They had already foreseen that the coming era would be the most chaotic the world had ever seen.
"That bastard...! So this was his plan all along!"
An elderly man clad in a black suit, a flat hat resting atop his head, and a deep scar running down the left side of his face clenched his fists, his expression twisted with rage. Even his voice, usually calm and measured, carried an uncharacteristic sharpness.
The sheer depth of his fury was not something easily restrained—especially now, when they were already seething with frustration.
"I underestimated him," another elder spoke, his voice carrying a mix of anger and helplessness. He wore a dark green suit, and his massive mustache quivered as he frowned deeply. "I thought his surrender would work in our favor... but in the end, we were the ones being used."
His expression darkened as he gritted his teeth. How could they not realize now the true reason for Gol D. Roger's sudden surrender?
He had done it to ignite an era.
The all-powerful World Government had been manipulated by a pirate. Even if only a select few could see through this scheme, it was still an unbearable humiliation.
What was the difference between this and a fool being played like a puppet?
"What should we do now?" The third elder, garbed in a crimson suit with a scar across his chest, finally spoke after a long silence. His tone was grave, his eyes filled with turmoil.
He understood that what had happened could not be undone. Roger's execution had already been broadcast to the world. The fire had been lit.
If they wished to contain the tide that was coming, their chances were slim. But they had to formulate a countermeasure—they could not allow the situation to spiral further out of control.
At this moment, a cold chill ran down his spine.
Caesar's previous actions had already left them shaken. And now, with this development, how were they supposed to explain things to Lord Im?
The disaster had only just begun, and now the stakes were even higher. Would they even survive this ordeal?
In the end, the Five Elders had no perfect solution. They had no choice but to steel themselves and make their way toward the Room of Flowers, where Lord Im resided atop the Empty Throne.
They were prepared for the worst.
However, when they finally reported the matter, Im's response left them bewildered.
"So, it has finally begun."
That was all Im said before vanishing into the shadows.
—
Meanwhile, in Loguetown, East Blue.
As the crowd erupted in chaos following Roger's execution, one man stood silently amidst the uproar.
Caesar watched the scene unfold, his expression unreadable. Then, as Roger's lifeless body was taken away, he finally spoke in a low voice:
"The wind is blowing."
A rare chuckle escaped his lips, his laughter reverberating across the square.
Then, without hesitation, he turned and left with his men. As they departed, a sudden gust of wind picked up, causing his cloak to billow dramatically.
It was as if the world itself had affirmed his words.
—
Upon returning to the Middle Kingdom, Caesar received urgent reports.
Across the world, civilians were setting sail en masse, aspiring to become pirates.
The number of new pirates had increased nearly tenfold since Roger's death—and it showed no signs of slowing.
Greed begets destruction.
The fabled treasure of the final island had become the ultimate temptation, the common dream of countless hopefuls.
But they had all gravely underestimated the perils of the sea.
Despite the dangers, the tides of ambition would not be stemmed. More and more people would continue to flood into this new era, and soon, the numbers would reach an unprecedented level.
The era of piracy had truly begun.
—
The Great Pirate Wave and the Navy's Struggle to Maintain Order
Roger's final words had ignited a wildfire. Almost every island across the world saw an explosion of hopefuls eager to set sail in search of the legendary treasure.
Even within the Middle Kingdom, murmurs of adventure stirred among its people.
However, unlike other nations, the Middle Kingdom responded swiftly. The moment anyone attempted to set sail unlawfully, they were immediately apprehended.
"Even King Caesar is no longer a pirate, yet you lot think you can become pirates? Who do you take us for?!"
The Central Navy, established under Caesar's rule, had spent the last two years tirelessly eradicating piracy in their waters.
So when reckless individuals attempted to embark on a pirate's journey, they were swiftly subdued—not by the navy, but by the local police.
These would-be pirates had no real strength, yet they dared to dream of conquest on the seas? They wouldn't even survive long enough to regret it.
Meanwhile, the rest of the world had begun to feel the consequences of Roger's declaration.
Many nations saw their populations dwindle as citizens abandoned their homes to pursue pirate life. Fear spread among weaker countries, their rulers fretting over the inevitable pirate raids.
A country's true strength lies in its people. If too many turned to lawlessness—pillaging, plundering, and abandoning their responsibilities—then national power would be drained to nothing.
Yet, curiously, the Middle Kingdom seemed unaffected.
If anything, its population was steadily increasing. And so was its military strength.
Caesar, hailed by many as the strongest man alive, had created an empire where many sought refuge, believing it the safest place to weather the coming storm.
Those with ambitions saw an opportunity to serve and enlisted in his ranks.
—
The Four Seas and the First Half of the Grand Line paled in comparison to the true battleground: the New World.
Here, only the strongest survived.
Competition was fiercer than ever, and the seas had grown bloodier.
Caesar's goal was clear—to expand his influence within the New World before the final war came.
However, the time was not yet ripe.
For now, the Navy still held some semblance of control.
While their reach within the New World was limited, the few bases they had were heavily fortified.
The current wave of pirates consisted mostly of greenhorns—fools who hoisted the Jolly Roger on a whim, driven by blind passion rather than true strength.
They did not comprehend the horrors of the sea, nor the power of the Navy or the might of established pirate factions.
Most would perish swiftly.
At present, the Navy could still manage this influx. But the true wave—the real threat—had yet to come.
When the true war-hardened pirates emerged, the Navy would be overwhelmed.
History would repeat itself, just as it did in the original timeline.
The New World would become a lawless domain, with the Navy barely maintaining a handful of strongholds.
As Caesar gathered his strength in the shadows, the Navy found itself increasingly stretched thin, struggling to contain the rising chaos.
Gol D. Roger's words had burned into the hearts of men.
If they did not set sail now, had they truly lived?
Especially in the East Blue—the birthplace of legends.
It had given birth to Roger.
It had raised Garp.
It had sent Dragon onto the path of revolution.
The World Government could no longer ignore this sea. Their grip tightened, their suppression intensified.
But the embers of ambition would not be so easily snuffed out.
The storm of a new era had only just begun.
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