On the day the Summit War ended, the World Government publicly announced the outcome of the war. However, the focus of their announcement was not Whitebeard's final declaration, nor was it about showcasing the strength of any particular pirate. Their emphasis was always on one thing: Whitebeard was dead.
Whitebeard's death signified the end of a legendary great pirate, and it meant that the seas would no longer have a monster by the name of Whitebeard.
Those with some knowledge know exactly what kind of consequences Whitebeard's death would bring, but ordinary people were different. They only celebrated what they saw as a "victory" for the Marines.
As the news spread, the truth was gradually diluted. By the time it reached the masses, the information they received was completely different from the reality of the war.
The Marines won. Whitebeard died. That was all most people knew.
As for other parts of the war, such as the mass prison breakout from Impel Down, the retreat of Whitebeard's remnants, the heavy Marine casualties, these events were gradually forgotten under the World Government's deliberate manipulation.
At the end of the day, pirates are still a group that lives by plunder. Very few manage to rise to the rank of Emperor of the Sea and establish their own maritime empires.
And these individuals who produce nothing and only know how to plunder are naturally hated by the public.
Even though Whitebeard used his strength to protect many islands, in the eyes of others, he was no different from the pirates who did nothing but pillage.
[Great! Whitebeard is finally dead!]
[Now the seas can finally be peaceful again! Let's throw a party, drinks are on me today!]
They were exhilarated by the war's outcome, spending what they considered a wonderful day in a festive manner, indulging in fun and dreaming of the future, but their joy didn't last long.
What ordinary citizens saw was Whitebeard's death. But those with ambition had their eyes on the mysterious One Piece.
Whitebeard's own confirmation that the One Piece truly existed drove countless pirates crazy.
To fight for the One Piece, more and more people chose to set out to sea, and the ones who had just been celebrating were the first to bear the brunt of it.
The Summit War had transferred elite Marines from all over the world, including the few capable high-ranking officers in the Four Seas' Marines.
With these officers not yet returned to their posts, the Marines' deterrent power plummeted. Facing an overwhelming surge of new pirates, the Marines were forced into frequent deployments to strike down these rising threats.
Dispatch rooms at branch offices all over the world were running non-stop. Just as they finished dealing with one group of pirates, a new alarm would sound in their ears.
The sea areas of the Four Seas were overwhelmed by these newly emerged pirates, let alone the New World. The territories once ruled by the Whitebeard Pirates had already descended into chaos.
In the New World, Whitebeard had originally controlled a vast portion of territories. But to rescue Ace, the Whitebeard Pirates had practically mobilized their entire force.
All sixteen divisions of the main crew were deployed without holding anything back, and even the subordinate crews were fully dispatched, leaving behind very few to guard their territories.
This meant that when Jack and Olga began conquering territories, the biggest obstacle they faced wasn't the strength of their enemies. It was the distance they had to travel.
Many islands in the New World had long grown accustomed to life under the protection of a pirate flag, so Jack and Olga's job was relatively straightforward: find an island, defeat the person in charge, plant their own flag, leave a few people behind to garrison it, and then move on to the next one.
Issues of island management would be addressed later through follow-up arrangements. Their mission was simply to stake claims and secure territory first.
As for how to manage the islands, that would be handled by others down the line.
Jack is good at fighting for territory, but asking him to manage the new island is truly asking too much of him.
Even though the officers of the Beasts Pirates began splitting up as soon as they entered Whitebeard's territory, the sheer number of islands still slowed their progress. Even though the Summit War was already over, their mission was far from finished.
"Captain Jack! Governor-General Kaido has sent new orders; once you complete your task, you are to return to Onigashima for a banquet."
"Understood. Boss Kaido really is the strongest. Sheepshead, Ginrummy, you two are in charge of this island. I'll go capture the nearby one, and then we'll wrap up our mission."
"Yes, sir!"
The Beasts Pirates had seized a good portion of territories that once belonged to Whitebeard. According to the recent battle report sent back by Olga, the newly occupied territories were already nearing the Beasts Pirates' management limit.
For them, capturing these territories wasn't difficult, nor was simply raising their flag and collecting protection money. But properly managing these islands requires significant effort and manpower, and this is what the "management limit" refers to.
With the new orders in hand, Jack planned to begin the return journey once he finished capturing the nearby island. Leaving only a small garrison behind, Jack's Mammoth continued sailing toward the next sea area.
Here, the flag that once belonged to Whitebeard had already been taken down by the island's inhabitants. Whitebeard was deeply respected within his territory; most people were truly grateful for the protection his flag had provided.
Even though Whitebeard was now dead, this situation did not change immediately.
The pirates of the Beasts Pirates didn't insult that flag either. Even Kaido acknowledged Whitebeard's strength, so naturally they wouldn't do something so pointless.
However, from the expressions of some of the island's inhabitants, Sheepshead could see a lingering sense of unwillingness.
When Jack and the others first landed on the island, these people had resisted, but they were easily crushed.
"No need to feel indignant. In a few days, you'll be grateful our flag is flying here. Do you really think that with your half-baked skills, you could protect this island on your own? This is the New World. Even without us, other pirates would come. And if it were some other pirate crew, their methods wouldn't be nearly as gentle as ours."
Sheepshead toyed with a piece of ore in his hand. It was one of the main reasons they'd taken over this island.
Islands without sufficient resource value weren't prioritized for occupation by the Beasts Pirates; unless the island's geographical position was crucial and not occupying it might lead to other territories becoming enclaves.
"You give us resources, and we'll protect you. Everything will be just like before. In fact, your lives might even get better. Time will prove all of this. Or, you're welcome to try and see if you can defeat us."
Crushing the ore in his hand with a single squeeze, Sheepshead gave the inhabitants a figurative "sweet deal" while also again demonstrating his strength.
And truthfully, he wasn't wrong. In the New World, islands without the ability to defend themselves usually ended up in bad shape, like the island Jack was heading to next.
Due to its location, it would take Jack a few more days to arrive. But by the time he landed, what had once been a peaceful island was already devastated—houses set ablaze, and the sound of crying spreading outward through a sea of flames.
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