Three days later, a piece of news rocked the seas and made every power—including the World Government—lose its composure.
If Donquixote Doflamingo had been defeated by a Supernova two years ago and had no backing, at most he would have lost his Seven Warlords seat.
That would be big—but not enough to rattle the World Government.
Had he lacked connections, the Government would simply have dispatched an admiral to arrest the man who cheapened the Warlords' brand.
But Doflamingo was no Moria with no strings to pull. On the contrary, among the Warlords his background was the largest and strongest—backed by Bartholomew Kuma of the Revolutionary Army, with ties to Dracule Mihawk, who is friend and foe alike to Red-Haired Shanks. Add to that his former status as a Celestial Dragon: even stripped of the title of World Noble, he still enjoyed the privilege of exemption from execution.
His cozy relations with the Government even let him manipulate public opinion and stage a "voluntary withdrawal" from the Warlords.
Of course, after Kaido fell, none of that remained his greatest asset.
Sharp to the winds of change, he clung to Link's thigh the moment Kaido went down.
Granted the Impaler Pirates' archipelago operations, Doflamingo became their external spokesman, consolidating and commanding all subordinate crews.
When one man ascends, all around him rise. As first lieutenant to the world's strongest man and the world's strongest pirate crew, Doflamingo became not only the Dark King of the underworld but one of the New World's great pirates, second only to the Emperors.
That is why Luffy's defeat of Doflamingo drew a bounty far more staggering than in the tale you know.
As the top hatchetman of the world's strongest, Doflamingo didn't just stand for the underworld and the Warlords—he represented Link's face.
In fact, precisely because he represented Link's face, he could reign as the strongest king of the underworld and—despite being far weaker than Wang Zhi—still rank among the New World's most famous pirates.
Strike him and you slap Link in the face. It's far graver than attacking a mere subordinate of Whitebeard's fleet.
When the Navy publicly executed Ace, the world understood what kind of war Whitebeard's side would bring to the plaza.
Likewise, with Doflamingo beaten by the sworn brother trio, the whole world knew the Impaler Pirates would retaliate against Straw Hat Luffy and Fire Fist Ace, and even the Revolutionary Army's second-in-command and the factions behind them.
The payback would be terrifying.
Insulted men must kill a chicken to warn the monkeys; otherwise, Link and the Impaler Pirates would be harried without end. Whether pressed or proactive, they had to answer.
No one imagined Link's answer would be this horrific.
The head of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon. One of the Four Emperors, Red-Haired Shanks. Fire Fist Ace. And the culprit himself, Straw Hat Luffy.
When Doflamingo displayed the four severed heads, the world fell silent.
Then every heart filled with a fear words couldn't frame.
The stronger the person and the greater the power, the deeper their fear of Link grew—Navy Headquarters and the World Government included.
The strong know the weight of those four names.
Monkey D. Dragon, wielder of the Kaze Kaze no Mi, the most wanted man since the Pirate King.
The Government forever sought his death and forever came up empty.
Red-Haired Shanks, once the youngest Emperor, the most imposing man since the Pirate King.
Where Shanks walked, Benn Beckman walked. To kill him was never as simple as removing one powerhouse.
Add Fire Fist Ace, the Pirate King's son.
And Straw Hat Luffy, bearer of the Nika Fruit.
Three of them carried the D.
Four were top-class powerhouses.
And Link felled them all.
If Link had helpers, it would mean the Impaler Pirates possessed four super-powerhouses—one crew equal to an Emperor's.
In that case, the Government would not exactly be terrified. At worst, another Rocks Pirates had been born—a nuisance, not the end.
But everyone understood: Dragon and the others had likely not fallen to a coalition of the Impaler Pirates—but to Link alone.
Even a Logia master of wind could not escape his hand.
What level was that power
In this world it is rare enough to defeat a single top-class foe one-on-one.
If someone can face many at once and kill several super-powerhouses, what tier is that strength
The world's ceiling—or a being outside the world altogether
It was that unknown that bred terror.
On the day the news broke, the world roiled with debate.
The Five Elders convened at once and quickly resolved to seek an audience with Imu—to report this being who might be even more singular than Nika to the one who created and bestowed the Undying Mother.
They did not know a mortal crisis was already stealing toward them.
Amazon Lily, on the balcony of the viewing room.
Link sat cross-legged in the air, meditative. As if his mind had traversed time to the future and returned, he slowly opened his Six-Tomoe Rinnegan and smiled. "Do you have it."
Creak—
Almost as his words fell, a door opened in midair. Karina stepped out in hybrid form, smiling. "It's in hand."
"Good. Ready the mount. We depart—Holy Land Mary Geoise."
Lowering his feet to the floor, Link looked up into the blue and murmured, "It's time to put someone new on the Empty Throne."