pockets and bags. ' These rich bastards won't miss a few beli, ' he mused, stealthfully pocketing coins and valuables as he moved. 

Despite having countless people after him, each hoping to one day catch him and take his life, Toshi seemed as if he hadn't learned his lesson. It was almost as though he welcomed the whole world turning against him.

Toshi continued slipping through the crowd, pickpocketing as he went, stuffing each new trinket and stack of cash into his cargo shorts.

' I'm gonna eat good tonight! HEHE, ' he thought, chuckling quietly to himself. Once his pockets were full, he ducked into a nearby alley, a greedy grin spreading across his face as he stretched out the fabric of his shorts, looking at the necklaces, coins, and cash spilling from inside.

Some might see Toshi as just a thief, but when you've spent countless nights hungry, with ants as your only meal, watching nobles laugh and eat every night with a full belly and a warm bed, it feels different. Toshi wasn't just stealing; he was doing what it took to survive even if that meant being a thief.

Toshi reached into his cargo shorts, transferring the valuables into his already full bag. Slinging it over his shoulder, he continued down the alley, whistling and gripping the bag strap as he walked. Soon, he found himself in front of a flight of stairs that led down to a dingy bar with a worn-out sign.

"Raoul's Bar... I keep telling him to change it. What a shitty name," Toshi muttered, shaking his head as he stepped inside. The bar was built right into the alleyway, and it looked just as run-down as the name suggested. Inside, the place was nearly empty unlike yesterday, except for the two kids sitting in a corner. Oddly enough, they looked out of place a red-haired boy and a blue-haired kid with a strange red nose.

Ignoring them, Toshi's gaze shifted to the bar counter, where a Raoul was with his small black glasses perched on his nose slipping ever so slightly as he worked, eyes focused on the glass in his hands.

"Raoul! You really need to change the name. This is why you don't bring in customers," Toshi nagged, taking a seat on a stool. Could you blame Toshi for saying it though? The bar's name was painfully generic, and its location in the middle of an alley certainly didn't help.

Raoul shrugged, looking a bit wounded. " Shut up I think it's a decent name… Besides, I usually do get customers. It's only slow because of what's happening today," he muttered.

 Raising a brow at Raoul's last words, Toshi asked, "Huh? What's happening today?" He casually picked his nose and flicked a booger to the side.

Raoul shot him a glare, putting down the glass he'd been polishing. "Do you live under a rock or something brat? You really haven't heard? Today's the day Gol D. Roger is going to be executed."

As Raoul said this, Toshi caught a glimpse of movement from the two kids in the corner and felt the weight of their stares pressing into his back. He shrugged it off. ' What did I do to them? I don't think I've scammed those two… yet, ' he mused.

Putting on an exaggerated "AHHHH, I SEE" expression, Toshi replied, "Relax, Raoul. I can barely afford food, let alone a newspaper, and even if I could, I'd hardly be interested in it."

The truth was, Toshi was flat-out broke; most of what he had was stolen, and even buying food was a struggle. Even when he had money to spare, he had to save it for a next day. Was it really his fault he was a little behind on current news?

But Toshi wasn't much for chit chat...he was all about business. "Anyway, Raoul, how about buying an item or two off me?" he asked with a grin.

At Toshi's words, Raoul's eyebrows instantly furrowed, and his fists clenched. Seeing this, Toshi let out an awkward laugh and slowly slid off the stool, ready to bolt. He'd nearly forgotten that a few days ago, he'd sold Raoul a "medicine" for his leg pain… which turned out to be a laxative. Raoul had spent two miserable days in the bathroom.

Toshi tried to make a quick escape, but before he could even take a step, he felt Raoul's large hand grip the top of his head, rooting him in place.

. . . . POW! . . . . POW! . . . . POW!. . . .

"I swaid I wasff sorry..." Toshi muttered, his voice slurred from his swollen, bruised face, with several fresh bumps dotting his forehead.

Raoul cracked his knuckles with a satisfied grin. "No, I don't want to buy crap off you, you scamming little shit," he chuckled, clearly amused by Toshi's face.

Rubbing his forehead with a wince, Toshi muttered, "You could've just said that without beating the hell out of me, you know… owww."

Raoul raised an eyebrow. "I know you've got it tough, kid, but I've offered you a job more than a billion times now. Instead of stealing, you could work here. I'd pay you fair! Eh? Eh?" Raoul jokingly said, knowing his response.

Toshi's sighed once more, " Like I said yesterday and today and for the rest of my life...No. "

Raoul didn't pry any further and let him be, " Every man has an ambition... " Raoul sighed as if remembering something in the back of his head. Toshi then grinned wildly, " So- " 

DING! DONG! DING! DONG

Toshi's words were interrupted by the loud toll of a bell in the distance. Raoul sighed, his voice tinged with a hint of sadness. "It's time... you coming? I'm closing up shop."

Toshi chuckled, stuffing his hands into his pockets contemplating for a while. "I guess..." he said, interested in what all the hype was about.

In the corner, the two boys suddenly shot out of the bar, as if they were in a rush, their footsteps quick and urgent as if their lives depended on it.

"What's their problem?" Toshi muttered, glancing after them, though he quickly lost interest. Raoul shrugged, locking up the bar before they started down the alleyway. It was a longer path to the town center, but with the streets so packed, it was easier than trying to navigate the crowds.

After about half an hour of winding through narrow alleys, they finally reached the center of town. Thousands, possibly millions, of people crowded together, forming a massive ring around the execution platform. Encircling the crowd, hundreds of Marines stood at attention, keeping order with serious, focused faces.

Toshi's eyes widened as he took in the sheer scale of the crowd, his gaze locked on the execution platform ahead. He and Raoul moved further into the crowd, carefully weaving through bodies to get a better vantage point.

"Damn, I can't see a thing!" Toshi grumbled, straining on his tiptoes. But it was no use; the sea of heads in front of him blocked any view he might have had. Meanwhile, Raoul smirked, easily able to see over the crowd with his height.

Without a word, Raoul reached down, grabbed Toshi by the collar, and hoisted him onto his shoulders.

"Preciate, Raoul" Toshi grinned, finally able to see over the crowd. He scanned the countless faces packed tightly together. Suddenly, a gunshot cracked through the air from the platform, silencing the crowd instantly. In the quiet that followed, the low, steady clank of chains echoed from the distance, each step growing louder as it approached.

Everyone's gaze turned to the man walking down the center of the crowd. With his curly mustache and confident stride, he wore a long red captain's coat that draped dramatically over his torso. Beneath it, he had on a green shirt, a blue sash wrapped around his waist, and a white cravat tucked neatly at his collar, lending an air of defiant elegance. Dark grey pants and sturdy black sea boots.

His wrists were bound tightly in heavy iron cuffs, and two soldiers flanked him, each wielding a massive spear. With each step, the crowd instinctively parted, creating a direct path to the towering execution platform looming at the end of the square. The silence was deafening as the legend walked his final path.

As he walked, eyes followed him, tracing each step up the enormous stairs. The air thickened and no one dared to breathe. Slowly, he turned, settling onto the floor with a heavy thud that echoed through the air. Faces filled with awe; eyes widened, yet no words were exchanged. They all knew...his death would bring the end of this era and herald the beginning of another.

Each night, people fall asleep and dream of lives they long to fulfill, envisioning a reality where individual desires come true. But with morning, they wake to realize it was only a dream. Still, they hold hope that just because something is a 'dream' doesn't mean it can't become reality...

One man seized his dream, holding it firmly in his grasp until it became reality. If fulfilling our dreams is so difficult, then why do we envision ourselves within them? The answer is simple...we often expect our dreams to fall into our hands without putting in the work.

His death will ignite an era of dreams and boundless possibilities, inspiring others to turn their visions into reality.

. . . .

"All right, let's get this over with quickly." Gol D. Roger's voice traveled from miles away, each word ringing through the crowd. A hush fell over the world; the very breeze seemed to hold its breath, thick with a weight no one dared disturb.

Roger smiled, as the two executions spear crossed together into an X.

SHING!

The two spear tips sparked as they grazed each other, a proof to their deadly sharpness worthy enough to harm the king of the pirates. Both executioners then raised their spears high, tips pointed toward the sky. Time seemed to slow, the heavy crash of waves against the shore echoing in the tense silence.

The crowd stood frozen, barely daring to breathe, fearful that even a whisper or a blink and they would miss the moment.

Then, cutting through the silence, a bold voice rang out. Toshi clasped his hands together in a cup around his mouth and, with all the strength in his lungs, shouted, "Oi, KING OF THE PIRATES! WHERE DID YOU HIDE ALL THE TREASURE YOU FOUND?!"

All eyes whipped toward Toshi, then flicked back to Roger, eagerly awaiting his answer.

"You got it, didn't you?! The legendary treasure!" Toshi shouted again, his voice breaking the tense silence. Raoul, who had Toshi perched on his shoulders, looked up and hissed, "You've got a death wish, kid! Shut the fuck up!"

But Toshi only grinned wider. "THE ONE PIECE!" he yelled, his voice ringing out as the crowd collectively gasped in awe.

Although Toshi was usually slow to catch up on world news, he still understood how the world revolved. The One Piece was a mythical treasure he'd heard about from sailors and travelers alike, and Gol D. Roger...a name so legendary that you'd have to leave the planet not to know it. Until now, Toshi hadn't shown much interest in it or them. But if he found the One Piece, he'd technically have everything he'd ever wanted.

He wanted it... he wanted it badly. If the One Piece was real, then he wanted it for himself.

Roger threw his head back and laughed, his pearly white teeth gleaming in the sunlight. "WAHAHAHAHA! My treasure?" He paused, a massive grin spreading across his face, before he continued, "If you want it, you can have it!"

"DO NOT SPEAK WITHOUT EXPLICIT PERMISSION!" a harsh voice blared from a loud snail on a table beside him. "EXECUTE HIM NOW!" the burly snail demanded.

Roger's grin only widened. "Find it! I left everything this world has to offer... there!"

The two executioners, hands trembling, brought their spears down, driving the tips through his chest. Even in death, his fearless grin remained, a final challenge to the world.

The crowd erupted in a frenzy. Women, men, children, and even old grandfathers cheered....not in celebration of a man's death, but for the spark of dreams rekindled in their hearts. Roger's death had ignited something deep within them, a call to adventure, a promise of freedom, and the hope of unimaginable riches and fame. The world had just been reminded of the power of a Dream.

TO BE CONTINUED

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